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Worst bus ride so far!!! Started my journey from Ushuaia on a dinky bus to Rio Grande, the roof leaked so most seats were soaked. So a very cold, damp 3 hours ride. We boarded the large bus for the rest of the journey but this had so little leg room I could not recline my seat! After border formalities, on the bus, off the bus etc etc we continued our journey north. One bloke decided he was warm and tried to adjust the ceiling vent, a large click and the food conductor ran to his aid, he turned out to be wimpier than the passenger and the whole vent flew away. We had to reverse about a mile to find the vent and spend over half an hour re-attaching it to the bus! I was glad to arrive in Punto Arenas, a great 12 hours...
Was about to follow a woman to stay at her house when I discovered there was a bus to Puerto Natales in an hour. Made my apologies to the woman and bought a ticket. 3 hours later I arrived, 10pm. Now as I am now under a time constraint of reaching Peru in time for
my booked inca trail I decided I needed a tour the next day so checked into a pricey hostel that could arrange it.
Freezing hostel but tons of blankets to keep me warm. Got picked up at 7.30am after a breakfast of homemade bread and jam. Small minibus took us around the national park, I decided this was the best way to see it as there is only one bus a day in and out during the off season so only 2 hours of walking time in between. We have a couple from Bs As, 2 Spanish women and 2 Brits in our group. First we stopped at the Milodon cave, not very interesting as it seems (according to the guide) that Chileans don´t care about history so trash most new findings immediatelly. We did learn though that in true Brit style we got in there early and have taken the best findings back to the British Museum along with all our other stolen treasures... We then continued to the park and saw lots of wildlife on the way. Tons of Guanacus and emu type birds and then about 30 condors over our heads, fantastic! We passed the Torres del
Paine village which has a population of 300, not my idea of a good place to live over an hour from the next town! We stopped at each lake to take photos as each one is different due to how they are formed, the ones formed by glaciers are the most stunning colours. One lake had flamingos that had come down for the winter, pink birds in the winter landscape look very out of place!! The lenga trees have a plot against them here too, no short roots or fungus like Ushuaia, but forest fires. Now, I´m not entirely sure how many hectares were destroyed as the guide said 12,000 to start then 8,000 then 10,000 in both English and Spanish, so either he is mental or maybe there were 3 fires in different parts of the park... We continued to the grey lake and walked out for about an hour onto the shores. From here we could see the glacier and a few sections that had dropped off the day before. The lake must be extremely deep for the glacier that had dropped off as only 10% is above the surface at any one time. After this we took
the bumpy journey back out of the park. The road is hurendous in parts which explains why there are so many roadworks and plans to limit visitors. At one bridge we had to get out and walk in front of the minibus as the bridge couldn´t take us all together.
Finally we arrived back in Puerto Natales at 7.30pm and went for dinner in a very cheap restaurant (odd for Chile). Went back to my diet from the doctor so had bread and chicken and was remarkably not in pain, even after the 2 glasses of white wine, I am cured!!!
Everyone asleep in my hostel due to early starts and the oven type burners turned off for the night, freezing!
Decided to lay in as shattered from the 16hours from Ushuaia and 6.30am start the previous day. When I got up at 9, told all the buses for El Calafate have left for the day. Doh!! How annoying, all the adverts for the afternoon buses were lies as they don´t run after March. Even worse the restaurant serving beans on toast doesn´t open until January!! Managed to meet up with Darren and Andrew copius times as the town is
that small, so managed to waste the day without too much boredom. Many coffee shop and internet cafe stops. Also found a casa to stay in to save money on the expensive, cold hostel. Great house, Casa Teresa, very warm and only 3000pesos. An aussie was also just moving in, he was a real croc dundee but almost 60. Met the boys plus their mates, who had bused in, for dinner and watched some Chilean soap. Then also remembered it has many gay couples and the controversy over here recently with them kissing on TV, so Darren and Andrew were loving it (they are gay but not together). Got back to the casa about 10, while the others boarded the Navimag for their boat trip up north. Croc dundee not back so I slept, until he came stumbling in about an hour later, I assumed drunk, not sure. Then at about 3am he got up and started walking around the room, very heavy footed. He walked to the window and back and then between each of the beds, finally he was stood standing over me, right by my head. I didn´t know if he was drunk or sleep walking and
The grey glacier
Grey Lake with glacier in the distance and a recent chuck that fell off. whether he needed the loo or was gonna molest me. Either way I shouted "What the hell are you doing?". He just said "Just getting about". He went out to the loo and then back to sleep, I however did not sleep for the rest of the night and was glad to leave at 7am.
Great breakfast from the friendly lady, fresh bread and a fried egg!!! I wish I had taken her up on her offer to change rooms the night before... if only i had known he was a freak!
Oh well onto El Calafate at last.
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