Ain't No Mountain High Enough

So many experiences that I have had in Chile this past month (it has been a month!)

have been so new, exciting, and monumental, that I often find myself thinking,

"Why didn't I add THIS to my Day Zero Project list??" 

Luckily, while I was in Patagonia last week, amongst the many amazing things I did

that were not on my list, I was able to do two things that actually were.
#014: Go on a hike &

#015: Go camping.

My friends and I spent three days and two nights in the 

Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, but the first day was definitely the hardest. 

We arrived in the park around noon, set up camp, hiked to the 

infamous Torres, and then hiked back to the campsite just before nightfall. 

That sounds really simple, I suppose, but this hike was seriously

one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. 

A few of you more experienced hikers and backpackers might find 

that amusing (especially all you that did the W circuit. Props.),

but hiking/backpacking is NOT something I am familiar with.

I have gone camping plenty of times with my family,

but our camping trips usually consist of BBQing, card games

all day, maybe a short walk to the river and/or lake to go fishing,

and fun times around the bonfire. 

I can honestly say that if I didn't have my friends there with me,

I would have turned around and walked back to the tent after a couple 

of hours of hiking. I am really, truly glad that we all decided to keep

going, because the feeling of accomplishment once we had reached the Torres

was incredible. I wish the pictures did the view justice, but they really don't.

♥

Isla Magdalena

My trip to southern Chile was incredible! I actually used my memory stick to its

capacity and had to stop taking pictures haha. Since there is so much to talk about, I will

start with the first point of interest on our trip: Isla Magdalena.

 

This island is in the Strait of Magellan and is a couple of hours off the coast of 

the city Punta Arenas, where my friends and I were staying in a hostel. 

And guess what???

IT IS FULL OF PENGUINS!

It was seriously one of the most amazing things I had ever seen.

Something strange: the sun didn't blend into the sky as it disappeared into the horizon.
I suppose it is due to the fact that we were literally at the end of the earth.

And after the sun completely disappeared, it was still light outside!

The sky began to turn pink and purple for the next few hours and then, finally, night fell. 

I love southern Chile!

Coming soon: camping in Torres del Paine...