BEHIND THE SCENES

Chiloé is an archipelago just off the end of the Pan-American highway in northern Chilean Patagonia. It is only accessible by boat or ferry (for now – more on that in the film), and as a result, crossing over from the mainland to Chiloé is like stepping into a time capsule.

It’s not hard to leave the bustle of the mainland behind when the first things you see on Isla Grande (the big island) upon arrival are dirt roads, black-necked swans, boardwalk signs with images explaining the fabulous mythology of the Chilote (local) culture and a church made entirely of wood, without using nails (the churches of Chiloé are a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

This place is different and slow-paced. “Hurry” must not be a word here. Community, connection, culture, nature…these are the words that stand out to me here.

MY STORY

The first time I experienced Chiloé was in the fall of 2015 on my first trip to Chile; it was the same month that I left my entire life behind. I had just spent a week trekking the W Circuit in Torres del Paine National Park in the south of Chile, then a week attending my first Adventure Travel World Summit in Puerto Varas.

After several blurry months stateside, my life in Patagonia had suddenly felt crisp, clear, fresh, purposeful and full of new beginnings. I was in a raw and vulnerable state, taking it all in, exposed to the elements and feeling every last one, letting it all happen around me, with gratitude.

It was in this open state that I first stepped foot on the big island of Chiloé, with zero expectations. I hadn’t heard of our guide Rafa or his company BirdsChile before this trip. I hadn’t spent much time reading the itinerary – I just showed up. So did Rafa, offering me espresso; he already knew exactly what I needed. That was a perfectly-laid first stone on a path that would lead to great things.

Sunshine floods my memories of our experiences that week; the kind that actually reaches and warms my soul, even today. Every memory has bright yellows, blues, greens, vivid colors in what I saw and felt and tasted, hiking in the national park, sharing in my first curanto, exploring the local market, sampling new foods (even ones I didn’t like), cooking with local ingredients, connecting with the contagious laughter and genuine smiles of local residents.

My experience in Chiloé stayed with me as one of the most surprising and uplifting weeks during a dark time in my life.

I cultivated a friendship and business relationship with Rafa, and he began to move into the space of a mentor for me when I started organizing my own trips. Ultimately, this led to us working together to re-create our experience on Chiloé two years later, this time for my audience.

THE FILM

On the phone with Osprey, I shared this story and suggested that we travel to Chiloé for the film project, with one condition: that we leave room for magic to happen. While we can plan a basic itinerary, we absolutely must leave space open for chance encounters that will lead us down paths we cannot possibly anticipate.

This is Patagonia.

I think they practically fell out of their seats. We were on.

Rafa and I put together a loose itinerary for the film crew and I, and south we went to discover what paths awaited us in a land that rises to meet you exactly where you are – to tell a story of people and culture, to tell my story, and to reconnect with this special place beyond the end of the road.