The people and El Bolson

So we took a three hour bus trip from Esquel to El Bolson. El Bolson is notorious for being a hippy town, and it is just that. The market here is wonderful, full of artesnal crafts and beer, and lots of yummy food for cheap! We decided to camp, as yesterday was hot, but as night fell, we began to realize this would be the true test of our sleeping bags. We managed to stay warm, and in the morning, the sun rose quickly enough to keep us happy. During the day we just really kicked back and relaxed. The kids played in the little park next to the huge market, and we sat on the lawn and drank some beer. We returned the campsite, and met our neighbors. They are really an incredible pair. The saved up money to take a year long journey through central and south America and are volunteering along the way. They have released sea turtles, worked as hospitality staff, worked on an organic farm picking pineapple, cacao, and avocados and now are headed off to the jungle of Bolivia to help retrain circus and abused animals to the wild. They did the work in exchange for food and shelter. They along the way, have also gone diving, glacier climbing, caving, you name it, they have done it. We spent the night thinking how cool all that would be. We asked them about the possibility of doing these projects with kids, and they said that they have heard it being done. What an awesome way that would to spend summers with my kids! So, if all goes well, hopefully our next trip will be in Central America doing some volunteer work.

We also met a guy in Esquel that had driven for 7 months from Argentina to Alaska in an RV. It was really impressive, and he could remember every place that he had seen alone the way, not to mention the route he and his wife had taken. The RV impressed Facundo so much that he wants that to be the purchase that follows the house, and two cars when we get back to the states. We'll see about that. I think we need a year or two of recuperation of normality before we set off on another adventure.

Harrison visited a hospital yesterday for a check up on his stitches, and he can now go without his big white bandage on his chin. Next Monday, they come out, so hopefully all will have healed well.