6-7th November 2009 – Days 1-2 – London, São Paulo, Buenos Aires

I’ve got that airport feeling again! I’m in an unusually quiet Heathrow Terminal Five and British Airways is offering me €600 and a free night in an airport, to fly tomorrow instead of this evening. The thought doesn’t even cross my mind: In 15 hours I simply have to be in Buenos Aires, the starting point of my adventure to Patagonia.

I’m in for a surprise as my supposedly direct flight stops in São Paulo and refuels before the last few hours to Argentina. It’s not quite another pin in the map, but I can’t complain about an unexpected stop in Brazil when I only left my office a few hours ago!

Buenos Aires is exactly as it’s described in my guidebook; it’s big, European-looking and clearly brimming with life. I didn’t expect so many skyscrapers and I’m also pleasantly surprised by the amount of green.

I take a taxi along the widest road in the world and dump my 90 litres of luggage at the hotel. It’s time for lunch so it’s great to meet three separate guys who are doing a different trip from me, starting in Buenos Aires and then heading north towards Rio. They’re a good bunch and we see some main sites such as Plaza de Mayo, Florida and Casa Rosada (not forgetting accidentally walking into a huge gay parade!) before finding a restaurant and my first Argentine steak and beers.

It’s a city that impresses and one that I immediately add to my very short list of ‘places I could see myself living’.

Back at the hotel, I meet my 15 new travel companions; everyone is lively and friendly so it bodes well for the next two weeks. It’s suggested we go to Estancia restaurant, with great local food (including an absolutely gigantic steak that I devour) served by men who are so old that it makes me wonder if the place was at all different in the 1950s!

8th November 2009 – Day 3 – Buenos Aires, El Chaltén

Five hours on a plane, three more hours on a bus and I’m finally in El Chaltén. I’m well and truly in Patagonia and the glaciers, snow-peaked mountains, crystal blue lakes and biting cold wind is all around me.

Despite the long day of travelling, it has been really enjoyable, getting to know the group and seeing the huge variety of landscapes fly by the window.

El Chaltén isn’t the prettiest town in the world, but the surrounding mountains are gorgeous, even if there’s a looming cloud, covering the jagged peaks in the distance. It’s another steak and some great local wine to knock me out before tomorrow’s long hike.

9th November 2009 – Day 4 – El Chaltén

It’s a long hike lasting nine hours, covering twenty-six kilometres of hugely varying geography. Apparently the weather has been horrendous recently, with violent winds, rain and snow preventing hikers from reaching the Laguna de Los Tres viewpoint at 1,400m. However, we’re insanely lucky; the clouds break and the wind is almost non-existent, giving an outstanding view of the Fitz Roy (El Chaltén) peak, screaming up to the bright blue sky. Deep into Patagonia, it feels like I’m a million miles away from home and it’s nature at its best.

It also is a great reminder of how fragile humans can be on earth; despite the lucky weather, occasionally the wind picks up or the sun gets hidden by clouds and it suddenly feels 30 degrees colder.

Back in the town, after a quick visit to the local chocolatier, it’s pisco sours all around and so much steak that I wonder if there are any cows left in Patagonia!

10th November 2009 – Day 5 – El Chaltén, Lago Viedma

The view from the bedroom window is even more beautiful this morning. The few clouds in the sky shift and leave a breathtaking mountain range all around El Chaltén. A short bus takes us to Lago Viedma, where a boat awaits. Despite the boat zipping through the freezing cold lake like a jumping dolphin, it takes an hour to reach the far west side. Yet it feels like so much less, as condors fly overhead, guanacos wander on the hillside and crystal-blue icebergs float around the shores of the lake.

When we reach the westside, the stunning Viedma Glacier appears, towering over the lake and rising back up into the distance. It’s a majestic sight and even more exciting since the next five hours will be spent trekking across it!

The rock beside the glacier is formed of vastly different colours and the contrast with the turquoise lake and deep blue sky is perfect for photos. With crampons attached to my foot, I start spiking my way across the glacier. It’s a strange feeling as I can hear the ice and water moving beneath me, and the constantly changing lanscape means the guides have to pick a route carefully around the deep crevasses.

There’s a short section of vertical ice that we practise climbing which is great fun, but surprisingly tiring, clinging to the wall of ice with axes and just a couple of spikes from my shoes.

As we approach a higher point of the glacier, we’re in for a treat: One guide starts hacking the ice with his axe and puts the chunks into some plastic glasses. Another then pulls out a bottle of Bailey’s! We salute and celebrate in style and I’ve another memory that will last me a lifetime, which can now be recaptured with a single shot!

There’s pizza and drinks before the three hour journey back to El Calafate, where a quaint wooden lodge awaits.

11th November 2009 – Day 6 – El Calafate, Perito Moreno Glacier

A greasy breakfast sets me up for what was to be one of the highlights of the trip: The Perito Moreno glacier. One of the few glaciers in the world that is still advancing, it splits Lago Argentino in half and every few years breaks and crashes into the water, connecting the two sides of the lake.

We approach the glacier on the winding mountain roads and suddenly it appears in the distance; the atmosphere and excitement is heightened even more by the Star Wars themes music played over the bus’ speakers! It’s truly apt, since the glacier spans kilometres into the distance and once again I feel like I’m on another world.

We stay a few hours and despite the average weather (it’s very cloudy and windy) I’m still enjoying every second, the dearth of photographs substituted by listening to the glacier creak and stir like the belly of a volcano. It’s truly alive and makes for an incredible acoustic experience as much as a visual one.

I could watch all day, eagerly anticipating each mountain of ice that breaks off into the lake, but our boat is waiting to take us near to its cliff-like walls. Only from the water level does the sheer size of it truly hit home. At 60m tall and with gigantic sheets of interconnected ice, it reminds me of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude!

There’s time to check out El Calafate, but unlike El Chaltén which is pretty desolate, this town is designed like it’s trying to make Americans feel more at home. However, the restaurant choice is great; we’re driven high above the town where the table-view is fantastic, the wine goes down well and I’m force-fed a few more Argentine herds. The night doesn’t end there though; Susanne, Sandra, Barry, Matt, Dana, Dom, Hannah and I decide to relive our Bailey’s moment and order a bottle to ourselves. That quickly disappears, then whiskey and cocktails come and go, Barry seemingly downs a bottle of wine and we all temporarily forget about the pending long journey to Chile tomorrow morning…

12th November 2009 – Day 7 – El Calafate, Puerto Natale

A few people look worse for wear, but fortunately it’s a comfy bus ride across the Andes. However, it is a long one, at around six hours, including a ridiculously long wait at the Chilean border as they inspect every single bag for fruit, vegetables or any other illegal items. Although the pace is slow, it’s all very friendly. In fact, it gets a bit too relaxed the guards start to play around with my camera-cleaning air-blower. They inspect my documents and say “Carlo!! Es Español?”

I naïvely reply with “No – soy Italiano!”, as he smiles and hands me back my British passport…!

A few hours of driving through horizontal snow and rain and we finally arrive in Puerto Natales. It well and truly feels like South America. This Chilean town is full of multi-coloured houses covered with sheets of metal, short locals wrapped up warm from the bitingly cold wind and plenty of authentic, local shops with only a few backpacking tourists stores in the very centre.

Matt and I find an indoor greenhouse of local shops, with hundreds of souvenir items being hand-crafted in front of our eyes. We stock up on supplies for the forthcoming days and then meet the others for dinner at Angelica’s. I’m all steaked out, so I choose a soup, followed by a salmon dish that turns out to be the best meal of the trip to date. It’s then time for bed before the real Chilean adventure begins!

13th November 2009 – Day 8 – Puerto Natale, Torres del Paine

This trip was always going to be about the hiking and the drive to Torres del Paine raises my already high expectations for one of the world’s best trekking destinations.

The snow-topped mountains are simply gorgeous, but the jagged Torres peaks live up to their name, towering over the huge national park. On the way we stop for guanacos, dozens of condors and landscape views of the mountain range with the indescribably blue lakes in the foreground.

Today is a 19km hike along the Rio Ascensio, the right-hand part of the famous ‘W’ route. The landscape changes around every corner as the steady uphill climb takes us through woods, alongside the freezing cold river (from which I adore being able to drink!) and over all types of rocky terrain.

According to the weather forecast, it was supposed to rain, but it turns out to be another stunningly clear day, meaning the contrast of cold, pure Patagonian air is cancelled out by the strong bronzing sun. I feel I’m always writing about how lucky I am with weather, but even the locals are shocked by our fortune; they tell me that since September there has been just one day as clear as today. It means the final, steep climb over the boulders to the base of the Torres is perfect. The towers stand invitingly at the top and every step takes me closer to one of the world’s most stunning locations. However, nothing prepares me or how amazing it is at the top: It’s simply spectacular and is an instant favourite amongst the greatest moments of my life.

The towers at the top of the climb would be impressive enough themselves, but the addition of the lake is just surreal. It’s in the perfect location and I can’t imagine a painter making up a more beautiful mountain scene. I’ve become rather friendly (!) with Susanne from our group, so it’s even more wonderful to sit with her and share such a wonderful view.

It’s mid-afternoon, so the shadows of the towers are creeping across the lake. I can imagine that at the right times of day, it could be an even more unbelievable visual treat, but I’m just thanking the heavens for such great weather. It’s a shame we can’t stay longer, but there’s the hike back to tackle, so we set off, hopping down to our starting point.

There’s a nice lodge at the base, with a bar that has great views across the hike we’ve just completed, so spirits are high as we celebrate with drinks.

An already wonderful day gets even better as we’re driven a few kilometres to a private campsite. We’ve got it all to ourselves and the view is sensational. We sit in a small cabin, with a wood-fire and some excellent food and drink, watching the sun set behind the mountains. The group has bonded so well and we laugh away the evening to an unforgettable day.

14th November 2009 – Day 9 – Torres del Paine

Nearly everyone slept badly. It was insanely cold at night and most people’s sleeping bags only keep you warm down to around -5 degree Celsius. I’m an idiot as my sleeping bag is suitable down to just +9 degrees!

However, the 05.45 sunrise is worth the cold night; the warm sunlight creates a magical red tint on the mountains. It only lasts a few minutes, but I snap away with my cold, numb hands before returning to the tent, with two thermal trousers, a pair of linen trousers, gloves, hat, two pairs of socks and four layers on my top-half. Finally, I get some sleep!

A couple of hours and a warm shower (!) later, I’m ready for another hike. Since sunrise, the clouds have covered the mountain tops and there’s even a dash of snow as we quickly visit the Salto Grande waterfall.

Next is the boat ride across Lago Pehoé. I’d love a photo of this stunningly blue lake with the mountains in the distance, but there’s not enough time on this three day visit.

From our second campsite, we hike an easier 15km along the Valley of the Río Francés. Occasionally the clouds shift and give a glimpse of the incredible scenery, but it’s less of a photographic treat than yesterday.

Nonetheless, it’s still impressive at the base of the Paine Grande, Torres del Paine’s tallest mountain, with glaciers melting into a fast-flowing river back to our starting point. It suggests that the weather can make such an enormous difference on the landscape. Walking back, the blue sky makes an appearance and although we’re retracing our steps, it sometimes feels like a totally different hike.

At the campsite, there’s more fun and drinking; I’m absolutely exhausted from my lack of sleep, so I don’t stay up too late and rest up.

15th November 2009 – Day 10 – Torres del Paine

Some of the group have picked up injuries and others wanted a warm room; it means I get to borrow a (decent!) sleeping bag and I get a much better night’s sleep.

I unzip my one-man tent and it’s like someone has moved me in the middle of the night; the visibility is much better and I realise what a great spot I’m in. After breakfast it’s a much gentler hike of 11km to the Grey Glacier. It’s another day of hugely varying landscapes. I particularly like Lago Grey; it looks so inviting for a pleasant swim, but its numerous floating icebergs say otherwise! There’s a windy peak where we get a great view of the glacier, before returning back to Lago Pehoé for our afternoon boat ride.

It’s a treat to stand on the upper deck of the boat with the sunshine in full force. Yet again the landscape changes with brilliant greens and blues contrasting against the majestic mountain range. I feel there’s so much more to see and I certainly don’t rule out a return to Torres del Paine.

Back in Puerto Natales, I’m amongst a few who opt for a full body deep massage. It’s insanely relaxing and sets me up nicely for another enjoyable dinner. The group really has bonded well and I laugh so much that my sides end up hurting more than my hiking legs!

16th November 2009 – Day 11 – Puerto Natales, Punto Arenas

A four-hour drive and I’m in Punta Arenas. Still on the Pacific coast, it’s cold and windy, yet the sun continues to ignore the weather forecast, so the horizon glistens in the distance. Out hotel is the best so far, but there’s no time to relax as it’s straight for lunch and another steak before our afternoon trip to see penguins!

Our guide is a strange chap who talks in the most monotone voice I’ve ever heard in my life. He waddles along and you could be forgiven for mistaking him for one of the penguins.

Guide aside, it’s a worthwhile trip as the actual penguins are gorgeous. They are frighteningly cute and I have to resist the temptation to take one back with me!

Punta Arenas actually seems like a nice place, but the lack of sleep in Torres del Paine has caught up with me, so in the evening I stay at the hotel with Susanne and we take advantage of the luxuries such as swimming pool and sauna. It’s the perfect way to unwind after an eventful few days and the forthcoming long journey tomorrow.

17th November 2009 – Day 12 – Punta Arenas, Ushuaia

Today was never meant to be a good day. A 12-hour bus ride, including another border crossing, doesn’t exactly jump out of the page as a highlight of the trip. However, it turns into a classic. Sitting at the front of an immensely comfortable double decker coach, with sublime southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego views, makes the journey absolutely fly by. Oh, and the beer, bottle of wine and the 500 ml of whiskey helped too…

Matt and I get suitably tipsy whilst the crazy driver slowly makes his way down to the southernmost city in the world. Along the way, there are plenty of events: Crossing the Strait of Magellan and seeing the jumping dolphins, the hilarious two hour wait as the coach gets lodged trying to descend from the ferry ramp and the nearby minefield, which is just begging to be jumped..!

The final few hundred kilometres are stunning. I’m literally at the end of the world and surrounded by gorgeous snow-topped mountains and sea views in nearly every direction.

Ushuaia is also impressive and although it’s one of few departure points to Antarctica, I’m pleased that apart from the main street, it hasn’t lost its “middle of nowhere” town atmosphere. It’s also surrounded by huge mountains and holds a very pleasant port, full of well-travelled ships.

It’s a late and very tasty Italian meal, before my first night at the end of the world.

18th November 2009 – Day 13 – Ushuaia

I’ve no hangover but I’m exhausted from the shortage of sleep, which makes it hard work walking north-west to the viewpoints over Ushuaia. However, it’s a fascinating troll with such variety in building designs, from cute wooden cottages to crumbling shacks that barely look habitable. The stray dogs are everywhere, barking and growling at my every step, but the view at the end is worth it, looking over the town and into the horizon, as I long for the ship that will one day take me to Antarctica.

Back in town, the museums don’t look too inviting, so Susanne and I have a pit-stop drink before meeting our guide, Cynthia, for lunch. She’s awesome and has been so influential in making this trips so special, and it’s wonderful to have a real friend as our tour leader. After lunch, we’ve a journey that involves a four hour boat ride around the islands south of Ushuaia. There are hundreds of tire-looking sea lions and more types of birds than I can possibly imagine, yet the most shocking beast was the grossly overweight five year old kid on the boat who didn’t stop stuffing his face with cookies for the whole journey. He must have had at least four coffees, each with a frightening amount of sugar, as his ignorant mother looked on adoringly. The fat little bugger wouldn’t have looked out of place with the sea-lions…

Once again we’re overwhelmed by the good weather, and the cameras are out for group photos as we all know our holiday is rapidly approaching its end. It’s yet another Italian meal for dinner (I’ve serious withdrawal symptoms from eating so many cows!) as we plan our final day at South America’s southern tip.

19th November 2009 – Day 14 – Ushuaia

It’s raining as we’re driven east of Ushuaia, so I’m wondering whether I’ve made the right choice in opting for the full day of activities. Unbelievably, the moment we arrive, the rain stops and the clouds disappear. Once again I’m thanking Zeus. Susanne, Cynthia, Matt, Dom and I start with some relatively gentle canoeing (although they may argue that I was the only one doing anything ‘gentle’). Again, I’m overwhelmed by the beauty of this part of the world, with rising mountains in every direction, some in Argentina, others on the small Chilean islands south of Tierra del Fuego.

We’re treated to hot pumpkin soup and after we remove our fisherman-like waterproof clothing, walk to a nearby village port. It’s quaint and picturesque, more so now that the sun is in full force. Better still, there’s a lovely local stopping point selling delicious cookies, which I devour like a deprived cookie monster.

A boat takes us to an inhabited island which has two types of penguins, which are cautious when we approach, but it’s still surprising how close I can get without them hobbling away from me amusingly.

We’re sharing the boat with a few others, including some Americans who start talking about the fishy beavers we’ve just seen/ Our group is in a stupidly childish mood and we exchange humorous glances ad the American girls continue to talk about how much they like beavers. I simply can’t control myself when one of them then announces, “All this talk really makes me want to eat beaver!”

We stop at another island, for another relatively short walk before finding a wooden shack that half looks like it’s about to collapse. It all adds to the atmosphere as inside there’s food aplenty and litres of wine.

The beautiful surrounding area is hugely inviting, so with a belly full of cheese and wine, we set off across the island. Our friendly Argentine guide leads us across the island (with Cynthia swooning!), along the woody tracks and varied shores. It’s not a hard walk, but it’s really warm due to the strong sun, so the occasional cool Pacific wind is a welcome relief. It’s a truly great day and I’ll never forget walking on the incredible purple shells that litter the beach on the final few hundred metres back to the boat.

It’s a huge final night at a restaurant that overlooks Ushuaia’s bay. Amanda and Dana provide a hilarious reward ceremony that really summarises how well the group has bonded. The drinking then continues in an Irish bar packed with young backpackers and I’m temporarily chuffed to know I’m in the southernmost Irish bar in the world, only to realise I’ve been stumped by another Irish bar that’s just 100m down the road!

20th November 2009 – Day 15 – Ushuaia, Buenos Aires

Surprisingly, I don’t feel too bad, despite just having four hours of sleep. Some of the group look like Death, so I count myself lucky for the flight back to Buenos Aires. It’s a roller coaster of emotions as I leave Ushuaia’s airport (I can’t imagine a more beautiful location for an airport) and wave goodbye to Southern Argentina.

Buenos Aires’ city buzz and modern liveliness feels like I’m already home and my thoughts immediately return to the surreal memories that I’ve collected over the past two weeks.

In the afternoon, Matt, Susanne and I explore the area around the president’s building where there’s another demonstration; this time it’s political flags everywhere, with countless references to Che Guevara. We play frogger to get across the busy road the separates the centre from the Puerta Madero and it’s like the road has separated two entirely different cities. The marine is full of modern bars, restaurants and incredibly trendy high rise apartment buildings. It reminds me of Canary Wharf in London and it’s good to stop for a quick beer in the sun.

Even more out of place than the modern buildings is the natural reserve, which sits east of the city. Its swamp-like features feel like I’ve just travelled 200 years into the future to find a flooded city.

A taxi takes us back through the skyscrapers and American company logos and back to the hotel just in time to catch the rest of the group. It’s our final night together so we return to the Puerto Madero and find the Cabaña Las Lilas restaurant. Despite it being full of businessmen, the staff are surprisingly unpretentious and the food excellent.

21st November 2009 – Day 16 – Buenos Aires

Most of the group has left and I’ve missed the chance to say goodbye. It’s a real shame as it has been an outstanding group and I certainly want for us all to keep in touch.

Susanne and I head towards Palermo Viejo, which is a cool area full of independent shops. It’s finally raining today (after waiting two weeks for rain in Patagonia, it’s a bit strange to find it here!) so we chill in a nice little bar with freshly made fruit cocktails.

It’s great to then meet up with a friend who has moved here from Brooklyn and we catch up over beers in an area littered with lively bars amongst all the young locals. In fact, it’s such a great area that I return with Matt and Dom for my final evening in Buenos Aires.

It turns out to be a hilarious end to an unforgetful trip. After all, Argentines are famous for their late-nights, so it’s only right that we don’t get back to the hotel until 05.30; I forget to set my alarm, temporarily lose my passport and then have a last minute panic for my 13 hour flight home!