Shelley's World Travels: 6th January 2007

2 Jan - Punta Arenas to Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego (End of the world, or is it?)

Above: Patagonia is flat, vast and windy. This photo was taken as we crossed at the Chile - Argentina border on route to Ushuaia

After traveling several thousand kilometers south of Buenos Aires, we felt compelled to see the journey through to its natural conclusion. We decided we would head to Ushuaia, the most southerly point in Argentina. The downside of this decision was the twelve hour bus trip that was required to reach Ushuaia. On arrival we were pleasantly surprised by this lovely town, surrounded by mountains and nestling on the Beagle Channel. The light was bright and intense (it is daylight in Ushuaia until 11pm, dawn breaks at 4am). The wind was cutting, but we plodded around the town enjoying the fresh air, (a welcome relief after breathing salami fumes for 12 hours - urgh). We found a little Irish bar, lovely g&ts, oh dear, where is our guest house again?

We have taken in the maritime museum, the old prison museum, the double decker city bus tour (takes an hour and that is dragging it out) and we visited Tierra Del Fuego National Park. Trekking concluded in a visit to a beaver colony. Most impressed by the sheer scale of the beaver dams. Didn't see any beavers though which was a shame and surprising as there are over 100,000 beavers in Tierra Del Fuego. Introduced (of course) by early European settlers, the beaver fur business didn't succeed, but the beavers continue to happily breed and munch their way through vast areas of native beech tree forest.

Above: Aboard the route master, double deck bus tour. Reminded me of happy days riding the 237 to Shepherds Bush - although there is less chance of mugging in Ushuaia. Note, my very dodgey flicked hair.

It is legal to hunt beavers in Patagonia and there are eradication programs in place. Jon Moger (if you are reading), I can not think of a more perfect holiday for you - peace, tranquility, beautiful mountains, hip flask full of Argentinean cabernet and 19 long hours of daylight for shooting beavers.

Above: Beaver dam in Tierra Del Fuego National Park

Patagonia is divided between Chile and Argentina, and this is also the case at this southerly point, on the island of Tierra Del Fuego (Land of Fire). Ushuaia (on Argentina side) is said to be the most southerly 'city' of the south American continent. However, Chile can claim the most southerly `town´of Puerto Williams, which beckoned us from across the Beagle Channel. We spent a few hours making enquiries about how we could get to P.Williams etc. and long story short, instead of a hundred dollar ferry ride, we purchased a muchos expensive five day cruise, which will take us to the undisputed, most southerly point and the real end of the world, Cape Horn, (and we get P.Williams thrown in for free).

31 Dec - Torres Del Paine to Punta Arenas - Happy New Year

We transferred from Torres Del Paine National Park to Punto Arenas on New Years Eve. After a four hour hike before lunch, a 30 minute boat ride and over 7 hours of traveling by bus, we arrived in Punta Arenas. First impressions were poor and things did not improve. We reluctantly headed out into the driving wind and rain at 9pm in search of the party people of Chile. After finding all recommended bars and restaurants firmly shut, being growled at by angry dogs and tripping over tumble weed, I was beginning to feel doomed. Add to this, five giant blisters, hunger pains, soaking wet jeans and a bitter wind - you guessed it, I was in a MOOD.

As we turned the corner, (not stopping to admire the container ships and abandoned warehouses), we spotted the twinkling lights of a restaurante tourista. Next door to the restaurante tourista, was Broccolinos. We were greeted by a smiley waiter who showed us to the one remaining table in the restaurant and presented us with a special New Year's menu. Hooray, hooray, hooray, warm, dry, Chilean Cabernet on its way, and its a Happy New Year. A strange group of foreigners wished each other Happy New Year after we counted down to 2007. The container ships honked their fog horns and 3 flares briefly illuminated the black, wet sky. Adam refused to put his all into Auld Langs Syne, which I found disappointing. After several glasses of bubbly, and when Adam asked a Danish couple if they have many glaciers in Denmark, I thought it was time to go. A very nice evening was slightly marred by a long trudge home, throbbing blisters and a rottweiler springing out of nowhere causing me near heart failure.

Above: New Years Day in Punta Arenas

New Years Day consisted of Adam making constructive comments like, ´I am so depressed, I wonder how many people shoot themselves in Punta Arenas, I have never hated a place as much as this, I hope this is not a sign of things to come in 2007.' I sniffed out the only open Chocolateria in Punta Arenas, ordered grumpy Filby a toasted ham and cheese sarney and a large coke and luckily the mood picked up.

28 Dec - 31 Dec Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile

From El Chalten Argentinana, we traveled across the border to Puerto Natales, the gateway town to Torres Del Paine National Park.

Spent four wonderful days in the Torres Del Paine National Park and followed one of the popular trekking routes, 'The W', which takes in the highlights of the park, namely three impressive valleys, the famous granite towers (Torres Del Paine - meaning blue towers in native Indian, as the mountains ascend from a blue glacier lake to reach the sky) and the beautiful Lake and Glacier Grey (grey, as in grey - rather than the glacier milk of other glacier lakes we have seen which produce beautifully blue lakes, the minerals churned by this glacier turn the water a murky grey colour).

We stayed in refugio accommodation (ohhhh, hostals, yuk) but they were actually very nice apart from the BO and snoring. We had a lovely guide who accompanied us on our treks and shared information on the fauna, flora and the geology of the park. Filby doesn't always pay much attention to the detail, and I was most impressed during one hike when he starting naming mountain peaks and discussing their relative heights. I soon realised his hand was covered in ink - little cheat. Adam and Sherkan (a Turk in Chile don't ask) did have lively conversation regarding the merits of opening a kebab van in the park and of having dreadlocks. I ignored them and desperately tried to remember names of plants and birds that surrounded us.

Highlights of Torres Del Paine

Walk to the Torres Del Paine (Towers), great hike and scramble over snow covered boulders to reach the glacier lake and final view of the Torres. We ate our lunch in a snowy rock shelter. During our four hour descent, the sun shone and we enjoyed a cat nap lying alongside a babbling brook.

An adult condor flying very close overhead and watching young condors practice their flying skills, circling and trying hard to catch thermals. Only 20% of young condors pass this stage of their lives, others crash land.