Wish fulfillment

14 August 2012

This will be a brief entry, as I practically have one foot out the door. The intention is to relay where I just came from, and where I am going.

The weekend prior, I fulfilled a lifelong dream and saw penguins in the wild. (No joke, in a Spanish-English exchange early this year, a Chilean asked me my favorite animal and I honestly replied "penguin." So clearly being this far south in the globe meant I could not leave before visiting them in their natural habitat.) Fortunately for me, the Humboldt penguins - a threatened species - live further north where the Humboldt current (go figure) hits the Pacific coast of South America. If you are hoping for a series of photos capturing these funny birds hopping around or diving, you will be sorely disappointed. The penguins, on an island reserve, could only be observed from a boat, and I did not bring my camera out into the turbulent, wet conditions. They were not so easy to spot amidst the rocks, but when I saw them waddling about I was as happy as a dog finding leftovers.

I must cut this entry short because I have to finish packing for a 5-day journey to Argentina, starting tomorrow with a bus ride over the Andes. I can't wait, as visiting this country - especially the capital, Buenos Aires - has always been high on my bucket list. Thus two straight weekends of wish fulfillment. This time I am bringing my camera, so I hope to return with a boatload of photos.