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Published: March 16th 2008
Hola all.
In the three weeks since I last wrote we´ve been hiking in the Torres del Paine national park in Patagonia which was spectacular, living in up in Buenos Aires which was exhuasting and viewing the Iguazu Falls which was awe-inspiring. I´m writing this to you from Barra de Lagoa which is a small coastal town not far from Florianopolis, Brazil which is a far cry from Puerto Natales in Patagonia, Chile where the last posting came from as we were about to set off to hike for five days through the Torres del Paine national park.
We took off from Puerto Natales early the next morning after watching a spectacular sunrise over the lake against which Puerto Natales exists. The whole sky was glowing a brilliant red and this soon gave way to a typical Patagonian day - overcast, but mild with some wind. The hike we undertook around the park was along a route known as ´the W´ and to do it properly takes 5 days which was what we had planned for. so after arriving at the park we took a bus to the southern part of the park, before catching a catamaran for 30
minutes across a lake to begin the hike around 1.00pm. Along for the ride with us were our Dutch friends (and newly wed couple) Auke and Romona. We set off for our first camping spot some 11km away which was located at the foot of the Grey Glacier. As with all envirnments in which glaciers exist once the walking had stopped we soon found ourselves rather cold, but this was the least of our worries. Once again Hughie and I had been struck by the curse of the tent. Having shelled out the extra $$$$ to ensure that this time around we´d be protected from the elements and also to ensure we´d have sufficient room the looks on our faces as we stepped back to admire our 2 1/2 man tent must have been priceless. 2 1/2 dwarves maybe but for men of our magnitude there were going to have to be amputations for us both to get in simultaneously. Never the less we wriggled in and lets just say the next 4 nights were very cosy in deed. After making camp we went and checked out the grey glacier which was impressive but nowhere near as impressive as the
Moreno Glacier we´d seen the previous week.
Day 2 proved to be much the same as day 1 in a climatic sense and made walking quite comfortable, however after 6 hours and 18km with a 12kg pack we were quite sure we´d had enough for one day. What made it all worth while were the amazing views that we saw along the way. Some lakes were a deep turquiose that looked like they´d been coloured while others were so clear and reflective that you could clearly see the mountains you were approaching reflected in its waters. What was truly rewarding however was the campsite 'Italiano' were we made camp the second night. It was set aginst a river that roared down the nearby French Valley and was complete with a swing bridge. It was certainly picturesque. The third day of the hike was anything but typically Patagonian. It was once of those days that landscape photographers must dream about with clear blue skies and white clouds off in the distance. Determined to make the most of this day we left our camping gear and packs at the base of the valley and literally ran up the valley, and into
the mountains to the various lookout points. The views that greeted us from the top of the valley were amazing and as this was reputedly the most scenic day of the hike we were lucky to have landed such a good day. After descending out of the valley we broke camp and made our way around to our next camp site at 'Los Cuernos'. At this point certain individuals named Auke and Romona decided to wimp out and partake in their first shower in 3 days. Hughie and I however were working on the theory that after 3 days without showering, sweating it out in the same clothes, your stink levels must surely plateau so we went without the shower. What we did decided to do though was try some cold therapy on our aching feet. So it was down to the lake to put our feet in the water. Once there Hughie, Auke and I decided to have a test of manhood competition to see who could keep their feet in the longest, which was so cold that after 5 seconds of submersion it became quite painful. At 45 seconds, and with icebergs floating past we decided to call
it a draw rather than risk the iminent frostbite.
Day 4 we were up early and staring down the barrel of our longst day - 22km with the last 7km up steep hills. In addition to this rather than repeat the good weather of the previous day mother nature decided that driving rain and savage wind was more in order. Unpeturbed we set off and were making excellent time before we came to a serious river. It seemed that every other river and swamp inthe park had a bridge over it but this river, swelled by the rain, offered nothing more than a couple of strands of 8 guage wire for you to hang onto as you tried not to slip on the submerged rocks. There was a seriously backlog of hikers stuck at the river, some with shoes off, some trying to decide which rocks to try and jump onto to avoid getting wet. Hughie and I opted to go upstream and jumpfrom rock to rock, which is more difficult than it sounds when you're carrying a heap of stuff on your back. Still we made it across unscathed and still with dry feet. Romona opted for the
8 guage wire route and wasrewarded with one soaked foot, while Auke, after walking upand down the far bank for about 10 minutes took his shoes off and then waded, almost waist deep through the icy water. We set off again and after some serious walking up some serious mountains we arrived for our final night's camping at Campmento Los Torres. Kudos must go at this point to Romona who at no stage complained or started crying (despite threatening to about 45 minutes from camp on a ridiculously steep hill) and carried all the same things as the rest of us. Boys being boys, we were always trying to race each other up hills and down walking far faster than the rest of the hikers we passed and she easily kept pace and kept smiling. Bravo.
After eating the last of our food the following morning we again left our camping gear at the camp site and at 5.00am climbed the steep and slippery slope inthe pitch black to the final day lookout for what was promised to be a spectacular sunrise. Unfortunately the weather turned out to be much the same as the day before and after not
seeing much and almost being blown off the mountain we went back down,broke camp and made our way to the ranger station and pickup point before being bussed back to Puerto Natales for a well earned shower, change of clothes and steak. The hike itself was sensational and the views amazing. For any serious hikers out there, make no mistake, Patagonia should be your next destination. I have seem nothing like it anywhere else in the world and cannot recommend it highly enough.
The next day we bussed it to Punta Arenas, our final destination in Patagonia. Punta Arenas is right on the Straights of Magellane and fits into the region of the Tierra del Fuego. The two days spent here were mainly used to recover from the hike and to catch up on postcards and other similar thing before we caught a flight on March 1st from Punta Arenas to Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires has, in the past, been referred to as the Paris of the Southern Hemisphere an upon arriving it's easy to see why. Home to 7 million Argentines, with bustling streets, vibrant markets and rich in history Buenos Aires is a remarkable place. We
arrived at our hostel 'The Milhouse' around 1.00am Saturday night, which is just before the clubs open. So we quickly tossed our packs and set off with some French Canadians and Norwegians to a nearby club. Typical of clubs everywhere this place was packed to the rafters, the drinks were overpriced and the women done up to the nines (I couldn't help but feel a little out of place in hiking boots!) What was a bit different was the pat downs and metal detectors we had to pass through upon entry which I know is there for your safety but always makes you feel a bit nervous. Everything was going well, until however the Norwegians started getting it on. No real problem here except they were both blokes. I just want to point out that I am not homophobic and wish people all the best with their choices in life but it's just a bit shocking when it happens about 2 foot from you. 3 seconds later we'd skulled our beers and were on the way home.
The following day we went down to the San Telmo antique street market. This was a great place and for bargain hunters and people who really know their stuff I'm sure there are some absolute treasures to be found. We wandered around the market for a while before meeting up with some friends we'd met in Patagonia and heading out for tea. The next day (monday 3/3) we headed down tothe brazilian consulate to get our visa's. Easier said than done let me tell you. They required a passport sized photo, a bank statement from the last 3 months and a return ticket into and out of the country. How many of these things did I have....zero. So with steam pouring out my ears we set off to get these things. Passport photo's were easy enough, as were bank statements (thank god for online banking). The problem was the return ticket into and out of the country. Despite having a round the world ticket which proves we were leaving the country we had to provide this ticket as either a bus or plane ticket. Rather than purchase one and then try to cancel it and risk loosing money I strolled into the first airline office I saw and asked politely if they could print me out a fake ticket free of charge. Which they did. And did it work??? LIKE A CHARM. Daniel and Hughie 1 : Brazilian Goverment 0. Take that Brazil, you stick to playing soccer and making coffee and we'll handle the international espionage. In case you can't tell I really was quite pleased with myself when this came off.
Tuesday we headed out to a street called Murillo which is the place to shop if you want anything made of leather. They have it all, jackets, boots, wallets, pants, hand bags, you name it. And the best thing is it's all dirt cheap. Hand made leather jackets made to order - $300 AUD. After scouring the shops for a jacket for Hughie's brother we walked away empty handed, a bit overwhelmed by the range. Both of us tossed up the idea of a leather jacket but couldn't go through with it. The thought of the postage cost as well as the potential flack from friends was too much to bear. Thursday we headed out on a walking tour of the suburb of Recoleta which included the posh end of town as well as Evita's (famous argentine lady) grave site in the city Necropolis. The best part about the tour was the fact that hughie and I were the only ones on it and our guide Nadia was Argentine born and bred. She was able to tell us all about the history of the country and give us an eye witnesses account of what happened in 2001 when the country went broke. Basically imagine having all your savings cut to a third of their original value but still owing the bank the original amount in $USD for your mortgage. What these people have been through again makes me thankful to live where I live. That night we went to a South American Champions league fútball game to see the Boca Juniors (imagine collingwood, carlton or essendon) take on a Mexican side. The atmosphere was electric all night as the fans of the home side beat drums, chanted, let off fire works and cheered like maniacs. The most eerie point of the night was towards the end of the match, with Boca leading 2:1, the fans in all stands began to jump up and down as one. I had never felt a three tier concrete grandstand sway under the weight of thousands but I can honestly say I have now. Can you imagine the uproar if the great southern stand at the MCG began to sway? But this was all in a night's fútball for the locals.
Thursday we were up early and went out to a small suburb about 45 minutes away by overland train, called Hurlingham. It was on this train ride we saw the other side of Buenos Aires. Genuine poverty. People living in squallor that would not look out of place in any African or Asian 3rd world country. Shacks that back onto train lines made of corrugated iron with dirt floors and rubbish everywhere. And all literally a stones throw from down town - the hub of Buenos Aires. The suburb of Hurlingham itself was a far different story and was filled with mansions and manicured lawns. Security guards were on every corner and the beautiful tree lined streets looked no different to those in Toorak or Malvern. That night we headed to a cafe restaurant to take in the last of the things on our to-do list before we bailed out of Buenos Aires - a Tango show. It was sensational. Similar to a caberet show with an operatic singer, 5 piece classical band, unique solo performers and of course the tango dancers. And can these people move. Arriving in Buenos Aires I had thought to myself wouldn't it be great to take a couple of lessons and learn to tango. After seeing them dance I can only imagine the hours of practice required to master the tango and will spend the rest of my life happy to have seen it, even though I'll never be able to dance it.
The next day we picked upour visa's and spent the day wanderingthe streets of Buenos Aires before catching the 15 hour bus ride to Puerto Iguazu. The bus we travelled on was rated 'Super Cama' and more closely resembles 1st class on a plane than anything I've ever seen on a bus in Australia. We arrived in Puerto Iguazu which is next to the Iguazu National Park, but more importantly the Iguazu Falls. There are two sides from which to see the falls - the Argentinian side, which affords a more close up look, and the Brazilian side, which provides panoramic views of the falls. On sunday (9/3) we first went to the Brazilian side of the falls and were amazed to see one of the most spectacular waterfalls anywhere in the world. Hughie reckons it's enough to make an irrigation farmer cry. The sheer volume of water we are talking about here has to be seen to be believed. The following day we visited the Argentinian side of the falls and were absolutely awestruck at the magnitude of these waterfalls and most especially 'Garganta do Diablo' or 'The Devils Throat'. The photo's simply don't do it justice as the water seems in slow motion to flow over the falls before it stretches, picks up speed, then breaks into millions of drops as it falls into the canyon below. The spray is so thick you cannot hope to see the bottom of this cataract but the sound which is like thunder can onlybegin to hint at the chaos that must surely take place below. Such is magnitude of the falls that around 1.5 million litres of water rush over the falls.....every single second!
To cap off our trip to the falls we took a short boat ride to view the devils throat from a better vantage point before being uncerimoniously 'baptised' under several of the lesser waterfalls. It was great fun and we have some classic video's of ourselves getting absolutely slammed by the falls to share upon our return.
Having seen the Iguazu Fallsin all their glory we bade farwell to Argentina and our all steak diet in have said Ola to Brazil. We've been in Florianopolis for acouple of days now and tomorrow head for one of the greatest places on earth - Rio de Janerio. We are planning to spend easter in Rio as we are staying right on that world famous stretch of sand - Copacabana beach.
I hope everyone at home enjoys the long easter weekend. Thanks also to those people who return comments to this blog, it's great to hear from you, please keep them coming.
Over and out
Daniel
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shaun brooks
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Happy - you write a pissa of a blog. Enjoyed the read mate!