Torres del Paine
Monday morning (27 March 2006) we left via a public bus to the world-renowned Torres del Paine National Park. After a 3 hour journey, we arrived at the park entrance and started hiking - carrying enough food for roughly 9 days. We intended to do the "W"-route which leads one into 3 different valleys of the main mountain range.
The 1st day was mainly uphill into a beautiful valley where we rented a tent and camped at Chileno Refugio (mountain hut). Prices in the park are exorbitant so we avoided food and accommodation in the refugios. We camped! It was freezing - even in our sleeping bags (freezer bags?!) with all our clothes on.
We were surprisingly blessed with very good weather - each day very different though. From windy and clear to slight drizzle the next day, no wind, etc. The last day of walking was a beautiful, sunny and wind still day. We walked the W-route from east to west and we were almost always on our own. Stunning vistas amazed us along the way.
On day 2 we hiked out and up to the famous Torres (granite towers reaching a height of about 2800m above sea level) - the almost vertical clean rock faces of over 1200m attract the world's more serious rock climbers. We stayed at Chileno for a second night.
The next day`s hike was downhill and level for about 14km until we reached the beautiful Cuernos Refugio next to a river of ice cold water. We decided to splurge and Janine ordered hot chocolate for herself and a coke for Johan (US$3 or R20 each). We also shared a pack of cookies :-). The hot chocolate was a jug of hot milk presented with a bowl of chocolate powder and a big mug. Janine was delighted!
Janine complained of a tight throat that night and woke up (not that we managed to sleep) with self-diagnosed bronchitis. The hiking - although very easy and spectacular - was a bit much for Janine who was feeling sicker and sicker all the time. Johan carried her for the last 5 kms - just kidding! He booked us into the refugio dorms (a 6 bed room which we got for ourselves because of Janine's illness) which set us back about US$75 for the night. This was a very smart refugio which could compare favourably with a hotel.
We carried two courses of broad spectrum antibiotics with us, but left the fact sheets in Puerto Natales. We were, therefore, relieved to find internet at the refugio and Janine quickly sourced the necessary info. We decided to head back to Puerto Natales the next day rather than continue hiking with Janine's illness. Travelling back we we fortunate enough to see about 50 condors circling above us at one of our pit stops along the way. Johan caught the moment on video.
Ons het Suid-Afrikaners raakgeloop wie ons vantevore op die bus vanaf die lughawe na El Calafate gekry het. Pieter en Petro (vanaf Heidelberg in Gauteng) se kinders is uit die huis en hulle toer nou deur Patagonia vir 4-5 weke. Dit was baie lekker om met "ons mense" te kuier. Hulle was in die proses om te probeer om op `n laaste boot na Antartika te gaan. Die aand in Puerto Natales het hulle ons uitgevat vir pizza! Dit was ongelooflik lekker en beslis een van die beste maaltye wat ons al gehad het op ons trippie tot dusver! Ons het weer eens verskriklik lekker gekuier. Hulle is twee dae later weg om te kyk of hulle nog dalk by Antartika kan uitkom...
Culture shock: While walking on the trail, we saw a parrot - wild and unperturbed by our presence!
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