Patagonia - Punta Arenas

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Just putting in the location of this post gives me goosebumps, and its not just because its -2 C outside..... the weather map on my gadget reckons the feel is -3, but who can tell the difference?

Mythical Patagonia, land of ice and snow, rain forrests, azzure lakes, penguins, Tierra del Fuego and the Straits of Magellan - it's been on my must-do list for as long as I can remember.

We landed in Punta Arenas yesterday to a weak twilight sun and a bracing breeze off the whitecaps on the Straits of Magellan (Magallanes in Spanish). From the warm car on the way into town the 20 knot cross-shore wind looked just about kiteable.... but that's another obsession.

It's mid spring at the far end of South America, and the girl from our hotel is happy the weather has improved from the snow and sleet of last week. Our host is sporting a broken arm, suffered in a fall on the ice. So, despite warnings about the fickle weather, our timing might be good.

The outlook is promising for our visit to Torres del Paine National Park over the next 5 days. The chance to see the granite towers, glaciers, arctic beech forests, rivers and lakes is what has brought us so far south.

So, breakfast and we head off - 5 hours drive north, across the pampa, through Puerto Natalas and into the park by this evening.....

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Photos

on the roof at the end of the world
Punta Arenus

sun room at the end of the world
Punta Arenas

Comments

[Andy Hardy]

Sounds fab mate:)
If love to get down to Chile - especially that far southern tio one day, maybe fly my plane there?! :)

[WanderinAl]

hi andy
Cheers Andy, yep, you would love it here. Now, by plane that would be a trip!