Patagonia!

Hello family and friends!



It has been a few weeks since I put up an update, and though I don't have time to upload any pics at this time, I wanted to at least put up a little update...



After departing Cusco on March 12th, I traveled to Arequipa, Peru (Southwest) to meet up with L and B once again. We decided that we wanted to explore the ¨deepest canyon in the world¨ (said with a deep voice:)), called the Cotahuasi Canyon. This is 12 hours by bus from Arequipa, but these 12 hours are not easy travel, let me tell you. The bus leaves Arequipa at 3pm and arrives at 3am. The latter 2/3 of the trip are over unpaved, bumpy, curvy, mountain roads. In fact, you have to go up over a pass of over 4000 meters! When we arrived in Cotahuasi, we were happily met by a hostel, and rested our weary bodies for the remainder of the night.



The next few days were filled with explorations...hot springs, small mountain towns, beautiful day-hikes up to interesting ruins. Then, we returned to Cotahuasi and headed in a different direction, up to Pampamarca. There, we encountered 4 French volunteers, and an AMAZING rock forest on the top of the mountain with the best 360 degree views I have ever seen. After busting it to some natural hot springs (where my right big toe had an unfortunate encounter with some hidden rocks...), we returned to Cotahuasi, exhausted, sunburned, and happy from our explorations.

After a few more days in Arequipa (and a very kind visitor from Cusco), I headed out on my own...which has landed me in...PATAGOINA! I crossed the border into Arica (northern Chile) and flew to Santiago and then onto Punta Arenas, which is indeed in Patagonia. There, I met up with a friend of Seppe`s and then took a bus further south to Ushuaia, the official furthest southern city in the world. How cool! So here I sit, staying at a very cool hostel, meeting loads of other interesting travelers, and trying to decide what to do next. I have loads of options, it is just deciding which one to take that is the toughest part. I will have to keep you posted!

For sure, I will eventually head back up to Punta Arenas, then head further north to visit Torres del Paine, which is a national park outside of Puerto Natales, in Chile. I will have to keep you posted on what I do while I am down here, at the end of the world, as they like to say here...the adventure continues!

Until the next update (and hopefully some photos, just know that I am happy, healthy, and well traveling down here. I will try to upload pics soon!

Abrazos grandes,

Laurita