Just as looking for jaguars in the Pantanal has gained in popularity during the past few years, looking for Pumas in Chile in the Torres del Paine area has also increased in popularity because it is the best place in all of South America to track, spot and photograph these beautiful big cats in the wild.

In a recent Portrait of American Travelers study, it was noted that 67% of American travelers now express an interest in experiencing foreign foods. That is up from 51% just 2 years ago. Millenials showed the most interest while mature travelers showed the least interest.  I wonder if that is partially due to tv celebrities like Andrew Zimmern and Anthony Bourdain who travel around the world eating local food? At any rate, it seems that will eventually hurt the malls I've seen in foreign countries that have nothing but American fast food restaurants in them.

South America is definitely an area where local chefs are developing cuisines that are evolving and enticing travelers.

Travel in South America can often be a problem because many times you have to fly to a major hub in order to connect with another city, which adds time and cost. Here are a few new routes to make things more convenient for travel in Chile and Argentina.

What kind of things do you look for when you are trying to decide where to go to for a vacation? Is it safe? Are there fun things to do? Is there an interesting culture? Do they have activities to suit my interests? Are there beautiful natural areas? Do they have the type of accommodations I like to stay in?