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Published: October 2nd 2007
Hi welcome to our first Travel Blog, which we hope you enjoy.We are now in Puerto Arrenas, since our last email we have been exposed to all that Patagonia can throw at us - sun, snow, rain, wind and even more wind!Last week we arrived in El Calafate in Argentina, where we had the most amazing day walking with crampons on the Perito Moreno Gacier, along with walking in the adjoining forest and taking a cruise down the lake seeing bits of ice floating past.
Whilst on the ice the ony view more spectacular than the one we saw, was the one around the corner. The hike reminded us of the old Baileys advert where he finishes by saying - You want Ice, You've GOT ice. The walk finished with a glass of whiskey overfresh ice and pure ice water and of course a bon bon.After this we went to the viewing gallery, where due to the cold, very little of the glacier fell, but we still saw little bits and heard the crashes.
As we were told that the Torres Del Paine national park in Chile, was closed we went hiking for 2 days in El Chaten - a 1 horse town, where the horse has been blown out of the town. The streets are so windy, but as we were told in Pategonia during summer it is windy, the rest of the year it is cold! The first hike took us to see mount Fitz Roy, and took 6 hours to complete with amazing views throughout. The second hike to the Torres was not as spectacular due to the cloud cover, but still took about 5 hours.
We then took a 5 hour bus ride into Chile which went really fast by talking to other couples travelling - including an old American couple who were amazing at about 65 and backpack everywhere.
We arrived in Puerto Natalles, a dump with the only benefit of being the access to the national park. The next day we went into the park and dumped our bags at the refugio (hostel) for the night.Lets get one thing straight, this was no ordinary refugio it was a 4* one with gold plated taps and a very touchy chef (I exagerate about the taps).
On the bus into the park we befriended a Mexican environmentalist (Chembe) who has spent the last 2 years rehabilitating penguins. We started whatwe thought wouldbe an easy walk up to the viewpoint for the Torres mountain - it was anything but.The route was extremely steep and blustery with the wind. After half an hour we were already knackered. we made it to the next refugio and collapsed. Jan was freezing, exhausted and not enjoying hersef! After a quick break Stephen decided to carry on with Chembe to at least to the next marker which should take 1 hour. They got there in 40 minutes and decided to start scrambling up the rocks to the look out point. Stephen did not quite make it to the very top, and was later told he was only 5 minutes from the peak - bugger! He returned tothe refugio to find a happier Jan whohad been convinced by the manager of the refugio, that the wind was her friend.
When back atthe refugio we were staying in we sat by the fire our Chembe persuaded the chef, that as he would not allow us in his kitchen, to make our pasta and soup. We shared a bottle of wine with our dinner by the fire.
Our walk the next day was easier to the nearby lake, but on the way back we were blasted by snow, hail, rain and of course wind. We were not displeased to leave the national park, to think when planning the trip were were going to do the 5 day walk!
We are on the way tonight to the Chilean/Argentinian Lake District. So long for now
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Dan Stevens
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Rehabilitating Penguins...
What had the penguins done that they needed rehabilitating? Were they crack addicts or just minor criminals that needed to be put back on the straight and narrow? Or are they Chelsea fans, debilitated by the fact that the self-proclaimed "special one" is no longer around? Just wondered...