Feliz Navidad! Here's a post...finally!

Yes I know I have been remiss for oh about a month or so. But since it is Christmas and I refuse to do any work this entire weekend, I have time to finally let you all know what I have been up to. So prepare yourself now for an epic entry...sorry no photos cuz my internet is still a slow POS...see sidebar for a link to photos I uploaded while at Starbucks (yes sometimes that evil international corporation can be good for something)!

First was my amazing, spectacular, breathtaking journey through Torres del Paine National Park in Southern Chile (Patagonia) with my fellow volunteers Laurie (Montreal, Canada!) and Calla (Massachusetts). Before I left I couldn't believe I was going and now that I have been it feels like it was all a dream and not real. We left Santiago at 11pm at night and of course I was stopped at the airport because my tripod looks like a gun in a holster...honestly not the best design ever. Arriving in the "madrugada", approximately 3am in the morning was the cheapest option but not necessarily the most comfortable. There were no buses running, we didn't have a hostel to stay in, so we stay in the rock hard chairs of the Punta Arenas airport, eating trail mix, taking silly pictures, and being stared at by the airport staff.

For some reason (ahem, Calla) we decided to take a taxi early to the "bus station", which turned out to be the office for one particular bus company and not open so we huddled outside, putting on all our layers and standing in a circle to warm ourselves from the wind. But by 8am we were finally on our way to Puerto Natales.

A small and uninteresting town, Puerto Natales is made beautiful by the water and snow covered mountains that surround it. After dodging the persistent people in the bus depot, all of whom owned “the best and cheapest” lodging in town, we proceeded to wander around, lost in search of the elusive Kawashkar hostel. The locals were so friendly and helpful in giving directions that as we stopped one old man for directions, another man from across the street ran over to assist us. The only sign marking the building as a potential crash pad (the actual words describing the place on hostelworld.com) for backpackers was the random North Face tent sitting on the sidewalk. Superficially, the hostel was like most hostels throughout the world; however the owner Omar and the awesome people we met there set it apart. Omar showed us to our rooms, provided us with all the info we could possibly want and THEN set up an info meeting for us to learn more about the trail in Torres del Paine. We didn’t fully realize how eager Omar was to help us until we arrived 40 minutes late to the info meeting from walking around town and were thoroughly ashamed that they had waited 30 minutes for us! At the meeting we met Scott, a lanky and blonde fellow Canadian of Laurie’s, who was not only staying our hostel but would end up being one of our trip companions.

Although it was still yet spring, the sun shone down until 10pm as we scurried through town doing some last minute errands for more trail mix, a Nalgene bottle for Calla, and some yummy dinner at a touristy café (the soup was delish!). Another early morning but we were lucky the bus came straight to our door to pick us up (tickets care of the lovely Omar). We had just barely started off when we hit Chilean roadworks that slowed us down at least an hour or more. The scenery, however, more than made up for the delay. Of further interest was the man sitting next to me, who turned out to be a Chilean guide/sherpa. Our conversation covered an interesting mix of subjects and was for the most part in SPANISH. He told me about his job (Americans and young British people are the best tippers), his daughter (studying animal husbandry), life in Southern Chile (how 99% of the people in Puerto Natales have never been to Torres del Paine though it is only 3 hours away because it is too expensive) while pointing out interesting aspects of the scenery (including a little visited valley that has cool fossils) and the animals (guanacos and flamingos!). He also expressed a great admiration for the black men of New York and their street lingo but we won’t go there. All chit chat came to a screeching halt when we arrived at the vista of the Torres.

The rest of the day, besides an uneventful stop to pay the entrance fee, consisted of one amazing vista after another: from the bus, from the catamaran, from the window of our refugio. While most people preferred to stay inside drinking their cups of “hot chocolate,” Calla and I braved the cold and short bursts of rain to stare in awe at the Cuernos and the Paine Massif as we cruised along Lago Pehoe in a catamaran. Laurie had decided to save money by taking the bus further to another ranger station and walking with Scott and Tom, an American who we also met at our hostel. Blisters and spells of driving rain aside, the three of them described their hike as the equivalent of walking in Middle Earth to which the picture below can attest.

Up the trail, Calla and I unloaded our packs at Paine Grande Lodge (we decided not to rough it AND carry our food by staying in refugios but if I were to do it again I would save the money and stay in a tent) and walked toward Lago Grey and Glacier Grey. Just as we were leaving the sun came out, making the hike rather hot and uncomfortable. Two hours later the Glacier came into view….we took plenty of pictures so we can look back fondly when they have all melted. We met up with Laurie and Tom (we passed Scott on his way up Glacier Grey a total of 10 miles walking with full gear and wool pants…crazy Canadian) at the Lodge, had a horrible lasagna dinner, and partook of our free pisco sours (the signature alcoholic beverage of Chile…think you might like it Jules). Lying in bed that night, our two German roomies (I heard more German and English on the trail than Spanish) came in, exclaiming how it always been their dream to sleep with 3 girls. They turned out to be nice but eccentric guys who actually requested we stay with them at the next refugio. The landscape, we would come to find, was not only interesting in its beautiful scenery but the strange and mostly delightful people we met along the way. I don’t think I had talked to so many on any of my other trips, and often in Spanish!

Bright and early, mas o menos, 10:30am, we finally left the lodge. The sun was high, bright, and piercing…Calla and Laurie laughed at my huge sombrero but I didn’t get sunburned. We made lots of stops to drink water, take in the scenery, fix Laurie’s blisters (she was also very glad I brought my First Aid Kit…I felt like a total nerd while packing but as it turns out better prepared then not), and talk to more Germans, this time an old couple who first walked the W trail 40 years ago…they told us it has not changed except for the number of people. The still air and heat of the sun as well as the frequent stops (and a bad rash I had developed) meant it took us about 2 hours longer than it should have to get to Refugio Los Cuernos. The next day was meant to be for a side trip up into the French Valley and a spectacular view but we were so tired and injured and out of shape we decided to take a break. Good thing too because it clouded over and rained but we had clear enough views of the valley to see several avalanches.

The next morning I woke up early and headed down the trail sola, to make sure my rash didn’t slow anyone else down. I had my own Middle Earth moment, looking up the mountain covered with a thin layer of fresh snow, the trail stretching forward without a person in sight. I could have sworn I was walking into Mordor…if New Zealand had not worked out, they could have used Patagonia. The morning was crisp and overcast…perfect for walking. I ended up being an hour and half ahead of Laurie and Calla but waited up them at the crossroads to the Torres and Refugio Chileno with the condors (they were huge!) and Andrew, a nice Australian who we had met at the last refugio. From that point onward, the trail was pretty much straight up and as I reached the pass it started to snow, which didn’t bode well for viewing the Torres the next morning. Met some interesting people including a nice Dutch couple from Utrecht (woot woot Davey!) and a friendly Chilean waitress who practiced her English with us. Arriving sin reservaciones, we had to rent a tent. The Chilean helping us set up the tent assured us that all 3 could fit in a two man tent. I have never been so cold or felt so claustrophobic as I did that night! Needless to say, we did not get up at the planned hour of 4am to hike and see the sunrise over the Torres.

Instead, Laurie and I left the close confines of our tent around 6:30 for the Torres, braving the stiff wind and occasional snow flakes. Passed Tom and Scott on their way down, having already seen the sunrise on the Torres, those lucky so and so’s! As luck would have it, after hiking for 2 hours and then climbing a steep boulder field we arrived at the top in the middle of mini blizzard. Defiantly waiting for all of 10 minutes, we slid back down the boulders, ran back to camp, packed our bags, ran down the rest of the mountain in an hour, and grabbed the 2:30 bus back to Puerto Natales.

Ok its 12 am Christmas day and I still have a ton more to write about but I have to get up early and make scones and pie so you will just have to wait for the next installment on El Calafate, Argentina. Happy Holidays to everyone and if you do feel inclined to write me (or send me anything…I would love some books in ENGLISH) my new address is

Del Huerto Sur 3561
Sector Parques de la Florida
Santiago, Chile

Abrazo y besos a todos!