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Published: October 24th 2006
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Argentina, I love you! Whats not to love, beautiful views, beautiful steaks, beautiful wine, beautiful chocolate and topped off with BEAUTIFUL men. So here I am, ......
The ´Chopper´bus I took over the border kept me amused just by name until I went to the toilet, ´pisa´services. He he, yes I really am 12! Going over the border also kept me amused, not so much can be said for the border guards in Chile, apparently playing Super Mario Cart and watching Beyonce was more important than stamping any passports. When I did get another stamp, in to no-mans land and I can honestly say it was the most stunning no-mans land ever. 30 Min's to the border with Argentina and all through snow capped mountains, simply stunning, how is this not claimed land?
So on arrival to Argentina checked in to a hostel and I swear love at first sight, oh my god I had been warned that the men where beautiful, but still not prepared! Wow, all good until I went for my first and amazing (and cheap) bife de chizo (steak to you and me) and again love at first sight, this time with the waiter.
Chocolate!!!
Why I like Baraloche so much, everywere was like this!! Ummm.... The town, Baraloice, also should get some praise amazing views right on the lake and more snow capped mountains (still not bored of them) and its also land of chocolate, every second shop is a chocolate shop. Que happy Pill. The place also has a really cool vibe, reminiscent of good ol´ Queenstown. Missing my baby Bur I decided to go riding. But quickly remembered why I had refrained so far, the horses didn't exactly have the plumpness I'm used to shall I say! That and a load of screaming Israeli's that had never ridden before, great. Thankfully the group split and the screaming became a distant memory as I took in the views and adjusted to the grucho saddle with a twig for a whip. What would Bur think!
I have found that the scenery is so good I want to go hiking, yes me!! So shunned the cable car up Cerro Campeniro, and walked up the mountain to take in the awesome views. Having moved away from my first Argentine love to a wicked new hostel, I was more than happy bump into my second on the bus back to town. Much time in Baraloice
was spent chilling with the stunning ice cream and truly amazing hot chocolate, yep the pounds are staying put for another country! But when you can order hot chocolate so thick you have to eat it with a spoon or a DIY ´Submarino´where you add the chocolate to hot milk yourself and watch the magic happen (even more special with a shot of Baylies ummm...) it seems rude not to indulge in the local ´culture´. That and enjoy the local wines again all in the name of learning and culture.
So with time to move on came the epic journey 34 hours in total, geez I thought I was going to die of boredom. There is only so much you can do on a bus to keep enter tined, especialy when all the movies are in Spanish. The only good point, 2 pink flamingos. Finally arrived in El Calafate, not much in the town itself but only 80k form the Puerto Merino Glacier. Wow, awesome, huge! Even after Franz Josef it still took my breath away on first sight. Was amazing when we were stood next to it on the viewing balcony I could have sworn I
was being shot at from the sounds, but it was the creaking of the glacier and crashing of the icebergs falling off into the sea, an awesome sight. On with the crampons again and thankfully no eye catching matching outfits and time to hike the glacier. Success at last, clambered over the huge ice cube over caresses and lakes with not a drop of rain or and avalanche in sight! We also got treated to a whiskey literaly on ice at the end of the trek, all good considering its become the tipple of choice. Although the slight snow felt at the top of Cerro Campeniro was totally out snowed in El Calafte with huge snowflakes pouring down, real proper snow, how excited was I!
Back on the bus again, luckily 'only' for a four hour journey to El Chalten, for get this, more hiking. The town its self is set in the National Park Del Glaciers and really small. So off I trundled out of the hostel onto the trail and felt like I had the park to myself all morning, just a few Patagonian Hares bouncing around. Good job really considering my trekking outfit. Walked to
the Glacier in the clouds and drizzle only to turn around to head home for the clouds to clear and the stunning Fitz Roy range to appear out of the clouds. In the hostel I saw some crazy haired fella who I ended up hooking up with to head down and back into Chile to go trekking again in Park National Tores Del Paine. I know more treking, what is going on with me!
So with tent, hiking poles, enough pasta and oats to feed a small African nation for a year and lots of chocolate packed and a couple of Dutch people we set out for our 5 day trek doing the 'W'. We started, with very heavy packs by getting a boat into the park, then clambered up and down a waterfall and some very steep boulders to get to our first campsite next to Glacier Grey. Was crazy, we had ice bergs floating past camp and could hear the glacier creaking and braking up laying in the tent. After the first day we all wondered what we had let ourselves in for. All thought the scenery was stunning the bags were heavy and four
more days?? Next day we started the clamber up the waterfall to the campsite at bottom of Valley Del Fracies. Sadly the Dutch decided that trekking wasn't for them and decided to head home the next day. So me and Ozzie Nick with the crazy hair head into the Vally to experience another one of the four seasons of the park. First day had been Autumn, kind of cold and grey, then we head into winter with really strong winds and snow at the top of the valley surrounded by waterfalls, glaciers and the back of the famous towers of Tores Del Payne. the next day, Spring was glorious. and after the glorious sunshine during the day, the wind we encountered that night made an interesting experience. After the tent was nearly blown away we decided rocks all around the edge would be a better bet than relying on the pegs. Gato Negro, the Chilean version on Goon, red wine was much called for to try and drown out the sound of the wind.
Day four ,summer, was our longest day at 20k was stunning along the Lake with condors flying over head all in glorious sunshine. That day we
pushed on to the top of the W and camped up by the Towers Del Tores meaning that at some ungodly hour next morning we could clamber up the boulders in the dark to the mirador (viewpoint) to watch the sunrise and see the towers changing colour ala Ayers Rock. All very beautiful and serene and a good time for a beer to celebrate the completion of the W, even if it was 6.30 in the morning we were and Aussie and a Brit after all. So day five was great, all down hill and back to civilisation and hot showers.
No time to rest, back on the bus the next day and back into Argentina we head for the most southern city in the world Ushaia in Tierra Del Fuego. Its very odd here 1000k from the Arctic circle and rimmed by snow capped mountains yet its really warm! I even managed to get sun burnt on our 'scenic' walk that took us to a landfill site. I somehow managed to pull/strain a muscle and had been limping around so decided that I was putting treking on the back burner and took a boat tour around the
Begal Channel. Saw lots of fur seal and cormarants and crusied around. Now my time in in the cold is up, Im heading up North for some much needed sunshine. As much as I love snow capped mountians its time to hang up the Ugg boots and beanie and head to the sun!
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