It’s hard to believe we hit our six-month mark! Reflecting on the first half of our trip, we’ve put together a recap of the highlights, things we’ve learned, quick gear update, stuff we take for granted back home, and a general update of what’s to come.

Highlights

One Month in Peru

• Tried to fit all the kitties from the park in Lima into our backpacks (Tam may have gotten a little too attached)
• Played soccer with the locals and got our first trip sunburn in Colca Canyon
• Visited so many Inca Ruins that we practically learned the Quechua language
• Avoided bird poo at the Islas Ballestas
• Ate sand while sandboarding the giant dunes in Huacachina
• Enjoyed really good food, drank plenty of pisco sours, and tried guinea pig
• Couchsurfed in Santa Maria (outside of Cuzco), enjoyed meals with our Couchsurfing family and helped them sand and paint their home
• Hiked the traditional Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
• Explored the reed islands on Lake Titicaca

One Month in Bolivia

• Worked at the bar for Loki Hostel in La Paz serving drinks/food to globetrotters. Tamara’s high school buddy, Yuki, was our boss
• Rode gondolas in La Paz to the largest open-air market in South America
• Jumped off a building in a Santa suit
• Mountain biked Death Road in jumpsuits like fighter pilots
• Relaxed in a natural hot spring at midnight under the shooting stars and ice cold air of the Bolivian Altiplano
• Tasted salt from the largest salt flat in the world, Salar de Uyuni

One Month in Chile

• Viewed other galaxies through a telescope from the Atacama Desert, the highest and driest in the world
• Tracked down Tamara’s long-lost nanny from when she was a baby in Santiago
• Sipped on Santiago’s famous “coffee with legs” with Tamara’s parents (attractive waitresses serving coffee)
• Learned about Chile’s recent tumultuous history on our favorite walking tour in Santiago
• Experienced real fútbol fans at the Copa America and celebrated Chile’s first big tournament win ever
• Visited Pablo Neruda’s eccentric home and admired the street art in our new favorite city, Valparaiso
• Bet 10,000 Chilean pesos on roulette black at the Viña del Mar casino
• Skied on perfect snow in the Andes Mountains

Three Months in Argentina

• Wine tasted (maybe a little too much) in Mendoza and learned that nothing compares to Napa Valley : )
• Settled down and rented an apartment in beautiful Buenos Aires
• Watched and played a bit of field hockey with our good friend, Pili
• Took advantage of the “blue dollar” rate through Xoom to get more bang for our peso
• Got weird with La Fuerza Bruta, an international theater show with a 360 degree experience and audience interaction
• Enjoyed a traditional tango show with all the bells and whistles for our four year anniversary
• Ate delicious Argentinian steak dinners at midnight as the locals do
• Got back into studying mode at Spanish School (we both completed 100 hours of class each, woo!)
• Made new friends and had dinner parties

What We’ve Learned

• Some hostel dorm rooms are more suited for 19-year-old kids than 27-year-old couples; be choosy
• It is super convenient to only travel with carry-on backpacks on buses and planes, but…
• It can be a little tough to put on the same shirt you’ve been wearing week after week
• Sometimes it’s actually cheaper to eat out than cook for yourself
• It’s difficult to keep the blog up to date while traveling
• We learned to carry back-up snacks in case we get a little hungry and don’t have access to food

What We’ve Missed

• Milk that doesn’t come in little bags and cause immediate diarrhea
• Legit peanut butter and Dr. Pepper
• Chipotle
• Oh and our families and friends

Gear Update

Overall our packs are holding up very well and there hasn’t been much we have needed that we didn’t bring or vice versa. Mikey lost a pair of undies and a single sock to the laundry monsters but he replaced them. In Buenos Aires we each bought a pair of jeans and a nice shirt, but we will ditch those when we leave. Tamara got rid of her silk sleep sheet because she wasn’t using it. We bought a few small souvenirs along the way but our parents have been able to take them back for us.

Things We Take For Granted At Home

• Hot water that lasts the whole shower, or hot water at all
• Drinking water straight from the tap and not having to magic wand it
• Showering with an actual door or curtain
• Restaurants or shops being open when they are supposed to be open (or when their sign says they will be open)
• Sidewalks that are not broken or covered in dog shit
• Reliable WiFi
• Police you can go to if you need anything, and you won’t have to bribe them
• Cars stopping for a pedestrian to cross the street

Things We’re Looking Forward To In The Next Six Months

• Hiking around Torres del Paine and the Patagonia with Mikey’s parents
• Finally getting to some beaches to work on our tan in Brazil
• Road trippin’ up the Brazilian coastline with Tam’s cousin, Mark!
• Experiencing the magnitude of Iguazu Falls
• Spending the holidays with Tamara’s relatives in Brazil
• Fishing for piranhas and sleeping on a river boat in the Amazon
• Listening to the most beautiful Spanish of all (and practicing!) in Colombia
• Scuba diving with hammerheads and sea turtles in the Galapagos