Well, I have less than a month left in Chile. I have absolutly loved my time here and I am really going to miss Coyhaique when I leave. That being said, I can't wait to come home, reconnect with family and friends. Although I haven't really ever arrived at the level of "home-sick" I definitely miss you guys.
This past week I traveled 8 hours south with a friend, and AFS exchange student, Kate, who lives in Punta Arenas. We traveled south by bus to the Estancia Chacabuco. The Estancia is owned by Doug and Kris Tompkins, who are good friends of my uncle Sandy, and who are turning the ranch into a national park. The have bought up all the land in between two seperate reserves, and are going to donate the land to the Chilean government on the condition that they join all three reserves together into one big national park.
It is really a great project, check it out at http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org/
If you are really feeling inspired, go ahead and donate. There are probably thousands of organizations saving the rainforrest, but this is one of the only ones I know that is working to save the truly unique Patagonia for generations to come.
We stayed there for 4 days, working with the other dozen volunteers eradicating invasive species and removing fences that previously divided up the land into the various ranches.
It was a lot of fun getting to know the other volunteers, who all had their own amazing adventures to tel of, but best of all was exploring the truly breathtaking landscape. Here are some pictures of our trip down there, and from the ranch.
A view of some stellar cliffs, through the trees
One of many lush rivers that we got to play in.
James, one of the dozen or so volunteers, hanging out in the field.
A map of the future Patagonian National Park
Taking out the final (submerged) posts of a gaucho's fence
Not the worst place in the world to volunteer, that's for sure.
Here we are walking along the road, removing "plantas exoticas" or non-indigenous plant species
Pretty much where ever you looked, there was a breathtaking view such as this one. At the bottom of the picture you can see one of the volunteers letting off some steam by chasing Guanacos, a cousin of the llama.
A guanaco herd grazing, in front of the amazing Cordillera Carrera
A panoramic view of the Estancia Chacabuco headquarters. On the left you can see the restaurant they are building for the future Patagonian national park.
Arriving in Cochrane, an hour outside of the Valle Chacabuco
I snapped this photo on the way back to Coyhaique. This is the magnificent Cerro Castillo, named so for the medieval castle like form of the mountain.
This is back in Coyhaique, taken just outside my house. We have had 2 or so weeks of amazing sunsets like this one, and with the arrival of summer it doesn't get dark until around 10.
This is the Piedra del Indio, named so because you can see the face of an Indian (If you can't find it, look just below the guy standing out on the edge, who happens to be your's truly)
This is another picture of me hanging out on the Piedra del Indio
