More about Isla Negra

I fly to Santiago Chile Thursday and will be in the city for my first week.   Ready and excited to go.!

My work exchange for weeks 2 and 3 of my time in Chile will be at a hostel on Isla Negra.  Mostly the things to do have to do with Pablo Neruda, great Chilean poet. I also found out it is a popular vacation spot for natives of Chile because it's beautiful. 

Here's more from Trip Advisor:   

  More than just a Neruda destination, one can take birding walks, do mountain biking, visit local wineries and get a taste of local cuisine at its best.  My three week stay in Isla was made much more interesting by tapping into these tours.  The people of the town are super friendly. And close by is El Totoral an historic community with a church well worth seeing and a weekend market. 

More about Patagonia

The area called Patagonia is in southern Chile and Argentina.  My tour is two weeks of hiking in and near mountains, glaciers, lakes and rivers.  I fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas (see it on the map) to meet my tour group.  From there we take a van to Puerto Natales to start the trip.  We finish in the same area and then I fly back to Santiago.  We are mainly in the area circled on the map that says Glaciers.  (scroll down to see photos).

 

We will visit Los Glaciers National Park and see amazing scenery there.


This is Lago El Chalten - another amazing place we'll visit (in Argentina). 


Below is a picture from Torres del Paine National Park

My next adventure....Chile and Argentina

 I leave for Santiago, Chile on October 30th.  Here's my general schedule:

October 31 - arrive in Santiago and spend one week there with friends I've already made and been communicating with online from couchsurfing and Facebook. (Claudia, Patricio, Alejandra).

November 6 - 18? - go to Isla Negra off the coast (2 hours from Santiago, south of San Antonio) and do a work exchange at a small peaceful hostel with owner Sandra.  I do whatever work she wants from me for apprx. 25 hours per week and she gives me a bed, food, Spanish speaking, and help to see the sights and get around the area. 
 

Nov. 19-29 -  Unplanned so far:  I'm thinking I'll go to Valparaiso, a coast city, or to the wine country, or back to Santiago to do some hiking in the Andes. 

Nov. 30 - Dec. 13 - Two weeks of trekking in Patagonia area with Active Adventures.  They take care of everything.  I just show up and enjoy the other hikers and amazing scenery.


Dec. 13 - 23 - Unplanned so far.  This will be my last ten days to get in anything I hope to see before I fly out on Dec. 23rd.

More Practice posts

This is more blog post practice on the tablet.
Had lunch this weekend with girlfriends who have been getting together since 1980. We were missing one, Diane.  "Old" friends are  awesome! 

A practice post from Longmont

The photo is from a trail run in the foothills of Boulder last week. The fall colors are amazing!