February 2004

February 02, 2004 - 1:34 p.m.

So we have made it out of the Futaleufu and are now back in Bariloche. The Futaleufu valley was incredible... it offered us some of the best boating we have done on our trip with a beautiful setting. We had it all ... beautiful weather, lots of rain to make the river go up, some good paddlers to joins us on the river, a few play spots (a couple with eddies) and even a couple swimmers to save. It was definitely one of the highlights on the trip ... and a place that we want to head back to one day.

Mark on Rio Gol Gol

Now we are going to make our way back to Pucon to arrange some things for the wedding and to do some more kayaking.

February 08, 2004 - 12:28 p.m.

Well we made it back to Pucon after spending a quick two days in the searing 36 degree heat in Temuco getting some clothes and supplies. Since we left at Christmas Pucon, aka. Pluton has underwent a complete demographic transformation. At being a city once of 10,000, it now has become a mass of over 100,000 partying Santiagoans and other strange mixtures.

Cars creep the streets all day and become a massive traffic mess by evening, fortunately almost everyone parties all night long so if you do the norm the town is actually sleepy and bearable in the AM. All this summer madness ends about as abruptly as it starts over the next 2 weeks so we will survive. Michelle and I are beginning to count down our final days in South America too.......Excited about our upcoming wedding ceremony at one of our favorite places with some special friends, and sad about leaving a country that we have so much become attached. A few friends and family will arrive soon to be here with us during this time so we look forward to a memorable February in Chile.

Kayak Pucon

February 23, 2004 - 10:17 a.m.

So Mark and I are now married, as of the afternoon of February 21, 2004. What an amazing experience! I don't even know how to begin to describe it. Mark's sister Michelle did a really good job, here are her words from an email:

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How does one describe such an amazing place...so cut off from the world we all know so well...this place is nothing like our own society...it’s magical...I now know why Mark and Michelle chose to marry here...phenomenal is merely a pebble word among the many that lie on the beach to describe....

The wedding took place late afternoon...with the best of their Chilean friends...kayak buddies from home (Edmonton-Calgary), Mom and I...with the Volcano in the background, sky so blue, sunshine that went well above 30 degrees, a river play spot on our side ready for us all to dive into after the ceremony...kayaks lined up along an old fence as the pulpit...simply superb...my eyes are misty just reminiscing with you now...God it was beautiful...through the tears in my eyes...I took a lot of pictures...the music played, Turn your lights down low with Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill in the background as the Bride and Groom walked hand in hand down the middle of the gathering of friends and family...tears were falling down everyone’s faces...it was simply...just so...right.

Mark all decked out in a dark, navy shirt and pants...Michelle wearing an amazingly simple, exquisite white Chilean dress with subtle embroidery to highlight...her hair pulled up with a braid that showed the little pink beads we laced inside and babies breath trailing down the curls that now lay upon her back...her hair has grown so much! They are an amazing couple and their bronzed faces and skin glowed beyond compare...they are happy together...and they got married Chilean style...a wedding I will never forget. 30 of us traveled the rapids in Kayaks with Bride and Groom right after...I shared one with Mom and it was truly an experience I will never forget...it’s hard to even put words together to describe what the river was like...in some places my mind could only focus on the rapid I was going through...some parts were frighteningly rough but, exciting enough to give me a craving for more...to see us all connected in such positive energy riding this river was...well...I’ll let you just feel it...I can’t put it into words...you can only imagine...and yes...it was that good!!!!

I wished I could beam you here...to share this amazing time away...I write in hopes that I may bring you here in spirit for a moment as you read...for I will never forget this time...Pucon, Chile is a place that without a doubt will never be forgotten...always to be remembered and most definitely will be revisited again...IT´S A MUST!!!

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I want to thank everyone who sent their Congratulations.... it's great to know that we are being thought about even though we are far away. I wish all of you could have been here to share this day. It was more special than I ever hoped it could be!!!

See "Wedding" post for pictures.

February 29, 2004 - 1:19 p.m.

So this past week we spent relaxing in Pucon and going to the rivers to paddle. We are slowly selling all of our paddling gear and getting ready to head north. Tom, Scott and Dave are going to join us for the first part of the journey (until Santiago). We plan to hit the beach and do a little bit of surfing, and then we are on our way north to Peru.

It’s going t be hard to leave Pucon, which has become a second home to us. We have lots of good friends and amazing memories and both of us are looking forward to the day we can return here.

Liucura Playspot