Day 7

No photos for today. Not sure why, maybe we were too busy walking and trying to stay ahead of the rain...
We did manage to take some kind of short cut that turned into a boggy trail which once again meant wet muddy feet (my socks are a wee bit stinky now).
We approached our last camp ground by walking up the valley towards the Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine, pronounced PIE-nay in this neck of the woods). The sky started to cloud over and the wind picked up and then the rain came. Horizontal rain.
We pulled into a refugio to sit out the storm and wait until we could get back on the trail.

Distance: 20.5km

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: Still on my back

Feet: Stinky

Weather: Um rain. A lot of it.

Day 6

Campartmento Italian to Los Cuernos via Valley Francais.
This morning was the first hiking we got to do without the packs. We left the tent behind and headed up the Valley Francaise to explore for a few hours. The valley is one of the most beautiful spots on the trail, and at the top mirador we were surrounded by mountains.
Then it was back down to the tent, pack up and head a little further along the trail to Los Cuernos where we had a shower, with warm water. Wow.

Distance: 16.5km

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: Is finally feeling lighter

Feet: Using plastic bags in my shoes

Weather: Rain, clouds and then afternoon sun!

Day 5

Today was one of those days with some ground to cover, and not as much to see. So we packed up and got on the road. The trail continues down the valley towards Lago Pehoe, where we stopped for a noodle lunch and were joined by a friendly Guanaco.
After that we headed back around towards Campartmento Italiano. The rain was coming down and for the last 2 hours we were hopping through flooded trails trying to keep our feet dry. No luck there....

Distance: Only 18km

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: The cheese and salami are gone.

Feet: Wet wet wet

Weather: Rain and floods.

Day 4

Up and over the Paso Gardner today. The trail climbed slowly through forest and out onto the moraine. A steady climb up and up and up in Patagonian wind and rain brought us to the highest point on the trail at 1200m and nearly blew me away a couple of times!
The views over Glacier Grey from the pass are amazing, Michael got all emotional and declared it one of the best days of his life. It really is a special place in the world.
The remaining part of the day was spent hiking down the valley, alongside the glacier. We crossed a couple of ravines, with the help of dodgy wooden ladders, rope and some scrambling. Just don't look down.

Distance: A whopping 22km

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: Not feeling very light

Feet: Wet and cold

Weather: Laughing at me

Day 3

Camp Dickson to Camp Perros
A short day (I need it!). A steepish climb for the first 40 minutes was rewarded by views back over Lago Dickson and forward up the Los Perros Valley towards the Los Perros Glacier.
The trail follows the Rio Los Perros, past a pretty waterfall through woodland for most of the morning. We ate lunch in the wood, perched on a log.
In the afternoon we climbed up the moraine edge for views of the Los Perros Glacier. It's a little windy at the top, and the wind is cold as it's rushing down from the glacier and up over the lake towards us!

Distance: 9km

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: Still heavy

Feet: My little toe has caved under all the pressure

Weather: Perfecto

Day 2

Camp Seron to Camp Dickson
A longish day that feels even longer because the packs are still so full of food. 7 days food is a lot of food, when it was layed out on the bed it didn't look too bad, but now it's on my back I'm starting to realize that the cheese and salami will have to be eaten pronto. The ramen noodles will be saved for the end of the trip. Eat the heavy stuff asap.

Distance: 19km

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: Not getting lighter

Feet: Sore but dry

Weather: Strong winds, cloud but no rain.

Day 1

Originally uploaded by m_hagen

We're packed and ready to go... The bus picks us up from the hostel at 7.30am and it's off to the Torres del Paine (PIE-nay) National Park.
We get off the bus, and within 15 minutes have removed our shoes to negotiate a flooded river and missed the turn for the start of the trail... We realize that we have missed the turn 4km down the road. So, we keep going forwards, until the next trail which will take us in the right direction. Just what I really needed, an extra 6.5ks of hiking when my pack is heavy. So, we stop for lunch - with every bite the pack gets a little lighter, or am I imagining it?
The afternoon is spent hiking towards our first destination - Camp Seron. Where we put up the tent and prepare our dinner.

Distance: 16.5 kms

Dinner: Pasta

Pack: Heavy

Feet: Wet

Weather: Sunny

We're off the boat!

We arrived last night at about 6pm in Puerto Natales.  The trip down was great.  Four days on a ferry, with a 12 hour period on the Pacific crossing the Penas Gulf bobbing around like a cork...  The swell wasn't huge, but there were a couple of moments when I thought I might get my pigtails dunked in the ocean from my bunk bed...

 

We're heading into the Torres del Paine National Park tomorrow.  We're planning to hike the 'circuit'....  So, we'll be walking for 8 days (7 nights) carrying all our food, tent and sleeping bags.  It's gonna be a heavy backpack tomorrow morning....

 

Gotta run, and shop for food.  Light food.

 

Not our boat....

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda

Today we're stocking up on salty snacks for the boat ride, and have just purchased some motion sickness tablets. Rumour has it that everyone gets sick on this trip, not just a select few. Hmmm, we shall see.

Our berths are in C class cabins, not sure what that means, but I'm pretty sure we won't have an ensuite! You can check out the boat here (click on cabins to see our beds!). We're in C Class, and have bunks 1 & 2 in cabin 106.

We'll be at sea for the next 4 days. I promise an update as soon as we arrive in Puerto Natales.

Southbound, it's getting chilly

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda

I found Michael. He showed up on the doorstep of the family home that I was staying in at 8am this morning.... He'd been standing outside on the street calling my name and whistling, 'cause he knew the street I was on, but not the house!! One of the neighbours brought him over to the right door. We're staying with a retired maths teacher and her husband in a little house in the center of town.

This is her stove. It's amazing, it's wood burning and is absolutely immaculate. She and her husband have lived in the house since 1971.

Estoy en Chile

The bus ride over the Andes is pretty, but l o n g... I left Bariloche this morning at 9am and finally reached Puerto Montt at 6pm, 3 hours late. The border crossing was fun. First you exit Argentina, then you pile back onto the bus and drive for 20 minutes where you get off the bus again and deal with Chilean customs and immigration. They empty the whole bus of all the bags and x-ray every one... Once we arrived in Puerto Montt, I realized that I had 'misplaced' my baggage reclaim ticket. So, I had to wait until all the other bags were gone, and then give the driver and the steward a kiss on the cheek each before they would hand it over...

We've changed our plans a little. Michael was going to meet me in Bariloche and we were going to head South on the Argentinian side of the Andes, but, I managed to get a couple of last minute tickets on the Navimag ship in Chile. The ship is a cargo boat that transports passengers too... The trip will take 4 days and travels South through the Chilean fiords, coming out into the Pacific for one (bumpy) channel crossing. You can see photos and a video of the stormy seas here....

Gotta go shopping for seasickness tablets tomorrow!

Happy Valentines Day

I-ve arrived in Bariloche, in Argentina-s Lake District. It-s a beautiful day- if a little windy.
The keyboard on this computer is confusing. I can-t find any punctuation... Grrr.

Anyway, Happy Valentines Day!

My two favorite things

One 13 hour bus ride from Buenos Aires and I've arrived in Mendoza. The Mendoza region is known for it's wine, Malbec to be precise. So, on Tuesday I'm scheduled on a fancy tour to enjoy some of the best that they have to offer.

Mendoza is also the closest city to Aconcagua (the tallest peak in South America). So tomorrow I'm heading over to check it out. I don't have time to climb it on this trip, but I will be planning that on a future occasion......

The fun is just begining

I´m in a dorm room now. It's got 6 beds and 5 of them are inhabited. It's hard not to stare at the guy rubbing Nivea into his freshly shaved armpits. Is that really necessary?

Ocean bound

Today I shipped Michael off to Chile, he's hunting for waves. It took us a good 30 minutes standing on the street to find a cab driver who would take him and his 4 surfboards to the airport. Even then we had to lower the seat, and stick them in through the window.
I am enjoying Buenos Aires. This town is awesome! Super Tuesday tomorrow in the US.... Are you voting? I would if I could.

Another year

Today is my 2nd birthday spent on the road. Last years was a particularly spectacular cold and miserable journey stuffed into the back of a truck with some chickens and the compulsory bags of rice. This year was a civilized ferry ride back to Buenos Aires. Not don't get me wrong, the journey in Northern Laos by boat, bus, truck and on foot is one of the highlights of this trip. But the thought of a romantic dinner in one of Buenos Aires many fabulous restaurants, well that would be nice.
Except, Michael is sick. He has some kind of 24 hour flu / stomach thing and will be tucked up in bed shortly. We will postpone the birthday dinner until, um, later...

Blending in

I got a haircut today. I've only had 2 'proper' haircuts in the last 2 years. I usually hack it myself. So, one disaster in Bali and one beautiful job in Nottingham (for Vicki's wedding)and it's time for another.
My hairdresser speaks no English, and how much of my Spanish she is willing to interpret is up for debate. I know the words for 'hair' 'cut' 'a little', that should do me, right?
I needn't have worried, because I now have the same haircut that all girls in Uruguay have. Longish, with lots of layers and a fringe ish.