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Published: March 10th 2011
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Wow, just looking at this now and I'm way behind. I guess that's what happens when I'm having so much fun. Anyways... I guess I should mention my day spent in El Calafate checking out Perito Moreno Glacier (I think the fact that I keep thinking of it as Perito MERINO says something about my Aussie-ness). This was a much more sedate day in comparison to my full day. The hike wasn't a hike. It was a walk. But before we went for the walk we went for a nice little boat ride. 50 pesos for 1.5 hours to go look at the glacier up close and hopefully see some calvings etc. I wasn't going to pay the moeny since I didn't have it, but Albert knew I wanted to and so he paid for me. What a guy! On a side note, paying Albert back wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. He wasn't actually part of our group. There was another GAP tour group who was doing a Patagonia tour which was very similar to the first part of ours and we would share transport, including the drive out to Perito Moreno Glacier and Albert was part
of that group. I assumed we would be together the following day on our bus to Puerto Natales and I'd be able to pay him back. But I was wrong. Thankfully we did run into him in the street and I paid him back even though he wasn't realy wanting it back. I guess you don't get too concerned about $12.50...
Back to the main story and the boat ride was worth it. You got right up and personal with the glacier. Something very special. We had run into someone who's told us that it wasn't worth it earlier in our travels because you just see the same thing from the boat as the boardwalk, but she mustn've really known or cared about glaciers. In my recent experience (clearly I'm an expert now) there are no two glaciers the same and no two angles on a glacier that are the same. We saw Perito Mereno Glacier from above and below and from south and east. Nope. Two very differnt viewings and with the time we had and the cost it was worth it. At least that's my opinion.
As mentioned, the following day we went to Puerto Natales.
A 5 hour "public" bus ride. I'd compare the experience more with a spacious airplane seat. With worse toilets. We had to stop twice. Once for the Argentinian border crossing and once for the Chilean border crossing. I realised that it was my first experience crossing land boarders. It's always been by plane for me. I guess that's what you do when you live on a giant Island. I still can't figure out who that 10 minutes worth of land in between the crossings belonged to or what country I was in then. Thankfully, since I wasn't entering via air I also didn't have to pay the reciprocal entry fee this time that I needed to pay upon entering Argentina and I didn't get another whole page note saying it either. Which is really good. I don't have the pages to spare! This passport is getting very close to full I'm already having images of me running to the San Francisco embassy to get an emergency passport if this one runs out of space! At least it will be retired from over use and not old age.
I have to say though that Peurto Natales is a very quiet
Trekkers
It wasn't an option for us that day, but this shows us how huge this glacier is. Look how small they are. little port town if ever I saw one! But I got my laundry done. Got some souvenir shopping in. Went to a vegetarian restaurant run by a little old english lady. Ran in to Albert and ran across the street to pay him back. Had a great dinner which included 3 bottles of fantastic wine, an amazing sea bass and of course creme brulee. The waiter even liked us enough to bring us all a shot of Ameretto at the end of the evening we rolled home quite happy that night. In all. life is good.
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Simon Willis
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Awesome blog!
Looks like you're having a great time. The glacier looks awesome. I can't wait to the Antartica section.