Post 104: To the end of the world, and finally Northward Bound

Fellow adventurers,

The flight from El Calafate to Ushuaia was a quick one for us. As our plane arrived in the early evening over the city, we could see the vastness of the end of the Andes mountain range. I thought to myself how ironic it was that our turn north would be at the end of the same mountains that our journey began  with in the hills of coastal Venezuela. Ushuaia was to be our last stop on our long journey south.

We ended up walking from the airport into the city, a short few miles away. Unsure of where to go, we asked another local hostel, hosted by a fellow American for directions. She told us with confidence not to worry about the sun, it sets very late in these parts, at nearly 11 in the evening. Another half an hour along a road bordering the sea we came to our hostel. Along the way we passed many monuments to the Falklands/Malvinas and several large docks housing shipping containers and passenger vessels in route to Antarctica.

I wish I could report that our stay in the city was more eventful, but we mainly spent our few days relaxing in the hostel, watching movies, and catching up on sleep. We did venture out the day before we left to see the few sites in the town itself, but otherwise the weather most kept us wanting warmer confines. A memory of highlight to me is on our last night, we shared dinner and a bottle of wine with a fellow traveler from Ireland, who we swapped stories and chatted with for a good while.

No penguins, beavers, or lighthouses, just the comforts of lackadaisical relaxation. Being a tourist town, the city is very pricey, overly so. The city also had a great political overtone to it, being the closest base to the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. There seemed to be a lot of anti-British sentiment, and even local vehicles had bumper stickers proclaiming the Argentinian right over the islands. I personally think the whole mess is a bit ridiculous, and am very glad I was not dragged into any conversations about the debacle.

Yesterday we finally started the journey north with our flight into the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, our home for the next week before we depart for Uruguay. We arrived late in the evening, met our host, and had dinner here in San Telmo. We arrived to a city soupy in its heat, reminding us much of our time in Cartagena, Colombia. Buenos Aires upon first glance seems to be a very bustling cosmopolitan city, full of character and a thirst for life. I very much look forward to exploring much of it, and am glad we have so much time and no rush to do so. Seeing a Boca Jrs. game is a chance, and of course of great interest to me, but June not so much.

Also of note is that we purchased our return tickets home for March 17th, departing from Georgetown, Guyana to Ft. Lauderdale, USA., via Trinidad and Tobagos capital city of Port of Prince. It is of some relief to finally have our final leg of the trip set in stone, and our transport to the our home nation booked.

More to come in the days to follow. Ciao!

Gavin y June

Post 103: Torres del Paine pt. 2

Fellow adventurers,

Day 4 -

A long hike awaited us, as we set off from Los Cuernos towards Campamento Torres, an estimated 10 miles away.  Clouds covered the skies, with no expectation of the gusty winds ever letting up.  I could see the winds as they blew over the lake, carrying a heavy mist along with them.  It was like a broom, sweeping up the water.  I was curious as to how the black condors hovering around us, could fly against such a force.

As we neared the last few miles of our trek, the Andean desert across the lake and the boulders of granite we hiked along were now behind us.  Gavin and I were gradually hiking up a mountain, heading into the gorge.  A rushing stream was below our trail carrying water from the melting snow and glaciers that lay on the mountains in the the distance.  When we descended, we we're along that same rocky stream, in an old, low lying green forest.  The change of scenery was welcome, but the colder climate was not so much.  We promptly set up camp, had dinner and attempted to sleep and most importantly, keep warm.

Day 5 -

The morning brought with it some snow off the mountains, not enough for accumulation but certainly enough to sustain the chill in the air.  It was decided that we would not camp there for another evening, as it was intolerably cold if you're not properly prepared (in which we were not).  After breakfast, we made haste to ascend towards the base of the famous towers; for with haste comes warmth.  The hike was rather steep although not long, and involved crossing and climbing large rocks.  I could not imagine it being comfortable for everyone, especially for the elderly without the assistance of hiking sticks.  Unfortunately, as we were climbing, the icy snow brushed our faces as the wind picked up, and we could not see the towers due to the weather.  Gavin and I persevered though, determined to wait in case the sky should clear in the mountains, in which the weather is ever changing.  After about 20 minutes waiting we exceeded our patience, took in what views we could, and headed back down towards camp.  We packed our things, had lunch, and headed back towards the dry Andean lands, where the sun and warmth awaited us.

Day 6  and 7 - 

A noisy woodpecker hung around our campsite, and the wind persevered.  The temperature was pleasant enough though, and the sun was shining.  After a week of ever changing weather, I welcomed it and spent the day reading, finishing up "Pride & Prejudice."  We anticipated our return to El Calafate the following day, longing for real food and a bed.  When the day came, we hiked towards where we were to be picked up.  Our arrival back to El Calafate was rather late, so we took up a dorm room as opposed to camping again, and treated ourselves to a cheeseburger and lamb chorizo sandwich for dinner. After a week of dry packaged food, we were in need of protein.

Our next destination was a flight to el fin del mundo, or the end of the world, also known as Ushuaia on the southernmost peninsula of Argentina, Tierra del Fuego.  A brief update of our time there will follow this post.

June y Gavin

Post 102: Torres del Paine (in the ass) pt. 1

Fellow adventurers,

Day 1 -

The bus for Torres del Paine picked us up at seven in the morning for our ride across the Chilean border. We did not know prior, but our transfer to the park was also a one day tour. Our guide, Marcius, spoke to us strictly about the agricultural products we were bringing with us to the park. Upon mention that we had salami in our sandwiches, he insisted we consume it before the crossing. Little did he, or the border agents know, we had a whole roll of it in our belongings. I hid it as we made our way through the border and baggage check. I was not about to sacrifice our only source of protein for the next six days in the park. No regrets there. Our food for the week consisted of dried pasta, soups, our treasured roll of salami, crackers, rice, canned lentils and peas, polenta, oatmeal, juice mix, and assorted condiments. All of which we made good use of, and nothing we went without using.

As we approached, we gazed upon the famous Towers of Paine. Paine is an indigenous word used to describe the color of blue which appear in the base of the towers. We stopped several times along the way to see sites we would have otherwise missed without the prior unbeknownst included tour. One of the highlights was seeing a spread of land recently affected by the fire which shut the park for a short while last month. Many of the trees and landscape were scorched beyond recognition, and the sheer force of the wind made it clear why the fire had spread so quickly.

The bus eventually dropped us at a ranger station many miles away from our first camp site. Marcius suggested we do a hike through a valley, explaining that it was very scenic and full of the local llama breed, named guanaco. We were not let down. The hike was stunning, and full of the before mentioned creature, in abundance. We strolled through savanna like grassland for two hours, surrounded by guanaco and their offspring. They never showed much fear at our presence, and went about their business with no care at all. The hike was one of the highlights of my entire time in Torres del Paine, and yet is one of the most untraveled areas of the park.

This trek ended at another guard shack, from where we had to hike another seven kilometers to the first campsite to set our tent up for the night. About six kilometers in, we were picked up by a friendly French couple who offered us a ride to the site. We were happy to accept, what a relief. While pondering a spot to set our tent, we spotted a fox in the brush around the site. We set up for the evening, made our first dinner of the hike and promptly fell right to sleep. We were in for a long hike the next morning.

Day 2 -

We had a late start on our second day, as we were exhausted from the prior. Our 11 plus kilometer hike to what we thought would be Campemento Italiano did not begin until well into the mid afternoon. The trail started at the main hotel of the park and set out along the lake. We realized the night prior that we had lost our cooking pot, so during the beginning of the hike June asked everyone she encountered heading out of the park if we would be able to buy theirs. Luck was ours after a few tries, a friendly German girl sold us hers for 5,000 Chilean pesos (about $10 usd). For me, it was like Christmas morning. The thought of cooking all of our food in two aluminum cups was a bit frightening and exhausting to say the least.

The trail continued for hours, through many varying elevations and landscapes along the lake. The towers showed themselves occasionally as we walked, kilometer after kilometer. Upon our arrival to the first campsite Los Cuernos on this side of the lake, we were informed that we would not be able to make it to Italiano or even Britannico, as they are both closed for the time being due to the fire. If we had only known that from the very beginning. Unfortunately for us, this meant we had to pay for a site on the private campground. We had the last of the litter since we arrived so late. Our tent ended up being set next to a cabin in the hills above the other campsites. I got a ticket for one person, since paying full price for the both of us in one tent was unfathomable.

Day 3 -

In the morning, we took advantage of the mass departures of campers and set up our tent in a better spot for the inevitable second night at Los Cuernos. Our plan for day three was to try and complete the Frenchmans Valley hike. This meant a full six hours in, and six hours back due to the situation with the closed camping sites. Unfortunately, my stomach was not agreeing with me, and we only made it to Campamento Italiano, about halfway into the valley. It was well worth our effort tho. The beginning of the valley allowed us amazing views of the mountains and glaciers that loomed above, and the scenery finally changed to forest like pine land as we made our way further towards Italiano. It was a welcome change from the Andean desert we had been surrounded by in days prior.

More to come soon...

Gavin y June

Post 101: "Iceberg, right ahead!" (Hiking Perito Moreno Glacier)

Fellow adventurers,

The Perito Moreno glacier is 3 miles wide with an average height of 40 feet.  It spans 19 miles in length, with depths as deep as 548 feet, and continues to grow as opposed to melt.  Today we headed into the Los Glaciares National Park to visit this expansive glacier.  The 1 hour bus ride from El Calafate towards the National Park was clear and sunny as we drove along the aquamarine waters of Lago Argentina.  In the distance, a rainbow was spread across the sky, which could only mean one thing; rain.  When we transferred on to the boat, we learned from the captain that it was the first day in the month it had rained.  Just our luck.

Upon approaching the glacier by boat, we were amazed by the grandeur of it.  Photos we had seen beforehand did not do it justice.  Jagged peaks arose from the water, white as snow with streaks of black or deep blue.  When we arrived at shore, we were told by our guide Martin the itinerary for the day. Our lunches were left behind in a hut before we walked along through a forest towards a beach at the sloped end of the glacier.  On the beach, our guide informed us of scientific information regarding the glacier. Our group moved on to where crampons (metal spikes which attach to the sole of shoes) were put on our hiking boots before beginning the trek onto Perito Moreno.

The ascent up the glacier began, with the crunching sounds of ice being crushed below our feet.  A short distance up, Martin explained that we must wear gloves the entirety of the hike, may only walk in a single file, and could not stop for photos when not designated to do so as a group.  He also explained how to properly walk with the crampons in order to prevent injury.  With that said, while not in any way challenging, the hike then went atop slopes and past deep, blue gorges of rushing streams.  As a group, we could take photos, ask questions and occasionally sip the fresh water.  The weather changed frequently, and we found ourselves always adding and taking away a layer of clothing.  At the end, Martin surprised us with Jameson over glacier ice, and alfajores before we left the glacier and removed the crampons from our boots.

Through ancient forests alongside the glacier we walked back towards the hut for lunch.  A short boat ride later, we were back on the bus to ride up the mountain to where various newly constructed boardwalks were.  The walkways took you to several different high points and low points in elevation, and points of north and south to enjoy varying views of the majestic glacier.  All throughout our time on and around the glacier, we could hear rumbling sounds coming from it as chunks broke off.  We were even fortunate enough to see the force of a heavy chunk of ice crash into the water. This is a slowly expanding glacier.

On our return to El Calafate, we returned the hiking boots we rented and then spent the remainder of the evening grocery shopping, packing, and overall mentally preparing ourselves for our one week stay of hiking throughout Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile, in which we were to leave for the following day.  We will update within the next day of our time there.

June y Gavin

Post 100: Cherries of Bariloche & Route 40

Fellow adventurers,

Our last few days at the lovely site in the woods along Lake Nahuel Huapi were very enjoyable and relaxing for the both of us. It was certainly quite an interesting change in pace for us. I really enjoyed the complications that came along with camping without the proper supplies, and even reveled in some of the most difficult of moments we had.

Our second to last day was mainly spent away from camp, exploring more of the lake. After breakfast and exploring our options, we decided to take the local bus to Llao Llao (pronounced “Ciao Ciao” in the local dialect) and go on a nice hike. Llao Llao is on a peninsula between the main lake, and another lake named Moreno. Our original intent was to go on a hike through the northern end of the peninsula, but we became a little lost on the way and ended up on another by the name of Arryannes. This one took us through many very tall oak trees and dried bamboo tunnels past small paths that led to beaches with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.

The end of the trail dead ended at a deeply forested road, with a sign presenting us only two options. “Llao Llao – 5 kilometers” was our only choice as the other was unrecognizable to us. Many attempts were made at hitchhiking, but unfortunately for us, most of the traffic was headed in the opposite direction. We entertained ourselves picking wild raspberries and cherries as we walked the entirety of the five clicks. June found great joy in the cherry trees she recognized from her adolescent years on her grandfathers farm. It took a little convincing to get me to try them, as I have never been fond of cherries previously, but I am glad I expanded my horizons.

On our last day in Bariloche, we extended our stay on the campground. In the morning I prepared our fire for breakfast, and throughout the day made sure it was burning bright. I even managed to save it through some light rain with a piece of corrugated metal to cover it from getting dampened. June discovered some more cherry trees in the mid afternoon, and we preoccupied ourselves with taking every piece of fruit they had to give, with the permission of the camp staff of course to use their wooden ladder. In all, I think we took nearly 10 pounds of beautiful fresh cherries. Some were given to our immediate neighbors, the camp staff, and anyone else who showed an interest in them.

We had our final camp side dinner of delicious grilled chicken, grilled veggies, and potatoes right before the rain started to set in upon the lake. It poured for most of the evening as a violent storm passed. There was a 5 AM bus we needed to take to meet with our tour bus which was departing at 6:45 for Perito Moreno. The evening storm made packing up our dirty, wet tent in the early, dark morning hours even more of a hassle. We awoke at four in the morning to get everything together before just barely catching the bus into Bariloche for our first leg of the long trip down the famous Route 40 to our final destination in El Calafate.

Everyone speaks very highly of this famous road, but we found it not much different than most we have traveled upon further to the north. The scenery remained dry and arid for most of the first day until we hit tiny town of Perito Moreno in the early evening. I suppose I have always imagined Patagonia to be completely forested and lush with green vegetation, but that is simply not the case after departing the surrounding areas of Bariloche. Our night in Perito Moreno was enjoyed in the company of two Canadian miners who treated us to some much needed beers and good conversation for the evening.

Day two of the ride was just as dull in its scenery, and even longer in distance and time. About half way through, our bus managed to break down. Luckily the problem was fixed within an hour, after a short tow from another passing bus.  We kept down the long, mostly unpaved road that lasted for hours, until finally at about 10:30 pm, we saw the silhouette of the famous jagged peaks of Mt. Fitz Roy in the distance, while the sun set behind them.

I write this to you now from El Chalten.. Tomorrow we continue on to El Calafate where we will hike a glacier the following day, and then on to Torres del Paine for a 5 day hike through the national park, and then onto the end of the world at Ushuaia. It may be some time before we have a chance to update again. I am really looking forward to the serenity of it all.

Ciao for now friends.

Gavin y June