Punta Arenas/ Puerto Natales

After a long bus ride to Rio Gallegos from Puerto Madryn, then after a quick trip to the town, another bus to Punta Arenas. We split from ben so we could do some penguin spotting before seeing some glaciers, and he had plenty of time because he´s taking a boat back up to Puerto Montt. After finding a great hostel (hostel independencia) we headed to the Zona Franca, which is like a massive duty free mall, this port being one of the southernmost in the world so a stopping point for boats not taking the panama canal. Found a great flask for 8 quid and a bodywarmer fleece to keep me warm now we´re in Patagonia and probably going to go skiing. Also got a great cowboy hat and the thickest wooly hat you´ve ever seen for about a quid in a massive superstore place. We also booked a flight back to Puerto Montt from Arenas so that we wouldnt have to take a bus for 40 hours which would cost roughly the same as the flight which takes 2.

After getting an early bus to natales (4hrs) we met up with Ben again in a great little hostel where the owner made amazing jam and cooked a wicked breakfast. We booked to go on a whistlestop tour of Torres Del Paine national park and a 9hr boat tour to see two galciers. The bus trip to the park let us stop at some waterfalls and the scenery was magnificent, even if obscured by clouds at a lot of points. We got within touching distance of some mountain foxes aswell. After driving through most of the park we stopped at the glacier and walked about 40 minutes to see a lake full of icebergs and the glacier on the other side. After some really cool photos, we had a quick paddle with icebergs for a photo, then got the bus back, stopping at a massive cave inhabited by cavement thousands of years ago, and the place they first found the skin of this massive bear like animal. The boat trip started at the port, which is really nice overlooking the sea, which was calm as we were within a system of waterways. The boat ride took 3 hours but we saw seals living in the cliff walls and penguins and dolphins in the waters as we went and met a cool aussie girl teaching in chile. We saw one receeding glacier from the boat, then moored and walked 5 minutes through woods to see another similar to the one before, but we could get closer and the lake was smaller. Even though no big chunks fell off, some ice ran down the surface and made a massive roaring sound so i cant imagine what it would be like if a large chunk fell off. The boat back was relatively uneventful, and i was glad of the extra clothes i´d come by in my trip south. The flask was especially brilliant, holding pasta or porridge or lentil slop so we could have a hot meal on cold days out. We stayed the night at natales before getting an early bus and flying up to Puerto Montt. From there we got on a bus to Pucon where we can climb an active volcano. There was a market opposite the bus station and i bought a proper sheepskin from a man making saddles out of them for only 10 pounds, though it could do with a clean. Great market, and cant wait to climb Villarica volcano, ice axes, crampons and all!

---

---