Advertisement
WOW!!
all i could say was WOW!!! dramatic mountains...beautiful clear blue skies.. I´ve seen alot so far, but nothing has yet compared to the beauty of Torres Del Paine national park!!
I decided to go on another trek...having arrived in Puerto Natales, i met a german guy called Volker..and we decided to trek and camp together...got our tent, got our mats, cooker and burner, and food to last us for 5 days..and chocolate!!!
We get into the the park carrying 15+kg backpacks....and it starts raining...trudge up steep slopes for 3 hours to a refugio ( places where u can stay for a night in a dorm for 50 dollars aussie or camp outside for 10 dollars...it was such depressing weather when we were setting up camp...Volker´s knee started playing up so he stayed there...i went up to the top to the view point 4.5 hour return walk. i get to the top of what ive seen from pictures was amazing...but there was this cloud cover just sitting there obscuring it...it seems the mountain plays on people...as soon as u start descending down, you look back and it clears up!! it happened to everyone...it only cleared up at 7pm when everyon ehad come down!!!
DAY 2, Volker decides to go back
because of his knee..so i was more than glad to send all the camping equipment back with him!! there is nothing like being cold and wet and getting into a tent!!! so cold!!! it rained non stop for the second day!!! stayed inside a refugio and kept warm!!!
DAY 3...crystal blue skies..i walked around 25km...got up this passage called Valley De Frances...that was sheer beauty...surrounded by amazing jagged mountains 360dergrees around u...even more beautiful than nepal!!! (sorry to those guys that came with me to Nepal). i went up to the highest point...so beautiful...pictures dont do it justice and i took alot of them!!!! i can still remember standing at one view point (mirador) that was a bitch to climb and getting to the top where for a few minutes i was the only one there surrounded by mountains from every direction...like being wrapped by the arms of god...thats the closest i can describe it!! Every hour, the different angles of the sun played with different shadows and lights on the mountains...it was incredible!!! i was speechles..i needed a recorder to record ´WOW´and just keep playing it....out of this world... walking back throught hte valley with white covered mountains..and
Day3
on the way up ¨valley de France¨ beautiful forests...it was great!!!
DAY 4...walked up to the grey gacier...there was no room in the refugio, so i had to rent a tent and camp!! i walked up and viewed the glacier from above...was spectacular!!! i got to a point where all you could see was glacier from every direction..so mind blowing!!!
That night, i got my whisky bottle out ( that i carried for 4 days!!) and everyone that i was walking with each night (we formed a group ..had a really good time...soem norwegians...some swiss-germans, and english)....we got some glacier ice that had broken off and drifted to shore...broke it into small pieces and had it with the whisky....it was great....argentinian whisky with 1000 year old ice!!!...goosebumps just thinkin bout!!!
The trek was physically exhausting...walked almost 100km, up and down hills, steep craverces, muddy ponds, over bridges and rivers...drank fresh water from the mountain stream, breathed fresh air....all the while carrying a 15kg backpack!!! my muscle ached...my butt is as firm as rock!!! feel much fitter!!! it was also mentally challenging...puching yourself to that next point...up that extra hill, to that next rock, sometimes getting hungry...waking up with aches all over and knowing you are
Glacier Grey
anyone for an ice block!! going to do it all again that day...i loved it!!! on the last day, our group of 5 that stayed together all the way went to a view point that not many go to...we were there by ourselves...walked up to the highest point and the most speactacular scene in front of us...a range of dramatic mountains, clear blue skies with a opal blue lake at its base...wow, wow, wow!!!
i keep on bumping into the same people everywher i go...everyone seems to be going in same direction. last night i had dinner with 4 other people...all were travelling independetly...all from different countries...everyone with their stories and experiences...south america is like that...its a haven for indepedent travellers...dont ever fell alone or have fear.
i am now travelling with an irish geophysicist...we are going to see the moreno glacier ...60m high and 50km wide!!! and then go trekking again and maybe do some glacier climbing!!!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.222s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 31; qc: 140; dbt: 0.1842s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.4mb
Ferkel???
non-member comment
the german guy
Hey Mate! I´m happy, that you didn´t delete my name from your Mailinglist... otherwise you could have read my name in it ;D Nevermind... so nice to see you travelling around, meeting all these funny people and having fun. My last weeks in Chile were great too. In Pucon I did the villarica-Trek too (with lots of medicin and tapes for my knee). First thing I saw in german tv was a report about "torres del paine" and for that I´m quiet sure. I´ll make it someday! Enjoy yourself and collect all the experiences you´ll find on your way. And if you still have it: Please send me our picture from the start of the torres trek. Thanx. "V O L K E R" ... not a single "oink!" out of my mouth!