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Published: February 16th 2008
Just as it says on the can!
Things to do in Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile.Many people know Stephanie Jane Branston. However - many who are reading this blog won´t know her - but she is really very nice. Honestly. Just go with it please.
Anyways - Stephanie Jane has been very helpful to Nathan and Lizzy on this trip. She has given us all sorts of helpful tips - primarily due to the fact that she came to the area we are visiting now at the end of last year. Stephanie says that her favourite places were Argentina - and Chile. In particularly the National Park of Torres Del Paine as well as a small place called Puerto Natales - in the Magallenes Region.
As a result of this recommendation Nathan and Lizzy set off to these very places - to try and experience similar things and marvel at the sights. Stephanie promised that we would love it and made some claims about what we would see and should do.
Day 38 - February 7th 2008 - El Calafate, Argentina Not sure why we chose to get so many bl**dy early flights (there he goes again) - but the alarm went off at 04:00 this morning. Flight at 05:45.
Got mad
The View from Indigo
.. across the Seno Última Esperanza with Argentinians as there was no water anywhere in the airport. You wouldn´t treat Barney like this. Went out through security again to queue in a "cafe" in which we only got served as the greasy Argie bloke was eyeing Lizzy up. Nathan made mental note of this useful trick.
Another 3 hour flight (more trees) - and then we came into land in El Calafate in the south of Argie Land. It was very easy to get concerned about this as there was absolutely nothing here. Like. NOTHING. We banked over Lago Argentino (one of the biggest glacial lakes) and landed - and it was like landing on the moon. Miles upon miles of nothingness. And it was colder. (Nathan whooped, Lizzy scowled). In the distince were the distinctive jagged peaks of Patagonia. But there was no town.
Eventually - in the taxi mini bus thingy - we found a town. El Calafate. We got dropped off at our hotel - a beautiful big Wooden Lodge - Pasada Los Alamos ... and took a walk around.
Had an ice cream ... and some food ... did some internet ... did some swimming ... watched Trading Places
What a view from the hot tub!
Just what we needed to relax our muscles before and after the walking. Indigo Hotel, Puerto Natales on TV and then went to sleep ... sleep was good today ... and we needed it ...
Puma Watch:-
Got those Puma shorts out to do some swimming and did some swimming. That´s a Puma Count of 1 for today
Branston Rating:-
SJB said:- "El Calafate is a bit random (like a ski resort place in the summer but less nice)"
British Incas say:- Confused. No fondue joints or T-Bars ... will keep looking though ...
Minus 1 for SJB Day 39 - February 8th 2008 - El Calafate, Argentina Originally had planned to go to the Perito Moreno glacier today - but thought it would be better to go when we come back to Argie Land from Chile Land. This would enable us to do more gym, swim and drinking work in the nice hotel.
So today - this is what we did (remember that we´re on holiday now).
In a lovely little touch - this hotel had breakfast until 11am. More hotels in the UK should have breakfast until 11am. It would prevent Nathan (in particular) from missing breakfast following a heavy night drinking at someone´s wedding (e.g. Russ and Suze,
A real life traditional Wasi
...who has a daughter living in London. Typical. Tony and Rach). We liked this anyway and had breakie at 10:45.
Did nothing but chilled and shopped. Nathan had steak for tea.
Puma Watch:-
Pumas shorts out once more today - this time for the gym and spa. That´s two in two days.
SJB said:- "Worth a walk around the bird park, nice way to spend a couple of hours although we never saw the very rare 2-tone swans they go on about. Must be very rare indeed."
British Incas said:- "Bird Park?? Rubbish. Rare Swans?? Rubbish. Sounds boring."
Minus 2 for SJB Day 40 - February 9th 2008 - Puerto Natales, Chile Sunny, blue sky, chilly (you need a jumper). Just like Winter in the UK ... on a good day ... sort of.
Tripped over several odd looking birds on our way to the bus station. Looked a bit like the classic British Swan. But rarer. And two toned. There were about 50-60 of them. Just standing outside our hotel. Squawking.
Bus at 08:30 from El Calafate bus station (you see how we just jump on buses here there and everywhere now eh?). Bus was full - smug that we
A Puma!
We were very excited ... but little did we know that we´d see 4000 more ... bought tickets 2 days ago - we had 2 reserved seats. Marvellous.
5 hours later - we reached the Argie Land and Chile Land border. Quite an interesting experience - in as much as border experiences can ever be described as interesting.
Stopped at Argie Land border - they stamp you out. Get back on bus ... (presumably as renegades somewhere in no man´s land?) then Chile stamp you in 3-4 miles later. Chile also look through all your bags. Nathan had a scary moment when he realised Betsy had an apple on her person ... they missed it.
Got to Puerto Natales - a tiny little town of 20,000 people - this is the furthest south either or us had ever been (and on SJB´s recommendation remember).
After a little hiccup (i.e. the person not being there who said they were going to be there to meet us and us having no Chilean money and there being no banks open) Fernando turned up to transfer us to Indigo Hotel (SJB´s recommendation remember).
Things started to look up.
From the outside - the hotel looked like it had been quickly put together in corrugated
Another Puma
Eduardo was a bit concerned about how close this one was ... and the look in its eyes ... iron and wood. From the inside - you realise that this was all part of the look - and that the boutique hotel was stunning and very modern. SJB had gone and done us proud.
Headed to the briefing with out tour company at 4pm. Turned around 3 minutes later as it was actually 3pm. On a plane they tell you the time when you land (especially when crossing time zones).... on a bus they don´t ...
Went to the spa on top of the building looking out on a glacier from across the sea (Seno Última Esperanza - sorry Eduardo ... I didn´t write down the name of the glacier ... )
Met our guide - a burly looking Chilean chap called Eduardo (none of this Charles Hallifax nonsense) and also met our other tourists ... Asuka and Tomoko lawyers from Tokyo. Had the briefing ... going to do the "W" which essentially means lots of walking up mountains and valleys - 3 valleys in total - shaped like a "W" - clever really ...
Looked fantastic on the map anyway and Eduardo really really knew his stuff and spoke English better than us (no
Guess What ...
... that´s right ... another bl**dy Puma ... this time up a tree hint of Roberto here - remember Tena?)
No TV in Inidigo ... so no film from the 80s ... had to go to bed without it ...
Puma Watch:-
No Pumas today - but Eduardo promised that we would see hundreds in the park. That was good enough for us. Puma watch remains at 2.
SJB said:- "I would definitely recommend staying at Indigo Hotel in Puerto Natales (one of the best I have ever stayed in) if don't stay there - use the bar & the spa which is on the top floor)"
British Incas said:- "SJB has done well here ... really well ... she gets a point each for the hotel and for the spa ... "
Level for SJB Day 41 - February 10th 2008 - Torres Del Paine Nacional Parque, Chile Earlyish start - and we headed off to Torres Del Paine in the car. It took around an hour and half to get to the park - where we paid the enstrance fee before heading past Laguna Marga - where there were Flamingoes. The thing that struck you was the deathly silence ... a real hush ...
Passed
The Happy Band
... of Trekkers ... because Nathan isn´t there to spoil things no doubt ... a multitude of wildlife - Pumas (lost count - but many), Ñandu (coined "the Emu thing"), Guanaco ("the Llama thing"), Huemul ("the Deer thing") and Eagles (3 in total today)... they were all out to play in a big way.
Eventually got to Hotel Los Torres where we were dropped off for the climb up to El Chileno Albergue. Typical mountain weather .. rain, sun, breeze ... it couldn´t decide. Nathan therefore got it very wrong and ended up getting changed three times. Still reeling from the previous Ray Mears experience.
Two hours later - we reached the hostel - where we left some kit for the evening. Had lunch (Lizzy´s sandwiches were great ... Avocado and lots of other goodies!) and then set off for the 4-5 hour round trip trek up to the Torres - the 3 GRANITE towers in the Park. The last hour was a steep scramble over large boulders. When we got up there ... it was one of those views you know was worth it ... the kind which even the most hard hearted amongst us pause with ... exceptional. A bit like Scafell Pike (remember those boulders at the top Michelle
The Magnificent Torres ..
... in the Torres del Paine National Park. The middle one doesn´t have a name ... why is this?? we all loved!)
The two Japanese girls were excellent - no trekking experience but they had been training for the trip ... no moaning, no complaining ... they just got on with it and got there ...fair play.
Got some homework from Eduardo who wanted us to tell him why the middle tower (set between the D´Agostini Tower and the Monzino Tower has no name) ... still haven´t got there despite the clues ... we´re still working on it Eduardo ...
Lizzy and Nathan hurried back to get a shower before the rush and settled in for the evening with a couple of beers and some wine ... and then we went to our (bunk) bed ... tired .. legs aching ...
Puma Watch:-
Where do we start? There were at least 3 today - the one looking down at us from the rocks ... the one staring at us from the woods and the one sunning itself on the shore of Laguna Marga.
SJB said:- "Keep an eye out for the pumas. Target is 5..."
British Incas say:- "Not sure why you only saw 5 in 4 days ... we saw 3 in the Geologist Dream
... retreating glaciers flowing down mountains ... Torres del Paine, Chile single day today ... and we took pictures as evidence (not sure we´ve ever seen any evidence from you ...!)"
Still level for SJB
Day 42 - February 11th 2008 - Torres Del Paine Nacional Parque, Chile After breakfast at Chileno - we set off to Pehoe Lake for the Catamaran crossing to Paine Grande Lodge (via a quick look at Salta Grande Waterfall - where the Nordenskjold Lake empties into Pehoe). Today can be described as windy. And this was worse than Bell House wind (so to speak).
The catamaran was largely full so we had to sit on the top ... which was ok because of the magnificent views of the mountains in the park. Except that when we left the sanctuary of the bay - the waves were HUGE - and we were quickly ushered inside the boat ... wet through (and lucky not to have been swept away - ok a bit dramatic but nevertheless).
Checked into the Lodge - had our lunch (expertly prepared by Eduardo) - and then set off to the Grey Lake Glacier (27km Long, 4km Wide, 25-50m High and 563 metres deep (at the face) ... don´t
Do you like Nathan´s hair cut?
The 3 towers, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile you know).
The Park is truly a wonderful place ... you are walking along, sweating in sunshine ... and then you turn a corner to see an iceberg in a lake ... when you weren´t quite expecting it. The Japanese girls certainly weren´t expecting it ... their faces each time we saw something unusual were pictures (with the holding their heads in their hands and some endearing shrieking ..!)
The wind was incredible at the lookout - and we lost Lizzy´s sunglasses in a sudden gust ... they literally just vanished! We almost lost Tomoko too - but she managed to hit the deck just in time.
We are frankly getting sick off seeing pumas too ... there are far too many and they seem dangerous to us. Think that they should probably organise some sort of cull.
We got back to the Lodge (16km walk in total) and drank some Pisco Sour with Eduardo.... got a lesson about the Magellanes Region - including their flag and their independent mindset. An area which is not connected to Chile by land (except through Argentina) and a land which is often missed from Chilean promotions or events.
Vegetarians welcomed in Argentina
Well sort of! An interesting notice in Torres del Paine Hostel, Puerto Natales, Patagonia Puma Watch:-
Lost count quite honestly. We think it´s probably in the region of 12 by now. Certainly no less.
SJB said:- "Refugio Paine Grande was fine - large youth hostel feel to it, very clean"
British Incas say:- "Spot on SJB ... great advice and pretty good Pisco Sour according to our expert Tomoko"
Plus 1 for SJB Day 43 - February 12th 2008 - Torres Del Paine Nacional Parque, Chile Had some fun with the noticeboard in Paine Grande Lodge this morning. The board has a sheet with numerous "Frequently Asked Questions" about the boat trip across Lake Pehoe. We know that this blog has poked fun and linguistic flaws - which is kind of disingenuous given the shortcomings of the authors ... but the two examples which tickled us:
Q: Will there always be room on the boat?
A: Yes. There is always room for 80 people on the boat
Q: Can I get a discount on the ticket price?
A: We don´t know
In additon - there is the notice about the vegetarians (see picture) ... we laughed (err... probably with the exception of Betsy Tomkins)
Today was the
Pehoe Lake
... a bit like Windermere (geologically speaking of course) final valley in the "W" - the French Valley. The valley was named in this way as the original owner of the valley - was French. He named the other valley which he owned after himself ... and this valley "The French Valley". Typically French. These are the little insights which Roberto of Tena failed to give us. Thanks Julio.
The route took us past Skotberg Lago - and a lunch stop at Capamento Italiano (camp site). Again - once we got there the scenery was breathtaking - and 360 degrees. From the French Glacier (reconstituted from the Paine Grande Glacier up above on the mountain) all the way down the valley to Lake Pehoe. The walk today was 21km in total ... a long way uphill (sort of).
And so we eventually reached the Pine Grande Lodge once more for a beer and a Pisco Sour prior to the 18:30 catamaran back across Lake Pehoe - to the bus ...
Had dinner in Indigo this evening - and talked through lots of intellectual things (surprising given a number of things - not least that Nathan and Lizzy were involved and it was 10pm after walking around
It´s an Iceberg
... just knocking about in a lake - from the Grey Glacier ... 46km over 3 days). Gave the Japanese girls a low down on the history of Britain (and what the different countrys think of each other), and they gave us the lowdown on the Japanese language.
Also saw first hand that phenomena of the Japanese taking a photo of what they eat ... but close up his time. The cry "Shashin Shashin!!" went up when the pork on skewers with sweet potato mash arrived ...
Puma Watch:-
Probably. We just didn´t notice that much today. There was that one which shared Lizzy´s avocado sarnie at lunchtime - and then there was that pack of them sleeping in the woods just off the path in the French Valley. Don´t know - 15 today?
Up to a total of 27. Or something in that region.
SJB said:- "For the Patagonia trekking (it is quite expensive there by the way), we did the W route in 4 days which was really great"
British Incas say:- "Again - we agree - although we did it in 3 days and saw 27 pumas"
Plus 3 for SJB (bonus point because we liked it that much) Day 44 - February 13th French Valley - Torres Del Paine
.. we got up after this photo and those glasses just left Lizzy´s head - part of the Grey glacial meltwater forever more ... 2008 - Torres Del Paine Nacional Parque, Chile
Today - 44 days into the trip - is the half way point of our South American adventure. I am going to swear again if I am not careful ... how quick??? But at least it gives you an idea of how many more blogs are on their way.
Our last day on the tour - and today was all about pre-history. 10:00 pickup (none of this early start nonsense) and we went off to Cueva del Milidon - to see prehistoric caves and paintings.
About a half hour drive from Puerto Natales - we first went to the Interpretation Centre which told us of the Daily Express efforts in 1900 to find a Milidon - a large Omnivor which lived in these parts about 12,500 years ago. Lizzy thought it looked like the mammoths from the Ice Age movie.
A real learning day today (hold onto your hats). The Aonikenk people (Tehuelches in Spanish) lived here 12,500 years ago where the majority of the region was covered by a huge Lake (Paleo Lake) as a result of glacial melt. The water line of this lake can clearly be
The Successful Trekkers
.. at the midway point of the French Valley trek seen across the hillsides around here. The lake (which was above sea level) disappeared 7000-9000 years ago (no one knows how or where the breach occurred). People left the area - and then returned 5000-6000 years ago ... and then they drew some paintings on cave walls - which we saw...
OK ... that´s enough of that.
We also had another Japanese lesson - about the different character in their language (Hiragana (used for foreign things), Katakana and Kanji (Chinese characters) ... Nathan found that dead interesting. Must have been all that studying he did at University in this subject (isn´t that right Russ?)
And it didn´t stop there... at lunch time we discussed General Pinochet´s reign between 1973 and 1989, the impact of this reign on the general Chilean, Chile´s role in the Falklands and the brinkmanship between Argie Land (or Galtieri at least) and Chile in 1978 when they were at war - but for the weather). All very interesting ... ask us if you´re interested when we get back ...
Brains hurt after this - so we went for a spa and packed for the following morning´s 07:00 bus.
Went to a
Lizzy "Betsy" Tomkins
... crossing the bridge into Campamento Italiano, The French Valley posh restaurant (Cormoran de Los Rocas) for dinner with Eduardo, Tomoko and Asuka ... we said our good byes - and then exchanged email address... a lovely evening ...
Puma Watch:-
Went to the spa (if that counts - in Puma shorts) - and browsed some Chilean footie shirts in Puerto Natales ... is that what you mean?
SJB said:- "Charles Hallifax sorted out our trekking in Torres del Paine"
British Incas say:- "Eduardo sorted our trekking in Torres del Paine ... and he was FANTASTIC. A great sense of humour and a wonderful knowledge of everything so it seems. Any man who has an email address which reads edpatagonia@hotmail.com is good enough for us. If you go to Patagonia and want to go to Torres del Paine - speak to Eduardo ... he was amazing"
Plus 4 for SJB for directing us to Torres del Paine. Good work Branston Day 45 - February 14th 2008 (Valentines Day) - El Calafate, Argentina Lizzy got Nathan a Hugo Boss watch that he´d seen in Duty Free in Argie Land for Valentines Day. Nathan got Lizzy 2 t-shirts and 2 chocolate bars (including that 8 quid Toblerone). 4
Valentines Day 2008
... hopefully the cards say something nice eh? presents vs. 1 present. Where is the justice?
07:00 bus to El Calafate. Interesting to note that the Argie lads wanted us through that border as quickly as possible - and didn´t take our bags off the bus ... you couldn´t have guessed that eh?
Got back to Calafate in the full 5 hours though - and chilled again today (in the nice hotel place)... we must be getting old ...
Sorted out the next two nights accommodation and then - on Valentines Day - stayed in to watch TV ... and had a picnic in bed and an early night ...
Watched some film with Morgan Freeman and Owen Wilson - and during the adverts noticed that a concert on TV was exactly mimicing the din outside. Ok - so it was a concert in El Calafate - some anniversary of the lake - whatever.
Which would have been ok ... had it not been for the horrificly loud firework display at midnight ... things are accentuated during sleep time - but it is no joke to say that those bangs set off car alarms and cracked windows (literally)... we´re thinking they didn´t quite
Definitely ..
.. without question ... just like the Lake District get it right and overdid it. And we were scared because of Del Prado ....
Day 46 - February 15th 2008 - El Calafate, Argentina Funny how things go all circular ... today was a blog day ... a new concept in literature ... but it was a blog day all right ... all .... day ......Not a bad idea as it´s a public holiday here and only tourist shops open. Not cool when you´re tired (again) and you have to queue at 21:30 for some money in a queue of lots of drunk Argie Landers.
Lovely meal this evening though ... (always remember how important food is)
Day 47 - February 16th 2008 - El Calafate, Argentina Today we went to the Perito Moreno Glacier - part of the Glacial National Park of Argie Land.
Bus was 40 minutes late - which prompted some ranting about not needing to get up at 07:00. But much to Nathan´s disappointment (he had already set himself to go back to bed for 2 hours) - the bus arrived.
Another delay. This time by a pack of pumas (maybe 15-20) eating several "two tone" swans on the road
The Milidon fancied Betsy
... and wanted rid of Nathan ... (these birds are more commonly know as Coscoroba Swans (Coscoroba coscoroba) in these parts - and goodness me they are common indeed). Two tone swans (Coscoroba Swan (Coscoroba coscoroba)) and Pumas are certainly not hard to come by in South Argie Land. Believe us.
Eventually got back on our way - and after an hour or so - arrived at the glacier.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still advancing. This is what our guide told us who (and we´re sorry - but this is another poke at linguistic shortcomings from 2 people who can´t string a Spanish sentence together) incessantly said "you know" after every single thing that she said.
Funny that - as Eduardo told us that the Moreno glacier has now stabilised. We believe Eduardo.
Nevertheless - the glacier is a monster - and truly impressive. A very big snowdrift if ever there was one. Lizzy had started to get cold due to the fact that it was raining and we were standing less than a few hundred metres from a colossal sheet of ice. She soldiered on though - taking those piccys -
Perito Moreno Glacier, El Calafate
... the bloke who took this photo put the camera fully around his neck ... that´s why Nathan looks concerned .. right up until we went inside to get some food.
Couldn´t eat our own food inside - so bought some chips and eat our own food with chips. Followed by a massive slice of choccy brownie which "we weren´t allowed to throw it away". Guess who ate it all anyway?
We then got on the bus which transferred us to a very impressive boat which took us closer to the wall of ice. By far the most impressive thing about this was the fact that there were multiple loud explosions - followed by huge sheets of ice falling off the wall into the water with a thunderous roar. All very inspiring stuff and evidence (we are told) of the advance of the glacier. Photographer Lizzy managed to get some fab shots anyways...
Slept on the way home ... and then watched Man U beat Arsenal (treeemendous). ESPN is doing a fantastic job in keeping us (or is that just Nathan?) ultra informed.
And there we are ... right up to date ... as we sit here about to get ready to go to dinner with Patricia and Stuart - one of the couples from our Galapagos
Nath´s head is pretty big
this glacier is 6km wide and 70 km long...not much of a challenge for that heed boat who happen to be in El Calafate this evening ... should be good - although our guide on the way back into El Calafate told us that tonight was "Rock and Roll" night at the perennial El Calafate concert. Oh goody ... so long as they don´t have fireworks.
We are still jumpy "you know"
Tomorrow we´re back to the heat of Buenos Aires ...
Oh Goody ...
Oh ...
Good ....
A bit inconsistent we know - realise we´ve missed some of these out at the end of the blog - but here goes anyway...
SJB said:- "Also worth getting a boat to see Perito Merino glacier (highlight, amazing glacier)"
British Incas say:- "Again ... Branston gets it right in our eyes ... a realy worthwhile trip.
SJB Finishes on 5 points.
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Wot no d-ream fans
Congrats on making the halfway point - and keep up the blogs. They're a great read - pls be a travel writer when you get back. Torres del Paine looks awesome and as windy as I'd heard.... It's obvious you weren't in the Lake District last week as it's much sunnier here!! How about doing a count of how many D-Ream fans you meet - there'll be more of them than happy Arsenal supports ;-)