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PATAGONIA 2003
[Continued from Antarctica]
25.Friday 5th December 2003 Ushuaia
After my excellent trip around Antarctica, have to get into a new mindset to explore Patagonia and being surrounded by Spanish speaking locals.
Went for a coach excursion to the Tierra del Feugo National Park near to Ushuaia. My tour guide was top totty. Went on a renovated prison train to the park, it is narrow gauge with steam engines. The coaches have 2 bench seats per door, and no corridor. I saw a plaque for Swindon Works at the station. We travelled at just over walking pace winding through the valley and streams, past where convicts cut down trees. Stopped at one point for 15 minutes. The journey took 1 hour in total.
Picked up the coach at the other end and went to Rocas Lake, the other side being Chile, also saw a beaver dam and the end of Route 3, which is the end of the Trans-American Highway that goes all the way to Alaska. It basically ends in a car park. There was a fox there too, which seemed tame.
Powernap in the afternoon and then went to the Irish Bar for more beers with Linda.
26.Saturday 6th December 2003 Ushuaia
Went on a coach excursion to Lagos Escondido (hidden lake) and Lagos Fagnano. Took a while to pick up all the passengers via various hotels, and then I was transferred to another coach as my guide did not speak any English.
Went East out of Ushuaia through the Andes Mountains, stopping at a couple of viewpoints before getting to Hidden Lake so-called as it is often covered in mist and so is ‘hidden’. Nothing special. Walked down the old Route 3 to the lake and then caught the coach again to Lake Fagnano. Definitely nothing special.
On the way back, stopped at a skiing resort that gets 1.5 m of snow in winter, Ushuaia only getting ½ m. Had a lamb dinner before getting back into town for a powernap and then going into town to the Irish Bar for a bit of a session, staying until 02:30 and the landlord for my hostel was in his pyjamas when I returned!
27.Sunday 7th December 2003 Ushuaia
Had a lay-in and then went into town. Cloudy and drizzle and cold, so just went around the town for a couple of hours. There was a very large passenger ship, the Norwegian Crown, at the quay.
After lunch, it had cleared up a bit so took a taxi to the Martial Glacier. Got the ski lift up and then hiked to the glacier. Cold and snowing, but soon warmed up hiking up the moraines. Some deep snow in places. Not a stunning glacier, seems more cirques than anything else, but nice views from the top of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel and still a nice walk.
28.Monday 8th December 2003 Ushuaia
Left my little hostel on the hill and went to the centre of town to meet the group for my Patagonia tour. The hotel is in the centre, but is very basic.
29 in total on the tour, which is far larger than I expected. Had a nap in the afternoon then went out for a buffet meal all you can eat again. Felt like a seal, then went to the Irish Bar again until we were thrown out at 03:30.
29.Tuesday 9th December 2003 Ushuaia
Bit of a lay-in and then found the DHL office - $100/kg to send stuff home, which is really expensive so I may just throw things away or send them my normal post.
In the afternoon, went on a boat around the Beagle Channel. It was raining most of the day and the sea was choppy it was worst in the catamaran when it was tied to the pier. Hit some large swells that sent spray over the front windows. Went to a few islands and saw penguins, seals and albatrosses swimming; and sea lions and shags on the islands. Rather unspectacular compared to where I have just been though!
30.Wednesday 10th December 2003 Ushuaia
Sent films back to the UK via DHL. I was going to post some other stuff in normal mail, but there was a huge queue at the Post Office so I didn’t bother.
In the afternoon, went to the Municipal Museum. Small, but quite interesting. It charted the history of the town and detailed the explorers who founded and settled it. Rained all day.
31.Thursday 11th December 2003 Punta Arenas
Bit of a struggle getting up at 05:00 due to not getting to bed until 03:00 due to lots of beers in the Irish Bar.
The ‘truck’ turned out tot be a standard coach, and we drove to the border to Chile. I snored most of the way, but the parts of the country that I did see were flat, except for the first leg when we drove through the Andes and stopped at Lake Fagnano.
Typically slow border crossing on both sides then drove from San Sebastian to the ferry crossing over the Magellan Strait. Large on-off ferry that could take lots of cars and buses. Saw a couple of black and white dolphins as we were crossing the strait, but not very satisfactory sightings.
Had lunch on the other side, which was identical to the Guerba affair, with a table, 3 bowls and flapping. Some cheese appeared from somewhere even though we should not have brought it across the border. Saw a couple of rheas on the way to Punta Arenas.
Town does not seem anything special, had some problems finding an ATM that would give me some money though! In the evening went to a good restaurant and then a cavernous pub. The beers, Austral and Imperial, make me drunk though!
Nice comfortable bed, but very warm with far too many blankets.
32.Friday 12th December 2003 Punta Arenas
A long lay-in and then tried to find the Naval Museum. Lots of buildings with anchors, flags and chains outside; but no sign of the museum. Got a few things from the supermarket where there was a nice girl dressed as Santa Claus.
In the afternoon, went to the penguin rookery at Turis Otway, which was around an hour from Punta Arenas. Boardwalks and ropes and hides, with lots of Magellanic Penguins standing outside their burrows or waddling in line to the sea. Rather nice, but could not get too close to them.
Dinner in a posh restaurant, but was only £10.
33.Saturday 13th December 2003 Torres del Paine
Left Punta Arenas for Puerto Natales. Another nice town, with pop music coming from a shoe shop. Lake overviews can see the Andes in the distance. Looks like we are coming into the mountains at last, which is much nicer than the flat boring landscape for the past few days.
A bit farther down the road, we were on the Chile Argentinean border and could clearly see the towers of pain in the distance. Stopped at a lake where the towers stretched up like sharp little fingers, surrounded by glacier-covered mountains. Such rugged, sharp and vertical mountains cannot be fully appreciated or described. The fingers were just sticking into the clouds so could not quite see their tops.
Got to the Park and debussed and boarded minivans. Went over a very narrow suspension bridge so narrow that there was only a couple of centimetres room either side of the wing-mirrors and the windows had to be closed or we’d be too wide.
Our bunkhouse (Refugio) is quite quaint. Polished wooden floors, wooden log construction. Cast iron pot-bellied stove for heat. 6 bunks to a room, which were quite high with very thick mattresses.
Nice view of the top of the towers, but a hill obscures the bottom view. Saw several herds of guanacos with some young ones. Look prettier than llamas and alpacas, which are domesticated. Chilled out in the evening, just watching the clouds clear from the jagged peaks. Got cold quite quickly.
34.Sunday 14th December 2003 Torres del Paine
Did not get much sleep due to the cacophony of snoring, snorting, coughing, farting and heavy breathing in our bunkroom. Some of these guys could snore in the Olympics!
An ‘American’ breakfast consists of toast, cornflakes and scrambled eggs. So after this, set off for a hike to the base of the Torres. First through the campsite, past the hotel, over a wobbly suspension bridge worthy of mention (described to me as a swing bridge which is more accurate), and then up a few steep hills. Then downhill over shale ledges to the next Refugio in the river valley. Onwards through a forest, up through a boulder stream and then a boulder field with scree until we get to the top and a cloudy view of the mountains.
Lots of people about, but nice view of the glacier lake, mountains as well as the Torres as the clouds break and clear. Took around 3 ¼ hours to get there and 2 ¾ hours to return. Best hike ever! Finger buffet in the evening.
35.Monday 15th December 2003 Torres del Paine
Awoke screaming like a girl in the middle of the night due to a half-naked Kiwi trying to get into bed with me! He just got into the wrong bunk! The snoring instrumental continued, with greater variety. Grinding teeth, giggling, as well as noises like vacuum cleaners, snow blowers, strimmers, lawnmowers and a car with starter motor failure. More like a grizzly bears hibernation lair than a bunkhouse. A murder or nightmare of snorers. I was told that I was a mere amateur compared to these guys; the worst was a big Dutch guy. I’ll call him Vim, as that is his name.
Got transport to Lake Pahoe, where we caught a catamaran to the other side of the lake and then hiked towards the Grey Glacier. Not too steep, but overcast. Nice views of the lake and some icebergs, some deep blue, which had grounded upon the far beach. Bit further along could see the glacier, which was quite large a split into two by an island in the ice. The ice field seemed very large. A very cold wind blowing down the glacier into the lake and so did not go all the way to the glacier. Turned back and looked at the wonderful blue Lake Pahoe for a while and then went uphill to a small knoll for better views of the great jagged mountains, the Cuernos (horns) peaks.
The catamaran back was very full, but the mountains were spectacular in the afternoon sun. By the time we got back to the Refugio a Gaucho Grill was ready for us, but it was far too windy to eat outside and so we had slabs of various dead animals inside. Ran out of beer, so in bed fairly early for another concert from the nightmare of snorers!
36.Tuesday 16th December 2003 Puerto Natales
Bit of a lay-in and veg-around as it is still very windy and dusty. Also, my legs ache after a little over-exertion for the past couple of days!
Left Torres del Paine in the afternoon and drove to Puerto Natales. Nothing much exciting that I can recall en-route. In the town, walked around for a bit and ended up in a flash looking restaurant. Really hungry as I had not eaten since the night before so pigged out a bit with a ham/cheese/avocado salad to start, and then the local delicacy of Picada which comprises steak, chicken, sausage on a bed of chips. I went for the ‘Grande’ size, which I found out later was meant for 4 people! A huge plate arrived, and I managed to eat around ¾ of it. We also had a schops (draft) beer, which came in ½ litre glasses. All for only 9000 pesos (£9).
Bumped into Linda from Antarctica on the way back to the hostel!
37. Wednesday 17th December 2003 El Calafate
Skipped breakfast as still felt like a seal! Went down to the waterfront to see the mountains emblazoned by a rainbow.
Drove across the border into Argentina again. Very flat, no mountains or scenery or anything. Went north on Route 40, which was bumpy and desolate. At an overlook could see for miles, very flat and uninteresting but there was a condor flying overhead.
Hostel in El Calafate is fine. The town itself has a modern tourist section. Even found a launderette that delivers!
Nice steak, chips and apple pie with ice cream at the hostel.
38. Thursday 18th December 2003 EL Calafate
Went to the Moreno Glacier. Our guide, Diego, had a whacky sense of humour. Took the long route, through the steep hills where we saw many condors flying, as well as hares, caracaras and loads of sheep.
Walked up to the glacier, some pretty icebergs in Lago Argentinos and it looked pretty with the sun shining. Split into two, where it meets rock, and part of the lake swells up behind it until the pressure is too great and the lake ruptures the glacier. Last happened in 1988, but the lake is now blocked again as the glacier is advancing again. The glacier carves frequently and has a white and blue face.
After watching the glacier for a couple of hours, took a boat ride across the face but were 300m away, as it is 50m high, so was not very special. A nice glacier, with lots of crevasses and carving.
Spent the evening having a big steak and chips, then went to a pub until 04:00. Pissed.
39. Friday 19th December 2003 El Chaten
Still pissed. Said goodbye to those leaving at El Calafate and drove to Fitzroy Mountain in Los Glaciers National Park. Patagonian winds along the way, and the same non-descript landscape.
Misty and raining when we arrived at El Chaten. Tiny town with one street, no tarmac for miles around, still on Route 40.
Could not see the Fitzroy mountain so caught up on my sleep instead of going on a hill walk in the rain, and its still very windy. In the evening, went to a microbrewery that did one beer and had a meadowlark flying around inside as a pet. Good pizza in a restaurant, bit touristy, but nothing else.
40. Saturday 20th December 2003 Perito Moreno
Up at 05:00 for a long bus-ride up Route 40 through the windy Patagonian wasteland. Saw the mountain (just) through the clouds. Nothing much exciting along the way, except for an upturned car, which was empty. Only saw 6 cars all day.
Staying at the Belgrano Hotel in Perito Moreno. Locals are very friendly, sitting at street corners saying ‘Hola’ as you go by as there is nothing else to do! Not at all touristy, and only one street.
Had pizza in the evening, but could not find anywhere else to go the nightclub was closed on a Saturday night!
41. Sunday 21st December 2003 Bariloche
Another long drive to Bariloche. The scenery changed from flat and windy bush land in Patagonia, to more mountainous and forest in the Lake District.
Bariloche is comparatively large (100k people) and seems to be full of chocolate shops, tourist shops and phone booths. And loads of pretty girls!
Went for an all you can eat buffet for 14 pesos (£3). Excellent spread. Went to an Irish Bar, it did not start to get busy until after midnight and the service was non-existent. But it has some excellently attractive waitresses that looked gorgeous in their tight white tops.
Couldn’t pay the bill, so just walked out.
42. Monday 22nd December 2003 Bariloche
A bit of lazy day. Clear skies all day but still a strong wind coming off the lake. Walked around town in the morning, then had a bit of a siesta.
Fantastic steak for dinner, really thick with a plateful of chips. Went back to the Irish Bar for a few beers, completely different bar staff, but the service was still crap. The waitresses were not as tasty either. Around 02:00 went to a local nightclub by taxi. 40 pesos to get in and 7 pesos for a beer. Lots of nubile young Brazilian bodies shaking their butts to the music, didn’t understand any of the music, but it was fantastic. There was an overhead walkway where the girlies had a dirty dancing competition. Fantastic. Left at 05:30 when it closed.
43. Tuesday 23rd December 2003 Pucon
Up at 07:30 for a long drive to Pucon. Felt rough after only an hour’s kip! Road was good and views through the mountains were fantastic. Lots of blue lakes, blue sky, green trees and rolling mountains. Very pretty.
Border crossing into Chile was a pain, took ages and no forms to fill in which may be a problem when we try to leave again. Oh well! There were Monkey Puzzle trees around the custom buildings.
Pucon is a tourist town with the Villarrica volcano’s huge white peak as scenery. Hotel is great, with a kitchen and balcony so we can sip beer whilst looking at the mountain.
Slow meal again. I had goulash. Nothing special.
44.Wednesday 24th December 2003 Pucon
Up early for a hike up the Villarrica volcano. Yep, I spend Christmas Eve with no lie-in and a huge climb to 2,800m up the steep sides of a volcano. Got crampons, ice pick, gloves, hat, waterproofs etc and got in minivans to the chairlift. It stopped halfway, which was a bit scary swaying in the wind.
Quite easy walking on the snow in zigzags following in the previous persons footprints, using the ice pick in case we fall. Great views as is sunny and there are clouds below. Had a couple of rests along the way, but got steeper and icier the higher we climbed, but after 3 hours got to the top.
Large, deep caldera. A smell of sulphur and sense of real achievement. Not too windy, it was sunny but cold. To get down we slid our waterproofs using the ice pick as a brake. Great fun. Only took 1 hour to get down. Some guys were doing pirouettes when they lost their balance sliding in the snow. Really glad I did this.
Went for another superb steak in the evening and then went tot the local pub until 03:00.
45. Thursday 25th December 2003 Pucon
Chilean beer gives me a hangover! Had a long lie-in then went to a ranch which was in a great setting surrounded by volcanoes and hills. Very pretty and warm but a little bit cloudy.
Had great fun playing golf more divots than hits and unusual hazards on the course with rough fairways and very rough rough!
Our driver dressed up like Santa Claus and arrived on a horse to give us our pressies, which was good fun. Big grill for dinner and then a snooze in a hammock after lunch as the other guys were playing volleyball. Got a bit cold, and rained when I got back to the hotel.
A thoroughly enjoyable Christmas!
46. Friday 26th December 2003 Santiago
Pouring with rain this morning. Up early for the long drive to Santiago, but it is motorway all the way. Passed lots of vineyards and rolling mountains. The further north we go, the hotter it became until it was brilliant sunshine and very warm.
Our hotel in Santiago is on the main street surrounded by shopping centres. Lots of people milling about, even late at night and lots of little kids. Coffee shops have young slim girls trying to entice you in some having blacked out windows for the specially served coffee.
Went for a last fat steak and then to a bar. More like a fast-food restaurant with plastic seats and no door! Very strange. Went to another bar, which was more traditional, but we soon scared the locals away. Back at 03:00.
47. Saturday 27th December 2003 Santiago
Felt rough this morning, not because of the beer but I think that I have a cold now. Got my laundry done, bit tricky as they did not speak any English so it was all done by sign language and writing down numbers!
A lazy afternoon and evening. Watched movies on the TV, as it’s the last TV that I am going to see for a few months!
48. Sunday 28th December 2003 Flying
After a naff breakfast I packed my bags. Went around the National History Museum, which was free but not very interesting. Town is much emptier on a Sunday, with most shops closed, but market stalls in the street. The street entertainers are still there, so still has a ‘Covent Garden’ feel to it. Had a Big Mac, but the fries taste of cardboard!
Got a taxi to the airport, which only took 20 minutes. The airport is small and empty, but clean and well laid out. Had hassle at check-in and immigration due to the slip, which we never received when we entered Chile but let out of the country in the end.
Bought a carton of cigarettes for $14. Plane left on time at sunset. Quite beautiful seeing the glowing orange sky against the smog and mountains. We flew over the snow-capped Andes, which was spectacular in the gloom with lakes and rivers shimmering in the dying light.
The air stewardesses were young and fit but don’t have their ‘Star Trek’ uniforms on more like chefs costumes. Arrived on time in Buenos Aires and just enough time for a quick nicotine ingestion before the flight to Auckland. Had to go through some needless security checks into a holding pen before boarding the Airbus A340.
Lots of girlie camp-types on board. The ugly one sat next to me!
49. Monday 29th December 2003 Flying
Flew directly south from Buenos Aries, over Tierra del Feugo, near to Antarctica. It was dark, then sunlight (with clouds below) and then dark again in only a few hours.
The fastest day that I ever had! Snoozed all the night to Auckland.
[Continued in New Zealand]
Trip Summary
A bit disappointing, but probably due to just returning from Antarctica where the glaciers and wildlife were, unsurprisingly, much better. A bit expensive for what is was.
Highlights
§Ushuaia setting §Martial Glacier §Prison Museum §Torres del Paine mountains and hikes §Moreno Glacier §Condors §Windy wilderness §Villarrica volcano and climb
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