March 2nd 2019: Halfway, in Patagonia

The music in this blog is from the Eagles, the song "the Last resort" in which they sing about how paradise can be destroyed by humans. Driving through the beauty of Parque Nacional Torres del Paine you can really understand this. By the way, CONAF does a really good job in this park. Enjoy while you read!

This seal was baking in the sun that finally came out on Friday 22 February after a few very grey days on Chiloe Island and in Puerto Mont. It decided that this buoy attached to our ferry was a great place for a nap.....making the ferry leave 2 hours late!
No, just joking about the sea lion but indeed the ferry did leave 2 hours late, as per the trip advisor reviews we had already read online before booking. I guess they just now have to live up to their name of always being late :-). This 4 day ferry trip alongside the coast of Chile through the countless fjords and passing numerous islands we booked for the experience of seeing that part of Chile where there are no roads just boats, but also because it would deliver us nicely in 4 days about 1700 km to the south, in Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia. This way, we are driving back up via the Carretera Austral to Puerto Mont, not doubling up and seeing the best of both water and road landscapes.

The departure delay gave us a chance to have a chat with other passengers that were also boarding and hanging out outside enjoying the sun. At some point there was an assembly with some general pointers about the trip where nationalities were asked. We were the only Dutchies on the ship, but there was also only one Kiwi couple. Of course we had to catch up right away, they were from Wellington!

The majority were French, German, American, a few from other European and Asian countries, one Aussie and a few lost Spanish speaking Chileans and Argentinians.

This photo shows the first yoga class I attended on Saturday, on the deck, very cold and breezy but hey it was lovely to do some yoga again. After this time it was too cold so we moved into the bar, which didn't really work way, too noisy. I also missed out on whales and dolphins one day and Orcas the next so the last class I sort of skipped to watch the glaciers and more dolphins.

The dolphins in these sounds are like our Hector Dolphins - tiny  in black and white and of course so gracious and beautiful. This scenery reminded us a lot of our awesome Dusky Sound trip we did a few years ago - and of how lucky we are to live in NZ!

In the meantime we had bonded with the nice (gay) couple from Poland, very interesting to talk to with a good sense of humour and in love with NZ after two trips. We also talked a few times with Malik from Kazachstan (!), very well traveled and he provided some real insights into life his 20 year 'old' country which was formed after Russia fell apart.

This shipwreck provides for the entertainment during the trip as we heard the story of how the captain on purpose tried to sink the ship to claim the insurance pay out by steering towards a large rock that is located under water. Something in his speed calculations went wrong and he grounded the ship on the rocks rather than blowing a hole in it and sinking it.

He did make the insurance claim but when they came out and investigated it was very clear it was done on purpose so he didn't get his money but a prison sentence...his name isn't mentioned as that would be shameful for the family. But since 1968 this provides for a good story en route.

The other entertainment on the ship was yoga classes, a visit to the bridge (automatic pilot rules) and in the evenings a film in the (alcohol free) bar. Good Chilean films too, so that was nice. The third night it was games with ping pong balls followed by bingo and kareoke. The games were fun to watch but bingo is really a bridge too far so the rest we missed for our books and our forbidden and hidden night cap in our hut.

Yeah, after 5 and a half months of dry and mostly warmish to warm weather we had to change the content of our usual travel bag to winter clothes - it felt weird but boy did we need it. The wind was fierce and very cold but as you can see Mr Dutch Orange is ready for it and still smiling. We arrived in Puerto Natales as predicted 3 hours late and had to wait 2 more hours to free our car (which was convenienly parkedway in the back) to finally leave the ferry at 9pm.

But we made it and it was a great trip, beautiful rugged scenery. And as you can see on this photo Puerto Natales outlook from the waterfront over the old pier is one to remember as well, just stunning.

We were going to spend one day here and decide whether to visit Torres del Paine first or drive south first. The weather forecast made that decision easy, it was going to be dry for the park and possibly also sunny, so Torres it was. Beautiful sculpture at the waterfront, you can feel the wind by just looking at it, I loved it.

Because we didn't book anything in the Park months in advance which is needed and didn't want to pay 600 us$ a night for available hotel rooms, we decided to get up early for two days and do two long day trips to the park, while staying in our perfectly fine budget hotel. On the photo a very cool street art painted hostel featuring native birds.

The alarm set for 5.45 and at 6.30 am we were driving the about 1.5 hrs to the park. Which despite the very early hour was no punishment as the closer we got to the park the more stunning it became with the sun coming from behind us lighting up the mountain range in the park.

After a few stumbles, finding Hans his phone and driving back and forth, we were underway at 9.15 am, together with about 50 others to do the 8 hour hike uphill to the base of the Torres del Paine, the famous towers that give the park it's name. That number was growing during our hike and in the first hour we thought o.m.g. this is as busy and touristic as the Tongariro Crossing! A funny thing we saw was a Chinese lady with a face mask. The air you breath here is most likely the cleanest on earth!

And yes it is, because everyone wants to do this iconic hike. Because it is pretty steep uphill for at least 1.5 hrs right from the start to, the queue was falling apart pretty quickly and when people were resting passing was easy. In some parts we didn't see anyone so all in all it wasn't too bad. The views into the valley were beautiful, the colour of the raging river and snowcapped mountains. And yes, you can also do it on horseback.

After the final steep part where you have to scramble very steeply uphill over rocks for more than 340 m., you arrive here; the base of the three granite towers called Torres del Paine. It was a tough hike but the hard work paid off - beautiful spot for our lunch. We also managed to find a rock where someone could take our picture without other people in it. The glacier you see used to extend all the way down into the valley and the lake that is now there formed about 17 years ago we were told. The effects of global warming are so visible here, makes me sad to think that maybe in 20 years from now there is no glacier at all... we are just very lucky to be able to walk and see this now. Downhill was again a long slog, but we passed so many young people we had overtaken on the way up who still had way to go while we already had our 45 minute lunch break and were on the way down - very satisfying :-). Our muscles told us another story the next day but that's all in the game.

Day two again early rising but we gave ourselves 30 minutes more so underway in time and driving another route to another entrance into the park, about 2 hrs. This time the mountain range against the wide yellow pampus fields.

We had time to do one of the shorter walks to a mirador before we had to check in at the overpriced boat tour that was going to let us experience Lago Grey and the Grey Glacier.

Because we were early we were alone on the track and the lakes were still and reflecting the mountains. In the little clip is the cascade Grande, beautiful light blue waters from the glacier dust (like Lake Pukaki in New Zealand). We did the 2 hour walk in 1 hour because we had to, was good to give those sore muscles some extra stretching. As we returned 3 full touring bus loads were just starting the track - so good timing!

After a walk on a very stormy Lago Grey shore we boarded the catamaran for the 3 hour boat ride lake. The stunning blue colours of the ice bergs that had broken off the Grey glacier a few days before, floating on the lake against that amazing mountain back drop.

The Grey glacier is 6 km. wide and 24 km's long and drops into the lake a three points. Just stunning against the rocks that show the tracks of older glaciers.

Interesting fact, as with all parks in Chile is that we as foreigners pay 21,000 CLP (47 NZ$) entry fees against Chileans who pay 4,000 CLP (9 NZ$). This way all Chileans can still visit the park, not stay there though that's only for rich Americans mostly and a lot of backpackers who can also pay 85 us$ per night for a camping spot. We are so unbelievingly soft in NZ to think we'll scare tourists away when we start charging tourist tax. Chile proofs that it doesn't work that way. You've come all the way to see this, so you will pay, even if you are sleeping in your van or backpacking.........

And yes, my little blue beanie with Icebreaker on it is very fitting here. It also covers nicely my way too red and way too dark hair.....an oopsy of DIY hair dying in a hotel room. It will be back to 'normal' by the time I get home in September :-)

This is my favourite photo, the way the glacier 'walks' into the lake. Painted landscape, un pintura. After our very non exhausting boat trip including a Pisco Sour with glacier ice (touristy but very nice) we drove through the park again stopping at a few more miradores where we even saw some flamingos.

Just outside the park along the route we saw this herd of Vicuñas including quite a few little ones. So awesome how nature can provide these special moments.

And Nandu's or Suri's (no, they are not from Suriname) as they call them here locally. Just in the wild, ignoring any fencing as they easily hop over them just like the Vicuñas. After two days we decided that we could tick the box on Torres del Paine. We decided to not take another expensive boat trip to the Serrano glacier in the O' Higgins Park from Puerto Natalas, as the photos looked very much like our own Fox Glacier. How spoiled we are living in NZ haha!

It was time to head further south to Punto Arenas, the most southern large town in Chile (Puerto Natales is like Paraparaumu).  Along the route we were surprised by this very still, wind free lake with lots of Chilean flamingos in it. Surprised because we thought it would be way to cold for them down here. Pretty in pink!

As Punta Arenas has a tax free zone we decided to shop for new shoes for our 'beast' here as we would have to do that anyway in the next month or so. So better do it now at good prices, a good 800 NZ$ less than the quote we got in Puerto Mont. Nice new tracks, good way to 'celebrate' the fact that today we have been on the road for 6 months exactly - 6 more to go! It was also funny that the tyre sales guy asked if we were from Holland and then told me that he had family living in Enschede, which is the town where I grew up. Small world and all that :-). Ok, until next time - hasta luego.