Herewith, random but key statistics for our first month of frolic-and-detouring:

• Countries visited: 1
• Beds slept in: 8
• Long-distance bus rides: 7
• Rental cars: 2
• Flights: 3
• Empanadas consumed: 15
• Miles traveled (approx): 9,142
• Favorite hotel (splurge): Posada Colchagua, Santa Cruz
• Favorite hostel (normal): Casa Kreyenberg, Valparaiso
• Significant mishaps: 1 (failure to book a bus in advance resulted in a night’s delay in Punta Arenas, en route to Puerto Natales, and a last-minute scramble for a place to stay in a very full town)