The Blog

Blue Ridge, Georgia

8/3/2017

July, 2017

With only about a week in Blue Ridge, Georgia, there were so many animals to see and places to explore. My main interest, unlike usual, was the wildlife. There was such a variety of it! I saw deer everyday I was there, sometimes 7 or 8 at a time!

I was really hoping to see bears while I was there, and I did. I actually saw the same bear twice. Once on my first day, and once on my last day. He had big, long front legs which made him look kind of funny.
To see all this wildlife, I spread bags of corn in a clearing, then watched everyday as the deer and bear ate.

There is also a great variety of birds up in Blue Ridge, Georgia. During the day I liked to sit out on the porch, look out at the mountains and listen to the songs of the birds. It's so peaceful with the cool, fresh air and the magical mountain views. I like to be away from all the city noises, which is one reason why I love the mountains.
One of my favorite places that I went to in Blue Ridge, was Lake Blue Ridge. It is one of the cleanest lakes in Georgia, making it so clear. I rented a boat for my last full day, and it was amazing! The lake is so huge, making me spend about 6 or so hours out there. Near the marina there are million dollar homes lining the shore, but once you get out farther, you will find yourself surrounded just by beautiful mountains.

My favorite activity that is a must try in Blue Ridge is swimming in the lake. It's the perfect temperature and, as I've said, has very clean water! There's nothing dangerous in the lake either.
Overall, Blue Ridge was incredible and I hope to make going there an annual event because I'm not that far away. I can't wait to go back and explore even more! There are so many amazing things there... the mountains, lakes, animals, and even the night sky!

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Top 5 Places: San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

7/20/2017

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Even though San Cristobal is a small island, there is so much to explore. Some of my favorite places include everything from gorgeous beaches, to high altitude lakes. I never knew what I would see next, which is one of the things that I loved about this island. Below,in no particular order, are some of my favorite locations, or activities on San Cristobal Island.

Playa Mann

First on my list is Playa Mann! This was the very first beach that I went to, and I went back to it many times afterwards. Even though it is a smaller beach, there are still lots of sea lions, of course, as well as lava rocks, and even some shady areas. Shade is kind of hard to come by on this island, especially on the bigger beaches.
From Playa Mann, you can see the harbor on one side and the endless ocean on the other. It’s also pretty close to town, so the taxi ride is only $2.00!

Punta Carola

Second is Punta Carola! This beach is by far my favorite place to watch the sunset. The beach faces out towards the setting sun, giving you a great view! Also, there is a nice lighthouse, lots of lava rocks, and of course, sea lions. I got some great shots from the many sunsets at Punta Carola. I loved watching the water weave its way through the rocks, and watching the sea lions play. This was definitely my go to spot for the sunset!
This beach is much bigger than Playa Mann, and allows you to walk out to the rocky point where the lighthouse is. I walked out to the edge along the lava rocks, in my flip flops, all the way to the lighthouse. That’s where I saw the blue-footed boobies! There were about 3 or 4 of them there, sitting right on the edge. I got some nice shots of them as well as a nursing sea lion curled up in the rocks. They are truly so adorable!

La Loberia

   Next is La Loberia. This place has many different types of landscapes. There are sandy beaches, to rocky cliffs. However, one thing that is everywhere in La Loberia is huge waves! When you first arrive, you can see huge waves crashing against the rocks on one side, and you can see even bigger ones in the distance.
   However, at the actual beach, which is a few minutes walk from parking, there is a same area where there are no waves right by the shore. It’s only farther out where the waves crash. After chilling at the beach, I went on a hike up to the cliff top. I wasn’t really prepared for this hike, to say the least, for I was wearing my flip flops. The hike is completely lava rocks most of the time! I would strongly recommend that you don’t wear flip flops while doing this hike.
   Once at the top, however, there is an amazing view below at the waves slamming against the rocks! There is also a lot of wildlife up there. I saw about 3 blue-footed boobies as well as many other birds flying above. Watch out for marine iguanas along the trail!

Puerto Chino

Puerto Chino is a really amazing place, to begin with. There is super clear, blue water and lots of rocks for sea lions. However, there is another side to it, literally. I spent a while at the beach area, photographing sea lions and surfers. That’s when I saw a little path on the other side of this rock wall. I soon found there to be carved out steps in the rocks leading to an amazing sight!
On the other side, there were red rocks with huge waves crashing against them. It was so unexpected, making it even more amazing. I went out to the red rocks for a few minutes until I saw another path leading up to the top of the rock “wall”. I got up to the top where it was a cliff on all sides. However, you could see both sides of Puerto Chino from up there!

Junca Lagoon

Junco Lagoon is the only freshwater lake on the island, and it sits a good almost 2,300 feet up! Junco Lagoon is often covered in clouds and fog, but I got to see it when it was completely clear. From the lake, you don’t just see down below you, you can see both coasts! I remember seeing Puerto Chino from above when I was up at Junco Lagoon.
There is a hike that goes around the entire lake, and it’s worth it! There are birds flying above and even down in the water! Junco Lagoon is a truly unique place. It was a great place to explore on my last day.

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San Cristobal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

7/20/2017

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San Cristobal Island

The Galápagos are such a unique place. There is a great variety of landscapes and wildlife there that always left me wondering what was next. The most common wildlife on the islands is definitely sea lions. I could never go a day without seeing one! The best part about it is that they are super cute, friendly, and playful. One thing that I learned about sea lions, which seems to be true for all of them, is that they love to pose! Sometimes they came waddling right up to me, and sat there making cute noises and poses. They are so friendly and playful! However, sea lions aren't the only wildlife on the islands. There are also, many different types of birds, lizards, and marine life.
   One thing that I really recommend to do while you are in the Galápagos is go snorkeling! There is a whole other world down there below the surface. I still encourage that you try snorkeling even if you have never tried it before. This was my first time as well, and I went twice in one day! Once my head was under the water, I wasn't that scared of the waves or anything. I just watched the fish, sea turtles, and, of course, sea lions go about their lives. It was actually kind of peaceful. All I did was just rent some snorkeling gear from my hotel, and go out by myself.
     I didn't do any tours during my time in the Galápagos. I am so glad I explored without one! Photography being the main reason I travel, I like to be out during sunrise and sunset as well as spend time at a location. One time, there was an amazing sunset at La Playa Mann on San Cristobal Island, and a tour bus came and went in less than 10 minutes.
   I am not saying that you shouldn't do a tour, but from my experiences, if you want to take your time at different locations I would recommend you don't go on one. It is very easy to get around by yourself on San Cristobal Island! There are dozens and dozens of taxis on the one island that will take you anywhere on the island for $2-5.
You can also hire a taxi driver to stay with you all day. You tell him where you want to go and he waits for you as you go out and explore. You just ask them if they sell tours and tell them when and where to pick you up! However, I wouldn't really call it a tour because YOU are the one making the schedule. I still do recommend doing this though because it gives you the reassurance that there is a way back to your hotel. Some days, I had to walk for awhile until finding a taxi because I was so far from town.
     Overall, even though I only went to one island, I had an amazing experience in the Galápagos! I really hope to go back one day and explore the other islands. If you want to know about my favorite places on San Cristobal Island, keep watching for a new post in the next few days!

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One of the most incredible days of my life

7/17/2017

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Location: Torres del Paine National Park

Let me tell you about what might have been the best day of my life... It all started with the tiring 6 hour drive from El Calafate, Argentina to Puerto Natales, Chile. I dreaded this long drive, knowing that the first half would be completely uneventful and some of it would be spent driving in the mountains at night. This might sound horrible to you right now, but I was thinking the same thing.
Torres del Paine National Park, which is about an hour detour during this drive, is one of my favorite places on this Earth. Knowing what to expect on the long and much dreaded drive, I decided that spending an extra hour and the entrance fee to go into the park once again was completely worth it! I am so glad I stuck with that decision!
Arriving in the park, the rangers said that there was horrible weather, which is saying something. These rangers spend most of their days in the park, so they always seem to know what's considered good or bad.

Anyways, as I have said in many of my posts about Chile and Argentina, guanacos are everywhere... literally. On the roads, on the hills, by the water, anywhere. My first sign of wildlife entering the park however, were Nandus! They look sort of like ostriches, except smaller and fluffier! I saw about a dozen of them when I first arrived!
Next, of course, were guanacos! Right on the side of the road most of the time, I probably have a thousand pictures of just guanacos, and that's an understatement! One of my favorite things I saw during this detour was a nursing baby guanaco on the side of the road! I thought that when I pulled over my car they would run away, like most guanacos do, but instead the baby kept nursing and the mother stayed still, staring right at the camera! I felt so lucky to have seen that. However, my luck didn't end there.
I continued through the park, stopping many times to take pictures, until I slowed down. I reached the place where I saw 3 pumas last time I was here. I didn't think that this day could get any better, but I was wrong!

I almost screamed when I saw a puma, slowly walking beside a hill on the side of the road. It wasn't that close to the road, but I was positive that it was a puma. However, it wasn't just one puma, soon I saw another. Except this one was a cub! One... two... three... and four! Four baby puma cubs! I freaked out, trying to change the lens on my camera. The mother was no where to be seen so I didn't risk going outside.
However, the four cubs were running up the hill, where they stayed and posed for probably about 10 minutes or more! I watched and photographed them, as they licked each other and stared at me and the camera.
I didn't want to leave, but I knew I had to unless I wanted to drive in the dark for the rest of the way. It ended up that I drove in the dark anyways! The rest of the drive, I thought about what just happened with a smile on my face!

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El Chaltén, Argentina

7/1/2017

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Day 9-13

I am so glad that I spent so much time in El Chaltén! Seeing Mt. Fitz Foy was even more amazing than I thought it would be. During sunrise the mountain may turn pink, and in the evenings another amazing show is put on! There are so many photo opportunities and hiking options there.
I first hiked to Laguna Capri, which is a 4km hike, that leads to an amazing view of Fitz Roy and its surrounding glaciers. The lake was completely frozen over, allowing me to walk across it. However, I didn't risk going too far out! I had the whole lake to myself as well. There were only 3 other people who left right as I got there. That is one of the great things about the off-season! There are barely any people to get in your photos and crowd the trails.
The last hike I did was around Lake Desierto. To the lake, it is about a 2.5 hour drive from El Chaltén. To be honest, the drive was better than the lake itself! There are beautiful valleys at first, which turn into lush, green, and mossy forests! While hiking around Lake Desierto however, there are more of those amazing forests!
There are many other great hikes to do in El Chaltén, but winter makes completing them more challenging, at least for me. I, living in Florida, don't get much experience with mountain hikes.
I had such great weather for all but one day while I stayed in El Chaltén. The park rangers said that I was lucky to get such amazing weather, for sometimes you can go a week or more with stormy or bad weather. I hoped that the clear, nice weather would continue into the night so I could get some night shots. I really wanted to get a picture of Fitz Roy with all the stars around it! Sadly, clouds rolled in every night and I never got it.
Now, I start to head back home. However, I have one more stop on my way back to Florida! After I fly out from Punta Arenas, Chile, I travel to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador! It will definitely be a change from the snowy landscapes down here in Southern Patagonia!

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El calafate, Argentina

6/27/2017

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Day 6-8

  El Calafate is known best for the Perito Moreno Glacier, and I could tell why right away. I stayed 2 nights in El Calafate, leaving me with one full day to explore. Obviously, I chose to spend that day at Perito Moreno! Once there, I had no doubt that that choice was the best one.
   You would think that people zoom in to make the glacier look huge in pictures, but that's wrong! The glacier is sometimes too big to fit in the frame. The pieces that fall off look so small compared to the whole glacier, but even the smallest piece makes a loud noise!
  When you enter the park, there is only really one road to take. At the very end of the road is where you can park to see Perito Moreno! There is some walking involved, the amount of it is your choice. You can spend anywhere from 10 minutes to 10 hours out there depending on how much you want to see.
   I think I spent a good 7 or 8 hours just at Perito Moreno. The way it all works is that there is a series of walkways with many balconies along them. The walkway is separated into sections according to difficulty, which is determined by how long the walk is. They are color-coded on the maps around the National Park. You don't have to climb steep hills or do anything more than walk up and down steps. That may seem easy, but after awhile it gets tiring. Always remember that you have to walk back!
   Personally, I ended up going as far as you can go! I went all the way down to the beach and everywhere in between! On the beach, you can see the whole right side of the glacier as well as the rest of the lake and it's icebergs. The place where the most people were was the very middle, which isn't very surprising. From there, you can see the tallest part of the glacier as well as most of the front of it. There are also the most icebergs in the middle section in front of the glacier.
   As I walked back from the beach to my car, I only saw 2 other people in the whole park! Usually in summer, there are so many people lining the walkways and getting in your photos. However, I'm not saying that Summer is a bad season to come, I'm just saying that you won't have to worry about lots of tourists during Winter. That's what makes the off season my favorite time to travel! However, everyone is different!
   Next, I will travel further north to El Chalten, where I will see Mt. Fitz Roy and it's famous lakes! This is where I plan to do most of my hiking. The lakes there should be amazing, and I have no doubt that they will live up to my expectations. Everywhere else has exceeded them!

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Torres del Paine

6/25/2017

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Day 2-5

I'm not even sure where to start with Torres del Paine. Words cannot express the amazing things I saw. People say that Winter is the off season because of the cold. However, to be honest, the temperature was between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime. That's just about freezing most of the time, which, coming from most places, isn't that bad.
When I spoke to the park rangers, one of them said that Winter is their favorite season to be in Torres del Paine because you can see "the soul of the park" as he said. Driving around, it's like you have the whole park to yourself! In a whole day, I could count the number of other cars I saw on 2 hands!
Speaking of driving, that worked out very well for me! Everyday, I hopped in my rental car, and drove. The park, being as huge as it is, won't let you down. You have amazing views wherever you go! However, it might not always be like that. I was very lucky to have great weather for most of the time, along with completely clear skies for a good amount of time.
I also suggest that you stay inside the park if possible. I, for example, stayed at the Hosteria Pehoe for the 4 days I was there. I had a great experience there! The people were friendly, and extremely helpful. Some went above and beyond to personally help me fulfill my needs. People say the food isn't that good, but I think otherwise!
Staying inside the park allows you to be in it at the best times. Sunrise and sunset are out of reach if you are staying outside the park, unless you are okay with driving through the mountains at night. That doesn't sound nice to me. Also, animals cross the road every once in awhile, especially guanacos! They are everywhere inside the park! I probably saw over 1,000 of them while I was there.
There were so many different types of wildlife as well as landscapes in the park. I saw everything from condors to pumas! I was most excited to see a puma in the wild, but I was even more excited that the first time I saw one was on my very first day in the park! It was a great welcome to Torres del Paine!
Along with just exploring the park, a more specific place that I recommend to go to is Glacier Grey. This was amazing! The icebergs all in the water made up for the glacier being far away. However, I was able to get a shot of it with my telephoto lens. I went to Glacier Grey twice actually. The second time, was by far the best out of the two. The black sand beach was completely covered in snow and there was so much ice washed up on the shore! The sight was truly amazing.
However, as I started heading back, a storm came out of nowhere! Winds came, blowing the ice bergs across the lake and the snow off the ground. The snow covered black sand beach soon went from white to black once again! It was a great experience even though I got caught in the storm. I actually think it made the whole thing even better! I was able to experience a true Patagonian winter storm!

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Puerto NataleS

6/19/2017

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Day 1

After my 30+ hours of travel, I finally arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile. Once out of the airport, I rented a car and took the 4 hour long drive to my first stop, Puerto Natales. I didn't get to spend a good amount of time there, for it was just being used as a way to lessen the driving. However, Puerto Natales is in fact very beautiful. The lake next to the town is surrounded by snowy mountains and wildlife.
On the drive down, I encountered many different animals. To start off, there were probably hundreds of sheep! They were literally everywhere. I also saw guanacos, which look sort of like alpacas or llamas. Another creature that I wasn't expecting to see, was a fox. I'm not sure what kind of fox it was, but it just ran across the road in front of me!

One of the coolest animals I saw was the rheya. It looks like an ostrich with its fluffy feathers and long legs and neck. I only saw about 5 of those, but they were one of my favorite things I saw during the drive. All of these animals were also accompanied by different types of birds, dozens of cows and horses, and many other animals.
When the time came for the sun to set, I had just finished eating. The sunset was at about 4:30 pm! That's very early considering I am coming from Florida, the Sunshine State. However, the sunset was amazing! The bright oranges, pinks and yellows silhouetted the mountains, emphasizing their unique shape. I captured the sunset by the lake before returning back to my hotel to get a good night sleep!

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The Blog

Blue Ridge, Georgia

July, 2017

Top 5 Places: San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

Playa Mann

Punta Carola

La Loberia

Puerto Chino

Junca Lagoon

San Cristobal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

San Cristobal Island

One of the most incredible days of my life

Location: Torres del Paine National Park

El Chaltén, Argentina

Day 9-13

El calafate, Argentina

Day 6-8

Torres del Paine

Day 2-5

Puerto NataleS

Day 1

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