Dear Chile, I miss you...

If you didn't already know, I have returned the US - tan and freezing...
I made it back safe and sound after an amazing trip to Patagonia. We experienced all 4 seasons in the span of 3.5 while we hiked the 42 miles of the "W" Circuit in Torres Del Paine National Park.
It was some of the most beautiful hiking that I have ever done and I took my back to my Swiss days - especially since I brought my hiking backpack along, complete with a 5-year old packet of Caotina Hot Chocolate that I discovered in my bag. How was that 5 years ago?

Here are some photos of my last two weeks:

With my host cousin - Italia

Beach time in Viña

Our dinner - Christmas color themed

Christine, Landry, Madeline, Erica, and Me

Our last family lunch

Sergio and the dogs

Visiting Valeria's apartment - They got this hookah from Dubai.

Wearing Patagonia jackets in Patagonia!

The best tent :)

The start of our 42-mile hike

Lago Grey

Chunks of the glacier

Glacier Grey

A close-up

The snow in Patagonia

Lago Pehoe

Hiking to Los Cuernos - The Horns

Glacier runoff :)

Los Cuernos

Lago Nordenskjold - We could never say it. Something along the lines of "Norden-schlagen"

The sun peaking through the clouds. It's about 10 pm.

Brushing our teeth in front of Los Cuernos

Our meal. Every day.
Peanut butter sandwiches, trail mix, fruit, water - the food of champions.
Everyone thought we were crazy and we became the famous "Peanut Butter Girls"

More teeth brushing in the wilderness

All of our new friends that we met on the trails

They provided us with our first hot meal in 4 days on our last night!

Las Torres - The Towers.
Photo courtesy of Abby.

The last section of the "W"

The swanky hotel at the end of the journey

We made him a peanut butter sandwich to celebrate being done

Sleeping in the airport...again

Some last moments with the dogs

The Christmas Tree. It was outside.

Welcome to the US...

That about sums up the end of my trip.
I miss my host family like crazy, but I am happy to be around my real family.

I could not have been happier with these last 5 months. Although sometimes it feels like a dream, it was one of the best dreams I could have ever had.

Thanks for reading along through my journey. I hope that you could enjoy it through my pictures and scatterbrained thoughts.

Until next time!

Chau Chau!
Un besito grande!
Que te vaya bien!