El Chalten: 22 - 24 Feb

I´m staying for three nights in the quaint little town of El Chalten under the afternoon shadow of Mnt. Fitzroy (Darwin´s Beagle´s Captain who sailed to with 50km of here) and the infamous Cerro Torre (Mountain Tower) that, for some reason, holds a facination with South African climbers (one of the first ascents was a South African lady).

I´ve just come back from a very good, not strenous, hike to the base of Cerro Torre and its glacier and lake.

OK, stomach is growling, going to the supermercados for some food.

El Calafate: 20 - 21 Feb

I am now in the tourist mecca/toy town of El Calafate at the edge of the Patagonian steppe.  This pretty town´s sole reason for existence is to extract money from tourists on their way to view the magnificent Glaciar Perito Moreno.

 

From here I´m off to El Chalten to hike around Cerro Torre and Mnt. Fitzroy for two/three days.  Still need to decide whether to do a easy three day backpack trip with another Pom, or whether to take it easy and do the day walks while staying in a dry hostel.

 

And then it´s probably up to Bariloche / El Bolson on a 32 hour bus trip!

 

Puerto Natales: 19 Feb

Finished the Torres Del Paine circuit with 13 minutes to spare to catch the first bus out at 15h00.  We refused to take the 10,000 Chilean Peso (2 US$) shuttle for the last 9km since we had walked so far, we might as well physically complete the circuit on foot.

 

It was great to arrive back to the semi-civilisation of Puerto Natales and the friendly people (Omar and Raffe) at Kawashkar Hostel (even though my bed now was only 40cm below the ceiling).  Before chowing a large steak hamburger at Carlitos Dodgy Inn, I got myself the second last ticket out of P.N. to El Calafate, because, let's face it, Argentina is better than Chile.

Torres Del Paine: 13 - 18 Feb

Just come back from the EPIC Torres Del Paine Circuit Grande hike which took us 7 days (6 nights). It was really brilliant, and so much better than just doing the shorter 4-day W-route that most people do. It was everything I´d been looking forward to for 5 years since I first went to a S.A. climber´s talk and heard about it.

The full circuit is usually takes about 8-10 days and has at least 12 different possible campsites.

Day 1:
Walking from Laguna Amarga through the Patagonian Steppe (very dry area where it rains all the time---something to do with the dry wind that dumps its snow on the Andean ice-shelf and the cold winters) to camp in an umarked, but brilliant, campsite looking over Lago ???. The lake, and the little stream nearby, are all an opaque turquoise / aqua-marine colour. AND THE RIVERS---the whole of S.A. doesn't have as much water as the Grade 2+, 200m wide river we walked beside for 2 whole days. A dry-suited kayaker's paradise!

Day 2:
Halfway camp to Los Peros.
Lotsa 'Outer Patagonian Rainforests' which were amazing, but wet later in the day. First camp next to a fridge (glacier) that rumbled all night.

Day 3:
Los Peros - Las Guardeira.

Made the excellent decision to pack up in the pouring rain and walk out of the valley of insane weather. ThenF#$%ing vertical peat bog, the Pass, and the most amazing view of the entire circuit---the 5km wide Grey Glacier stretching 20+km up into the misty Andean Peaks.

Day 4:
Las Guardeira - Campemanto Italiano
The insane tailwind (climatic!), and the beautiful lagos.

Day 5:
Quite a long day (13 map hours) thanks to the psycho german, Axel, who did the whole 'W' and much more in three days (most people take 5 or 6 for what he did).
Saw all the Cuernos (Horns) peaks, then walked to Las Torres campsite for a hot shower, and no wind. Met the other South Africans.


Day 6:
Very easy day walking through the muggles (one day hikers and people with stuff attached to every clip on their backpack). Played Israeli card games for 5 hours in a shack in the rain---was great.

Day 7:
Early moring sunrise, tea, porridge, tea again, under a clear 'fucshia' Torres Centrale, Norte, and the other one.



More coming...

Puerto Natales: 11 - 12 Feb

I´m now in Puerto Natales, trying to buy/organise stuff for a 7-day Torres Del Paine circuit (on a Sunday in a Roman Catholic country!). Hoping to leave tomorrow.

Punta Arenas: 6 - 10 Feb

Went to Team Mad Scientists skills testing session (rope and kayaking skills) for the Patagonian Expedition Race. They performed admirably, and the competitional doesn´t look too stiff (except for the pros, Team Buff from Spain, who have been racing together for 12 years!). Everyone is in good spirits, if a little stressed. Spent the day sorting out their bikes (not Jon´s :-) ), so now they should last (we hope). The race will be 790km and take about 10 days, including a 5 day 112km trekking section through peat bog (turbal)!!! It starts on the thinest Chilean point of land onthe Atlantic Ocean.








CAPTION 0: My friends, Team Mad Scientists at the initial reception of the Patagonia Expedition Race. Before the wickid cocktail party!

9 Feb 2006

Just come back from the reception of the Patagonia Expedition [Adventure] Race where I met up with my good friends and teamates (read that how you will :-) ) Jonathan, Wessel, Mike and Heather. Somehow, after searching the town, I found the correct people and managed to get myself invited to this five-star reception. We watch a very inspirational/moving DVD of the 2005 PER, and I'm so envious of Team Mad Scientists (South Africa) and the race ahead of them.

7 Feb 2006

CAPTION 1: Burnt out conifer in the Punta Arenas Cemetory.

CAPTION 2: Fishing boat, looking over the Straits of Magellan to Tierra Del Fuego.

Still having an interesting time in the windswept lands of outer Patagonia. Living in a bit of a dive, but it´s cheap, and the other places are full.

CAPTION 3: Sitting on an umarked, grasy grave out of the wind learning about the town and eating orange centred chocolate.

Buenos Aires: 31 Jan

Had a chilled out day trying to book hostels in Ushuaia. The guide books all say it is packed during Jan/Feb but I didn´t have a problem. Again booked a place with the best website/fastest email reply.


We (Colin, Moshe, Astrid, Salome, Clemence and Amy [who is flying to SA on the same flight as me]) then went out for sushi somewhere in Palermo which turned into a giormous party till way too late at the "Soul Club", a watered sown version of Austin Powers´ Club 54 or whatever!

Got a taxi to the airport which well when I eventually figured out that Jorge [Newbery Domestic Airport] is pronounced "Horhe". Even this airport is more modern than Jan Smuts!

Ushuaia: 1 - 6 Feb

CAPTION Dan the Canadian and Andrew the Irish showing the rock-slabs we used to tobogan 100 metres down the soft snow below the San Martial Glacier in Ushuaia.



Finally visited an Outer Patagonian Rainforest! And a peat bog. And a glacial lake (in a U-shaped glaciated valley, with terminal morraine!). David Attenborough and Mr. Jones (my geography school teacher) would be proud.

Ushuaia claims to be the southern most town in the world. It´s at the bottom of Tierra Del Fuego (Land of Fire) on Darwin´s Beagle Channel (south of the Straits of Magellan, north of Cape Horn). Had an intersting landing ducking over the mountains to land in a howling gale, while avoiding the three sides of a square of Chilliean airspace.

It´s pretty "touristic" here, and the hostels are like three star hotels---nice---with underfloor heating and everything. I´m staying in Yakesh Hostel.

The [second] biggest liner around, the Queen Mary 2 visited for a day, but luckily not many of the 3000 passengers felt like missing their G&Ts, so they stayed on board :-)

I´ll get around to the National Park, the rain forests, and the glaciers later. Having a tango and sicau (?) (panflute) concert now in the hostel......


P.S. Leaving here on Monday 6 feb at 08h00 (13 hour bus journey), and continuing my northward journey to Punta Areanas, Chile, to meet Jon, Mike, Heather, Wessel, and Lisa at the start of the Patagonian Expedition Race (go Team MSM, South Africa!!!).

bye everyone, and thanks for the messages/comments.

Puerto Iguassu [Falls]: 27 - 30 Jan

CAPTION: The Iguassu Falls from the Agentinian side, with Brasil in the background.



Only been in South America two days, and I'm already off to Iguassu Falls in the northern Argentinian jungle where Argentina meets Paraguay, meets Brasil. Iguassu waterfalls are the second biggest falls in the world and span over 2.7 km on the borders on Argentina, Brasil, and Parguay. Been to Brasil for the day and it was 40 degrees 100% humidity in the shade (I think :-) ). The falls are amazing---way, way bigger than Victoria falls, and in a jungle (Paranal Jungle as opposed to Amazonian). I could only get a flight to the south to the end of the workd (Ushuia, Fin Del Mund) on 1 Feb, so I'm doing some touring in the meantime. I had thought that getting a flight south (more than 3.5 hours!) would be much better than busing it, but after being in the 'cama' (lit: bed) bus for 15 hours to get here, I may be wrong. The buses have fully reclining seats, 1 metre legroom, nice meals (red wine or whiskey with your steak!), audible movies, air-con, and champagne! (OK, the air-con did get a bit over-zealous at times---the bus display readout said 13 deg C!) Just after we'd (Astrid, her American friend Tara from Spanish class, and me) arrived on Friday morning, our all inclusive package deal said we got to view the waterfalls from the Brazilian side.

Unfortunately, Americans need visas for Brasil, so Tara wasn't allowed in! That's what happens if your country is so anal-retentive in its own visa regulations! ;-) The falls in the heart of the non-amazonian rain forest are ginormous, something like 1100 cumecs falling 80 m spread over 2.7 km. The Brasilian (Foz de Iguacu) side offers the most panoramic views, but you get more up close and personal at the [next day's] Argentinian side. So yeah, I've been to Brazil for 5 hours! The concrete walkways allow you to stand just above the edge of the falls and watch the water hurling over the edge down into to Igassu river. We also did a brilliant, but quite expensive, boat trip (18 seater boat) to the bottom of the falls. Quite wet having that much water falling on your head! Then motor boated 8km down stream at high speed over grade 3+ rapids on the raging torrent! AWESOME.

We stayed in the Hostel Inn Iguazu, which was great, but the big palm lined pool heated you up, instead of cooling you down, ´cos it´s damn hot in the jungle in midsummer. Therefore, many Capirinhas had to be consumed after leaving the water! So, it was quite a party! I never thought I´d feel sun stronger than S.A., but here, it is.

Ok, getting on the bus later today back to Buenos Aires where I'm staying in the same hostel as before (soho hostel) since my big bag is there. Luckily, the bus trips have the opposite effect to the Johannesburg - Grahamstown bus trips of high school which were a leetle beet exhausting.

Food

Today I almost had a Caramel Free Day, but alas, I bought a round double layered biscuit covered in chocolate, and it had caramel in the centre! In the supermercados, Argentines sell milk-caramel by the kilogram, seriously. In tubs (soft) and blocks (hard). Not that I´m complaining---I´ve had caramel on toast every [free] breakfast I´ve had here.

As for beef, I tried to buy some fillet steak today, but the butcher said (according to my limited Spanish) that this was a kak cut and that I should rather have the Angosta cut which is way more tasty.

He was certainly right!


CAPTION: Bus trip meal before the steak and red wine arrived.