May 31, 2017 • 4 min read
Five months in and I’m still trekking along on this crazy journey! Last month: Lima, Peru. This month: Cordoba, Argentina!
My free days were few and far between because I used this location as a jumping-off point for two trips into the Andes Mountains. Still, I love the Argentinian culture (and incredible views). Here’s one of my favorites from Bariloche, Argentina.
Favorite Adventure: Soccer (futbol) has always been my number one passion since my first day on the field in 1988 at age 3. I love to be around the sport, whether that is playing pick-up soccer on the weekends or watching my nephew play in Colorado. Soccer is where I find incredible joy!
This month I was able to catch a local rival match: Talleres v Belgrano. It did not disappoint! The stadium was loud, rowdy and full of energy. The pre-game ritual is to throw rolls of receipt paper onto the field as they announce the players, as well as torn-up newspaper. That was a first for me.
Bucket List Item: I have always wanted to visit Patagonia and really get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life. I spent a week in southern Chile and Argentina with a group of friends this month and we were blown away by the beauty. Think Bob Ross’s Happy Trees. The pictures speak for themselves…
Challenges: Each month is unique and often characterized by a common theme, whether that’s being as active as possible in Bogota or pushing outside my comfort zone in Lima. This month will be forever titled: Forced Downsize.
At the end of each month, I’m presented with the daunting task of stuffing, cramming and cursing things into my suitcase while hoping I’m under 23 kg. (or about 50 lbs.). That’s all I get to carry everything I own to the next country.
A handful of strangers decided to help me with that task by imposing Forced Downsize upon me. The lovely airline baggage handlers in Chile decided that my hair dryer, straightner and Swell water bottle deserved better homes, so they took it upon themselves to take the items. (To be fair, I rarely brush my hair, so their sisters/wives/mothers/friends would quite possibly get more use than I do. And good luck with the wrong plugs and voltage…)
I can also thank the security at the futbol match in Argentina for disallowing my sunscreen, chapstick and lip gloss. They classified the plastic objects as projectiles which I might throw onto the field–yet they sold plastic soda bottles in the stadium. Go figure. And for the record, I have never seen a pale redhead willingly throw brand-new sunscreen on to the field. It’s like gold to us!
On the positive, I am 3 kgs lighter, which makes room for another pair of yoga pants.
Next Stop: Buenos Aires, Argentina!
Kelly Lanter is a technical account manager at TeamSnap. When she’s not globetrotting, she enjoys soccer, hiking, CrossFit, coaching kids at the YMCA and playing in adult sports leagues.
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