Preparing for our Halloween Depature
Hello, all! We’re so excited to be sharing our next year of travel with you all. I (Dana) will be doing the blogging and Fletch will be running our Instagram (@danaandfletchtravel).
Enjoying a final ice cream at our favorite spot in Rockridge.
Our departure is in about a week. My brother and sister-in-law are graciously storing our belongings for the year. Fletch and I think we have almost all the pieces we need for a successful departure. We bought travel insurance, our immunizations up to date, passports are current, gear and clothes are almost packed, and our one-way flight is scheduled.
The biggest hurdle for me has been selecting clothes for the year. We are both bringing the Osprey Porter 46L pack which is carry on size. I will likely write a full post dedicated to packing since I’ve meticulously thought about it over the last six months. I’m striving for the balance of trekking friendly, moisture wicking, wrinkle-free, sun protective, city chic, and the occasional discoteca attire which is quite a challenge. I’m sure you’ll be looking forward to my detailed recounting of all the brands and items I've been purchasing and returning in preparation for our departure.
In the last few weeks, we’ve been saying our goodbyes to friends, family, and co-workers. Many of whom are curious about what our first stop is and what our year looks like.
Hosting a dinner party with my family in our tiny apartment that we’re currently packing up.
On October 31st we begin our 33-hour journey to Punta Arenas in Chile.
The town is almost the southernmost point in South America. We could take a boat to Antarctica if we wanted. However, I’m not too keen on the sea so we will stick to land for now. In our first week we will stay in the town and begin a 7-day trekking excursion through Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile. I’ll celebrate my 31st birthday under the Chilean sky in the mountains. Once we complete our trek, we will head north through the entire Patagonia region for about a month and eventually fly out of Bariloche, Argentina to Lima, Peru. Over the next three to four months, we will follow the Andes Mountain range stopping for some highlights such as Machu Picchu and the Galapagos. In late February to early March, we plan to go to Asia and spend the better half of the year visiting Japan, South Korea, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and more.
The first month of our trip is booked in terms of lodging and a few flights. We will figure out the rest as we go. We intentionally have our itinerary loosely planned so we have more flexibility in case we learn about someplace new that wasn’t on our radar.
My aspiration is to post weekly with updates about our trip and to share what we’re seeing, who we’re meeting, what we’re loving, what we’re loving less, and more. We hope you’ll follow along and stay entertained throughout.
We also would LOVE suggestions if you’ve been to South America and have restaurants, experiences, or accommodations you would recommend please let us know.
Also, if you have any friends, cousins, aunts, or that one friend of a friend you met that one time who always asks when you’re going to visit, please connect us. In my past travels, the best spots often tend to be when we meet a local or someone who knows the place we’re visiting very well and takes us off the worn traveler’s trail. Thanks for following along and catch you next time from the other side of the equator!
Cheers,
Dana & Fletch
