For our southernmost stop of the trip, Mark and I decided to hop over the border for
a few days in Puerto Natales, Chile. Each summer, hoards of backpackers
descend upon Natales in order to launch into the famous Torres del Paine
mountains. But we had a different incentive: we came to rendezvous
with Rich, an old friend of mine who I had barely seen since we
spent a semester together at HMI in 2005.
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| Puerto Natales looks out on one of a series of bays that eventually reaches the Pacific. |
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| Me and Rich backpacking in 2005 |
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| We had advanced fashion tastes for our age |
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| 8 years down the line...we still dress alike |
Rich now lives in Santiago, Chile and was traveling with his close friend Charlie and sister Rebecca. He and Charlie have been in South America over a year, working as English teachers and taking every opportunity to improve their Spanish. Brave move! They seem to be loving it.
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| Our two crews combined seamlessly into one |
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Our stint in Natales was a welcome change of pace for both groups. We focused on quality time, sharing stories and laughs together over dinner, drinks and even morning crepes.
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| Naturally, we decided to take a hike. An hour and a half of climbing rewarded us with a view of Natales and the glacial landscape beyond. |
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| Windy, but sunny |
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| The boys! |
It was really amazing to catch up with a friend after so many years. I was struck by how quickly Rich and I got back into a friendly rhythm and I loved talking with him about the defining role HMI has played in our lives. On the bus back to Argentina, we received a legendary sunset-sendoff. Hasta luego Rich, Rebecca and Charlie! Hasta pronto Chile!
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