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What I learned

Why Travel Solves Everything….Temporarily

by Andrea September 14, 2016

written by Andrea

Traveling gives you time to think. It’s not the same kind of thinking when you’re sitting at home during your stay-cations or a day off running errands. It’s a kind of thinking that makes you question what you’re doing with your life. It’s a kind of think that makes you evaluate your current situation and consider making a change if you don’t like it.

My current travel adventures were brought on by an unfortunate situation. As many as you know, I’ve been living in Santiago, Chile for the past 6 years and was loving every bit of my life. I had finally landed my “dream job” and I was doing what I really loved and felt my career was going in the path I had imagined. My weekends flashed by so quickly with family lunches and a sleepless night with friends and my free time was spent learning new things, catching up with my family back home, or trying to break the world record of the number of times Netflix can ask you “Are you still watching”?

Life was great.

I put dream job in quotations because it wasn’t quite the dream job I expected. While I loved everything about my responsibility and the technical aspect of what my job had me doing, it was completely filled with toxic energy by the people who worked there. And for those who me, I’m huge believer about people’s energies, Karma, the stars, and I carry stones with me for protection (yeah, you might think I’m crazy but hey, it works for me).

To make a long boring work story short, I trusted the wrong people and ended up unemployed. I learned two things from the experience:

Always trust your gut
There are still good people out there

People will always try and screw others over. I can’t control that. But what I can control is how I react to it. Of course, I was upset, angry, plus a whole bunch of other emotions but I knew that those feelings were only temporary. I knew that life would go on and I needed to walk away with the positive: I figured out what I want and which direction my career path should go in.

So then I was faced with a huge challenge: what do I do now?

One night I had a long conversation with my dad and we came to the conclusion that it was time for a move, time for a change. Again. Leaving Chile was probably one of the heartbreaking things I’ve had to do. I made a life for myself that was completely mine, independent, and free. But I knew it needed to be done. I did come home under one condition. I wanted to travel. And travel a lot. So I packed my bags, sub-rented my furnished apartment, had a week long going away party (because that’s the Chilean way), and made my way back home.

I’m currently on month #4 and I’ve been on 11 flights, visited 18 cities from 7 different countries, and I’m loving every single moment!! I could stress about finding a job, but what’s the fun in that? When the opportunity presents itself, I’ll be sure to grab it.

Remember, when you give good, you get good.

September 14, 2016 1 comment

Travel Tips & Tricks

How to Travel with Friends

by Andrea May 30, 2018

written by Andrea

I love to travel with my friends. I consider myself very lucky to have more than a handful of people to choose from when I want to visit a new destination. Traveling with friends isn’t easy but from my personal experience, it’s my favorite way to travel. I’ve traveled with just 1 extra friend and even up to 22 different people. How do I do it with pulling my hair out?

Here are some of my tips that might just help you in planning your next trip with a group of friends:

Find motivated Travel-Loving Friends

7 Tazas Natural Park, Chile

This might be the hardest step because it’s really a two-step in 1. First, We all love the people that we call our friends, but we also know which ones you can spend a whole week with without a problem and you know which ones have a 72-hour time limit. Second, Be Honest with yourself and your friends. It’s also important to know how they manage stressful situations and how quickly they can adapt to other cultures when traveling. How open are your friends? Are they will get a little dirty or how flexible are they if plans change? Travel can make or break friendships.

Decided on a Place that Everyone Would Like to Visit

Little Tokyo, LA

Get together like you usually and start talking about destinations that you would love to see. Create group chats and start sending ideas. Pick places that you can do on a short weekend trip and places that might need a minimum of two weeks to explore. It usually takes one person to randomly say a destination and the other one who says “oh yeah, I haven’t been there either!” or “I’ve been dying to visit that place”.

Plan and Create a Budget

Catamaran Sunset Tour, Santorini, Greece

Knowing what your spending budget is and those of your friends is crucial in the planning of a trip. Start looking into flights, hotel stays, tours or costs of food in the area that you and your friends have decided to visit. Create a Google Drive Excel and share with everyone so you’re working on the same document and you can see the changes being made.

Pinterest, skyscanner.com, and booking.com are my go-to sites when trying to create a budget. I just do a quick search of prices and then round up. For example, if something costs $7, I would round up to $10 and add $5. If something cost $250, I’ll round up to $280 and add $20. I always do this as a way plan for more than I except that I would need. Also when I go back weeks later to actually book I can take into consideration if the price has gone up a bit or feel like I’m super saving if the price goes down. Mind games…yes I know. But it works for me. Plus if I have that cash into consideration and it’s left over, I can buy something nice that I didn’t have planned.

Download Payback

London Bridge, UK

Most hotels and restaurants won’t let you split the bill 5 ways. I know back home in the States one of the first things they ask “is this separate or all together?” Unfortunately, in most parts of the world, this just doesn’t work that way. I stumbled upon an app called Payback (only available for iPhone) that is my “MUST HAVE” on my phone when traveling

During the trip, each person starts to pay for different things; Hotel stays, lunch for everyone, gas for the car, whatever. At the end of the trip or every new city, it’s up to you, this app will automatically calculate who owes who and how much. It’s amazing. You can divide the cost between all or just a few of your friends. From experience, I’ve learned to have one person in the group as the designated payback app person. When you share the same “trip” online it’s not very friendly and money can get mixed up.

Research, Again!

.Chiloe, Chile

Once you’ve done all the logistical research it’s time to figure out what you guys are actually going to do on the trip. Like I’ve said before, I’ve traveled with 1 other person and I’ve traveled with 20 people at a time. I’ve traveled with all girls, me being the only girl, couples, only singles, you name it. From experience, I can say it’s best to have an idea or a list of things that you can do in a city and then work from there. Prioritize your list and be flexible. You never know how the weather is going to be when you wake up, check to see opening hours for museums (most are closed on Mondays), and consider that you’re going to be doing some parties with your amigos so Chill days are also necessary to cure that hangover.

Travel Day

Travel Day Ibiza- Naples

Make a copy of everyone’s passport and flight/hotel reservations just in case. You can have one or two copies but make sure that everyone has a digital copy. This is important if you’re going on an international trip and you get separated at customs. Each person needs to know where they are staying and for how long they are staying in each location. If you want to take additional safety measures, send your group’s travel information to a loved one back home that you trust. You can also take pictures of what each other is wearing on that travel day just in case anyone gets lost. It most likely won’t happen but you never know.

Have fun

Macchu Picchu, Peru

Traveling with friends is my favorite way to travel. You have time to connect with your friends and talk about things that you never have time for. Plus you’re visiting a new place so you’re creating new memories! Don’t forget to meet other people while you’re traveling. Don’t close yourself off to just your friends. You never know who you’re going to meet. Don’t be afraid to split up either. Ya’ll don’t have to be together 24/7. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from each other, especially if you’re traveling for a longer period of time.

Those are my tips! Are you ready to tackle on a trip with your BFFs? Let me know in the comments below where you’re going and who you are going with! Happy Travels!

May 30, 2018 17 comments

Chile

7-Day Guide for Chile’s Carretera Austral

by Andrea December 23, 2017

written by Andrea

Are you a sucker for road trips like me? There is nothing like the freedom of stopping whenever you want, jamming out to your favorite tunes, and exploring the unknown.

Patagonia was on my 2017-bucket list and I worked my butt off all year to make this happen. However, Patagonia is huge! Two countries, Argentina and Chile, share over 1 million square kilometers of mountains, rivers, lakes, ice fields, and views that will leave you breathless. Where do you start? It’s overwhelming, but I created a list of 5 spots you must see on Chile’s side of Patagonia.

I planned my year out so that I could have all the time I needed to explore both ends of Chile’s Patagonia between November and December. I started with one of the most epic road trips in South America, the Carretera Austral. This iconic scenic route is one that should be high up on your travel list and let me tell you, you won’t be disappointed. This area is virtually untouched by mass tourism, the majority of the route is a dirt road, and has a special charm that you need to come yourself to really understand what I’m talking about. If you need some convincing, check out my previous post that gives you 5 reasons why you need to see Chile’s northern Patagonia.

OK, before I get to the good stuff I want to be transparent with you all and let you know that this experience was part of a blogger press trip. I was invited by Recorreaysen.cl to get to know the region alongside with two amazing journalists from Gochile.com and Lavidanomade.com. I was just asked to talk about my experience. So here I am, talking about my trip. It goes without saying that all opinions are my own but I want to be transparent with you all. I was blown away by what I saw that I have now made it a 2018 goal of mine to come back to see the rest.

7-Day Guide for Chile’s Carretera Austral:

I made a map so you can follow along with my trip and see what I did if you like to look at maps like me. Each day has a different color so you can keep track of what I did each day.

Day 1: Balmaceda International Airport to Chile Chico

Distance drove: 130 KM (80 miles)

Having a moment with the largest lake in Chile

Exploring the small town, we found a guacho (chilean southern cowboy) sharing his drink with me

This is called the Devil's tail

First stop for Lunch.

The best lookout right off Highway 7

We took the first flight from Santiago to Balmaceda (BBA) and arrived around 9:30 AM. Since this was a special invitation there was a hired car that took care of all of our transportation. If you wanted to rent a car, the best thing to do is make your way to Coyaique (50-minute drive towards the north) via taxi or transfer and rent a car from there. We got onto Highway 7, also known as the Carretera Austral, towards Cerro Castillo on Highway 7.

We Stopped in Villa Cerro Castillo for Lunch. This is where I started to realize that that the portions sizes of meals are extra large in the south. Thank goodness I was going to be very active, if not I would have come back to Santiago a little bit rounder. We each had a Churrasco completo, a signature dish at the Hosteria Restaurante Villarrica. This mega sandwich has shredded beef, cheese, avocado, tomato, lettuce and green beans. Patagonia or the south of Chile generally has some incredible craft beers that stay local. Knowing this, I felt like I owed to myself and to you guys to try as many as I could. (post coming soon) I had to try the local craft beer, Caiquen, which was a rich and flavorful Blonde Ale.

We went back on the highway and took the X65 towards Puerto Ibanez and Lake General Carrera. This is the largest lake in Chile and second largest lake in South America after Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and Peru.

We checked into our hotel in Chile Chico called Hotel Posada Del Río in Chile Chico. Beautiful hotel that made you feel right at home. Breakfast is included and has a price range of about 75 USD per night for 2 people. You can find them on booking!!

Day 2: Day trip to Jeinimeni National Reserve

Our group about to start out 7.8km hike

first stop on the historic Hike

Stop 2 in historic Hike

Peacefull moment on the lake

Jeinimeni National Reserve is the 4^th largest reserve in Chile and has one of the largest varieties of landscapes in the country. Located about 18 miles (30km) from Chile Chico and the plan for the day was to hike 4 5 miles (7.4 KM) before lunch then end the afternoon with a bike ride. Careful, there are several river crossings. You must cross with a lot of momentum and the confidence that you’re going to cross it completely and a dash of fear of falling. Check out what happened to me here. You can do this on your own but I would really recommend hiring a guide for the day for two reasons. First, it’s safer. Even though this route has existed for over 7.000 years, signs and directions on how to get there are not the best. If you’re not an experienced hiker you can easily miss the signs along the trail. Also, something important to know, there is no cellphone signal, so if you get lost, you’re SOL. Secondly, you’ll miss out on interesting historical facts about the region. I learned a lot about the Tehuelche People, a nomadic tribe in of region that used this area to live during a period of time. Our guide Andres, from Patagoniaxpress, also pointed out interesting rock formations and animals that live in the reserve.

Day 3: Chile Chico to Puerto Guadal

Distance drove 110 KM (68miles)

Words cant even describe the feeling

We landed on Glacier Meliquina so we can explore a bit

How can you not like this view?

we made to the Maqui Waterfall

We got up early to start driving because we had a big day ahead of us. The drive on the 265 from Chile Chico to Puerto Guadal was incredible. It’s recommended to drive about 25mp/h (40km/h) because it’s all dirt road and you’re hugging the coast along the General Carrera Lake so there are lots of curves and the lanes are quite snug. Most of the time you’ll have the street to yourself but you never know when another car is approaching.

We arrived at TerraLuna Lodge for our first activity of the day. Our guide Sebastian had a big surprise in store for us. He told us that we were going to see a glacier up close and we were going to visit this glacier via helicopter. Yes, you read that right, HELICOPTER! Now before you guys say “Oh man I could never afford something like that”, don’t worry because I thought the same thing. While this is a pricey activity, let me tell you it’s 100% worth every penny. I saw two glaciers during this trip and this one was 10 times a better experience than the other one I did on the last day.

We flew through canyons and over the General Carrera Lake. Once we arrived it was overwhelming to see a glacier that can only be seen via air. It was so peaceful but sadly you can hear the glacier thunder as pieces of ice fall off. I could have stayed for hours just looking at this natural marvel.

We returned to lodge for a delicious traditional Chilean meal called Pastel de Choclo, which is a corn casserole, filled with beef, chicken, eggs, and olives. After lunch, we went for a short 2-hour hike to see the Maquí waterfall. Towards the end of summer the water slows down and you can find a natural infinity pool for a dip looking over Lake General Carrera.

That evening we stayed at Los Lomitos, which has 6 beautiful cabins for up to 8 people each. We decided to stay in and take advantage of the kitchen and grill area for a BBQ and salads for dinner.

Day 4: Puerto Guadal to Coyaique

Distance drove: 159 miles (257 km)

After Fly flishing

The best trouts right here!

I believe this was our longest day of driving for the entire trip. We had to get up quite early to leave Puerto Guadal and arrive at Coyaique for lunch. The trip will take you approximately 5.5 hours. We stopped at a local favorite for some pizza at Mamma Gaucho. They have a local craft beer that’s only produced here and in their sister restaurant in Puerto Varas.

Our afternoon plans were to go Fly Fishing with Estancia Del Zorro. Now, I think I’ve gone fishing in Florida maybe two times in my life with no luck so I went with an open mind to learn and a determination to catch a fish and let me tell you, I LOVED IT! You’re constantly moving and trying to trick the trout to take a bite of your bait. My guide Felipe was an excellent teacher and within the first 20 minutes, I CAUGHT A TROUT. This sucker was big! I gave it a kiss and let it go back into the water. At the Estancia, they catch and release the fish since people from all over the world come to this area specifically for fly-fishing. Coyaique and the region of Aysen have some of the best spring creeks and rivers for fly-fishing in the world.

We ended our evening at the other hotel owned by Estancia Del Zorro in the city of Coyaique called Cinco Rios Lodge for a dinner that was out of this world.

Day 5: Coyaique to Puerto Aysen

Distance drove: 44 miles (66km)

My cabin for the night

This was a short drive from Coyaique but we had a full day planned on getting to know the town with the tourism board of Aysen. We met a wonderful man by the name is Claudio Rosso who had an incredible about stories of his life and entrepreneurial adventures in the region. So if you really want to get to know the city, this was the man you needed to be with. He currently owns a small bed and breakfast in the town of Aysen and works in a shop creating equipment to make artisanal products from wool.

With Claudio, we explored Puerto Aysen. It’s a small fisherman town that is looking to grow and become a great tourist destination. There is a lot of potential here. We took a riverboat tour with Los Pioneros, where they took us through the Aysen River and under the longest bridge in Chile.

One of best places we went was to visit an Eco-camping called La Pancha. “Pancha” was a single lady who allowed people to cross her land and in return, they gave her things that she needed, food, drinks, medicine, anything really. She lived to be 102 years old (passed away in 2001) and has a few children but was never married. None of her children wanted to work on the land and take over so they sold off all the pieces into parts of 10 hectares per lot. The family who’s owns La Pancha now wanted to keep her story and spirit alive so they named it after her. They have several campsites where you can set up your tent, go kayaking and horseback riding. If camping isn’t your style, there are some beautiful cabins just up the road (which is where we stayed) perfect for a family of 7 people called Shangrila Patagonia.

Day 6: Day trip to San Rafael National Park

Distance traveled: 8 miles (14 km) via car and 10 hours on a catamaran.

We woke up early and went to Puerto Chacabuco just 8 miles away to explore San Rafael national park and see the Glacier San Rafael. It’s an all-day event. We boarded a Catamaran for a 5-hour journey to San Rafael National Park. While the glacier itself is a natural wonder to see we didn’t get so close up like we would have liked to, or at least expected to. Our guide said that it was too dangerous to be so close because of the falling ice. Throughout my time in the region, I came back at the end of the day really happy with the activities we did. At the end of this day, I was a bit disappointed. I honestly think that this tour, in particular, wasn’t right for me. You spend more time sitting on a boat than actually getting to take pictures of the glacier. I personally don’t have any, I have great pictures of Icebergs but that’s about it.

The return trip was another 5 hours with an open bar and karaoke. Now, the open bar was definitely interesting but the space was so small that I just slept most of the way. Oh, and I was just hungry all the time. The food was included in the tour; I just felt that it wasn’t enough for what I was paying to spend the day on the catamaran.

Day 7: Morning hike to Aiken del Sur Park and back to Airport

DCIM100GOPROGOPR7078.

Since our flight was in the afternoon we wanted to take advantage of the morning so we went with the Hotel Loberias del Sur on a guided hike through a 740 acres (300 hectares) park called Aiken del Sur, just outside of Puerto Chacabuco. There are several routes you can choose from but because we were pressed for time, we went to visit a waterfall called “The Old mans beard”. The park has a huge variety of trees, animals, and rivers to learn about so going with a guide from the hotel is your best options. We had Camila, who knew so much about the area that we learned more than we expected too. At the end of the tour, there is a Patagonian BBQ with lamb. Yummy

I will say that 7 days in this region will just give you a small taste of all the amazing things you can do. I’m already planning my return the region. I’ve heard great things about Villa O’Higgins and Tortel that are calling my name.

If you made it all the down to the very end I want to thank you for reading. It’s a lot of information that I didn’t want to separate into two posts. I hope that there are a few spots on my 7-day guide that you are now interested in. My absolute favorite days were in the Jeinimeni National Park, Maqui Waterfall, and the Eco-camping La Pancha.

I also have to give a huge shout out to everyone who made my trip amazing! First of all, RecorreAysen.cl who organized this entire trip. Check out their site, there is so much information about the region that it’s a one-stop shop for everything about the Carretera Austral and its region. Also to the two amazing women who came along with me on this trip, I don’t think I would have had as much fun as I did; Berni Perez, a talented and knowledgeable journalist from the travel agency Go Chile. If you want to book anything that I talked about, you can do so through them. And I can’t forget my girl, Fran Opazo, a huge talent and travel journalist from La Vida Nomade, one of the best-viewed blogs in Chile. She is also the director of the Association of Chilean travel Bloggers, ACHILETB. I feel so honored to work alongside two amazing women who are passionate about Chile like I am.

Remember, when you give good you get good.

https://www.facebook.com/whereshegoesTODAY/videos/1616681378425117/

December 23, 2017 19 comments

Travel Tips & Tricks

Coming back home: A Harsh Reality

by Andrea November 10, 2016

written by Andrea

Coming home I’ve been back home for a couple of months now and I’m currently going through another huge transitional period in my life. Since I have so much time to think about how I’m going to conquer this next chapter of my life. I’ve had time to take a step back and observe more about my surroundings while trying to make sense of it all. A lot of things have changed but at the same time, it’s all the same. Maybe I just never noticed or cared too much because I was busy with my own life and my own problems. Coming back home is hard. And it’s a reality I need to face.

I think the thing that has bothered me the most since my return, is the lack of respect we have for one another. So I wanted to talk about what’s really going on. Where has our self-respect or common decency gone? What expectations do we have about this and how far away is that from our reality?

Traveling has given me a new perspective on the human interaction. It’s incredible how similar we really are, yet we put these labels on each other that just self-segregate ourselves with other people who think the same. How do you evolve and grow when you’re not challenging your fears or things you don’t understand?

Yes, I understand that there is history that says something different but we are in the present. Look at the people in front of you. You are just changing the language, food, and level of sense of humor. I know you might say, “Andrea it’s not that simple”, but in a way it really is. It doesn’t matter how our culture defines us, or how our religion dictates our behavior, we still smile when someone smiles at you. Respect is universal. There is a healthy way to have differences of opinion without insults and injury.

I’ve had light heart conversations with the people I’ve meet all over the world and I’ve also have had deep philosophical conversations that have moved me to the core of who I am. I don’t want to sugarcoat things and say that every interaction I’ve had in the past 7 years of traveling have been amazing because they definitely were not. I did, however, learn something from each conversation, even if it was something little. I carry that with me every day and try to pass those messages I’ve learned along to others.

I want to encourage you to also take a step back. Just take a moment to think about the daily interactions you have in your life and evaluate how far away your expectations are from your reality when it comes to respecting one another. Remember that respect is a two-way street. That’s why I always say you have to give good to get good.

Are you prepared to have a healthy discussion/debate with someone who genuinely wants to understand your belief system and are you open to hearing something that’s different than yours?

Are you capable of finding a middle ground?

That to me is respecting one another. That to me is moving forward. That to me means growth. Everyone has different likes and has a way to define “fun”, “the right way” or “the wrong way” completely different than the way you do. My “normal” is different than yours is and that’s totally OK. Even when you’re traveling with a group of people to the same place, their experiences in a certain place can be completely different than yours. It’s impossible to please everyone. Flexibility, life is not all-black-and-white. We also need to remember that.

I guess what I’m trying to say is to have these healthy conversations, question the things you believe in, question the people in your life or with a complete stranger instead of brushing it off and leaving it for another day. That day will never come.

Challenge yourself.

Respect one another.

Smile more.

Remember when you give good, you get good.

November 10, 2016 0 comment

Florida USA

Hurricane on Vacation: 5 Things You Need to Know

by Andrea September 5, 2017

written by Andrea

5 tips to survive a hurricane while on vacation

Hurricanes are one of the most unpredictable acts of mother nature that affect the Caribbean, Central America, and Coastal towns throughout the United States. We can watch them develop up to a week in advance but it’s hard to predict what they are going to do until the last moment; it can die down, become stronger, turn left or right whenever it wants. The only thing you can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Mother Nature doesn’t care if you spent years planning and saving for that amazing trip to Disney or that you’re about to board a 7-day cruise through the Caribbean. She will run through whenever she wants and however, she wants. There is more science to it which I won’t get into but just know that the typically the Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1-November 30.

As a local Floridian, when I hear the word Hurricane I think it’s a day to just chill out, have some old-school-family-fun time, and try to make jokes about the storm. Hurricane party anyone? With jokes aside, a hurricane can be a scary thing to face and especially more when you’re on vacation. You’ve never lived through one and generally, the world only see’s the most catastrophic storms televised. Let me tell you, you don’t want to be caught in the middle of that. I’ve seen my share of nasty hurricanes growning up in Florida and it’s not pretty. The storm usually takes a whole day to pass by, but it can take days, weeks, and sometimes even months to recover from them. Just take a look at Andrew, Wilma, Irene, Charley, Sandy, Katrina, and the newest, Harvey.

Here are some helpful tips to know How to survive a Hurricane while on vacation.

Number 1: Travel Insurance

Getting Travel insurance is one of those things my dad always says “It’s better to be safe than sorry”. You hope that you never have to use it but you’re thankful you have it when you have too. Don’t avoid travel to these areas during the season because of a hurricane that may or may not comes by. The season lasts 5 months out of the year. Some seasons there is no activity, other seasons are busier. We can’t just sit our house and avoid seeing the world because of something that “may” happen. Get out there. Life is too short and the world is too big to stay put in one place. Read the small print, because not all travel insurances cover natural events like this one.

Number 2: Listen to your Hotel Staff and Management team

Being in a hotel is probably the safest place to be during a hurricane. You will most likely never lose power as each hotel has powerful generators. Get involved. Ask your hotel about an evacuation plan? When the Governor issues a “State of Emergency” for the state, Hotels are very flexible must give you an option to refund the days you are not going to use. Same goes with Airlines and Theme Parks. Some will give you a partial refund, others allow changes without additional fees, or credit your account to use towards a future vacation. Maintain an open communication with them. It’s not their first hurricane. All Coastal towns have evacuation routes and plans in case these things happen.

Number 3: Follow the local news

Turn on your TV and check out what the local news is talking about. They will be your best resource. Other excellent resources that will be useful in getting information about a storm:

Number 4: Prepare

As soon as the State of Emergency has been issued, go check out the local Supermarket and purchase a few things you might need for a couple of days. Please do this ahead of time. People buy more than they actually need so things like Bread, Peanut butter, Jelly, Tuna, etc go quickly. Take a look at the Red Cross Checklist of items to have during a storm. An essential item for me is cash. You never know if the power goes out and it’s always a smart thing to have enough cash to cover any last minute things. Other items like batteries for my flashlight, snacks, water (1 gallon per person per day), playing cards, and booze are super important.

Yes, booze. Alcohol, adult beverages, Grown-up juice, you know what I’m talking about. You’re already obligated to stay home, you might as well enjoy the wait right? Fill up your bathtub/washing machine with Ice. Place your beers in there. Plus the bathtubs will double us as water to flush in case you loose power. The washing machine will naturally drain out. If you prefer liquor or wine, then go for that too. I like to have a variety just to keep my options open so I dont discriminate.

Number 5: Be patient

Don’t go outside until it’s safe. The eye of the hurricane is the calmest and peaceful moment of the storm.Skies are often clear above the eye and winds are relatively light. Do not go outside to check this out. Since they are small, you won’t be long sitting in an eye of a storm. Before you know it, harsh winds and rains are just around the corner. Don’t play with Mother Nature, she isn’t very nice.

Please be patient to get back to your vacation schedule. Theme parks, restaurants, stores, and other attractions might not open immediately because there could be debris on the roads or those people who local in those places are dealing with potential home damage or flooding.

What else?

I think that patience is the best tip I can give you. It will get you a long way. If you decided to stick around, getting back home might become a challenge if there is lots of damage in the area. Remember that even though you’re on vacation and you may have power in your hotel, there might be a local who lives two miles down the road who doesn’t and may have experienced the storm completely different to you.

Offer to help and reach out to the Red Cross. They are always accepting volunteers during times like this. I was always told: “If you have nothing nice to say or nothing positive to add to a conversation, then find something else to do” I’m telling you, one bad apple can ruin everything. Don’t be that apple.

Stay safe. Please reach out to me if you have any questions

Remember when you give good, you get good.

5 tips to survive a hurricane while on vacation

September 5, 2017 15 comments

Chile

How to Survive an Earthquake in Chile

by Andrea April 29, 2017

written by Andrea

Want to know what an earthquake feels like? Go to Chile!

Earthquake Chile

As you may or may not know, earthquakes are a very common natural occurrence in Chile. The country falls directly along a Seduction zone, which means that the eastern edge of the huge Nazca tectonic Plate is pushing down on to the South American Plate at about 3 ½ inches a year. This pressure builds up and eventually releases into powerful earthquakes and tremors like the 1960 9.5 magnitudes that struck Valdivia, and an 8.8 that struck offshore near Concepcion in 2015. The list goes on and on.

Sounds scary right? The pressure can release at any moment and there is nothing you can do about it. Chileans have some kind of super power as nothing below a magnitude 7 on the Richter scale phases them. They make memes and brush it off like someone just bumped into them.

After 6 years of living in Chile, Earthquakes are just about the only things that I can’t get used to. You can’t prepare, you just have to hang on. You learn to live with them just like how people up north deal with the snow. You have to laugh so you don’t cry and go crazy. Through the years, I hear the same jokes and “rules of earthquake behavior” that Chileans live by. I’ve learned how to laugh about it afterward, but never during.

I’ve interpreted and translated my own “rules of earthquake behavior” from friends and the beautiful people of Chile that live in the internet world so you that can be prepared and learn how to survive a Chilean earthquake. I hope you find some humor in it like the Chilean people do:

Chile Anti-Earthquake Manual for Foreigners:

Please read the following reactions of Chilean during different magnitudes of Earthquakes. These are guidelines of how you should also react in the case of a tremor or earthquake in Chile:

Magnitude 1-3.9: Absolutely no Reaction.

The Chilean people have mutated and are now incapable of feeling any seismic activity at such a low level. It’s like second nature to them. Honestly, you most likely won’t feel this either. Don’t even bother asking anyone if there was an earthquake, they might just laugh at you.

Magnitude 4-5.9: Still no Reaction.

The Chilean people know that the earth is moving, but they are not going to stop what they are doing or even mention that the building is moving. If you’re on a bus, riding the subway, or walking down the street you most likely won’t feel anything. Life goes on. You are most likely concerned because you feel a little bit a moving. If you don’t see anyone worrying, neither should you. You start to get the feeling that these Chileans are crazy.

Magnitude 6-6.9: Chileans say “Ta temblando”

Translation? “It’s moving!” So you may think that it’s the end of the world but have no fear. You are just experiencing a tremor. Stay exactly where you are because it could potentially be dangerous if you try to move. Did I scare you? Well, I’m just kidding, it may just be hard to walk and stay balanced. Stay calm and look at a Chilean and see what their reaction is. Remember, Earthquakes are a normal occurrence in Chile. Don’t let a tremor like this ruin your trip and please don’t be afraid to return.

Magnitude 7-7.9: Chilean say: “Ta fuerte la wea!”

Translation? “This shit is strong!” This is when the Chilean people would call this an earthquake. If this were any other country, a state of emergency would most likely occur, but not in Chile. Builders follow strict construction codes and standards can withhold an earthquake much strong than a 7.9. And if the building doesn’t meet those standards, they already fell to the ground years ago. We would understand if you never wanted to come back. Again, look and see how the Chileans are reacting. Some may be a little shaking, most stop to see if everyone is OK. If this magnitude earthquake happened during a party, people would be making sure they didn’t spill their drink and then once everything settles, continue partying. Go big or go home right?

Magnitude 8-8.9: “CSM”

Translation: “WTF” Hang on tight because if you don’t, you will fall to the ground. This time around don’t just look to see what the Chilean will do, do exactly as they do. Find a door frame and try to stay calm. Don’t cry and scream even if you want to. It makes everything scarier. It’s most likely nothing will happen, you might find things will fall to the ground and tip over, but don’t worry the next day we will pick them up and life goes on.

Magnitude 9+: Start Praying

This is now serious, the world might end. Apocalyptic style. Whatever you believe in, pray to that. If you don’t believe in anything, just think about everything you love and let life flash before your eyes. Because tomorrow is a new day and there will be some cleaning up to do.

So now you know. Talk to a Chilean about this and you’ll see how they try and find humor in something that only mother nature can control. On a serious note, if you do happen to experience an strong earthquake, ask the front desk at your hotel what you should do, turn the TV on and see if the government has issued any evacuation notice or just turn to twitter and follow these pages for the latest updates.

Remember when you give good, you get good

April 29, 2017 0 comment

Chile

A New Thanksgiving in Chile

by Andrea November 22, 2017

written by Andrea

Living abroad has definitely taught me a number of things about myself. These past 7 years have definitely been nothing I could have ever imagined. When I first left Orlando, I really didn’t have any expectations about moving. My move was so sudden that I didn’t have time to create any expectations about Chile so I just took everything day by day. Adapting to another country’s culture and way of life is another story. Some things are easy to pick up and others leave you questioning “why do they do that”? I think the same goes for any country you visit for a short time or decided to live in and become an expat. You learn to be flexible and keep an open mind when you meet someone new. Anytime I meet a new Chilean, I’m bombarded with questions comparing American movies with my real life. No, not all high school cheerleaders are evil. Yes, you can buy a gun at your local Walmart in most states.

Questions about how we celebrate holidays are no different. There is only one big holiday that Chileans don’t celebrate that American do and it’s Thanksgiving. Back in the day, it was a day to celebrate the first harvest between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Today, most American families get together to eat an overwhelming amount of food and watch the classic football games. Naps are highly encouraged and your family members will ask a number of personal questions about your love life and remind you that you’re a bit heavier than the last time they saw you.

During my second year living in Chile, I decided to bring this tradition and cook a wonderful feast for my friends and show them what Thanksgiving is all about. I made a huge turkey and a number of my favorite side dishes such as broccoli casserole, macaroni and cheese, and mash potatoes with gravy. We sat around the table and before I let anyone dig in, I told everyone about the way I celebrate Thanksgiving with my family back home. Each person who was at the table had to say what they were thankful for. It was a moment for everyone to reflect back on their year, whether it was good or bad. Some people keep it short and sweet while others really open up their hearts to talk about their year. There is always one person in the group who will get the entire table in tears. It’s a beautiful moment for everyone to just stop and look around how one special day can bring us all together. Is your heart all warm and fuzzy like mine is?

First Thanksgiving in Chile

Once we were full and ready for naps, I pulled out one more thing: Pumpkin Cheese. Everyone’s eyes opened wide yet at the same time, they were reluctant to try. Now I’m not a fan of pumpkin flavored things. However, this pumpkin cheesecake is my weakness. I can’t even remember how I got the recipe and who it’s from but now it’s my biggest demand. It’s so savory and creamy and just the perfect amount of sweetness to close the Thanksgiving feast. One by one, each of my Chilean friends fell in love with pumpkin cheesecake. It was the hit of the dinner. People were picking the crumbs off the plate just to get that last taste of pumpkin cheesecake. If you want the recipe, I promise Ill post it soon. Just let me know if you really want it.

It’s been 5 years since that first Thanksgiving meal together with my friends and it’s one of the days out of the year that everyone looks most forward too. (Sept 18 is the most, but that’s another story I’ll leave open for another day) Today it’s my favorite American holiday. As a food lover, I enjoy this day because I can eat with no shame, I can nap and then eat more after I’ve woken up. It’s almost like my body knows to open itself up and let all the goodness in. As a human, I love this day because it’s a space for all of us to pause and think about all that has to happen in the past 365 days. I brought a new tradition to my Chilean family and made thanksgiving my own special way to say thank you to a country that has accepted me as one of its own.

Thanksgiving in Chile 2014

Thanksgiving in Chile 2015

Thanksgiving in Chile 2016

Each year living abroad has taught me something new about myself, about others, and about how we interact with each other. It’s truly beautiful.

Thanksgiving 2017

What about you? Have you ever brought an old tradition to a new culture? Have you ever changed up an old tradition and create something new?

Remember, When you give good you give good.

November 22, 2017 0 comment

Chile

Before you Go: Torres Del Paine

by Andrea December 26, 2017

written by Andrea

You’re probably reading this blog because you have decided to visit the Torres del Paine National Park. This beautiful park is located in Chile’s Patagonia, the southernmost tip of the South American continent. Visiting the Torres was always on my bucket list and I finally made it at the end 2017.

In the weeks (OK months) leading up to my trip, I spent hours reading weather reports, stalking the Instagram hashtags #torresdelpaine, and talking with others who have already done the Torres del Paine for their best tips and tricks. I put all this information together and mixed in my own personal experience to come up with 5 things you need to know before going to Torres Del Paine.

Number 1: When is the best time to go?

Most visitors hit the park between December and February. Torres del Paine can experience four seasons in a day, so bring thermals, sunscreen, hats, and waterproof gear because you never know what can happen. I personally went during the first days of December and had excellent summer sun weather for almost all 3 days and on the last day going to Glacier Grey, the winds were so intense that we couldn’t make it all the way and we had to return back to camp. One week, later a group of friends went and they were hit a snowstorm and it rained so hard that everything got wet. The best site to check weather conditions days before and only believe 70% of what it says.

Number 2: Plan the Number of Days.

It’s really important to plan the number of days you’re going to spend in the park. The shortest and most popular hike that people do is the “W Trek” and will generally need 4 days/3 nights It can be done in 3 days by the hard-core or stretched to 5 days or more if you want to add a rest day or two in the middle. If you’re an experienced hiker, you might consider trying “The O Circuit,” which is a 9-day loop around the entire park that includes the “W.” The length of “W trek” portion is just about 50 miles.

Most people fly into Punta Arenas and then take a 3-hour bus ride to Puerto Natales, the city closest to Torres Del Paine. The first Bus from Punta Arenas-Puerto Natales leaves at 7 am and the last one is at 9 pm

From Puerto Natales, you’re looking at another 3-hour bus ride to the entrance of Torres del Paine National Park. The first bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine leaves at 7 am and the last one goes back to Puerto Natales at 7 pm

There are two entrances to the park; it doesn’t matter if you want to do the “W” or the “O”. They both have the same entrance fee and the only difference is where you personally want to begin your hike. If you enter or leave the park through Lake PEOHUE you must take a catamaran, which leaves every day at starting at 9 AM and the last one at 630 pm. One way will cost you 18.000 CLP or you can buy a round trip for 28.000 CLP.

Number 3: How to make reservations

This part is mandatory to enter the park. Due to overcrowding and its growing popularity, Torres del Paine now requires advance reservations to spend the night in the park. Park entrance fee is 21.000 CLP. I would recommend reserving your camp as soon as you have purchased your airline tickets. It gets a bit tricky because there are a lot of options. You can see the Torres del Paine in one day and so you would just pay the entrance fee. If you want to spend the night, you have three entities that own different sections of the park.

A while back, Torres del Paine used to be private property owned by several families. In the 80’s, all those families have turned in their pieces of land to create the Torres del Paine National Park except for one. That one family runs Fantastico Sur, which currently offers a total 5 campsites and 4 Refugios, which are hostels with bunkrooms and hot showers. Prices start at 10.000 CLP for camping if you want to take your own gear and food or pay up 54.000 CLP and they take care of all that for you. Click here to make your reservations.

Then you have to make separate reservations with the park concessioner Vertice for its 4 campsites and 3 refugios. At the time of this post and during my visit, they were revamping their website so it was required to send them an email for a request to stay at their campsites and Refugio. Check it out here for updates and instructions on how to make reservations.

Then you have CONAF, which is the government national park service, which provides free campsites. Spots are released for the season and are limited. I personally wouldn’t recommend this because when I visited their campsite; I found it to be in poor conditions. If you insist on doing Torres del Paine on a budget, then click here for more info on availability. You can only reserve one night at a time with only 6 months in advance.

Supposedly, they are working together to create a platform where you can make all your reservations from just one website. As soon as I get that information, I’ll update this post and explain the process. But for now, this is the way you must do it.

Number 4: Guide or No guide:

I will be the first to say that I’m no expert in trekking, camping, or anything outdoors related but I love the idea of connecting with nature and testing my limits. I would call myself averagely fit but my never-ending positive energy is my greatest strength when it comes to taking this hike on.

It’s important to know your limits. Along the trail, you’ll never be alone even if you go to the park alone. You’ll always run into someone in case you need help or just someone to chat with for a couple of minutes. The trail is also pretty clearly marked. I would say that the only place where I had a hard time reading the signs was when I was in the Fantastico Sur part of the Park.

If you were interested in learning about the wildlife and history of the park, then I would go with a guide. I would recommend with my eyes closed to hike with guys from Trekking.cl. This is there 9th season of working in the park and they have an incredible network of agencies, hotels, transportation that are available for support and offering the best price in town.

Number 5: Remember Where You Are

Torres del Paine or the Patagonia area, in general, is in a very remote part of the world and the weather is extremely unpredictable. Connectivity to your global social media world will be limited and so will charging stations for your cameras and electronics. Take a battery pack with you. Most hostels or hotels in Puerto Natales will offer tents, sleeping bags, kitchenettes and gas for rent at very affordable prices. Don’t worry about lugging that stuff around unless you’re going to use it during your entire trip. You can also buy all your food in Puerto Natales. I spent approx. 26.000 CLP ($50 USD) for two people to eat for 3 full days. Not bad right?

Last but not least, please take care of the park. Take your trash with you. Try to use the same water bottle and refill them up with the river water along the trail. Yes, it’s safe to drink. You’ll see signs repeatedly telling you not to start a fire. Don’t do it. In 2011, 40,000 acres of the park was burned due to a result of a tourist’s irresponsible conduct. You’ll see what is left over when you’re walking between glacier grey and the French Valley.

I hope this information was helpful in your planning of Torres del Paine. Remember that Torres del Paine isn’t the only thing you can do near Puerto Natales. There are a number of alternative hikes and things you can do in the area. Check out my friend’s blog Patagonia dreaming who lives in Puerto Natales and has a number of posts about things to do in the area.

Remember when you give good, you get good.

December 26, 2017 2 comments