Finished the adventure awaits posts!

There may be some extra tweaks to do somewhere; I'll enjoy re-reading them!

content/posts/adventure-awaits/back-travelling/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+---
+title: Back travelling
+emoji: 🇻🇪
+date: '2023-11-16T05:54:04+00:00'
+summary: Why there's been such a big gap in posts, and our upcoming trip to Venezuela!
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/back-travelling
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+Well! Here we are nearly a year after we left on our sabbatical and half a year since it finished! After Buenos Aires we fit many more activities into our days, and made more friends along the way, leaving us with much less time for writing blog posts.
+
+I'm a little sad about the gap here, we never wrote about three wonderful partying weeks in Brazil, a hot and gorgeous week in San Pedro de Atacama, an epic off-road adventure through the Bolivian salt flats… and that only took us to mid-March!
+
+At that point I took a sad but lovely sabbatical interlude. An impromptu long week visiting my Mum at home (with my brother too, visiting from Vancouver). Her terminal cancer diagnosis shocked us all and made it a very easy choice to include _Cirencester, UK_ in my sabbatical. She passed away [just over a month ago](https://www.byjp.me/posts/mum/), and I'm still so happy that the last month of our sabbatical included such a cosy, memory-filled week!
+
+Chris and I then went back to his home in Vancouver. Mum was so keen to enjoy the rest of our planned trip vicariously we knew we were going to be adventuring for five — Yvette and I, Chris and his wife Rose, soaking in the sights for Mum back in the UK. We managed to squeeze in two superbly snowy ski days in Whistler before the four of us snoozed our way across the Pacific to Japan!
+
+I badly want to retrospectively add some posts her for Japan at the very least as, _wow_, it's only become more fun, beautiful and inimitable since my last visit 14 years ago!
+
+If you've not already guessed why I'm writing this post though, we are indeed back travelling again! Only for an all too brief two weeks, but it's back to South America — Venezuela this time, to visit Yvette's family, celebrate our wedding next year with those who can't join us then, and to attend her sister's medschool graduation. It's going to be a busy fortnight!
+
+You might wonder why we didn't add Venezuela to our itinerary earlier this year — bizarrely, courtesy of the strained relationship between the USA and Yvette's birth country, there are almost no flights into Venezuela from South America! There was one extremely slow & multi-hop trip via Panama, or an "easy" flight via… Portugal.
+
+…which is exactly the flight we're catching now! See you in Caracas soon! 🛫🇬🇧👋🇻🇪🛬
+

content/posts/adventure-awaits/buenos-aires-eres-hermosa/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+title: 'Buenos Aires: Eres Hermosa'
+emoji: 🧉
+date: '2023-02-23T21:23:48+00:00'
+summary: Six wonderful days in Buenos Aires exploring live jazz, great food, cocktails and wonderful people.
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/buenos-aires-eres-hermosa
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+{{< figure alt="" src="feature.jpg" class="big" >}}
+It’s about time I publish this post about our time in Buenos Aires! I’m getting quite delayed in tidying & posting my notes (we left on the 4th of Feb, and it’s now the 23rd…), mainly because of how much we’re fitting into our Brazilian days! As much as I want to be present and explore everything possible, I also want to write about what its been like for future us; after all, we become the stories we tell ourselves — adventure awaits!
+
+* * *
+
+Buenos Aires is clearly a city of the arts. Everywhere we turned we saw creativity; incredible graffiti, superb jazz, punk & rock performances, _three_ of the world’s top 50 bars, inventive (and free) museums, even the sombre but stunning cemetery _[La Recoleta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Recoleta_Cemetery)_ (and so much more!) Each of these places was overflowing with people expressing themselves, and doing it with skill and style. Even as we put our backpacks down in our hostel room, we heard the Argentinian rock trio formed from the hostel staff throwing an evening gig for us guests.
+
+{{< figure src="img-1.jpg" caption="Hostel Viajero’s in house band—the staff—playing Música Ligera, a track from one of Yvette’s favourite bands Soda Stereo moments after we arrive on our first night in town." >}}
+
+We managed to squeeze _a lot_ into just 6 days; as ever for us, it somewhat revolved around truly excellent food and drink. The _Choripán_ (**Chori**zo in **_pán_**, ie. bread) from _San Telmo_’s ‘antiques’ market was delicious, the literally world-class cocktails at [Florería Atlántico](https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/the-list/floreria-atlantico.html) were bordering on ruinously addictive, but it was our (now traditional) new-country-new-cookery-class at _The Argentine Experience_ that really stood out for me.
+
+{{< figure src="img-2.jpg" caption="From left to right: Yvette relaxing in one of the tucked-away markets in San Telmo old town; the architecturally world-renowned Puente de la Mujer (“women’s bridge”) our gate to one of the many ecological parks; Yvette enjoying one of those world-class cocktails at Florería Atlántico; how we first tried to learn Tango, using this rather lovely stone guide outside an old Tango hotspot—don’t worry, we also got lessons!" >}}
+
+The cookery class we picked was slightly more “for fun” than “for learning” this time around, which suited us extremely well. Sitting opposite us were two utterly lovely people who’d travelled all the way from Northern Ireland, and seemed as nervous as we did, wandering into an imposing room full of Spanish-speakers and impeccably dressed sous-chefs. They really needn’t have been…
+
+We introduced ourselves over a glass of _divine_ Argentinian wine, having immediately been put to enjoyable task making our own [empanadas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada), and preparing for the “extravagant empanada making competition” (for which, we were excitedly told, there were _prizes_). They asked us how we met, and how our trip had been so far. We grinned our way through our [engagement story](/posts/adventure-awaits/a-patagonian-love-story/) (we’re both still adoring describing our mountain-top engagement!) and, as their grins grew beyond vicariousness, we asked with suspicion: how had _they_ met? Never have I seen people forget about such delicious steak and light up at being invited to tell a story!
+
+{{< figure src="img-3.jpg" caption="Our utterly lovely neighbours for The Argentine Experience, pictured here with us after our class had made a serious dent in Argentina’s wine reserves." >}}
+
+It turns out they **met** on a mountain. The _biggest_ mountain! He was (and still is) a marathon runner, and had been invited to attempt the world’s first [Everest marathon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_Marathon); she was the trip doctor, joining to make sure the brain-addling that I believe must be needed to attempt to run 26 miles even _partially_ up the world’s tallest peak didn’t consume them all whole. They met on the bus taking them up to the starting point the day before, him escaping the hectic interior of the bus for some sun-time on the roof, her pointing out how little ozone there was to protect a very white Irishman from the sun and offering to apply sunscreen!
+
+Though I've shamefully forgotten their names, I'll not soon forget how they've since both survived cancer, and [MacMillan Cancer Support](https://www.macmillan.org.uk/) continues to benefit from their medical skill and marathon fundraising; she has even received an MBE for her work there. If our marriage ends up being even half as adventurous and close as the one these two have clearly lived and breathed (for more than a quarter century!) I’ll be an extremely happy man.
+
+{{< figure src="img-4.jpg" caption="From left to right: Yvette looking stunning in the Jardín Botánico; the two of us enjoying a rest in one of Buenos Aires’ many parks; Yvette carefully avoiding walking through the middle of the Tori in the Jardín Japonés—practice to avoid angering the spirits in Japan!" >}}
+
+Our time spent not eating and drinking was filled with wonderful walks around the city, evenings of live music, and tours of the city’s history. The "eco[logical] park" and its surrounds gave us so much to enjoy; it is a once-upon-a-zoo, responsibly divesting itself of animals not from the region, and focusing instead on ecological education — a very worthy goal if you ask me. Just next door is the beautiful [botanical garden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires_Botanical_Garden) (now 125 years old!), the planetarium (where I got to practice my Spanish using my astrophysics), and a prelude of what’s to come for us: the _[Jardín Japonés](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires_Japanese_Gardens)_, a lovely homage to Japan's (horti)culture right in the centre of the city (we even got to practice our Japanese, すごい!)
+
+{{< figure src="img-5.jpg" caption="From left to right: The overwhelming Teatro Colón opera house, which could easily warrant its own blog post, with its world-best acoustics—I wish the season had started!; Yvette, Ravi, and I enjoying more delicious Argentinian wine; Yvette giving Buenos Aires’ oldest tree (a ~230 year old rubber tree) un gran abrazo." >}}
+
+Making friends is always such fun while travelling, especially as making one often means more. As we were heading out one evening Yvette made a lovely feline friend in Jaguar the cat (whose name is also a bilingual pun, good for hostels, as it’s pronounced in Spanish “How are \[you]”). While she was petting Jaguar, Yvette also got to know Ravi, a once-upon-a naval engineer, now working in Vancouver(!) operating the district heating systems of downtown instead of the frigates that set out from Hong-Kong. We loved our evening with him at a beautiful theatre bar in the old town, San Telmo, and later at De los Cojones (a bar whose name translates weirdly well into English as “the dog’s bollocks” — though I sincerely hope the English never looked to dogs for what Spanish-speakers seem to revere in bulls!)
+
+I’m rambling again, but I’ve saved the best till last. A true pleasure for me, especially given how much we’ve tried and failed to find safe passage into Venezuela, I got to meet another branch of Yvette’s family. Cheryl, Yvette’s cousin, lives in Buenos Aires and made my visit so special both by putting up with my poor Spanish speaking, and by making me feel like part of the family as we put the world to rights over (yet another) delicious glass of Argentinian wine, and as she showed us the outstanding [Kirchner cultural centre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirchner_Cultural_Centre). This (free!) museum/art gallery/expo-centre, enormous and beautiful, is a clear signpost of how deeply Buenos Aires cares about giving its people a creative voice. Despite its labyrinthine size, we managed to find a way to the roof — granting us all a view of the city we’d never seen, and even a look right across the river mouth to Uruguay.
+
+To Cheryl, Ravi, Jaguar, and all the folks who make Buenos Aires such a wonderful city, thank you!
+
+{{< figure src="img-6.jpg" alt="JP, Cheryl, and Yvette grinning in the sun on the top of the Kirchner cultural centre." >}}

content/posts/adventure-awaits/cartagena-la-fant/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+---
+title: Cartagena, ¡la fantástica!
+emoji: 🏝️
+date: '2023-01-10T22:04:03+00:00'
+summary: Cartagena nos recibió con sus vibrantes calles, historia fascinante y rincones como Blue Apple Beach, donde sostenibilidad y comunidad van de la mano.
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/cartagena-la-fant
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+author: yvette
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+{{< figure alt="" src="feature.jpg" class="big" >}}
+🇬🇧 [_See below for an English translation!_](#en-GB)
+
+¿Se acuerdan que comenté que me puse como meta hacer que JP posteara algo en español? Bueno, logré convencerlo de traducir mis posts. Con esto no solo se me hace más fácil escribir a mí, también empieza a practicar él - a veces, me sorprende mi astucia.
+
+Ahora bien, hablemos de Cartagena: Wow, ¡cuánto orgullo! Volver a caminar por las calles de su ciudad amurallada con sus fachadas de colores vibrantes, llenas de flores que las adornan a lo largo de todo el año - una de las ventajas de no tener un invierno tan marcado. Entrar en sus casas con esos patios internos preciosos, llenos de plantas tropicales, que ahora sirven de espacio para restaurantes y bares increíbles - Alquímico, el bar número 10 del mundo ¡está allí! Caminar por sus calles donde cualquier local te responde a cualquier pregunta con una sonrisa y con un _“con mucho gusto”_.
+
+{{< figure src="img-1.jpg" caption="Un par de fachadas. Una con un JP al frente." >}}
+
+Históricamente, Cartagena siempre fue un puerto de vital importancia para transportar oro hacia Europa, con lo que, constantemente era atacada por fuerzas extranjeras. ¿Tal vez les suene de algo la batalla de Jenkins’ Ear de 1741? ¿O a lo mejor les suena más el nombre de “Blas de Lezo”? Bueno, como no quiero hacer de esto un artículo de Wikipedia, solo les voy a adelantar que JP no estaba muy contento cuando conoció la historia contada desde la perspectiva Colombo-Española (aquí les dejo [el artículo de Wikipedia](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blas_de_Lezo). Lean un poquito y entenderán por qué, jaja).
+
+{{< figure src="img-2.jpg" caption="Una imagen del Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas, donde hay una estatua de Blas de Lezo" >}}
+
+Y como no solo vinimos a aprender historia, aprovechamos de pasar un día en uno de los fabulosos clubes de playa que se encuentran a media hora en bote desde Cartagena, ¡el único con [certificación de B Corporation](https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification)! Se llama [Blue Apple Beach](https://www.blueapplebeach.com/), y por favor, no dejen de ir si vienen a Cartagena. Una de las cosas que más me sorprendió fue ver que lograron que Corona - sí, la cerveza mexicana - construyera un taller allí dentro de sus instalaciones, para crear un espacio seguro donde 6 señoras de bajos recursos pueden trabajar, aprender y vender sus artesanías.
+
+{{< figure src="img-3.jpg" caption="Aquí les dejo una foto de la piscina de Blue Apple Beach y el mensaje en la pared del taller de las señoras" >}}
+
+¡Qué ganas tengo ya de volver a seguir viendo a esta ciudad crecer!
+
+* * *
+
+<a name="en-GB"></a>🇬🇧 _And now JP's English translation!_
+
+Do you remember my promise to make JP post here in Spanish? Well, I managed to convince him to translate my posts. This not only makes it easier for me to write, but also lets him practice — sometimes I’m surprised by my own cunning!
+
+Now, let’s talk about Cartagena: Wow, I’m so proud! To walk again through the streets of this beautiful walled city, building façades so vibrantly coloured, full of flowers adorning them all year round — one of the perks of not having such a hard winter. Entering its houses with their beautiful internal patios, full of tropical plants, that make these incredible restaurants and bars such welcoming places; _Alquímico_, the 10th best bar in the world, it’s right here! Walking through its streets, where every local will reply to every question with a _“con mucho gusto”_ — “with my pleasure.”
+
+{{< figure src="img-1.jpg" caption="A few of these beautiful façades, one with a JP in front!" >}}
+
+Historically, Cartagena has always been a port of critical importance for transporting gold back to Europe, because of that, it was constantly attacked by invaders. Are you familiar with the name _Blas de Lezo_? Or perhaps more familiar with the Battle of Jenkins’ Ear of 1741? Well, since I don’t want to make this a Wikipedia article, suffice to say that JP wasn’t very happy when he learned the story told from the Colombo-Spanish perspective… (if you read a little[of the Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blas_de_Lezo) you’ll understand why, haha!)
+
+{{< figure src="img-2.jpg" caption="A photo of the Fort of San Felipe de Barajas, where there's a statue of Blas de Lezo." >}}
+
+And because we didn’t only come here for a history lesson, we took the opportunity to spend a day at a fabulous beach club only 30 minutes speedboat ride from Cartagena. It’s the only one with [B-Corp certification](https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification)! It’s called Blue Apple Beach — please [go there](https://www.blueapplebeach.com/) if you’re visiting Cartagena. One of the most surprising things was that they managed to get Corona — yes, the Mexican beer — to build a workshop where “…six local women have a safe space to work, learn, and sell the products they make by hand.”
+
+{{< figure src="img-3.jpg" caption="Left: a photo of the pool at Blue Apple Beach, right: The message posted on the wall of the ladies' workshop" >}}
+
+I can’t wait to come back and see again how this city keeps growing!

content/posts/adventure-awaits/cartagena/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+---
+title: Cartagena soleada
+emoji: 🇨🇴
+date: '2023-01-08T17:20:43+00:00'
+summary: Our trip starts with luxury we can't expect from the rest of it; everything is wonderful here — especially the Caribbean food! 🤤
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/cartagena
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+{{< figure alt="" src="feature.jpg" class="big" >}}
+¡Guao, que tan gloriosa es Colombia! We've had an absolutely stunning start to our backpacking holiday — so good, in fact, that you'd be hard pressed to call it anything but luxurious!
+
+So far as I can tell there are three reasons for this; the weather is _perfection_ (always sunny, but a constant offshore breeze), the exchange rate is very much in our favour, and the abundance of Caribbean fruits, cooking, and food of all kinds makes even thrown-together meals a whirlwind of deliciousness.
+
+It's my ambition to head to a cookery class in each of the countries we go to, for making friends over food, and learning a little more about the culture. Cartagena's own _Lunático Cooking Studio_ couldn't have been more what we were looking for!
+
+We started our _Lunático_ experience early, visiting the city's _enormous_ fresh produce market (4 street blocks square!) with our chef-to-be, and tasted every fruit and veg we could find. There were probably 20 I'd never seen before (and I have a love for trying new fruit when I travel), and even the ones I know from home had a richness of flavour that apparently only Carribean sun can provide — papaya will never be the same again.
+
+{{< figure src="img-2.jpg" alt="Chef Andres shows us the Granadilla fruit at a market stall." title="These 'Granadilla' fruit look similar to passion fruit, but they're sweet, not sour at all, and you eat them by cracking a hole like a hard boiled egg, then sucking out the deliciousness!" >}}
+
+Those few hours of market wandering with new friends went by in a flash, and the hours of cooking class with them — learning just how sweet the Cartagenan tooth is! — were as delicious as they were fun. We had time for three courses; stunning Colombian ceviche made with a vegan banana emulsion/mayonnaise, a taro & cheese soup called _Mote de queso_, and the most Colombian of combinations: _Posta negra_ (blackened topside beef) and _Arroz con coco_ (coconut rice). That rice is moreish to an extreme —&nbsp;it uses caramelized coconut milk and cane sugar to make every bite drive you further into addiction. The recipe is at the bottom. 😜
+
+{{< figure src="img-1.jpg" caption="JP at the Lunático Cooking Studio, proud of his Ceviche, Yvette enjoying the warm breeze in the rooftop bar of Alquímico." >}}
+
+There's so much I could write about our 4 day stop in Cartagena (as I sit here in Bogota airport, waiting for our flight to Santiago de Chile), but the kind people and delicious food & drink stand apart. I'll leave you with another tale of deliciousness — the wonderful bar _Alquímico._ Though we didn't know it at the time it's clear why it's currently the [10th best bar in the world](https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/the-list/alquimico.html). These highly prized spots are given not just to amazing cocktail capabilities (and **wow** they have those), but also for the unusual and inventive.
+
+_Alquímico_ is certainly unique in Cartagena, with its three tiered bar, each floor with a different menu and vibe. The speakeasy-esque ground floor was particularly fun; we made friends with a Swiss barman there for a holiday and research—what a job! We got chatting, and discovered his favourite bar in London is [our beloved local](https://www.barnightjar.com/); so we'll certainly be visiting [his bar](https://instagram.com/manhattan_ge?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=) if (when?) we visit Switzerland too.
+
+Folks, it's time you visited Colombia, and its jewel Cartagena. The flight from the UK is a little long but _so_ easy, and we'd definitely come back with you…
+
+* * *
+
+# Arroz con coco (Brown coconut rice)
+
+Truly delicious sweeter rice with clear, but not overpowering, coconut overtones. This is a real South American treat, and very common in Cartagena!
+
+Source: Lunático Cooking Studio, Cartagena, Colombia  
+Servings: 4 people
+
+## Ingredients
+
+- 1 fresh coconut
+- 1 cup rice
+- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
+- 2 tbsp panela (brown cane sugar; granulated will work)
+- Salt, to taste
+
+## Instructions
+
+1. Start with the coconut. Identify the two “eyes” of the coconut: two small, round indentations on one of its sides. One of these eyes will be more tender than the other. Using a knife, poke a hole into the softer of the eyes. Using a flat-head screw driver that you pound with a mallet, open the other, harder eye. Pour out the coconut water into a bowl and reserve.
+2. Crack open the coconut by holding it on one hand (well above the table!) and hitting it with a thick stick (rolling pin works well) on its equator — you’ll likely need to bring your arm right back!
+3. Using a sharp knife, a flat head screw driver, or a spoon if you’re feeling as skilled as our chefs, separate and scrape out the white meat of the coconut. If the inner husk remains (a very thin brown layer) that’s fine.
+4. Cut the meat into 2-inch chunks and place in a blender with the reserved coconut water. Blend until the coconut is finely ground.
+5. Strain the pureed coconut mixture over a fine mesh strainer in a large bowl, pressing down with your fingers to make sure all of the liquid is squeezed out. This liquid is called the coconut’s “first milk.” Set it aside.
+6. Return the strained coconut solids to the blender along with 2 cups of fresh water. Blend until well mixed and repeat the straining process above over another bowl. This liquid is called the coconut’s “second milk” and it will be used to cook the rice. Set it aside. Discard the coconut solids.
+7. In a caldero or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, bring the reserved first milk to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of sugar to help the caramelization.
+8. Reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, removing the milk that sticks to the sides of the pot. The milk will reduce, leaving behind solids. Allow the solids to brown slowly and caramelize. Keep stirring to make sure the solids don’t burn. Once they’ve reached a dark brown color (think the color of molasses) they’re ready.
+9. Add 2 cups of the reserved second milk. (If you don’t have enough second milk, add water to make the full 2 cups.) Wait until the caramel is dissolved in this water. Season it with salt to taste and introduce the rice.
+10. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the rice to a boil. When it starts drying, reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until most of the liquid has been absorbed and small craters form on the surface. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Fluff with a fork, cover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

content/posts/adventure-awaits/get-on-your-trekking-shoes/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+---
+title: Get on your trekking shoes!
+emoji: 🥾
+date: '2023-02-04T15:44:56+00:00'
+summary: Hiking in Patagonia — it's been incredible!
+author: yvette
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/get-on-your-trekking-shoes
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+{{< figure alt="" src="feature.jpg" class="big" >}}
+So, Patagonia! What can I tell you? Everything you’ve heard about it is absolutely true: it is stunning, you’ll do loads of awesome trekking, you’ll taste delicious food and wine, and you’ll meet incredible people on every corner. There are, however, some special things you’ll only be able to discover when you get here. In this post I will try to share with you all the discoveries I made, as well as some memories that I will definitely cherish for the rest of my life (bear with me, I promise I’m not exaggerating!).
+
+We started our trekking trip doing the famous W circuit in **Torres del Paine National Park** , in the Chilean Patagonia. Nothing less than the stunning _Mirador base Torres_ was our first challenge, and I had made up my mind from the start that no matter how hard it was going to be -and it was for me the most challenging trek of the whole W circuit, I was making it to the top.
+
+Why such determination, Yvette? Glad you asked! Because I had made a plan to propose to JP at the top. And lucky for me, he got very excited with the idea and said YESS!! I repeat: he.said.YES!! At this point, all the pain from sore muscles and blisters in my feet magically disappeared, and everything that looked beautiful on the way up was now looking gorgeous on our way down: the blueness of the river, the intense green of the trees, the smiley people, the cool suspension bridges, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees that sometimes mixed with the sound of the water going downstream… a dream!
+
+{{< figure src="img-1.jpg" caption="These are all pictures of our trek to Mirador Base Torre. From top left to bottom: the view of the river as we were going up, the two of us at the top after I popped the question, me crossing one of the suspension bridges, a picture I took of JP at the top that I really really like, my happy face on the way down, and one of the beautiful birds we spotted along the way." >}}
+
+Stuck inside a cloud, little by little we completed our 5 days of trekking as we had planned. We stayed at four amazing Refugios: Central, Cuernos, Paine Grande and Grey. They were all incredibly well organised, clean and full of like minded people enjoying the trekking experience. To me it felt a lot like being back at summer camp, with the added bonus of being able to buy beer - I absolutely loved it!
+
+With the adrenaline and the excitement of completing this incredible challenge together still running through our systems, we were ready to hit the road to get to El Calafate, in the Argentinean Patagonia. We started our adventure with a visit to **Perito Moreno Glacier**. Unbelievable! Seeing this massive, millennial block of ice sitting majestically in front of us was definitely a humbling experience. I tried to see if we could find Scrat looking for its acorn, but no luck!
+
+Right after this, we headed up to El Chaltén, Argentina’s official Trekking Capital, for four more days of daily trekking. Hey, I did tell you to get on your trekking shoes, didn’t I? :)
+
+{{< figure src="img-2.jpg" caption="From top left: trying to fit in the whole Perito Moreno in a picture; us in front of El Chorrillo, a beautiful waterfall in El Chaltén; JP standing on a rock in front of El Chorrillo; stunning Laguna Capri and a rainbow at the back; us in our way to the windy glacier in Laguna Torre; and a picture of gorgeous Río las Vueltas." >}}
+
+This time round we were able to do one day treks, which meant we came back to sleep at our hostel everyday, and most importantly: we only had to carry our lunch and water bottles on our way up the mountain. We were Ferraris! OMG we were so fast this time. I definitely recommend doing Torres del Paine first when planning your trip to Patagonia as this will give you the perfect training for the next treks to come -JP may not agree with me on this one as his knees were giving him a bit of a hard time after the W circuit.
+
+I have absolutely loved every minute of this non-stop trekking adventure. It has reminded me how much I miss trekking regularly. To give you an idea, I used to go trekking to [Sabas Nieves in Caracas](https://youtu.be/lyMgySRtJvg) almost every day! I’m definitely going to incorporate more trekking into my life, and I know JP is already keen for the same (if not, I’m not sure I can find any surprises as enjoyable as this one to give him at the top of every mountain to keep him excited! Haha).

content/posts/adventure-awaits/interlude-pack-post/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+---
+title: 'Interlude: Pack Post'
+emoji: 🎒
+date: '2023-03-11T11:45:44+00:00'
+summary: Things got too exciting and busy for blog posts! Here's a pack-post interlude while we figure out how to slow down 😅
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/interlude-pack-post-2
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+{{< figure alt="" src="feature.jpg" class="big" >}}
+We’ve been so busy recently, here in the middle of the Atacama desert, that I’ve not had time to write a post for you all! However I’ve been sneaky and (perhaps somewhat unexpectedly) well prepared, and put together an interlude post for a quiet moment while we were in Buenos Aires!
+
+So, to sate your curiosity and while away a spare 2 minutes, here is a brief “pack post”, showing you my travel possessions for these 4 months. Everything I’ve been carrying with me for handling the blistering equatorial sun in Brazil, the multi-day Patagonian hikes, skiing in Vancouver, and the chilly springtime in Japan. A total of just under 17kgs of clothes and comfort items — just over a quarter of my weight again (so I try not to carry it for too long!)
+
+{{< figure src="img-1.jpg" caption="Everything that travels with me in one picture — I’ll describe the contents in the paragraphs that follow, from bottom to top." >}}
+
+You can see across the bottom here I’ve gone all-in on the packing pouches. The [Muji ones](https://www.muji.us/collections/packing/products/recycled-nylon-gusset-case-double-ohfa0a) on the right, and the yellow [Osprey ones](https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/ultralight-packing-cube-set-PACKCBSET.html) have been **so useful** for keeping clothes roughly ironed-looking, even when they’re squished into a backpack. They’re also great for isolating the smelly ones that need washing (the red pack at the bottom) from the smarts (on the bottom right) and the things I need regular access to like socks & boxers (the small Osprey pack next to my sunglasses).
+
+In the middle you can see other crucial parts of my hold-luggage (which also tend to stay in hostels while we go out); my overpriced-but-actually-extremely-nice olive grey [wash bag from Peak Design](https://www.peakdesign.com/products/small-wash-pouch) (the Chinese USB-C recharging electric toothbrush inside it has been superb!), my micro fibre towel (which has been travelling with me now for 20 years, here also protecting the maté cup I won in our Buenos Aires cookery class), a medical kit (for hikes or spots away from civilisation), the beige self-packing mini backpack from Mystery Ranch (which will likely grow as we accumulate knick-knacks), and the blue bag-o-stuff that holds adapter cables, my penknife, overflow medical stuff and a spare battery.
+
+{{< figure src="img-2.jpg" caption="The Maté (tea) cup I won in Buenos Aires! Maté is everywhere in Argentina." >}}
+
+The black and orange bundles in the lower middle are, respectively, a superb Rab wind/waterproof jacket and a gorgeously warm “marmalade” Rab down layer—both bought in sales without being aware of the brand's usual expense, let’s hope I don’t have to replace them any time soon…
+
+Oh, and of course, the emergency pisco which Yvette’s long-time friend Gaby gave us in Sandiago de Chile (did she _know_ we’d be celebrating so soon afterwards??)
+
+Looking at the top row there, the four different sets of shoes I’ve brought with me were definitely the most challenging part of the pack. Flip flops were clearly necessary for the shared shower spaces of the hiking _refugios_ as much as Brazil’s gorgeous hot & sandy beaches; the hiking boots even more crucial to prevent twisted ankles.
+
+The trainers have meant walking around cities has been super comfortable (they also let my knee injury recover way faster, not having to shift a half kilo of boot every full step), and the deck shoes were a concession to wanting to look smart on occasion—charming our way into special events, dates together on Valentine’s day and Yvette’s birthday, and visiting the fancy bars we keep finding out are on the [world’s top 50 list](https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/list/1-50) (You’ll notice a shirt to go with them down the bottom right there too!)
+
+Finally, on the left, my trusty [Tilley hat](https://tilley.com/collections/best-brimmed-hats). Bought as a gift to myself in 2013 so I’d have some head-protection as I joined my Dad for his incredible drive/safari from Alexandria to Cape Town in honour of definitely-not-turning-seventy-what-are-you-talking-about. These Tilley hats are so good (especially because of their lifetime-long, no quibbles, guarantee and warranty) that Mum, Chris & Rose gave Yvette a Tilley hat of her own before we set off—she’s wears it proudly everywhere!
+
+All this fits into the green [Osprey Aether 55](https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/aether-trade-55-AETHER55F20.html) underneath my hat — they describe this pack size as being for “days, weeks and maybe months”, but there’s still enough space for a few small souvenirs in there for sure!
+
+{{< figure src="img-3.jpg" caption="I’m still impressed by how much space there is left over once all this kit is thrown together." >}}
+
+My hand-luggage—kept in that Chile-bought orange [Osprey Hikelite 18](https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/hikelite-18-HIKELITE18.html)—is surprisingly camera-dominated. My trusty [Fujifilm X-T30 II](https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/products/cameras/x-t30-ii/) has been behind many of the best photos you’ve seen on this blog, I love its shape as much as the photos it takes! It sits there in the red neoprene cover, next to a cut-down photographer’s kit: a wider lens for panoramas, a flexi-legged mini tripod, and a stack of filters for pretending I know what I’m doing. (The filter lens caps I [found online](https://amzn.eu/d/2gRZjp8) &nbsp;mean I can keep all this kit super small, I’d recommend them!)
+
+Tucked around that are the various pieces of space-aged wizardry that keep us entertained on chill days and let us write this blog. Chris’ old iPad and a [magic keyboard](https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MJQJ3B/A/magic-keyboard-for-ipad-pro-11-inch-4th-generation-and-ipad-air-5th-generation-british-english-white) (it makes typing so easy it almost justifies the cost… almost), an old Kindle Paperwhite (as I write this I’ve been through 6 books and have two on the go—Yvette and I are also reading _The Colour of Magic_ together 💚), and my Sony [WF-1000XM4](https://www.sony.co.uk/headphones/products/wf-1000xm4) headphones, which I’m having a love/hate relationship with at the moment. They’re easily the best headphones I’ve ever owned—they fit into a (slightly bulging) pocket, have superb quality, and bring the music that keeps me sane to wherever we’re waiting—but the battery has almost totally gone in the right earbud and, at 14 months old, I’m having a fight with Sony over their replacement, which is challenging from a different continent! [PS. I subsequently left them in the shared space at our Florianópolis hostel overnight, and they grew legs, so… yay, I get to claim on insurance to get a new pair? 😅]
+
+Eye-mask, ear plugs, tissues, money/passport pouch, water bottle & duct tape make up the bulk of the rest. Two call outs there: always travel with duct tape (you can see it holding the pisco cork in place here, it’s also blacked out blinky lights in bedrooms for better sleep, and has even made a make-shift plug for a much-needed bath!), and get yourself a [Wise card](https://wise.com/gb/card/), it’s been the best investment for good travel exchange rates, particularly in Argentina.
+
+The final flourishes include a [Genki Audio](https://www.genkithings.com/products/genki-audio) (I helped kickstart it back in… last decade 😳) which we use for splitting the bluetooth audio two ways while watching downloaded episodes of [Jack Ryan](https://trakt.tv/shows/tom-clancy-s-jack-ryan) on long flights), a walkie-talkie (for when we’re hiking different routes, or otherwise apart without good internet calling), and—of course—my beloved engagement gift, the compass that Yvette so carefully had engraved with her own handwriting.
+
+{{< figure src="img-4.jpg" alt="A photo of JP with both backpacks on, giving a thumbs up, in a hostel lobby." title="What’s got this guy looking so perky?" >}}
+
+Getting all this stuff in these bags doesn’t take long, you probably spent more time reading about what’s in it — what a… filler post 😂 If you find yourself interested or travelling on a weight-budget do leave a comment or send me an email, I’ll be happy to share more info on what’s worked well and what hasn’t!

content/posts/adventure-awaits/ya-casi/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+---
+title: "¡Ya casi!"
+emoji: ⏰
+date: '2022-12-30T15:03:00+00:00'
+summary: The feeling has hit, we're going to be off soon!
+author: yvette
+syndications:
+- https://adventure.awaits.us/ya-casi
+series:
+- Adventure Awaits
+topics:
+- Travel
+- Myself
+---
+{{< figure alt="" src="feature.jpg" class="big" >}}
+This is it! _Ya casi_ - almost there! Only 3 days to grab our backpacks and head to Heathrow to start this adventure. Well, maybe it will start as we walk out the door and try to juggle all the TfL strikes, but that just makes it more fun.
+
+We’ve been packing around the house to make space for the lovely couple of friends that are coming to live here while we are away. As I start to hear the echo of the empty spaces, it started to kick in: that familiar feeling of packing it all because you are moving out of the country. Except this time everything is only going to go to the other bedroom, I'm not packing alone and, and most importantly, I'm coming back home. Which also feels kind of weird, because the idea of going to South America _feels_ like going home, even though we are sadly skipping Venezuela on this trip.
+
+I am beyond excited about going back to the places I know and showing them to JP. I think this will help him understand a lot more about me, and I’m SO looking forward to seeing all those known places through his eyes. Also, I’m really looking forward to seeing him having to speak more Spanish to be able to go around - watch this space, I’ve made it a personal challenge to get him to post something in Spanish here!
+
+Oh! I’m Yvette, by the way, the other half of this team. I was born and brought up in Venezuela to a Colombian Mum, a French Dad, and later a French stepdad (yeah I know, my mum had something for the French). As I say to my friends, I'm a citizen of the world, I just change who I pay my taxes to, but South America will always be my first home I can't wait to be back!
+
+Well, I guess I ought to get back to packing with JP. Let the adventures begin!!

layouts/_default/single.html

@@ -36,10 +36,17 @@
         </svg>
         {{ i18n "readingTime" .Page.ReadingTime }}
       </p>
+      {{- if .Params.Author -}}
+      <p class="author h-card">
+        <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="feather feather-user"><path d="M20 21v-2a4 4 0 0 0-4-4H8a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v2"></path><circle cx="12" cy="7" r="4"></circle></svg>
+        <span rel="author" class="p-author">Written by {{ partial "friend.html" .Params.Author }}</span>
+      </p>
+      {{- else -}}
       <p class="author h-card hidden" aria-hidden="true">
         <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="feather feather-user"><path d="M20 21v-2a4 4 0 0 0-4-4H8a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v2"></path><circle cx="12" cy="7" r="4"></circle></svg>
         <a href="{{ .Site.BaseURL | absURL }}" rel="author" class="p-author u-url">{{ .Site.Author.name }}</a>
       </p>
+      {{- end -}}
     </div>
 
     <article>

todo.md

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Things I might work on within my personal blog's software.
   - `title:    .title` (Or album, if path is `/release` not `/recording`)
   - `artist:   .artist-credit.name`
   - `links:    .relations[type="free streaming"|"streaming"].url.resource`
+- [ ] Fix header im ages that are skewed to the left at wide screen sizes (see Adventure Awaits posts)
 
 ### Done ✓