It is still hot here in North America, but in South America the skiing is on.
When you get tired of all the heat you might consider a ski vacation there.
That's right, skiing in summer.
Here in the Bay Area we are only a day's travel from some of the best snow skiing in the southern hemisphere.
After a ten hour flight, from Oakland CA, you arrive in Santiago, Chile.
Then check into the Puerta Del Sol hotel in the cold and refreshing air of the Andes Mountains which is only another two hours away.
Cradled by majestic mountains this hotel is in the Valle Nevado fabulous ski resort.
Okay, the trip will take a bit longer than a drive to Lake Tahoe but, then how often do you get to be in one of the world's great mountain ranges? It is over 7,000 km (4,300 mi) long, 200 km (120 mi) to 700 km (430 mi) wide, and of an average height of about 4,000 m (13,000 ft.
).
The highest peak, Aconcagua, rises to 6,962 m (22,840 ft.
) above sea level.
Everyone there is friendly and helpful.
More importantly, they are very patient with non-Spanish speakers.
Without being too flash the hotel has everything you need from multiple restaurants to Internet terminals.
It is a relatively easy vacation to organize.
Use the LAN web site to book your flights.
And the Chile-Ski web site to book your accommodation.
Then there is the skiing.
Valle Nevado is an amazing place.
The Andes surround you and you are lost in a world of snowcapped mountains.
And the powder snow, that often falls, can make the place a skiing nirvana.
You can even go Heli-Skiing with the company called: Eurocopter-Helibras.
They can get you up to altitudes of over 14,760 feet, to virgin snow, with descents of up to 1.
2 miles.
When you get tired of the heat of summer and are looking for a break perhaps this is the vacation is for you.