On the Road in Chile

[Vaughn]

Hello, my friends!

First chance to get on the internet, so I thought I'd drop you all a line. Just ending our first week down here, traveling with my two sons, one of who just finished a semester of university in Villarrica. We rented a car and spent the time on Chiloe Island, camping on beaches (ocean and lake), hiking, eating, etc.. Now we are in Puerto Arenas on the Straits of Magellia -- sorry for any mis-spellings! -- where we have rented a camper van (pick it up tomorrow) for the next three weeks as we head north (Torres de Paine, etc) back to Pureto Vargas and our flights to Santiago and home.

I have my 100+ year old 5x7, 8 holders, and 50 sheets of FP4+. And a 210mm and a 180mm lens (FujiWs). An old Gitzo Reporter Performance tripod with a Bogan 3-way head as well. The screw just stripped on one of the brackets for the GG, but otherwise all is well. Only a few sheets of film exposed so far. I have a little Sony digital, but one on my sons has a full digital set-up and I'll just steal his images -- he'll be hiking way beyond my capability! Bryce is also fluent in the local Spanish...I only know enough to order a beer and pay for things with my credit card.

The windy season has just started down here, which will make things interesting. Because I am traveling with my sons, photography is not my main purpose -- experiencing this incredible place with them is -- but if I can get 3 to 5 images over the next three weeks I will be in bliss.

Dealing with a cold (blaming my sniffling son from New York) and a heart that does not always beat the way it is designed to (zapping me of energy -- especially on the uphill portions of hikes), but so it goes. Sun sets tonight at 10:10pm. Our mornings tend to be slow, but we go until just short of sunset...cooking dinner as it gets dark, in the sleeping bags by midnight, and on the road by 11-ish in the morning. With the campervan, our routine might change a little, but my two 21 year-olds are keeping me moving!

Probably will not get back on the internet for another 3 weeks (my sons are a different story), so I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and the best for the New year! I hope no one is badly impacted by the gov't shutdown -- I have heard the "T-word" only a couple times in the past week...bliss!

Vaughn in Chile

[Fred L]

hope you have an amazing trip Vaughn and if you get a chance, I hear the Atacama desert is incredible, esp if astronomy is your thing. look forward to seeing what you get on film

[Hugo Zhang]

Vaughn,

Enjoy your time there and I am sure it will be a great adventure. Met two girls at Point Reyes hostel about a week ago and they backpacked in Argentina and Chile for four months and they would go back.

Does not matter how many images you capture in film for your first trip.

[Tin Can]

Very cool.

See you in the New Year!

[Peter De Smidt]

Merry Christmas!

[Leszek Vogt]

Enjoy your holidays + Chile, Vaughn.

Les

[bloodhoundbob]

Enjoy your trip with your sons, Vaughn. My son is in Quito, Ecuador, on his way to the Galapagos Islands for a few days. Needless to say, I miss him, but look forward to seeing his pics upon his return.

[Jim Graves]

Wow, Vaughn ... what a great adventure for you guys to do together. Looking forward to updates.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vaughn, have a great trip and best wishes to you and the boys for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It is going to be epic.

[David Karp]

Sounds awesome Vaughn. Enjoy.