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2018 Highlights

I’m a little late on this, but given I wasn’t the best at keeping up with blogging this year, I wanted to do a quick roundup of some of the highlights of our 2018.  It was our first full year living in Geneva, Switzerland after moving here in September of 2017, and we finally started to feel settled in.  After back to back winters, moving from the Southern hemisphere at just the wrong time, the spring and summer felt magical as we took to exploring the nearby Alps, both on our own and with the help of friends and family that came and visited.  I could go on and on about all we did and learned this year, but I’ll do my best to keep it brief with the help of lots of photos. Continue reading “2018 Highlights”

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I Ran an Ultramarathon (and I liked it)

This October I accomplished a goal that wasn’t even on my radar at the beginning of this summer (a prime example of why I don’t make bucket lists).  I ran 37 miles, climbing and descending 10,000 vertical feet to complete my first Ultramarathon, and my third ever trail race.  It took me 8 hours and 45 minutes, and I managed to sneak into the top 10 (7th place!) for women.  Perhaps the craziest part of all though, is that I crossed the finish line with a pep in my step and a smile on my face.  The pep didn’t take long to turn into a hobble, but my smile remained intact.  Why and how did I go from casual runs on the pavement to a trail ultramarathon?  I’m glad you asked. Continue reading “I Ran an Ultramarathon (and I liked it)”

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4-day “fastpack” on the Tour du Mont Blanc

I still remember the first time I read about the Tour du Mont Blanc or TMB for short.  Inspired by our first through hiking adventure on the Inca Trail, I was down a rabbit hole, reading about other epic multi-day hikes.  Along with the “W” in Chilean Patagonia, the TMB shot right to the top of my list of day dream worthy destinations.  I knew we had to do it someday, but, given that it’s recommended as an 11 day hike, it would have to wait until we could dedicate an entire 2-week vacation to it.  Or so I thought… Continue reading “4-day “fastpack” on the Tour du Mont Blanc”

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From the Andes to the Alps: Embracing Our Next Adventure

At our wedding, just over 2 years ago, we had guests sign a copy of “Oh,The Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss, in lieu of a traditional guest book.  At that time we had been discussing the possibility of an international move, but had no idea where we would be living in 6 months time. We never could have anticipated that in 2 short years, we would be preparing for our second inter-continental move. Yet, here we are. Continue reading “From the Andes to the Alps: Embracing Our Next Adventure”

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Wine Weekend in Chile’s Colchagua Valley

After nearly a year of enjoying the spoils of living within hours of many of the world’s best wine valleys, it was time for a Chilean wine weekend. Though we had previously spent a long weekend exploring Argentinian wine country in Mendoza, we were excited to tour some of Chile’s iconic vineyards. We set our sights on Santa Cruz, located about 2.5 hours south of Santiago in the heart of the Colchagua wine valley. Continue reading “Wine Weekend in Chile’s Colchagua Valley”

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Weekend in Prague

When I was mapping out travel destinations for this year, the Czech Republic wasn’t on my radar. Not by a long shot. Living in Santiago, our travel priorities were focused on seeing as much of Chile and South America as possible before our assignment here ended. But, when a work meeting popped up in Prague, we jumped at the chance to fly out a few days early and spend a weekend as tourists in this charming old city. Continue reading “Weekend in Prague”

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Fresh Eyes: Sharing Chile with Friends and Family

After over a year of living in Santiago, much of the newness and novelty has worn off. Sure, there are still the intermittent reminders that we’re “not in Kansas anymore”, but overall, Santiago has really started to feel like home.  So, during two recent visits from my parents and my friend Jenn, it was refreshing to get to experience so many of the places and things that have become routine to us through fresh eyes. Continue reading “Fresh Eyes: Sharing Chile with Friends and Family”

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Ditch the Bucket List

I love the idea of bucket lists, I really do. Anytime I see one of those posts listing the “30 Things To Do Before Turning 30” or “10 Places to Visit Before You Die” I’m tempted to make my own. I am nothing if not goal oriented, and I’m confident that if I made a list I would strategically allocate vacation days and funds until I had carefully curated Instagram posts documenting each and every item. It would be fun. I would see lots of places I had always wanted to visit. But what about all those places I hadn’t yet dreamed of? Continue reading “Ditch the Bucket List”