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9th Nov - Tour Start Date
Early start and then boarded our bright yellow tour bus ´Peggy´ and got chatting to our fellow passengers. This was the start of 3 weeks of sooo much fun! Our group grew in the end to 34 people ranging in age from about 18 - 80yrs and they were lovely. Made some amazing friends on the trip.
Some of the highlights were:
1. The incredible scenery - Volcano Villarrica in Pucon, The beautiful lakes of the Chilean lake district, Mount Fitzroy in El Chalten - look at the photos - so lucky to have clear weather. The peaks and lakes of Torres del Paine. Despite the poor weather the views were stunning! and the beauty of Tierra del Fuego near Ushuaia.
2. Great bike ride - v. tough but beautiful scenery and lots of fun - about 10 of us tearing round Bariloche - lots of it was uphill but we were determined!
3. Loads of hiking - This was great - quite challenging at times and Jen was determined to keep up with the boys- ended up leading them! (Jen acquired the nickname GI Jen!). Covered some serious mileage on those hike days. 25km in El Chalten, 18 Km on the 'walk of Paine!' (the Towers walk at Torres del Paine). About 25Km on the Francis valley walk (2nd day of Torres). We actually considered turning around at one point. Then a short 18Km walk in Tierra del Fuego - but we were smashing all records on this one!!
4. Seeing Puerto Moreno glacier - Enjoyed a boat trip as well to get close - I really enjoyed the hot choc on this as well! By this stage I was a bit over all the ice!
5. Hydrospeed - this involved clinging to a small plastic board for dear life and trying to keep in a line down the river with the other 15 people also doing it while going over massive rapids. We were all off in different directions it was hysterical!! It was sooo scary though! the water level that day was really high and they had warned us that it would be alot more extreme as a result - well it was mad!! Loved it but we were spun around like crazy and a few times we went under some pretty big waves! I had no control at all, the water current was so strong so the guide had to catch me whenever he wanted us to try and pull over to the side or when some huge rapids were ahead!
6. Horse riding - fun! Rich had crazy horse that basically wanted to get home! so ran! alot! so funny watching him cantering off into the distance!!! (Rich - My arse is still sore!)
7. Penguin colony - fun but for me once you´ve seen one...! hadn´t showered for days at this point either as had been camping so desperate to get to our hostel to wash! Rich loved it though and has alot of camera footage of this! (warning to you all!)
8. The nights out!!! Rich - At the end of the tour we all started to let our hair down and have a bit of fun - some more fun than others!!!! - No not Rich. But Jen!! - She was an absolute legend - she was seriously the life and soul of the party!! Whilst hubby is trying to control the budget buying the local beer (Basically piss water!) Jen is ordering 20 peso piscos, cocktails and Martini´s. My overriding memory was Jen asking the barman how much a Vodka, lemonade and Lime was? Thanks Jen! One night we had drank a few bottles of wine and were getting reasonably merry. Then Jen takes it to another level. She basically forced (ok I didn´t need much persuading) some of the group to go to the pub after the meal. When she arrived she shouted at the Argentian barman that she wanted Sex on the Beach (the cocktail for those non-cocktail drinkers). What she received could only be described as sewage water - which she and a couple of others knocked back over a few drinking games. Then Jen decides that she fancies listening to some different music. So there´s Jen standing at the bar shouting and I mean shouting at the barman (who couldn´t speak a word of English - but did find the whole thing quite amusing!) that she wants 'Chessy music.' All I can here from the other side of the pub is 'Got any Britney?, Kyle?, Madonna, S Club?' - Ok Jen I think it´s time to go home!! She did become a bit of a legend that night - all the group absolutely loved her to bits! She provided everyone with some first rate entertainment!
9. The people we met! Real mix of ages and characters. 34 people ranging from 19 to 78!!!! Lots from the uk but others from Holland, Germany, Spain, US, Canada, Austria and Australia. Everyone got on really well but there was a vets group (the olds - over 60´s) and the young guns! Loads of girls who all got on and a few lads who bonded straight away! Star of the tour was 76 yr old Rita who reminded me of Grandma! She just went for everthing and had an amazing time - always happy and had so much energy!
10. The weather - Apparently it should have been wet, windy and cold but it was beautiful and hot the whole time except for our 3 days of camping (typical!). Actually sunbathed in Ushuaia (the most southernly city in the world!).
11. The food and wine - steak - mmmm! lots and lots and lots of meat!!
Saying goodbye was so awful!
After a few lonely days in Ushuaia we flew up to Buenos Aires for a couple of nights and then boarded a bus for 18 hrs up to Iguassu where there are the amazing waterfalls. Have also met up with an Australian couple we met on the tour while we have been here which has been fun. The weather is incredible - spent last few days sunning ourselves by the hostel pool!
Tomorrow we board the bus back to Buenos Aires for another 18 hrs - yuk! Not too bad though - champagne, wine, whisky, breakfast, lunch, snacks, 3 course dinner etc so can´t really complain! Then off to place called Rosario to sun ourselves some more along the river! Hard life!
Love to you all - keep those blogs coming - some of you are slacking!!!!
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