South America

May 7, 20222 min read

Looking Back at Recoleta

Cleaning out hard drives is really no different from cleaning out closets. Each item stored on it evokes a memory. If it doesn't then...

Jan 7, 20222 min read

Find My Ship

The cruise industry, while not back in full swing, is definitely back. It's easy to tell by going to Cruise Mapper where you can see the...

Mar 29, 20212 min read

Kindness and the Literary Essay

A few weeks ago I took a workshop on the literary essay, led by Perrin Kerns (image below). I didn't know what a literary essay was when...

Oct 31, 20152 min read

Crossing to Bolivia

San Pedro de Atacama is about one hour driving time from the border with Bolivia. I wondered why our van had to stop in San Pedro to →

Oct 31, 20152 min read

Cozy in a Container

I never thought I’d be sleeping in a shipping container. Yet here I am and I am grateful. We are →

Oct 30, 20152 min read

A Tale of Two Salars

Every great adventure starts with a flat tire. Or at least that what I hoped. We drove for an hour and a half south of San Pedro de →

Oct 30, 20152 min read

The Valley of the Moon (or is it Mars?)

I’ve never been to the moon, and I doubt whoever named this valley has been there either. In fact, I am certain →

Oct 29, 20152 min read

Gateway to the Atacama Desert: San Pedro de Atacama

Most trips to the Atacama Desert start in Calama, the closest airport and mining town. My trip was no different. And, like most tourists →

Oct 23, 20151 min read

Our Lady of Cell Service

On a cloudy day in Santiago, there are no lines for the funicular in Parque Metropolitano. The park is one of the →

Dec 4, 20121 min read

A Schoolhouse in Peru

These Andean children are looking through a window into their schoolhouse. I'm inside; they are not. Seems like it should be the other →