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Published: November 16th 2005
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Oh well...what to say...just another fantastic 3 days treking round some of the most dramatic scenary on earth. This is such a tough trip !!
So..after taking advice (see later..grrrrr) we decided to do the trip without tents, as we were were booked into a Refugio for the first night and were told we could hire tents for the remaining nights.
We were told to take sleeping bags, as apparently the ones available at the refugio´s were not too good, so we hired some from our hostal. Since Lou's back was still hurting, Steve honerably agreed to carry most of the kit (guess who´s writing this blog !!)... Blimey...does anyone know how much space two winter sleepings bags take up...and how much they weigh...had to cut down on the grundies. Anyway...we were given duff advice. All the places had great sleeping bags for rent. I know...becuase when I got my rented one out on the first evening...boy did it stink...so had to hire another one on the spot. (Anyway..we did a mini-runner from the hostal this morning and didn´t pay for the bags (spotting a trend ??))...
The second bit of advice was to take your own food.
This was great advice. We hired the billy can (or whatever it was called) and then went shopping for stuff. Funny, but I´ve never shopped by weight before. Still...we managed to get some steak and some rather fine Chorizo for the trail! Turns out that the food at the Refugio was not that good, so we had great fun cooking our tucker outside as the sun was setting. Lou maintains the beef stew on day one was some of the nicest food she has had on the trip...but I was more happy with the 3 minute pasta, fried Chorizo and tomato paste (Spag Bog a la Torres)...
Oh...and the treking. Bloody great. Fortunately Lou´s back had recovered enough from the horse fall to allow us to walk the trails...but she wasn´t really enjoying it too much, with the pack. Thank heavens we were blessed with three perfect days of weather as it would have been hard for her with the wind and rain.
The first day was the main climb up to the Torres. As you can see from the pictures it was well worth it. It was one of those great climbs where you get right to
The first view
You basically walk all round the base of this boy..and make trips into and up the valleys to see stuff (like the Torres themselves)... the view point without being able to see the end view....and you climb over the final rock and BAM, what a view!. The last hour of climbing was a real scramble up a granite rock field...I thought we´d be getting the helipcoper for Lou...but the down bit was easier than up...
The next day was a very pleasant suprise. It was a 6 hour walk along the base of the mountains and beside lake la-la !! We were both not expecting much..but it was great. There was not a cloud in it, and the lake was as blue-green as a really blue-green thing....the walking was up and down..not too hard and the spring flowers and birds were out in force. To cap it off we arrived at the Refugio...got our customary litre box of red wine (3 pounds and very good) and sat and watched the sunset by the lake. Perfect.
The third day took us up the Valley Francais, surrounded by Lord of the Rings style forest, and mountainous mountains (!) complete with the sound of avalances thundering though the valley.
And then it went a bit Pete Tong. We had a 2 hour walk to
the next Refugio. We had not booked any camping, as we´d been told twice that there was no need to book, including from the previous nights refugio (..can you guess whats coming). Anyway, Lou is walking in pain from her back, toes, bum (..dont ask), and then we get some typical Patagonian weather (rain that goes sideways). We trudge to the refugio...and yep...no tents available..."Why did you not reserve"
Oh I was happy !!! (Actually Lou was exstatic inside I think)..
Anyway..we were shafted. Luckily we were at a place where we could get a ferry, then bus out of the park, but it meant missing out on another days treking up to glacier Blue. Oh well next time.
So, what to do in Puerto Natales when you get back at 11pm and are pissed off cos you´ve just missed out on a days treking...you trot off to the local Parrilla for several cold ones/G&T and a rather large steak. Worked a treat !!
Off now to the Chilean Lake District, although I´ve a feeling we´ll be hopping over to Argentina for the next ´leg´quite quickly.....we can smell those steaks a-cooking..
Cheers
Steve and
Lou xx
PS: More comments please (thanks Dads - you guys are doing well!)
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The Horse
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...thanks Sal
....for your comments regarding my manhood. I love a chick who thinks a couple of cans of strongbow is a classy night.... xx