Travel with Generative AI

Recently, I embarked on an epic adventure with my son, Mohan John , to the stunning wonderland of Patagonia, all thanks to the help of Generative AI. Now, let me share my experience in case you would like to visit this fascinating part of our planet. It all started when I had a sudden urge to explore a place that was both scenic and unique. And what sparked this wanderlust, you ask? Well, it was none other than an episode of "Long Way Up" on Apple TV+. Who knew a TV show could be so inspiring?

Now, armed with the power of Generative AI and its fancy-schmancy Large Language Models (LLMs), I was ready to dive into the world of travel planning like never before. I stumbled upon a nifty website called poe.com, where I could have a delightful chat with their AI assistant named Poe. It was like having a witty travel buddy who happened to be an AI genius!

Using a technique called chain of thought prompting, I bombarded Poe with questions about the best way to visit the important sites in Patagonia. And boy, did Poe deliver! I got a fantastic list of must-see places for us, including Torres del Paine National Park, Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, Fitz Roy Mountain, Tierra del Fuego, and the Lake District. I was practically salivating at the thought of exploring these gems.

But wait, there was more! I asked Poe to suggest a road trip itinerary covering all these jaw-dropping destinations. Poe, being the travel whiz that it is, presented me with a 12-day itinerary starting from Punta Arenas. It was a masterpiece, but alas, time was not on my side. I had only 5 days to spare, and I needed to prioritize the top attractions.

With a few tweaks, Poe helped me trim down the itinerary while still ensuring I didn't miss out on the crème de la crème. It was like having a personal travel agent who understood my time constraints and desires. Once Mohan approved the plan, I set things in motion with flights, hotels, and tours. However, there was one tiny hiccup—we couldn't find a rental car that would let us cross country borders. So we put our flying capes on and decided to start our Patagonia exploration from El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province in Argentina.

In El Calafate, Poe unleashed a plethora of places to visit. The list was so long that I wondered if I had enough time to see it all. But never fear, Poe had my back. It provided me with the top three must-visit spots, saving me from tourist overwhelm. One of them was a road-trip excursion to Chile, to visit the crown jewel of Patagonia, the Torres del Paine National Park.

From El Calafate, we took a flight to Ushuaia, to explore the end of the world: Tierra del Fuego National Park, Glacier Martial, Beagle Channel, and the lakes, in 3 days.

Next up, Buenos Aires! With three days to spare, I asked Poe for the best sites to visit. It showered me with recommendations, including the Recoleta Cemetery with its elaborate mausoleums (spooky and fancy at the same time), the Pink Palace and Mayo Plaza (where history and politics collide), and the vibrant and colorful Caminito street in La Boca. Buenos Aires was beckoning, and I was ready to tango my way through the city!

Our visit happened to coincide with the inauguration ceremony for the new President of Argentina!

But hey, why stop there? I thought, why not take a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay? Mohan liked the idea too. Poe gladly obliged and provided me with suggestions on what to explore in this charming town across the river. Armed with Poe's wisdom, we hopped on a ferry (Buquebus, to be precise) and had a whirlwind adventure in Colonia before heading back to Buenos Aires.

Finally, after an incredible journey filled with breathtaking landscapes, cultural discoveries, and a few blisters on my feet, it was time to bid farewell to Argentina. We caught our flight from Buenos Aires back to Boston, carrying memories that would last a lifetime.

So there you have it, our unforgettable trip made possible by the magic of Generative AI and my trusty AI travel companion, Poe. Mohan picked up Spanish using an app during the long flight and that helped us immensely. It's amazing how technology can turn a simple idea into an extraordinary adventure. Until the next AI-powered escapade, happy travels, my fellow explorers!

Appendix

Here are the specific prompts I used to gather the information I needed.

Poe: Chain of thought prompting. Prompts are in italics

What is the best way to visit important sites in Patagonia?

< Got a list of important sites (Torres del Paine National Park, Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, Fitz Roy Mountain, Tierra del Fuego, Lake District) and how to get there >

Can you suggest a road trip itinerary to visit Torres del Paine National Park, Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, Fitz Roy Mountain, Tierra del Fuego, Lake District?

< Got a 12 day itinerary with Punta Arenas as the base, which was more than the time I had >

How do I get to Punta Arenas from Buenos Aries?

Revise the itinerary if I have only 5 days and only want to visit the top few attractions

Add a day to the above itinerary

Change the itinerary to start and end in Ushuaia

Make it a driving trip only

<Challenge: I could not find rental cars that had permit to cross country border, so I decided to fly to start my Patagonia exploration from El Calafate and use tours to visit Chilean Patagonia. This challenge turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we had also under-estimated the driving distances and times>

Places to visit near El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina?

< Got a long list >

what are the top 3?

What the best sites to visit in Buenos Aries if I have 3 days?

what to visit if I make a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay?

Based on the suggestions I got from Poe, I crafted a modified version, taking into account flight and accommodation availability and cost. Here's what I eventually did: (Dec 1 to Dec 14, 2023)

• Left Boston to Buenos Aries (BA)
• A day in BA
• Flight from BA to El Calafate (EC)
• Three days in EC (Visited/hiked Torres del Paine (Chile), Glaciers National Park)

• Flight from EC to Ushuaia
• Three days in Ushuaia to visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, Glacier Martial, Beagle Channel cruise to see lighthouseaa@EoW, penguins, and drive on Rt 3 North to Escondido and Fagnano Lakes

• Flight from Ushuaia to BA
• 3 days in BA ( Recoleta Cemetery with elaborate mausoleums and the resting place of notable figures, including Eva Perón, Pink Palace and the Mayo Plaza, Caminito for the colorful streets and Museum, Obelisk, etc.)

• Ferry (Buquebus) from BA to Colonia (Uruguay) and back to BA
• Flight from BA to Boston.

Countries visited: Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.

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