Thinking of Chile

One year ago today I was on a plane heading towards Chile.  It's hard to believe that it's been a whole year already, and I've been feeling sentimental about it for at least a couple of weeks. I'd never ever dreamed that I'd be visiting South America, especially Chile, but circumstances came up and off I went.

 
Lago Panguipulli

As you might imagine, my trip down there was the trip of a lifetime, but not for the reasons you might think.  Oh yes, I saw some spectacularly beautiful places and lived through some very fun and adventurous times during my trip, that is true.  However the best part about my trip down to Chile, though, was the people I was with, and I'm missing them a lot right about now.

My connection to Chile in the first place was my friend Jorge.  I'd met Jorge a few years ago while he was living here on Long Island.  At first he and I tried dating, and when that didn't work out, we became fast friends.  Jorge is good people...great people in fact, and one of the main reasons I'm feeling sentimental about not returning.  

Me n Rodri

During the time that he's been back there, Jorge met a guy named Rodrigo, with whom he is currently betrothed.  I first met Rodrigo at the airport and I loved him immediately.  He speaks nary a word of English, yet his warmth exudes all and transcends language.  During my entire stay, he was my cook, my tour guide and my newest bestest friend.  The two of them make a perfect couple, actually.  Jorge is the level-headed one with a sharp wit and a good sense of things, while Rodri is affable and fun and not so serious.  Ah, I miss them both!  I know that if we all lived in the same place, we'd surely be really good friends all the time.  

Anyway, I'd kept a journal during the two weeks I'd spent in Chile and I had planned on doing a series on my travels on Yahoo.  That was before it shut down.  I did pen a couple though, before it did, and I'll be sharing them in the coming days to commemorate that oh so memorable trip.  Who knows, depending upon time I may even be able to pen some new ones, finish the story, and I can dream and start thinking about the next time I'll see my friends.  So stay tuned...

Jorge and some trees, lol