Hey Reader,

Life in the U.S. often feels like it’s lived in fast-forward. From the moment the alarm goes off, the race begins: emails to answer, errands to run, deadlines looming. Even the smallest tasks carry a sense of urgency, as if being five minutes late or waiting too long in line means the whole day is ruined. We grow up believing that speed is a form of success, that efficiency and productivity equal living well. But living at that pace often leaves us exhausted and joyless...

Traveling Rebelz Check-in

We’re continuing our travels deeper into South America! After leaving Ecuador, we spent some time in Santiago, Chile, and naturally made our way to a few wineries in the region. Since it’s currently winter in Santiago, the vines aren’t producing grapes yet, but we were told that June–August is the best window if you want to see the vineyards in full swing.

Even so, the properties were beautiful, and the premium wines we tried didn’t disappoint. Before the trip, we debated whether to join a wine tour—much like a bar crawl, they can be a fun way to meet people. But this time we opted for something different: we hired a private driver for the day ($135 USD), who took us to two wineries about 45 minutes apart.

The first was Viña Undurraga, one of Chile’s oldest wineries located in the Maipo Valley. The second was Viña Santa Rita, nestled in the foothills of Alto Jahuel. Both offered unique experiences and plenty of great pours.

From here, our tentative plan is to cross into Mendoza, Argentina, explore their famous wine country, spend a few days in Buenos Aires, and then—if all goes well—make our way to Uruguay or Paraguay.

If you’ve traveled through this part of South America, we’d love your tips! What spots should we add to our list?

Travel Hack We’ve Learned the Hard Way

So far on this trip, we’ve been catfished by two hotels and two Airbnbs—the photos online didn’t exactly match reality. It’s been a little exhausting, but one approach has saved us: we only book one night to start. That way, if the place doesn’t meet our standards, it’s much easier (and cheaper) to move on. Losing one night’s payment is far better than being stuck for five.

Another tip: some hotels will let you see the room before you book. It never hurts to ask—it could save you from a disappointing stay.

That’s all for this week—thanks for following along with our travels! We’ll be back soon with more updates (and hopefully fewer catfished stays).

Stay Roaming,

Maurice + Albion