Desvio a Chile

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So I arrived in Esquel on my own, looking for buses to El Chalten, tourist office of Esquel, then on to a hostel. On my way to the hostel, I bumped into a group of 3 that I met in the bus station. They could not work out their bus to the next town, so decided to stay in Esquel and were looking for a hostel.

We joined each other looking for a hostel, which we found 2 blocks from the bus station. The group consists of 2 Isrealis (26 guy and 26 girl, and a 29 Nederlander or Dutch or Holland girl). We grabbed dinner together that night and they invited me to come with them to Chile (the Carterra Austral).

I did not decide that night, but the we went to the National Park Los Alerces the following day, so it gave me more time to decide. The National Park Los Alerces was beautiful, covered with clear blue green lakes, and all types of trees, flowers, bees, wasps (we had some issues with the bees). We hiked from the starting point several waterfalls, then came back down and landed on the lake beach. Ate some lunch then took a swim in the mountain lake water.

We transported over to another part of the park around 3pm, then walked down to another lake. Grabbed a beer and crackers from a campground store. Took a swim and relax for a little while. I left the party to get back to Esquel to get a better tent then my solo tent that I brought with me and gas for my stove. I was able to sell my tent to the store, bought a new tent for two, and gas. fully prepared for the Carterra austral now....

The rest of party arrived late back to teh hostel and I told them I was coming with them to Chile. Making the decision on a whim as been my best decisions yet. The trip was suppose to hold buses through mountain roads, hitch hiking, camping, rain, cold, anythingt was possible in the Chile (windward) side of the Andes.

The next day, we departed for Chile via a bus to Trevel, Argentina the last Argentinian town I would be in for quite some time. We grabbed some more empanadas, and took a taxi to the edge of town. Then we started the wait for a hitch hiking opportunity. After an hour, a woman with her 2 young children pulls up and offers us a ride, we gladly accept. She was 4o something from Buenos Aires, her husband was running an adventure race to the Chilean border. Perfect for us.

We arrived at the Argentina border crossing, got our exiting stamp. I walked out of the office and I saw a guy with a Tahoe shirt on, so I approached him and he ended up being a raft guide on the local, world renowed Futaleufu River. And he was from Northern California. Great guy and offered us a ride from the border to the next town on our list (Futaleufu). It worked out very well for us. On top of everything, Futaleufu was the finish line for the adventure race and a rodeo was going on. We had a great time the day we arrived. That night we stayed in a hospedeje (residential house which is opened up for guests). Futaleufu as we have found of all these Chilean towns off the Camino Austral are surrounded by mountains. Its some of the best views I have seen. Photos to come.

The next morning at 7am, we jumped on a bus for Santa Lucia.

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Comments

[Sara Worthing]

Hey travelin' Man
Wanted to see how you were doin down there! Looks like you are having the time of your life! Congrats on that! I am in Pleasanton on a new job! Be safe and hope to see you soon! Sara