Travel Blog 2010

Firstly, the reason this update is so late is that the internet in Patagonia is so slow it has basically stopped.

Anyway, we have been away now for 2 months and I can hear you all shouting ” Nick, what are your travel stats!!??”. Well here you go:

• Countries visited: 5
• Different accommodations: 19
• Hours spent on buses: 149 (6.2 days)
• Hours spent trying to hitchhike: 4.5
• Successful hitchhikes: 0
• Fridge magnets: 11

Now, Back to the trip. From Rio Gallegeos we travelled via Chile to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, the southern most city on Earth. A fairly pleasant place it is however horrifically expensive and touristy, but we stayed in a cheap campsite outside of town, a ski area in winter, where we found Epic Camping Pitch #1

The campsite is based at the bottom of an old ski slope, not used much any more due to the lack of snow, but which leads to  12 mile round trip hike to a Glacier.

Until we reached the glacier trail (3 miles of the hike), we didn’t see another soul, and the scenery was amazing. Unfortunately after this the weather turned and we had freezing sleet and rain for the next 2 days, which in a tent makes life a bit tricky. So it was time to leave, via Rio Gallegeos again, to El Calafate.

El Calafate is, again, a very touristy town, but its main attraction is Glacier Perito Moreno just down the road which is fairly amazing.

We were in a hostel for 3 nights which was relative luxury compared to camping, and it was near Lago Argentina, a nice walk itself.

From El Calafate it was time to head to the mountain town of El Chalten to Tackle the Fitzroy range.

 

As you can see, El Chalten is tiny and has in fact only existed since 1985, built due to an anticipated boarder dispute from Chile. It is known as “the trekking capital of Argentina”, and in the 5 days we spent here we clocked up 50+ miles of hiking, including one to Lago Torre to see an amazing glacier, and Cerro Torre mountain, normally shrouded in cloud, but luckily for us bathed in sunshine.

We also had a small hike to a waterfall

Then an epic 15 miler climbing 1000 meters to a panoramic viewpoint which was so cloudy that nothing could be seen in the direction that mattered, but the view the other way was nice enough.

Still, at the summit we managed to shelter behind a rock and enjoy some lunch.

In El Chalten we found Epic Camping Pitch #2

Life was fairly tough here, the only time we spent inside was to buy food, but we survived by drinking the free Evian

Being a twisted fire starter

And enjoying the occasional Parilla

We are now back in El Clafate filling up on real food after a week of jam sandwiches and spaghetti with tomato sauce, and prepping for our next 28 hour journey to Barioloche. Keep well and remember, Stay Alert!  

Arrived in Buenos Aires and things felt strangely familiar

 

What a fantastic city. Nikki said on our first day “it feels like New York Paris”

Found a great hotel, the type that big chains have almost killed off in Europe.

Like a lot of Buenos Aires, it feels like how i would imagine Europe did in the 1960’s and 70’s.

We stayed longer than we had planned to as we took a day trip over to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay (4th Country) a really well preserved town just up the road from Fray Bentos. (google it, so weird…..)

On our fifth and final day we went to check out the cemetery which has the most amazingly elaborate tombs.

Here we witnessed the most crass, embarrassing and awkward tourist moment ever. A short plump female New Yorker of about 60 started to sing and dance  to “Don’t Cry for me Argentina” outside Eva “Evita” Peron’s grave. They almost had to bury me too.

From Buenos Aires we travelled south to Patagonia to the Chubut region where there are colonies both Welsh and Penguin. Firstly the Welsh:

A Welsh tradition they keep here is high tea, and my lord how good a cup of English Breakfast tasted after all these weeks.

We were in a town called Gaiman, which seems half Argentinian half British. Lots of beautiful rose gardens and Victorian architecture.

Moving onto the Penguins. About 60km east of Gaiman is Punta Tomba, the worlds largest breeding site of Magellanic Penguins.

We have ditched Hostels, Hotels, Pousadas, Guest Houses etc for the wilderness and have been camping for the last week or so.

This has proved to be not only hugely cost saving but also a lot of fun. We are going to try and camp at least 5 days a week until Bolivia at the end or April.

Currently we are in Rio Gallegeos, just breaking up the 30+ hour journey to Tierra del Fuego. Should be in our campsite in Ushuaia by tomorrow evening, will update shortly. Stay Strong!

Just before I go a quick update for “New Stuff I Like”

13) Choripan. One of the best things Pork has given us. Ideal when steak gets too much.

14) Bus Bingo. Who says 21 hour bus journeys have to be dull.

15) Mate. When in Rome….