I want to go to Torres del Paine national park in Chile. The park is within Patagonia and was unmapped until the 1930’s. The landscape is untamed and beautiful; filled with teal-colored lakes, rushing rivers, glaciers, tower-shaped mountains, and fjords. A trip there would be amazing but not likely to happen any time soon. So, I sit down in front of my computer in my sweats with a cup of coffee, turn on Pandora, and do a quick search on Bing. I type in “torres del paine national park” and up pops everything I could possibly want to know about the park. Pictures-so many gorgeous photographs, maps, the current weather, travel advice, hiking trails, hotels, information on the locals, what animals inhabit the park, blogs from people who have been there, the best local food, etc., etc. By the time I am finished I know everything about Torres del Paine national park. I am an expert who has seen all of the best sites and listened to all the local sounds. I have an understanding of the culture and people and have even purchased some souvenirs. Then I turn off the computer and go make dinner.
What an amazing time to live! We have access to the world from our own living room. But it is also causing us to lose out on so much. Continue reading “virtual vs reality”
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