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Published: December 17th 2012
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We've reached the southern point of our two weeks Patagonian Odyssey...we've reached El Calafate.
But first, there was the road from Menelik to El Calafate...some 480km with few gravels kms on the way. I did get 10 extra liters of nafta (fuel) from the Estancia Menelik at a serious premium, but that was what it was...long journey, without a single petrol station on the way.
First, 80km on gravels...went smoothly, we left early...life was good...
Than 40km on a proper road...nice....than it came...180km on gravels. Sometimes it's fun, when the gravels looks like stones, I don't really like it anymore! It went mainly smoothly...thinking that pretty soon, we are already doing this road one more time, on our way up.
The gravels road finished at Tres Lagos...and 2km from Tres Lagos, I found a flooded track. I couldn't call this a road....and that the ONLY way. The water, cobalt color, make it simply impossible to find out if it's 10cm deep...or a damaging 60cm deep. Like a good idiot, I saw the rocky track on the left, and went for it...bad idea...got properly stuck. It was stones, mud....and water...
Now my little extensive travelling have taugh me one or two things. Once you put yourself in a stuck position...you can make it worst...or decide straight on that the situation is "stuck"...but stable...and now it's time to find some help before I make a bigger mess of the issue! We were only 2km from Tres Lagos....which is actually a non-existing village.
Two Swiss tourists passed by few minutes behind us....that nearly makes it a traffic jam! They had the same car as us....so they were not going to give it a shot either. Another track was leading somewhere else two kms ahead. So they decided to try this one to get some help for us...maybe...
Well, by that time, got hitchhiked to the local empty petrol station a km away...and trust me...even with my bad spanish, I've got a killer line. I'm stuck a km away, I'm the only adult and have two kids with me left in the car, can you help? Now that's work when you have local road workers having their lunch and just a km out from your car....try this 100km from the first soul. Do they
call it destiny? We get stuck right next to all the help we needed!
Got back to the car with serious hands...and a proper 4x4 with ropes. The Swiss tourists actually made it back after me...and I think they were pretty astonished how fast we got all this moved. The other track was actually leading to nowhere! In less than 10 minutes I was back on dry land...and the 4x4 help them go through.
So now don't laugh...in 3 days, I've got to go through the same puddle...and there is simply no other option...hopefully destiny will be with me one more time....or let put it simply, I'de rather have dry land! Oh, and it's better to try destiny at lunch time, never try it at 10pm...little wise advise!
We made it to El Calafate! In one piece, car alive. I hope the way back will be safe, but this car will be a wreck by the time I'm returning it in Bariloche!
El Calafate is a very different story from what we have experienced the last few days. The city has 15,000 inhabitants and is clearly geared toward
the tourism business, toward the Perito Moreno! Most tourists will fly in, or come via Chile. That's quite understandable when you know reaching Bariloche by bus takes two full days. So a lot of tourists...and prices higher than in Buenos Aires. But still, El Calafate is a pretty cool little town.
Our base for 4 nights, the Nakel Yenu Hostal....true hostal place. The best must be to hear Leslie explaining to his friends on skype what is actually a hostal. For Tiffany, a hostal is a hotel, she still doens't really understand why the kids have to clean the dishes after breakfast....can't tell you how much fun I have!
We are meeting the usual suspects in the hostal world....20 somethings with a dream...30 somethings trying to make sense of their life...and the best is all those single girls closer to 35 who are properly messed up justifying themselves why their life is so great...and so single....ok, I'm not on topic anymore....
We are here 4 nights, and the last 2 nights, the city is cut-off water...a huge pipe has burst. Suddenly, I figure out the intendency is way easier
without water in a hostal than in a 3 stars hotel. Point to note, hostals today mean for me...private room with three or four beds. If it's only four beds and we are three, I pay for the four...and we manage most of the time a private bathroom, so we are actually not far from a 2 stars hotel, except here you have the kitchen, the athmosphere...and yes, the company once the kids are in bed!
But the point of this blog is to speak about the place...El Calafate, the Perito Moreno and the National Park of the Glaciers....and yes, this place is fascinating, beautiful and amazing!
First day we took it pretty relax after the long ride. Plan was to book the trekking on the ice and having a great dinner. Great dinner we had...trout on the menu.
For the mini trekking the issue was to know if they would take Tiffany for her young age. Done deal, we were going to trek the Perito Moreno on my birthday. What a day we had, that thing is really too fun. Without the kids I would have gone to the big
trek, but hey, seeing your own kids having so much fun is better than anything else on earth...specially when you know where I come from! Dinner was at the best table in town, enjoying Patagonian lamb, Ojo de Bife, and our prefered provoleta! And after that....a good sleep!
Next day we kept it pretty relax. We spend the day on a boat going through Upsala Glacier and Spegazini Glacier. It was beautiful and relax....nice day!
Our third day...the kids were happy, I let them do their favorite things at the hostal the full morning...aka spending time on their electronics, while I was doing few tens of emails. We had an amazing lunch of crepes...trout ones for Leslie and I, than helping Tiffany on her gigantic dulce de leche, icecream and cream crepe. We spent our last afternoon visiting the Glaciarium. This is a new museum on the outskirt of El Calafate. It's not cheap, but there is nobody and the visit is seriously interesting....better than a day at school for the kids!
Four nights later and it was already time to leave...up north...to El Chalten for some mountain walking...I tend to
keep the word trekking for what is really is...you'll understand...
And point to note, weather is still fairly on our side...really something I appreciate! Life on the sunny side is always better!
More to come soon....from Patagonia!
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liliram
liliram
Love this shot!
You guys truly know how to celebrate! Those are stunning shots of them glaciers. Wow! Happy birthday again!