Note's from the Road ... Chile style
Trip type: Outdoor adventure and research (the best part of the job)
Destination: Chile
Number of Days: 15
Best place to act like a local
Wander the Sunday morning at Bío Bío flea market in Santiago. Navigate the maze of antiques, look for rare books and eat empanadas. Need a wrench? You can get one of those, too. If it exists, you can buy it at Bío Bío.
Most other-worldly experience: Stargazing at 4am from the terrace of Tierra Atacama. It's absolutely stunning.
Favourite hotel: Tierra Chiloé, a seaside hideaway among the picturesque fishing villages.
Best meal: Curanto, a traditional Chilean clambake where seafood, chicken, sausages, pork, vegetables and potato bread are layered over hot stones and covered with nalca leaves to trap steam.
Architectural fantasy: Tierra Patagonia, designed by Chilean architect Cazú Zegers to incorporate rather than fight against the strongest natural element of Torres del Paine National Park--wind.
Recommended hike: Cornesus Condoreras, a 6km hike up, across and down a prominent rock buttress. The reward? Stunning views and, because of the high winds, the chance to see condors float up beside you.
Most other-worldly experience: Stargazing at 4am from the terrace of Tierra Atacama. It's absolutely stunning.
What to pack:
For the desert: your hiking boots and sunglasses
For Chiloé: an appetite for unique indigenous culture, and seafood.
For Patagonia: serious wind gear and a sense of adventure.
Want to go to Chile, email Jackie, she would love to elaborate on her trip.