Thursday was another drive day with our last border crossing between Chile and Argentina. We had a relatively late start though as there wasn't too much distance to cover. The talk over breakfast however was about the state of the toilets as someone had obviously not made it to toilet in time and had left an incredibly large amount of liquid poo all over the toilet, floor, wall, and even the ceiling! We got to the border in little over an hour and even got through the border in about an hour which was very good compared to some previous efforts. The drive however after was on a gravel road so it was very bumpy, although it was compensated by amazing scenery. We stopped for a very windy lunch near one of our previous stops in El Calafate, having pasta, before continuing onto our final destination of El Chalten, arriving late afternoon in the pouring rain.
El Chaltén is small remote Patagonian town nestled under the shadow of the iconic Mt. Fitz Roy. The town itself has an interesting origin - the area was disputed between Argentina and Chile for a number of years, so the Argentinians thought they would settle the argument by hastily building the town of El Chaltén in 1985 to claim the territory! The name of Chaltén comes from the Tehuelche word for 'smoky mountain', so called as the early morning clouds gathering around Fitz Roy look remarkably like volcanic smoke. However, the town has grown immensely in recent years and decades, becoming a major centre for adventure tourism in Argentina. It is a fantastic base from which to explore the northern sections of the incredible Los Glaciares National Park. I had a pretty chilled out evening, attempting to get WiFi without success at dinner where I had a beef thing, before conceding and relaxing at the hostel with a couple of beers and games of pool before bed.
Come morning I had no real plans despite the abundance of hiking in the area, and just ended up having a lazy morning, even getting my first significant go at wifi for a very long time. For breakfast a few of us went out to this waffle place, although it was closed upon arrival so we went elsewhere for a drink before returning where I had a waffle with ham, cheese, tomato, and basil which was really good. It was afternoon by the time I ended up having breakfast though as everywhere opened so late, although I did pop down to national park visitor centre to pick up a map of the park.
Los Glaciares National Park is the largest protected area in Argentina, covering a huge area of Argentinian Patagonia along the southern tail of the Andes range. The National Park is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in all of South America. This is classic picture-book Patagonia, and wherever you turn you're surrounded by wide open skies, magnificent mountains, incredible glaciers, glistening lakes and thick verdant forest. By far the best way to explore is to get out on foot. As well as the phenomenal needle-like Cerro Torre, the iconic mountain of Fitz Roy looms over El Chaltén, an impossibly-picturesque and steep mountain (which is also the logo for the 'Patagonia' clothing brand!) which can be viewed from many angles on treks in the area.
Not feeling like a serious hike, I went out for a short hike up to a couple of viewpoints to firstly see a view of Lake Viedma, which also had a brilliant view of Fitzroy, as well as going to a viewpoint with a view of the town as well as a another view of Fitzroy. We sat up here for a while although it was very windy after a while. After heading back down and through the town back to the hostel, I went for another short hike alone to see a waterfall which was about a 45 minute walk away. It was a nice little walk along the river and the waterfall was pretty impressive yet busy. When returning I relaxed, and for dinner just bought some empanadas and spent the evening in the hostel before having an early night.
Saturday was the day with the best weather forecast so I decided that was the day to hike up to Lago de los tres which sits at the base of Mount Fitzroy. After getting a few bits from the bakery, I set off with a few others to do the hike. We couldn't go as a big group however as it is a legal requirement to have a guide if you're in a tour group in Argentina, and seeing as the majority of my group wanted to do the hikes we had to leave at scattered times. The hike itself started at the end of the road of my hostel, and immediately started going up through woodland until we were presented with views of the creel below.
A bit further down the route we reached a viewpoint where we could see Fitzroy although it was a little cloudy. The route from there was pretty flat crossing small creeks and going through sections of open land, and occasionally woodland until we reached the final section was effectively had 400m height gain over 1km. The path was very steep but at the top we reached the lake and got a great view of Fitzroy and the surrounding mountains. There were at few different viewpoints although it was very exposed and windy up there. We had lunch up here too, sheltering behind a rock to get out the wind!
After lunch we headed back down the same way, with the path being very wet and slippery going down until levelling out again. The views and scenery was just as good going back, and we got back to the hostel by like half 5 in the end. Come evening it was a big occasion in the Argentinian football calendar with it being Boca Juniors v River Plate, the superclasico, so after a few beers and dinner I went to a local bar to watch the game. It was full of River Plate fans, and the place erupted when they scored, it was a really good atmosphere and River Plate won 2 0. We then continued drinking before going to the mistico disco which was actually really good. It was a late night in the end.
I had a nice lie in on Sunday after the previous nights antics, although I still went for hike, this time to Laguna Torre. I didn't until like 11 though, going to bakery en route for food. The hike started near the hostel and went up into this valley with views of the Cerro Torre, the needle like mountain. It was pretty cloudy though and very moist in the air. When arriving at the lake, I followed it round to get a view of this glacier which was impressive, with a few icebergs even floating in the lake as I walked round. The skies were very overcast though. I spent a while getting different views before heading back the same route to El Chaltén. When arriving back I just relaxed before getting some empanadas and even some decent fruit for dinner. I then had an early night ready for the start of a 3000km drive to BA starting from tomorrow!
Monday, 30 January 2017
Friday, 27 January 2017
Torres del Paine National Park
We left Ushuaia at 6 ready for a long day which included a border crossing and ferry crossing which obviously didn't go very well last time. I didn't get any sleep however the night before and entered the truck slightly pissed which wasn't my finest moment but the advantage was I passed out and the morning went quickly. We crossed the border easily, and before heading to the ferry crossing went to Bahia Inituil which we were meant to wild camp at previously to see the penguins. This area is home to the only colony of King penguins outside Antarctica. It was a pretty impressive site even if my head was hurting a little bit. We also had lunch here which was a vegetable bake with a homemade salsa and an aubergine risotto on the side.
After the penguins we drove to the ferry crossing which was surprisingly straight forward as we were the last vehicle on when arriving, then the ferry left straight away, and then we were the first vehicle off! As we did so well and were expecting to arrive here late, we continued driving, stopping just outside Punta Arenas where we finally had our first proper bush camp, by that I mean somewhere without facilities and simply in the middle of nowhere. We camped by a lake although it was very windy which made pitching tents a challenge. Dinner in the evening was a vegetable stir fry and after dinner I had a very early night.
Due to our excellent progress the previous day we didn't leave until 9, as we were only a couple of hours drive off Puerto Natales where we had to pick up our guides for our visit to Torres del Paine National Park. We arrived in Puerto Natales at about lunchtime where we were given free time to explore until 3. I went for lunch at a local restaurant where I had the club sandwich, and took advantage of the last wifi opportunity in quite a while. After picking up our guides we continued into the national park, stopping at a couple of viewpoints en route to see some of the mountains and lakes. We arrived in our base camp by about 5, which was very crowded with tents!
The Torres del Paine National Park contains what is undoubtedly some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Rising up high above the Patagonian steppe are the three impressive granite towers that give the park its name, surrounded by high plateaus and towering mountain peaks, the most famous of which are Los Cuernos and Paine Grande. The park is a magical natural wonderland full of deep lakes, sparkling glaciers and cascading waterfalls, and it is also an important habitat for a wide variety of wildlife including guanacos, pumas, flamingos and condors. After pitching our tents, mine being in the middle of the path as it was sheltered, we relaxed before dinner. Dinner was tomato soup, followed this vegetable mash thing with salad. All meals here are cooked by local guides. I then had an early night.
Sunday was the first of 4 free days in the national park. There were two options of things to do here, the w walk package and the basic package, which was decided when booking the trip due to permits. I'm on the basic package. The first day however was everyone together before the 6 people doing the w walk leave us on the second to fourth day. The first day of the w walk effectively goes up to a lookout of the famous three granite mountains, before returning the same way to base camp. Breakfast in the morning was eggs and even a very small amount of bacon! We then set off at 8 to hike up to the viewpoint.
The walk itself was effectively an uphill walk with 800m height gain, with an estimated time of 4.5 hours each way, a 22km round trip. It started relatively flat with brilliant views of the snowcapped mountains, before ascending up a rocky track surrounded by grassland. On the way up we got views of the lakes and rolling hills behind us, and later got the completely contrasting view of the granite snowcapped mountains in front. We eventually decended to this creek, before heading uphill through woodland and over various bridges along a very rocky path. The path then opened out and the final section was very steep and rocky, finishing with an amazing view point of the three granite peaks, despite it being cloudy.
I was first up by quite a way and stayed for a while before heading down as it was quite cold up top. We passed all my group at various points going down and rocketed down the hill the same way which was actually quite steep. We arrived back at base camp at half 12 which was a lot earlier than expected. To put in perspective the next person didn't arrive back until 2, and then the majority of people arrived back between 4 and 5 which meant I really had paced it out a bit. I did however have a nap in the sun in the afternoon and went for an additional hike to the lake. Come evening dinner was soup, followed by stewed steak and rice. We were also briefed of options for the upcoming days which are pretty flexible. I then had another early night.
The next day was a more relaxed day in terms of hiking, and we said bye to the w walkers after a late breakfast. After breakfast we had a free day, although we had the option to do a short hike about half hour drive away in the truck known for an abundance of wildlife. The walk was about 6km in total with the truck dropping us off and picking us up at another location. The walk itself was pretty straight forward but very windy, walking through farmland over rolling grassland hills. We saw lots of Guanaco and even condors, and I even saw an armadillo. There was also a nice viewpoint to see the snowcapped mountains in the distance. The walk itself was about 2 hours in the end which was a nice amount of time.
After the walk I had my packed lunch on the truck on the way back to the campsite, before having the rest of the afternoon to relax before dinner. Dinner in the evening was pasta with a bolognese sauce, preceded by soup once again. I was hungry and ended up having 3 bowls full. The evening was then relatively relaxing and I stayed up for a bit playing cards, before going to bed in a tent all to myself as my tent buddy had left me to do the w walk.
The following day the general plan was to do a walk to the Las Cuenas refugio to see the lake with a 10am departure. I however had a more ambitious plan to do the same hike but continue to the Italiano campground and then up through the French valley to the Britainico viewpoint. That was effectively an undulating 46km hike with 800m height gain in the valley and an estimated time of 19 hours, but I was confident I could do it quicker. What I did have however was someone else was willing to go with me who got back to base camp with me at half 12 on the first day so I wasn't alone. I did have to sign off the trip however as dragoman insurance wouldn't cover us doing something so stupid.
We were therefore given breakfast the previous night, as well as all the leftover dinner from the previous night for lunch, as well as snacks, setting off at 6am. The initial part of the hike was pretty fresh and we made good progress with some amazing views of the lake and surrounding hills. We got to Los Cuernos in good time, but then the path got interesting as it was effectively a stream, but it soon became better and we caught up with the w walkers within 3.5 hours who was in effect a day ahead of us. They thought we were mad.
After the penguins we drove to the ferry crossing which was surprisingly straight forward as we were the last vehicle on when arriving, then the ferry left straight away, and then we were the first vehicle off! As we did so well and were expecting to arrive here late, we continued driving, stopping just outside Punta Arenas where we finally had our first proper bush camp, by that I mean somewhere without facilities and simply in the middle of nowhere. We camped by a lake although it was very windy which made pitching tents a challenge. Dinner in the evening was a vegetable stir fry and after dinner I had a very early night.
Due to our excellent progress the previous day we didn't leave until 9, as we were only a couple of hours drive off Puerto Natales where we had to pick up our guides for our visit to Torres del Paine National Park. We arrived in Puerto Natales at about lunchtime where we were given free time to explore until 3. I went for lunch at a local restaurant where I had the club sandwich, and took advantage of the last wifi opportunity in quite a while. After picking up our guides we continued into the national park, stopping at a couple of viewpoints en route to see some of the mountains and lakes. We arrived in our base camp by about 5, which was very crowded with tents!
The Torres del Paine National Park contains what is undoubtedly some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Rising up high above the Patagonian steppe are the three impressive granite towers that give the park its name, surrounded by high plateaus and towering mountain peaks, the most famous of which are Los Cuernos and Paine Grande. The park is a magical natural wonderland full of deep lakes, sparkling glaciers and cascading waterfalls, and it is also an important habitat for a wide variety of wildlife including guanacos, pumas, flamingos and condors. After pitching our tents, mine being in the middle of the path as it was sheltered, we relaxed before dinner. Dinner was tomato soup, followed this vegetable mash thing with salad. All meals here are cooked by local guides. I then had an early night.
Sunday was the first of 4 free days in the national park. There were two options of things to do here, the w walk package and the basic package, which was decided when booking the trip due to permits. I'm on the basic package. The first day however was everyone together before the 6 people doing the w walk leave us on the second to fourth day. The first day of the w walk effectively goes up to a lookout of the famous three granite mountains, before returning the same way to base camp. Breakfast in the morning was eggs and even a very small amount of bacon! We then set off at 8 to hike up to the viewpoint.
The walk itself was effectively an uphill walk with 800m height gain, with an estimated time of 4.5 hours each way, a 22km round trip. It started relatively flat with brilliant views of the snowcapped mountains, before ascending up a rocky track surrounded by grassland. On the way up we got views of the lakes and rolling hills behind us, and later got the completely contrasting view of the granite snowcapped mountains in front. We eventually decended to this creek, before heading uphill through woodland and over various bridges along a very rocky path. The path then opened out and the final section was very steep and rocky, finishing with an amazing view point of the three granite peaks, despite it being cloudy.
I was first up by quite a way and stayed for a while before heading down as it was quite cold up top. We passed all my group at various points going down and rocketed down the hill the same way which was actually quite steep. We arrived back at base camp at half 12 which was a lot earlier than expected. To put in perspective the next person didn't arrive back until 2, and then the majority of people arrived back between 4 and 5 which meant I really had paced it out a bit. I did however have a nap in the sun in the afternoon and went for an additional hike to the lake. Come evening dinner was soup, followed by stewed steak and rice. We were also briefed of options for the upcoming days which are pretty flexible. I then had another early night.
The next day was a more relaxed day in terms of hiking, and we said bye to the w walkers after a late breakfast. After breakfast we had a free day, although we had the option to do a short hike about half hour drive away in the truck known for an abundance of wildlife. The walk was about 6km in total with the truck dropping us off and picking us up at another location. The walk itself was pretty straight forward but very windy, walking through farmland over rolling grassland hills. We saw lots of Guanaco and even condors, and I even saw an armadillo. There was also a nice viewpoint to see the snowcapped mountains in the distance. The walk itself was about 2 hours in the end which was a nice amount of time.
After the walk I had my packed lunch on the truck on the way back to the campsite, before having the rest of the afternoon to relax before dinner. Dinner in the evening was pasta with a bolognese sauce, preceded by soup once again. I was hungry and ended up having 3 bowls full. The evening was then relatively relaxing and I stayed up for a bit playing cards, before going to bed in a tent all to myself as my tent buddy had left me to do the w walk.
The following day the general plan was to do a walk to the Las Cuenas refugio to see the lake with a 10am departure. I however had a more ambitious plan to do the same hike but continue to the Italiano campground and then up through the French valley to the Britainico viewpoint. That was effectively an undulating 46km hike with 800m height gain in the valley and an estimated time of 19 hours, but I was confident I could do it quicker. What I did have however was someone else was willing to go with me who got back to base camp with me at half 12 on the first day so I wasn't alone. I did have to sign off the trip however as dragoman insurance wouldn't cover us doing something so stupid.
We were therefore given breakfast the previous night, as well as all the leftover dinner from the previous night for lunch, as well as snacks, setting off at 6am. The initial part of the hike was pretty fresh and we made good progress with some amazing views of the lake and surrounding hills. We got to Los Cuernos in good time, but then the path got interesting as it was effectively a stream, but it soon became better and we caught up with the w walkers within 3.5 hours who was in effect a day ahead of us. They thought we were mad.
After tanking on in front we got into the Italiano campground, and began our accent up the French valley, with stunning views of the nearby glacier where I witnessed an avalanche. They're very common here due to the plate boundary. The hike itself up the valley was pretty steady crossing many creeks and going through woodland, occasionally presenting us with an amazing view. The final section was pretty steep but the viewpoint gave us breathtaking views of the valley we had climbed through, and the surrounding mountains. We also had lunch up here, yesterday's pasta.
Turning back in good time we headed back down the same way, passing the w walkers again, before reaching the campground in a similar time to our ascent. It was a little slippery going down. We then followed the same path back along the lake, meeting another member of the truck who had also done a long walk minus the hill leaving later than us, to walk back to camp together. We got back just after 5 which was pretty good time. Dinner in the evening was chicken and rice preceded by soup, and after dinner I just once again played cards before bed.
Wednesday was our final day in the national park, and after breakfast we had the option to go out in the truck for the day to see various viewpoints and locations a bit further out in the national park, as well as tieing it in to pick up the w walkers at the ferry terminal in the afternoon. Setting off at 9 we stopped at a few viewpoints to see some of the lakes and views of the mountains, en route to do a short hike to go to a viewpoint to see the grey glacier. The hike was only about 4km and went through woods to a shingle beach which we walked along before climbing to the viewpoint where despite it being a little overcast we saw the glacier and some icebergs.
When returning to the truck we had lunch, before driving to a couple more viewpoints en route to see the largest waterfall in the park. It was about a 2km hike so easy to get to and despite not being big in terms of the height, the water discharge was just staggering. There were various points to see the waterfall. Our final stop was to pick up the w walkers, and we sat in the cafe while waiting. When everyone was back we drove back to the campsite on what turned out to be a full on yet relaxing day. Dinner in the evening was some sausage, chips, vegetable, and lentil thing all mixed together which was weird but nice.
Turning back in good time we headed back down the same way, passing the w walkers again, before reaching the campground in a similar time to our ascent. It was a little slippery going down. We then followed the same path back along the lake, meeting another member of the truck who had also done a long walk minus the hill leaving later than us, to walk back to camp together. We got back just after 5 which was pretty good time. Dinner in the evening was chicken and rice preceded by soup, and after dinner I just once again played cards before bed.
Wednesday was our final day in the national park, and after breakfast we had the option to go out in the truck for the day to see various viewpoints and locations a bit further out in the national park, as well as tieing it in to pick up the w walkers at the ferry terminal in the afternoon. Setting off at 9 we stopped at a few viewpoints to see some of the lakes and views of the mountains, en route to do a short hike to go to a viewpoint to see the grey glacier. The hike was only about 4km and went through woods to a shingle beach which we walked along before climbing to the viewpoint where despite it being a little overcast we saw the glacier and some icebergs.
When returning to the truck we had lunch, before driving to a couple more viewpoints en route to see the largest waterfall in the park. It was about a 2km hike so easy to get to and despite not being big in terms of the height, the water discharge was just staggering. There were various points to see the waterfall. Our final stop was to pick up the w walkers, and we sat in the cafe while waiting. When everyone was back we drove back to the campsite on what turned out to be a full on yet relaxing day. Dinner in the evening was some sausage, chips, vegetable, and lentil thing all mixed together which was weird but nice.
Saturday, 21 January 2017
Ushuaia
After a very cold and wet night camping we set off for Ushuaia. As we camped right next to the border we were able to get through early and miss the queues and we absolutely eased through. En route we stopped in Rio Grande for lunch, and in Tolhuin further down the road to visit a bakery which our guide described as the battery bakery he has ever been to. It was pretty nice. We ended up arriving in Ushuaia in the afternoon and after checking in we were given a talk about the possible excursions in and around the city.
Ushuaia is a port town that lies at the south of Tierra del Fuego on the Argentinian side - it is often known as "the city at the end of the world", as it is the world's most southern city (the Chilean town of Puerto Williams is slightly further south but is much smaller than Ushuaia). Ushuaia itself is low-lying and unassuming, centred around one main street and a waterfront that overlooks the Beagle Channel. Originally Ushuaia was little more than a remote outpost, first colonised by a British-funded mission in the late 1800s and subsequently used by the Argentinian government as a penal colony. What was once a small sleepy town has grown rapidly in recent years, much of which is due to tourist development and particularly to the increasing number of Antarctica trips calling to port here.
After our talk I walked into town and explored the main street with all the shops and restaurants, before heading along the seafront where I got my picture with the end of the world sign and visited the tourist information centre. I walked right round to the airport to get a view of the city skyline with the snowcapped mountains in the background. I did however accidentally trespass on the naval base which probably wasn't a good idea. For dinner I went to this German beer house where I had a burger before heading back to the hostel for bed.
Wednesday I decided to visit the Tierra Del Fuego National Park which was about 12km out of town. It was however difficult to get there as they had no public buses and you had to arrange private transfers to get there. Because of this I decided to run to the entrance. Leaving relatively early I got to the national park in good time where I headed down to Zaratiegui Bay to walk the costera trail. The trail followed the shoreline along gravel beaches and through forest to the Roca Lake. The snowcapped mountains reflected in the water which made it a very pretty walk.
When finishing I ended up at the visitor centre where I looked round before starting the Cerro Guanaco Trail which was a hill. Starting at Roca Lake I initially had to follow the Hito XXIV Trail before veering off along the Guanaco Creek. The trail initially climbed through forest before going out in the open in bogland which made me very muddy. After negotiating the bog and a blizzard the trail headed up a rocky scar on the hill up to the top which even had snow. It was a little grey at the top but I still got good views of the Fuegian mountain range. Coming down was the fun part as it was very slippery and steep but I managed it. At the bottom I went back to the visitor centre for a drink in the cafe before running back to Ushuaia. I was absolutely destroyed when I got back but it was a good day.
Thursday I had a lie in and after breakfast which was very sugar based I spent the morning relaxing. After lunch I headed out into town and looked round the shops before going to a local cafe where I met a few others for a swim in the sea. We had to walk a way out of town however as the water where the ships were was apparently full of sewage. We eventually found somewhere despite accidentally cutting through a naval base and the swim was freezing. We passed a monument en route however to do with the Falklands which had a map of the islands with the Argentine flag above it. They're very sensitive in Ushuaia because much of the people who died in the war came from the city. We even saw a union jack crossed out with writing which translated as fuck off you British pirates.
After the swim we headed back to the hostel where I relaxed before dinner. For dinner I went to a crab restaurant where I tried crab legs with this seafood casserole thing. I literally had to cut the meat out with scissors! After dinner I went to the hard rock cafe for a few drinks before heading back to the hostel for a few more. It was quite a late night and I somehow ended up in the Irish bar at some point.
Ushuaia is a port town that lies at the south of Tierra del Fuego on the Argentinian side - it is often known as "the city at the end of the world", as it is the world's most southern city (the Chilean town of Puerto Williams is slightly further south but is much smaller than Ushuaia). Ushuaia itself is low-lying and unassuming, centred around one main street and a waterfront that overlooks the Beagle Channel. Originally Ushuaia was little more than a remote outpost, first colonised by a British-funded mission in the late 1800s and subsequently used by the Argentinian government as a penal colony. What was once a small sleepy town has grown rapidly in recent years, much of which is due to tourist development and particularly to the increasing number of Antarctica trips calling to port here.
After our talk I walked into town and explored the main street with all the shops and restaurants, before heading along the seafront where I got my picture with the end of the world sign and visited the tourist information centre. I walked right round to the airport to get a view of the city skyline with the snowcapped mountains in the background. I did however accidentally trespass on the naval base which probably wasn't a good idea. For dinner I went to this German beer house where I had a burger before heading back to the hostel for bed.
Wednesday I decided to visit the Tierra Del Fuego National Park which was about 12km out of town. It was however difficult to get there as they had no public buses and you had to arrange private transfers to get there. Because of this I decided to run to the entrance. Leaving relatively early I got to the national park in good time where I headed down to Zaratiegui Bay to walk the costera trail. The trail followed the shoreline along gravel beaches and through forest to the Roca Lake. The snowcapped mountains reflected in the water which made it a very pretty walk.
When finishing I ended up at the visitor centre where I looked round before starting the Cerro Guanaco Trail which was a hill. Starting at Roca Lake I initially had to follow the Hito XXIV Trail before veering off along the Guanaco Creek. The trail initially climbed through forest before going out in the open in bogland which made me very muddy. After negotiating the bog and a blizzard the trail headed up a rocky scar on the hill up to the top which even had snow. It was a little grey at the top but I still got good views of the Fuegian mountain range. Coming down was the fun part as it was very slippery and steep but I managed it. At the bottom I went back to the visitor centre for a drink in the cafe before running back to Ushuaia. I was absolutely destroyed when I got back but it was a good day.
Thursday I had a lie in and after breakfast which was very sugar based I spent the morning relaxing. After lunch I headed out into town and looked round the shops before going to a local cafe where I met a few others for a swim in the sea. We had to walk a way out of town however as the water where the ships were was apparently full of sewage. We eventually found somewhere despite accidentally cutting through a naval base and the swim was freezing. We passed a monument en route however to do with the Falklands which had a map of the islands with the Argentine flag above it. They're very sensitive in Ushuaia because much of the people who died in the war came from the city. We even saw a union jack crossed out with writing which translated as fuck off you British pirates.
After the swim we headed back to the hostel where I relaxed before dinner. For dinner I went to a crab restaurant where I tried crab legs with this seafood casserole thing. I literally had to cut the meat out with scissors! After dinner I went to the hard rock cafe for a few drinks before heading back to the hostel for a few more. It was quite a late night and I somehow ended up in the Irish bar at some point.
Tuesday, 17 January 2017
El Calafate and Bush Camps
With our excellent progress the previous two days we were only 300km off our next destination of El Calafate. El Calafate is a small town on the southern shore of Lago Argentino in Patagonia. Originally a sheep station and trading outpost, today the town has developed a bustling atmosphere and an ever-growing tourist trade. Interestingly the town takes its name from the Calafate berry, and locals claim that if you eat one of these and make a wish, you are guaranteed to return to Patagonia. We arrived here by lunchtime and after checking into our hostel we had a free afternoon to do what we wanted.
The town itself has grown rapidly in recent years and has become a key tourist outpost to see the Perito Moreno Glacier nearby. The facilities were therefore very modern and catered for tourists, and after lunch we explored the town which included small markets and shops. We then headed down to the nearby Laguna Nimez to see the wildlife reserve which was home to various birds including flamingoes. There was a nice little path to follow although it was very windy in places! We didn't get back to the hostel until later afternoon, where I just relaxed in the evening.
Saturday was an included trip to the nearby glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier is approximately 30kms long from where it spills out of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, and 5kms wide at its terminus, where it has a ice face that is on average 170m high (with about 70m of which is above the surface of the lake). Leaving at 8 we drove along an alternative off road en route here to get some viewpoints of the landscapes of the area. We also stopped at a small estancia to see the goats which were very tame, and got to try some of the meat.
When arriving at the glacier we had the option to do a boat trip, although I decided to do the hikes instead. There were various viewpoints to the massive glacier from different angles and heights, and I was even lucky enough to see some large chunks fall of into the water. What makes that glacier special however is that it isn't receding unlike most others in the world, as the accumulation at the back balances the ice lost at the front. It moves about 2 to 3cm a day. It's hard to describe the scale however. To put into perspective the area of the glacier is bigger than Buenos Aires! And we're visiting a bigger one in a couple of weeks.
After exploring the various viewpoints and hikes in the area we met back at the restaurant where we waited for our bus back to El Calafate. En route we stopped at the lake where we saw loads of flamingoes, and arrived back at the hostel by 5 where I saw the disappointing result, not helped by the fact a previous truck member who was a Burnley fan had sent me abuse. The evening was then spent relaxing, although I somehow ended up watching American football before going to bed.
We left El Calafate at 8 on the Sunday to continue south towards Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, with two bush camps en route. The road out of El Calafate was gravel however however we soon hit the tarmac and arrived into the town of Rio Gallegos for lunch. We literally pulled up into a supermarket car park and made lunch under a trolley bay! Some people did use the supermarket though, and we were joined by two dogs who were very interested in our food!
After lunch we continued down the road towards the Chilean border, where we were planning to camp just prior at a crater lake called Laguna Azul. When arriving however it was unsuitable for camping as the winds were very strong and the area was exposed, unless we trekked about 15 minutes with our tents and cooking equipment to the sheltered base of the lake which was unrealistic. We did however get some free time here and I walked round the rim of the crater and down to the lakeside where I went for a swim. It was absolutely freezing and people thought I was a nutter.
As we couldn't camp by the lake we decided to drive back to Rio Gallegos where we parked inside a children's playground and camped on the football pitch. This was in fact some random guys back garden who let us camp there. Dinner in the evening was a seafood soup kind of dish which was interesting, and after dinner I ended up in the playground before going to bed to avoid the bitter wind. It was a pretty fresh night and I didn't really want to get out of my sleeping bag in the morning! We left at half 7 in the morning for our drive to Tierra del Fuego.
Tierra del Fuego (meaning "Land of Fire") is a large island separated from mainland South America by the Magellan Strait. The island gets its name from the fires of the Selknam tribe that originally lived here, which Magellan and his sailors observed from their boats on their first travels through the area - unfortunately the Selknam and Yaghan tribes that originally inhabited the island are all but extinct after conflict with European settlers that arrived in the 19th Century. The island is split in half with a straight north-south line between Argentina and Chile, with the Argentinian half containing the island's
largest settlement, Ushuaia. The island of Tierra del Fuego is Patagonia at its most remote and desolate, with a landscape of windswept plains, forests and swamplands, home to rheas, condors, buzzard eagles, seals and sea lions, all of which thrive in these conditions.
Prior to the island however we had the small matter of a border crossing, which we surprisingly crossed in about an hour and a half. We ended up at the ferry crossing to the island by half 10. That's where the good news ended however as the winds were vicious meaning ferries were grounded. With respect I went for a walk along the seafront (which was nice to see for first time since November) and I could barely move forward against the wind. We were stuck here for over 7 hours but eventually got a ferry across some very choppy waters late afternoon. The water was splashing over the boat and I got soaked!
When arriving on the island we were meant to visit a penguin colony but we arrived a lot later than planned. We instead headed to the Argentinian border to camp for the night. There wasn't many options in terms of camping as the surrounded landscape was flat open grassland which was not suitable for camping in the strong winds. We eventually got to the border and managed to camp in some random guys back garden. Dinner in the evening was lamb stew, and we even were allowed to use the guys living area to eat! I then had an early night.
The town itself has grown rapidly in recent years and has become a key tourist outpost to see the Perito Moreno Glacier nearby. The facilities were therefore very modern and catered for tourists, and after lunch we explored the town which included small markets and shops. We then headed down to the nearby Laguna Nimez to see the wildlife reserve which was home to various birds including flamingoes. There was a nice little path to follow although it was very windy in places! We didn't get back to the hostel until later afternoon, where I just relaxed in the evening.
Saturday was an included trip to the nearby glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier is approximately 30kms long from where it spills out of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, and 5kms wide at its terminus, where it has a ice face that is on average 170m high (with about 70m of which is above the surface of the lake). Leaving at 8 we drove along an alternative off road en route here to get some viewpoints of the landscapes of the area. We also stopped at a small estancia to see the goats which were very tame, and got to try some of the meat.
When arriving at the glacier we had the option to do a boat trip, although I decided to do the hikes instead. There were various viewpoints to the massive glacier from different angles and heights, and I was even lucky enough to see some large chunks fall of into the water. What makes that glacier special however is that it isn't receding unlike most others in the world, as the accumulation at the back balances the ice lost at the front. It moves about 2 to 3cm a day. It's hard to describe the scale however. To put into perspective the area of the glacier is bigger than Buenos Aires! And we're visiting a bigger one in a couple of weeks.
After exploring the various viewpoints and hikes in the area we met back at the restaurant where we waited for our bus back to El Calafate. En route we stopped at the lake where we saw loads of flamingoes, and arrived back at the hostel by 5 where I saw the disappointing result, not helped by the fact a previous truck member who was a Burnley fan had sent me abuse. The evening was then spent relaxing, although I somehow ended up watching American football before going to bed.
We left El Calafate at 8 on the Sunday to continue south towards Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, with two bush camps en route. The road out of El Calafate was gravel however however we soon hit the tarmac and arrived into the town of Rio Gallegos for lunch. We literally pulled up into a supermarket car park and made lunch under a trolley bay! Some people did use the supermarket though, and we were joined by two dogs who were very interested in our food!
After lunch we continued down the road towards the Chilean border, where we were planning to camp just prior at a crater lake called Laguna Azul. When arriving however it was unsuitable for camping as the winds were very strong and the area was exposed, unless we trekked about 15 minutes with our tents and cooking equipment to the sheltered base of the lake which was unrealistic. We did however get some free time here and I walked round the rim of the crater and down to the lakeside where I went for a swim. It was absolutely freezing and people thought I was a nutter.
As we couldn't camp by the lake we decided to drive back to Rio Gallegos where we parked inside a children's playground and camped on the football pitch. This was in fact some random guys back garden who let us camp there. Dinner in the evening was a seafood soup kind of dish which was interesting, and after dinner I ended up in the playground before going to bed to avoid the bitter wind. It was a pretty fresh night and I didn't really want to get out of my sleeping bag in the morning! We left at half 7 in the morning for our drive to Tierra del Fuego.
Tierra del Fuego (meaning "Land of Fire") is a large island separated from mainland South America by the Magellan Strait. The island gets its name from the fires of the Selknam tribe that originally lived here, which Magellan and his sailors observed from their boats on their first travels through the area - unfortunately the Selknam and Yaghan tribes that originally inhabited the island are all but extinct after conflict with European settlers that arrived in the 19th Century. The island is split in half with a straight north-south line between Argentina and Chile, with the Argentinian half containing the island's
largest settlement, Ushuaia. The island of Tierra del Fuego is Patagonia at its most remote and desolate, with a landscape of windswept plains, forests and swamplands, home to rheas, condors, buzzard eagles, seals and sea lions, all of which thrive in these conditions.
Prior to the island however we had the small matter of a border crossing, which we surprisingly crossed in about an hour and a half. We ended up at the ferry crossing to the island by half 10. That's where the good news ended however as the winds were vicious meaning ferries were grounded. With respect I went for a walk along the seafront (which was nice to see for first time since November) and I could barely move forward against the wind. We were stuck here for over 7 hours but eventually got a ferry across some very choppy waters late afternoon. The water was splashing over the boat and I got soaked!
When arriving on the island we were meant to visit a penguin colony but we arrived a lot later than planned. We instead headed to the Argentinian border to camp for the night. There wasn't many options in terms of camping as the surrounded landscape was flat open grassland which was not suitable for camping in the strong winds. We eventually got to the border and managed to camp in some random guys back garden. Dinner in the evening was lamb stew, and we even were allowed to use the guys living area to eat! I then had an early night.
Friday, 13 January 2017
Bariloche and Bush Camps
Sunday was another drive day including a border crossing, which meant an early start after the last border experience. The border itself was a relatively short drive and when arriving we were met with a queue of cars, although less than the last one. This border was smaller however and it still took us about 5 hours to cross, although they didn't check our bags which was a nice surprise. We ended up arriving in Bariloche at about 6 in the end so it was quite a long day.
The Argentinian resort town of Bariloche has a picture-perfect setting on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, flanked by the peaks of the surrounding Andean mountains. The scenery here is truly stunning, so it's a magical place to explore and take in all the amazing views. In winter, the town is a popular centre for skiing and in summer the focus shifts to walking, mountain-biking, horse-riding and kayaking and canoeing on the lakes. The town itself is famous for its handmade chocolates, and there are some really spectacular
displays in the local chocolate shops. We were staying about 7.5km outside of town, so after checking in we went out to this local restaurant which had its own brewery and specialised in German food, and it was really good.
Come morning we an array of options of things to do, and I wanted to go hiking. No one else wanted to go though as due to the horrendous weather the previous day and the forecast being rain people wanted to relax at the hostel or go into town. This meant I had to catch a local bus to km 25 which was absolutely heaving. Going to km 25 allowed me to walk various trails to get views of the Lago Nahuel Huapi, and the Lago Moreno later in the day. The paths were predominantly flat woodland trails, and some of the views were just breathtaking. I did a good 6 hours walking in the end.
When returning to bus stop it was very crowded, although I got on a bus ok. It was getting the bus to stop which was the real difficulty as they didn't have buttons so you had to tell the driver to stop, which wasn't easy on a bus packed like sardines. I got off at km 7.5 without any problems though. When arriving back at the hostel I met everyone else and made them jealous they had missed out as it had been a sunny day. Dinner in the evening took us to a steak house where it was unfortunately a farewell meal to one of the original members of the group who started in Cartagena who has to fly home due to unforeseen circumstances. We had a few drinks in the evening to say bye.
Tuesday was another days hiking, although this time I decided to go into the mountains to walk to refugio frey, and I even had someone to hike with. Leaving relatively early we caught the bus to Lago Guitirrez where we walked up to the nearby town of Cerro Catedral. In the winter months this is a popular skiing resort, however in the summer months the lack of snow presents the opportunity for some stunning hikes. When arriving we caught the cable car up the mountain, and then had to get off where we got onto a chairlift which took us to around 2000m. The hike itself to refugio frey was listed as extreme but we just went for it.
The initial path was very loose ground and took us up to this viewpoint presenting stunning views in both directions. We then had to follow the mountains edge on a very challenging path with big boulders and just red dots on the rocks to follow. The views were just breathtaking though. We eventually reached an open area where we had to go into this valley, reaching a view of this lake and glimpses of snow. The descent to the lake was extreme though, literally going down what was effectively a cliff. A lot of upper body strength was needed. We then followed the lake before decending sharply again, this time on very loose terrain which made it difficult in terms of footing. We eventually got deep into the valley and made the refuge where we stopped for lunch.
After lunch we had to return the same way, getting a few pictures of the lakeside refuge before leaving. The valley was as equally stunning on the return, although the climb up to the next lake was a mission with loose terrain. When reaching the lake the next climb was even worse and was practically rock climbing in many places. I certainly had to use my arms a lot. We eventually made it back up and followed the mountains edge back to the chairlift. After heading down we reached the town where we caught the bus back to km 7.5. The evening was spent relaxing with an early start planned for the morning.
Bariloche was when we finally entered Patagonia, the name of the region in the far south of South America, formed of the southernmost stretch of the Andes and the surrounding plains and plateaus. The area is split down the middle by the Andes, with Chilean Patagonia on the west, and Argentinian Patagonia on the east. Renowned for its desolate landscapes, unrelenting winds and magnificent lake, mountain and glacial scenery, the name Patagonia comes from the word "Patagon", used by the explorer Magellan to describe the local people who he believed to be giants. Today historians believe that the Patagons were actually Teheulches, with an average height of about 1.8m as opposed to the average height of a Spaniard of 1.55m at the time!
With so much to we left early and left Gus for the next couple of weeks as we're visiting locations in a completely different order. To put it simple my itinerary is completely pointless. With a lot of ground to cover, we set off and returned to ruta 40 and managed to cover a lot of ground, stopping for lunch on the roadside where we had a pumpkin soup with french bread made by our guide. Whilst we were having lunch so many cars beeped at us to the point where we were guessing the order of beeps for the following three cars.
After lunch we continued south, stopping at Rio Mayo to camp. The campsite however was unsuitable as we couldn't fit under the gate! The town was also a military related area so it didn't seem that nice anyway. We therefore continued south to the next town of Perito Moreno where we found a brilliant place to camp including an inside area suitable for cooking. It was very windy however although we were warned about this! Dinner in the evening was a chicken and mushroom pasta with a salad which was amazing.
The following day we left a little later than planned as driving onto Perito Moreno meant we were further down the road than intended from the day before. Shortly after leaving however we were stopped by a massive amount of sheep blocking the road. Argentina does have a Welsh heritage as many Welsh farmers emigrated during the 19th century and the industrial revolution in the Welsh valleys. We eventually got past and the drive was stunning despite driving through a desolate landscape with some really strong winds. We saw lots of rhea and guanaco en route, stopping before lunch at Cueva de las Manos.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Cueva de las Manos lies in an isolated and remote spot in the valley of Rio Pinturas. The cave takes its name from the hundreds of paintings of hands made by indigenous inhabitants some 13,000-9,000 years ago - possibly by the ancestors of the Tehuelche people. The images of hands are 'negative-painted, meaning that they put their hand on the rock face and sprayed the paint around the outline by blowing it through a bone pipe. As well as the hand impressions, there are also depictions of human beings, guanacos, rheas and other animals, as well as geometric shapes, zigzags, and representations of the sun, moon and hunting scenes. It was a very interesting place and after exploring the site we had lunch here too which was sandwiches.
After lunch we continued south although we had an extended period off road before rejoining to ruta 40. We ended up stopping driving at half 5 in the end after such a long drive the day before, camping in Gabernador Gregores. The campsite was quite small but perfectly adequate, with the town being very quiet. After going to the supermarket we relaxed before dinner, which was morrocan cous cous with vegetables which was probably one of my favourite group meals we've cooked so far. I then had an early night as it was unbearable sitting in the wind which was just unrelentless!
The Argentinian resort town of Bariloche has a picture-perfect setting on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, flanked by the peaks of the surrounding Andean mountains. The scenery here is truly stunning, so it's a magical place to explore and take in all the amazing views. In winter, the town is a popular centre for skiing and in summer the focus shifts to walking, mountain-biking, horse-riding and kayaking and canoeing on the lakes. The town itself is famous for its handmade chocolates, and there are some really spectacular
displays in the local chocolate shops. We were staying about 7.5km outside of town, so after checking in we went out to this local restaurant which had its own brewery and specialised in German food, and it was really good.
Come morning we an array of options of things to do, and I wanted to go hiking. No one else wanted to go though as due to the horrendous weather the previous day and the forecast being rain people wanted to relax at the hostel or go into town. This meant I had to catch a local bus to km 25 which was absolutely heaving. Going to km 25 allowed me to walk various trails to get views of the Lago Nahuel Huapi, and the Lago Moreno later in the day. The paths were predominantly flat woodland trails, and some of the views were just breathtaking. I did a good 6 hours walking in the end.
When returning to bus stop it was very crowded, although I got on a bus ok. It was getting the bus to stop which was the real difficulty as they didn't have buttons so you had to tell the driver to stop, which wasn't easy on a bus packed like sardines. I got off at km 7.5 without any problems though. When arriving back at the hostel I met everyone else and made them jealous they had missed out as it had been a sunny day. Dinner in the evening took us to a steak house where it was unfortunately a farewell meal to one of the original members of the group who started in Cartagena who has to fly home due to unforeseen circumstances. We had a few drinks in the evening to say bye.
Tuesday was another days hiking, although this time I decided to go into the mountains to walk to refugio frey, and I even had someone to hike with. Leaving relatively early we caught the bus to Lago Guitirrez where we walked up to the nearby town of Cerro Catedral. In the winter months this is a popular skiing resort, however in the summer months the lack of snow presents the opportunity for some stunning hikes. When arriving we caught the cable car up the mountain, and then had to get off where we got onto a chairlift which took us to around 2000m. The hike itself to refugio frey was listed as extreme but we just went for it.
The initial path was very loose ground and took us up to this viewpoint presenting stunning views in both directions. We then had to follow the mountains edge on a very challenging path with big boulders and just red dots on the rocks to follow. The views were just breathtaking though. We eventually reached an open area where we had to go into this valley, reaching a view of this lake and glimpses of snow. The descent to the lake was extreme though, literally going down what was effectively a cliff. A lot of upper body strength was needed. We then followed the lake before decending sharply again, this time on very loose terrain which made it difficult in terms of footing. We eventually got deep into the valley and made the refuge where we stopped for lunch.
After lunch we had to return the same way, getting a few pictures of the lakeside refuge before leaving. The valley was as equally stunning on the return, although the climb up to the next lake was a mission with loose terrain. When reaching the lake the next climb was even worse and was practically rock climbing in many places. I certainly had to use my arms a lot. We eventually made it back up and followed the mountains edge back to the chairlift. After heading down we reached the town where we caught the bus back to km 7.5. The evening was spent relaxing with an early start planned for the morning.
Bariloche was when we finally entered Patagonia, the name of the region in the far south of South America, formed of the southernmost stretch of the Andes and the surrounding plains and plateaus. The area is split down the middle by the Andes, with Chilean Patagonia on the west, and Argentinian Patagonia on the east. Renowned for its desolate landscapes, unrelenting winds and magnificent lake, mountain and glacial scenery, the name Patagonia comes from the word "Patagon", used by the explorer Magellan to describe the local people who he believed to be giants. Today historians believe that the Patagons were actually Teheulches, with an average height of about 1.8m as opposed to the average height of a Spaniard of 1.55m at the time!
With so much to we left early and left Gus for the next couple of weeks as we're visiting locations in a completely different order. To put it simple my itinerary is completely pointless. With a lot of ground to cover, we set off and returned to ruta 40 and managed to cover a lot of ground, stopping for lunch on the roadside where we had a pumpkin soup with french bread made by our guide. Whilst we were having lunch so many cars beeped at us to the point where we were guessing the order of beeps for the following three cars.
After lunch we continued south, stopping at Rio Mayo to camp. The campsite however was unsuitable as we couldn't fit under the gate! The town was also a military related area so it didn't seem that nice anyway. We therefore continued south to the next town of Perito Moreno where we found a brilliant place to camp including an inside area suitable for cooking. It was very windy however although we were warned about this! Dinner in the evening was a chicken and mushroom pasta with a salad which was amazing.
The following day we left a little later than planned as driving onto Perito Moreno meant we were further down the road than intended from the day before. Shortly after leaving however we were stopped by a massive amount of sheep blocking the road. Argentina does have a Welsh heritage as many Welsh farmers emigrated during the 19th century and the industrial revolution in the Welsh valleys. We eventually got past and the drive was stunning despite driving through a desolate landscape with some really strong winds. We saw lots of rhea and guanaco en route, stopping before lunch at Cueva de las Manos.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Cueva de las Manos lies in an isolated and remote spot in the valley of Rio Pinturas. The cave takes its name from the hundreds of paintings of hands made by indigenous inhabitants some 13,000-9,000 years ago - possibly by the ancestors of the Tehuelche people. The images of hands are 'negative-painted, meaning that they put their hand on the rock face and sprayed the paint around the outline by blowing it through a bone pipe. As well as the hand impressions, there are also depictions of human beings, guanacos, rheas and other animals, as well as geometric shapes, zigzags, and representations of the sun, moon and hunting scenes. It was a very interesting place and after exploring the site we had lunch here too which was sandwiches.
After lunch we continued south although we had an extended period off road before rejoining to ruta 40. We ended up stopping driving at half 5 in the end after such a long drive the day before, camping in Gabernador Gregores. The campsite was quite small but perfectly adequate, with the town being very quiet. After going to the supermarket we relaxed before dinner, which was morrocan cous cous with vegetables which was probably one of my favourite group meals we've cooked so far. I then had an early night as it was unbearable sitting in the wind which was just unrelentless!
Tuesday, 10 January 2017
Pucon
Thursday was another long drive day, although we covered a lot of distance driving along straight tarmac roads which were predominantly dual carriageway. We did however break down en route though which delayed us a bit but we covered the 800km to arrive by dinner. In Pucón we stayed in a hostel, which sat below the nearby Villarrica volcano which after a few hours of arriving started spewing gas! Dinner in the evening was another included bbq which included lots of beef, chicken, and sausages. The evening itself was nice and relaxing with a few beers and campfire before bed. I did gash my toe open however although I got it cleaned up.
Southern Chile's lake district boasts some lake and mountain scenery
comparable with what the Swiss Alps or New Zealand have to offer! Beautiful
deep blue lakes are flanked by majestic forest-clad mountains with snowy
peaks to provide picture-postcard views and a perfect spot for walking. The attractive small town of Pucón is located at the heart of the Chilean lakes, sitting below the Villarrica volcano. We had the option to climb the volcano although it was a very expensive activity so I decided to catch the local bus to the nearby huerquehue national park.
After having a packed lunch made for me, we set off early to get to the national park, with 8 of us making the hour long drive. We arrived in good time after paying the fees we set off on a hike called the Los Lagos de Senderos which was a 20km return trip to Lago Chico, Lago Verde, and Lago Toco. The paths were basically woodland trails, getting occasional views of the nearby volcano en route. We took detours to a couple of waterfalls en route too. We arrived at the lakes by lunchtime and had lunch at the top before heading back down.
We arrived back of the bottom by half 4 so it was a good days walking. The lakes were stunning though having perfect reflections of the surrounding forest scenery. We didn't realise how far we climbed up though until going back down as it was quite a fair way up! After catching the bus back to Pucón we relaxed at the hostel before going out for dinner at a local restaurant. The town of Pucón itself is very touristy based and modern, home to wooden buildings with your companies and restaurants. Come evening most people went to the hot springs although I stayed at the hostel as my toe was completely destroyed after the injury the day before.
Saturday was another free day, although I didn't wake up until lunchtime as I had quite a late night the night before, drinking with the locals. After listening to the Saints game I spent the afternoon relaxing, although I did go out and see the nearby lake and harbour despite it raining. The evening was a pretty chilled out one, sitting in the lounge area before having a relatively early night.
Southern Chile's lake district boasts some lake and mountain scenery
comparable with what the Swiss Alps or New Zealand have to offer! Beautiful
deep blue lakes are flanked by majestic forest-clad mountains with snowy
peaks to provide picture-postcard views and a perfect spot for walking. The attractive small town of Pucón is located at the heart of the Chilean lakes, sitting below the Villarrica volcano. We had the option to climb the volcano although it was a very expensive activity so I decided to catch the local bus to the nearby huerquehue national park.
After having a packed lunch made for me, we set off early to get to the national park, with 8 of us making the hour long drive. We arrived in good time after paying the fees we set off on a hike called the Los Lagos de Senderos which was a 20km return trip to Lago Chico, Lago Verde, and Lago Toco. The paths were basically woodland trails, getting occasional views of the nearby volcano en route. We took detours to a couple of waterfalls en route too. We arrived at the lakes by lunchtime and had lunch at the top before heading back down.
We arrived back of the bottom by half 4 so it was a good days walking. The lakes were stunning though having perfect reflections of the surrounding forest scenery. We didn't realise how far we climbed up though until going back down as it was quite a fair way up! After catching the bus back to Pucón we relaxed at the hostel before going out for dinner at a local restaurant. The town of Pucón itself is very touristy based and modern, home to wooden buildings with your companies and restaurants. Come evening most people went to the hot springs although I stayed at the hostel as my toe was completely destroyed after the injury the day before.
Saturday was another free day, although I didn't wake up until lunchtime as I had quite a late night the night before, drinking with the locals. After listening to the Saints game I spent the afternoon relaxing, although I did go out and see the nearby lake and harbour despite it raining. The evening was a pretty chilled out one, sitting in the lounge area before having a relatively early night.
Sunday, 8 January 2017
Mendoza and Santiago
After our efforts the day before, we had got ourselves 470km from Mendoza, although being unsure of the road conditions ahead we left early just in case it took while. After breakfast we set off at sunrise and found ourselves on straight tarmac roads which meant we could get some speed up. The weather however was ridiculous being some of the hottest conditions I've encountered so far. Even with all the windows of the truck open a hot air made the truck feel like a sauna. We did plenty of shade stops en route to cool, stopping for lunch under some trees.
In the end we arrived into Mendoza about half 1 which was a lot earlier than expected. Mendoza is a vibrant city full of pleasant leafy boulevards and atmospheric plazas where the locals catch up over coffee in the many street cafes and bars. A university town and an important economic centre, the city has a bustling cosmopolitan feel and has some great restaurants, lively nightlife, interesting museums and galleries, and great shopping. Mendoza is perhaps most famous for its wine. Whilst Mendoza is located in the dry deserts just underneath the Andes, extensive artificial irrigation has made it possible to grow grapes and olives here, both of which benefit from the long, hot, sunny summers - the region produces around two-thirds of Argentina's wine. Mendoza is also used by many adventurers as a base from which to explore the colossal mountains in the area. The highest mountain in the Americas, Mt. Aconcagua (with a summit 6,962m above sea level), is in the high Andes just to the west of the city making the city a big draw for mountaineers.
With it being new years eve we had the afternoon to relax, although there wasn't much to do as everything was shut anyway. I struggled to find booze but I got somewhere in the end. After a bite to eat we set off for our new years celebrations at about 8 which took place at another hostel which was where Gus were staying and were reunited for the first since Christmas. It was here we had all inclusive wine and a bbq with lots of steak for dinner. With a mix of locals and dragoman it was a good atmosphere and it turned into quite a late night. Let's just say I wasn't anticipating returning in daylight and being welcomed back to the hostel by members of my group having breakfast.
After returning late I didn't wake up until the afternoon, where I explored Mendoza which was like ghost town, everywhere closed. We eventually found a street with some cafes open and had a drink, before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant. I then headed off to a pub devoted to Liverpool which was interesting, before heading back to the hotel where I passed out being so tired.
Monday was another day to explore Mendoza, and despite having the option to go on another wine tasting trip, I opted to stay at the hostel and watch the Southampton game. Bad decision. Unlike yesterday however Mendoza was actually open so we looked round the shops and sat a cafe for the afternoon, before heading back to the hostel to watch the darts which was good. I then went to a local pub with some good reviews famed for good burgers and an English atmosphere, and I wasn't disappointed, probably the best pub I've been to in south America. It turned into quite a late night.
Tuesday was another long drive day including a border crossing which gave the potential for a long day. Due to this we left early, although I was extra tired as I barely slept the night before due to the heat which meant I spent much of the night sitting in the lobby to stop myself from sweating. The drive to the border was relatively easy, stopping en route at an old inca bridge site, and a viewpoint to see Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America. We also stopped here for lunch which included chicken which was nice.
When arriving at the border we were met by an almighty queue which felt it stretched back for miles. Luckily we counted as a bus which meant we had a separate less busy lane, although we must have passed a solid queue of cars for a good 10 minutes before we reached the official border crossing. We then had to wait for ages before they would let us off the truck and inside the building to get stamped in and out, which also took ages as they accused us leapfrogging the queue. We eventually got stamped in, where we had to wait in a single file queue of buses for a search of the truck. We eventually got searched, although in all the border took over 7 hours to cross which was horrendous.
When finally on the road we got the wine out to celebrate and played games, luckily in daylight with the extended daylight hours through heading south so rapidly. We didn't arrive into Santiago until gone 9 in the end so it was a very long day. We quickly checked in and then went out for dinner to this unique seafood restaurant which had a submarine setting and various sea related things all round the place. I had this battered fish thing with chips and eggs. We didn't end up eating until half 11 though by which time I was exhausted and went straight to bed!
Wednesday was a free day to explore Santiago, Chile's capital. With a very European atmosphere, Santiago is set out with wide tree-lined boulevards which lead to pleasant plazas and leafy parks, and on a clear day the snow-capped peaks of the Andes provide a magnificent backdrop to the Santiago skyline. Much of the centre is pedestrianised, which together with the wide streets and efficient metro system make Santiago an easy city to explore on foot. I did just that and used a map of a guided walking tour, but instead of using a local guide did it self guided.
Starting off at the hotel, the first thing I had to do was get my bearings which I managed, passing buildings such as La Moneda palace and the old congress building before arriving at the plaza da armas which was the main square. I then headed up to the local fish market which absolutely stunk, before passing the old railway station en route to Vega central, a very busy locals market. It was a massive change here, going from the clean almost Western feeling historical centre to a graffiti covered suburb full of locals.
I spent a while looking round the market, passing through the hipster feeling Patronato neighbourhood and back across the filthy river to the historical centre, passing the Museo Bellas Artes en route. I decided to detour off the walking route at Cerro San Lucia and explored this park area full of gardens and old buildings, heading up this tower and a viewpoint of the city. After heading back down I passed through the Lastarria neighbourhood towards Plaza Italia. The final section of the walk took me through the trendy Bellavista neighbourhood home to many western restaurants to finish at the base of Cerro San Cristobal and the funicular railway.
Instead of riding the railway I decided to walk up the hill instead which was a nice walk through trees along a dirt path. When reaching top there were brilliant views of the city, as well as a jesus statue which overlooks the city. Instead of heading back the same way, I went up and over the hill to the other side and into the Providencia neighbourhood home to the tallest building in south America, the Costanera tower. It was very modern and trendy round here, and I explored the shopping centre and had dinner by the river which was really nice.
I didn't leave Providencia until about half 6, although as I had ended up a good 5 mile walk from the hotel I decided to catch the metro back which was very busy. I negotiated it without problems though, despite not fitting onto a train until my 3rd attempt and looking like an idiot when trying to buy a ticket. When arriving back at the hotel I relaxed and said goodbye to the 3 people leaving our truck, as well as finding out a 4th member had told us we're all wankers and stormed off quitting the truck. I did get to meet the new people however including a Middlesbrough fan, and a Sporting Lisbon fan who is obviously a fan of Cedric who came from there. The evening was relaxing although there was a pool table which was good.
In the end we arrived into Mendoza about half 1 which was a lot earlier than expected. Mendoza is a vibrant city full of pleasant leafy boulevards and atmospheric plazas where the locals catch up over coffee in the many street cafes and bars. A university town and an important economic centre, the city has a bustling cosmopolitan feel and has some great restaurants, lively nightlife, interesting museums and galleries, and great shopping. Mendoza is perhaps most famous for its wine. Whilst Mendoza is located in the dry deserts just underneath the Andes, extensive artificial irrigation has made it possible to grow grapes and olives here, both of which benefit from the long, hot, sunny summers - the region produces around two-thirds of Argentina's wine. Mendoza is also used by many adventurers as a base from which to explore the colossal mountains in the area. The highest mountain in the Americas, Mt. Aconcagua (with a summit 6,962m above sea level), is in the high Andes just to the west of the city making the city a big draw for mountaineers.
With it being new years eve we had the afternoon to relax, although there wasn't much to do as everything was shut anyway. I struggled to find booze but I got somewhere in the end. After a bite to eat we set off for our new years celebrations at about 8 which took place at another hostel which was where Gus were staying and were reunited for the first since Christmas. It was here we had all inclusive wine and a bbq with lots of steak for dinner. With a mix of locals and dragoman it was a good atmosphere and it turned into quite a late night. Let's just say I wasn't anticipating returning in daylight and being welcomed back to the hostel by members of my group having breakfast.
After returning late I didn't wake up until the afternoon, where I explored Mendoza which was like ghost town, everywhere closed. We eventually found a street with some cafes open and had a drink, before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant. I then headed off to a pub devoted to Liverpool which was interesting, before heading back to the hotel where I passed out being so tired.
Monday was another day to explore Mendoza, and despite having the option to go on another wine tasting trip, I opted to stay at the hostel and watch the Southampton game. Bad decision. Unlike yesterday however Mendoza was actually open so we looked round the shops and sat a cafe for the afternoon, before heading back to the hostel to watch the darts which was good. I then went to a local pub with some good reviews famed for good burgers and an English atmosphere, and I wasn't disappointed, probably the best pub I've been to in south America. It turned into quite a late night.
Tuesday was another long drive day including a border crossing which gave the potential for a long day. Due to this we left early, although I was extra tired as I barely slept the night before due to the heat which meant I spent much of the night sitting in the lobby to stop myself from sweating. The drive to the border was relatively easy, stopping en route at an old inca bridge site, and a viewpoint to see Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America. We also stopped here for lunch which included chicken which was nice.
When arriving at the border we were met by an almighty queue which felt it stretched back for miles. Luckily we counted as a bus which meant we had a separate less busy lane, although we must have passed a solid queue of cars for a good 10 minutes before we reached the official border crossing. We then had to wait for ages before they would let us off the truck and inside the building to get stamped in and out, which also took ages as they accused us leapfrogging the queue. We eventually got stamped in, where we had to wait in a single file queue of buses for a search of the truck. We eventually got searched, although in all the border took over 7 hours to cross which was horrendous.
When finally on the road we got the wine out to celebrate and played games, luckily in daylight with the extended daylight hours through heading south so rapidly. We didn't arrive into Santiago until gone 9 in the end so it was a very long day. We quickly checked in and then went out for dinner to this unique seafood restaurant which had a submarine setting and various sea related things all round the place. I had this battered fish thing with chips and eggs. We didn't end up eating until half 11 though by which time I was exhausted and went straight to bed!
Wednesday was a free day to explore Santiago, Chile's capital. With a very European atmosphere, Santiago is set out with wide tree-lined boulevards which lead to pleasant plazas and leafy parks, and on a clear day the snow-capped peaks of the Andes provide a magnificent backdrop to the Santiago skyline. Much of the centre is pedestrianised, which together with the wide streets and efficient metro system make Santiago an easy city to explore on foot. I did just that and used a map of a guided walking tour, but instead of using a local guide did it self guided.
Starting off at the hotel, the first thing I had to do was get my bearings which I managed, passing buildings such as La Moneda palace and the old congress building before arriving at the plaza da armas which was the main square. I then headed up to the local fish market which absolutely stunk, before passing the old railway station en route to Vega central, a very busy locals market. It was a massive change here, going from the clean almost Western feeling historical centre to a graffiti covered suburb full of locals.
I spent a while looking round the market, passing through the hipster feeling Patronato neighbourhood and back across the filthy river to the historical centre, passing the Museo Bellas Artes en route. I decided to detour off the walking route at Cerro San Lucia and explored this park area full of gardens and old buildings, heading up this tower and a viewpoint of the city. After heading back down I passed through the Lastarria neighbourhood towards Plaza Italia. The final section of the walk took me through the trendy Bellavista neighbourhood home to many western restaurants to finish at the base of Cerro San Cristobal and the funicular railway.
Instead of riding the railway I decided to walk up the hill instead which was a nice walk through trees along a dirt path. When reaching top there were brilliant views of the city, as well as a jesus statue which overlooks the city. Instead of heading back the same way, I went up and over the hill to the other side and into the Providencia neighbourhood home to the tallest building in south America, the Costanera tower. It was very modern and trendy round here, and I explored the shopping centre and had dinner by the river which was really nice.
I didn't leave Providencia until about half 6, although as I had ended up a good 5 mile walk from the hotel I decided to catch the metro back which was very busy. I negotiated it without problems though, despite not fitting onto a train until my 3rd attempt and looking like an idiot when trying to buy a ticket. When arriving back at the hotel I relaxed and said goodbye to the 3 people leaving our truck, as well as finding out a 4th member had told us we're all wankers and stormed off quitting the truck. I did get to meet the new people however including a Middlesbrough fan, and a Sporting Lisbon fan who is obviously a fan of Cedric who came from there. The evening was relaxing although there was a pool table which was good.
Monday, 2 January 2017
Cafayate
We left our estancia on the Thursday relatively late with just a short drive to our next stop in Cafayate. We did however have problems leaving as our crew thought head office had paid the estancia by card already, but they hadn't which caused a delay. We eventually left, with our guide and driver having swapped roles due to a few issues, and within a minute of starting his new driving job our driver backed into the fence where the horses were and broke it. Instead of causing more problems it was a matter of foot down and drive off.
En route to Cafayate we stopped to view a few rock formations. The scenery changed from lush green countryside to red coloured canyon like scenery pretty quickly and our first stop took us to this rock face which was pretty impressive. Our second stop was at this amphitheatre like formation which made lots of echoes. There were people in here padding guitar which was very fitting. Other sights en route included a toad which we just viewed from the truck.
We arrived in Cafayate by lunchtime, where I found a local brewery and a few of us had lunch. Cafayate is a small town in north west Argentina, and is world-famous for its wine production. The surrounding vineyards produce some of the best quality wine in South America - Cafayate is particularly renowned for its Torrontes, a distinctive and crisp white wine that is typically Argentinian and similar in style to a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Cafayate itself is small and has a sleepy laid-back feel, although it can become usy during Argentinian holiday periods.
After lunch we made the short drive to the campsite and set up on what was a touristy campsite with decent facilities, before a few of us went off to go wine tasting. The first vineyard we stopped at produced nanni wines and was run over generations by a small family. We tasted a torrentes, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, and tannat variety here. The next vineyard we visited was the piattelli vineyard, set on a vast sight centred round a picturesque house. The setting was beautiful. We opted to taste the grand reserva wines here to add a bit of glass, tasting another torrentes, two varieties of malbec, a cabernet sauvignon, and an oak aged blend which were all very nice, but expensive though.
We didn't arrive back to the campsite until like 8, stopping at the supermarket en route to the camp to buy food for the next couple of days. Considering half the group didn't come wine tasting, they were hungry when we returned! Dinner in the evening was another Japanese curry after the huge success last time and the fact there aren't many survivors left from the Colombia who got to try it before. It was really good, and after dinner it was nice sitting at the campsite on what was a really warm evening, although we did have a early night.
Friday was an early start as we effectively had to cover 1100km over 2 days to get to Mendoza, wild camping somewhere in the middle. We decided the best plan of attack was a matter of get as we could the first day and see where we ended up. Shortly after leaving we stopped at Quilmes. The ruins of the city of Quilmes are located on a remote hillside in the Tucumán province in north west Argentina. The people of Quilmes were an indigenous tribe who inhabited this area as far back as 850 CE, fiercely resisting attempted Inca invasions in the 15th and 16th Centuries and even holding out against the Spanish for over 100 years before finally succumbing to a siege led by the colonial powers in 1667. I went up the hill to the viewpoints while the other explored below before leaving after a short while to continue.
The roads weren't that great and we initially made slow progress but we eventually made it to ruta 40 and the tarmac and got some speed up, stopping at various places en route for toilet and snacks. For lunch we even managed to find a shaded area and had the usual truck lunch before heading up into the mountains on winding roads which slowed us down a fair bit. We eventually stopped driving at about 7, stopping at a local campsite which had a pool to avoid wild camping. It was a really hot day. You know it's hot when the Aussies say it's hot. After setting up, we relaxed with cold beers in hand before dinner, which was chicken pasta. We then had an early night with another long drive day to come.
En route to Cafayate we stopped to view a few rock formations. The scenery changed from lush green countryside to red coloured canyon like scenery pretty quickly and our first stop took us to this rock face which was pretty impressive. Our second stop was at this amphitheatre like formation which made lots of echoes. There were people in here padding guitar which was very fitting. Other sights en route included a toad which we just viewed from the truck.
We arrived in Cafayate by lunchtime, where I found a local brewery and a few of us had lunch. Cafayate is a small town in north west Argentina, and is world-famous for its wine production. The surrounding vineyards produce some of the best quality wine in South America - Cafayate is particularly renowned for its Torrontes, a distinctive and crisp white wine that is typically Argentinian and similar in style to a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Cafayate itself is small and has a sleepy laid-back feel, although it can become usy during Argentinian holiday periods.
After lunch we made the short drive to the campsite and set up on what was a touristy campsite with decent facilities, before a few of us went off to go wine tasting. The first vineyard we stopped at produced nanni wines and was run over generations by a small family. We tasted a torrentes, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, and tannat variety here. The next vineyard we visited was the piattelli vineyard, set on a vast sight centred round a picturesque house. The setting was beautiful. We opted to taste the grand reserva wines here to add a bit of glass, tasting another torrentes, two varieties of malbec, a cabernet sauvignon, and an oak aged blend which were all very nice, but expensive though.
We didn't arrive back to the campsite until like 8, stopping at the supermarket en route to the camp to buy food for the next couple of days. Considering half the group didn't come wine tasting, they were hungry when we returned! Dinner in the evening was another Japanese curry after the huge success last time and the fact there aren't many survivors left from the Colombia who got to try it before. It was really good, and after dinner it was nice sitting at the campsite on what was a really warm evening, although we did have a early night.
Friday was an early start as we effectively had to cover 1100km over 2 days to get to Mendoza, wild camping somewhere in the middle. We decided the best plan of attack was a matter of get as we could the first day and see where we ended up. Shortly after leaving we stopped at Quilmes. The ruins of the city of Quilmes are located on a remote hillside in the Tucumán province in north west Argentina. The people of Quilmes were an indigenous tribe who inhabited this area as far back as 850 CE, fiercely resisting attempted Inca invasions in the 15th and 16th Centuries and even holding out against the Spanish for over 100 years before finally succumbing to a siege led by the colonial powers in 1667. I went up the hill to the viewpoints while the other explored below before leaving after a short while to continue.
The roads weren't that great and we initially made slow progress but we eventually made it to ruta 40 and the tarmac and got some speed up, stopping at various places en route for toilet and snacks. For lunch we even managed to find a shaded area and had the usual truck lunch before heading up into the mountains on winding roads which slowed us down a fair bit. We eventually stopped driving at about 7, stopping at a local campsite which had a pool to avoid wild camping. It was a really hot day. You know it's hot when the Aussies say it's hot. After setting up, we relaxed with cold beers in hand before dinner, which was chicken pasta. We then had an early night with another long drive day to come.
Estancia
Monday was where Amber and Gus split up until the new year, with Gus going to Cafayate, and then an estancia, with Amber going to another estancia, and then Cafayate. This meant Gus had to leave early, and we got to leave late because our estancia was like an hour down the road. This does mean however after Cafayate we have a lot of distance to cover unlike Gus who will be a lot further down the road. Our advantage though was we got a whole morning to explore Salta, so I went and walked through the park and caught the cable car to the top of the hill to see the views of the city. It was lots of fun.
We ended up leaving Salta at about half 1, and we were at the estancia by 3 where we were greeted by the owner who was very vocal. Our driver got out the truck and literally went to say hello and the owner started kissing him. He seems like a very happy guy. After setting up our tents we sat inside the dining area and it started raining, having scones and jam later which was very British. We did however have bottomless glasses of wine as the owner kept filling them up even when it was half full. Argentinian people have a very different way of eating, with lunch being their main meal of the day, and the times being a lot later than usual. Dinner wasn't until half 9 which was empanadas which were really good, lots of meat inside. I somehow however ended up being the last one up with the Argentinian family who knew who Southampton were due to Dani Osvaldo and Boca Juniors. The wine was so drinkable.
Come morning we had agreed to restart our running club as we were finally out of altitude, which had expanded from 3 members to 6 members. I however was the only one who turned up because it was raining, although I still went and was accompanied by the two dogs who had slept outside my tent all night. They literally ran with me to the town and back which was about a 10km round trip, and I even had about 5 dogs following me at one point. We got quite wet though although I managed to make the dogs pass out when we got back.
We originally had horse riding planned for the morning, although this was cancelled due to the weather and postponed until the afternoon. We instead simply had the morning to relax and as I was so exhausted I ended up having nap until lunchtime. Lunch was a proper Argentinian bbq including big joints of steak where we got endless lumps of it on our plate, ribs, sausages and a big variety of sides and salads. It was quite a good meal although I was stuffed by the end. We also once again had bottomless glasses of wine.
Come afternoon I decided against horse riding as it was still raining and stayed behind and played cards relaxed. We had scones once again for afternoon tea and a lot of wine whilst everyone was horse riding. We had a treat in the evening with a cheese and wine tasting session where we tried 4 local wines, a torrentes, torrentes reisling, malbec, and oak aged cabernet sauvignon. They were really good and the cheese went down really well too. We were then surprised by dinner as the owner just walked out with half a pig and carved us an endless supply to eat with breads. They're feeding us well. We also had the small matter of a truck members 70th birthday to celebrate. We were given more wine and it was quite a late night.
Wednesday was a nice and relaxing start with breakfast not until 10. I went for a run though again which was good, minus the dogs who were nowhere to be seen. After breakfast most people went horse riding although I wasn't so keen and went for a hike instead, with the dogs. They kept getting into fights with other dogs on the way though as they kept breaking into people's houses. They even killed 4 chickens en route by chasing them, catching them and chucking them on the floor. I had about 30 barking dogs round me at one point, and an angry Argentinian chucking rocks which wasn't great.
When getting back I relaxed before lunch, which was once again a big bbq with a lot of meat. The owner wouldn't stop feeding me! We then had a free afternoon, where most people went for a nap, although I just listened to the Saints game which wasn't great. Come evening I ended up having an early night as I was exhausted, not helped by the fact I'd spent much of the day playing football with the kids who wouldn't run out of energy!
We ended up leaving Salta at about half 1, and we were at the estancia by 3 where we were greeted by the owner who was very vocal. Our driver got out the truck and literally went to say hello and the owner started kissing him. He seems like a very happy guy. After setting up our tents we sat inside the dining area and it started raining, having scones and jam later which was very British. We did however have bottomless glasses of wine as the owner kept filling them up even when it was half full. Argentinian people have a very different way of eating, with lunch being their main meal of the day, and the times being a lot later than usual. Dinner wasn't until half 9 which was empanadas which were really good, lots of meat inside. I somehow however ended up being the last one up with the Argentinian family who knew who Southampton were due to Dani Osvaldo and Boca Juniors. The wine was so drinkable.
Come morning we had agreed to restart our running club as we were finally out of altitude, which had expanded from 3 members to 6 members. I however was the only one who turned up because it was raining, although I still went and was accompanied by the two dogs who had slept outside my tent all night. They literally ran with me to the town and back which was about a 10km round trip, and I even had about 5 dogs following me at one point. We got quite wet though although I managed to make the dogs pass out when we got back.
We originally had horse riding planned for the morning, although this was cancelled due to the weather and postponed until the afternoon. We instead simply had the morning to relax and as I was so exhausted I ended up having nap until lunchtime. Lunch was a proper Argentinian bbq including big joints of steak where we got endless lumps of it on our plate, ribs, sausages and a big variety of sides and salads. It was quite a good meal although I was stuffed by the end. We also once again had bottomless glasses of wine.
Come afternoon I decided against horse riding as it was still raining and stayed behind and played cards relaxed. We had scones once again for afternoon tea and a lot of wine whilst everyone was horse riding. We had a treat in the evening with a cheese and wine tasting session where we tried 4 local wines, a torrentes, torrentes reisling, malbec, and oak aged cabernet sauvignon. They were really good and the cheese went down really well too. We were then surprised by dinner as the owner just walked out with half a pig and carved us an endless supply to eat with breads. They're feeding us well. We also had the small matter of a truck members 70th birthday to celebrate. We were given more wine and it was quite a late night.
Wednesday was a nice and relaxing start with breakfast not until 10. I went for a run though again which was good, minus the dogs who were nowhere to be seen. After breakfast most people went horse riding although I wasn't so keen and went for a hike instead, with the dogs. They kept getting into fights with other dogs on the way though as they kept breaking into people's houses. They even killed 4 chickens en route by chasing them, catching them and chucking them on the floor. I had about 30 barking dogs round me at one point, and an angry Argentinian chucking rocks which wasn't great.
When getting back I relaxed before lunch, which was once again a big bbq with a lot of meat. The owner wouldn't stop feeding me! We then had a free afternoon, where most people went for a nap, although I just listened to the Saints game which wasn't great. Come evening I ended up having an early night as I was exhausted, not helped by the fact I'd spent much of the day playing football with the kids who wouldn't run out of energy!
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