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Published: February 13th 2008
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Ok everybody who comes to Torres del Paine has a fantastic time. No arguing with that from us.
After that nice short bus ride from Punta Arenas we had an afternoon in Puerto Natales doing those fun things such as finding a laundry, buying bus tickets, finding out about boat trips and horseriding, and realising that my newish argentinian camera battery charger needed a convertor to work in Chile. We now know where the small and useful (and less than useful) shops are too.
There is even a place here that does proper thin crust pizzas! Had our evening in the pizza place chatting with some Germans and Americans who are intent on doing the whole TdP circuit starting in the morning. That morning came around too soon as we got the 7.30 bus in drizzle. As the bus drove north on the 3.5 hr trip the weather cleared up.
The scenery here is outstanding. The mountain peaks stand high above the blue blue lakes, the tops of the towers almost always shrouded in cloud. We got our first glimpse from the bus window coming from Puerto Natales as we came to the TdP national park to go
horse riding, most of the people on the bus seemed intent on either walking the circuit (10 days) or the "W" which is several days. So they had rucsacs and tents, we had tuna sandwiches.
An afternoon´s horse ride to beautiful viewpoints over lakes and mountains followed the scenic bus trip through the park. We met up with brother and sister Claudia and Felipe the first Chilean Australians we had met, for the ride together with our vaquero. My horse had the habit of deciding to trot all the gentle downhill slopes. Fun for him, a bit painful for me. As we neared the stables on the return we all had a bit of a gallop, until Claudia lost a stirrup. We four then passed the rest of the afternoon chatting and eating until it was time for the bus, the same 3.5 hr bus ride back to Puerto Natales. Not quite sure why the buses don´t use the new shorter road....
Next day we sailed up to the TdP Park via the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers, first part on a cruiser with lots of people and then zooming for a couple of hours on a zodiac style
boat up the Rio Serrano packed to the gunwhales with 16 of us. Again the weather was poor early but by the time we were on the small boat the sun was shining and we were all very happy. Got back to Puerto Natales in 75 minutes with the boat driver´s mate hammering his 4wd along the new road. Took his advice about where to have parillada in town that evening.
We decided that Monday would be a day in town doing some more chores and enjoying a lie in. Weather was beautiful if very windy. Spent a happy afternoon reading and doing my first Sudoku in months. Susan even cooked macaroni cheese for tea, hurrah.
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