Frey/ The Cathedral Spires! Holy Awesome Climbing!

Bob and I just got back from the Refugio Fray and the Cathedral Spires, the climbing and scenery was spectacular! We met many fun climbing friends along the way and climbed many towers including most notably the tallest in the range Torre Principal (twice)! I will definitely be back wether it be this trip or another! Here are some photos from the past 5 days.......

It is finally summer and HOT here now! Off to Villa Llanquin and the Limay River for some sport climbing and fly fishing!!!

Ciao!

7 Lake District, San Martin, and Beyond Roadtrip!!

This past weekend some friends from my hostel and I decided to make a roadtrip to the 7 lakes district and San Martin to swim and check out the scenery! The photos from the trip are below!

A Beautiful river inlet

The town of San Martin

Chachin Falls

lunch spot swimming pool!

the beautiful desert rocks on the way back

The view of the Cathedral Spires of Frey on the way back to town! After I post this blog, I am heading there to rock climb and hopefully get on top of the big one in the center Torre Principal! Bob Goodwyn comes tomorrow to join me! 

Got Luggage and Argentina is Beautiful!!!

My luggage finally caught up to me a day after I got in, but was completly soaked... oh well at least it was all there! Must have been left out in the rain... no clue. While I was waiting for it to come in, I walked around Bariloche got some guide books and saw a few sights. 

 

 

the view from the hostel

the town christmas tree

Cathedral de San Carlos de Bariloche

Today I went on a hike to refugio lopez with some friends, swam in a high mountain "pool" and hiked to the top of la mountain de tourista and saw an incredible view of La Tronador. 

La Tronador

Happy New Year!! Hola Argentina!! Where are my Bags?!?

Dreading the first 10 hour flight to my trip, I was pleasantly found with my own "private row of seats" on the flight! Complete with hot dinner, wine, a pillow, large fleece blanket, sleeping mask, and headphones, I was sitting pretty plush. But, just as I finished my dinner and was about to catch a few zzzz's the flight attendants decided to celebrate New Years on Chile time, since Santiago was my first destination. They all gathered in the back of the plane donned hats and noise makers and danced their way to the front! Everyone on the plane then started greeting the other passengers into the New Year with a kiss on the cheek and the flight attendants supprised us all with a glass of champagne! Sometimes its the things you don't expect, that really make an ordinarily long boring flight on New Years Eve away from your friends exceptional! My next two flights went off without a hitch, or so I thought...

When I arrived in Bariloche, I went to pick up my baggage at the claim to find out that my bags (with a long confusing mulit airport bagage tag) did not make it on the same flight as me :( Hopfully the airline will deliver it to my Hostel tonight.

So far the Hostel is great! Beautiful views and nice accommodations! The weather isn't great, but its supposed to improve the next few days!

Ready or Not Here I Come! Off to Argentina!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!!! I hope this blog post finds everyone well and enjoying this holiday season with good friends and family!

After a great family vaction to warm Orlando for Christmas, I was thankful to be able to grab a ride to Miami to catch my flight with my Cuban Itallian cousins who will be celebrating the New Year, Cuban style, in the city. We arrived in Miami on Sunday the 29th and my flight doesnt leave until this evening, the 31st. Immediatly upon arrival, everyone around me began to speak spanish and welcome me into their home. I was slightly overwhelmed at first, but after a trip to Miami Beach with my cousin's cousin Jose (not to be confused with the 3-4 other Jose's I met) I was very happy to be getting immersed in the spanish language and culture a few days before my trip. Not only did they solely speak spanish to me, but I ate many traditional Cuban dishes and tried many delicious Cuban desserts! Mmmmmmm!

Although I am sad that I will not be able to spend New Years Eve in Miami with my cousins, and instead will be on a plane, much more exciting adventures await me in Argentina! For those of you that don't know my more detailed plans (or lack there of) of travel, I am flying into a smaller mountain town in Argentina named San Carlos de Bariloche, located in the Andes on Nahuel Huapi Lake and National Park. My tennative plan is to enjoy the culture, the scenery, and the surrounding mountains, rivers, and lakes of which I plan to climb and fish during my 6 week stay. My friend and roomate Bob Goodwyn will be joining me for two weeks close to the begining of my trip before his work begins in Mendoza guiding trips on Aconcagua, as well as my girlfriend Sarah McLaughlin who finagled getting some work off in her nursing schedule to join me for the final two weeks of my trip! I am extremly excited for both the time spend adventuring solo, as well as the time I will spend with good friends!

I'll be posting my adventures and stories from my trip here as after as possible, so check back!