Category: Latin America

Hometown Parking Lot Blues

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I wrote the following passage on a lunch break, just months after I had moved back to the United States from Argentina. 7/26/05 I sit in this hot, dusty parked car, listening to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, daydreaming about being back in Buenos Aires. I watch a man across the way sizing up a truck like last … Continue reading Hometown Parking Lot Blues

Early Morning Llamas in Machu Picchu

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If you know me, you know that I am not much of a morning person. I have missed out on a lot of things in life that take place in the AM. You know, plane flights, breakfast, sunrises at Angkor Wat, trips to the Mekong Delta. This is one thing I struggle with while traveling, … Continue reading Early Morning Llamas in Machu Picchu

The Truth about Travel Addiction

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Addiction. It's a strong word. It is also very, very much overused and, in my opinion, not taken seriously enough anymore. People commonly refer to themselves playfully as "shopaholics", "chocoholics", and so on. "I'm so addicted to that show!" "I'm totally addicted to cat memes!" "OMG, I have a major shoe addiction!" Sure. You like something- … Continue reading The Truth about Travel Addiction

Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico

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Dia de los Muertos is a holiday observed in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd, where people celebrate the lives of those that have passed away.  Altars are set up everywhere in honor of the dead; food, alcohol, cigarettes, pictures, and anything else that the dead may have liked are set out as an offering, for … Continue reading Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico

Traveling Vegetarian: How to Stay Satiated (and Sane)

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I admit it. When I was young and impressionable, seeking the easiest route, I gave up vegetarianism to see the world. It was a very naïve, pitiful decision. The very first country I traveled to was Mexico. Aside from that one weekend of debauchery in Tijuana while at UCLA, this experience took place in Zihuatanejo and Monterrey, Mexico. Overwhelmed … Continue reading Traveling Vegetarian: How to Stay Satiated (and Sane)

Do You Have What it Takes to Travel Alone?

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Yes, I had traveled alone to Zihuatanejo, Mexico to visit my loser ex-boyfriend, and I had already saved up a year's worth of income to move to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I had a volunteer program waiting for me.  But this was different.  Here I was, completely alone, hung over from the Halloween party the night before, … Continue reading Do You Have What it Takes to Travel Alone?

The Sole Ecuadorian Jaguar

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    In the year 2005, I was lucky enough to volunteer at a wild animal refuge in Tambillo, Ecuador. La Hacienda Santa Martha rescues endemic animals that are being trafficked, kept as pets, used in circuses, or abused in other forms. It is a wonderful establishment tucked away in the flora of north Ecuador's … Continue reading The Sole Ecuadorian Jaguar

What a Wondrous World

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In recent preparation to visit the Hindu-Buddhist temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, I stumbled on some articles that referred to the site as the eight wonder of the world. Of course, there are only seven "official" wonders of the world, according to a worldwide poll done in 2007. While doing my research, it dawned on … Continue reading What a Wondrous World

The Beauty of Perito Moreno

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After spending almost eight months living in Argentina and backpacking around South America, I decided enough was enough. I needed to see the glaciers in Patagonia no matter what. I booked a flight and headed out the next day from Buenos Aires. A big mistake I made was failing to reserve a dorm room, as … Continue reading The Beauty of Perito Moreno