Hellllllllllo Everybody. It's been a while, once again, and I have been quite busy. I left Santa Marta on Halloween, and since leaving have come to the opposite end of the continent. I am currently in the southern most town/city in the World, Ushuaia. I have been having a blast, and have been moving quite rapidly and having a blast along the way.
From Santa Marta, I flew to Bogota and have a night layover, I got dinner with some very special people I met and have come to LOVE, who are from Bogota, but visited La Brisa Loca while I was working. I spent one of their Birthday's, Alejandra's when she her sister, dad and best friends from Bogota came! It was a blast! From there, I went to Medellin, Colombia, which has to be on my top 5 for favorites cities I've visited. It was also very cool because about 12 people I met at La Brisa Loca were staying at the same hostel I booked in Medellin. We had a blast exploring the city, busing to beautiful Guatape, and The parks surrounding Medellin. After a week in Medellin, My canadian friend, Adam, and i flew together back to Bogota, and stayed about a week.
We stayed in a Hostel in the Central part, and were treated very well by the same Bogota girls I met in Santa Marta. And spent another birthday, Maria's, in Bogota with her and allllll of her friends, and was so much fun. They treated us like so well that week, taking us around to all the cool, hip places in Bogota, and just being very hospitable. I spent endless hours with these friends and was able to practice so much Spanish as well as make some lifelong relationships. I ended up leaving the hostel to stay in Maria's home, and we had a blast. the whole week, different activities and dinners planned everyday. It was overall one of the best memories I think I'll take home with me. I love meeting and learning about these places I visit, instead of just stay in a hostel with other Europeans slash travelers in general. I think it is this natural intrigue between locals and gringos, curiosity, a desire to learn and make relationships from people different. I didn't want to and was sad to leave but had to get south!
From Bogota, I flew directly to Santiago, Chile to get a taste of Chile. I didn't have to much time there, and as its a very big city, didn't get to meet too many locals besides the hostel workers...but had a nice week. I had heard, the chilean accent was strong and difficult to understand....but as I've gotten better and better at speaking as well as understanding...I didn't find it hard to understand...but it simply wasn't my favorite accent. It's fast, close-mouth and they cut of the end of their words. But it is really cool to be able to pick up the different accents so strongly. It also wasn't my favorite city...very clean...very nice...good transportation, but lacked (in my opinion) a lot of the "flavor I found in other country's cities.
From Santiago, I flew to Punta Arenas, another chilean city, who's attraction is the Magellan Penguins. And they were amazing. I took almost one thousand photos in just three days. I also explored the Park Reserve and spent almost 6 hours hiking around by myself in extreme weather. It was nice. The place I stayed was more like a quiet bed and breakfast than a hostel. I met some people but for the most part, I was solo.
I then took a 12 hour bus and a ferry across the Strait of Magellan, which was very cool. Crossed the border back into one of my favorite countries and where it all started for me, Argentina. I arrived Thanksgiving Day, in Ushuaia and had myself a gigantic king crab dinner, again alone...but reflecting on everything thats passed in the last year. I found myself more than content, in fact ecstatic about how the last year has gone, all the people I've met, things I've learned, places I've gotten to know, my health, and just every lesson I've taken with me from being alone so long.
The last week has been a great experience, I've met more people, seen more amazing places, and have been quite active. I climbed a glacier a couple days ago, rode 52 kilometers, seen more penguins,and hiked around the parks they have here. I am at the bottom of the world, and it sure feels like it.
I leave tomorrow for El Calafate, El Chaltan, Fitz Roy, and some other very interesting places surrounding a more northern area of Patagonia. I plan for some great climbs, hikes, rides, pictures, and exercise. I'll be spending until the 11 in this area, and from there I have a little over a week, in Buenos Aires before I..................................
RETURN TO THE USA ......
and spend the holidays with my much missed family.
At home I will try and find some work while waiting to start my wilderness EMT course. I'll be sending in job apps, going to the gym, travelling and reading a bit as to where I want to live, what I want to do, and kind of set up a life plan for the next year or two. But thats boring...
I recently talked to a friend from college who has been a wild-fire fire fighter for the last seven summers. I am seriously considering, after a job offer, to do this. I would work in Montana and be on call pretty much 24/7 for not only the region of Montana, but as well as other fire country, like Colorado and California. I think it would be extremely cool, and is job that pays pretty well, and who feeds and accommodates housing and some other stuff. I am not ready to sit down, nor am I ready to go back to school just yet. I have so many passions and could see myself doing so many things, and I think some time earning money at a cool job, working outside, with time to think on the future will be nothing but good. I am guessing I will also become pretty fit and gain something from it. But this is just a consideration. I am still loving the wilderness therapy guide, and checking out asheville, as well as other jobs that I could use my wEMT with. Nothing is ever final for me, as my future is nothing but know, but I am just excited to be in the position I'm in, which could take me any direction. That is all for now!
Love and Positive vibes being sent your way from the bottom of the world.
James
