Mar 2007

Well, I've been in Argentina in 16 days today. Tomorrow, I fly to Lima, Peru via Buenos Aires.

I've done LOTS of walking, as I expected, as I am on a hiking holiday. Camping in small tents isn't that fun in cold and wet conditions (or windy, for that matter)! But it's all part of the experience! I have enjoyed it a lot.

We went to Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile, after El Chalten. It was a long bus trip. Strangely, the border crossing is in some rural outpost with a large gap between the respective border posts of Chile and Argentina. Maybe this reflects the historical conflicts between the two nations over the years. Specifically the disputes of the borders between the two nations.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't good for time in Torres Del Paine (Chile). But it was still fun! A little cold, a little wet and very windy at times.

We hiked up to see Grey Glacier, at first it was very windy and cold - or so we thought! It wasn't a good start, but two hours later over the usual rocky and muddy (but well defined) trail - we found the first of several viewpoints of Lake Grey and Grey Glacier. It is a huge glacier....I have some photos to upload, which I will do later. (When I find a decent computer to do so, a rare find in Argentina, so far!).

Not long after we reached one of the better Grey Glacier viewpoints, we took some photos and I took some video footage - the sky got darker and the very cold north-westerly winds blew over the massive chunk of ice that is the Grey Glacier and on to us poor weary and hungry hikers!

We all huddled in what little shelter we could find - a small hallow in the rock and got out our infamous packed lunches...a bottle of water, a couple of small chocolates, a snack bar and the usual ham and cheese in a rather thick breadroll. Many of us had come to loath the bread (and some it's contents). But when you've been walking for ours (and you're usually sweating on the uphill legs, under the layers of clothing meant to keep you warm).

After Torres del Paine National Park, we travelled via mini-bus to a overnight farmstay on Argentinan-side of the the island of Tierra Del Fuego (which is at the tip of South America). The Chilean side was largely unpaved. It´s somewhat odd to have an island divided between two countries...but I guess it kinda works...it´s a big place.

After some 12+ hours in the mini bus (with a few stops along the way), we arrived at our overnight farmstay, just outside Rio Grande.

It was a smallish farm, still in operational. They had a modest dining room and toilet block...and yes...tents for us to sleep in!

The BBQ lamb and fresh vegetables were great! Especially, as everyone was tried and hungry from our very long trip today.

After a nice breakfast, we were given a demonstration of a sheep herding, with dogs and sheep shearing. Kinda interesting, but I´d seen it all before. We were back on the bus for another couple of hours and stayed in a lodge (bunk beds) overnight. That same day we had a night lunch and headed out for the afternoon to explore the local peat bogs, laguna and small glacier. The interesting part was the damaged that the imported Beavers had done to the fragile ecology.

Originally imported to farm their fur, the warm climate of the Tierra del Fuego soon meant that wasn´t going to be feasible. Hence, the Canadian imports can deciminated tracks of forrests near rivers. As the soils is so thin, the impact is far worse that in their native land.

Anyway, must go and will write a bit about Ushuaia in detail soon.

I am Southern Patagonia in Argentina. El Chalten, to be exact...it´s Thursday 8th March and it´s 12pm local time.

Just had three nights of camping in freezing cold (below zero) weather (at night)...whilsts sleeping in a tent...but the flipside is that the weather has been fantastic! The days were nice and warm, but not too so that it made hiking too hot.

The hiking wasn´t too hard, some days were long though. The paths not too tricky or difficult too! As they told us before, it was moderate hiking.

Both the scenery and the weather is fantastic...I cannot complain about it at all. The place, although it looks isolated and remote (which it is) is well travelled with many tourist - both from overseas and Argentina. Everyone is friendly and obviously it is full of similar like-minded and hardly people who like long walks in the national parks...:-)

At least we got hot food each night and a hot breakfast. The food isn´t that great, but it fills you up...at least we don´t have too good it...they have ´camp assistants´to look after the campsites and cool the food and prepare our ´packed lunches´ (do the dishes, make us tea & coffee & hot chocolate).

I went for walk on a glacier yesterday...it was a very long day too. We (it was an optional excursion) spent some 11 hours or so walking...thankfully, it ended in a hosteria (budget hotel) with a hot shower and a nice warm comfy double bed. I am lucky that I don´t have share with anyone!

Thank god I had a shower...the first in three days. With most of it wearing the same same clothes too. I took change of clothes though (socks and undies too). Wet & cold weather gear was essential too.

The first night back in the hosteria was a mixed blessing...the room was warm and comfy. Too warm in fact. The room was okay, but hey this is a budget hotel...so you can´t complain. The whole group had dinner in the hosteria I stayed in. Some people stayed in the hostel acrossed the road...they had 4-6 people per bunk room. Apparrently not great, but us in the hosteria paid extra for that privillege. I can tell you that I was pleased I did.

I´ve taken over 300 photos in the past four days. Some good ones too. I hope to post some of the good ones to my webshots website soon.

It was hard and great fun. The first day walking was wet and then got cold. We were all a more than a little concerned about the next few days was going to be exactly the same.

Our guides - both the ones for the local part of the tour (in El Chalten - Fitz Roy and Torre) were excellent. But much was lost in the translation from Spanish to English.

Most of my tour group were English speaking. The majority from the UK, the rest from Australia. This tour group was twice the size of the usual group. The result of a group of confused people, at times (well, most of the time!).
We are off back to El Calafate for two nights. We will be visiting the Moreno Glacier...but no glacier walk this time.

Time to go. Hopefully I will get a chance to upload the photos...today is our day off hiking. I am wondering this tiny town...this part of Patagonia is very dry ..it is usually windy too...but is a perfect day - warming and dry...not windy.

That´s it for now...my next posting is from El Calafate.

Well, I finally made it to Buenos Aires!

Aerolinas Argentinas sure lives up to its reputation! Cheap flights is the highlight, to say the least. They could do with some new aircraft, as the Airbus A320-200 I flew on from Sydney to Buenos Aires (via a 1 hour stop over in Auckland, New Zealand)...was looking a bit worse for wear. They sure do have a quick turnaround on their flights.

Oh, first time I have ever been paged at an airport...I was so excited (due in a large part to lack of sleep) that I missed the boarding call (I was not in the gate) ...I was on the phone to my friend my Beth. Hehehe...at least I did not miss the flight.

The flight was uneventful really. Not as bad as I thought. The food and service were both passable. I cannot really complain. Although, I was a little concerned when I saw the plane arrive from Auckland and then witnessed it overshooting the alotted gateway (only a metre or so) -- an aircraft tractor was called in to "push" the Airbus back (I guess jetliners do not have reverse still!!).

I had great company on the flight and sat next to nice young lady from Sydney who was travelling to Argentina with her parents. We had a great chat and she explained she was keen to travel to Peru to go to Machu Picchu. I told her to look up the various tour companies operating the tours. I mentioned I was doing the Interpid Travels "Homeland of Incas" tour, which included the Inca trail trek.

I listened to my iPod a lot for the flight. Mostly the Spanish lessons (the free ones) that I download from the iTunes Music Store. I also read my phrase book too.

Buenos Aires is truly an amazing place! Too bad that I will not be here for long. I spent my first afternoon. It was grey, wet and I was tired from the flight and just went to my hotel (I got picked up at the airport).

First impressions of Buenos Aires started with the airport. It was kind of dirty, run down and had seem some better days. That kind of sums up much (but not all of) Buenos Aires.

As all those travel guides say...it is very European -- it truly is like someone transplant Spain to South America. Lots of European cars everywhere, the vast majority of the population are European looking and it is crowded and noisy.

I must say that I have yet to speak much Spanish! I have not had much of a chance! Plus, I am too scared to show how really bad my Spanish is! Just as well I seem to have a big "tourist" sign on me...so they can see me coming, I guess.

Lots of Buenos Aires seems to be a bit run down. Or more correctly, it need of some maintenance or TLC. The streets are surprisingly clean - I was expecting it to be messier, so it is a nice surprise. Thankfully, there are not that many homeless people, as you would expect in such a large city. Mind you, that not really saying they are not around.

I am staying in the Hotel Splenid. So far, the only thing splenid is the cheap rates. Everything is is unexceptional, as much as I thought. It is handy to the main spots though. I have a terrible room. But it is clean. I usually sleep though anything. Just one more night to go. I think I will be go to McDonalds for breakfast tomorrow. South Americans do not do toast or ceral for breakfast...but I do not think the "Big M" does either!

The traffic here is amazing, one of the main streets has 14 lanes. Yes, that is a street -- not a freeway! The drivers here are pretty agressive (no surprise there).

I did a half-day bus tour, I have been a fan of bus tours. It was a multi-lingual one (luckily, in English too).

There are few tall buildings in Buenos Aires. The ones that are, are apartment buildings. There seems to be a building boom going on at the moment. Lots of high-rise apartments popping up everywhere.

I have taken a few photos already, but this internet cafe does not let you upload them (the PC is locked up under the table). I will upload them a little later, from another place.

I am off to El Cafate tomorrow. I have a midday flight, so will not have time to go anything tomorrow...which is a shame really.

Anyway, I think I need an afternoon nap...It is Friday 3pm here (or 5am Sydney time - Saturday). It will take me a few days to get back into sync! I had a big lunch for me. That was fun ordering that too...I will save that for another post!

Adios from Buenos Aires!
David