Posts Tagged ‘Tierra del Fuego’

End of the Year at the End of the World

December 30th, 2009

 

magic words by sette

magic words by sette

 

We´re off to Ushuaia this afternoon.

There´s something compelling about being at the end of the world on New Years.

I´m not sure where or how my vision of Tierra del Fuego as a mystical land rooted. I don´t remember reading anything about it or talking to someone about this city whose name sounds like a primal chant.

Nevertheless, the place has fascinated me for years. I´m ready for the sweet mysteriousness  to unveil itself in 18 hour days.

There´s almost something frightening about finally visiting that destination you´ve dreamed about. Will it disappoint?

Will that magnetic energy dissipate when you finally disembark plane side? Is the best destination the one you haven´t visited? The most romantic love the one that is unfulfilled?

My cynical side shrugs. My larger, lighter side thinks it´s a self-protective mechanism so we don´t have to be courageous enough to sink into the joy of the present experience.

Leaning into love with your collective ego, heart and body takes guts and feeling complete and happy while in love or in travel takes passion and mindfulness.

If Ushuaia falls short of magic, I hope to have the courage to cast my own spell and love it for its reality.

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Over the next few days, I´m going to reflect on my next word of the year. Instead of creating resolutions that I´ll resent, ignore, or hide from, I´ve decided to take Christine Kane ´s advice this year and create a word of the year.

As Christine says, resolutions focus on the “DO” level.

A word of the year focuses on the “BE” level.

Check out Christine Kane´s post  for sample words of the year.

Perhaps shouting my intention for the year from the bottom of the world will help it reverberate throughout the universe. Like a earthquake begins in the lower levels of the earth or internal shifts start as whispers in the depths of the soul.

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What are your thoughts? Leave your word of the year below to shout it out from your corner of the world.

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5 Weeks in Argentina: Who, Why, When, Where

November 14th, 2009

Me excited. and scary. (The two go hand in hand)

Me excited. and scary. (The two go hand in hand)

Who: Me and my awesome husband.

Why: Argentina has been a dream destination for years. Although I’m eager to experience the big themes of Argentina: Wine, Tango, and Football, I’m also excited build a deeper relationship with the country and appreciate the different regions. I’m curious how a vegan will fare in Argentina too.

I graduate in December with my Masters of Music in collaborative piano. This is a new era for nancythegnomette. I will be able to concentrate exclusively on my travel writing career and new musical projects, in addition to my current job as owner of my private music studio. (I teach piano and voice.) Mr. Gnome is also in grad school, which allows us 5 weeks of academic holiday. He will finish his degree in policy analysis in May.

In September we found tickets to Argentina, via kayak.com, for approx. $800 each. $600 less than they had previously been priced. We snatched up the deal.

When: December 7, 2009-January 11, 2010. (I will turn 25 on Dec. 23!)

Where: I am beyond stoked at our itinerary:

-2 weeks in Buenos Aires with side trips to Uruguay (across the river) and Las Pampas (gaucho country).

-5 days in Mendoza. (Wine region. My favorite reds are Malbecs. Can’t wait.)

-10 days on a road trip in Patagonia, checking out Los Glaciares National Park, Torres del Paine, and the Perito Moreno glacier. (We plan to rent a car.)

-5 days in Tierra del Fuego. (I’ve dreamed of  the enigmatic Tierra del Fuego for years. Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world.)

(We will be flying in between BA, Mendoza, El Calafate (Patagonia), and Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego.)

Zoey-iphotobooth luv

Zoey-iphotobooth luv

The only negative part of the whole trip? I’m going to miss our dog, Zoey, even though she’ll be getting spoiled with the “grandparents” :)

text/photos: Nancy Harder

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