Torres Del Paine (over and out)

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Sooooooooo,

Left Puerto Natales in Chile to go into Torres Del Paine National Park. Was looking forward to 5 days hiking in fantastic scenery. The weather was perfect when we got there, cloudless sky and high temperatures. Just what you need when you are going to be walking up hill for most of the day carrying our big rucksacks. Still, better than wind, rain and snow which is a possibility at any time of year up there.

We made it up to the amazing towers (Torres), although the pictures really dont do the size of them any justice. Heather spotted some climbers half way up the tallest one - apparently its a 3 day climb to the top and back. Apparently Chris Bonnington has climbed it in the past too.

We stayed in a small hostel in the mountains that night - we were really tired after an early start and tough walk. I think we were in bed by 10! The towers are famous for how beautiful they look in the sunrise, but more often than not they are shrouded in clouds in the morning. We happened to wake at 4 in the morning and were amazed to see the towers in their full glory. It was a perfectly clear, beautiful morning and the towers were blazing blood red, an amazing sight. See the photos.

The 2nd days walk was much easier and the weather was just as perfect. We saw some amazing scenery on the way to the campsite.

Just when you think everything is going your way, there's always something to bring you back to reality. In this case there were 2 things. Heather was up all the night being sick (which is not the best situation when you are camping!), and having pretty much recovered by the following night, decided to invite a colony of (asian!) bacteria to live in her eye.

Anyway its a long story, and one which most of you will know by now, but via hospitals in Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas and Santiago and by now 1 eye short, we left South America and returned to England in the mid winter. A shock to the system i can tell you. The good news is that Heather will recover her sight in the long term. South America can wait, but we'll be back to finish her off!

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Comments

[Kathy U]

Towers
The towers ar unbelivable. No one you're going back!