Welcome to a Series of Increasingly Ridiculous Events

I have had a wild week and a half. It didn’t start well, then became overwhelming, and has ended on an upswing. What happens next is anyone’s guess.

I’d say that everything started to go down hill on the last Friday in February, but I think the grey clouds really started gathering on Thursday…maybe Wednesday. Basically, I left my laptop at the office Wednesday night, didn’t realize it until I was about to start work at home Thursday morning, and had to work extra late. On Friday, I noticed something hanging from the bottom of my car. The car still ran okay, but I had a sinking gut feeling that this was it. My almost 13 year old Ford Focus was done being a part of my life.

Yes, I cried. She was my first car that I owned. She came with me through five moves, three states, several major life events, and I put a lot of money in her to keep her alive.

Then I checked my mail box and I found a letter summoning me for jury duty on my day off. 

While going through all of this, I was trying to hire landscapers to fix a falling retaining wall on the side of my house.

Oh, and the United States bombed Iran. 

Great. Perfect. Just what we need.

I decided to start my car shopping on Sunday. In less than a week, I did a bunch of research, found a few car options through a car buying service I have access to, and got pre-approved for a loan. 

While that was going on, I got my poor old Focus looked at, fixed (for the most part), and locked myself out of my house. 

When I went to pick up my car from the shop, the check engine light popped on. Not the death red one, but the soft “this needs attention soon” yellow light. I asked the shop if it was because I opted to not buy the new battery (since I’d decided to buy a new car and all) with the tariff surcharge. They said no, took my keys (all of my keys), and (after half an hour) gave me the option to leave it overnight. As soon as I stepped out of the Lyft, I realized the shop never gave me back my house keys.

Panic sets in. The shop was technically closed, but I had overheard that they tend to stay a little after official closing hours. I raced back in an Uber, while also having a locksmith on standby. I actually hadn’t thought to call a locksmith until after calling my friends in that blind panic and one of them mentioned that that was an option.

The Uber driver was great. The poor guy from Afghanistan had just lost his job to layoffs and was dealing with my panicking self like a champ. He reminded me how to add a second stop to my trip so I wouldn’t be stranded at the car shop after getting there (my phone was at 9% and dying fast).

This is where my luck started to shift. 

The shop had been closed roughly 45 minutes, but there was still one lone mechanic there. He was just switching off the office lights when I ran up to the window like a hunted rabbit, jumping and waving to get his attention. He carefully approached the front door, not sure if the crazy person outside wasn’t dangerous, and I yelled that they had my house keys.

As soon as I said that I owned the Focus, he knew who I was and gave me my keys. The Uber driver took me home and I spent the rest of the evening thanking the multiverse for my stupid luck.

The work week was otherwise uneventful, minus a bunch of dealerships texting, emailing, and calling me to set up appointments. I finally found a pre-owned car that I’d be happy with. It was a 2026 with less than 1000 miles on it. It wasn’t exact color I wanted, but it wasn’t one I couldn’t live with. I made an appointment to see that exact car on Friday.

Though my luck was starting to turn, some of my friends weren’t having that same experience. One friend was stuck in the Middle East trying to get to their parent’s funeral. The same region that was currently breaking out into violence. Americans were being told to shelter in place or find someway to evacuate. The death toll was rising. 

My friend is okay, but they didn’t make it to the funeral. I’m just so glad that they are okay.

Friday rolls around, I go to the dealership, no car. It was a service rental and they had rented it out. This dealership tried to up sell me on a new car of the same model, but I wasn’t in the mood. Even after they offered me a nice price for the Focus, I said I wouldn’t make any choices unless I saw the car I made the appointment for. 

I waited all Saturday morning, but no progress on the car I’d hoped to buy. So I went back to my car buying service and found a different car in the color I wanted at the original dealership I had done my test driving. It was also a service rental car with a few more miles, but a fair bit cheaper.  

That was the car I ended up buying. The dealership that I had gone to on Friday eventually did get back to me with the car I originally wanted to see, but it was too late at that point. I had a much better deal with this other car and even managed to swing free oil changes at the brand for as long as I owned the car. They even gave me a lower APR than I thought was possible.

I still cried about selling my old car. An emotional release that was sorely needed.

Now, I’m nervous that another catastrophe is around the corner. Yes, I had a tough week, but it all weirdly turned out okay. 

But we’re still in this tense limbo of whether or not the United States is at war with Iran. Prices are rising like crazy. My friend was stuck in the UAE while Iran retaliated against US allies and angry protests were breaking out. ICE was spotted in the town I grew up in, not too far from where I live now.

Why am I still anxious? 

Before each event I just faced, I was able to prepare. I don’t feel prepared anymore.

If you enjoyed this post, please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week. 

Welcome to Mental Health First Aid

Please note that this post discusses some topics that might be distressing for some people. I will be discussing what it means to be a mental health first aid provider and some examples of where my skills may be needed. Reader disgression is advised. 

For the second time, I am a certified Mental Health First Aider. 

Autobot: First Aid here to help!

You might be wondering what this means and I'm sure you are familiar with a traditionally certified first aid provider. Instead of providing physical first aid by assessing a person in need of help in the form of bandages, CPR, and recovery positions, I am able to assess a person in need of mental health intervention. 

This can take a few form such as talking to a person who is displaying behavioral changes or signs of mental distress, providing first step information on being treated for mental health illnesses, and deescalating mental health distress. It does not mean that I am able to diagnose a person, provide medical advice or treatment plans, or serve as a person's therapist. Just as a regular first aider doesn't need to have a medical license, I don't need one either. 

I was able to take the mental health first aid course because my company offered to pay for me to take it. The company likes to have a set number of employees who certified to ensure a healthy work environment. They paid for my first certification back in 2023. This certification lasts for three years as well.

Do I recommend getting certified in regular first aid and mental health first aid? Yes, though I haven't had the opportunity to be regular first aid certified since high school. They both serve the purpose of providing aid to people in distress. 

Believe it or not, I have actually used my mental health first aid certification a few times. I won't go into details, but I have had to deescalate a couple of situations where my training came in handy and was able to identify someone having a crisis. For that person, it was at a work event. I assessed the situation and found that it was likely above my skill level and immediately contacted the right parties to handle the situation. 

The reason I didn't approach the person in crisis is simple: as the first aider, my safety is also important. If I don't think a situation would be safe for me, I need to be able to contact those who can handle it. Though you can call 911 for a mental health crisis or challenge, 988 is the better number to use. Most counties and city in the United States have trained personnel that handle people in mental distress than the regular police. 

988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States.

Additionally, a person experiencing a mental health challenge can go or be taken to the emergency room. There they can be physiologically evaluated and given first steps in healing. 

Now, you may be getting the impression from all this that a mental health crisis or challenge is someone who is actively suicidal, has a personality disorder that hasn't been addressed, or is experiencing psychosis. While those can occur, most mental health first aid is given to people who aren't at those stages. I am more likely to notice and assess a pattern of behaviors and encourage a person to seek medical intervention, rather than talk down someone having hallucinations. 

The purpose of being a mental health first aider is to provide early intervention for a person experiencing a mental health challenge so that it doesn't develop into a crisis. It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of people wait ten or more years to seek help after the first mental health challenge symptoms take place. However, the vast majority of mental health challenges are recoverable.

I could go on about the different types of mental health challenges I can provide first aid for, but a lot of them are distressing to the average person. Hell, they distress on an average day. Which is why my training includes a heavy emphasis on self-care plans and my own safety. 

Earlier, I mentioned that there was a situation that I felt was above my skill level. This feeling included my personal safety and the safety of those around me. I am not exactly the biggest person and the type of distress the person was experiencing wasn't clear. Instead of approaching the person in crisis, I contacted those who were better trained to - i.e. a building's security guard and the health clinic employees who were on location - and kept other people at a safe distance. The security guard was great, by the way, and kept the person calm until the clinic employees arrived. 

That was the best course of action I could take in that situation.

I do hope that mental health challenges and illnesses do become less stigmatized. Part of that process involves learning and knowing what to do when you see someone having a mental health challenge. Sometimes these situations are easy to spot and other times it subtle, requiring you to already be familiar with the person. It is important to not be dismissive, provide a non-judgmental space, and encourage that person to seek help. If you think a person is suicidal, it is better to be direct in addressing it as neutrally as possible and calling 988 or 911 right away.

If you are interested in mental health first aid certification, I got mine through the National Council for Mental Health. Their mental health training can be tailored for adults, children, and adolescence. From what I understand, they also have a training program for law enforcement.

Being a first aider is not for everyone, but I encourage everyone to at least look into the training. Understanding and knowing how to help someone in a mental health challenge or crisis can be a critical step in that person's recovery. You never know when you might need to have these skills.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please, like, share and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Library

 A couple of weeks ago I saw Shakespeare's play As You Like It. The first time I saw this play was in the town of Stratford, Canada - a town famous for it's Shakespeare festivals and productions. This time I saw the play in my local library. 

That's right, I got to see a classic English play at my local library and it was good. 

It was also free to attend and they kept the dirty jokes in.

This isn't unusual for the library near me. They put on a play every few months that's completely free for anyone to attend. Yes, they ask that you preregister and it's implied that you should be a member of our library system, but if there's still seats in the room, they'll let you in.

I love going to the library. I have since I was a kid. They have always had great programing and a quiet space to spend time. 

However, my love of libraries was likely cultivated by the children's program creators at PBS. Several of my favorite shows (Wishbone, Reading Rainbow, and Arthur to name a few) often told me to check out a book at my local library. It was part of Wishbone's ending catchphrase (seriously we need a new version of Wishbone, maybe one where Joe is grown up with his kids and their loyal literary loving pooch introducing kids to new literary classics).

I loved this show.

Not only does my library have books, they have board games (and space to play said board games), DVDs, magazines, and sometimes CDs (these are becoming less and less available). I can access my library's digital archives using the Libby app. 

If there's a book I'm interested in, but don't feel like purchasing (or I didn't win the GoodReads free giveaway), I get it at the library. Hilariously, my library likes to let me know how much I've saved with the dollar amount clearly labeled on my check-out receipts.

My art club usually meets in one of the libraries in the county and, the first club I joined when I moved to Maryland, was based out of our library. I didn't go to the libraries in New Jersey as much as I have in Maryland or Virginia, but I still had a card and had my taxes done...for free. 

That's right, you can get your taxes done at the local library FOR FREE. It might be sponsored by AARP. but they won't turn you away just because you're under the age of 50. 

True, there are a few extras you have to pay for. If I need to print something, I have to pay 10 cents a page. This isn't a hardship at all. I can also use the scanner, too. We also have a 3D printer, but I've never asked about using it.

The library offers a lot of community benefits, but it is at risk. Between book banners, funding cuts, and political pressure, libraries in parts of the United States are struggling. Rural communities are the most at risk of losing access to libraries and their programing. 

There have been suggestions that the solution is to privatize libraries - think an Amazon version. However, this wouldn't solve the problem and might even exasperate it. People would lose out on their free access to information, a safe place to spend time, and necessary community programing (did I mention I got my taxes done FOR FREE). Privatization also puts profits over accessibility, meaning that rural areas would still lose out due to their lower volume of foot traffic. 

Also, libraries aren't supposed to make a profit (neither are post offices, firefighters, and other public services). Libraries are supposed to serve their communities - which my library does.

The libraries I've had the privilege to be a member of have all been spectacular. They've had great programing and space for community events. The librarians have always done a fantastic job. 

The best way you can support your local library is to get a library card. The number of people who have library cards can impact the budget they receive. You can also volunteer to help with programing or host a club at the library. 

Currently, my library is doing a post-holiday food drive. When I went to drop off my due books, I also included some of the requested food items for donation. 

So I'd like to end this post on an Arthur quote: "having fun isn't hard when you have a library card".

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to a House of Improbabilities

"This is not for you." 

- House of Leaves by Zampano, or Johnny Truant, or mayebe Mark Z. Danielewski

Some have called it the most horrifying book ever written; others have called it the most boring. My sibling called it weird. These are all words that describe Danielewski's House of Leaves - a book I decided to challenge myself to read last year. 

My book's cover is ripped.

I began reading it at the end of October and finished just before ringing in 2026. I read in spurts. Sometimes the book read like one of the dryer college papers my professors wanted me to tear apart and analyze. At other times, the book sucked me in to the point I lost track of time. The story isn't linear and neither is the book's layout. I was constantly flipping back and forth from the "main" story to different appendixes, exhibits that aren't actually there, and footnotes upon footnotes upon footnotes. I would have to turn the book sideways and upside-down to read the text. Sometimes the text took up a square inch of a page, or there would be one sentence, or a dot, or music notes, or brail. Foreign languages were sometimes not even translated.

The story follows the Navidson family, or maybe it follows Johnny Truant as he tries to decipher the dissertation a dead guy named Zampano, left scattered around his apartment. Really, I think the Editors are the real protagonists. They jump in when things become really confusing, confirming for the reader that things really are that confusing. 

Honestly, if you ignore the footnotes, the story is about the Navidson family moving into a house that starts to grow on the inside while remaining the same size on the outside. The patriarch, called Navy throughout the story, is a photojournalist haunted by a photo he took in Africa. This photo is based on the real photo The Vulture and the Little Girl taken by Kevin Carter. Navy decides he needs to document the move and sets up cameras everywhere.

It almost sounds like the start of a found footage movie. Oh, that's because in the universe of the text, it is a found footage movie - one that the Zampano guy is writing this dissertation is obsessed with. This obsession is then transferred to Johnny Truant who is telling us his life story and mental breakdown. However, the found footage film may not even exist in the world Truant inhabits. It definitely doesn't exist in ours.

The Navidsons quickly discover that the house is growing, but only on the inside. Random hallways, pitch black hallways, appear and stretch reality. Navy begins to explore these hallways with his twin brother and a professor friend from the University of Virginia (the house is near Williamsburg, VA) - all with a trusty camera. 

A few more people join the exploration and what follows is pandemonium. There's a Minotaur monster walking the growing hallways and madness turns to quickly turns to murder. The chapters that provide a scientific explanation were mysteriously destroyed by a bottle of ink spilt by Truant. The Editors apologize for this loss of text. There's also a huge chunk of philosophy that was destroyed by the original writer Zampano.

The book is immersive from page one to the back of the book's summary. Even the copyright page is full of metacommentary and fourth wall breaks and a note on the edition I read. House is always in blue and Minotaur is always red. There is one place where the color purple is used.

I didn't really like Johnny Truant...or any part where he randomly jumped in. I didn't like any of his interjections, except for one. I enjoyed reading his mother's letters while she was locked in an asylum. I didn't need to read his parts of the story, but I did. 

I also didn't find House of Leaves horrifying in the slightest. There was some dread and paranoia, but nothing horrifying. I agree with my sibling, it was weird.

I bought my first house this year and have been slowly unpacking and settling in. My cat passed away in the summer and I just lost an aunt that I am was very close to. I'm trying not to lose myself in all the news being reported on - especially in Minnesota. None of this is relevant to the above. However, it is an example of the writing style in House of Leaves. 

I haven't found any parts of my house that are growing, no dark hallways I can't explain, and no monsters growling in my walls. I can occasionally hear my neighbors and my pipes rattle. There's no where for someone to easily hide in my house.

Why would anyone need to hide in my house?

I can think of a few reasons. I've read a lot of books and seen enough movies to wish I had a hidden room. House of Leaves was not one of those books.

We had our first major snow storm of the season and year. I don't own a proper snow shovel, but I was able to get a regular shovel from Ace Hardware (they were out of snow shovels and salt). With the regular shovel and a broom, I was able to clear the steps and sidewalk. Then more snow came and erased all my work - like how the growing hallways in the Navidson house suddenly vanished. 

I wonder if this book - that is slowly going insane and driving me insane along with it - punched trough its universe and ended up pulling the Navidson story from a third, separate universe. The first universe being the one we inhabit. Truant never found the house in his universe. I doubt it exists in this one. 

I still want to know how this book actually got published. There's no way it would be in our modern publishing climate. 

Do I recommend this book? Sure, if you want a challenge, but it is weird and tragic...and possibly boring in places. Johnny Truant is awful and his parts could be skipped. Maybe this book really wasn't for me, but I did find it compelling. 

There is a lot going on in my life. There's a lot of stress and sadness. Reading a book like House of Leaves took me out of this universe for a little while and let me occupy a different one.

I still don't like Johnny Truant.

Until the next post. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like to hear from me.

Welcome to Travel Journaling: Final Entry 17-18 November

 I'm combing the last two days since my sister and I are no longer in Antarctica or with our tour group. I didn't get the chance to spend enough time in Santiago and hope to go back soon. 

17 November 2026

Mandarin Oriental 

Santiago, Chile

20:12

C.C. and I slept late and enjoyed breakfast in the club lounge. There was a small miscommunication with our tour, but we started out around 10:20. Our driver, Mo, took us all around the city starting at one of the large parks where we saw black neck swans. Santiago is very clean and well kept with lots of parks. We saw the tallest building in South America called the Gran Torre Santiago. It was hard to miss from anywhere in the city.

Mo told us the history of Santiago - mostly the recent history during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet and the growth once Chile returned to a democracy. Roughly a third of Chile's population live in Santiago. They have a thriving financial district and a lot of new architecture.

I think my favorite area was the art district, Barrio Bellavista. An art show was going on outside and its where Pablo Neruda lived. We saw his house (now a museum), but it wasn't open to visit. It sits at the front of San Cristóbal Hill. There is a fine arts school nearby. Plaza Camilo Mori often has music and theater shows outside in the summer. One of the funniest street art displays we saw was a huge Olaf from Frozen on the outside of a ski rental building. 

Mo explained that Pablo Neruda has become a controversial figure in recent years - especially among women - due to his poor treatment of his ill daughter and that he confessed to raping a woman in Sri Lanka. He died at the very beginning of Pinochet's reign.

We passed by the Plaza de Armas and the National Church. We did stop to go inside the church. A service was going on, but we were still allowed to walk around and see the small chapel on the side. They offered virtual candles for 48 hours. 

Mo also told us a bit about Rapa Nui as it's properly called (Easter Island is it's colonized name). The island is now semi autonomous and requires special permits to visit. 

C.C. and I returned to the hotel around 14:20. We had lunch at Senso - the Italian Mediterranean restaurant at the hotel. The pasta was very good, but C.C. wasn't feeling well. We rested in the room after lunch. 

We had tea and desserts in the club lounge, then walked to the huge nearby mall to see the first IKEA in Chile. They have more locations now. C.C. and I walked through and took some pictures. Prices varied on what was or wasn't more expansive than in the U.S. We walked a bit around the mall - it was odd seeing spring and summer clothes out amongst the Christmas decorations. 

We had dinner on the club floor instead of going out. There was plenty of small plate food. We had an early night. C.C. got us a late checkout tomorrow. We plan to leave our bags at the hotel while we visit a few sites around the city. C.C. got us lunch reservations at a place Mo recommended. 

18 November 2026

Chilean International Airport, Signature Lounge

Santiago, Chile

21:05

It took us forever to check-in and get our checked luggage situated. 

We had a lazy morning. I spent an hour by the pool reading. C.C. enjoyed time in the room. C.C. requested a late checkout, so we stayed until our lunch reservations at La Calma at 14:00. Mo said that John Travolta had been there twice on his last visit to Santiago. 

The restaurant was small, but beautiful. We started with scallops and they gave us a ton of bread. C.C. had the king crab pasta while I tried mullet (Lisa), an oiler fish fillet. I also tried their mocktail, La Virgin, while C.C. enjoyed her wine.

Around 15:00 we caught an Uber to see the National Fine Arts Museum. It was celebrating 145 years of operation. It’s not a large museum, but it has a really cool collection of mostly Chilean art. Many of the older works are well produced reproductions, but their contemporary art is out of this world. 

As we entered, we were greeted by the piece Mamita Montana - which was huge. We also saw works by a Chilean woman who grew up in exile with her family in Sweden during Pinochet's reign. There were also multiple art house movies going on in several rooms. I especially liked the videos of letters spelling out "racism" being destroyed. The second floor had pieces from Chile's different art movements. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything precolonial. 

We left the museum and went back to IKEA for C.C. She wanted to buy a Christmas wreath that they aren't selling in the States. We shared a toffee tart cake at the restaurant to kill some time. We also stopped at H&M. C.C. had me buy some nice summer pants and a Jaws shirt to go with my hat. She also got a shirt with a French cafe on it. 

As we left the shopping mall area, we stopped for a hot dog at the fast food place, Doggis in the food court. Santiago has a huge hot dog culture. I got a Dinamico - it has tomatoes, avocado, and major on it. C.C. and I shared the Fanta and fries. It was good. 

Dogs in general seem to be popular in Santiago. People bring them everywhere - including the mall. 

We went back to the hotel to get our luggage and get on an Uber to the airport. There have been people outside the hotel, waiting for a celebrity. Based on outfits and recent performance schedules, we think Oasis was staying at the same hotel as us. Sadly, C.C. had no idea who Oasis was.

At the airport was a huge line to check-in. When C.C. mentioned her status, the crew directed her to a special lounge where we could check-in. It took a while to ensure our bags would make it to the final destinations. I managed to grab a pin for me and a few extra presents before going through security.

We are currently in the lounge having food and drinks. C.C. had a nice shower. I'm about to change into my flight clothes. 

This has been a great adventure and I'm glad I got to share it with my sister.

Until the next post. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like to hear from me.

Welcome to Travel Journaling: Antarctica Entry 16 November

 Only two more blog posts (three more dates) to go. From here, C.C. and I leave the National Geographic tour and go off on our own to explore Santiago, Chile. 

16 November 2026

Mandarin Oriental 

Santiago, Chile

20:32

We said our final goodbyes to everyone at our hotel. Information was shared and exchanged. 

C.C. and I got up really early for us and got to breakfast around 7:30. We sate with K, El, and B. Breakfast was really good. There were eggs, grilled vegetables, sausages, cookies, pastries, tons of bread, yogurt, and very good coffee. They even had lactose free yogurt.

C.C. repacked (I had last night) and I went for a walk. I found the spa area - they have two hot tubs outside and a huge pool area. Unfortunately, it opened at noon and closed at 18:00, so we couldn't try them out.

Before that, C.C. El, K, and I went to the gift shop. Sadly, the art wasn't for sale, but C.C. and I bought a gift for our mom. Our aunts would have loved the hotel - it was in their art style.

D and I took a final "hike" to the beach to take pictures. D told me a bit about Patagonia and plans to come back to hike the area at some point. We got pictures of a bird that didn't fly off right away. Rabbits were everywhere and the hotel didn't mind them at all.

I got back to the hotel in time to get my bags to the shuttle. C.C. and I almost left my neck warmer in the room. I ran back and got it.

With C.C.'s premium status, C.C. we got through check-in quickly. They even checked our carry-ons for us. C.C. had El and K join us for premium check-in. We sat with Da and Mk near the cafe. C.C. bought these Oreo type cookies called Triton. They were so much more flavorful than Oreos. K thought there was hazelnut in it. B also gave me a quarter of his huge ham and cheese sandwich - it had been heated up.

Boarding the plane was delayed a bit. We had to walk out to the plane to board. The airport was small with only one date and one security check point. 

The flight was great. C.C. got us premium seats. The sandwich on this flight was very good and we were given yummy chips too. Getting into Santiago was a little bumpy, but we made it just fine - along with our luggage. 

C.C. was a bit stressed about getting to the hotel, but the Uber worked great. Santiago is a city like I've never seen before. We're in a wreathy area, but there is still poverty. However, it's not as hidden as in Buenos Aires.

The Mandarin Oriental is beautiful. Our room is on the club level and is considered two stories (basically we have to step down into a lounge area). We have a fantastic view of the mountain range. Tomorrow, we have a private tour and then we hope to spend the afternoon at the pool.

We had dinner at one of the hotel restaurants. Matsuri is a Japanese, Peruvian, Chilean fusion restaurant. I got a sushi roll with steak on the outside and avocado, tempura shrimp, and cilantro on the inside of the rice. C.C. chose a pepper steak dish with steamed rice. 

Our server was great. He missed our double order of shumai, so he had C.C. try the house wine - a blend that is only made for the hotel. He told us the peppers in C.C.'s dish were colloquially called a dirty word. C.C. didn't didn't understand why I was cracking up until I explained the translation. I ate one and boy did my sinuses feel good and my mouth tingle. It was just a touch too spicy for me.

I had Peruvian donuts called, picarones, that were mixed with dulce de leche and citrus foam. They were amazing. The manager for the restaurant came over to see how we were doing. He told us that the picarones were one of the sweeter desserts they served. C.C. and I told him we didn't think it was very sweet. He understood why once we said we were Americans - he had worked in Miami and recalled that the desserts there were sugar bombs.

We ended the night by confirming our tour for tomorrow, showers (it was another rain shower), and a call with our mom. 

Until the next post. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like to hear from me.

Welcome to Travel Journaling: Antarctica Entry 15 November

My dad traveled a lot during his lifetime. He had a million stories about getting from one place to another. He traveled in cities facing major protests, traveled by sea during massive storms, and was once evacuated out of a country just starting a civil war. I have yet to have so many stories, but this journal entry contains one.

15 November, 2025

Remota Patagonia Lodge

Puerto Natales, Chile

21:07

Somewhere in the universe, dad is laughing his butt off. It was a hell of a travel day.

I got up a little before 7:00 to finished packing, put my suitcase outside our door, put my personal and carryon luggage in the lounge, and put on my first few layers of clothing.

C.C. decided to sleep a little longer, so I went up to the bridge one last time. The station on King George's Island is very international. It is easy to spot the Chilean flag and the huge orthodox Russian church. A great petrel made themself at home right outside the port side door to the outside. The captain said that the great petrel always shows up when they visit the island. 

Where’s the food?

There is one thing I forgot to mention yesterday. Before the polar plunge, we went to Edinburgh Hill. It was a really cool geological formation in the Antarctic Ocean that looks like it was carved by rain water. There aren't really ledges, but there are pleats like a skirt up and down the large rock.

We had breakfast with K and El. They, along with C.C. are getting sick. C.C. knocked over my coffee and we had to switch tables. 

Everyone then went to the lounge to wait to disembark. Many of us were still feeling yesterday's hike through the volcanic rocks in Whaler's Bay on Deception Island. That volcano had last erupted in the 1970s. Pe caught me while I was waiting for the bathroom and told me to go outside. It was beautiful and warmer than I expected. 

We had one last presentation on photography in the poles and that the National Science Foundation usually has grants for the arts and writing. I enjoyed the presentation, but started to overheat in all my layers of clothing. 

A little after 11:00, they began to call people down to the zodiacs. C.C. and I were in one of the last groups to go (in fact they skipped our call number, so our group just went down). The zodiac ride was nice and it was a sad farewell to the ship's crew and expedition team. However, if I ever chose to do this trip again, I would do the Drake Passage twice as today was nothing but hurry up and wait.

The tall tower is the Russian orthodox church.

We took a bus to the airport and cleaned our boots before settling in. The airport was three shipping containers put together on raised cement blocks. They provided tea, coffee, and water with several sectioned off waiting areas and a porch. I spent most of the wait on the porch. The ship crew gave all of us chicken creaser wraps before entering the zodiacs. Everyone happily ate them at the airport. We were also asked to not use the restroom at the airport since it's not easy to process the waste. 

The airport hallway - notice no TSA or security.

We watched the planes land. C.C. and I were on the second flight. The first plane was painted to look like a penguin. Our plain was white. We waved as the new group passed on the busses. 

This plane is so cool.

We then boarded the buses again - since we weren't allowed to wander around. They didn't have time to weigh our bags, so everyone de-stuffed themselves of all the items they had shoved into their coats. One gentleman surprised all of us by pulling out a pair of jeans from the front of his jacket. C.C. described the Washington University grads as "giving birth" to their clothes. Everyone's luggage fit - including my roller, though it did require the flight attendant to slam the overhead quite hard. 

I took this from the bus while waiting to board.

We were given chocolates as we boarded. I had the middle seat. The flight was about an hour and twenty minutes. We were given adorable snack boxes with facts about Adelie penguins. The cheese with sesame and pumpkin seeds along with the rhubarb crumble were good, but the chicken sandwich was rock hard, frozen solid. Our row mate, Dn, gave me his rhubarb crumble and he ate snacks he had brought on the plane. We were given a chocolate as we disembarked.

Coming into Puerto Natales was bumpy, but beautiful. I look forward to coming back since we didn't have any time to explore. I would like to see a puma. I hear they are common to spot in the national park.

The landscape is beautiful. 

Problems again arose in customs and emigration. It was going incredibly slow and then the power went out. The eventual solution was to have them stamp our passports, go through emigration, and fill out the important customs information on our own. We then had to turn it into our tour leaders at the hotel. With Puerto Natales having a tiny airport, I can see how they got approval to do this. The U.S. would never allow such a thing.

C.C. and I were on the last bus to the hotel, getting in at around 18:45. We had a little trouble getting into our room - there was a trick to it. The key is tied to an alpaca toy. We turned in our rented gear and I grabbed shows, then went to the 19:00 dinner buffet (there was another at 21:00, but we felt that was a little late). 

One of the hotel's hallways.

C.C. and I sat with K, El, B, and Br. There was a lot of meat and grilled vegetables. I liked the fried fish (something related to kippers according to B) and the chickpea falafel. 

The hotel is really cool. I wish we had another day. I explored a bit and took pictures before my phone nearly died. There are tons of rabbits and birds around the hotel. I really want to know what the colorful birds* are called. 

This is taken from a hotel window.

It was a long grueling day of travel. I think this part of the tour needs a little bit more work on National Geographic and Lindblad's part. No one was having a good time, but we were miserable together. I'm sad we've been separated from half our group, so yesterday was the real goodbye.

One of the walkways between the hotel's wings.

Going through customs in Buenos Aires still took longer then the mess we went through here. 

Teddy liked the landscape too.

It's been two years since dad passed. I know he would have found this all very amusing.

Until the next post. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like to hear from me.

*According to my Merlin app, this bird is a Southern Lapwing