A wide view of the Mars-like terrain of Wadi Rum. So Mars-like that it's where they shot The Martian. Tire tracks follow behind.

Is Not Chicago

shenanigans and tomfoolery throughout the world

On Lima

April 23, 2012
San Isidro District, Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima, Peru
Me: Lima is definitely not the same Peru I’ve spent the past two weeks in. Ross: how so? Me: I can name several specific differences, but it basically boils down to: there’s actually money in Lima.

Profile Pic

April 13, 2012
Cusco, Peru
Me, on FB: Yes, I’m another one of those assholes who make Machu Picchu their profile pic.

Cuzco to Titicaca

April 7, 2012
I can’t help it. I just have to giggle every time I look at the lake. — at Puno Lago Titicaca Peru http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I0Hee533Iw – April 2, 2012 South America loves the Chili Peppers. Not just the old awesome stuff, but the incredibly shitty new stuff, too. – Twitter. April 4, 2012 I’ve only been in Cuzco for 11 hours and I’ve already had a blood bomb forced upon me. Gracias… Read more

Iguazú Part the Second: Smallworld-itis

April 3, 2012
Misiones Province, Argentina
Wednesday 21 March–Saturday 24 March Getting across the Argentinian border was more time consuming than planned, but without incident. Our bus driver left while we were getting our Brazilian exit stamps, so we had to wait about 30 minutes for the next bus from the same company. I would recommend you just pay another R$4 for the very next bus… Read more

Iguaçu, Iguazú, let's call the whole thing awesome

March 29, 2012
Misiones Province, Argentina
Wednesday 21 March Niagra, you suck. Well, at least when compared to the Iguazú. Spelled Iguaçu in Portuguese and Iguazú in Spanish, the falls happen on the Iguazu river forming a border between Brazil and Argentina. Both sides have have their view of the falls (poor Paraguay is so close… Read more

Jesús is Watching

March 25, 2012
Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Saturday 17 March – Wednesday 21 March Rio de Janeiro, the city that got the 2016 Olympics over Chicago. After spending several days there, I can confirm that Chicago would have been the much better choice. While the beaches are nice, and there is a good energy to the nightlife… Read more

A Storm of Swear Words

March 22, 2012
El Chaltén, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
Thursday 15 March El Chaltén — aka Hippyville, Argentina (we seriously saw a hippy playing bagpipes for money on the street), aka Howdothestoresnothavecrispstown– is the starting point for many a supposedly wonderful hike. We had just climbed straight up a wall made of ice… Read more

A Clash of Crampons

March 20, 2012
Santa Cruz, Argentina
Tuesday 13 March – Thursday 15 March Why did no one ever tell me I was awesome at ice climbing? I feel like I missed my calling in life. The day after our excursion to Perito Moreno, we rented a car to drive up to El Chaltén. Victoria and I were joined by our new friend Kelly, a geography teacher from Montana on sabbatical for 3 months. He was originally going to extend his stay in El Calafate… Read more

A Song of Ice and Ice

March 19, 2012
El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
Sunday 11 March – Monday 12 March For a week in Buenos Aires I had woken up each morning covered in sweat from the 27 degree heat and no air conditioning (I pretty much operate in metric now). Now it was time to move south into Patagonia. After my brutally early (or late if you count from the previous night) flight from Buenos Aires I arrived at the El Calafate airport. It was a brisk 8 degrees… Read more

Moving to Palermo

March 19, 2012
Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Thursday, March — Saturday March 10 (Warning to those of you who like photos and are distracted by shiny things: there are no pictures in this post) I had originally booked four nights at Terrazas Estoril thinking that a full week would be a bit long in BA, so I had been considering a sort trip somewhere (ideas included Mendoza and Uruguay). But as I explored the town… Read more