Chile

Upstate New YorkJuly 10, 2007“. . . even a rolling stone requires an occasional handful of moss.”-Harry Franck, Working North from PatagoniaAlpacas in Bosque de Piedras, Peru, 2001.As I ended up back in the USA I figure that I am afforded the opportunity to think through some of my previous travels and dig into the [...]

SANTIAGO, Chile- I am going to be missing that $250 I lost in the park in Santiago. I knew that walking home to my hotel through that park at the middle of the night was a bad idea. My Chilean friend, JessieAnne, suggested that I go that way, and my pride was too much to [...]

SANTIAGO, Chile- Back in Santiago after a 21 hour and 23 minute bus ride from Calama up in the Atacama. I am on my way to Buenos Aires. Well, sort of — I have a difficult time sticking to any one path, opting instead for marking the world with squiggly lines that double back and [...]

SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, Chile- I arrived in San Pedro de Atacama on September 10th. A very touristy place which I came away with mixed feelings about. On one hand it was an incredibly beautiful place, on the other hand the influx from outsiders has severely altered and/ or interrupted the local people’s way of life. Seriously, [...]

CHANARAL, Chile- I just want to be out of here. Prior to this stop there was just one town in South America that I did not like — Yurimaguas, Peru. Now, I must report, there are two — Chanaral, Chile. [adsense]Kids throwing temper tantrums, dogs trying to eat my food, that lovely pack of Dobermans patrolling the beach, [...]

CALDERA, Chile- This is my fourth day in Caldera, and I could possibly be here for a week more. I tried to leave a few days ago. Unsuccessful. I began walking north out of town on the Panamerican highway to the next town. Trucks flew by me as I walked, made me think about being [...]

LA SERENA, Chile- I spent yesterday in Valparaiso and left on a night bus. Young couples were kissing everywhere. One getting on the bus with me, the other to be left behind. I know how it feels to depart from someone you love. It is perhaps the most unnatural feeling that a person can ever [...]

SAN ESTEBAN, Chile- I walked this morning to San Esteban from Los Andes. I arrived at this little town which appears to be one of the nicest communities that I have experience so far on this jaunt through Chile. I am speaking of this village’s aesthetics, as I have yet to meet any of the people. [...]

LOS ANDES, Chile- I took a bus here from Valparaiso today. I was told at the bus stations in Valparaiso that I would have to go to another city before transferring to Los Andes (again). Not wanting to do this I walked out of the terminal and the words “Los Andes” printed in bright bold letters on [...]