El Calafate and Ushuaia

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The time finally came to say bye to Buenos Aires, well for now and head to southern Argentina, Patagonia to a little town called El Calafate.

We took a 3 hour flight down south and even the view from the plane was amazing. From the plane we could see the southern peak of the Andes and the amazing turquoise lake, well i say we but i mean me as i always get the window seat!! At the airport i got a bit excited because there was a tour guide holding up a sign with my name on it, i even went as far as tripping over the pole on the floor. Once we got to the hostel we went to walk around the little town and we had pizza in a place called pizza free opposite an ice cream shop called tit! In the morning we were picked up and taken through the national park we had views of the Andes. In the park we boarded a boat and sailed to the Perito Moreno Glacier. The landscape here is crazy. Its a mixture of forest, ice top mountains and desert. The glacier was AMAZING. From a distance it looks smooth and white and up close its really blue and jagged. The boat stopped right by the glacier for a while so we were able to get some pictures. As you can imagine it was pretty cold. We then got the bus back to the national park where we were able to get off and visit the viewing platforms of the glacier. From here you are able to see all the different faces of the glacier at all different levels. The coolest thing about it was that you could hear the glacier and the ice blocks falling off into the channel. I think Hiral would agree that it was one of the best things we have got to see on this trip. We then got back ont he bus where we were taking to another view point and got to sample the local El Calafate liquor and some chocolate, yum.

The next day Hiral and Andy rented some bikes and we went to the lake. En route we were lucky enough to see some real life Gaucho cowboys!!!! We also saw some flamingos. Poor Andy then attempted to teach me how to ride a bike, yes i know its weird that i cant already ride one. Hiral got to take pictures of it! Then we rode, well i walked uphill and we found a little pebble beach, perfect hotspot to lay! Once we returned the bikes we attempted to go and sit in the park. Turns out in Argentina you cant sit on the grass and Andy got told off, he wasnt amused. To make up for the disappointment we bought a tub of ice cream and ate the lot! The next day we flew to the end of the world, Ushuaia.

The first day we walked around town, got some food and found an Irish bar where we sampled some of the local Beagle beer. The next day was awesome. We were picked up by our guide and taken to the national park which borders Chile. Here we did an 8 km trek through the forest, taking in the breathtaking scenery of the Andes around us. After the trek we were taken to a tent which they had set up for us and we had a tradiotinal home cooked meal of chicken and vegetables with bread, cheese, ham and wine. We then got our gigantic waterproofs on and went canoeing on the lake. It was so much fun but unfortunately for me and Hiral we were on the right side, extra rowing for us! In the evening we found a local cheap restaurant with wonky wooden tables. Tables were crap but food was awesome, replaced all the lost calories from the rowing and trekking! The next morning we took a boat trip across the beagle channel where we got to visit the sea lions and the lighthouse at the end of the world. For me it was the worst day of my life, well maybe not that bad but horrible. The waters were really rough and i was sick the entire journey. The boat was going all over the place, including my sick bag. The skipper tired to help me but instead shut my hand in the door lol. i was too sick to notice and only noticed later that my fingers were bruised. The tour guide thought Andy and Hiral were a couple, probably because they had to be mummy and daddy for the day and look after their sick child. I was so happy to get off the boat, the guys tell me it was a good trip, i will have to take their word for it. In the evening i slept and Andy and Hiral made us dinner!!

Our last day in Ushaia was fun and the weather was nice. We decided to trek up to the mountains to see another glacier, only problem was we didnt realise just how far away the mountain was. Andy tried to find us short cuts through the mountains which included climbing over and under barbed wire fences and running up steep hills. Hiral only went and dropped her cardigan at the bottom of the hill so Andy went back down to get it, nearly rolling down head first in the process! We made it to the top and got chair lifts across the mountain. When we got to the other side we realised it was still another 1 hour trek to the glacier. Poor Hiral had new shoes on and couldnt make it up the mountain, bloody shoes gave her blisters. Me and Andy made it part of the way before coming back for Hiral. The walk back home was long and hiral did it without her shoes.

Our trip to the South was fun packed but now we are back in sunny Buenos Aires ready for our 13 hour bus ride to Mendoza!

M and H x

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Comments

[chris]

funny
Melanie you are just to funny :)