Our latest trip started on Jan. 21st and flew into Buenos Aires Argentina. It was the most active trip yet. Lots of hiking in mostly calm, hot to cool weather...until we hit the Andes. Then it became a mountainous wind tunnel of a continuous blast of 35 to 45 MPH winds. NON-STOP, day and night. But besides all that, Argentina and Chile was amazing in views, creatures, food, wine, and people. We adventured up an active volcano to hike, ate unfamiliar foods, drank local customary beverages, saw unique creatures, witnessed breathtaking views, experienced the lifestyles of local native people, and ate their foods, took part in their traditional rituals, and had discussions about the horrible past of these countries. We laughed, we felt sad, we cried, we were horrified by some stories, and was told about the Nazi influences. All of our emotions were touched. The group of people we traveled with were also amazing. They were great. I'd have to say the best group of any trip we have had. I felt sad to leave them at the airport as we all went our separate ways home. For a little over two weeks, they were family. We arrived home on Feb. 7th after being in transit for 23 hours, tired, wrinkled, and with a lot of dirty laundry. It was a great trip, as all of them are. many good memories. People ask,"Why do you want to go there?" To understand what those cultures are like, to share our views on many different scopes, to sample their foods, and mostly, to see the part of the world we never could experience in history books and National Geographic. Open your mind. Travel is good for the views you'll never see on the 6 o'clock news.