Week 13 and 14

So we arrived in La Serena, home to some of the clearest skies in the world and the Valley of Pisco, also known as Pisco Elqui.
Undecided on what we wanted to do and if we could afford it, we wander round the town. We bumped into Pete and Jen again, so they joined us on a search for a cheap tour. By the off chance we walk past a tour agency just before its was about to close. Next thing we know we are paying for a full day tour of the Valley and the evening at an observatory. Panicking we spent too much, we decide to do something crazy and buy a night bus for just after the tour to a town further north and then another night bus to our desired destination of San Pedro de Atacama, the driest place on the Earth!

The following morning we were picked up and off up the valley we go. The sky was cloudy and we can't see how it will clear? Driving down the road past fruit and veg farms, we get to the point where they start to grow grapes for the Pisco. Suddenly the sky became super clear, not a single cloud was visible it was so bizarre. On the way up the Valley we stopped at a German engineered damn, and saw hundreds of vineyards. Finally we make it to Pisco Elqui, where we tried some Pisco (it tastes like Brandy) before heading down to have lunch at a Solar Restaurant food cooked off solar energy(which we though was bollocks as they had to cook for 30+ guests and they didn't have enough solar ovens!)

 The only oven that had something in!

 

After lunch we were dropped off in the nearest town where we waited to be picked up for our tour of the Observatory. 3 and a bit hours pass before we are picked up, and taken high up into the mountains to see the stars.
The tour was amazing the sky was so clear we could so many stars the black became the small specks of colour! We looked through telescopes seeing Mars, Andromeda, as well as giant clusters of stars and nebula. We had a amazing time.

So we returned to the Hostel picked up our bags and went straight to the bus station for our crazy travelling. First stop was Copiapo where the miners got trapped! We spent the day here hanging out in the square, seeing the Mineral Museum and experiencing an earthquake. At 9 that evening we got on the second bus to the desert. Crazily meeting up with the other English couple that we usually met with Pete and Jen and an English girl we met on the ferry through the Fjords.

After another bad nights sleep on the bus we arrived in San Pedro de Atacama. We headed to the Hostel where everyone has booked in (it was cheap). Over the next few days we book tours to Bolivia and the Salt Flats, the Moon Valley and Death Valley. The two Valleys we saw first and were crazy, the earth was so dry and slowly was being eroded to sand dunes. We watched the sun set and looked forward to next day and Bolivia.

However Bolivia didn't happen, problems with the boarder control we had to wait. Due to this we had to find another hostel and wait! Two days later we set off. The tour starts well, we see Flamingos and brightly coloured lakes. We take a dip in a hot spring before what we thought was more lakes and Flamingos. But this didn't happen we started to drive to Uyuni and our overnight accommodation. Unhappy we complained to the travel guides but our tour was cut from 3 to 2 days. Annoyed we went to bed. The next day we got up at 3.30 to see sunrise on the Salt flats and take silly photos as perspective on the lats is distorted. The Flats were breath taking (as we were at 3600m above sea level and we tried to run to see sunset!) We had a great time, loads of fun photos, then we went to a train graveyard to end our day.

The next day we had to stay inside as Bolivia were undertaking a census. Feeling like prisoners we played cards and Yahtzee, and read books. The following day desperate to leave the town we take a bus to Sucre and the judicial capital of Bolivia. The bus journey went without a hitch even with a change in Potosi the highest town in the world of its size (whatever that means??).

In Sucre we get a good value Hostel, grab a bite to eat and enjoy a meal for two for £5.
Over the next few days we explore the cities Indigenous Museums, Churches and Cemetery. On the last day we  went to a market town called Tarabucco which had beautiful kitts and weaves, before getting the bus to our next destination Samaipata and Che Guevara's Grave!

In the market square, do you think they are trying to scare us?

Week 12

We arrived in Pucon at night, found our hostel easily as it was on the same road as the bus station. We had tea and went to bed quite early for the few days ahead.

The next morning we couldn't decide on what to do. After a lot of dithering we ran out of options, it was a hike up El Cani then! Getting to the bus we bumped into an English couple which we had met before in Brazil and Chile. They were doing the same walk so we joined them and a girl who worked at our hostel and was from the States.

So we headed up the hill to reach the top with great views of the volcano's and the surrounding lakes. We were told it was tough, but my god was it tough, one and a half hours of walking up (and I mean up!) and we make the forest, one hour later we make a lake from there it was 45 mins even steeper to the Mirrador (the Peak). Shattered we made it to the top. The views were stunning.

As we climbed the hill we noticed there were a lot of Tarantulas in the under growth, this freaked out the other English girl and the American. As we relaxed on the top of the hill I suddenly noticed the American had one crawling on her back! EEEK! Whacking it away, we decide to head down the hill.
When arriving at the bus stop we noticed a local dog that was clearly underfed, like usual Caroline went up and stroked it, but this time she was joined in the fussing of a the dog by the American and the other English girl.

That night we went to some local hot springs to bath in, perfect after a day of hiking. The pools were amazing! 5 pools increasing in temperature with crystal clear water and relaxing under the stars. Perfect!

Caroline with Jonathan from India and Gaila from France,



The following day we had planned to go on a bike ride but it rained all day, only giving us an hour to do a small walk round the town. That evening we had a few drinks with people from the Hostel before setting off one more time on a night bus to Santiago.

Arriving in Santiago early in the morning we made the most of the day, visiting the Memorial Museum to the lost lives of the Pinochet and an Art gallery. The following day, we went on a walking tour of the city, visiting Art galleries, important government buildings, a torture house, and a fish market, where we had lunch with a German couple from our Hostel. The food was amazing, the couple were so German it was funny and awkward! The city had a great vibe and we had a really enjoyable day. The following day we went to a Vineyard on a tour, it was the Winery that produced the Casillero del diablo wine. However the tour was short and the wines we tasted were cheap and nasty and felt like a real waste of money.

 Wow I look old!

Another week gone and we head further North to La Sarena, land of the clear skies and numerous Observatories.

Week 10 and 11

After another extremely long coach journey, with food that wasn’t worth the plastic and cardboard it was served in, we arrived in El Calafate. We got to our hostel and set about planning our time here. We decided to go and see the Moreno Glacier nearby then head to Chile.

The Following day we took the bus to the glacier, once again like at the Iguacu Falls they had a Nationals price and Internationals price for entry (I think our approach is more fair, rip off everyone and no one feels hard done by!) The Glacier was amazing, and huge. The formations of ice were beautiful, moving from a blinding white to deep blue in parts, it was fantastic to see. Yet with every explosion of ice hitting the water, which happened every few minutes, the unnerving thought that this mass of ice will be gone in about 30 years according to something we read on the internet!

The following day, we hit the road for Chile and Puerto Natales. The journey and boarding crossing went as smoothly as possible, and we arrived in Puerto Natales in good time to walk to the Hostel. However the bus station was new and the directions we had were incorrect and the four blocks to the hostel was more like ten or twelve, walking through the town we noticed the large number of dogs wandering about or hanging around in packs, Caroline enjoyed trying to stroke them (not feeding them this time!) A little tired we drop our stuff in the room and start the plans for the next excursion. The Torres del Paine, one of South Americas most popular hiking destinations, our aim to complete the W. As the temperatures were cold we went and bought a few more essentials like camping mats and a better sleeping bag for Caroline.

Over the following day we bought food, and got ours bags ready to leave early the next day. We asked a Korean lad (called Won or that was what he said to call him) to join us on the W as he was on his own and we read that it was not a good idea to undertake it alone.

All set we head off at 7.45 in the morning, the only advice we had for the course was if you see the Torres get off the bus at the first stop, seeing how it was raining we went to the next stop and got a Catamaran to our first campsite. We set up our tent, but Wons tent  blew away in the wind and we ran as fast as we could to stop it going into the lake. Retrieving it and then firmly fixing it down, he completed putting up the tent, then we ate lunch. Re-fuelled  and ready to go we headed north up the first section of the W. As we started the rain came down heavier, undeterred we move forward as it turned to hail. After an hour of walking and not being able to see a thing, I was doubting we could make it to the glacier even then would we be able to see it? So me and Caroline turn back, but Won pressed on. On the way back the rain got the best of my waterproofs, and become water absorbents and I started to feel the cold. The refuge had no heating so when  I took off my jacket to find I am soaked to the bone I realised, the best way is to sit in them and us my body heat to warm them up. Using lots of cups of tea, soup and rice, we drank and ate to keep us warm we dried out slowly before final  going to bed in the tent. The night was so windy our little tent felt like it was going to be whipped up and thrown across the field. The evening was cold but we survived. Porridge for breakfast, then tents were down and we went off to our next campsite. After three hours hiking we make the campsite, we tent up and grab a quick bite to eat then we head off again for the ascent to camp Britannia with views of the valley and some Torres. The conditions had turned to snow and as we moved higher up the mountain the snow became deeper and the winds stronger. It was all worth it the views were amazing, glaciers hanging off the mountains, views down into the valley and lake below and the final view point of some Torres. We descended a little slower than we went up but pleased we pushed through the conditions to get the view. That evening was colder and we awoke to find our tent covered in snow.

We got up, ate breakfast and hit the trail by 9.30, at 11.30 we hit the next campsite for some food and a small break, but we needed to push on. The trail from there climbed from lake side up to 295 m then down again before the massive ascent to the next refuge, this section was beautiful the weather was sunny and warm and we hoped it would keep. We made the next refuge at 4.30 another small break and cup of tea, we were ready for the next and final trail to the next campsite another 2 hours walking and mostly going up. After the massive hike we make the campsite, tired and ready for food we quickly set up camp and get cooking. That night we went to bed early, once again it was snowing and the night was cold. The next morning we got up early to try and see the Torres in the morning light. But the morning wasn’t a good one the wind was rushing fast and whipping the snow off the hills, through the blizzards we make it to the top, but the view didn’t break. Waiting ten minutes, cold and tired we head back down. This was a horrid experience the edge of the hill so clear dropping fast below us and the wind and snow swirling around us we descend slowly. After a careful and reserved decent we make the campsite, but it felt disappointing as the struggle had no magnificent view to be the  icing on the cake. Now we had to hike 9 km down the hill to make the bus home. The walk took it out of us the last metres felt like miles as we stumbled into the car park where we had to wait to get the bus back to the Hostel. We finally made it back to the hostel early that evening, where we crashed for the next two nights to recover and wait to get the ferry to Puerto Montt.

The day arrived for a ferry up the Fjords of Chile to Puerto Montt, we checked in  and wandered round the town till it was time to return for boarding. When we arrived we found the ferry was late due bad weather on the way down to us. Boarding the ferry ended up at midnight, we were shattered and went straight to bed. The next morning we awoke to see we still haven’t left the port. We had breakfast then went up to the top deck to find sofas in which to sit and read and pass the time (something we did a lot during the journey.)  When we final set sail the ferry meandered through a mass of islands, the views were spectacular. The islands ranged from little ones with a few trees on to ones that went up so high they were snow tipped. Everyone seemed to enjoy the tranquil path the ferry took. However due to the late departure it was night when we passed the two glaciers we were meant to see. The following day was less eventful as the it rained off and on through the day, the only interesting thing we saw was an island inhabited on the route which was miles from any other towns. Goods were dropped off for the locals and the ferry moved on. In the evening we hit open sea and the weather turned. That evening and the following day the sea was rough, me and Caroline were only able to get up to eat then we went straight to bed. The next day started off rough then went calmer but we were informed the boat was running late. The scenery was a little uninteresting as we could only see water and the whales and dolphins were nowhere to be seen? So more reading! We finally arrived at port one whole day late! So we changed our plans and hit the road for Argentina once more and the lake district town of Bariloche.

We arrive in Bariloche late afternoon. A local guy helps us getting the bus into town and gives us some advice on using the buses which turned out to be very helpful as it made our lives so much easier. We booked into a hostel  and went to plan our time visiting the lakes. We went to tourist information, wanting to know where the campsites were so we could plan a route round. We were kindly informed that to camp would cost the same price as the Hostel we were staying  in! So we changed plans, get the bus to the lakes for day trips it had to be! The following day we took the bus to a hill top viewing point which gave fantastic 360 views of the lakes and surrounding mountains. We walked down the hill, and around the nearby lakes, taking a break to eat lunch on one of the beaches, before continuing to a Swiss Colonial town. The views were stunning, Caroline felt this region was the most scenic she has ever been to.  After a long day walking we took the bus back to the town centre, bought our dinner and had a beer before bed time. The next day we got the bus once again to another lake, but the bus we wanted didn’t turn up so we took one bus to a point we thought we could get a bus from to the lake. Not knowing where to get off we jumped off too soon, so we decided to walk to a beach nearby. On our way there a dog decided to befriend us and followed us the 30 minute walk to the beach, Caroline loved it and gave her a dog for the afternoon. We had lunch on the beach, Caroline this time gave in and fed the dog. After some time relaxing we decided we needed to walk the dog back to where it joined us, then we got the bus back to the centre. In the town we ate some sorbet and I starred longingly at the chocolate for sale that i couldn’t eat!

The next day we took the bus back to Chile and our journey North to a town called Pucon, to see a Volcano and enjoy some hot springs!