Very close to the city of Santiago, Chile, you can find snow-capped mountains. Just across the border with Argentina towers Aconcagua, South America’s largest mountain, which I could see from my small airplane window as I flew in early in the morning. The delights those mountains held would soon be shared with us. Luca Magi, my friend and an accomplished plantsman, was my only companion. We had spent the last several months planning, choosing locations, familiarising ourselves with the flora, and getting tips from friends who had been there before.