betsy & lee's world trip

World Trip Blog Retired - See new blog!

2006-05-22T18:28:00.002-06:00

For those of you who've told us how much you love seeing what's going on in our life, I have started a new blog: Lee & Betsy's Life (http://www.leehoffmanphotoart.com/blog) Since our world trip is over, I am retiring this blog. However, it will stay online in case you ever wish to come back to read a story or look at pictures. We are so glad so many people were able to enjoy the stories of our big adventure!

Click here to see the new blog!

Home Sweet Home

2006-03-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

The trip is over! We returned to Santiago, Chile last week and sucessfully sold our little green bug (not before it gave us one last problem; flat tire on the way to deliver it to the lady we sold it to). We are now back in Colorado at the Hoffman's new house in Kittredge, which is near Evergreen. We enjoyed spending the first three days back with Lee's grandparents who were in town. Today, Saturday the 25th is our welcome back party. Over then next few weeks we'll be visiting with friends, looking for new jobs, setting up our place to live at Lee's parents house, getting cell phones, and just plain getting into the swing of "real life" again. Hope to hear from and see all of you soon!

Father-in-Law/Son-in-Law Bonding

2006-03-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

While Betsy and Mary chatted the day away on a comfy, cozy bus to Mendoza, the guys (Lee and Clark) truly shared one bonding day in the Green Goat. Just fresh from a tune-up at the mechanic, we were sure the car was fixed and ready to go. Of course not! This time the alternator went out, turning a 7-hour drive into a 17-hour drive down semitruck filled one-lane highways with near no headlights. After hours of tinkering, changing batteries (located under the rear seat under mountains of luggage), visiting repair shops, and pushing the vehicle over and over, Lee and Clark met the girls in Cordoba at 2:30am!

PICTURES OF CORDOBA

Dad the Tango King!

2006-03-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

Tango, the brooding, sultry dance of Argentina. Who knew that Clark was truly a tango master. Last night we went to an intimate little restaurant called Bar Sur in San Telmo, the oldest barrio in Buenos Aires and the home to the tango. Our dinner was complete with a tango show, featuring classic musicians, singers and tango dancers. At the end of each dance session, the pros would call upon members of the audience to join them on the dance floor. Clark was one of the lucky chosen few to glide across the dance floor with the slender and beautiful dancer. He was a natural! Although he was a bit embarrassed, we were all truly impressed at his grace and style.

PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES #2 (HALING'S VISIT)

Friends and Family

2006-03-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

At long last, we made it back to Buenos Aires! We spent five days in the city once again exploring the intricate architecture and showing Mary and Clark (aka, Mom & Dad Haling) all the sights of the city. Our great friend and always gracious hostess, Rosana, was once again our own personal tour guide, making sure we hit all the major city spots and filling us with fun facts and historical info about her city. Her family invited us all over one night for a traditional Argentine asada (barbeque). What a great evening it was to relax, drink wine, and have a fantastic meal with family and friends.

PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES #2 (HALING'S VISIT)

Death of a VW

2006-02-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the past six weeks, the Green Goat has become our nemisis. What we thought was going to be a reliable and easily fixable car has turned into the persistant headache on our life. We bought the Bug in Santiago, where there were thousands of VWs, new and old. We assumed it would be the easiest car in the world to get fixed. We assumed wrong. When we have car trouble with this car in Argentina, our day typically consists of going from one gas station or auto repair shop to the next, where everybody just gives us blank stares and asks "What kind of car is this?". So, we´ve driven nearly 2,000 miles on a tire that´s the wrong size, and we spent two full days having to push-start the car at every stop. Quite the road trip adventure, and test to Lee´s auto knowledge and spanish language skills.

PICTURES OF EAST COAST ROAD TRIP

The sand between our toes

2006-02-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

To break up our trip north, we spent two relaxing days on Argentina´s Atlantic coast, soaking in the sun.....a favorite summer pastime for all Argentines. One night was spent in a tiny, and beautiful, little coastal town with mansions lining the beach. We figured the town is either home to all the rich oil executives or is an up-and-coming vacation spot. Next we traveled north to the popular summer spot Puerto Madryn, where the beaches and streets were jam-packed with families enjoying their summer vacation. Looking down the wide shore-line, it was a sea of people laying in the sun, playing soccer, making sand castles, and all the other typical beachtime activities. It was in this town that we discovered the best of the best (and trust us, there are thousands to choose from) ice cream shops in Argentina.

PICTURES OF EAST COAST ROAD TRIP

The long road home

2006-02-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

Route 3, otherwise known as Argentina´s part of the Transatlantic Highway, starts at the tip of Tierra del Fuego and ends all the way in Alaska. It was this highway that took us up the long, flat and desolate east coast of Argentina for our five day drive back to Buenos Aires. Lots of oil drilling and small industrial towns along the way. Further north, it was all farm and ranch land. Lucky for us, this highway was paved, making travel much quicker than the rough rough highway 40 we took on our way south.

PICTURES OF EAST COAST ROAD TRIP

Not quite kayaking

2006-02-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Our final attempt at kayaking ended up actually being a day of quasi canoeing in a little inflatable raft! For our final day at the end of the world, Ushuaia, we chose to do an all day excursion on land and on water. We started out by driving further east down the Beagle Channel to a private estancia where we suited up in ridiculous waterproof pants and life jackets and hopped into our inflatable raft for two hours of paddling. The water was calm and peaceful (a bit too peaceful for our liking) on the small river, but soon we were out in the open water of the channel and paddling was nearly impossible. We were exhausted! But, the highlight was when a curious little sea lion took an interest in us and started swimming all around our boat! The rest of the excursion took us on a rather uneventful hike, and then on a fishing boat to see more penguins.

PICTURES OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO #2

Anchors Away!

2006-02-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Today we took a tour of the Beagle Channel by boat. In the fog and light rain, we made our way out to the town´s landmark old lighthouse. After that we cruised around to all the little islands nearby to look at the marine life. We saw lots of penguins swimming in the water. And we watched huge colonies of sea lions and fur seals swimming, playing and lounging on the rocks!

PICTURES Tierra del Fuego #1 (Ushuaia & Beagle Channel)

It´s the End of the World as we Know it!

2006-02-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

We made it to the end of the world! We´re in Ushuaia, a city at the very southern tip of Argentina, and one proudly claims the title of the world´s southernmost city. It´s a port town, so as you can imagine, it´s filled with a mix of fisherman, and wealthy travelers who´ve just stepped off their antarctic cruises. Our camp sight is absolutely amazing! We´re camping at the base of a ski resort that overlooks the entire town, along with the Beagle Channel and all of the little nearby islands. Today we drove to the very end of the Transatlantic Highway (RN 3 in Argentina).....as far south as we go for this trip at least. It´s all north from here.

PICTURES Tierra del Fuego #1 (Ushuaia & Beagle Channel)

One more gravel road

2006-02-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Just when we thought it had ended......there was one more. Like we mentioned before, in order to drive into Tierra del Fuego (the ´boot´of Argentina), you have no choice but to drive through Chile. Makes for lots and lots of trips through customs. Unfortunately, the gravel road through Chile was the absolute worst of the worst that we´ve experienced so far. An endless sea of potholes for nearly two hours. Lee decided that it´s Chile´s way of saying "Screw you Argentina, and anyone who wants to visit!" (the two countries don´t like each other very much!) Lucky for us, we get to drive it not once, but twice!

PICTURES Tierra del Fuego #1 (Ushuaia & Beagle Channel)

More about the sheep....

2006-02-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

Sheep ranches in Argentina are called Estancias. There are thousands of estancias throughout the country. Many of them have been around for hundreds of years, and many have opened their doors for tourism, letting people stay, and even participate in a working sheep ranch. As we continued through Chile, we came upon a huge estancia, right on the edge of the water. It was more than 100 years old, and many of the buildings were totally abandoned. On there shore, there were two MASSIVE ships from the late 1800s that had been declared national monuments. We were able to walk all around them, even inside the shells of the ships!

PICTURES of Patagonia Road Trip #4 (Torres del Paine)

300,000,000 Sheep!

2006-02-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

That´s how many sheep live here in Argentina! Until now, we´d seen a few random sheep here and there, but hadn´t viewed them en mass. Today we drove through southern Chile on our way to Tierra del Fuego (the southern tip of Argentina......you can´t get there without driving through Chile). It was a sunny, beautiful day and we were cruising along at a pretty decent pace, for the Green Goat that is. We came around the bend and had to slam on the breaks! Suddenly we were surrounded by 8,000 sheep! They were everywhere....on the road, on the sides of the road, making their way who knows where.
PICTURES of Patagonia Road Trip #4 (Torres del Paine)

Kayaking Plans Foiled Again!

2006-02-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

We´re cursed when it comes to kayaking! We´ve made three attempts and all have fallen through for some reason or another. This time it was supposed to work! We arrived in Puerto Natales, Chile, just outside Torres del Paine national park and a fantastic deal on a 3-day kayaking excursion pretty much fell in our laps. We paid, packed, and wóke up at dawn to drive four hours to meet our guides. Seemed like a done deal. Wrong! Our guides showed up and informed us that the two additional people we were supposed to kayak with threw a huge fit when they were told they didn´t have a private trip. So, since they booked first, we got the shaft and were sent on our merry way. Luckily, the weather was perfect, and we were able to spend the rest of the day exploring the stunning national park, with one of the most tremendous waterfalls we´ve ever seen, and camping at the foot of Torres del Paine. All was not lost.

PICTURES of Patagonia Road Trip #4 (Torres del Paine)

Patagonian Animals Oh My!

2006-02-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

These are some of the animals we have seen along the way on our Patagonian drive.

A new challenge

2006-02-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

There’s no better way to look like a completely uncoordinated idiot than by trying a new sport. Fortunately for us, ice climbing turned out to be much easier than we expected, and we quickly looked like pros (ok, maybe not that good, but decent). We spent the third day of our backpacking adventure with an ice climbing guide on Torre Glacier at the foot of Cerro Torre. After our glacier trek we decided to try our hand at the real thing……crampons, ice axes, harnesses, rope, the works! Our day started with a two-hour hike into the glacier, including a river-crossing hanging upside down from our harness. After that, we spent about four hours trying out three different pitches with our guide. One even included an overhang. We’re talking about trying it again in Colorado. But, it’s a little easier to trust your life to a permanent glacier than to a frozen waterfall…… (yes, that is Betsy in that photo!)
View Photos of Patagonia Road Trip #3 (Perito Moreno Glacier Walk, Trekking Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy, and Ice Climing Torre Glacier)

Keep on Trekkin’

2006-02-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Perito Moreno Glacier is situated at the south end of Parque National los Glacieres. On the north end are, of course, more glaciers, along with two spectacular famous peaks, Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. We spent the past four days backpacking around the bases of both. The park is literally a backpacker’s dream. The river water is drinkable, 100% glacier water. The trails are well-maintained, and the campgrounds are pristine. Plus, the entire time you’re staring up at the massive rock slabs at the top of the big peaks. We’re back feeling refreshed after lots of exercise, sunshine and fresh mountain air.
View Photos of Patagonia Road Trip #3 (Perito Moreno Glacier Walk, Trekking Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy, and Ice Climing Torre Glacier)

Ice Ice Baby

2006-02-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

We made our way down south to El Calafate, a small town made famous by its proximity to one of the largest and most impressive glaciers in the world: Glacier Perito Moreno. After a leisurely day in town, we spent our next day on a glacier trek (it sounds hard-core, but in reality any little old lady could have done it). Nevertheless, we felt like we were living in a Discovery Channel Program. Perito Moreno glacier pushes out into two huge lakes, with the walls of ice jutting out nearly 250 feet above the surface and down 500-600 feet to the lake bottom. The best part about visiting the glacier was watching it move before our very eyes. Every few minutes we would hear a loud crack, followed by a chunk of the glacier tumbling into the water below. Four or five times throughout the day we say slabs of ice the size of 20-story buildings sheer off the edge and fall into the water with a massive splash. Later on we’d see the remains floating to the surface as icebergs. Our trek took us by boat across the lake and, with crampons strapped to our feet, onto a relatively flat part of the glacier to see the various peaks and valleys formed in the ice. At the end, they served us whiskey on the rocks (i.e. glacier ice) to celebrate.

Click here to see the glacial calving in action!
View Photos of Patagonia Road Trip #3 (Perito Moreno Glacier Walk, Trekking Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy, and Ice Climing Torre Glacier)

Earplugs and Gravel:

2006-01-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

We’ve taken to wearing earplugs in the car. It’s not that we don’t want to talk to each other (although, after five months of talking to nobody else, a few hours of silence is ok). It’s the combination of a gravel highway and a VW Bug is enough to make your ears ring for days. This is one rugged road trip down “highways” with four inches of loose gravel, with nothing but flat land and sagebrush as far as you can see for days, and wind so strong that your car door is likely to get ripped off if you dared to open it. Thankfully we only have one more long day without pavement ahead of us. After that, we’ve reached Southern Patagonia and all that we’ve been looking forward to seeing: Mt. Fitz Roy, El Calafate, Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego, mountains, glaciers, fjords, etc.
Pictures of Patagonia Road Trip #2

Call Guiness:

2006-01-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

Lee’s going down in the all-time rock skipping hall of fame. Out on the edge of the lake, the conditions were perfect. Calm water, super flat rock, and precision throwing. He wound up, let the rock go, and it skipped not once, not even twice, but TEN TIMES along the surface of the water! If you get a moment, make sure you e-mail Lee and congratulate him on his triumph.
Pictures of Patagonia Road Trip #2

Shoo Fly!!!!!

2006-01-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, we’ve added another hike to our list of “never agains”. Our guidebook suggested a day hike to the top of Cerro Alto Dedal, a peak overlooking a good portion of the national park. We set out pretty early knowing it would be a long day. The first two hours of the hike were spent bushwhacking our way through an endless forest of bamboo shoots and thorny bushes so thick that it was like walking through a tunnel. Suddenly, relief……..or so we thought. We had reached the rocky (and plant-free) ridge leading up to the summit. This is where the swarming began. Mutant horse flies the size of quarters!!!! The were incessant….buzzing and circling around our heads, in our ears. We pushed on until the torture was too much. After five hours of hiking we didn’t have anything to show for it.

Pictures of Patagonia Road Trip #2

Lakefront Property:

2006-01-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ah, the view from our tent window has been fantastic the past two days. Crystal clear lake with snowcapped peaks surrounding us. We’ve literally been camping right on the edge of the water here in Parque Nacional Los Alerces. We’ve made our way south from the ultra-touristy and very busy Lakes District to Central Patagonia, where the landscape is still fairly similar, but the parks are much less visited. Nonetheless, there is no shortage of Argentine campers. The come out in droves to hang out at the “beach” around the lakes here. Take for example the two little old ladies we came across near our campsite. Each day, with cooler and beach chairs in tow, they stake out a small portion of space near the lake. They spend the entire day alternating between an endless game of dominos and cooling off in the water.

Pictures of Patagonia Road Trip #2

Back in Colorado!

2006-01-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, not really, but we got your attention right! We´re still here in Argentina, but we did climb a peak called Cerro Colorado the other day. It was just outside San Martin de los Andes, and, well, it´s named after our home, so we had to climb it! The peak is just over 5,000 ft., which doesn´t sound like much. But, considering we gained nearly 3,000 feet in under two hours, it was a lot like climbing a 14er! The very summit is all dark red volcanic rock. It´s very striking, especially since not a single other mountain surrounding it looks the same. The view from the top looked out over two huge lakes, and the largest Volcano in the entire area.

Patagonia Road Trip Pictures #1

Giddi-up

2006-01-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

We went horseback riding today! It was a 3-hour trip up to an amazing overlook point above Bariloche, as well as a stop at one of the nearby ski resorts for a snack. Once again, we were reminded of how there are WAY too many rules in the US. Group horseback rides at home generally consist of 10 people, making their way at a snails pace up a tiny path in the mountains. Not here! We literally ran for at least half of the ride! Did it matter that we had hardly any riding experience......of course not! Lee took off like a bat outa hell a few times, in a full-on gallop!
Patagonia Road Trip Pictures #1

7 Lagos

2006-01-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

After one extremely long and boring day driving through the seemingly endless desert, we officially arrived in the Lakes District of Argentina - a lush, mountainous region spotted with huge crystal clear alpine lakes. We started off by staying a night in a town called San Martin de los Andes. We think that Estes Park has been cloned and placed in South America. The two towns are extremely similar. On the whole, this entire region looks a lot like Colorado. Funny thing is, there´s MORE snow here during the summer, but the elevation is less than Denver! From San Martin, we spent two days working our way down the famous ¨Siete Lagos Route¨(translation: seven lakes), a beautiful drive through the curvy mountain roads with incredible vistas overlooking the lakes. Finally, we arrived in Bariloche, the famed ¨Switerland of the Andes¨. It´s quite a bit bigger than we envisioned, With hotel after hotel after hotel, but the views are some of the best we´ve ever seen.
Patagonia Road Trip Pictures #1

Home Sweet Tent

2006-01-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

We´ve decided to trade in hostels and hotels for our tent for the next month on the road. We´ve camped all but one night since we left and are loving it. It´s a much better alternative to sleep in our own tent and own sleeping bags than in sketchy bug-infested hostels. We even bought a little camp shower so we can be clean along the way! Our first couple nights on the road were a bit rough, however. Our vision of ¨just pitching a tent whenever we got tired of driving¨dissolved when we realized that nearly every road has fences on both sides. We ended up spending one night in a bizzare drainage ditch in the desert and another on the bank of a river next to a field of cows. Luckily, it´s been all uphill since then. Argentina has thousands of public campgrounds. It´s hardly what you would call roughing it in the wilderness (many have electricity, showers, etc.), but at least we´re sleeping outdoors. Argentines ¨camping¨experience isn´t a whole lot different than just hanging out in your own backyard. Nonetheless, we´re loving it so far, and making truly gourmet campfire dinners each night!
Patagonia Road Trip Pictures #1

The Green Goat

2006-01-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

We´ve officially changed the name of our car from the Green Machine to the Green Goat. It´s much more appropriate. When we take off from a stopped position, the car makes a loud sound that is eerily similar the ehhehhehh sound that goats make. Only a week into our road trip and we´re already starting to superglue parts and pieces of our little vehicle together. We may have a shell of a car left by the time we make our way back up to Buenos Aires, but as long as we make it, that´s all that matters to us.

Patagonia Road Trip Pictures #1

La Vida Mendocino

2006-01-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

Before we take off from Mendoza, I thought I´d write a bit about the typical day in the life of a ¨Mendocino¨(person from Mendoza). Typcially, they start their day at an outdoor cafe with some unbelievable coffee, and at least two media lunas (spanish for croissants). After a leisurely breakfast they head to work, usually by bus or on foot through the tree-lines streets. By noon or 1pm, it´s time for lunch and another cafe with friends or co-workers. After that, it´s the best part of the day......siesta time! The world pretty much stops functioning here between the hours of 1pm and 6pm. Stores close, streets are quiet, everyone just goes home and relaxes for a few hours. After that, it´s time for mate! In Argentina, there´s a fourth meal each day. Around 5pm, you have a snack, maybe a couple more medialunas and share a maté with your friends. Maté is the national drink, a really strong tea similar to green tea. Evenings are typically spent hanging out at the park or in one of the cities many green plazas. Dinner is NEVER before 10pm (believe me, we tried to eat around 7 once and the chef wasn´t even at work yet!). Home around midnight or one to start it all over again the next day. Ahhhhh, what a wonderful stress-free place to live for a while!

On the Road Again

2006-01-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

After a thoroughly LAZY week here in Mendoza, we´re movin´ on again. Our apartment is cleared out, the maquina verde is packed to the gills and we´re well stocked with the essential road-trip provisions like spare tires, maps, and lots of junk food. First stop on our month-long adventure is the Lakes District in the Andes. Our days on the road shouldn´t be too long. We´ve left plenty of time for camping, hiking, and just stopping to see the sights. So long Mendoza! Thanks for a fun month!

Triumph on Aconcagua!

2006-01-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

The picture says it all, we made it to the summit of Aconcagua! I don´t even know where to begin to describe the trip, it was definitely in the top 5 most difficult things I´ve ever done during my life. We survived 3 straight days of 80mph winds at 19,000ft Camp II to finally arrive at the suffocating elevation of 22,841 ft above sea level at 1pm on Wednesday the 11th of January. The trip was full of unique mountaineering challenges as well as fun times. We are extremely happy with the result of our expedition, and now we are glad to be back in Mendoza eating good food and drinking wine! Of course, I am most excited to be back with my beautiful wife after over 2 weeks of no contact whatsoever. For those of you who are interested in the particulars of the trip, I´ll try to add a detailed account to this blog entry at a later date. I will also be posting pictures with descriptive captions to give you an idea of what it was like up there. For now, I wanted to let you know we made it and are home safe. Hope everyone is doing great back home, and we can´t wait to see you soon. Lee

Lee´s Aconcagua Photos
Brandon´s Aconcagua Photos
Rob´s Aconcagua Photos

One more day to go!

2006-01-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

The countdown is almost complete! Lee´s been away for nearly two weeks now on his mountain climbing adventures, and he should be home in the next day or so. I´m on pins and needles waiting to hear how the climb went. Life´s been pretty quiet, and actually ´routine´around here for me, which is a welcome change from 4 months of constant travel. After nearly a week of feeling crumby, I finally recovered!

I´ve really enjoyed my last three weeks of Spanish school, and have learned so much Spanish. Right now it´s one big jumble of verb tenses mixed up in my head, but hopefully if I keep studying on my own I´ll be able to sort it out a little more. I´ve been taking part in lots of the school activities like salsa lessons, cooking classes, winery tours, etc. Other than that I´ve just been living like a ´mendocino´ and hanging out at the park, drinking tea and wine at little cafes, and practicing lots and lots of Spanish. The other day I actually successfully gave someone directions to a restaurant I was familiar with. I was very proud of myself!

Happy Birthday to.........Me!

2006-01-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yay! It´s my birthday! So what the heck am I doing writing a blog entry? Well, I figured since I can´t actually talk to anyone this year (literally, because Lee´s gone climbing and everyone around me speaks Spanish), I thought I´d write you all a little note. It´s been a relatively bland day as far as birthdays go. Really though, how exciting should 27 be anyway? Woo-hoo.....I´ve reached my late 20s!!!!! But I honestly can´t complain because a) I´m finally feeling like a human once again, b) I´m spending my birthday in Argentina and that´s just cool, c) I am a firm believer that birthday´s are not just one day. You have a right to celebrate for the whole month of your birthday, d) I just went shopping and bought myself a few presents, and e) every single day of the past 4 months has been a special day, and way better than most birthdays at home anyway! Now, I´m heading home because I´m once again a student and have homework to do. Hope you all survived your first day back to work after the holiday weekend!

Counting spots on the walls

2005-12-31T10:56:00.000-07:00

Uuuuggghhh. That´s all I have to say. It´s New Year´s Eve and I have the flu! So, I was ok with the fact that I was going to be alone at midnight, and even had plans to go out with some school friends........until I got incredibly sick with the flu. I´ve been laying in bed for nearly 3 days now. I´d finally had enough of staring at the walls of our tiny apartment, and watching the Simpsons in Spanish so I rolled myself out of bed and practically crawled to the internet cafe, where I sit writing this blog now.

I hope that everyone has a great time celebrating tonight! Happy 2006. I will be living vicariously through you!

Ready, set, climb!

2005-12-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the boys are off for their climb! Lee, and his two buddies Brandon and Rob took off on Thursday evening to take on the highest peak in South America, Aconcagua. They spent an incredibly hectic two days getting organized. Imagine trying to pack over two weeks worth of food and gear for a 23,000 foot peak! But, they were ready in time for the shuttle to pick them up. They were planning to spend Thursday and Friday nights acclimatizing in a town near the mountain. Today (saturday) is supposed to be their first day hiking. If all goes well, it will take them 12 or 13 days to finish, bringing them back two weeks from today. I´m sure they will have tons of stories and pictures when they return. For now, you´ll just be getting my reports from Mendoza. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers for the next two weeks.

Hola! Como estas? Me llamo Betsy.

2005-12-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

I started Spanish school this week! For four hours a day I´m taking classes. No other beginner level students signed up this week so I have private lessons. I figure I´ve already taken the equivalent of over a month worth of classes at home. It´s amazing how quickly you catch on when EVERYTHING is in Spanish. I have two weeks left and I can´t wait to see how much further I progress! My school is great. They offer a home-cooked lunch every day, and little field trips every afternoon, to wineries, on city tours, to the pool, etc.

Countdown to Christmas

2005-12-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Wow, they do Christmas BIG here in Argentina. Really, they kinda put us to shame. It´s one big party here on Christmas Eve night. Lee and I bought tickets to a Christmas dinner at a local restaurant. Since Argentina is a ridiculously late-night place, we arrived at 9:30 for the festivities. The restaurant was asada, asada, and more asada (barbeque). They had massive buffets EVERYWHERE. We were served champagne, dessert, the works. Later, a somewhat cheesy, although entertaining, singer took over the room. People started getting up and dancing all around us! Suddenly, they started counting down from 10 to 1. Why? It was midnight! It was Christmas. Everyone was partying and celebrating everywhere. When we left the restaurant, the streets were packed with kids setting off fire crackers, and families still engrossed in the holiday festivities. It was fantastic!

Lifestyles of the Hoffmans

2005-12-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

As a wedding gift, several of our friends back home pooled their money and gave us one night stay at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Mendoza. We figured, what better time than Christmas to take advantage of our girft? So, we moved into our room on Friday night (the 23rd). We had a fantastic view of the pool and the park, a huge bathroom, the works. We both got Thai massages, from two thai masseurs none the less, that evening. Since the hotel is in the very center of the city, we spent the evening relaxing and wandering around town. The next morning, after a massive room-service breakfast, we headed back to our ´reality´ in our tiny little apartment. Thanks to everyone for such a fantastic wedding (and Christmas!) gift.

Wish Me Luck!

2005-12-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

Brandon and Rob are here in Mendoza now and we just finished getting our climbing permit for Aconcagua! The climb startes saturday at 8,000ft. If all goes well, we summit 11 days later at an altitude of 22,841 feet above sea level. Aconcagua is the highest mountain peak outside of the Himilayas. We are arranging the expedition ourselves, with all of our own food, fuel, gear, tents, etc.. So wish us luck, this will be an enormous undertaking. I´ll be thinking of all of my friends and family back home, and Betsy back in Mendoza (drinking wine and enjoying the warm sun after spanish school each day). We will of course be safe and smart, and will give it our best effort. Talk to you all in 2-1/2 weeks back in Mendoza. Much love, Lee

Cabernets and merlots and malbecs, oh my!

2005-12-23T06:24:00.002-07:00

Today we spent the day in wine country. Here in Mendoza, there are dozens of wineries within only a few miles of the city. In minutes, we were out of the traffic and noise, and cruising down the sunny, tree-lined streets gazing out at miles upon miles of vineyards. The wineries here are really relaxed, and almost all are open to the public. Today we visited four different wineries where we received a private tour and wine tasting for free (always a bonus!). Our last stop was a place where they make fresh chocolates, and almost every type of flavored liqueur you can imagine……chocolate, coconut cream, tangerine, banana. Our wine cellar and liquor cabinet (a.k.a. our kitchenette counter and mini closet) are well-stocked after today!
PICTURES OF MENDOZA & WINE TOUR

Land-o-supermodels:

2005-12-23T06:24:00.001-07:00

In addition to the expectant mothers that abound here, the vast majority of the population in Argentina is unbelievably gorgeous. Guys, girls, kids, everyone. Physically perfect. Doesn’t do much for your self-esteem as a tourist hanging out here, but it’s good people-watching!
PICTURES OF MENDOZA & WINE TOUR

Babies, babies, babies:

2005-12-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Never, ever in our lives have we ever been to a place with more EXTREMELY pregnant women. Literally, every 3rd person you pass on the street has a giant belly protruding from her little tank top and stretch pants. Forget maternity clothes here…..the whole mommy-to-be belly is just out there. Is there something in the water? Is it the abundance of very large Catholic families? It’s a mystery to us!
PICTURES OF MENDOZA & WINE TOUR

Settling in:

2005-12-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

For the first time since July, we have a home again! We’ve been on the move nearly every day for four months and we’re now settled down for a full month in a cozy little studio apartment in Mendoza, Argentina. Mendoza is a city of nearly 1 million people, situated in between the Argentine wine country and the Andes (Aconcagua, which Lee will be climbing, can be seen from the city). It’s a bustling, beautiful city with giant trees lining every street, providing much-needed shade from the summer sun. Our apartment is just on the edge of the city center, making it convenient to get downtown, but quiet and laid-back at the same time. We’re so happy to be able to just kick back, watch the world go by…..and even watch some TV since our apartment has cable! Lee’s anxiously awaiting his climb next week, and Betsy will start 3 weeks of Spanish classes on Monday.
PICTURES OF MENDOZA & WINE TOUR

Adventures in Border-Crossing:

2005-12-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

Purchasing our car in Chile was two full weeks of paperwork, bureaucracy, some really helpful people, some very unhelpful people, and lots of people telling us ‘foreigners can’t buy cars’. Nonetheless, we successfully got the car, insurance, title, registration, etc. etc. etc. Crossing the border from Chile back into Argentina was a true nail-biting experience in itself, however. As suspected, when we pulled up to the border patrol, the Chilean officials lived up to our expectations by firmly stating that ‘foreigners can’t buy cars’. Lee, with his now excellent Spanish negotiation skills, bravely stood up to the oh-so-important people and argued that we had all of the required documents to own a car so we must, in fact, be the owners. A bit baffled at us, the border patrol agreed and, alas, we were finally back in Argentina again!

PICTURES OF DRIVING FROM SANTIAGO, CHILE TO MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Feliz Navidad From Argentina!

2005-12-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

We wanted to take the chance to wish everyone at home a very, very Merry Christmas. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with food, family, friends and lots of celebration. We will be thinking of you all from down here in Mendoza, Argentina. No white Christmas for us.....it´s about 95 degrees here! But, we´re looking forward to spending our first married Christmas together! Merry Christmas and God Bless everyone. - Betsy & Lee

La Casa Azul:

2005-12-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

‘The Blue House’ is where we stayed this weekend in the tiny beach town of Isla Negra. Similar to the place we lived in Santiago, La Casa Azul is a little house with 3 or 4 bedrooms, which the owner rents out to travelers. Only, in this case, the owner was out of town and a great couple from Alaska was running the place for a week or so. (apparently they’d been asked to ‘house-sit’, but not informed that the place was actually a hostel!). Nonetheless, we enjoyed a wonderful, lazy couple of days and lots of wine each night in the little house tucked into the woods, only minutes from the beach. We knew we had to take advantage of seeing the Chilean coast at least once while we were here and it’s been well worth it. The waves crash up on the shore like none other we’ve seen. It’s absolutely stunning. And, the weather has been surprisingly cool, a lot like northern California.

We’re outta here…..finally!

2005-12-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

Well, it took nearly two full weeks of endlessly long days in Santiago but the car is finally ours. Although transferring the title was a bit trying, between trying to purchase the car from a lunatic of a woman who was treating us like we were complete morons, to witnessing an equally crazy man trying to out-maneuver the bouncers at the DMV and enter the office after it was closed. It was a whirlwind, but, alas, the car is now officially ours and we’re going to the beach!

Is THIS art?

2005-12-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Who defines what is considered “art”, primarily when it pertains to so-called “contemporary” art? We would really like to have a word with this person because we think his standards for entry into the art category are slightly off-base. Today we had a full day to kill so we decided to make our way over to the contemporary art museum in Santiago we’d been anxiously awaiting to see. After walking for well over an hour, we finally came upon the historic, colonial-style building that housed the exhibits. Little did we know that the ‘art’ we were about to pay $4 each to see, was really just a bunch of used trash that was strategically placed in several huge, stark white rooms. No, that is not an exaggeration at all. The rooms were literally filled with big trash bags, some cardboard, black innertubes, etc. The main corridors were covered in graffiti. The one room that actually had photos on display looked like someone’s extremely bad 1970s photo album. Now, we’re both art fans, and understand that every artist has a vision for their work, but somehow we seemed to miss the vision of every single exhibit in this particular museum.

A symphony on the road:

2005-12-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

As we drive through the Chilean streets in our new little maquina verde, a distinct, familiar sound seems to follow us wherever we go. The high-pitched shrieking of each an every car alarm within a 10-foot radius of where we’re driving. The low-pitch rumble of our engine is apparently enough to intimidate even the toughest of cars!

What we’ve learned about Chile & Chileans so far

2005-12-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

They are extremely friendly, gracious and welcoming. The eat a LOT of ice cream…….every day. There’s graffiti everywhere – even in really nice parts of town. They spend their weekend days at public parks outside the city barbequing, swimming, hanging out. Christmas shopping is as big a phenomenon here as it is at home. They don’t believe in taking right hand turns in the city, it’s left or nothing. They’re into camping and hiking just like Coloradoans. Nobody ever caries change with them. Security guards at Wal-Mart type stores wear bullet-proof vests, but not outside government buildings. Cost of living is just as much here as it is at home. All houses are surrounded by large fences with locked gates, even in small mountain towns. That’s a bit of what we’ve learned so far, but there’ll be much more to come for sure.
PICTURES OF SANTIAGO, CHILE

The Devil´s Cellar

2005-12-12T06:56:00.001-07:00

We saw ‘el diablo’ today. Where does he live? In a Chilean wine cellar of course! This afternoon we went on a tour of the Concho y Toro winery – the largest in South America. Back in the mid-1800s, the original wine-maker brought a particular vine back to Chile from Italy. Realizing his wine was particularly good, he hid it deep within his wine cellar outside of Santiago. Word of his “stash” traveled fast and local villagers began stealing the barrels out of his cellar. So, crafty fella that he was, the winemaker started telling the superstitious villagers that the devil lived in his cellar. Before long, the wine stopped disappearing, and stories about the devil cellar spread across the land!!
PICTURES OF WINE TOUR AND BANOS MORALES

Finally on our own to explore

2005-12-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

After 3 months of buses, taxis, trains and airplanes, we finally have our own transportation! We left the city for a weekend getaway to the mountains outside Santiago, and put our little ‘Maquina Verde’ to the test. With Lee’s stellar driving skills, we made it through our mini road trip with no problems…..aside from the fact that in greater Santiago, they don’t see any need for lanes to be painted on the roads. So, you just have to guess which lane people are in! We ended up last night in a tiny town at the base of some of the largest peaks in the Andes, called Banos Morales. After a morning of hiking in the nearby national park we felt right at home! It’s amazing how just being in the mountains is an instant stress-reliever for both of us.
PICTURES OF WINE TOUR AND BANOS MORALES

Introducing……Maquina Verde!!!

2005-12-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

It’s our ‘Green Machine’, and it rocks! We are the proud new owners (almost – we’re short a couple of documents and a few hundred dollars) of a forest green 1998 Volkswagon Beetle. Seriously, this car is incredible. A bit more than we intended to spend, but it’s SO worth it! We’ve got power windows, keyless entry, a working stereo, leather (ok, maybe they’re vinyl) seats, the works!!! We bought the car from a mechanic who just tuned it up from top to bottom. The best part is, he is willing to buy it back from us at the end of our trip for nearly full price. Provided we keep it in good shape, we’ve got a free car for the next few months!
PICTURES OF SANTIAGO, CHILE

Scott’s House: our home away from home

2005-12-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

We’ve made our way to Santiago in search of a vehicle to buy and are staying at Scott’s house. It’s literally a 5 or 6 bedroom house, owned by an American guy named Scott, in a relatively seedy neighborhood of Santiago. When we arrived at the gated home, there was no sign outside, or any indication that this might be a hostel. Nonetheless, we rang the doorbell and were greeted by a little girl…followed by her mother (Scott’s wife/girlfriend/mother of his child) who showed us to our room. Turns out, the infamous Scott has turned his little hostel into the mecca for foreigners to purchase cars in Chile. He knows mechanics, interpreters, paperwork – anything we need to know. In fact, there are 3 other Americans staying here right now doing the exact same thing as us. So, although the place is a little quirky, Scott’s a huge help and hopefully we’ll be Chilean car owners in no time!
PICTURES OF SANTIAGO, CHILE

How to survive customs at the Argentina/Chile Border

2005-12-08T11:36:00.002-07:00

If you plan to cross the border between Argentina and Chile, plan to bring along a long book. War and Peace perhaps. There’s a very good chance that you will finish it while you wait. Oh, and be prepared as well with extra change. If nature calls and you don’t have any coins, you’re out of luck until you cross the border. Expect to enjoy lots of paperwork and long lines as you have to talk to one person to leave Argentina, another to enter Chile and yet another to go through each and every bag (drug sniffing dogs and all) before you’re permitted to go along your merry way. Gee, we can’t wait to go back across again next week!
PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES
PICTURES OF SANTIAGO, CHILE

It’s great to know the locals!

2005-12-08T11:36:00.001-07:00

Once again, Lee’s international friends have helped make our trip a little easier, and much more enjoyable! Rosana, whom Lee met while trekking in Peru, is a local of B.A. She met us at the airport and showed us two fantastic days around the city. Day one was a marathon tour of the city’s highlights – the views, the restaurants, the architecture, the shopping……the works!! We were exhausted by the end. Day two was a visit to her house to meet her wonderful and gracious family and a trip to a local Sunday market with live music, dancing, treats and Argentine crafts. Thanks Rosana for showing us how the locals live!!!
PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES

Getting from A to B

2005-12-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

In a city as large as B.A., notable areas are bound to be fairly spread out. Most people choose to make their way around via the bus system. As a wedding gift (Thanks Sean!) we received an intricate book about the nearly 200 buses that weave around the city. Even with the help of our handy book, getting around is a challenge and we set out by foot to do most the exploring.
PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES

Shall we Dance?

2005-12-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

You just can’t spend time in Buenos Aires and avoid the calling to learn the tango. (we’ll give you one guess who’s writing this entry). Portenos (inhabitants of B.A.) are extremely proud of the sultry dance that they invented and made famous throughout the world. It started in early 20-century bordellos and evolved into a much-loved Argentine tradition. Postcards and paintings around the city celebrate the art form and clubs offer nightly classes and shows. We’ve even seen several impromptu performances in the squares or pedestrian malls within the city.
PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES

Where’s the Beef?

2005-12-08T11:34:00.001-07:00

It’s here in Argentina, that’s where! Honestly, it’s the best we’ve ever had. Betsy, not much of a red meat eater herself, had a steak that was absolutely to die for. Lee, a true carnivore and meat-lover, gave it his unwavering seal of approval as well. And, with meals for around $5 US, it sure beats Morton’s or any of the other fancy-schmancy steak houses at home! Oh, and in our decidedly non-connoisseur opinions, the Malbecs from Argentina put all other wine to shame!
PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES

Don’t Cry for Me Argentina

2005-12-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Today we saw Eva Peron, better known as Evita. Ok, so we didn’t actually see her. We saw her grave, along with hundreds of other tombs and monuments to notable Argentines in history. We visited one of Buenos Aires most famous and distinguished cemeteries – covering an entire city block. The cobblestone paths take you through row after row of graves – some old and dilapidated, some like mini churches, but all equally impressive and ornate. Sounds a little creepy to hang out in a cemetery, but it was actually very beautiful.

Mix and Match City

2005-12-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh, beautiful Buenos Aires. Combine the architecture of London, the style of Paris, the wine and cuisine of Milan, the nightlife of Miami , the culture and art of San Francisco and you’ve got Buenos Aires. This clean, relatively safe, bustling metropolis is home to nearly 13 million of the world’s most stunningly gorgeous people (and, apparently the top plastic surgery and psychotherapy addicts as well). Comprised of 48 barrios (neighborhoods), each with its own distinct flavor. When you cross the border from one barrio to the next, it’s like entering an entirely different city. We liked it so much, in fact, that we – two of the least ‘city’ people around – can’t wait to get back and spend more time here. The best part about it……we blend in! Even blond-haired, fair-skinned Betsy was approached numerous times by people asking for directions, etc.
PICTURES OF BUENOS AIRES

Chop Chop Choppers Everwhere:

2005-12-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

Over our last few weeks, we’ve become strangely accustomed to the sound of helicopters overhead. The whirring, thumping noise starts about 9am each day and continues until mid-afternoon. They come for various reasons. Sometimes it’s to rescue people who are sick from the altitude, injured on the trail, or any other number of reasons. Other times it’s a group of wealthy travelers who prefer to take the easy way in to catch the views of the world’s highest peaks rather than rough it with us lowly trekkers. One day, on our way down from Base Camp, in the village of Tengboche, a helicopter came out of nowhere and landed just a few feet from us. No warning at all. It just dropped down from the sky, kicked up enormous clouds of dust, dropped off about 10 Japanese tourists, and went off on its way again.
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Our Amazing Marathon Day:

2005-12-08T11:31:00.001-07:00

Little did we know when we woke up this morning that we would become the guinea pigs for our trekking guide. Here we were, in a tiny Himalayan trekking village, about to reach our two goals for our time here: Everest Base Camp (17,100 ft) and Mt. Kallapathar (18,100 ft.). Typically, people take two days to accomplish this task. Day 1 up to Kallapathar for the world’s best view of Mt. Everest, and Day 2 to Base Camp for an up close look at the famed Khumbu Ice Falls. We left at about 6 am for Kallapathar. We were feeling great and the weather was perfect. Our guide saw this as the perfect opportunity to try something new and go to base camp the same day. It would be easy, he told us. We would just take a short cut across to base camp, and then head back to town. It would only add a couple hours onto our day, right? WRONG. Little did we know but our ‘trusty’ guide had never attempted this before. What was supposed to be a ‘shortcut’ took us nearly all the way back to town. Our day began with breakfast at 6am, and didn’t end until nearly 6 pm. The only food we brought along was one measly Snickers bar that we had to split around mid-day. Our water lasted us half that long. It was easily the most grueling and physically demanding days we’ve experienced. But, despite our hunger and exhaustion, we made it. It’s amazing how far your body can go when you push yourself. And, it was probably among the most memorable days of our lives. To see the top of the world with your own eyes…….to stand at the base of Mt. Everest is an experience beyond words. Was it difficult? Yes. Did we love it? Definitely.
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The Khumbu Cough:

2005-12-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hack, hack hack. Cough, cough, cough. Hack hack. Ahhhh, the musical sounds of a trekker in the Everest region. Combine several days in sub-freezing, dry air at elevations well above 14,000 feet with dusty, dirty trails and germs from trekkers around the globe and what do you get? The ‘Khumbu Cough’: a dry, hacking and relentless cough that attacks 60% of all travelers to this region…….including Betsy.
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Now this is more like it

2005-12-08T11:30:00.002-07:00

After nearly 3 weeks of clouds and snow, we’ve made it to the Everest Region. Here, the sun has shined nearly every day. And the views…….you are literally looking straight up at all the massive peaks that surround you. The Everest Region, compared to Annapurna, is distinctly more dramatic. The mountain range is stunning, with shear cliffs and massive glaciers everywhere you look – from day one in Lukla. And then there’s Mt. Everest. What more can we say? We spent the better part of our trek here looking at the highest point on earth. For a couple of mountain-lovers, you can’t get much better than that.
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We’re gonna crash!!!!!!!

2005-12-08T11:30:00.001-07:00

Flying into the village of Lukla, on your way to the Everest Region, is not for the faint of heart. From our little 15-seater prop plane, we had two views: one from our side window, and another out the front window. We took off from Kathmandu airport and headed east, with the spectacular mountain range on the left side of the plane. Suddenly, we took a sharp turn to the left, heading directly into a tiny little canyon. And then again, another sharp turn to the right, this time nose-first into the side of a mountain. The only thing there to catch us was the unusually short and peculiarly steep little runway belonging to the Lukla airport. While flying in was an adventure, flying out was pure terror. You take off down the mini runway, gaining speed as you prepare to launch off the side of the cliff. Get enough lift, you’re golden and you sail straight out from the mountain. If not, you take the plunge thousands of feet into the ravine below. Fortunately, we made it through both flights in one piece and spared ourselves nearly a month of walking from Kathmandu in the process.
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It’s a man’s world:

2005-12-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Throw all your Western notions about feminism and equality out the window if you travel to Nepal. Such things do not exist here. Men rule families, businesses and governments. Marriages are virtually all arranged, without the consultation or consent of the female. Once married, a women is expected to fully submit to her husband. He decides when she will have children, and how many. When she cooks a meal for her husband, she must wait until he is done eating, then she can eat whatever is left over. With more and more outside influence, times are slowly changing in Nepal. More and more women are furthering their educations, getting jobs, etc. But it will likely take several decades for women to gain the same rights as men, if they ever do…….
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The Silver Screen, Nepali Style:

2005-12-08T11:29:00.001-07:00

Forget the new-fangled 24-plex movie ‘super-theaters’ with stadium seating and in-seat speakers. Manang (a little trekkers village at about 12,000 feet in elevation) has unequivocally the best movie theater in the world. Two films run continuously: ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ and ‘Into thin Air’ (we chose the latter). Forget central heating, a tiny propane heater and a down jacket provide plenty of warmth to get you through the film. Seating consists of four tiers of covered in nothing less than the finest yak fur. There’s even a little Nepali man cooking fresh popcorn on a stove in the back!
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The Communist Manifesto:

2005-12-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

Our experience in Nepal made us appreciate our life in America in more ways than one. For many Nepalis, life is difficult, money is scarce, and the country is in a state of turmoil. Currently, the Maoist (Communist) Party is trying to gain enough power and support to overthrow the existing government. Their method of building credibility is less than honorable, however. Party members use lies, force, coercion, bribery, extortion, and sheer brutality to “win over” the poor and uneducated villagers and expand the influence of the Maoist movement. Although they pose no immediate threat to tourists and trekkers, the Maoists realize that Westerners are a virtual gold mine and source of funding to their cause. They take full advantage of their brutal reputation and power of intimidation by forcing trekkers to pay a fee at strategic locations along the trails. Savvy business people that they are, the Maoists provide paying tourists with a receipt, good for one full year. The Nepali government has full knowledge of the Maoist’s extortion, but does little or nothing to stop them.
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The View at Sunrise:

2005-12-08T11:28:00.001-07:00

On any normal day, getting up at 4:30 am, before the sun has even thought about rising, is a hellish experience. Today was different. We were looking forward to one of the best views of our entire life from the top of ‘Poon Hill’. With vigor and energy (and lots of warm clothes) we set out on the trail for the climb hour from the village of Gorapani. We reached the crest of the hill by dawn, just as the sun’s first rays were reaching up to illuminate some of the Himalaya’s highest and most impressive peaks: Annapurna South, Manasulu, Machapuchre (Fish Tail Mountain), Dulugiri and more. We sat for nearly two hours, in awe (along with about 150 other trekkers) of the sheer scale of the peaks in front of us. After nearly three weeks of trekking through clouds, rain, sleet and snow, we FINALLY saw the massive mountain ranges we’d been waiting for. And discovered that it was truly worth the wait.
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Are You a Pothead Focker?

2005-12-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

The landscape is diverse in the Annapurna region, with everything from countryside farming villages to steep and rugged valley’s to……..fields of marijuana. Yes, that’s right. Pot grows, well, like weeds in Nepal. And we’re not talking about little plants. We’re talking tall-as-trees marijuana plants growing wild and lining the trails at the lower elevations. Hence, Nepal’s cities are filled with colorful characters creeping out of the shadows at every turn trying to sell you “hashish”.
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The Odd Couple:

2005-12-08T11:22:00.001-07:00

Our trekking “team” in Nepal consisted of Betsy, Lee, our guide Siba and our porter Ram. Siba and Ram combined were the perfect juxtaposition of the ‘old world’ and ‘new generation’ in the country. Siba, a quiet, reserved, family man in his mid-30s, spends 6 months of the year guiding Westerners like us through the Himalayas. The other 6 months he spends in his tiny village, working as a farmer. Siba worries endlessly the Nepal is losing its rich culture and tradition and taking on far too many Western traits.
At 24, Ram is hungry for as much Western influence as he can get his hands on. He’s a ladies man – always looking for the next pretty girl to show his some attention. Sports and Internet rule his world. A constant source of entertainment for us, we often get a good laugh recalling Ram’s infamous line: “I am very good (insert just about any subject here)”.
Needless to say, the two of them made our trip around Annapurna very memorable. We were like one little odd family for nearly 3 weeks.
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Donkey Land Mines:

2005-12-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

In the US, products are transported via our intricate highway system and corporate trucking companies. In Nepal, a place where villages are only accessible by foot, animals are the main delivery system. In the Annapurna region, hundreds of donkeys make their way up and down the trails, carrying everything from beer to oats to people. For us trekkers, they leave behind lovely little surprises for us to step in about every two feet. We split our time between looking at the views, and keeping our eyes fixed on the trail to avoid the land mines.
In the Everest region, yaks carry the loads. Well, it’s actually a cross between a cow and a yak. (did you know, by the way, that a female yak is a nak?). Just a tip: if you need to pass a yak on a trail, make sure you stay on the UPHILL side. Yaks are very big, and they’re not afraid to push you over if you’re in their way!
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A day in the Life of a Trekker:

2005-12-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

The typical day on a trek begins somewhere around 6 am, sleeping is a “teahouse” – a small hotel in a mountain village. Tea houses usually have around 10-20 rooms with a shared bathroom, a dining room and, if you’re lucky, hot water showers and an outside garden. Morning routine consists of rolling out of bed, getting dressed, and stuffing all our stuff back into our packs for the day, and heading down for breakfast and the stunning morning views (they’re always the best in the morning when it’s sunny and crystal clear). All teahouses have virtually the same menu, from which we order as much food as we’d like three meals per day as part of our “trekking package”. Lee, in particular has been taking advantage of this and often orders two or three meals at once. Breakfast, for us, is usually oatmeal with fruit and coffee (Nescafe). By 8am we’re on the trail. From there, it’s usually up and down and up and down until mid-morning when we all take a break for some tea and stop to enjoy the view. Another couple of hours and it’s lunchtime at a new teahouse. You need to stop for lunch well before you feel hungry, because it takes at least one hour for the food to be prepared. Lunch for us could be pasta, could be pizza, or Lee’s new favorite – Momos (kind of like a potsticker). Back to the trail for another couple hours and until we reach our destination for the evening. By 1-2pm (in Annapurna particularly), the clouds spring up, the snowcapped peaks disappear for the day, and it’s time for us to pull our the puffy coats and hats. We spend the afternoon playing chess, reading, looking around the villages, playing with the little local kids, joining in a local volleyball match, watching the other trekkers roll into town, or really just zoning out until dinner time. Bedtimes falls in the wee hours of 7 or 8 pm, and that’s not even an exaggeration. Late nights don’t exist on a trek, especially since we only have electricity every 5 days or so. The next day, we do it all over again!
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For Better or Worse

2005-12-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

We made it! We successfully wrapped up our 18-day trek in Nepal – the first of two treks we have planned. All in all, it was a fantastic adventure. There was, however, a black cloud that seemed to follow us throughout out journey…..a chain reaction of unfortunate events that made the trip interesting to say the least. First came Lee’s ankle: a mysterious injury we believe occurred back in China that makes it impossible to wear his hiking boots. So, instead of his $300 hiking boots, Lee’s been sporting bottom-of-the-line adidas running shoes over miles of rock, snow, sleet, rain and mud. Next, came the snow – six feet of it. We’ve told you that story already. Then came a recurrence of tendonitis in Betsy’s Achilles tendon, which caused her to loosen her boot laces, which caused her to jam all of her toes on the way back DOWN the mountain in the slush. Next, Lee started getting bizarre night sweats to where he stopped sleeping in his sleeping bag altogether. Around day 12, Betsy got a horrendous cold and she’s been hacking up a lung ever since. Along with all this came a broken camera, another strained foot muscle, dogs barking incessantly throughout the night, snoring neighbors, an Italian nemesis, the list goes on. But enough about the bad stuff. It only makes us stronger. We also had a great time and are about to embark on trek #2.
Nepal Photos #1
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Stories from Nepal soon to come!!

2005-12-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

Since we had little to no internet access while we were in Nepal, we weren´t able to share all of our fun stories with everyone while we were there. So, we´re posting them now. We figured it´s better late than never. Stay tuned for the recap of our Himalayan adventure!

Nepal: Quick Facts From The Trail

2005-11-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

- Lee & Betsy spent 5 full continuous days above 14,000ft in the Everest Region

- A Yak is a male, but did you know a female is actually called a Nak?

- We reached the summit of Kala Pattar on Nov 10th. This is 18,200ft high. At this altitude there is less than 50% oxygen of sea level.

- We hiked over 200 miles in 18 days in the Anapurna Region.

- A porter carries up to 70lbs and is paid about $3 per day.

- Everest Base Camp (17,160ft) is actually located on top of the Khumbu Glacier. There is nothing there more than the wreckage of 2 helicopters and piles of rocks.

- We estimate that less than 40% of trekkers actually are successful in making it to Kala Patthar due to injury and acute mountain sickness.

- Lee hiked 28 of 31 days in Nepal in tennis shoes and sandals due to an deep bone bruise on the ankle that prevented him from wearing boots.

- In the high Himilaya people burn Yak dung in their stoves to heat their houses since no trees can survice at that altitude. Yak dung is of course primarily grass.

- Mt. Everest is called Sagarmatha in Nepali, which means "Mother Earth". It is 29,035ft high.

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Back to the "lowlands" again...

2005-11-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

We made it!!! We actually saw the top of the world with our own eyes. It was so amazing.. But, mainly we wanted to let everyone know we are back down to the lowlands again (12,000ft if you can call that "low" heheh). We made it to our final destination of Kala Patthar and Everest Base Camp. Kala Patthar is 18,100 ft and is the viewpoint for the whole Khumbu Glacier, Everest Icefalls, Mt. Everest and Nuptse. INCREDIBLE!! We also visited base camp which is at 17,160ft and is actually on the Khumbu Glacier. Just wanted to let everyone know we were successful, and are back safely! See you in less than a week (if you are in Colorado that is).
Love, Lee & Betsy

Anapurna II

2005-11-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

Poon Hill Views

2005-11-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

6 Feet of Snow in 48 Hours - Avalanches Galore!

2005-10-25T08:46:00.000-06:00

Just in case any of you have monitoring the news with a fine tooth comb, we wanted to give you a personal update to let you know that we are alive and well here in Nepal. We just got back from 10 days on the trail on the Anapurna Circuit, a loop that takes you through some of the highest peaks in the world. The highpoint of the trek is a 17,000 ft pass about half way into the journey. But, before we could make it to the pass, and after 5 days of trekking, we were hit with a 100-year storm that came from China. It snowed as much as 6 feet in 48 hours in the high Himilayas. We sat inside our cabin and watched the views disappear in the clouds and the ground, trees, and everything else drown in heavy wet snow. Finally when the snow stopped falling, we headed to the next town up, called Manang, at 12,000 ft. We didn't make it any further... news had reached us from the last town before the pass, called Throng Pedi; avalanches had swept across the trail and cut off our route. Nobody could pass. We were so dissapointed, but there was nothing we could do and we didn't have the time to wait for the snow to melt. So, we decided to turn around and make the 5 day journey back down. The day we turned back we must have seen 30 avalanches firsthand. They were coming down from the 14,000ft peaks on the other side of the river in the valley we were in. It was a bit scary, but also completely incredible. Later that day we realized the severity of the storm when we learned that two groups of camping trekkers, totalling 40 people, had been killed by avalanches in Throng Pedi, the next town up from where we had been. However, we just discovered 10 minutes ago online that this was not completely true. 400 trekkers had indeed been stranded there, but nobody was killed. An expedition group of 18 people climbing a nearby mountain had actually been killed. Nonetheless, the situation is tragic and we feel very blessed to be safe and healthy. The storm has moved on and the snow is melting quickly. We are heading by car to what would have been the end of our trek to hike 2 days into the mountains to a viewpoint called Poon Hill where we will hopefully catch a view of the Anapurna Range that has been up to this point, completely blocked by clouds for us. After that, we off to the Everest Region for 12 days. Wheh, that turned out a bit long and detailed (can you tell Lee is writing this one?). We just wanted you all to know that we are safe and sound. We have very limited internet access in Nepal, but we'll update the blog again in a few weeks when we get done trekking. See you all soon for Thanksgiving!

To read an article about this in Kathmandu Post, go to:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=55429

Good Deeds Come Full Circle

2005-10-14T09:16:00.000-06:00

In the Bangkok airport, just before our flight to Nepal, and we spotted Tia - the CUTEST bernese mountain dog puppy we'd ever seen! Of course we HAD to meet her! We got to chatting with Tia's proud owners, Lynn and Sam, a wonderful couple who spend their retirement years between two homes - a southwest Utah mountain cabin and a home in the heart of Kathmadu. About 20 minutes before our arrival in Kathmadu, Sam discovered he didn't have enough cash to pay for two visas at the airport. We happily gave them some money. To our pleasant surprise, they returned the favor by inviting us to stay in their home for the night! They even treated us to dinner. So, our first night in Kathmandu was spent in a cozy home, with our gracious new friends and Tia the teddy-bear puppy! Lynn and Sam, if you happen to check this web site, thank you so much for your generousity and we hope to see you again after our trek!

WE SAW EVEREST!!!!

2005-10-14T08:52:00.000-06:00

Amazing, spectacular and truly indescribable are a few words to express what it was like seeing Mt. Everest from the airplane flying into Nepal. We were lucky to fly in on a clear day, and sit on the right side of the airplane to catch a glimpse. There it was, towering above the rest of the peaks. Soon enough, we will see it up close! We leave tomorrow morning for a full month of trekking through the Himalayas. It's enough time to see the entire Annapurna Circuit (the most popular in Nepal), followed by a 12-day trek to Everest base camp. We're all set with SPF 50, gummie bears, and our new yaks-wool hats! Wish us luck!

Views of Man and Nature

2005-10-14T08:30:00.000-06:00

It pays to know people who know people in Singapore. Thanks to Greg's status as a "preferred customer", we were able to get prime seats at sunset in the bar atop the Swissotel, the best view of the city lights. From the birds-eye perspective, you can see both Malaysia and Indonesia on a clear evening. After that, Lynn's connection at the Tourism Board, Chingy, got us all free passes at the famed "Night Safari," where you're able to watch all the nocturnal animals living it up after dark. The highlights were the "fire swallower guys", the flying squirrels streak across the sky, and seeing the full-grown lions playing. It was a great way to ring in our last night in Singapore!
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Mini-Countries and Hair Cuts

2005-10-14T08:23:00.000-06:00

Singapore takes pride in its various different cultural areas, like Little India and Chinatown. As Lynn explained, Little India is a fairly authentic taste of Indian life. The Indians living in Singapore use this are as their "hub" for buying Indian spices products, etc. that they can't get elsewhere. It's also where some of the main Hindu temples are located. Chinatown, by contrast, has turned into a fairly commercialized area, geared mainly toward tourists. We found that it was not remotely similar to what we saw in China. However, we did come across a little beauty school in Chinatown and decided to be adventurous and get hair cuts there. We survived, and still have some hair to show for it. Although it was easily the longest, most tedious trip to the salon we'd ever experienced.
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Going to the Chapel

2005-10-14T08:15:00.000-06:00

After feasting on Singapore's famous fish head curry, we headed over to a complex called Chimes for a few drinks with Lynn and her friend Julia (whom Lee met years back when she was visiting Lynn in San Francisco). The Chimes complex is a former school that's been converted into restaurants and bars that are all situated around a center courtyard. Attached to the complex is a HUGE historic chapel that is still used for weddings, special services, etc. It has giant stained glass windows and chandaliers galore. The whole place is stunning!
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Quack Quack Quack!

2005-10-14T08:10:00.000-06:00

We took a Duck Tour of Singapore today! For those of you unfamiliar with a "Ducky", it's a vehicle that was designed to travel by land or water. Kind of like a big boat with wheels. We took one on a scenic tour around the city today. We're now well-educated on the architecture of the city. AND, we have a fun new toy too. Lee won us a duck whistle! It's an essential item for any world traveler!
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

A Magical World Called Sentosa

2005-10-14T07:57:00.000-06:00

Just off the coast of Singapore (literally - it's about 1/2 mile) is a little island called Sentosa that's kinda like Disney World. There's a public beach, lots of shopping and cafes, the "Underwater World" aquarium, a luxury resort, biking trails, etc. etc. We spent a wonderfully relaxing afternoon/evening with Lynn and Greg lounging, chatting and people watching at a beachside cafe. That night, we watched a light and water show where they projected lasers, and a few cartoons, onto a huge fountain, set to music. To top it all off, we drove up to one of the highest peaks in Singapore to check out the view of the city at night.
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Singapore in a Nutshell

2005-10-14T07:45:00.000-06:00

Singapore is worlds different than the other cities we've visited in Asia. It's like a little utopia in the middle of a mad, mad, world. It's beautiful and virtually immaculate, with treelined highways, manicured parks, sleek architecture and perfectly-restored collonial landmarks. The city (it spans the entire country) is home to roughly 4 million people.....a fourth of which are expatriots. The rest of the population is a unique and diverse mix of Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, and anyone else that is thrown into the mix. The result is a population of well-traveled, well-educated, and highly "urban" locals. The government here certainly has everything planned down to the smallest detail, and they don't miss a beat. Crime is low, public transport is efficient, housing is abundant and everything is pristine -- social order rules here. Oh, and the shopping is unbelievable! English is the primary language (we naively had no idea), although the accent is totally different than anything we've heard. It's a kind of mix of English and Chinese, with British lingo and inflection mixed in. Singapore was so comfortable to us! All the comforts of home, but with all the excitement of visiting a new place!
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Culture for Insomniacs

2005-10-14T07:39:00.000-06:00

Cities are often defined by their nightlife, and Singapore is no exception. On our first night here, we quickly learned that people here simply do not sleep! The Cultural Center was celebrating the final day of an exhibition of Vatican Art and, to mark the occasion, it was staying open for 24 hours. Around midnight, we headed over to the museum only to find the line to get in was OUT THE DOOR. A few drinks and a couple of hours later, we headed back. The line had eased by 2 am, but there were literally hundreds of people inside, including families with small children! Lee and I, not quite able to hang with the city crew, made it until about 3 am!
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

How to Gain 20lbs in Singapore

2005-10-14T07:31:00.000-06:00

It's easy! All you have to do is gorge yourself at every meal with all the incredible food on every corner. Lynn promised us an all-out 'eating-fest' and she delivered. In five short days we ate enough to feed a small village in a true culinary tour of the city. Although we passed on the duck tongue (sorry Lynn, but it just looked a little too much like a tongue!), we loved the fish head curry (rest assured, no eyeballs, teeth, or gills were consumed). We sampled the various tasty Chinese dishes that we managed to miss while we were in China (yes, Kylene, we ate ate a Hawka Center), and shifted gears a bit with the tastes of India as well.
PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Thank you Lynn!!!

2005-10-14T07:20:00.000-06:00

A big, huge thanks to Lynn - our hostess extraordinaire - for showing us such a fantastic five days in Singapore. Thank you for going so out of your way to make sure we got a true taste of life in Singapore. We had so much fun exploring the city with you! What a wonderful wedding gift to us. Thanks also to everyone else who helped make the trip so memorable - Lynn's family, Greg, Chengy (sorry for the likely horrific spelling!), Julia, and everyone else we met. You all showed us such a great time!

PICTURES OF SINGAPORE

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

2005-10-08T08:14:00.000-06:00

Everyone get ready for a big dinner party when we get home because I (Betsy, that is. Lee decided to forego the class.) am now a master of Thai cuisine. After a full-day of hands-on training in the kitchen, I can now successfully prepare pad thai, spring rolls, chicken with garlic and basil, chicken and ginger stir fry, green curry, and bananas in coconut cream. A few things I learned today: 1) Thai food has a ridiculous amount of garlic in it. 2) You can’t use olive oil in a wok. 3) When you flambee something- stand WAY back, 4) There are about a zillion kinds of basil in Thailand. Too bad we only have one at home. The only thing we’re lacking now (ok, besides the fact that we’re homeless and don’t even have a kitchen) is a good wok. It’s on my Christmas list already.

PICTURES OF PHUKET

Phuket, Thailand - Tsunami update

2005-10-08T08:12:00.000-06:00

If you were somewhere in a black hole last winter, and didn’t see any sort of news coverage of the tsunami, and you came to Phuket today, you honestly would have no idea that such destruction ever took place. Currently, there is a fair amount of construction and reconstruction going on along the western coast (where we are staying, and where the tsunami had the biggest effects). However, in a touristy area like there, there is generally always a lot of construction as new resorts are built or upgraded. We’ve gotten several different accounts of the damage from locals. According to some, CNN blew the whole thing way out of proportion and the island was back in business within two weeks. According to others, the situation was much worse. Regardless of how extensive the damage was, thousands of people lost friends, family members, or their business and surely each and every person here was affected. Nearly every coastline road was washed away (and since rebuilt) and every business directly on the beach was flooded. But, everyone here is in agreement that the worst result of the tsunami was that it scared tourists, the most important revenue source, from coming to the island. So, by spending a week in Phuket, we are probably doing more for the “tsunami relief effort” than we ever did by donating money to the Red Cross last year.

PICTURES OF PHUKET

A paradise on the Andaman sea

2005-10-08T08:11:00.000-06:00

If you are planning a tropical vacation anytime soon, we could go on and on about why Phuket is probably the best place you could come. Here are a few reasons: 1) The beaches. There are several stunning beaches along the west coast of the island. You can take your pick between total isolation, tourist-mania, and anything in between. 2) The price. Things are dirt cheap here in Phuket. Case in point….two poor backpackers (Lee and Betsy) can afford to stay in a brand new, beachfront resort for six full days. 3) The food. Becoming obese would be no difficult task here. The food is incredible, it’s cheap, and if you like seafood, it couldn’t be fresher. 4) The sunset. It’s the best we’ve ever seen and the vivid colors last for nearly an hour. 5) The locals. People here are so nice, and incredibly friendly. Everyone greets you with a smile, and truly wants you to enjoy your time here. It’s been arguably the best, and most relaxing beach getaway we’ve ever had.

PICTURES OF PHUKET

Underwater Adventures

2005-10-08T08:08:00.000-06:00

Betsy is now officially SCUBA certified! The three-day course consisted of classroom time, training time in a swimming pool, and four real dives in the ocean. Lee joined in on the first two dives as a “refresher course” in his scuba training (it was also his birthday – not a bad way to celebrate!). We split up for the second day of diving, with Betsy continuing her training with the instructor and her fellow student (the village idiot from Hong Kong) and Lee checking out a shipwreck on another island. Our dive company, South Siam Divers, owns a fleet of gorgeous boats, complete with showers, a sun deck, and a full buffet lunch served each day.

PICTURES OF PHUKET

The Ugliest Duckling

2005-10-08T08:07:00.000-06:00

Phuket officially wins the award for the mangiest, ugliest, nastiest stray dogs we’ve seen so far. There’s one beach dog in particular that we’ve seen each day (his “turf” is our hotel vicinity). He’s a little stalky dog who’s been so inbred that his legs are only about 3 inches long and his front feet point straight out to the sides. He’s got black and white fur, but the skin underneath is a strange red color all the time. We’ve named him Ducky because he waddles along like a duck trying to keep up with the other mangy beasts around here.

PICTURES OF PHUKET

Jeepin’ around

2005-10-08T08:05:00.000-06:00

In an effort to save time and numerous headaches taking taxis and tuk tuks around Phuket, we decided to rent a car for our week here. Although it’s been nice to have our own transportation, allowing us to explore the island a bit, it hasn’t exactly made life easier. The car itself is a total piece of junk. It chugs along up and down the hills, the gears stick, the windows barely roll down…..the list goes on. Nonetheless, it runs. We discovered that gas along the beach is purchased at little huts, not unlike a lemonade stand, where the station attendant pumps the gas from a small barrel, into a measuring container at the top, and then into your car. Navigating here has been no simple task either and has contributed to a few squabbles in the heat of frustration. But, Lee’s successfully mastered driving on the left side of the road, and sharing the lane with the billions of motor bikes.

PICTURES OF PHUKET

Beware of ‘Lady Men’

2005-10-08T08:04:00.000-06:00

Transvestites abound in Phuket, and all over Thailand for that matter. Our new friend and local bartender aptly described them as “lady men”. Some make it to the big time – on stage in one of the famed cabaret shows. Many others lurk around the bars and streets of Patong, Phuket’s busiest beach town, waiting for an unsuspecting traveler to take them home. To us, they seem VERY easy to spot by their short skirts, very high heels, and buckets of makeup on their faces. Lee’s convinced that they start this at an early age. He even took a picture of a kid we saw on a train – he swears it’s a boy dressed as a girl……Betsy’s not so sure.

Welcome to the jungle

2005-10-08T08:01:00.000-06:00

The time finally came where we had to leave our beach haven and return to the madness of Bangkok. We initiated ourselves back into city life by heading to Khoa San Road – the center of the backpackers universe. By dusk, the place is already crawling with people, and the pubs and bars are gearing up for the night’s festivities. Some even set up right on the street, offering deals like “60B for a really strong cocktail” (that’s $1.50). At one point we noticed a commotion going on and a crowd beginning to gather around one particular woman. Was she a Thai celebrity, we wondered? We quickly learned that she was Miss Canada – the current Miss Universe – making her way around the city with her entourage closely following.

PICTURES OF OUR SECOND STAY IN BANGKOK