#puma please

Isla de Chiloé, Chile After 33 hours aboard a cargo tanker... We arrived to the island of Chiloé... Home of penguins, the smallest deer in the world, blue whales, beautiful wool yarn, oysters, lots and lots of seafood, and +90% of the worlds genetic diversity in potatoes. We did our best to eat as much seafood as possible... The regional dish is a bowl of mixed seafood stew called Curanto. Amazing. Unfortunately penguins and whales were gone for the season... And no puma... Boooo.

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile Life's dream of walking the famous Torres (towers), breathing fresh clean air, enjoying the autumn colors, warm days and cold nights, sipping clean cold water directly from the streams. It's everything we could have dreamed... and more... no puma yet. ayabug... chip photo dedicated to you... converting hikers one at a time to the benefits of potato chips:)

Galapagos, Ecuador With changing climates, we wanted to we see Galapagos and witness it's wonders... Habitats where animals on the islands have no predators and don't flee when you get close... Ocean waters are teeming with fish... Schools and sizes larger than we've seen... Much of the landscape and ocean is similar to Hawaii, we imagine what our oceans would look like if they were fished less. Galapagos, it's flora and fauna are incredible... Just a few we saw: 1. Marine iguana 2. Sally Lightfoot Crab 3. Sea Lions 4. Blue-footed Boobies 5. Galapagos land iguana 6. Nazca Boobies 7. Flamingos! 8. Galapagos Penguin 9. Giant Tortoise 10. Red-footed Boobies Un-pictured... Underwater world... Rays, manta rays, shark, turtles, dolphins, so many beautiful fish... AND seahorses!! (But no puma)

Quito, Ecuador Vast city, 2,850m (9,350 ft) high, historic capital, beautiful views and architecture, giant cathedrals... romancing the stein (thanks Anne!), craft beer, and mango-maracuya (passion fruit) cider... YUM!! No puma... Maybe just an occasional cougar roaming the gringo bars...

Teyuna, Ciudad Perdida, Colombia New Years Eve and bringing in the new year at this sacred site in the jungles of Colombia. Strange juxtaposition, of the Tairona (native group to the area) and the Colombian military who guard the ruins, and the officials visiting for the new year. At first we were thrilled to have time with the shaman of the area, who gave us welcome words of wisdom, of taking care of our Mother Nature, of letting go our materialistic ways, and of finding simplicity and peace with one another. It seems they have met a similar fate with alcohol... so in the end we watched as the peace of the mountains was overshadowed by whiskey and the Shaman and political leader of the area getting stumbling drunk and passing out. If only I could have seen a puma...

Panama to Colombia We spent five days sailing from Porto Lindo, Panama, though the beautiful San Blas Islands to Cartagena, Colombia.... The snorkeling around the San Blas islands was amazing... We drank pipa (fresh coconuts) spiked with rum... I learned I'm not a sailor.... the open ocean crossing swirled my belly plus there aren't any puma... we did however enjoy eating invasive lion fish thanks to hunting expeditions led by Liam. Amazing ocean and an incredible group (what!?! 15 people with no douches!?!) we affectionately call our boat family. Mahalo Santana and Capitan Gizbert for a fantastic trip.

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama... Impressive canal... but no puma.

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica A few days by the beach.... Test driving and modeling some electric bikes for a new business venture, and a visit to the Jaguar Rescue Center... With no jaguars or big cats to speak of... much to our dismay... Playing with baby spider monkeys will have to do!