"I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it"
Rosalia de Castro
On January 6, 2011, Melanie Mason, Paul Delaney and I travelled to the South American countries of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. This is our adventure!!
Republic of Chile
For anyone who has ever been fascinated by geography, the long, impossibly thin line of Chile has always produced a tiny moment of astonishment. Chile stretches over 4,300km (2,700mi) along the southwestern coast of South America, a distance roughly the same as that from San Francisco to New York, or Edinburgh to Baghdad. At the same time, its width never exceeds 240km (150mi), making the country more than eighteen times longer than its widest point.
The most obvious factor in Chile's remarkable slenderness is the massive, virtually impassable wall of the Andes, a mountain range that is still rising and that contains more than fifty active volcanic peaks. The western border is of course the Pacific Ocean, but it is a misconception to picture Chile as nothing more than the steep western slope of the Andean peaks. All along its length Chile is marked by a narrow depression between the mountains and the sea. To the north the land rises and becomes more arid, until one reaches the forbidding Atacama Desert, one of the most inhospitable regions on earth. To the south just the opposite transformation takes place; the land falls away, and the region between mountains and ocean fades into the baffling archipelagic maze that terminates in Chilean Patagonia. Chile's southern extremity is marked by Cape Horn, a treacherous headland surrounded by almost continuously storm-tossed seas and passable only through the foggy stillness of the Strait of Magellan.
In the centre of the country, however, is a long and expansive river valley, a five hundred mile corridor occupied in the north by vineyards and great farms and in the south by primeval forests and enchanting lakes. Santiago, the capital, anchors the northern and more prosperous section of the central valley. The lush Lake District to the south, however, is the homeland of Chile's indigenous peoples, the Arancanians.
Also part of Chile are two notable Pacific possessions - the Juan Fernandez Islands and the famous Easter Island, both of which are administered as national parks. The Juan Fernandez islands are located about 670km off the Chilean coast, while Easter Island is situated 3,700km distant.
Chile's climate is as diverse as its geography. Aside from the obviously extreme climatic conditions of the Andes and the Atacama however, the country enjoys a comfortable temperate climate.
The next day we head for.....
Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins
The next day we went for a canyoning experience......
The following day Paul & I climb Mt. Osorno.....
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Pucon
Pucon's fame can be boiled down to three things: the lake, the volcano and its easy access to every kind of outdoor sport imaginable. How often do you come across a small town smack in between a divinely blue lake and a perfectly conical volcano? Just to add to the effect, the volcano's crater spends most of its day billowing smoke - even the occasional giant smoke ring - and on clear nights it gives off an eerie red glow. Pucon is a place where a variety of earthly wonders conspire to create a point of inspirational natural energy.
The next day we decide to go for a bike ride......
The next day we decide to go for a river kayak.....
Well that is it for Chile, see the other blog post in this 2011 series!
Cheers.
DIARY ENTRY: January 7, 2011 10:32AM: Still on the plane to Santiago. I woke up at around 7:30AM and watched Avatar on the screen. They're serving breakfast now and this is a good thing as I am starved! So this is the start of our next great adventure with Mel and Paul, and we are going to Chile and Bolivia for 2 months!
DIARY ENTRY: January 8, 2011 9:00AM: Sitting at the airport now waiting for our plane for Punta Arenas. Yesterday we arrived at our hotel at around 3:00PM. Our room had a great balcony so we had a beer while Paul grabbed a shower. Afterwards we took a walk up to Bellavista part of town where we indulged in several beers along the way. By the time we got back to the hotel (and one more beer on the balcony) we were dropping. It has been a very long day.
The most obvious factor in Chile's remarkable slenderness is the massive, virtually impassable wall of the Andes, a mountain range that is still rising and that contains more than fifty active volcanic peaks. The western border is of course the Pacific Ocean, but it is a misconception to picture Chile as nothing more than the steep western slope of the Andean peaks. All along its length Chile is marked by a narrow depression between the mountains and the sea. To the north the land rises and becomes more arid, until one reaches the forbidding Atacama Desert, one of the most inhospitable regions on earth. To the south just the opposite transformation takes place; the land falls away, and the region between mountains and ocean fades into the baffling archipelagic maze that terminates in Chilean Patagonia. Chile's southern extremity is marked by Cape Horn, a treacherous headland surrounded by almost continuously storm-tossed seas and passable only through the foggy stillness of the Strait of Magellan.
In the centre of the country, however, is a long and expansive river valley, a five hundred mile corridor occupied in the north by vineyards and great farms and in the south by primeval forests and enchanting lakes. Santiago, the capital, anchors the northern and more prosperous section of the central valley. The lush Lake District to the south, however, is the homeland of Chile's indigenous peoples, the Arancanians.
Also part of Chile are two notable Pacific possessions - the Juan Fernandez Islands and the famous Easter Island, both of which are administered as national parks. The Juan Fernandez islands are located about 670km off the Chilean coast, while Easter Island is situated 3,700km distant.
Chile's climate is as diverse as its geography. Aside from the obviously extreme climatic conditions of the Andes and the Atacama however, the country enjoys a comfortable temperate climate.
Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas (Spanish for Sandy Point), is a sprawling metropolis (135,000 pop.) on the edge of the South American continent. It's very similar to a northern Canadian city; very windy, bleak, grey and desolate….but still with enough charm and history to make it interesting for a day. It's really the transportation hub and gateway to the Torres de Paine.
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| Here we are in Punta Arenas, the start of our BIG adventure and I say "Cheers and let the games begin!!" Had our first exposure to the southern cuisine here at this restaurant: Hare, Rhea (ostrich-like bird), Llama, Beaver, and Andean Goose……all very yummy. |
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| The Plaza de Armas of Punta Arenas. We watched a convoy of cars with black flags drive-by here and thought that it was a celebration of the region winning a local soccer match….little did we know! |
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| Among South America's most fascinating cemeteries, Cemeterio Municipal contains a mix of humble immigrant graves and extravagant tombs under topiary cypresses….topiary cypresses that look a lot like giant penises.! |
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| In death as in life, Punta Arenas' first families flaunted their wealth - wool baron Jose Menendez extravagant tomb is a scale replica of Rome's Vittorio Emanuele monument. |
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| The poorer neighbourhood at the cemetery……notice the blue rails mounted on the top and bottom of the crypt wall? That's so that the ladder (not in picture) can move along to the crypt you are visiting. |
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| ….and I guess one could consider this to be the middle class section!!! |
After exploring Punta Arenas we headed for.....
Pali Aike
The Pali Aike National Park is a park located in the Magallanes Region of the Chilean Patagonia. Pali-Aike is a Tehuelche name that means Devils Country. Created in 1970, it covers an area of 50 sq.km. and includes part of the Pali-Aike Volcanic Field. The park draws its name from the prominent volcanic cone known as the Pali-Aike Crater. This desolate landscape borders on the Argentina border and is 250kms from Punta Arenas.
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| The 250km drive was thru flat grassland similar to the Canadian prairies. |
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| The abandon sheep farm known as the San Gregorio farm. |
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| We stopped here on our way to Pali Aike. Mel surveys the site. |
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| The shipwreck steamer, Amadeo (1893) went aground in 1932. |
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| "Don't worry Mel, I got ahold of her. She won't float away on us!!" |
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| Laguna Ana, a saline lake in Parc Pali Aike. We trek the opposite direction towards the old lava field. |
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| Mel, braving the howling wind, sizes up the lava crevasse that she must jump across….it's a good thing the wind is at her back. |
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| "And if you go chasing rabbits And you know you're going to fall Tell'em a hookah smoking caterpillar Has given you the call Call Alice when she was just small"………...
Jefferson Airplane
White Rabbit
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| ………."When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen's "off with her head!" Remember what the doorman said; "Keep YOUR HEAD"
Jefferson Airplane
White Rabbit
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| "Hey where did everybody go? Hmmm maybe they went into this lava cave…..OK GUYS, this isn't funny anymore." |
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| For the second portion of the trip, we went to a very old corroded volcanic cone, with it's own small herd of wild guanaco in the crater. |
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| Walking around the lip of a crumbling volcanic cone. |
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| The Pali Aike world as seen thru the moss-covered port-hole. |
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| "Well Hello !!" |
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| The is the lava field we are headed for. |
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| Walking up to the entrance of an old extinct volcanic cone. |
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| Not quite a walk in the park! |
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| AWESOME. The only way to describe the inside of a volcano…..awesome. |
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| The twisted Escorial de Diablo….a 1,700mt path winds its way through the rugged lava beds. |
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| Underground lava tubes are created when hot gases are released with the lava. As the gases cool, the mini-caves are produced. |
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| Some of the lava tubes are large enough to house a small family!! |
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| Standing at the edge of the Crater Morada del Diablo……its about 500 metres to the bottom. Notice the large Andean Eagle that I'm pointing at? |
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| The Crater Morada del Diablo; at 2kms in circumference this maar (volcanic depression) is so massive it has a volcanic cone in it. |
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| A massive fissure threatens to take part of the maar. |
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| Mel exploring the fissure from the inside. |
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| The moss-covered fissure takes on an underwater look to it. |
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| Paul has gone as far as he can….notice my boots in the very top of the picture as I look for a route that will take us further. |
The next day we head for.....
Puerto Natales
Let's get right to the point - Puerto Natales is the gateway to Parc Nacional Torres del Paine and not much else. It's not the most attractive town in the region (nor the least attractive) - but considering that it's the departure point for the best national park in South America, it doesn't matter. While, overall, it is lacking a centralized local culture, Natales does have a lot to offer in terms of restaurants, hotels and a few bars that cater to international tastes.
The town sits on the shores of Seno Ultima Esperanza, 250kms from Punta Arenas, and has some striking views out over the mountains. It is the capital of the province of Ultima Esperanza (which means 'Last Hope' in Spanish) and was once dependant on wool, mutton and fishing, but now it feeds off of tourism.
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| The Costa Australis Hotel in Puerto Natales. Not where we stayed, but our hotel was quite nice nevertheless, and at a fraction of the cost.! |
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| Lamb….patagonia style. Mel loved it! |
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| Getting in a warm-up hike up the 600 metres to the Mirador Dorotea. |
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| The hike takes us through lenga forest and beyond….. |
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| This large rocky outcrop offers splendid views of Puerto Natales, the glacier valley, fjord and surrounding mountains. |
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| A birds-eye view of the Patagonia. |
The next day we head for.....
Bernardo O'Higgins National Park is the largest of the protected areas in Chile, covering an area of 35,259 sq. km. in both the Aisen and Magallanes regions. The park is named after General Bernardo O'Higgins, the first head of state of the Republic of Chile.
The park includes a great part of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field. One of the main attractions is the glacier Pio XI, from which enormous ice blocks periodically spawn. The Pio XI glacier is the largest glacier of the Southern hemisphere outside of Antartica, covering an area of 1,265 sq. km.. The highest summit include the Mount Fitz Roy, the Cerro Torre and the Cerro Riso Patron. The elevations are lower in the southern part of the park, but the scenery is still spectacular. the highlight of this zone is Mount Balmaceda at 2,035mt, beautified by the glaciers Balmaceda and Serrano.
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| Virtually inaccessible, O'Higgins can only be entered by boat….so we go on the MV 21 de Mayo. ….OK so I'm not gonna say it wasn't cold!! |
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| Rain always threaten but never happened. |
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| Seno Ultima Esperanza (translation: Last Hope Sound). The 3 1/2 hour boat ride up this dark and foreboding sound is spectacular! |
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| Cormorant Rock (directly behind us) is a cliff-side nesting area for hundreds of cormorants. Strange how they only use this one cliff, when in this area the whole sound is 'cliff-side'. |
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| At times the landscape had a 'Newfoundland feel' to it. Rock formations like this are not unusual around much of Newfoundland's coastline. |
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| …..and summer dress like what Mel is wearing is also common around Newfoundland!! |
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| The Balmaceda hanging glacier on Mount Balmaceda (2,035mts). We never ever saw the mountain peak due to the fog…..but the glacier was pretty awesome! According to the travel info on the boat the glacier has receded from the water's edge to it's current location within the last ten years. |
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| "The beer helps us to not get sea-sick….honestly!" |
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| We docked and hiked into the Glacier Serrano that spills into Laguna Serrano. |
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| The hike in was an easy 40 minute stroll…..all very civilized. |
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| There is no doubt that beholding a glacier is one of the most dazzling experiences man can enjoy. Maybe its because they are millions of years old, or maybe because of the various shades they acquire when exposed to sunlight, or maybe its simply because their whimsical shapes and monumental size! |
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| The ice wall is approximately 20 metres high, and this impressive glacial tongue forms part of the Southern Ice Field…….the 3rd largest deposit of fresh water on the planet. |
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| On our way back from the Serrano Glacier we stopped at this sheep ranch for a major feeding frenzy of Patagonia cooked lamb, chorizos, beef and potato. |
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| The place was a photographer's paradise with quaint outbuildings, ocean views, mountains and endless list of other subject matter. |
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| The MV 21 de Mayo.....our boat! |
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| "Shut up! It's a hold-up, not a botany lesson. Now, no false moves please. I want you to hand over all the lupins you've got." John Cleese |
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| An old dory makes this stony beach it's final resting place. |
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| "Giddy-up…." |
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| It looks like an alpine meadow in Switzerland, but actually it's a sheep ranch at the water's edge of the chilly South Pacific. |
……and than the arse fell right out of her !
The following news article appeared in the newspaper:
"Punta Arenas, Chile, Jan. 17 (UPI) - Strikes against Chile's proposed 16.8 percent slashing of natural gas to the Magallenes region left thousands of tourist stranded, officials said.
Protestors' roadblocks set up since Wednesday prevented visitors to Torres Del Paine Park from leaving the region's capital of Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, The Santiago Times reported.
The roadblocks cut tourist off from the airport and boat transportation, the Times reported.
On Saturday, 3,000 tourist from more than 30 countries were stuck in the area, with an additional 2,500 detained at an Argentina-Chile border crossing, the Times reported.
Chile's air force Sunday flew 3,000 tourist stranded in Puerto Natales to the regional airport in Punta Arenas.
Food, fuel and shelter ran low leading up to the weekend, the Times said. "People are worried because the strike is still going and they're trying to stock up on provisions. If this goes on, we will have serious problems this week," said Punta Arenas Shell gas distributor Gaston Vera."
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Governor Max Salas Llanes telling the gathered tourist in Puerto Natales, that town residents were legally demonstrating a cut in gas subsidies and that they had barricaded all roads leading into and out of town. He furthered stated that we, as foreigners, have no legal rights and that we are being held here as hostages by the demonstrators…….true story!
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| Stocking up with essentials in the event we have to wait this one out…..essentials consisted of beer and nothing else (we had no room for anything else in the box)!! |
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| The Red Cross set up their headquarters in the town's elementary school. We, along with 2,000 other touristm would gather here each day to see if we were making the Grand Escape. Paul catching a few minutes sleep. |
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| Day Two at the school and the sign says it all……this was now starting to wear thin as boredom sets in. Thankfully the Red Cross was leading the way in ensuring the tourist had a place to eat, sleep and catch up on the news of negotiations. |
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| Day Three, and we gather at the school waiting to hear about our fate. Today we are told that the Red Cross would be evacuating us to either Argentina or Punta Arenas. |
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| Not to fool anyone….the Red Cross was doing their best to feed and house a lot of people. The dining experience was trying at best !! |
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| The Chilean Army at the school yard. We weren't sure what their role was (and I don't think they knew either). It was either to keep us in the schoolyard or to keep the demonstrators out. |
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On January 15, 2011, the Red Cross received permission to transport the trapped tourist to El Calafate in Argentina. At about 9:30PM the buses left town (Puerto Natales) under police escort. We arrived at the border, got stamped through and at 3:30AM we were disposed at the bus terminal in El Calafate.
This blog picks up our arrival back in Chile on January 24, 2011.
This blog picks up our arrival back in Chile on January 24, 2011.
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After being evicted from southern Chile into Argentina we went north and mange to recross the border back into Chile....
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is one of Chile's most charming villages, located on the shore of Lago Llanquihue. It is an adventure travel hub, and it is also the gateway to the Parque Nacional Perez Rosales. Unlike its neighbour Purto Montt, 20 minutes away, it is a little town, with wood shingled homes, rose-encircled plaza, and an excellent tourism infrastructure that provides all the necessary services for visitors without seeming touristy. The city is well known for its German traditions, its food, its fish and seafood, and natural environment. The perfect cone of Osorno Volcano and the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Calbuco and Mt. Tronador are clearly visible from the lakefront.
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| We finally make it to Puerto Varas…….albeit by the long about way!!! Cheers from Chile! |
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| A waterside disco/restaurant…..we never went in, but rather stayed on the other side of the street and the little cafes and restaurants situated there. |
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| Mt. Osorno sits hazily in the background of Lago Llanquihue. Looking at it from afar was a lot more relaxing than climbing it. |
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| Party boys……... |
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| …….party girl !! |
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| When we arrived in Puerto Varas, the bus station had changed from the address we had to a new location…..this created a bit of disorientation when we got off the bus. Given this, we decided to ask a tourist agency about a place to stay. They directed us up and out of the main part of town, so everyday we walked down these sidesteps to get back into town. Turns out to be the best hotel we stayed in!!! |
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| Puerto Varas' well-maintained German colonial architecture gives the town a distinctive middle-European ambience. The imposing and colourful 1915 Isglesia del Sagrado Corazon, overlooking downtown from a promontory, is based on the Marienkirche church of the Black Forest, Germany. |
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| One night after supper we wandered around a bit and came across the Puerto Varas Verano 2011 Festival!! Spent the rest of the evening here having a few brews and listening to Bolivian and Chilean folk music. |
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| "OK Mel……one more time…….these are empanada's and these are ham and cheese sandwiches." |
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| We discovered this little restaurant with a fabulous garden……and even better food. They gave us twenty oysters, instead of the traditional basket of bread, when we arrived for supper! |
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| Our waiter recommended a red Carmenere that we fell in love with and ended up bringing some of this brand back with us!! |
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| On Tuesday we went canyoning on the Rio Blanco……."Mel love your outfit! Don't you find black neoprene is especially thinning?" |
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| Canyoning consists of jumping off tall cliffs….like this 3 metre one!! "Weee look at me, I can fly"!! |
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| Mel steps it up to about 4 metres…..ooooh baby what a rush! |
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| Canyoning also consist of sliding down the natural water slides carved into the rock by the river. Here Mel gets ready to make the grand slide into the raging funnel!! |
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| Sometimes the plunge was simply a free fall over a 4 metre falls…….man is this a riot or what? |
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| While the guides were preparing our lunch we went free-falling over this one metre falls…..for instance here is Paul doing his famous Frontal-Forward-Backwards-Rear-Entry Freefall. "A solid 5.5 there big guy!!" |
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| "……and our special Olympian Melanie doing her…….(cough)…..Wee-Look-At-Me-Freefall. |
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| The guides prepared the lunch on the sloping rock face opposite the pool below me…..and from here I had a choice. I could climb down to the falls and do a free fall………ooooor I could jump from here……I chose to jump from here!! |
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| One of the last falls…..it starts in the upper right hand corner (as in the picture) where you go feet first down a chute (without being able to see where you are going). The chute outflow violently hits a narrow pool and this creates a whirlpool effect. If you don't swim hard to the left as soon as you surface in the pool, you'll keep going around and around and around. By swimming left, the whirlpool flicks you out to the falls (in the picture), where you go face first…..doing a dog-leg falls into this pool. Some fun me son!! |
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| Our guide heads for the lip of the Rio Blanco waterfalls…….at 34 metres it has to be repelled. This guy's job is to make sure we get from here to the valley down there!! |
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| After only 2 metres the rock face slips away and you are suspended in mist-drenched air…..now it's just a matter of slip sliding away!!! |
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| After descending 29 metres by rope, we had to jump the remaining 5 metres. This required a free jump from the moss covered ledge to the turbulent waters next to the falls. That's me jumping from the ledge where you can see our second guide. |
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| "Well you got the feelin', makes you come alive. We're gonna boogie woogie, we're gonna rock and roll, we're gonna jive. We're gonna make you loose, go where you have to go. Gonna fill your head with music, satisfy your soul. Oh what a feelin' what a rush."
Crowbar
Oh What a Feelin'
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The next day we go for a tamer sea kayak experience......
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| We decided to slow the pace down a bit the next day, so we opted for a day of sea kayaking on the Reloncavi Fjord. The two hour vehicle ride to get to our put-in point took us right pass Mt. Osorno which had a strange cloud cover on the top. |
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| We put-in on the Rio Cochamo about 2 kms upriver, and we let gravity do the hard work…..it was gorgeous here, about 18C. |
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| A flock of Andean Geese feed along the river shoreline. I wonder if the stout's were bothering them as much as they were me? |
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| After 2 kms of drifting lazily downriver we hit the fjord. It was windy at first but after rounding a point we had smooth sailing!! …..and what better place to stop for a meal of fruit, pasta salad and great company! Cheers!! |
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| As we ate, an old-timer rowed pass in his dory. The blue bouys are part of an extensive mussel farm…..the Chileans love their mussels. |
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| Time to go! Back in our boats and back on the water! |
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| Mel's first time kayaking so she opted for a double, while Paul and I went with singles. The water was perfect and the scenery……words cannot describe. |
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| It was good to be on the water again!! ….and this is the first time Mel has been paddling and she couldn't have started in a more scenic place! |
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| A fallen barnacle encrusted tree creates a perfect archway to float under! |
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| I stop to get my camera ready as Mel and the guide catches up to me! |
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| Mussel farmers hauling in the crop. |
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| The end of an awesome paddle! |
The following day Paul & I climb Mt. Osorno.....
Mt. Osorno
Volcan Osorno (2,552mts) is a perfect conical peak towering above azure glacier lakes. It retains its idyllic shape due to the 40 craters around its base - its there that the volcano's eruptions have taken place, never at the top. Osorno is one of the most active volcanoes of the southern Chilean Andes, with 11 historical eruptions recorded between 1575 and 1869. The upper slopes of the volcano are almost entirely covered in glaciers despite its very modest altitude and latitude, sustained by the substantial snowfall in the very maritime climate of the region.
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| Ridge-walking on what may be the lip of one of the 40 extinct volcanoes flanking the base of Osorno. |
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| Another volcanic cone at the base. That's Lake Llanquihue in the background. |
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| A haze covers the surrounding hills as the sun comes up. |
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| Paul, unable to turn around to take the picture, bends down and takes the shot thru his legs. |
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| A crevasse where our guide lost one of the spikes used to rope us in……not a good start to the climb, but we pushed ahead anyway!! |
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| In the shadow of Osorno, we stop and rest while our guide prepares to climb up to the next point. Being roped in gave us confidence, but we wondered what would happen if our guide fell, since he was not roped in…..how would we get down? |
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| The sun crests over the summit of Osorno as our guide climbs towards the infamous Osorno lip! |
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| After securing the spike in the glacier our guide drops the rope for Paul and I to get up to where he is. |
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| Paul inches his way along the lower part of the lip. He'll soon go over the top and I'll be left on the mountain slope by myself. |
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| Paul makes it over the top of the lip!!! |
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| …..and now it's my turn. I have to be honest this is one of the scariest things I have ever done. |
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| The guide and Paul had disappeared over the lip and I was left by myself on the mountain. Ever been on the face of a mountain by yourself? Scary stuff!!! Regardless, I had no choice but to bag my fears and move……so I did and here I am about to crest the infamous lip! |
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| …..but after a very trying and challenging climb I got pass the dreaded overhanging lip and once again conquered me a mountain!! YES!!! |
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| I've trekked quite a few mountains over the last few years and the jubilation one feels when reaching the top negates the hard work that it took to get there……..but this mountain was different! This mountain wasn't near as high as most I've trekked but it was the first that I actually mountain climbed…..so for that reason this is an especially happy moment!! |
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| Unfortunately, the celebration was short-lived as we still had to get down and the only route was the same one we had gone up. Here Paul follows me back down. |
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| Paul gets over the lip!! |
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| We stopped on the rocky outcrop just above us and removed our safety ropes and retrieved our hiking poles……this was what I thought we were going to be doing…..lol. Well I can smile now because from this angle the mountain doesn't seem so intimidating. If you look real close, you can see the dreaded overhang lip!! |
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On February 4, 2011, we bid goodbye to Melanie (she had to go back to Canada), while Paul and myself proceeded onwards to Bolivia.
Early rains in Bolivia, resulting in severe flooding, force us back to Chile on February 21, 2011. This is the continuation of our time in Chile.
Early rains in Bolivia, resulting in severe flooding, force us back to Chile on February 21, 2011. This is the continuation of our time in Chile.
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Our trip to Bolivia had to be cut short due to the torrential rains that had started there (the rainy season had started early). We were forced to revise our plans and to find a new destination spot for the remaining 2 weeks of holiday's that we had. The nearest destination in northern Chile was Arica and we decided that this was as logical place to go…..no plans, just flying by the seat of our pants!! The rest is history!!!
ARICA
La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera, the 'City of Eternal Spring', Arica is Chile's northernmost city, just 12 miles from the Peruvian border. With its mild climate, water from Rio Lluta (a rarity in the Atacama desert) supporting vegetation, Arica was an inhabited area from at least 6000 BC. Once part of Boliva, and Boliva's access to the sea to export silver from the mines in Potosi, Arica became Chilean territory in the War of the Pacific, whose naval victories are celebrated annually. Arica still functions as Bolivia's access to the sea, connected to Bolivia by train. Now, Arica is a developing seaside resort, with golden sand dunes, miles of seashore, duty-free shopping and lively nightlife.
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| The port city of Arica is also the main port for goods coming and going to landlocked Bolivia. Super container ships sit next to small fishing boats. |
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| Arica's oddest attraction is also its most admired. The Gothic-style Iglesia San Marcos has a threefold claim to fame. First, it was designed by celebrated Parisian engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, before his success with the Eiffel Tower. Second, it was prefabricated in Eiffel's Paris shop in the 1870's (at the order of the Peruvian president) then shipped right around the world to be assembled on site. Still more curious is the construction itself; the entire church is made of stamped and molded-cast iron, coated with paint. That's everything from its unusually thin walls to its pillars, beams and pointy arches; only the door is wooden. The resulting atmosphere is somewhat mechanical for a house of God, but as a feat of engineering it's impressive. |
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| Playa La Lisera is the primo beach situated about 2kms from town. The sheltered waters are a little cool but doable! The beer at the overpriced restaurants were about as cool. |
After a day we had had enough of Arica and headed via plane, bus and ferry to the island of........
Chiloe
About 180km long but only 50km wide, the Isla Grande de Chiloe (the Big Island of Chiloe) is the second-largest island in South America, after Tierra del Fuego. Easily accessed by a short ferry ride, the island is lush with undulating hills quilted in farm patterns to the north, and blanketed in dense forest to the south. Chiloe today staunchly upholds its regional distinction, one forged by harsh rainy weather and a deeply intimate marriage to the sea.
On Chileo we head for Castro, the provincial capital.......
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| Castro sits atop a bluff above a sheltered estuary. We arrived for a couple of days but realized that there was precious little to do here, except stroll around and look at the views. Here Paul strolls down towards the waterfront. |
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| Palafitos - houses mounted on stilts along the waters edge. The capital of Chiloe, Castro, has these singular architectural gems that line the estuaries and lagoons. From the front they look like any other house, but from the backside they jut out over the water and serve as piers for the local fishing boats. |
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| Of all the places I've travelled to I have never been to a place that resembled Newfoundland before…..except here. Close your eyes and take in the smells and sounds and you'd swear it was an outport in rural Newfoundland. |
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| Paul went for a nap and Brian went for a stroll. Like Newfoundland, the fishing industry here has seen better days. |
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| On our way home from the restaurant we came across this band playing in a really small cafe. They didn't speak a word of english but they were pretty darn good regardless of whatever it was they were singing about. |
After a day of laid-back Castro we head for pumped up.....
Pucon
Pucon's fame can be boiled down to three things: the lake, the volcano and its easy access to every kind of outdoor sport imaginable. How often do you come across a small town smack in between a divinely blue lake and a perfectly conical volcano? Just to add to the effect, the volcano's crater spends most of its day billowing smoke - even the occasional giant smoke ring - and on clear nights it gives off an eerie red glow. Pucon is a place where a variety of earthly wonders conspire to create a point of inspirational natural energy.
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| The beach at Pucon. This freshwater beach was nearly empty when we arrived….it being near the end of the tourist season. Like all beaches I end up on, I hardly spend any time on it. We usually sit in a shaded beach bar area and sip on cold beers….kinda civilize way of beaching if you ask me! |
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| Paul and I rented a couple of mountain bikes and set off to explore. Our route, over the bridge, was the Ojos de Cabaurgua Loop. |
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| A trout fisherman idles away the day on the Rio Cabaurgua. |
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| The first part of the bike ride was on a dirt back-country road….somewhat of a dustbowl, but there was moments like this when the entire road would be enclosed giving much appreciated shade. |
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| We stopped here for a break before pressing on to Lago Carbaurgua which is all uphill. |
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| The beach at Lago Cabaurgua….it was a hard ole slog up to this lake in the heat of the midday sun and can you believe 'nary a beer to be had. |
The next day we decide to climb the volcano......
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| The next day we head for the ever billowing Volcano Villarrica, one of Chile's most active volcanoes, rising 2,847 metres, it is one of only 5 volcanoes worldwide known to have an active lava lake within its crater. The volcano usually generates low level eruptions with ejection of incandescent pyroclasts and lava flows. |
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| When we started out at 4:00AM, this mountain was glowing red in the darkness. Now, as we approach the top, with the early morning sun on it, she's just smoking away!! |
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| The view from near the top: Pucon lies below with Lago Villarrica (the nearest lake) and Lago Cabaurgua (the furthest lake). Notice the large swaths of land wiped out below from the previous mud slides caused by eruptions! |
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| The stinky smoking crater of Volcano Villarrica. To give you an understanding on how big this is…..notice the people across the crater or the person on the right side of the crater!! |
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| Looking into the gateway to hell. |
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| ….from atop of the head of the Devil himself…..and aaaaah that Lil'devil standing atop of the devil's head….dat be me!! |
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| The obligatory "atop the volcano" picture. |
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| Standing at the edge….it stinks here. |
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| …..and now for something completely different!! I took five hours to slog up this beast and now we're going to take a magic carpet ride down chutes cut into the glacier…..a thrill a minute!! |
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| ……and away we gooooo! |
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| Basically we each carried a special crazy carpet up the mountain and this is then strapped to your butt by special clips……and this is what you slide down on…..wild hey!!! |
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| "I like to dream Yes, yes right between the sound machine On a cloud of sight I drift in the night Any place it goes is right Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here Well you don't know what we could find Why don't you come with me little girl On a magic carpet right."
Magic Carpet Ride Steppenwolf
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The next day we decide to go for a river kayak.....
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| We decide to go Rubber "Ducky" kayaking down the Rio Cabaurgua. |
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| Paul and I grab our Rubber Duckies and head for the river….."OK Paul all together now….." "OH! Rubber Ducky Your the one You make bath time Lots of fun!"
Rubber Ducky Sesame Street
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| This waterwheel is still in operation generating electricity for an hotel. |
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| The Rio Cabaurgua picture perfect view of Volcan Villarrica…..and to think I was on top of that just the day before! |
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| For the next 7kms we would float down the Rio Cabuargua getting tossed, bounced, thrown, rocked and rolled aboard our "Rubber Ducky's". |
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| Paul showing true form! |
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| "Holy Blessed 'Deemer, what a friggin rush!!" |
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| This picture and the next four pictures are various quick shots of me "expertly" manoeuvring my Duck thru a Class III+ rapid. |
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| Is it a bird? NO……... |
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| ……..Is it a plane? NO…….. |
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| ……It's Big Bad B., World Ducky Champion, conquering yet another river in his trusty Ducky! |
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| ….and that folks is how it is done!! lol....I flip over just after this shot was taken!! A short reprieve……time enough to adjust my helmet before the next set of rapids…….. |
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| Paul "Duckman" Delaney! |
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| "Dear God…….please don't let me drownnnnnnnn…." |
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| The trick is to stay on top of the water. |
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| The obligatory "rubber ducky" picture! |
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| Paul 'Duckman' Delaney and our trusty guide Pedro Ducko, head for some sun soak whitewater. |
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| Miller Time!!! |
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| What better way is there to end a two month holiday but float down river in one's own rubber ducky. Yes folks, this ends Part 1 of our holiday to Chile, Argentina, back to Chile, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Bolivia and finally back to Chile. |
Cheers.
DIARY ENTRY: January 7, 2011 10:32AM: Still on the plane to Santiago. I woke up at around 7:30AM and watched Avatar on the screen. They're serving breakfast now and this is a good thing as I am starved! So this is the start of our next great adventure with Mel and Paul, and we are going to Chile and Bolivia for 2 months!
DIARY ENTRY: January 8, 2011 9:00AM: Sitting at the airport now waiting for our plane for Punta Arenas. Yesterday we arrived at our hotel at around 3:00PM. Our room had a great balcony so we had a beer while Paul grabbed a shower. Afterwards we took a walk up to Bellavista part of town where we indulged in several beers along the way. By the time we got back to the hotel (and one more beer on the balcony) we were dropping. It has been a very long day.
DIARY ENTRY: Monday January 10, 2011 1:07PM: Sitting on the bus for Puerto Natales…..just made it in seconds flat. We had just visited the cemetery in Punta Arenas and decided to stop at a restaurant for some lunch when we realized we had 15 minutes to get back to our hotel……collect our gear and run to the bus station….but we made it!!
So on Saturday (January 08/11), after spending about a hour looking for a hotel, we finally found the Maurice Hotel. Afterwards we wandered around a little and made some trip arrangements. We went looking for a restaurant but could not find the one that the restaurant recommended. When we finally found one it turned out to be one of the two recommended by Lonely Planet. The food was excellent!!! We had a sampling of various meats found in the region, including Rhea (South America's version of the ostrich), llama, beaver, Andean Goose and hare. My preference was the Rhea!! Afterwards we had a few beer back at the hotel and hit the sack at around 12:00.
On Sunday (January 09/11) we were picked up at 8:00 for our full day in Parc Pali Aike. The park is right on the border with Argentina and consist of some 40 mini-volcanoes and lava fields. We spent the first part of the day (after the three hour ride to get there) wandering around an old abandon ranch and a lava field. This was only so interesting because I had been to a similar field in the Galapagos Islands.
However, after lunch we actually went on a 2 1/2 hour trek up to and into the crater of an extinct volcano and it was soooo cool!!! Afterwards we hiked over to another volcano and into the crater. Leaving this, it was a short stroll over to a maar (a volcano depression). This maar is 2km wide and had an actual volcanic cone in the deep depression. Again so cool !!
Last night we decided we didn't want a lot of supper and instead head for a bar for a few brews and a snack. While at the bar some guy sitting in the booth next to us asked where we were from because he recognized the accent. Apparently he had gone out with a girl from Fogo (he was from Wales). Anyway he was very familiar with St. John's and it was ironic to travel this far and meet someone who had spent so much time in Newfoundland.
Today we had decided to forego Tierro del Fuego (scheduling problems) and head for Puerto Natales a day earlier….and hence the reason for being on the bus.
DIARY ENTRY: Thursday, January 13, 2011 10:45AM: Just finished breakfast and now I have time on my side…..I'll get to that later.
So we arrived (January 10/11) in Puerto Natales and looked at one hotel before settling on a small new hotel for $50 per night…..at the time this didn't seem to make much a difference, but now (looking back) this turned out to be a good move…..I'll get to that later.
On Tuesday (January 11/11) we headed for Mirador Dorotea, a large rocky outcrop that overlooks Puerto Natales. This hike takes about 2 hours and for the most part, it's a straight hike up 600 metres. However the view from atop is fantastic and afterwards we had tea in a local's house while waiting for our taxi back to town.
So now I'll get to the "I'll get to that later." Apparently, here and in Punta Arenas, the gasoline is subsidized by the government and this is about to end. Well obviously, this has angered the general populace and they have decided to riot. This left us stranded here in Puerto Natales, as they have barricaded all the roads that lead in/out of town. To add insult to injury, the mobs have also forced all the businesses in town to close. This has left us with no means to feed ourselves or get any guide -assisted tours in. At first we figured this would only be a one day demonstration, but it appears to be gaining strength, especially since a trucker in Punta Arenas rammed through a blockade and killed two people.
So yesterday (January 12/11) we decided to take our chances and get up and see if we could get a tour up the Seno Ultima Esperanza to Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins and onwards to the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. We were in luck!! The mobs had not blocked the harbour and we were able to board for the 3 1/2 hour boat ride to the glaciers. Along the way we saw a rock wall where hundreds of cormorants were nesting.
The Balmaceda glacier had receded back from the waterline and the boat was only able to get up so close. From there the boat docked and we hiked for about 40 minutes to the base of the glacier (where the glacier spills into the water). After the obligatory pictures we reboarded the boat for a sail to a ranch where they served us a great meal. Upon our return to the dock, we found out that the mob had blocked our docking so our boat had to dock further up the shore.
DIARY ENTRY: Thursday January 13, 2011 12:23PM: As I was writing this, a group of tourist formed at the police station across from our hotel. Of course, we went over and, at least we're not alone here in our situation. The group spokesperson indicated that at the time the Governor has not ordered the police to re-open the blockades…..so looks like we are stuck here. Paul contacted Sky Airlines and it would appear that the only flight available at this time is on Sunday. :(
DIARY ENTRY: Monday January 24, 2011 12:18PM: Currently at the Argentinean border waiting for some sick guy who was taken off the bus to get back from the hospital. We've been here now for about 1 1/2 hours and could be here a lot longer???
On Friday (January 21/11) morning we discovered we could not get out of Bariloche until today so we headed into town to find accommodations and see what this place had to offer. After two days of travelling on a bus we were tired and grimy so we grabbed the first place we came across. Unfortunately, it was hot and stuffy and run down, so the next day we found a more civilized place (for $100 pesos cheaper).
On Saturday (January 22/11) we went zip-lining in the forest canopy. It was not a great one but it was both Mel's and Paul's first time and they both found it awesome. The line was about 1.5km in total but the best part was the view from atop.
On Sunday (January 23/11) we went whitewater rafting on the Mudora (????) River…..now that was awesome. There were about a dozen Class III and IV rapids and we rafted for about 2hours. Again this was Mel's first time but she loved it!!
On the second rapid we got caught in a sinkhole and we were stuck there for what seemed like eternity. The raft kept filling up with water and she threatened to flip at any time. We were all leaning on the right-hand side hoping we wouldn't flip!!
We were under the understanding that the water was about 4C but in fact it was probably closer to 10-12C. It took a little persuasion but I eventually talked Mel into going body surfing on the rapids that we were allowed to do so on. I think she loved it!!
After the rafting, which ended when the river crossed the Chilean border, we were bused back to where we had begun and the outfitter had a traditional Bar-B-Que arranged for us. Lot's of meat……a great finish to the adventure.
Last night, as with the night before, we beat around the extremely beautiful town of Bariloche having a few beers at the outdoor cafes. The weather here was quite different from Southern Chile/Argentina (30C yesterday) and it afforded us the opportunity to relax outside.
…….and now we're waiting and waiting and waiting…..and finally the fella arrives back from the hospital and we continue on our journey back to Chile.
DIARY ENTRY: Monday January 31, 2011 8:32AM: Well here I am on the most remote island that's inhabited in the world…..Easter Island. Just got up and now I'm waiting for Mel to have her shower.
Last Thursday (January 27/11 - Puerto Varas) we decided to have a day of relaxation. So we spent most of the day wandering around. Went down to the beach on the lake in Puerto Varas and people watched for awhile…….sipping some beers, etc., One of the reasons for this was we (Paul & I) wanted to rest up for our planned assault on Volcano Osorno. At 2,600+ metres this is a relatively small mountain by my limited experience but it is also one of the most perfect volcano cones that I've seen.
We were picked up by our guide at around 7:00PM and we drove right up to the refugio that is situated at about 1,200 metres. Here we had a lunch and hit the sack.
At first we walked in the dark for about two hours up a scree slope. This was just a slog but slowly the sun came up and the sunrise was spectacular. At around 7:00AM we reached the first of the glacier that covers the upper part of the mountain. Here we strapped on our ice gear and started out. At first it was no big deal, since the slope was only minor but as the day progressed the slope became more and more steep. Eventually fear started to kick in and I asked our guide to rope us in. While doing this he lost a piece of climbing gear down the slope and into a crevasse. It was at this time I realized that Paul was equally concern about our abilities to climb this mountain…..but our guide didn't see a problem with us progressing without this piece, so off we went.
Again the slope got steeper and steeper and eventually we were no longer trekking but mountain climbing and this was something I had never done before…..this was also when the real fear factor kicked in and I began to question myself exactly what it was that I was doing here. This wasn't helped by the knowledge that the week before two French climbers had plummeted to their death.
Finally, we reached the part of the mountain where just before the peak we had to ice climb over an overhang…..and this is the exact point the two Frenchmen fell. To make matters worst, our guide (and afterwards Paul) went first and I could not see them. Instead I had to rely on them pulling on the rope (3 times) to signal me to start. I edged myself along at what seemed to be a very slow pace….eventually I managed (without incident) to get to the top and then from there the peak is a short flat walk.
We had our lunch on top (it was a beautiful sunny day and the temp was about 6C) and then prepared to descend. The descent was equally frightening at first since we had to get back over the overhang and it was no easy task. Being first I went over the way I was told and everything was going well until I slipped. Fuck fuck fuck. But I survived and from here on Paul and I were repelled down the mountain. Otherwise, I'd still be up there because there was no way I was climbing down without being roped in.
Regardless, we made it and I'm alive to tell the story. I'm about to go make some breakfast now and explore Easter Island.
DIARY ENTRY: Tueasday March 1, 2011 11:48AM: Just finished making a breakfast of bacon and egg omelet. We have a kitchen here in our apart-hotel so we've been cooking breakfast each morning.
On Sunday (February 27/11) we rented a couple of mountain bikes and headed for a lake that was 24 kms from Pucon. It was an uneventful ride, albeit a tad on the warm side. We started out on pavement but soon switched to a back-country dirt road and this was more interesting. We stopped at an interesting waterfalls before reaching our destination, Lake Caraurgua. After having a beer there we headed back (via the highway) to Pucon.
Yesterday (February 28/11) our adventure began very early (4:00AM) as we were to be picked up at 4:30AM to start our climb of Volcan Villarrica. This volcano is still active, but at 2,874 metres it isn't very high. The climb starts out on the ski slope area and for the first hour its basically on the scree slope. This is the hardest part simply because I forgot my headlamp and there is no frost in the scree. After we hit the glacier the trek was zig-zag up the mountain face. Five hours after starting we peaked and saw the massive smothering crater. Looking down into the sulphuric smoke we couldn't see any of the red lava that had glowed atop the volcano when we were hiking up. The glow, obviously a reflection of the lava off the smoke, but in the daylight this wasn't as easily seen.
The descent was unique as someone had cut chutes into the glacier and we had to slide down these chutes on something similar to a crazy carpet. It was a bizarre way of descending but immense fun!!! The trip down took about an hour.
Today, I have to go get money from the bank. My debit card had been froze for 3 1/2 weeks and I finally got it re-activated as I need to repay Paul. At 4:00PM we go for a Ducky Ride!!
DIARY ENTRY: Tuesday March 2, 2011 1:30PM: Here in our apartment watching television because it is pouring rain out. We had originally planned on going up into the mountains to climb via ferrata, but this rain has put an halt to that.
Yesterday (March 01/11) we went for our Ducky ride!!! The ducky is an inflatable kayak and you float down a white water river the same way you would whitewater rafting except instead of having 8 people and a guide on board, you only have yourself. You are the master of the trip!!
So there was just two of us and our kayak guide on the river. We started out on calm water and slowly started drifting downriver. Before long we hit the first Class III rapid and we sailed thru it pretty good. Thereafter it was a thrill a minute!!! I loved it!! At one time a Class III+ rapid turned me sideways….I tried to do a sea kayak brace, my paddle got swept in under the ducky and I overturned. It was the only time I went over!
Now it's movie time and maybe later I'll go write my update.
So on Saturday (January 08/11), after spending about a hour looking for a hotel, we finally found the Maurice Hotel. Afterwards we wandered around a little and made some trip arrangements. We went looking for a restaurant but could not find the one that the restaurant recommended. When we finally found one it turned out to be one of the two recommended by Lonely Planet. The food was excellent!!! We had a sampling of various meats found in the region, including Rhea (South America's version of the ostrich), llama, beaver, Andean Goose and hare. My preference was the Rhea!! Afterwards we had a few beer back at the hotel and hit the sack at around 12:00.
On Sunday (January 09/11) we were picked up at 8:00 for our full day in Parc Pali Aike. The park is right on the border with Argentina and consist of some 40 mini-volcanoes and lava fields. We spent the first part of the day (after the three hour ride to get there) wandering around an old abandon ranch and a lava field. This was only so interesting because I had been to a similar field in the Galapagos Islands.
However, after lunch we actually went on a 2 1/2 hour trek up to and into the crater of an extinct volcano and it was soooo cool!!! Afterwards we hiked over to another volcano and into the crater. Leaving this, it was a short stroll over to a maar (a volcano depression). This maar is 2km wide and had an actual volcanic cone in the deep depression. Again so cool !!
Last night we decided we didn't want a lot of supper and instead head for a bar for a few brews and a snack. While at the bar some guy sitting in the booth next to us asked where we were from because he recognized the accent. Apparently he had gone out with a girl from Fogo (he was from Wales). Anyway he was very familiar with St. John's and it was ironic to travel this far and meet someone who had spent so much time in Newfoundland.
Today we had decided to forego Tierro del Fuego (scheduling problems) and head for Puerto Natales a day earlier….and hence the reason for being on the bus.
DIARY ENTRY: Thursday, January 13, 2011 10:45AM: Just finished breakfast and now I have time on my side…..I'll get to that later.
So we arrived (January 10/11) in Puerto Natales and looked at one hotel before settling on a small new hotel for $50 per night…..at the time this didn't seem to make much a difference, but now (looking back) this turned out to be a good move…..I'll get to that later.
On Tuesday (January 11/11) we headed for Mirador Dorotea, a large rocky outcrop that overlooks Puerto Natales. This hike takes about 2 hours and for the most part, it's a straight hike up 600 metres. However the view from atop is fantastic and afterwards we had tea in a local's house while waiting for our taxi back to town.
So now I'll get to the "I'll get to that later." Apparently, here and in Punta Arenas, the gasoline is subsidized by the government and this is about to end. Well obviously, this has angered the general populace and they have decided to riot. This left us stranded here in Puerto Natales, as they have barricaded all the roads that lead in/out of town. To add insult to injury, the mobs have also forced all the businesses in town to close. This has left us with no means to feed ourselves or get any guide -assisted tours in. At first we figured this would only be a one day demonstration, but it appears to be gaining strength, especially since a trucker in Punta Arenas rammed through a blockade and killed two people.
So yesterday (January 12/11) we decided to take our chances and get up and see if we could get a tour up the Seno Ultima Esperanza to Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins and onwards to the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. We were in luck!! The mobs had not blocked the harbour and we were able to board for the 3 1/2 hour boat ride to the glaciers. Along the way we saw a rock wall where hundreds of cormorants were nesting.
The Balmaceda glacier had receded back from the waterline and the boat was only able to get up so close. From there the boat docked and we hiked for about 40 minutes to the base of the glacier (where the glacier spills into the water). After the obligatory pictures we reboarded the boat for a sail to a ranch where they served us a great meal. Upon our return to the dock, we found out that the mob had blocked our docking so our boat had to dock further up the shore.
DIARY ENTRY: Thursday January 13, 2011 12:23PM: As I was writing this, a group of tourist formed at the police station across from our hotel. Of course, we went over and, at least we're not alone here in our situation. The group spokesperson indicated that at the time the Governor has not ordered the police to re-open the blockades…..so looks like we are stuck here. Paul contacted Sky Airlines and it would appear that the only flight available at this time is on Sunday. :(
DIARY ENTRY: Monday January 24, 2011 12:18PM: Currently at the Argentinean border waiting for some sick guy who was taken off the bus to get back from the hospital. We've been here now for about 1 1/2 hours and could be here a lot longer???
On Friday (January 21/11) morning we discovered we could not get out of Bariloche until today so we headed into town to find accommodations and see what this place had to offer. After two days of travelling on a bus we were tired and grimy so we grabbed the first place we came across. Unfortunately, it was hot and stuffy and run down, so the next day we found a more civilized place (for $100 pesos cheaper).
On Saturday (January 22/11) we went zip-lining in the forest canopy. It was not a great one but it was both Mel's and Paul's first time and they both found it awesome. The line was about 1.5km in total but the best part was the view from atop.
On Sunday (January 23/11) we went whitewater rafting on the Mudora (????) River…..now that was awesome. There were about a dozen Class III and IV rapids and we rafted for about 2hours. Again this was Mel's first time but she loved it!!
On the second rapid we got caught in a sinkhole and we were stuck there for what seemed like eternity. The raft kept filling up with water and she threatened to flip at any time. We were all leaning on the right-hand side hoping we wouldn't flip!!
We were under the understanding that the water was about 4C but in fact it was probably closer to 10-12C. It took a little persuasion but I eventually talked Mel into going body surfing on the rapids that we were allowed to do so on. I think she loved it!!
After the rafting, which ended when the river crossed the Chilean border, we were bused back to where we had begun and the outfitter had a traditional Bar-B-Que arranged for us. Lot's of meat……a great finish to the adventure.
Last night, as with the night before, we beat around the extremely beautiful town of Bariloche having a few beers at the outdoor cafes. The weather here was quite different from Southern Chile/Argentina (30C yesterday) and it afforded us the opportunity to relax outside.
…….and now we're waiting and waiting and waiting…..and finally the fella arrives back from the hospital and we continue on our journey back to Chile.
DIARY ENTRY: Saturday January 29, 2011 4:52PM: Sitting in the airport waiting for our plane to Santiago.
So we arrived in Puerto Varas and it's nothing like Lonely Planet described…..nothing! Panic sets in!! Paul looks at the map and determines that we have to head in a particular direction…..this turns out to be correct. We figure out later that the bus station had changed locations and this is why we seemed so out of place.
We arrive in downtown Puerto Varas and check with a tourist place that recommends a small family run hotel, that at the time, seemed quite a distance from the downtown core….as it turns out it was less than a 10 minute walk up a hill and cross the train tracks. This turned out to be the best hotel we stayed in!!! That aside we decided to get the ball rolling and booked a condoning trip for Tuesday (01/25/11).
So we went on the thrill-a-minute canyoning excursion. This consisted of sliding, jumping and repelling down a series of waterfalls. Some so small we were like seals gliding over the rocks to some that were 6-10 metres high. The rocks are worn smooth to such an extent that it was much like a waterside park….except not!! There were a few where we went face first and many were feet first or a free-for-all. And then there was the jumping. At first Paul went up and jumped off a rather high (maybe a 5 metre high cliff) but I was having nothing to do with that. Afterwards however we found we were jumping off higher and higher places. I have a real fear of falling so this was quite the accomplishment for me. The final slide (a free-for-all) that was maybe 3 metres brought us to the 34 metre waterfall. One look down and fear starts to creep in! Mel was the first to go over, but she decided that she would prefer to be lowered as oppose to repelling. Afterwards she told me when she reached the bottom the guide said there was one thing left to do……she asked what? and he said you had to jump the remaining 5 metres to the bottom….and like a trooper she did. :)
Paul was next to go and then it was my turn. At first it was a little nerve wrecking since I could not see the bottom, and of course this meant you had no view of how far things were. I decided to repel myself down and off I went….for the first two metres it was repelling and then you went over an overhang and you were suspended in thin air. The descent down was really quick and likewise when I reached the bottom I was told I had to jump the remaining distance. It was far down and I mean far down….I asked the guide if Mel had jumped and he said yes, so without further ado I pinched the nose and took the plunge!!!
On Wednesday (January 26/11) we decided to slow the adrenaline down a bit and went sea kayaking. This would be on one of the many fjords that are common in this area. The trip began on a river and for the first two kilometres we drifted downriver…..the only worries we had were fighting off the many great stouts that seemed to frequent the area. After the lazy glide down the Rio Cochamo we hit the fjord. The wind was coming in here pretty good and I wondered why our guide was heading in the wrong direction?? I later found out that this was because we had started at what normally is the end!!
We were on the water for about 5 hours and we stopped for lunch along the way. The paddle was very enjoyable because of the setting. Mountains, mountains everywhere mountains. We saw some dolphins feeding among the many mussel farms along the way. The Chileans love their mussels. We ended our trip on a small stretch of beach where we were supposed to start. All and all it was a perfect day on the water.
DIARY ENTRY: Monday January 31, 2011 8:32AM: Well here I am on the most remote island that's inhabited in the world…..Easter Island. Just got up and now I'm waiting for Mel to have her shower.
Last Thursday (January 27/11 - Puerto Varas) we decided to have a day of relaxation. So we spent most of the day wandering around. Went down to the beach on the lake in Puerto Varas and people watched for awhile…….sipping some beers, etc., One of the reasons for this was we (Paul & I) wanted to rest up for our planned assault on Volcano Osorno. At 2,600+ metres this is a relatively small mountain by my limited experience but it is also one of the most perfect volcano cones that I've seen.
We were picked up by our guide at around 7:00PM and we drove right up to the refugio that is situated at about 1,200 metres. Here we had a lunch and hit the sack.
At first we walked in the dark for about two hours up a scree slope. This was just a slog but slowly the sun came up and the sunrise was spectacular. At around 7:00AM we reached the first of the glacier that covers the upper part of the mountain. Here we strapped on our ice gear and started out. At first it was no big deal, since the slope was only minor but as the day progressed the slope became more and more steep. Eventually fear started to kick in and I asked our guide to rope us in. While doing this he lost a piece of climbing gear down the slope and into a crevasse. It was at this time I realized that Paul was equally concern about our abilities to climb this mountain…..but our guide didn't see a problem with us progressing without this piece, so off we went.
Again the slope got steeper and steeper and eventually we were no longer trekking but mountain climbing and this was something I had never done before…..this was also when the real fear factor kicked in and I began to question myself exactly what it was that I was doing here. This wasn't helped by the knowledge that the week before two French climbers had plummeted to their death.
Finally, we reached the part of the mountain where just before the peak we had to ice climb over an overhang…..and this is the exact point the two Frenchmen fell. To make matters worst, our guide (and afterwards Paul) went first and I could not see them. Instead I had to rely on them pulling on the rope (3 times) to signal me to start. I edged myself along at what seemed to be a very slow pace….eventually I managed (without incident) to get to the top and then from there the peak is a short flat walk.
We had our lunch on top (it was a beautiful sunny day and the temp was about 6C) and then prepared to descend. The descent was equally frightening at first since we had to get back over the overhang and it was no easy task. Being first I went over the way I was told and everything was going well until I slipped. Fuck fuck fuck. But I survived and from here on Paul and I were repelled down the mountain. Otherwise, I'd still be up there because there was no way I was climbing down without being roped in.
Regardless, we made it and I'm alive to tell the story. I'm about to go make some breakfast now and explore Easter Island.
DIARY ENTRY: Saturday February 26, 2011 5:57PM: Here in Pucon. We arrived in Puerto Montt on Monday (February 21/11) and took an hotel for the night. For some unknown reason we slept-in the next day (February 22/11) (it may be due to the fact that there were no windows in our hotel room). We grabbed a bus to Chiloe and after about four hours we arrived in Castro.
Castro is a nice quaint town but after spending a few hours here we realized that there was precious little to do. So after considering all our options we decided that our best option was to exit stage left.
The next day (February 23/11) we hopped on a bus and headed for Pucon. After about 10 hours we reached our destination and decided to settle into a fancier hotel than normal.
Today we made arrangements to climb the volcano and other activities. After we got our laundry and other things done, we headed for the beach here in Pucon.
On Sunday (February 27/11) we rented a couple of mountain bikes and headed for a lake that was 24 kms from Pucon. It was an uneventful ride, albeit a tad on the warm side. We started out on pavement but soon switched to a back-country dirt road and this was more interesting. We stopped at an interesting waterfalls before reaching our destination, Lake Caraurgua. After having a beer there we headed back (via the highway) to Pucon.
Yesterday (February 28/11) our adventure began very early (4:00AM) as we were to be picked up at 4:30AM to start our climb of Volcan Villarrica. This volcano is still active, but at 2,874 metres it isn't very high. The climb starts out on the ski slope area and for the first hour its basically on the scree slope. This is the hardest part simply because I forgot my headlamp and there is no frost in the scree. After we hit the glacier the trek was zig-zag up the mountain face. Five hours after starting we peaked and saw the massive smothering crater. Looking down into the sulphuric smoke we couldn't see any of the red lava that had glowed atop the volcano when we were hiking up. The glow, obviously a reflection of the lava off the smoke, but in the daylight this wasn't as easily seen.
The descent was unique as someone had cut chutes into the glacier and we had to slide down these chutes on something similar to a crazy carpet. It was a bizarre way of descending but immense fun!!! The trip down took about an hour.
Today, I have to go get money from the bank. My debit card had been froze for 3 1/2 weeks and I finally got it re-activated as I need to repay Paul. At 4:00PM we go for a Ducky Ride!!
Yesterday (March 01/11) we went for our Ducky ride!!! The ducky is an inflatable kayak and you float down a white water river the same way you would whitewater rafting except instead of having 8 people and a guide on board, you only have yourself. You are the master of the trip!!
So there was just two of us and our kayak guide on the river. We started out on calm water and slowly started drifting downriver. Before long we hit the first Class III rapid and we sailed thru it pretty good. Thereafter it was a thrill a minute!!! I loved it!! At one time a Class III+ rapid turned me sideways….I tried to do a sea kayak brace, my paddle got swept in under the ducky and I overturned. It was the only time I went over!
Now it's movie time and maybe later I'll go write my update.
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