i can’t believe it’s the end of 2011. they sure weren’t kidding when they said that the older you get the quicker time goes by. by the way, who are “they”, and how did they become so wise?!

it seems like it was just New Years Eve 2010 and i was at Tahoe with all of my ski friends ringing in the new year. a snow storm came in late that night and i felt lucky to make it down Kingsbury Grade in the morning without incident. not really the way i envisioned starting the new year, but it all turned out alright.

this has been quite a year, for both travel and personal growth. Bali was the first destination in the new year (Tahoe doesn’t really count) and that was a trip for no reason really, except to go, see, and experience.

then there were two trips to Hawaii. one for Pro Bowl to Oahu with my friends from Colorado, and a trip to the Big Island for my bosses wedding. both were great trips with wonderful friends, i am very lucky to have such amazing people in my life.

then there was the month in Argentina. getting the opportunity to see a country in it’s entirety from north to south is pretty cool. i still think Iguazu Falls and walking on the Perito Moreno Glacier were two of the highlights of the trip.

the end of the year has been busy with making my new house a home. i’m all settled, comfortable, and can hardly believe it’s mine. friends and family came over to celebrate the holidays at an open house, and more friends will be coming over this evening for new years pizza and bubbly.

a new year, what will it bring? what kind of international geotastic wonders are on the horizon? only time will tell.

happy 2012 everyone!

photo courtesy of seattlemet.com

image courtesy of wikipedia.com

a couple of people have asked me where i stayed during my time in Argentina; and it dawned on me that i really didn’t write too much about the various accommodations of the trip.

i guess that’s because for the most part they weren’t that memorable. not to say they were bad, but just not that interesting. but, since people have asked, i will give my 2 cents on each place i stayed.

in Buenos Aires i stayed at the Hotel Sarmiento Palace. the first room, although clean and plenty nice enough, was on the main street and it was really loud. the room i had at the end of the stay was in the back of the hotel (my request) and it was much better. the desk staff were my least favorite; i always felt like i was intruding on their day when i had a question. Doris was the exception, she was SO very helpful when my shuttle didn’t come to get me for the tango show (see “say cheese” post). the restaurant & cafe staff were nice, no issue at all. the location was great; i was walking distance to places of interest and to the subway.

my hotel in Brazil was the Continental Inn and it was very modern, and not at all “inn-like”. it had a restaurant, the best breakfast buffet, nice staff, and a pool, but there wasn’t much to do withing walking distance, hence the watching of LOST in Portuguese.

after Brazil was Salta. i really liked Salta, something about the town itself made me feel at home and very comfortable. i stayed at the Posada del Marques , which was conveniently located walking distance to the main square. they didn’t have a restaurant there, but there was a restaurant right down the street with a great dinner selection, and the square had a ton of cafes. the room was one of the smaller ones, but it was fine for three nights. the staff was nice enough, but the lobby was very sad. it was like they thought they were going to redecorate, took everything out, then decided against it. not very welcoming or comfortable.

from Salta i headed south to Ushuaia. the hotel in Ushuaia was the Los Lagos Hosteria and it was comfortable. again, very conveniently located, and i felt safe walking to and from restaurants in the evenings. i didn’t meet a lot of the staff, but those i met were very nice. the continental breakfast was very basic, but it filled the empty spots in the morning!

the next destination was El Calafate, and the hotel was the Hosteria Hainen, and it was my favorite hotel of the trip. it was warm and cozy, and the couple that ran it were wonderful. it almost felt lodge like. the breakfast was simple, and you could get a glass of wine in the evening. there wasn’t a restaurant on site, but you could order box lunch for your day tours, and it was walking distance to the town. i also walked to the bird sanctuary and the museum one morning, they weren’t too far. i would stay there again in a heartbeat.

the last stop of the trip was Bariloche and i stayed at the Hotel Nahuel Huapi. this hotel was quite large, situated on one of the main streets, and was perfect for my last stop. there was a restaurant in the hotel, and they had a breakfast buffet that included eggs, although usually a little under cooked. i’m not big on eating dinner alone, so having a quick bite at the wine bar in the lobby worked out really well. also being walking distance to a number of chocolate shops was an added bonus.

all of the places i stayed had complimentary wi-fi, most had in room in addition to the lobby. Brazil was the only place i had to pay for in room internet.

each place also had a continental breakfast which primarily consisted of a lot of grain…cereal, bread, danish and rolls. most had yogurt and some had fruit. only a couple had any kind of protein included.

i have mixed feelings about renting the apt. for the last part of trip in Buenos Aires. i liked my apt., except for the street noise. it was in a good location; right by a park, a cafe & a grocery store. i managed to learn the subway system pretty quickly and between the subway, taxis and walking i was able to get everywhere i wanted to.
the thing is, i didn’t talk to many people outside of waitstaff that last week. if i had stayed in a hotel i might have more opportunity to meet people and hang out. sure, a hotel would have cost more, and i wouldn’t have wanted to stay in the Hotel Sarmiento Palace for a whole week, but moving to a different hotel in Buenos Aires might have ultimately been a better choice.

wow, it’s been almost a month since i’ve written anything. i guess that’s because i haven’t gone anywhere since i’ve been home. but you know i have started looking into trips for the future.

the world is a big place, and there are so many places i want to see, where do i even begin? i was cruising through LinkedIn the other day, and came across a guy that coordinates photo tours. his name is Ralph Velasco and he has walking tours and international tours. next June he has a Danube River trip that sounds amazing. i also still want to go to Spain and New Zealand. my friend JF just moved to Sydney, so why not start in Australia and then go to New Zealand? i’d have to use miles for the flight, 80k on United. i just don’t think i could swing the airfare otherwise.

while i was in Argentina an offer i placed on a short sale house (back in June) was accepted, so i am now in the process of renovation before moving in Thanksgiving weekend. owning a house and fixing it up is definitely hometastic, but i have a feeling it will impact the 2012 travel plans significantly.

as much as i really want to plan another big trip right now, i think having heat this winter wins out!

photo: Caminito in Buenos Aires