tales of wander
Trekking
Patagonia: El Calafate and El Chalten
El Calafate: Perito Moreno glacier When we stepped off the plane in El Calafate, I was immediately struck by the cold, dry air. After six weeks in Buenos Aires’ subtropic humid weather (where it always felt about 10-15 degrees warmer than it actually was), it was a refreshing change to be immersed in the cold … Continue reading
Trekking the Torres del Paine… (subtitle: The Goldilocks Trek)
I’m not gonna lie: my last few treks have been hard. I’m not just talking about the physical part either, which was challenging enough on its own, but within my range of ability. What made the last two treks difficult was everything else that goes with any outdoor activity—the stuff that you can plan for, … Continue reading
Trekking the Cordillera Real (subtitle: “Cold Mountain”)
I hate camping. There, I said it, and now everyone knows the ugly truth. Just because I love the outdoors—just because I love hiking, trekking, and outdoor sports—it does not follow that I must also love camping. I’m not sure where this assumption comes from, but apparently it’s from those “true” outdoor gods and goddesses … Continue reading
Trekking to the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida)
The Lost City, or Ciudad Perdida, is an ancient city in the Sierra Nevadas that is believed to have been built 650 years before Machu Picchu (around 800 CE) by the Tairona, the ancient ancestors of the area’s current tribes: the Kogis, the Wiwa, and the Arhuacas. It was “found” again in 1972 when treasure … Continue reading
The Annapurna Circuit (Part 2)
So where were we? Ah yes, Day 5… Day 5: Lower Pisang to Manang (the long way via Ghyure Village) Time: 8.5 hours (includes 1.5 hours for lunch/tea breaks) Altitude: 3720 m (12,201 ft) at highest point of today’s trek; however Manang is at 3519 m (11,542 ft) My health is stabilizing at a not-quite-normal-but-still-vastly-improved … Continue reading
The Annapurna Circuit (Part 1)
Before I begin, let me share a little background on the Annapurna Circuit to provide some context to readers who are unfamiliar with it. The Annapurna Circuit is a trek that circles the Annapurna Conservation Area (part of the Himalayas) in Nepal. The original classic route is a 21-day trek beginning in Besisahar and ending … Continue reading
Of dust, deities, and trekking…
I’ve returned to Kathmandu and things seem back to normal here (to the untrained eye, anyway)—it’s just as loud and chaotic as when I first got here. It’s also very dusty. Face masks are popular in many Asian countries, but in places like Taiwan they’re mostly used for the purpose of protecting others when one … Continue reading
The Inca trail to Machu Picchu
Day 1 The day of our Inca Trail trip had finally arrived. The first day began in the Sacred Valley about 40 minutes outside of Ollantaytambo where there is a checkpoint at which you present your ticket and your passport. This may sound a little odd, but the Inca Trail is a UNESCO World Heritage … Continue reading
tales of wander 