Enjoy the short video, “Waka Waka Walkabout with Ms Traveling Pants!”

Here’s to MORE Good Times and Good Stories!!

Although my first leg was beautiful, the near freezing temperatures at the Strait of Magellan with rather “Chile” glacier hikes in Patagonia, this naturalized Florida resident needed a good dose of warmth. The summertime temps in Mendoza of near 90s made me feel right “en casa.” I coupled the lovely climate with a little culinary indulgence with churrasco (world renowned Argentinean beef) washed down with a Mendozan Malbec, my favorite libation.

Although it was very tempting to spend my stay in Mendoza by hopping (or stumbling) from Malbec bar to Malbec bar or vineyard to vineyard. I did not.  Ok, to be rather frank, I did some of that, BUT not without working up a thirst from numerous adventures on foot, horse, and raft.

Enjoy my trinity of Mendocino fun below!

1) Ms Traveling Pants Goes Gaucho in Mendoza

2) Ms T Pants Get Wet, but Stays in the Raft – Rio Mendoza, Argentina (front left of raft)

3) Ms Traveling Pants Claims Victory After Reaching the Summit – 2,000 M

None of the adventures in Mendoza whether horseback riding, rafting, or hiking were my first time. However, it seemed like “my first rodeo show” because of the surreal setting, nestled in the Argentinean countryside with cacti on your left, vineyards on your right, Andes to your East, Mendozan River to your West, and unbelievable colors all around. It was enough to make one dizzy or maybe that was caused by the Malbec or better yet the combination of the gate of the horse, the rapids of the river, and the elevation of the hike.

All these adventures make for good times and good stories.

HERE’S TO MORE GOOD TIMES AND GOOD STORIES TO COME!!

The picture was taken at the lookout of Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile. The hike was on the most epic of days with sunny skies and nearly 70 degrees. This was very unlike some days hiking where I experienced 105 kph winds, rain, & sleet. I can attest with conviction that all the rumors are true; you WILL experience all four seasons in one day in Patagonia, but it is so worth it. This vista was the goal of my five days in Patagonia. Reaching the summit was a moment of exhale of success as well as a much needed break. The 22 km hike required a good set of boots and numerous costume changes.  Granted this hike was about 8 hours roundtrip; however, at one point, I was wearing a stocking hat, wool gloves, three layers of pants, and ended at the summit without a coat, one less layer, and occasionally out of the wind without hat nor gloves.

The Torres del Paine frame my boots in the picture above. They are the pilars seen throughout the park as well as the view from my base camp Ecocamp.travel. Torres in Spanish means towers and Paine is a native term to signify blue. Throughout my up and coming stories and pictures, you will witness that blue was a reoccurring theme in many of my Patagonian good times and good stories.

With my backpack stowed (only temporarily), my hiking boots and dreams are still alive and kickin’. Traditionally, walkabouts have been known to be transitional trips, but I feel that walkabouts must take a more frequent role. My list of future walkabouts has grown after seeing much of the beauty in Chile and Argentina, but with much left undiscovered.

Here’s to uncovering more beauty and sharing the good times and good stories with you!

To come….. MORE about the three legs of Ms Traveling Pants’ Chilean and Argentinean Walkabout filled with adventure hiking, wine tasting in Mendoza, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, dancing the tango, exploring the culinary Mecca of Buenos Aires, seeing my first glacier, and travel hiccups.

On this Labor Day weekend, many are out adventuring for the last glimpse of summer.  My adventures and travel bug led me to the trails of the Shawangunks in New York.  Located in the Hudson River Valley about 1.5 hours from the City, I explored through two outstanding state parks,Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Mohonk Preserve.

At the height of its beauty, you can see from my included pictures that the Shawangunks have a lush landscape with deep greens contrasting with the exposed rock cliffs and ridges.  Both parks are a rock climber’s paradise, but they also offer carriage trails that can be walked or biked with varied difficulty levels.  I chose to “hoof” it on both of my hikes ranging from Castle Point in Minnewaska, which was around 7 miles (featured above), and the Undercliff/Overcliff Loop at Mohonk for 5 miles (featured below).

For an affordable option for a weekend of adventure, both around $8-10 for entrance to the park, the “Gunks” are worth it.  They offer a good workout as well as unforgettable scenic views.  Stay tuned on my future posts on Hudson Valley Wine tasting and other Ms Traveling Pants adventures to the Florida Keys and Las Vegas.

It is apparent that the world is becoming more aware of the adventure component of travel whether one goes snorkeling, SCUBA diving, or takes to the mountains for hiking or camping. I must say that many of my travels have been adventures. If you are a true follower, you should already know of the camels, mosquitoes, brothels, scaling coliseum walls, and the like, but I can’t say that I have had much experience in being a circus performer or that is until last May in San Jose, Costa Rica (By the way, if you would like to read the archives for those stories, you will get to know Ms. Traveling Pants even better.)

While in San Jose, I had the opportunity to go zip-lining. For those of you unfamiliar with it, a metal cable is strung between two trees (see above picture). The participants are harnessed in by their legs, groin, and waist while wearing protective gloves and helmet. Once prepared, you climb up various ladders to a platform in a tree where you are clamped onto the line and let loose to quickly zip from one tree to the other, trying to steer your way to the next landing platform.

Everything sounds fun and exciting that is until you are about to get into the harness and live this adventure tourism trek yourself. So first, I don’t know about you, but when I watch circus performers today, harnesses are not part of the attire. They probably do not necessarily need them anymore because they are so skilled, but also because the attire for safety is NOT flattering. Imagine having tight belts at all the WRONG places. For my female readers, what woman wants more attention to the hips, butt, and belly? So, yes, it is rather unflattering for woman, but men also have it rough for both appearances and well let’s just say the ride as well. There is no “hiding your equipment” when going zip-lining. The harnesses are set up just so that yes the size of the thighs and butt are accentuated for women , but for men the harness is the “Great Divide.” (I will not post a picture I will let you put two and two together.)

To start any zip-lining experience you must climb. Typically, through a series of cable ladders you will arrive to your first take-off platform. When I arrived at my first platform, I was shaking; however, I have to admit some of the best moments of many of my travels have been frightening and the stories worth telling.

The first zip was scary, rather uncontrolled, and off target, but, by the second, the adrenaline kicked it. For zip #2, we needed to climb even higher to get momentum, but it was becoming more and more worth it. For the next and most difficult zip, we needed to cross a very unstable rope bridge and then climb even higher to zip across a large lake. Just to give you an accurate picture, the park was the size of Central Park in New York with a 100 meter plus zip crossing the lake from one tree to the other. Yes, it was a challenge and as an added prank, the excursion had placed a large mat, which was tied to the massive tree trunk awaiting us on the other side. If my memory serves me right, there was also a bull’s eye outlined.

Needless to say, I loved the experience and was shaking for probably 30 minutes afterwards. The feeling of conquering a fear or doing something that stretches your limits is a great high. I want to go again. This time I want to do it amongst the true rain forest in a more remote area that they call the Cloud Forest. I will be going in May again this year. I promise I will take documentation that a harness and helmet are not my best look.