Travel Epilogue by JG

 

Travelling is a funny thing - you have the feeling of freedom that you can go wherever you want whenever you want - if you like somewhere, you stay, if not, you move on. With a trip that lasts for a year, the inevitable 'end of holiday' blues are mostly irrelevant and it is impossible not to feel slightly smug that you are having so much fun. I imagine perhaps it is hard to settle when you return to regulated life from a trip of this length due to the nature of constant movement and the novelty of different surroundings. The mind seems to condition itself to adapt to constant change during a trip like this because it knows that you are in ‘travel mode.’ It is similar to the strange concept of somebody feeling ready to go home, whatever the length of their travels, be it a weekend, two week holiday or one year trip, it seems the mind cleverly adapts and prepares itself to think in a positive way. We met a couple in Laos, when we were only 2 months into our trip, who had travelled the world like us for a year, and were going home in a week - the look of devastation on my face for them must have been scary, but they were really happy about it saying they were ready to go home and 'crack on with new projects.' Mark and I still talk about them thinking they were bonkers and betting that if we said something like that to ease the pain of finishing the travels, we would blatantly be telling huge porkies.

If I am truthful, every time I have been on holiday, without fail, a few days before I am meant to go home, my mind sneakily puts aside the thoughts that I would far rather stay on the beach for another week/ski that run again, etc, and starts thinking of the 'fun dinner next Tue with Joe Blog,' how great it will be to continue to learn salsa, and wow, how I actually feel enthusiastic about getting stuck into the new project at work, etc, etc. As well as the obvious point that after a holiday you are usually well rested and should have more energy, the brain has an innate ability to provide a cushioning preparatory layer of positivity, arguably tricking you into happily returning to whatever you left behind. I am truly happy that this occurs and could compare it to how the brain eventually looks back at most experiences, even less than perfect ones with a softening, positive light – why do you think women have more than one child?

There is also the softening factor of home comforts, familiarity and routine, things which can be both cherished and dreaded at the same time, depending on who you are. Personally, I find that when returning from an amazing experience where perhaps you were moving from place to place, suddenly the mind looks forward to permanently clean sheets, a bubble bath, knowing the way to the station, seeing the familiar face at the market stall, having all of your things easily accessible in one place, etc. Of course, this is a complete contradiction to the sensation of freedom and novelty at breaking your routine when you first commence a trip. I remember hearing from a friend who went home after 6 months of travelling and a week prior to going back he said, quote “I am actually looking forward to wearing a suit again.” Now that is a little extreme in my eyes, but he was starting to prepare himself for the inevitable return to being a professional again, rather than running around in board shorts and flip flops the whole time.

I am just trying to rationalise the concept of returning to and adapting to normal life - a popular discussion amongst long term travellers. The experience you get from travelling really depends on the time of life at which you go - having travelled around Asia for 2 months in my university holidays at age 20, my objectives were obviously very different to now - still very much about the carefree fun and pushing oneself to have new experiences but now, much more about evaluating what you have done so far in life and really thinking about what sort of life you want to lead in the future. While I had a very happy and fun life in London, living in a nice flat which I owned with a best friend, having a good job which allowed me to travel the globe, socialising with my lovely circle of friends, earning enough money to do fun things, etc, taking a step away from that life has helped me to realise a) how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to have all those things but b) that I would be even more motivated if I had more freedom to be creative in the workplace. Meeting inspiring people while travelling also gives one the confidence to break away from a typical work routine, which is quite a brave thing to do in terms of financial security and also in personally overcoming what one is brainwashed into thinking one 'should' do with one's career.

It is funny as I am sure when I get back, I will meet up with people who will say how amazing it is that I have taken the jump and 'lived the dream' for a year, and am now trying to do something different, but who secretly are thinking, 'it looked like fun, but I am glad that I am not unemployed/broke/one year behind in my career ladder, etc, etc.' And there will be those who are perhaps inspired to do it themselves and will do - everyone is different and that is what makes the world an interesting place. The additional appeal of being self employed will be the eventual ability to take longer holidays and enjoy a better work life balance, something which is very underrated. I think there is also a fine balance between people who travel long term to have new experiences and people who perhaps run away from life with the excuse of travelling. I believe I have met these two types of people on this trip and have made a mental note to be the former.

Meeting someone as inspiring as Mark made the decision to set up my own business very easy. It will be a huge learning curve and I am sure we will have much fun along the way. I feel that the sense of achievement that will come will be bigger than anything ever experienced in a previous job, which is very exhilarating.

In summary, when faced with the prospect of going home and getting on that flight in Rio, my philosophical mind has magically evolved from ‘how will I cope with not wearing flip flops all the time’ into the following stream of consciousness:

• I always thought that it was not possible to beat certain times in my life - ski season in France at 18 years old, university life at Durham, travelling with friends, but this year has surpassed them all into being the best year of my life so far – I do not think I could have had more fun if I tried – a year like many to come I am sure.
• I am so excited about seeing my family for Christmas again and friends after the New Year, who I have missed so much.
• Mark and I have put a lot of research into our business plan so it will be really exciting to put it into action at full pelt when we are back. We both have so much energy, enthusiasm and desire to make it a success.
• While money is by no means a priority, it does make life easier, and it does allow you to do fun things like skiing and travelling. Therefore, this year has inspired both of us to work as hard as possible to enable this kind of thing to be possible on a regular basis.
• And most importantly, I have found someone that I love deeply and can have heaps of fun with – the memories of travelling together for a year are absolutely priceless and something I will keep forever.

Travel summary by JG

 

The year of International Woman of Mystery is drawing to a close, so I thought I would write a few departing thoughts. Most people will ask with fascination, as they have done so far, where was your favourite place? It is quite an impossible question to answer a) as there have been so many for different reasons and b) because sometimes factors affect your experience at a certain place to make it memorable, for example, you could be standing outside the Taj Mahal and someone could throw their sticky drink over you before you are attacked by a swarm of bees, or you could be sitting in Hyde Park like you do every week, and you could see a rare moon eclipse, making it more of a memorable place – you get the picture! I will try to summarise my highlights as best I can:

Asia – having travelled extensively to this wonderful continent, both personally and many times in a professional capacity, it did not have the quite the same level of intrigue for me as perhaps the unknown Central America, however, being a real ‘Asiaphile’ it is always a pleasure to go, and it is one of those places where you always see something different and mind opening. Laos still has the rare quality of genuinely smiling local people with a complete lack of greed that you cannot see in rapidly commercialized countries such as Vietnam. It is also beautifully rugged, simplistic and relatively unspoiled – go now! Borneo was just amazing in terms of diving, the people we met, jungle activities and of course, that delicious Malaysian food. In terms of amazing sights, the Great Wall of China was absolutely breathtaking and walking along its towering & deserted length at 7am on a cold Beijing morning with the mist rising over the mountains will be something I never forget.

Australia and New Zealand – Hiring a camper van in both of these countries made the experience exceptionally fun. Having the freedom to go wherever you want & also to cook for yourself under the stars each night is very special. In Australia, the vast beauty of the outback was spectacular, and in NZ, well the scenery was mind blowing – the advantage of having the van being that we could stop at any point and walk in it, rather than stare longingly from a stuffy bus window. Fishing for six metre jumping, man-eating Salties has to be one of the most adrenaline pumping memories which contrasts nicely to the more civilized affair of first time sampling of some of the finest wines in the continent in the Hunter and Marlborough regions.

USA – Hawaii was most memorable for surfing in ‘small’ summer waves and swimming with the giant turtles that seemed to follow you gracefully around. The highlight of California was of course my mummy coming to visit for a wonderful 10 day trip. I will also never forget turning 27 in Vegas – it will be a hard act to follow!

Central America – Mexico has one of the richest and most individual cultures I have ever seen. I loved everything about the country – food, dancing, friendliness, difference in landscape and most of all, my correction of image about Mexico City – it is clean, green, safe & very civilised. Seeing hot molten lava flow down a volcano in Guatemala was absolutely incredible and certainly unlike anything I have ever been privileged enough to witness. Costa Rica was like a holiday within our travels – fun activities, amazing wildlife, interesting people and of course, our lovely anniversary in the romantic Tortuguero Lodge. The San Blas Islands in Panama were the most idyllic & unspoilt of the trip.

South America – Chile stands as my favourite country, with the decision being highly influenced by a week staying on the farm in Pucon, Northern Patagonia. With the most idyllic and rugged setting, dogs on the porch, the fire burning, the steak grilling, the Malbec breathing, the boyfriend laughing and the knowledge that you are off for a two day horse trek into the Andes the following day, it is hard to imagine a more perfect situation, or place. JG

Rio de Janeiro, Dec 19th - 22nd

 

We left the beautiful island in style…by speedboat in the horizontal rain, which was pretty fun. Then a bus to Rio, where we got dropped at our hotel, the Bandeirantes. Located just 2 blocks from Copacabana Beach, we had to get our togs on and go for a swim. The beach is crazy…full of people sunning, preening, flaunting, playing volleyball, avoiding bikini removing waves and just generally having a good time. Copacabana has a great vibe, and seems a little more rough and ready than Ipanema, but Mark and I actually found we liked it better as it had more character and of course, the people watching opportunities were fantastic. No thong, unsubscribe.

Visiting the Christ was absolutely amazing. It is perched on one of the highest rocks in the city, and you can pretty much see it from everywhere. We took a local bus to the train, which winds up through the rainforest to the summit. It is a great ride and the view from the top is spectacular, although we did spend most of the time in a cloud, but when it cleared, it was fab. The city is so beautiful, with loads of little hidden beaches, coves, rocky outcrops and big towering hills all around covered in lush tropical vegetation. We visited Santa Teresa, which is based on top of a hill, and is full of impressive colonial style mansions with views to die for. It is quite a bohemian area now and definitely has a buzz to it.

Going up the cable car to the top of the Sugar Loaf while whistling the Bond theme tune, in homage to the Bond god, was really fun, and the view even better than from the Christ. In fact you can see it from a distance, which looks really cool just perched on top on the city.

On our last night, we went to a gorgeous little restaurant, where we drank pink bubbles, ate exquisite food and really toasted our last day in style. Wow, what a year. JG

Ilha Grande (Granje) Dec 13-19

 

With the massive trip behind us, we found ourselves with the last leg of the trip from Mantagatiba to Ilha Grande, aboard a ferry in the sunshine. As this is the tropics we soon found ourselves on a ferry in the tropics in the pissing rain and arrived in the pissing rain. The whole area was filled with waiting super tankers which are quite amazing to see from a tiny ferry, huge tubs sat in the water..

The walk around town in the rain was very pleasant, refreshing really. Finding our hostel that we had booked proved to be more challenging and frankly, in the rain, a little more than boring. So we opted for another hostel called Overnativa or Green hostel which was terrific. The lady that ran it cooked meals every evening and we ate well, and I think quite traditionally and locally. I would even advise visiting her hostel just for the food. We had a lovely little double room overlooking the entrance and the mountainside. The island is a huge hill like many of the others so typical in the area, surrounded by lush rainforest and beaches, some required a good hike to get to. We didn’t do too much for the first day, it rained quite constantly, but on the second it was my 31st and we did a little exploring and chilling. The island boasts lots of great little restaurants and bars on the beach which we then visited in the late afternoon. The capirinhas and the cachca mixed with fresh Passionfruit juice made the evening amusing and we got chatting to some material oil engineers who engaged in laying pipes and the welding of them… sounds fascinating I know... but when they lay them 2km deep and 40 km long then it becomes quite a feat in my books. The restaurant we were at also served great BBQ, where I had a great King Mackerel and King Prawns as my dinner. For my first birthday out of London since 18 I was enjoying myself quite a bit in the most relaxing style. We then met another English couple who had Norfolk in common and we carried on chatting and celebrating my birthday till the bar shut. Jen had actually fallen asleep in a corner by then. The next day the lovely hostel staff gave me a birthday cake which Jen had organized with them.. the cake was incredible, chocolate with dulce de leche and coconut crème filling, we ate it over the next few days sharing with the our new friends.

The next days we spent exploring the island, walking through the rainforest to beaches, swimming and playing cards. It was a very tough life and we really hated every minute of it. One small problem did present itself… there are no cash points on the islands, but thankfully there are lots of places take cards, even the kayak rental place. I thoroughly enjoyed our days there and the motorboat trip back to the mainland and bus ride to Rio took only 2 hours, the trip though the outer areas of Rio, the extensive Favelas was eye opening. Obvious gang tags abundant [marking buildings and blocks then being replaced by other ones], more barbed wire than they used in the first world war and well, very obvious abject poverty. The change between the outskirts and the central parts of Rio were amazing. With the country getting richer, I hope some of the wealth trickles down sooner than later.

Iguazu to Ilha Grande…the journey

 

What a ride. It took us 48 hours almost… and it really isnt that far. We looked for routes and blogs about getting from Iguazu to Ilha Grande and there didn’t seem to be that much information which was very clear. That is mainly because there is no direct routing as Ilha Grande in Brazil is not really a main city or on a main artery. We chose the cheapest route from Iguazu area which involves travelling from Argentina through Brazil to Paraguay, this knocked off a good hundred pesos.

So… incase you are wondering and looking for how to get from Iguazu in Argentina to Ilha Grande in Brazil then follow these steps. Go to the bus station and ask at the Crucero del Norte bus station for a Cama seat unless you don’t want to sleep. Getting a Cama seat does not mean you will get great service like you get elsewhere in Argentina, in fact using Crucero Del Norte is only advised as they have a service that is cheaper than the Brazilian buses. We asked for a cheaper option and were presented with a trip from Paraguay which involves getting a bus from Iguazu through to Paraguay bus station which is a local bus and does not always leave you time to get your passport stamps. We took this option but without the bus, getting a drop off at the Brazilian/Argentian border. We didn’t wait for the bus, so we walked for around five kms and it was good exercise. When we got to the next border post, the actual brazilian one we stamped in, and waited for a bus. A few came through and they were all full so we had to get a cab which a border guard called for us. It was not too cheap, but it took us to the Paraguay/Argentina border which is very busy, and the total cost was still less than getting a bus from Brazil or Argentina for us both. We stamped in, which you must do to get an exit stamp… We witnessed a fair bit of corrupt behaviour with the border guards on the way out, so get the stamps coming in, and have your consultate number handy… It doesn’t matter what the locals say or the border guards say, get the stamp for entering the country as otherwise they will find excuses to make cash demands.
Our onward trip was usual for latin american countries, chaos rulling the duty free area around the border, so we haggled with a taxi who wanted ten dollars for a four km cab ride. We refused point blank and eventually he agreed to a five dollar charge, I think our skills picked up in Asia were well remembered…

The bus station was a total dump as was the city, and with two hours to kill and intense humidity, we stayed put and ate some homecooked gnocchi with chicken, very nice. Eventually, the bus arrival time and departure time came and went and a huge thunderstorm turned the carpark into rivers and lakes, with the wind whipping the rain off the bus tops. The reason for the delay with the bus were known to us, the only border crossing with Brazil which we had walked across earlier moved at less than walking pace. When we did finally get on the bus we found our seats being used as a platform for the cleaner who was packaging the rubbish and I wasn’t too impressed. We watched him use his shoe to shove the rice on the floor under our seats and I asked him to clean it up properly in my poor spanish. He ignored me and told me to put my bag up rather than under the seat… I was not impressed as he pushed past with the rubbish. After that I headed downstairs to complain and got a lot of bemused looks from the drivers who and other staff who basically all had no intention of cleaning up. As the cleaner came back and signed off the “cleaning” record I interjected and asked him to clean up properly. The bus then reversed out and I lost my rag completely. At this point one of the drivers finally agreed to come up and have a look at the situation. He didn’t want to clean it up either but we then had some help from a fellow traveller who in pretty stern tone told him it was entirely unacceptable and he should clean it up. I can only say, with Crucero Del Norte firms that they run a decent network, but our experiences with them in Buenos Aires and here left a piss poor impression. Avoid them if you can.

The bus journey was delayed by 3 hours at the border so our time onboard increased by three hours to 20 hours of travel. Joy. After a freezing night on the bus to Sao Paulo we arrived at one of the largest bus terminals in South America, pretty impressive with around one hundred bus stops it is a pretty busy place. Above the bus station we found the ticket offices and got ourselves sorted out with some breakfast and onwards tickets. The next bus was expensive.. but it was a lovely bus and was scheduled to take a mere seven hours. The roads and infrastructure in Brazil are good, but the winding roads around the incredible scenery is timeconsuming, but with the mix of films, stops every two hours and very comfortable seats we managed well. Our bus tickets were for Angra which is where we were to get a ferry from. Arriving in Angra, we spoke to a Chilean girl who had been travelling from Chile to come to Ilha Grande, and she heard that we could get a late night ferry from down the road, so we hopped back onto the bus and an hour later arrived, jumped into an old VW transporter and got ferried to the port. Then we found out the ten pm boat was a myth… 30 hours on the road… There isnt much in the way of accommodation… so we had to make do with a pretty horrible little place for a little too much money.

The next morning the first ferry left at nine and took an hour, at fourteen Reais it was fairly reasonable we thought, the weather changed as we left and the rain pissed down and the wind lashed us. Out the window were absolutely huge oil tankers waiting for access to the filling station and the boat went pretty close so we got to inspect them a little better. They are amazing, huge tubs with rounded fronts so they look like massive bathtubs. We learned later from a french engineer that some of the platforms in the area have two kilometer deep pipes to the filling stations which is pretty amazing too.

The island was a site for literally sore eyes. The picturesque town and the beaches with the mountains in the backround, even in the rain was the end of the epic travel we had… I’d like to say endured, but it wasn’t tough at all. Just a lot of sitting down and very annoying idiots/high prices to contend with. After our luxurious and very relaxing travel around Argentina and Chile, this was a rude awakening and shock to the system, yes we found ourselves back to shit services for too much money where everyone seems to think their job is beneath them. MT

Iguazu Falls – 8th – 10th December

 

Situated on three borders, the Iguazu Falls are pushing to become one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and with good reason…they are absolutely mind blowing. We stayed at a great hostel on the Argentine side, called La Guembe, which is a very relaxed and quiet little place with the best Caipirinas in town & very friendly staff. It’s a small little town, totally geared around the Falls and the subsequent tourism. We got a lift to the Waterfalls with the hostel owner as we bought one of his boat trips, which I would highly recommend. You go on a unimog through the jungle and although you cannot see much wildlife, it’s a fun trip. Then you board a speed boat, which takes you up the river for about 20 mins and then gets close to the falls, making sure you get an absolute drenching. It is really spectacular to get so close to them and feel the power of the water as it comes crashing down on your head!

The park itself is very well set out – there are lots of footpaths through the jungle for you to follow and the various viewing platforms for the waterfalls are located at spectacular points, for example, right at the top of the falls so you can look over the edge and at the side so you can almost touch the water! There are many falls, with the most spectacular undoubtedly being the Devil’s Throat, which is incredible. There is also a train which you can ride on, taking you further around the park. If you like birds and butterflies, you will be spoilt here – sometimes we saw so many that it looked like leaves fluttering around in the wind – absolutely beautiful. For 60 pesos (about 10 pounds) you get entry into the Falls, which is great value considering how much there is to do. If you want to return the next day, it’s only 30 pesos, so great if you just fancy doing more walking or having a picnic in some very spectacular surroundings. Although it’s a long bus ride from Buenos Aires, I would highly recommend the falls, as it really is a once in a lifetime sight and definitely deserves being a new natural world wonder! JG

Colonia, Uruguay – Dec 2nd – 7th

 

Colonia is just a mere 1 hour’s boat ride across the river from Buenos Aires. It is a very popular place for day trippers from Buenos Aires and well as for those in search of nice beaches and a bit of relaxation. This was just the ticket for the CELTA weary crowd, therefore a few of us headed over to chill out for a few days. The old town is lovely – much of the original wall & buildings remain, and with cobbled streets & very old fashioned cars parked everywhere, it certainly has a nostalgic feel about it. We stayed at the Hostel Espanol, which is a very relaxed place. It was a great few days, spending time at the beach, playing cards and cooking big hearty meals in our group at the hostel – very relaxing and sociable. We decided not to head further up the coast, as the main appeal was beaches & we have Isla Grande coming up in Brazil, so thought we would head back to BA and go up to Iguazu instead, as it worked out to be the cheaper option. Uruguay is also a lot more expensive than Argentina so that also factored in our decision to leave early. It was sad saying goodbye to my little CELTA family, but they are all going off to do exciting things around the world, as am I, so it will be great to keep up with their adventures. JG

Buenos Aires, 28th Oct – 2nd Dec

 

The Thompson’s

Arriving in Buenos Aires, it was a real treat to be picked up at Retiro station by Uncle David, who kindly came to get us in his car. We went back to his house in Temperley to be greeted by May and a lovely spread of medialunas and to Mark’s delight, real tea! It was great for me to see David again, as it had been about 10 years since I last saw him, and the first time for me to meet my aunty May and my cousin, Martin. We stayed with David for 4 days, going into the city and looking around, seeing both of his schools and even helping with a kid’s Halloween party, which was cute! On the Saturday we went bird watching in the Pampa, and every night were treated to May’s delicious cooking as well as lovely nibbles and an asado on David’s very cool outside BBQ. Once I had started my CELTA course, I went back to David’s a couple of times at the weekend for lunch, which was a lovely escape from the city and good to have a bit of ‘home life’ which always included rummy! It was really nice that Teresa and Andrew were there one weekend as well. Big thank you’s to the Thompsons for their wonderful hospitality!

The course

It was great that I met everyone from the course on the Saturday night before as it meant that we all knew each other beforehand. It is unusual to have a group of 12 people where everyone gets on, so we felt very lucky, as everyone was genuinely lovely, really making it feel like a support group during the month. The course was very intensive, involving a 9 – 5 day, with an average of 5 hours work a night, plus most of us got up about 6am to make final adjustments to our lessons. The weekends were not so relaxing either, as we normally had a lesson plus an assignment to plan. However, because the course was so intensive, the learning curve is huge & it really is very rewarding. Most of us managed to go out for a couple of malbecs on a Friday night and usually managed to get at least one day off at the weekend. Everyone passed, which is great news, and most of us went to Uruguay afterwards to celebrate having so much free time again!

The City

Buenos Aires is a beautiful City which is full of character. Some people may disagree with that statement, claiming that it does not have its own identity as it’s such a mixture of different European cultures, but I think that makes it unique in itself. My highlights of Buenos Aires are as follows:
• The dog walkers in Belgrano, sometimes holding up to 20 dogs (although the dog shit is not such a good thing).
• Tango in the street
• Polo – we got to watch a match on our last day – the semi final & it was so exciting. The best thing was you could get so close to the players and the horses…we saw the best player in the world Adolfo, which was exciting.
• The food and drink: I am not sure how Argentines stay so thin. The pastries are to die for & far more delicious than anything I have eaten in France. Then there are the Parillas, where you can get the most succulent meat imaginable for very little money. And of course, the red wine. A two pound bottle of wine is very quaffable and if you spend, gasp, 5 pounds, you have a very luxurious bottle. Heaven.
• Bars – the nightlife in BA is fantastic with some really funky bars and restaurants. We went out mainly in Palermo, & of course, to the polo after party in Recoleta.
• Cemetery – based in the centre of the city on prime real estate, this amazing place is full of the deceased rich and famous, housed above the ground in luxurious crypts. The place is fairly eerie, reminiscent of ‘interview with the vampire’ and certainly not the sort of place you would want to get lost in at night. We even saw in one of the older coffins, an arm falling out, which was a bit gruesome. However, there is also something serene about the place, with lots of trees and flowers. It is also the burial site of Eva Peron, as well as many other famous people.
• Palermo Park – this huge expanse of green space is beautiful and full of beautiful gardens, like the Japanese & rose ones, as well as lakes and fountains.
• Puerto Madero – this rejuvenated dock area is similar to Canary Wharf and full of up market bars, restaurants & cafes – it’s really pretty just for stroll up and down.
• The ice cream – Volta & Persicco are the best – I had the best ice cream of the whole trip and Persicco: raspberry and lemon pie, which had real pieces of meringue and fruit in it. Yum.

In summary, Buenos Aires is a great city and definitely somewhere I would like to return to spend more time. There is something familiar about it, yet still exotic and exciting, which is a wonderful balance. JG

Mendoza, 24th – 28th October

 

After a bonus night in a posh hotel, plus another 3 course lunch (there is such a thing as a free lunch) in Buenos Aires courtesy of LAN, we spent the afternoon wandering around Buenos Aires in the San Telmo district, famous for being bohemian & having lots of street tango. We had a lovely time sitting in a sunny piazza, sipping beer and watching the very impressive & feisty tango dancers strut their stuff. Being forever the observant one, Mark caught a glimpse of a cheeky dancer who had decided to leave her knickers at home & was doing a dance which involved lots of high leg kicks. After this, it was impossible for both of us not to look at that, just to check of course, which became quite hilarious. Maybe we were wrong…she could have bought black hairy knickers.

We got on the bus in the evening & were very pleasantly surprised at the level of ‘suite class’ which we had treated ourselves to for the 12 hour overnight trip to Mendoza. Being greeted with hot empanadas and a glass of sherry, as well as having totally flat beds was more reminiscent of first class plane travel rather than an overnight bus trip. The waiter was lovely and obviously very used to having excited people on the way to Mendoza, being very generous with the red wine he dished out our 3 course dinner. A glass of whisky, a film and being tucked into bed resulted in a lovely long sleep and waking up to a medialuna 30 minutes before arrival. Now that is what I call civilized travel – and only an extra 10 pounds to upgrade – my advice, do it!

Not having booked any accommodation, we found a lady at the bus station, or rather she found us, and told us about an apartment she had for rent. Having watched other backpackers brush her off as a sleazy salesperson, we decided to listen & found that she was offering a brilliant one bedroom apartment with a big outside space right in the centre of town for only 120 pesos a night. We bargained her down to 100 and we had a deal (this is less than two dormitory beds). She was so sweet in explaining how things worked, speaking really slow Spanish for us and covering everything. Brilliant! During the first afternoon we pottered around the pretty town, then went to a tango show in the evening, which was celebrating ‘vino y tango.’ It was quite touristy, but I love watching tango, so it didn’t matter at all and was a lovely night.

The next day, we did what you have to do in Mendoza…went wine tasting! We hired bikes and went off with our bottles of water, picnic lunch and map. First we went to a wine museum, which is free and based in the San Felipe Estate. It is a fantastic museum, packed full of old fashioned tools and methods of wine making. You get a free tour which is definitely worth doing, as it is really interesting and gives a lot of information about how wine production has evolved over the years. Next, onto xxx, where we sat on their beautiful terrace in the sunshine with a great view of the snow capped Andes and sampled some of their recommended wines. Then, onto xxx which involved more wine tasting, and the smell of their BBQ meant that we had to stop and eat our gourmet picnic of Serrano Ham, blue cheese, olives, tomatoes, etc, in the grass, which was lovely! Next stop, xxx, where we got another free tour and sampled some more wines. We actually bought three bottles of Don Angelo, a 2004 limited production Malbec, which has been entered into a competition in France, which if it does well, will substantially increase the value. Makes a change to share trading as well!

Our final stop was xx, a lovely French style vineyard with excellent Malbecs. Having bumped into a few people along the route, we got chatting to a lovely Dutch and French couple & invited them to our apartment for an impromptu dinner party. While waiting for the bus at the bike ranch, the owner plied everyone with free wine, ensuring that the word was passed on…I actually cannot remember, so obviously not a great sales tactic, fun though! We had a lovely dinner party & enjoyed swapping travel stories!

On our last day, we walked around Mendoza and found the beautiful park, which is absolutely huge & has a lovely lake with rowing boats. I would highly recommend Mendoza for a visit, and of course, in winter, you can go skiing very nearby…
JG

El Calafate

 

Leaving Ushuaia by plane was terrific. The taxi journey to the airport on the spit of land in front of the town, promised a bumpy take off as the car was buffeted by extremely strong winds. We arrived in the airport with twenty minutes to take off and wandered through the check in and up to the lounge. All very relaxed, the good passengers were all there early so we had no queues to contend with. The plane landed and ten minutes later it was fully fueled and we were onboard. The plane taxied down the runway, then turned around and took off into the wind, making for a very smooth take off, not a single bump. The scenery was breath taking and we could not have wanted more, having travelled the full length of the Chileanean and Argentinean Mountains we saw them from above. The snow covered peaks for as far as the eye could see. Once we were over the clouds and away from the mountains, we were flying over the Pampa of Patagonia. The wild rivers, the terraced steppe landscape was all fascinating, especially as we had spent such a long time driving over it.

Landing in El Calafate was interesting, the area seemed to be much drier from the air than we had previously experienced, and there was a beautiful azure lake with ice bergs floating? Glacier land, we had arrived. The mountains receive a vast quantity of snow each year resulting in glacier growth of a huge range of mountains. The perspective of which gives an idea of how earth might have looked 10000 years ago during the last ice age. We got to see the glacier a few days later…

We took a cab to a hostel which was based in the newer part of the town, dusty roads and an old airfield formed this part and it was a little surprising to see. There is are laws here to prohibit the dispersal of plastic bags from shops, but there are still a huge number of bags flying around which have been set free of both the bins they were in and the rubbish, not by humans, but by scavenging dogs apparently. One would think, the next step would be to keep the dog population under control. The town itself is a tourism town which we found to be very “nice” with main road and a few shops and bars. When we arrived the staff sat us down and explained the offers for tours, all provided by the same company, and sadly, waaaay to expensive for us. A day trip with some walking on the glacier was billed at over 600 Argentinian Pesos… which I around 100 GBP. What? A walk on a glacier with crampons and ice picks for what? Frankly the pricing is a joke and not as many people do it as there is space for, a real shame and a very short sighted attitude by the tour organizers. Apparently, a lot of the land in the area is being bought by the Presidential family, the Kirchners, one could speculate as to their power on pricing? We spent some time taking in the scenery and with our friends from Rio Gallegos decided to hire a car check out the glacier and then day trip to El Chalten the next day, only 200km north.

We headed out early the next day with the car and found the glacier, which is amazing, an amazing blue chunk of ice heading into the lake and of course took a number of photos of it from different angles. We saw and heard a number of ice chunks calving into the lake, but sadly the efforts to photograph it were in vain. The glacier advances each year which makes it the only one!

On the way home we headed out for a different route, turning off onto a dirt road. We drove past some enormous birds who apparently were juvenile Condors and also a lake with flamingos in it. We had to stop and I tried to get closer. These birds keep an eye out though and moved through the shallow lake as we moved around the outside. It was extremely amusing to be greated by two bleating lambs who were perhaps no more than a week old, fluffy floppy eared and slightly stupid, happily bounding through the sheep carcasses which are very common. Apparently the cost of sheep is so low that they are pretty much feral and left to get on with it, allowing the Condors and Eagles and I presume Jaguars and dogs to kill at will…

We saw a number of Condor families and we took some amazing photos of these gigantic birds flying through the mountains. We stopped to try and take a picture of one feasting on a bit of meat in the middle of the road to show how big they stand off the ground but didn’t quite manage as it flew off while I frantically tried to change my camera battery.
El Chalten was our target the next day. We started out our day with a great drive through a cold desert as we skirted the lakes created by the melting glacial ice and snow from the mountains. Two hours later arrived in a tiny village which called itself El Chalten, the old El Chalten was covered by ash from a volcano a couple years ago. It is known as the hiking capital in Argentina, and we expected perhaps a little more, but we were there in the off season, so we weren’t spoilt for choice when looking for a café. The wind was brutal, so we headed out for a wander, and found the tourist office, which gave us some options for some day hikes. They turned out to be straight into the wind which was driving snow into our faces so we decided a short walk would really be the only option. We would have liked to go for a longer one, given the lack of proper gear and the biting cold it wasn’t really an option. The area outside of the villages and towns in Patagonia are pure wilderness, without a compass and a good map getting lost is all too easy apparently. So we shall return I hope and do some hiking to the peaks in the future. The drive away from the area saw us photographing the clearing view through the mirrors and stopping frequently to get more photos of this incredible landscape.

Our final day loomed and we enjoyed great dinners and chats with the Irish and dutch we had met enroute. We packed our bags and got ready to go to the airport and said goodbyes the next morning. On trying to leave the hostel informed us or flight was delayed and would not be taking off till ten that night, so we called LAN to get confirmation. No, the flight was normal, so we booked a cab and headed to the airport much to the bemusement of the hostel guys. We got there and waited in line for a little while thinking that there weren’t too many people on the flight! When we got to the desk we found out that a bird had flown into the engine in Ushuaia and our plane was going to be 12 hours delayed. As we had not been contacted they would provide us lunch and a place to take it easy that day. Lovely. We then pointed out that our bus booked (not really) that night was our accommodation for the night and we would need them to organize something else for us. They did without fuss. BA etc learn how it is done . We then boarded a bus and got taken to a lovely hotel at the other end of the town and some.. overlooking the lake and with a view of the town. It was a tough day. Free three course lunch of steak and more followed by relaxing in a lovely hotel room. Then being chauffeured back to the airport for our flight. We eventually left an hour late as further technical checks were carried out, better safe and delayed eh!

Bye bye Patagonia as we flew into the darkness.

MT

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Ushuaia

 

Ushuaia

Ushuaia

The land of fire was tantilisingly close in terms of Argentian travel, so whilst in Puerto Madryn, we made the choice to head down afterall. It had been an aim of mine to reach and have a look around, and perhaps fly south to Antarctica from there too, but it was really a one step at a time scenario.
Tierra Del Fuego was named for the many fires that were sighted by the Spanish explorers, the likes of Magellen and co. when they first saw the fires dotted across the landscape from their tiny ships. Lit by semi nomadic tribes who had wandered down from north america and asia around 20,000 BC, the locals were extremely primitive still wearing furs tied to them rather than sewn, it was the beginning of summer when we arrved and snowed pretty much every day, so I think they must have been pretty damn cold..surely. A hardy bunch I think. The good Spanish and European people clothed and housed the natives, but forget to immunise against diseases related to sedentary living and dirty clothes and rapid development. By the beginning of the 20th Century there were around one hundred native indians left. Why the european explorer stayed is clear. Who doesn’t want to ski at the end of the world? The ancient ski lifts still work there and as we arrived had only just closed for the “summer”. The abundant wildlife and the control of the southern tip of America might actually have been a more relevant reason. The Brits had their eye on the area too and Cook in the Beagle managed to find a slightly safer route past as is now referenced by the Beagle Channel, which Ushuaia guards.
The landscape is incredible as you would expect and the main town and point of reference in the area is Ushuaia, serving as a strategic military base against those pesky Chileaneans who also like the idea of owning the islands, and perhaps the oil that lies beneath the Southern Atlantic ocean?

We had found our hostel with a group of fellow mad dogs and Irishmen, following the Irish contingent who had booked. The hostel only offered bunks, but was extremely clean and tidy with very comfy beds,. and I would highly recommend it. Cruz Del Sur I think.
The next day we headed out for a walk around town to see the sites, i.e. the sea, the surrounding landscapes and absorb the life there, and of course the museum, which I think should be called Museum at the End of the World. I loved it, and would like to return for some skiing next time.
The town is nestled in beneath the mountains and offers the more well healed intrepid explorer a base for expiditions to the the Antarctic, perhaps next time we thought, it looks so close and in reality was a good 48 hours on a ship. We headed off for a day of walking in the national parks nearby which offer a glimpse into what the area was like pre european settlement i suppose. We had inquired about walks and found that sadly a good number were still closed due to the snow line, so wandered along the lakeside to the Chilean border. We had wondered why the track did not run the entirety of the lakes perimeter. The border itself showed of times less peaceful, with old barbed wire fencing in the forest still up. The signage now was quite laughable, but we obayed and stayed on the Argentinian side so as to not lose our lunches.
It was a shame to have to catch the bus back into town, a day or two of camping and walking would have been enjoyable. Apart from the skiing and the walking in the national park there is also a glacier to have a look at. We attempted this and walked up a powder covered ski piste with questionable older snow under it and could feel it cracking every now and then. We heard a couple days later that a fellow tourist had falled into a stream and got a soaking.. The top of the ski lift was the basis for the walk to the Glacier, signs advised against further walking without a guide so sadly we turned back, and faced the wind pelting snow into our faces as blizzard conditions suddenly appeared. The funniest and perhaps most bizarre part of the walk up was our Japanese friend who decided to bring his Ukulale with him and then gave us a mini concert in Japanese at the top. Brilliant and very talented, but in a blizzard, bizarre.
At the bottom of the run we found a small hotel with a tea room that could have been kitted out from Laura Ashley with the full floral curtains and cutlery. They served hot chocolates or Submarinos and great cake and kindly called a cab to take us down the hill to the town once more.
We booked ourselves flights from Ushuaia to El Calafate and then onwards to Buenos Aires as they were only marginally more expensive than the buses and much more comfortable and less dusty. Ushuaia was really more than I imagined it could be and I look forward to returning to do some european summer skiing and walking.

Travel to Ushuaia by BUS


We boarded a bus in Puerto Madryn that took us to Rio Gallegos. The Bus ride started at five pmish and we got there after watching a couple of movies so it felt anywa …. There was a few hours of sleep… some of us more than others. The bus ride was comfy enough, but the chance to see Llamas running around in the morning mist was something that became fascinating and kept me from sleeping as we trundled across the mind numbingly flat and largely featurelss landscape. The arrival into an entirely non descript town was a little depressing, there was a HUGE Carrefour, some large Army barracks and nothing more really. The buildings are all little run down one storey shack types and we didn’t really want to hang out all day. There was only one bus a day to Ushuaia and the bus ride had been long enough, so we had made the decision to make a break. We walked around town and killed time for the day, Jen cooked a superb stew and we enjoyed some more cheap wine with our fellow travellers in another nice little hostel type place. The bus ride the next morning started out as an interesting ride... we didn’t move for an hour after arriving at eight thirty for it. There was another bus that looked a little nicer than left earlier which left a little more promptly.
Eventually, just as Jen had gone to the loo off the bus, it started to close the doors and reverse. I headed to the driver and had a few words in broken spanish made it clear he was being an asshole as he has just watched Jen get off the bus and the two extra minutes to his hour delay did not justify this lack of patience… I don’t think he understood or cared too much. It became clear the journey would be a long one, more that we expected, not more so, than at the first border crossing into Chile. The road does not follow an easy route, the terrain is highly politicised and borders seem to have been drawn by crayon at an asylum and make no sense. So, on the way to a city in Argentina, we crossed into Chile, most people handing over packed lunches and fruit to the border guards who must have a terrific lunch each day. They made it complicated to say the least, but it seems to be a LOT better than it used to be, with the border building now shared.
The Logical workflow at this border station would be to check in with the Argentians on one side and trapse through the building with bags to be Xrayed then reboard the bus. No. First enter and line up to leave Argentina. Then reboard the bus. Then get out again, take bags to the border desk and line up to have bags Xrayed infront of the Argentian border desk. The repack the bags and stand in line to have your passport stamped… at desks which sit behind the Argentians… very muddled, confused and time consuming. I suppose at least they have to make it appear they work for a living.That took three hours.
Through the beautiful but featureless landscape we trundled, as we had crossed into Chile the infrastructure was not really present, and the roads were dirt. The crossing of the Beagle Channel was fun. Driving down to the shore on a narrow concrete ramp we boarded a boat and started crossing through what appeared to be a very fierce current. Arriving the otherside and the first signs showed warnings of mine fields. Still not sure who the were to keep out. I then found a tangerine in my bag that had been X Rayed… and was pretty pleased. Ha.
The trip continued along the coast line and we had views of the roughest seas in the world on a calm day. It was wild and beautiful but quite flat. We had been warned that it might still be covered in snow by two travellers we had met who had been holed up in Ushuaia for a few days extra, but all we saw was green grass and lakes and rivers with wind whipping up the water into white caps. This continued for a good two hours until we were around ten hours into the trip when suddenly trees started appearing on the landscape..very deformed oak and beech trees we think. Then the bus stopped and we changed to a smaller older bus and were told it would be one more hour. The human landscape was very functional and not promsing, we drove slowly into the mountains which we had been waiting for with bated breath almost, looking for the path the road would be taking through the mountains into the pass beyind and the southern shores. It finally came and with it the rain and snow. It bucketed it down and well into the next day, so we arrived in the pissing rain and went walkies for a hostel which we found to be pricey but nice. Thirteen hours in the bus, thank god we hadnt continued on the day before and had a day break in Rio Gallegos…
MT

SRW Calf

 

 

Whale of a time in Puerto Madryn


Puerto Madryn arrival was early, and despite the very comfy semi cama bus ride, we and the various other travellers looked appropriately disheviled and tired getting off. We sat down for some breakfast and were joined by some of the fellow travellers from Holland and Switzerland. They had met in Mendoza and were a fun bunch who had just completed their medical degrees so were having a bit of fun before the “real world”. We then found out it was a long weekend in Argentina and the hostels were pretty much all booked up and we as usual, did not have a booking. Oops? We headed off to find some accomodation and even though everyone said it would not be possible, found a very acceptable small hotel in the town centre with a nice clean room available for once more, less than it would have cost us in a hostel.
Still tired we mooched around town and then met the rest for a few drinks and chat. We passed the afternoon in high spirits before heading out for some dinner. The dinner turned into an epic card playing evening which ended up in a club at two am, partiyng in Argentine style. Needless to say, the next day was slow and we took it easy wandering around town on our own enjoying the beeches with the great reflections of the buildings on the sand and ducking into the odd café to avoid the rain showers while keeping an eye out for whale spouts and breeches that are fairly common along the entire coast. The reason for visiting the area for tourism is primarly the wildlife, the extraordinary easy of whale watching here,penguins and Southern Sea Lions. We looked at the distances and the costs and for once it was cheaper booking a tour than a car for two of us. The tourism here relies heavily on locals coming down from Buenos Aires apparently so prices are kept fair. The tour was a round trip of 400 km plus, an hours bus trip and covers a very wild peninsula. The guide was funny and had an endless supply of information which was really nice, and ironically he wore a Japanese Whale Study t shirt… One of the first things he pointed out was the tide range differential between the two parts of the peninsula which differ by up to 8 metres in height across a 40 km land stretch; whales pods take advantage of this and follow the krill around apparently. We were there there just after calfing season so after seeing alsorts of interesting animals that hop like rabbits and look like deer, large birds similar to the Emu and a scuttling armadillo we took a walk along the coast line for a good hour. The sea lion colonies were terrific, stretching along the coast line huge bulks of males guarding their hareems. We noticed a difference to the Californian ones, the snouts on the Californian ones are more pronounced and trunk like.. and I think perhaps a little bigger?
The landscape was terrific, huge sand cliffs dropping from raised beaches indication of lots of eustatic rise {how awesome to see text book stuff in reality…who is a geek?} and massive sandy beaches on which the humungous sea lions were sunning themselves. There were also loads of penguins running around, which made me laugh as they looked like the penguins in from a certain cartoon.
So.. onto the main bit of the day. WHALES. Southern Right Whales to be precise. The boats leave from a tiny hamlet which is overun and entirely populated by tourism businesses. No piers have been built and tractors push out boats into the water once they have loaded up on trailers. The arrangements are interesting, and very efficient. Apparently it is very common to have whales off the shore but we saw none. The boat we got onto was a nice size, but rammed with tourists, I made sure I had a good space by getting on first and it really paid off. The masses of photos I took of flukes and breaching whales were great and the whales were just majestic to watch. The calves came to visit followed by their mothers which gave me loads of opportunities to just watch, but then also take even more photos. The whole day was topped off when our guide took the van down another dirt road following the coast and we stopped on a beach to watch them close to shore doing things like “handstands” where they bash the waves with their tails in a vertical position. Having worked for research teams in Argentina on penguins and whales, and a real fountain of knowledge, I was very pleased to have been introduced to the guide.
So we spent another day pottering around and then got to the bus station undecided on where to go. At the bus station we met an Irish couple who were talking about Ushuaia which had been a must see on the trip for me, but was seconded due to other fun things like diving. I decided to bite the bullet and go, so we headed onto a bus with some fun Irish and close to 40 hours on a bus to go. MT

 

 

Image of Bariloche

 

 

Bariloche Oct 2nd – 10th


Bariloche is the Argentine gateway to their lake district and also has a very nice ski resort nearby as well as a very large lake for summer actitivies. It is pretty perfect for the outdoors sports and lifestyle, if a little far away from us Europeans. The town itself has a very clear tourist area, lovely little hotels etc, but the majority live in a fairly small, unfinished houses which is rarely seen by tourists. The roads leading into the skiing are along the lakeside and accompanied by more little hotels and self catering chalet type builds, chocolate factories and other fun nice stuff. The only point at which you might just see the rest of the town is making an effort to see it, or heading out to the lakes south of the town which requires a drive through.
We arrived as per usual, by bus, and were immediately approached by a few people in the usual south american style; relaxed and with a smile. Perhaps being out of season makes them friendlier? We couldn’t tell, but were promised some cheap accomodation near the shoreline in the centre for not all too much; ninety pesos per night. I would say there are similar places in the area which offer just as good but it seemed fine when we arrived so we stayed. The reception girl was a bit odd; clearly confusing her home and the hostel. Comments were made about our non Kosher habits when we were cooking our Carbonara, drinking fresh milk and other things like that; frankly, either put up signs in which case I would not stay there, or accept all cultures and the money they bring and shut up. Puerto Verde needs to decide who its target audience is: or not we think. It was a nice appartment though,comfortable, there are other places in town with jacussis and better views for the same money if you bother to look, same kind of pricing.
The rest of the area is lovely, with St Bernards with pups bounding around , little fluff balls following their parents around who are being used as photo props for some reason. There are a number of steak restaurants of course, all very nice and quite cheap. On recommendation by our hostel we headed to a Mexican restaurant which was very average and not very mexican flavoured. Margueritas were great, the food portions were big but that was it. Not enough mexican flavour and spice. Lesson, stick to the local food. Bariloche is also linked to Chocolate so there are shops all over which sell loads of the stuff, very tasty indeed. We had a great evening, finding a tango club with a show tucked beneath a building just out of sight of the main road. The show was very very good, with live musicians, around 80 playing the music for some dancers and singers to entertain. It felt like something out of another era and really made the week.
We hired a car to drive out to find a black glacier which provided a terrific day out. The drive out of town was a little dissapointing with the environment poorly cared for, plastic bags everywhere. The argument is not that there are too many plastic bags used, or that they might want to ban them, but that the stray dogs, also clearly no ones fault, tear them open and rummage through them, the wind does the rest. Once away from the town, there was breathtaking scenery again through some azul lakes and then down a dirt track path in a driving blizzard. The snow was great and the little GOL thing we drove handled reasonably well on the off road, taking us over and up to a glacier covered in dirt. It took a fair old while and we were the last of the cars up that day before the road was opened for cars returning. Having a look at the glacier in the driving snow was still great, the lake was full of frozen water mixed with massive chunks of glacier. Very impressive. The national park we headed to also has a waterfall in it; throughout our trip we have seen a fair number of waterfalls, but the driving was fun, so we headed off and the photos say more than words as usual. The waterfall was the most impressive we have seen so far, swollen rivers from meltwater providing an absolutely huge volume of water, clouds of spray, snow and a very scenic walk to the waterfall all made it very worthwhile. A must do if you head that way.
With the extra snow we decided to go skiing at the resort, it wouldn’t do to not do so especially as it was the last few days of open resort. The bus ride up and the ski equipment hire was cheap, less than 30 pounds each for the day inlusive of ski pass. The skiing was fun, but very limited, only a couple runs had been opened which was a pain as there were tons of great pistes to be seen nearby… so we had to contend with beginner snowboarders and skiers cutting us up and being annoying. Prices for food was reasuringly expensive and the same as Austria for a hot chocolate and chips. It was fun to ski again.
Bariloche to where next? South or not.. Off to Puerto Madyrn from where we could make a more informed decision while looking at whales, penguins and more stuff. So only an overnight bus ride and some to go. We met a couple of dutch girls and swiss guy who made the trip fun, and the next couple of days entertaining.

San Martin de los Andes – Sep 29th – Oct 2nd

 

Wandering around San Carlos was beautiful, the spring feeling of a ski town is not always a friendly one, with a number of businesses closing for refits and so on. We took the chance to do some work on our ideas, and generally enjoy the place. The walk between our lodging and the centre of town was around one kilometer so that helped us keep the effects of the sugary and really very tasty bakery snacks at bay which are sold at small bakeries, it seems, at every corner. The days were beautiful and sunny, the trees in bloom and it seems the people here have a very good work life balance.

We headed to the supermarket on several days to buy some lunch and lounge around the lakeside,and it seemed pretty much everyone else did as well. The shops were closed all afternoon, which is a very Argentinian thing it seems, and then open late in the evening again. Taking the best from each European culture I suppose. Evenings were spent in small cafes or the Irish pub, or eating very large steaks. The highlight was a great evening in a small restaurant eating Waterbuffalo steak with mashed pumpkin and spinach, drinking great red wine for not very much at all. It was another dose of food extasy and an example of things to come. It is apparently in the lonely planet too…. So if you are headed that way, perhaps look it up on Thorn Tree or in the book. We had a fantastic lunch on the lake, set in the brillant sunshine, watching people rowing and sailing while we ate our lunch made up of meats, cheeses for jen, olives and crackers and a bottle of very nice Malbec. Needless to say, we had a few fans, wagging their tails and looking reproachfully at our meat selection. They didn’t like the crackers…

The town is nestled in a valley and home to some outstanding skiing, we decided against skiing here as we thought there had to be a reason to return in the future, perhaps one august for some great powder skiing…. We shall see. There are a number of Austrian and Swiss run sports shops dotted around the place and a lot of new builds going up, so I presume it is an increasingly popular area for Argentine tourists to come to. The chocolate theme and convivial coffee shop atmosphere prevails, great exports from the Germans and Austrians once more….We really enjoyed the time here, but had to move on to Bariloche, the city of chocolate. MT

Pucon to Argentina; San Martin de Los Andes - 29th September

 

Pucon and surroundings were some of the most beautiful we had seen so far, the volcanoes and the lakes, rivers and forests make for living life in a very outdoorsy way, although apparently it was pretty horrid in winter when it rains a lot. We were next headed to the shadow of the Andes, Argentina where the rainfall is substantially less throughout the year. We headed south from Pucon in a coach as per usual, following a road down a ever narrower valley until there was no longer any substantial human population , just the occasional farm and small hotel. The scenery was more and more jagged and wild it seemed, with the trees “growing” lichen from every branch and twig. Then the road changed from tarmac to a dusty track which was well maintained, but in parts very narrow, and constantly climbing to reach the pass on the north side of another volcano. The entire area is a national park and it is shared between Argentina and Chile I think. With such rugged and seeminly primordeal landscapes it made the bus ride an absolute pleasure and slow enough to take photos out of the window. We arrived at the Chilean border and passports were scanned and stamped as usual, a few passengers scrutinised and questioned, but let pass. A five minute bus ride on was the Argentinian border post. Each of the buildings was quite imposing, the chilean border looks like some kind of Ski Chalet built out of wood, whilst the Argentine one is a Ski Chalet with a massive fireplace inside, built out of Stone and wood, both in keeping with European Alpine traditional development. Nice change though from little shacks and concrete huts in the Caribbean. The changes in landscape were also quite interesting, the Chilean border marking the change between mixed forest to Monkey Puzzle forest which is one of the oldest tree species alive, and the Argentine border continues with the Monkey Puzzle tree but a thinning variety that gives way to scrub land pretty quickly.

The Argentine border was all very efficient, the military type police with gleaming uniforms, boots and combed hair were all proud as to be serving the HUGE flag they sat under and also took the liberty to search a few peoples luggage, for what I don’t know. Two women of caribbean origin were refused entry so while things were sorted out or not, we hung around and stared at a very active volcano or warmed ourselves by the fire inside. Then it was back to the border to verify something with the Chileans and then back again to the Argentine side, luckily it is only a five minute drive between the borders…the result was that the two women were still not to be let in. Off the bus and onwards ho.

The bus hit a tarmac road fairly soon and trundled through the changing landscape, much drier already that Chile, but equally beautiful until we hit the north of the lake district and the town of San Martin de Los Andes. Driving towards the bus stop we were given a quick tour of the very tourist mountain sports orientated town, ski chalet type buildings everywhere again and then a very pictureque lake. A very relaxed tout handed us a a slip of paper and then cycled off advertsing a room in a private house so we hesitated, but after walking to some other hostels we met the tout again who knocked off a good thirty pesos a night which sealed the deal. This marked our arrival to San Martin.. nothing overly exciting, but very beautiful.
MT

Pucon Horse Trekking with Antilco - 26th + 27 Sep

 

Horse trekking… whose idea was that? We had initially come to Pucon to visit the Antilco horse farm which was by far the cheapest riding in the area as far as I could find from my research. On arrival we had considered a half day ride around the area, but, as it happened got a little more that we planned. The first weekend was their first weekend of 2 day horse treks and it was very reasonable to go, so we decided to go for it. The horses all looked really healthy and whilst moulting slightly, Jen was almost exstatic by the trip planning. The day came and we saddled up our horses, mine a light brown Mare and Jens a dark brown Mare. We were accompanied by two french medical students who were spending a semester observing at a nearby town and Antilco guides Jamie and Luis. We trotted off in an organised manner, our horses behaving themselves for the moment.
The trip was terrific, and luis and jamie both knew the horses well, Luis is a born Puconese guide, wilderness expert, horse trainer etc, and Jamie was spending a couple months working while travelling. We headed into the sun with dark skies threatening rain, but thankfully disspearing sooner than later. The trail meanwhile changed from dusty road to backcountry and then road again through Mapuche village and finally onto a steep hill side. My horse developed its own personality very quickly and was taking me for the ride it seemed, trotting when it felt like it, galloping at will too. It didn’t manage to throw me off by the time we had lunch and also managed to find itself lots of yummy snacks of leaves, twigs, grass and anything else it fancied along the way. Jen seemed to have more control over her horse…

We stopped for lunch on a nice hill side overlooking Pucon and Lake Villarica, with dark skies in one part, sunshine in the other and the volcano in the other direction it was a terrific view. The horses didn’t seem to care too much, the grass was apparently much tastier. The next stage was through the first pass and the path wound its way around the steep mountain sides, thickly forested, crossing streams and rivers. At one stage it got a little too steep for us and we pulled our horses up the path while Luis and his horse rode on ahead. His skills and horse were admirable; although our horses all really wanted to take a bite out of his baring their teeth and flattening their ears everytime he got too near. They did the same to each other, but to a lesser extent.

Eventually we reached a level which was perhaps the tree line and trotted and cantered through the landscape. My horse refused to drink anything when the other horses were busy drinking, choosing instead a choice small waterfall with a selection of branches and trees around my face height instead. Only the best for my horse. We reached our camp for the night and it was cold, perhaps 2 degrees celcius and as night fell we huddled near the fire for warmth, and importantly, for steaks and sausages cooked by the fire. The steaks were mounted onto a bamboo stick and grilled near the fire and then later cut off, resulting in fantastic steaks, eaten with a lovely potato salad and other stuff. The meal was finished with Pisco Sour, grilled marshmallows and chocolate… What a great day.

The next day the horses were recovered from the paddock nearby, our frozen bodies thawed over steaming cups of tea. The tents and stuff was repacked and saddled. I decided to get on my horse which I had left snoozing on the horse and it wasn’t quite as pleased to have me on its back, bucking a little as I tried to walk it across to the others. The horses were all a little frisky that morning and I learnt a little about rein control. My horse refused to do anything with kicks, but responded instead to a small whip attached to the reins which I had to whip it with when I wanted it to get moving. Downhill frisky horses…. Jens bit most horses that came too close, Jamies was generally very excited and well mine, once more, did pretty much what ever it wanted. Walking down slopes for example, was largely not an option, a trot was the only acceptable way, so it would stop and wait for the other horses to clear out and then trot down. Finally, we reached the flats along the river again near the farm, the path was beautiful and the plants very tasty. I think until we reached the last bit of road my horse had some kind of plant in its mouth the whole time. I had been watching the others trot at this point, and decided to try standing in my stirrups for the last bit of the ride, but this didn’t really have the reaction I thought it would. My horse simply got faster and faster and broke into an outright gallop, what fun! When I finally stopped it I was pretty much at the front gate and waited around for most of the others, one other horse and beginner rider had joined my mad dash so we joked about our horses and our poor riding skills.

The whole stay with Antilco was outstanding, and highly memorable. I would really recommend it to anyone, even a non rider. The team was able to give me pointers and help my riding along, while the equipment is very comfortable and felt more secure than the western kit I had used in Australia and Mexico on shorter rides. The closed stirrups also felt pretty good, and well with the horse deciding over much of the route, the chaps came in very handy. I also havent seen Jen much happier whilst doing any of our activities.. beaming pretty much the whole time. Definitely worth returning to see Matthias and the crew there again. MT

Pucon 22nd – 28th September

 

After a ten hour overnight bus ride, which was exceptionally comfortable, we woke up to stunning lakes, forests, snow clad mountains & Swiss style chalets. The bus is so comfortable in fact that you are tucked in by the conductor… I quite liked it, but it is not everyone’s cup of tea! We were picked up and taken to Antilco, a farm with self catering accommodation that Mark found knowing that I love horse riding, which was very sweet. The farm is owned by a really nice German guy called Matthias and they specialize in Andes trekking, having 16 horses on the farm. The 25 minute journey from the town really highlighted just how isolated the farm is – 6 km down a dirt track, crossing a single small car wooden bridge over a gushing river, rolling hills with the snowcapped peaks in the background – scenery that is so stunning, it’s breathtaking. Arriving on the farm, I was so excited to see the little log cabin which was just for mark and I (no other bookings) with its own little kitchen and wood burner, which heated the whole place. The farm has really cute dogs who love cuddles and follow you everywhere, even on the horse treks apparently. There are also ducks, chickens, a terrace by the river, waterfalls nearby, kayaking etc, etc. You can get involved in helping with the horses, so I volunteered Mark on our first day and he did a great job of catching one of the ponies, giving it a good groom and saddling it up ready for a ride…having been shown by me how to put on a bridle, Mark took the matter into his own hands, doing a very amusing and effective job by saying ‘come on horsey, bitey, bitey.’ As Jamie (the Australian groom) and I were looking at each other in amused disbelief with the expression of ‘he did not really just say that,’ the horse opened its mouth and lent forward to grab the bit, leaving me with a very smug boyfriend. In the afternoon we cycled into Pucon to book our Villaricca Volcano trip!


Starting at 5.45am we got a taxi to the hostel to collect our equipment, which consisted of crampons, ice pick, trousers, jacket, hat, etc, etc…pretty serious stuff. BTW, we were all given the same kit, so the photos are not a his ‘n hers special edition...one of my pet hates! There were 6 people in our group – only Mark and I made it to the top. I do not think it was because the climb was exceptionally tough, rather that the others did not like the cold, or something like that. We walked up the ski slope which admittedly was a hard slog, but even from low down the views were stunning, right out over the Andes and into Argentina. The volcano is one of the most active in South America standing at around 2850m high. We started climbing at 1300m, so had a good 1450m vertical climb. Near the top, there are beautiful ice formations on the glacier, including blue ice. Once we reached the summit we were treated to a massive crater, which was impressively deep and emitting very sulphuric fumes – apparently it last erupted in 1984 and the eruption to village destruction time is 7 minutes…good to know. Coming down took 1.5 hours vs. 5 hours up – not that we are super unfit, rather you slide down chutes in the snow on your bum, using your ice pick to control your speed. It was actually one of the most fun things ever, like tobogganing without the toboggan – whoohoo! What a great day…satisfaction of completing a challenge, amazing views and sliding down a 1400m toboggan…yeeha.
We have booked a two day horse ride into the Andes with an overnight camp, which we will do tomorrow…update to follow. JG