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This is our second visit to this wind swept corner of Argentina. We had a crazy 39� hour bus ride from BA to here, and just as we were setting off we had news from the girls that they had arrived safely after hitch hiking to the capital. They had stories to tell, had spent a night in a casino, and I think it had only taken 3 times as long as the very expensive bus.�
So, anyway, we got into to Rio Gallegos at 1am. Jim was STARVING, as the bus had not stopped long enough to get food, and once again, we promised, no more silly bus rides.�
Instead, we hired a car, keen to really investigate the famed inhospitable lands of Patagonia. Our first morning took us to the border with Chile, heading towards Ushuaia. Did you notice from the map the strange border configuration?� WHY? Well to cut a long border crossing story short, we were extremely annoyed to be turned back because the registration document belonging to the car was a photocopy, not the original. We asked the border guards to ring the hire company to warn them that we were returning, and the reason why - our nearly fluent Spanish might have been challenged by the level of technical difficulty here! On returning� to the hire company, some 65 km away, they gave us the owners car with a proper document. Back we drove. The whole bureaucractic process took around 3 hours, including queueing at 4 separate desks for the Argentinian side, and� 3 at the Chilien . Notice the configuration of the borders? Some 2 hours later we had to do it all again. And don't get me started on the fruit and veg queue!
The area around Ushuaia was beautiful. (The most southerly town in the WHOLE WORLD)Our campsite looked out over the Beagle Channel, we had views of the mountains of the Tierro del Feugo and the brave vessels beneath, braving the fierce some winds. We picked up a Czech back packer on the way to the National Park, in honour of the girls, (living it up in BA,) and then spent a very happy day walking the coastal tracks of del Feugo. We both went beaver hunting, an introduced animal, but I'd never seen one before. We found plenty of dams, drowned trees and beaver chewed wood. Unfortunately the creatures themselves were hiding from the rain, and also from our camera lenses.
Enjoying our flexibility of the car and tent once again, we spent a couple of days in Torres del Paine, containing probably the most photographed view in Chile. We had to pitch our little tent inside a cooking shelther to aviod the wind - which at� times was strong enough to hold your weight as you leaned into it! Some more pretty walks here, and we were very lucky with the weather.
New day, another National Park. This time in Argentina. One problem with all this moving about though, was that the car had a limit of 1800 km included in the price for 9 days. Above this we had to pay per kilometre. Parque National los Glaciares seemed� quite inaccessible for the average tourist. So, we did what everyone else visiting the park does! We drove to the car park, had� a last minute boat trip to the snout of the glacier in the reddening sun set. The glacier is famed for the chunks that collapse after a hot day, and as we were walking the 'board walks' we were treated to a section of the glacier that had been weakened by the sun during the day. The resulting crash echoed across the lake, and the chunks of ice dissapppeared under water for a considerable time before reappearing!
After that, a night in a campsite run by stray dogs! They were cold, so slept close to the tent to benefit from our warmth, and the following morning a frantic drive back to Rio Gallegos to get the car back in time.
Perhaps we've not picked the best time to visit this area. In Argentina they are currently commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict....we notice on all the maps of the world in Argentina the islands are marked as Argentina's possession! We wanted to go to a museum to get their view on the islands - but it was closed for refurbishing. Instead, the internet provided a valuable insight into their claim. Perhaps they do have a point?
Tomorrow, a short bus ride back to Chile, and to Puntas Arenas, ready for our flight to Coyhaique.
Apart from the constant pestering from dogs, it is nice to feel that we are in more of a developed country again. We are appreciating the small things too, like being able to buy our own provisions, and cook them on our stove. Who would have ever thought that we would miss pasta and sauce??�
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