From Puerto Williams we caught a ferry to take us through the magellan straights and Chilean fjordlands to Punta Arenas, from there we caught a bus to Puerto Natales, the gate way town for the famous Torres del Paine national park.
Julie and I had said goodbye to Kimberley in Punto Arenas and had a couple of days to organise the logistics for our next trek known as the W. It is called this because the route is in the shape of the letter W.
Going to Patagonia and trekking in the Torres del Paine had been a dream of mine for a long time, but on arriving in Puerto Natales and seeing the hoards of gortex clad tourists, I had a feeling I might be disappointed. We had been given lots of route advice from the 2 guys who ran the hostel we were in and after hireing a tent and stove and shopping for food we set off. First we had a 2 hour bus ride into the park which cost $30. Then there was the park entrance fee which was another $30, then there was the cost of the catermeran ferry to take us across to the Western side of the trek, another $24 dollars! The route is so popular there are now "luxury" refugios along the route and paying campsites, complete with insitue tents for hire. This enables those with a big budget or the lack of strength or will to carry their own gear the change to walk the route with a small day pack. To stay in a dorm in one of the refugios with full board costs about $180 a night. To hire a tent $8 p.p plus $6p.p campsite fees. We were far too cheap for any of that and were opting to carry all our gear and stay where possible on the free campsites along the route. The free campsites are in pretty out of the way and inconvienient places and it meant alot of walking with very heavy packs.
Once we disembarked from the catamaran we had a good 5 hour hike up hill to reach our camp. Although we were struggling a bit under the weight of all our food, the spectacular vista of a deep blue lagoon next to us, in which were floating pale blue icebergs was a great distraction. The park was full of shoulder high shrubs, laden with all sorts of colourful flowers. It was very pretty. Soon we were hiking up through woodland and across streams and waterfalls. Considering the amount of people that visit the park every day, the trail were really prestine and rubbish free. The woodland eventually cleared we could now see one of the highlights of the walk, the great glacier Grey.
The glacier is the most amazing shade of powder blue and every so often a chunk breaks off and slowly floats off down the lagoon. Near the glacier there are not one but two luxury lodges, complete with sun terraces and wooden lounge beds. This was not for us and we hiked on up into another forest. Eventually after a long steep hike we arrived at a little camp ground on not very even ground in the woods. There was a waterfall next to it and a few tents dotted aroung in the trees. There didnt seem to be many people around though. We soon realised why.....
As soon as we started putting our tents up we were attacked by a swarm of bugs and mosquitos. We had to put long sleeve hooded tops on to stop them from getting all over our arms and in our hair. We realised that everyone else on the camp site were hiding in their tents from this flying invasion!
Things werent any better the next morning and we were glad to get going. We had to hike back then same route we had come the day before and although we were going downhill, all the nice views were behind us and it was a little boring. Back at the Catameran camp we headed east to our next camping spot. This place was called Campamento Italianos. It was larger and nicer with less bugs than the previous nights camp, and after 8 hours walking we were glad to be there. The following day we left our tent erected and hiked up the Valley Francaise to a mirador at its top. The views of the mountains around us were really amazing, almost cathederal like.
Returning to the tent, we packed it up and hiked another 2 hours to the next camp. Campament Chileano. This is the thing about the W, theres alot of back tracking. Campamento Chileano was the only fee pay camp we were going to stay at, and that meant a hot shower, which was nice as the two past days had been pretty hot. We were now walking along side a large blue lagoon with pretty black and white pebble beaches. It was pleasant but a bit boring. The view was the same all the time and our feet hurt. We were on our way to campamento Torres, the last camp before the famous rock towers. We had a little plan in our minds that instead of camping with the masses, we might sneak our tent up to the viewpoint for the towers and sleep up there. The point being to see the sunrise. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the camp, there was a guard checking everyone in and as he had launched into some south african football anthem as soon as Julie had told him her nationality, and he had given us a tent pitch right in front of his hut, we might be noticed, if our tent suddenly disappeared mid evening. So we got up at dawn with the masses of noisy Israelis and hiked up to the towers in the rain, for a very damp sunrise.
I have only seen a tiny bit of Patagonia on this trip, but my general opinion is that its overly expensive, over rated and very busy. I would go back if I had plenty of money and could go off season, but I think there are plenty of other places to go first.
So, after a sad farewell to Julie, I spent my final couple of days in America in Santiago. Trying to avoid the teargas being thrown at students outside my hostel. I have had an amazing time, met some incredible people and made some good friends. I think I have learned a little about my self and a bit of another language. I have pushed my self physically, thats for sure and realised that we are all so much more capable than sometime we think we are. Its just a question of taking the leap. I don't have any regrets about leaving my job, although I miss my team, and I look forward to starting a new adventure when I finally return to the UK, but first.....
New year and New Zealand.
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