// CHILE

// CHILE Chile was the third country of my trip. At this point I was getting more comfortable on the road, better at making friends at the hostels, mastering Spanish a bit more, and developing a tolerance to street food of questionable origins. This was not as much of a concern in Chile, whose economy was developing rapidly after years of brutal dictatorships. Though slim and narrow, the diversity I discovered in Chile, while traveling from the south to the north, was astounding. From lush lands of lakes with black sand beaches, to imposing coasts, pristine forests, formidable mountains and volcanoes, and impressive cities. And it was in the Atacama that I truly discovered my love of the desert. The silence, the calm air, the absolute peace of the void. I'd go on to visit many more deserts, including the Gobi and Kalahari, but none quite touch you like your first.