Unfolding As I Go - Carole's travel blog

I've decided to change my travel plans a bit and add a part in my journey in Chile to go up north to the desert. It would be a shame to be in Chile but stay only in the central region and not see the northern desert. The real reason is that I want to see lamas and vicunas! Apparently they are everywhere around San Pedro de Atacama which is also a must-go place for visitors. Also I've been told about a mystical valley with a special energy: the Valle del Elqui. So here I am heading up north! Looking for a Workaway host in Valle del Elqui, I came across Maria Jose's description, looking for help translating her trekking tours on ancestral paths in the Valley. On the phone she talked to me directly as a friend 'Look, I know that many Workaway hosts take advantage of volunteers and make them work a lot. So what I offer is a safe space for women travelers to rest, enjoy and share my home with my 2 daughters. I don't have any tours planned right now, so there t...

The time is already coming to an end. We still had one day of raking hay. Again it was really beautiful, appeasing and strengthening. And also everyday there was milking of the goats. A perfect chance to practice. On the last day I managed to milk 3 goats by myself. Some of them are so sweet, they come rub their head against you. Other goats just think you are a pile of hay and come nibble your clothes (yes my clothes did smell like hay). Some goats like to be pet and scratched. Hard to believe but one important part of the work here is to socialize with goats, especially the younger ones, so that they become more used to humans and then easier to herd and milk in the future. One job that wasn't so easy but very important also is making new fences and removing the old fences once the goats have moved out. Goats have to be moved every 3-4 days after which they have eaten up all the grass and leaves and even barks of the trees. These movable fences are quite easy to handle but sti...

After the evening milking, the 90 goats up on the Alp go for an another walk before night time. Here they are following the shepherd Marcus. Turn on the sound and full screen mode for these 8 seconds!

It is June 21st and I'm back home from my last day at work. I gave myself one whole month before having to move out of my apartment so I could enjoy the summer and take my time to prepare my move and my trip. I check the weather forecast for the coming week: 39 degrees in Basel! I know myself and I know I am no good with these temperatures. The first thing I think of: escaping the heat and reaching the fresh air of the mountains. Indeed, in places like Saas-Fee and St-Moritz, the temperature is announced to be 26 degrees, on the same day it is supposed to be 39 degrees in Basel. I am now even more drawn to the freshness of the mountains! Graubünden and more precisely Engadin it is, a place I have never been to yet, and where my friend Caroline lives part time. 2 days in St Moritz and 3 days in Pontresina. I really fall in love with the area, especially Pontresina, a place surrounded by mountains and the forest that smells so good of 'Swiss stone pine' (Arve). The heal...