Day 12: Last full day in Chile :(

Today was a sad but amazing day in Chile. It was our last full day here. I can't even fathom how fast these two weeks went. So crazy, but we had some great highlights today. We started our day waking up a little early but highlight we got Starbucks! Espresso is my new favorite thing. So after a nice 45 minutes bus ride and lovely morning nap we arrived a gorgeous ranch with pigs, bores, and of course beautiful horse. Actually over 40 of them! We all wandered around the farm looking at the different and cute animals they had. I loved all the dogs they had. Then we were called over to the pasture with the horses all saddled up and ready to ride. I got a semi calm horse which I was okay with because I didn't need to be bucked off. It's name was Pomedorno and he was very pretty. He was a rather tall horse because I am a rather tall person. haha.

My horse for the afternoon

When it was time to ride we received a lesson from the lady who owned the ranch and learned how to turn and work the horse so we could get it to do what we wanted. It was a little tough at first, my horse enjoyed walking sideways. Of course I got the weird horse. But once it came time to follow every one and get to the real ride he was all straightened out. We rode down a long drive way where it met the beach and we rode along there. We had three guides helping us and they taught us how to gallop. WOW was that a good time. I have never galloped on a horse before and my horse could fly. I held on for dear life as we flew down the beach through the water passing everyone. It was a once in a life time feeling and it was incredible. We then approached some forests which of course there was more water then we had to trot through getting a little wet. These small windy paths led to enormous sand dunes that our horses climbed up and almost fell a couple times but they were built for it. You could tell who was not used to riding horses because you always need that one person who falls off the horse...this time it wasn't me. (No mom I wasn't the clumzy one on this adventure). But we hiked up what felt like mountains of sand is was gorgeous!

Sand dunes we were climbing over

I wish I could describe the experience better but it was just too amazing to put into words. After going for an hour on the sand dunes we stopped for a break so us and our horses could regain some strength and then continued on back down to the beach. We were on straight patches of beach for miles so all we kept doing was galloping. We were having some races and it was so much fun, but definitely a work out. After an hour of that we definitely tired our horses out and it was time for some lunch...for us and them. 

We arrived back at the ranch to a beautiful bbq and salad spread made by the people who worked there and it was a great outdoor picnic. We all sat around a fire and enjoyed each other's company and talked and laughed over some meat that they had prepared right there on the ranch.

Yummy!

Easily one of the best days of my life. Sadly this day is coming to an end. We have one final dinner with all of the Chilean students and then time for our last night out!! I'm definitely not ready to leave and I definitely want to come back! ASAP :)