On Our Own Path

Reflections on a Year of Travel

Written by Bessie and Kyle on Friday, January 30, 2009 in Argentina
Feelin' happy

Three years ago, Kyle and I decided we'd start saving to travel. We didn't quite know how or where, but we knew we wanted it, and wanted it way more than anything else we could spend our money on.

Two years later we had sold our cars and our furniture, stored some things in Dad's basement, and we set out for adventure. Full of travel lust, last January we wrote Why I Travel.

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Wine, Wine, Wine! Santiago & Mendoza

Written by Bessie on Thursday, January 29, 2009 in Argentina
Feelin' normal

Central Chile & Argentina are huge wine producing areas, with micro-climates similar to those in Napa Valley and parts of France and Italy. Traveling by bus through these areas, short green trees spread over the rolling hills, and delicious grapes hang, warmed by the sun. It's a beautiful sight really, and the yummyness of wine aside, the areas are worth a visit.

We spent the better part of 3 days exploring some vineyards, swooshing wine around in glasses and learning a thing or two about wine making, sadly, none of which involved squishing grapes with my toes. Maybe I'll start that tour.

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Beating the Boredom: Riding Bikes in Santiago, Chile

Written by Kyle on Sunday, January 25, 2009 in Chile
Feelin' excited

Santiago is not one of the world's most exciting cities. I think it is a nice city, don't get me wrong: there are plenty of decent-sized parks and it is generally cleaner than any other city in South America. But when it comes down to uniqueness, there's not much that we could notice. Combine that with a Sunday and you're in for a big ol' whopper of nothing. If I had to compare it to anything, it would be like being in any suburb in the US on the day of the Super Bowl. Nice and quiet, yet boring.

In any case, we didn't want to sit around twiddling our thumbs wishing it were another day of the week, so we decided to take advantage of the good weather and see the city on bikes. As it turns out, Santiago is a pretty friendly bike town where cars actually yield to the biker and occasionally there are even designated bike lanes and bike paths. Even better, the bikes we rented were one-speed, bright green cruisers equipped with baskets and bells. So, yes, it was a little bit like dorks on wheels, but whatever.

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The World is a Canvas: Valparaíso, Chile's Graffiti

Written by Bessie on Friday, January 23, 2009 in Chile
Feelin' normal

Throughout the city of Valpraíso, Chile, urban artwork prevails and gives the landscape incredible dimension. It's colorful, it's creative, and it's free for the eyes of anyone interested in observing. Here are some of our favorite shots, perhaps ready to create on a garage door near you.