When I choose destinations to visit, they usually have a few things in common. They’re a little off the beaten path, offer some kind of active/adventure activity, and beg to be photographed. Because of these factors, our adventures tend to be less of the 5-star resort/group activity/tour bus variety. Personally, I like feeling outside of my comfort zone and I don’t mind having to figure things out on our own—even when it means that we run into snags during the course of our trip.
One of our campsites had its very own cow!
How often do you get that at a hotel?!
However, my husband, Andrew, wonders why anyone would want to be uncomfortable and inconvenienced while on vacation. Now, I can imagine most of you nodding your heads in agreement, and I realize that I am on the losing side of this argument. But, when we are left to our own devices, trying to discover our own path in a new place, I feel like we get a more authentic experience. And I don’t just mean culturally (although, that is usually the case, as well), but I mean an experience that is more authentically ours. While I do think there is a place for convenience and there are times I love having everything taken care of for me, most times when I visit a new and exciting place, I want the experience to be mine—warts and all. Plus, don’t you think the best stories are the ones about the less-than-perfect experiences?
Eating a churro in El Calafate...right before we realized most places didn't take credit cards and all the ATM machines had run out of money.
Patagonia is a region of Chile and Argentina all the way at the bottom of South America. You pretty much can’t go any souther—in fact, if you have the time (which we didn’t) and the funds (we definitely didn’t) to hop on a ship, you can travel all the way to Antarctica through one of the roughest oceans on the planet.
See? They have glaciers. Brrrrr.
This location caught my eye because (apart from adventure travelers) it is relatively unknown. Additionally, when you see pictures of this remote area, it almost takes your breath away. The hiking is fantastic and the tourism infrastructure is minimal, so it seemed like the perfect destination for an adventure!
Breathtaking. I rest my case.
This trip was probably the most “adventurous” we have been on in regards to being outside our comfort zone—and it was not without many misadventures and great stories. Keep checking back as I update our posts with stories and photos!