This week has been epic.

As the title of this post suggests, I had an incredible time traveling during the past week. I'm intimidated by the thought of writing it all down coherently, but I know I need to. I've been really busy since I got back and it's late right now, so I'll just start with the highlights to keep you engaged.

First, picture me standing on a balcony in the corner of a giant, high-ceilinged room, peering over the edge of the balustrade at the regional congress in session below. That's day one. Another highlight of that day was standing on the front edge of a huge cheering crowd as Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner walks across the stage in front of me.

Next, picture me sipping tea and nibbling homemade lemon cookies in the cozy sitting room of a vacation house in the hill country of central Argentina, chatting in Spanish with a large group of middle-aged friends. That's day two. Another highlight of that day was driving through the wild, barren mountains and plateaus of the area around Córdoba.

Day three looks like me pretending to be classy as I swirl my wineglass and inhale the notes of chocolate and oak (or whatever), tasting various wines at various wineries in Mendoza— arguably the wine capital of South America. Another highlight of Mendoza was the olive oil factory where I got to sample an incredible array of olive oils, sun-dried tomato spreads, and dried fruits.

Day four was frolicking in the snow of the tallest mountain in the Andes— and in the Americas. Another highlight was sipping hot chocolate and chatting with Léa at a bustling ski resort as snow fell softly outside the window next to our table.

Finally, picture a chestnut horse galloping across a field, ridden by a girl who leans forward as her hair flies behind her, with the towering Andes mountains as a backdrop. Yeah that's me on day five.

These are the highlights of the past few days. Photos and more details to come soon!

The base of the Andes Mountains of Argentina / Photo credit Léa Oriol