Almost home!

Greetings!
We´re about 46 hours away from landing in Baltimore....can´t believe this adventure is almost done! It´s been incredible, and we have by NO means slowed down as the end has drawn near!
We headed back to Torres Del Paine NP after a day of drying out and resting in Puerto Natales and managed to do a bit more of the backpack, though this time in tennis shoes with day bags. We were able to get up to the Torres of Torres del Paine, which were SO beautiful! I have included pics of us with and without our colorful rainjects on for your viewing pleasure....can you pick us out individually?
It was awesome getting back into the park, especially with good weather.
That evening we were greeted by 25 horses which decided that our campsite was the best grazing area around, and I awoke the next morning with a muzzle pushing against my foot from outside of the tent as a large animal tied to graze UNDER our shelter!!!

Katie and Andy, unfortunatly, we not as lucky as they awoke on the morning of Katie´s birthday to massive winds which cracked a tent pole and ripped their rain fly....good thing the sea kayaking company provided tents! I would say that other than that Katie had an awesome birthday! We met up with the guides to paddle for 2 days on the serrano river, with a third in the lagoon which the serrano glacier forms. It was incredible! There was a TON of wind, but enough of a current to where you didn´t have to work too hard to paddle, though there were some firece moments. The guides even brought a bottle of sparkling wine and a birthday cake for Katie!

We has some pretty bad weather on the second day- huge winds and a ton of rain, which we would watch falling as snow on the hills and mountains above. Luckily we were able to get off the water early in the afternoon and change into dry clothes.

We awoke this morning and paddled the serrano glacier lagoon, which was so beautiful! After packing up we boarded the boat which would take us back to Puerto Natales and somehow ended up in first class....and awesome mistake if you ask me! HUGE seats and plentiful beverages made the journe pass by too quickly. We asked if they would bring us back to Washington D.C but they polietly declined....
SO our bus leaves to take us back to Punta Arenas at 8pm...we just finished up and amazing pizza dinner and are running last minute errands here as we know P.A. will be crazy with the new years celebrations. It´s amazing to think of how quickly the last three weeks have one by. We feel like we have truly lived each moment here to the fullest...which means we are EXHAUSTED.

With that I sign off knowing that you will probably hear from us via email or phone when we land back in the states day after tomorrow. Thank you so much for following our blog...it´s been really fun keeping everyone informed on our travels...
be safe this new years eve and know that we are being safe as well....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!