Coming upon the end of Day 4 in Patagonia. In El Chalten to be exact, where we just spent the day on our very first trek to Glacieres Los Tres to see the most spectacular, most highly recommended view of Mount Fitz Roy.
We had very good weather, the first very sunny, aprx 60 degree day. Set out at 9:30 am for the trailhead straight from our little backpacking hostel, La Rancho Grande. Perfect T shirt weather. Words cannot describe how spectacular it is here, the granite, snowcapped peaks, the rapidly changing vistas from lakes to glaciers to desert scrub, the wide open, most expansive skies I have ever seen, the amazing scents of earth and wind, then everything together the most intense, most spectacular of combinations. I am taking loads of pictures, trying hoping to convey what it is I am seeing, even Macchu Piccu not this intense, not this consistently heart pacingly exhilirating.
Tomorrow we do another recommended day hike, to Mount Torre. Days here so long, the sunlight lasts till about 9 pm so no worries about running out of time. But it adds to the trippiness of the ageless landscape. The sun so bright, the sky so blue at such unexpected times and you are on a perpetual sun-induced high, despite any physical exertion and fatigue. Coupled by the mental trippiness of so much expansivenss of space all around. So it is like jetlag on acid (yes, like I know).
So yes so far, Staci Jon and I are having an amazing time. And today she had a pretty special birthday with the Fitz Roy trek. We are dorming it at the hostel and she has the top bunk, sweet girl. And today twas was so nice to get out. Been sitting on our asses (mostly) since meeting on our flight from Santiago because Patagonia bus rides are so very long: first Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales (4 hours), then Puerto Natales - El Calafate (aprx 6 hrs plus Chile/Argentinia border control), then El Calafate - El Chalten (about 3 hours). We were so excited to wake up today, don our fabulous pleated hiking pants, and actually TREK. Friday, we head at last to Torres del Paine and will stay at refugios along the way + 1 night tent camping. Supposed to be one of the most spectular hikes in the world, we are praying praying the weather will be kind to us. El Chalten a good omen so far.
Love love love (and happiness) from Patagonia, Karen
(Tuesday, 11/24 10:16 pm)
We had very good weather, the first very sunny, aprx 60 degree day. Set out at 9:30 am for the trailhead straight from our little backpacking hostel, La Rancho Grande. Perfect T shirt weather. Words cannot describe how spectacular it is here, the granite, snowcapped peaks, the rapidly changing vistas from lakes to glaciers to desert scrub, the wide open, most expansive skies I have ever seen, the amazing scents of earth and wind, then everything together the most intense, most spectacular of combinations. I am taking loads of pictures, trying hoping to convey what it is I am seeing, even Macchu Piccu not this intense, not this consistently heart pacingly exhilirating.
Tomorrow we do another recommended day hike, to Mount Torre. Days here so long, the sunlight lasts till about 9 pm so no worries about running out of time. But it adds to the trippiness of the ageless landscape. The sun so bright, the sky so blue at such unexpected times and you are on a perpetual sun-induced high, despite any physical exertion and fatigue. Coupled by the mental trippiness of so much expansivenss of space all around. So it is like jetlag on acid (yes, like I know).
So yes so far, Staci Jon and I are having an amazing time. And today she had a pretty special birthday with the Fitz Roy trek. We are dorming it at the hostel and she has the top bunk, sweet girl. And today twas was so nice to get out. Been sitting on our asses (mostly) since meeting on our flight from Santiago because Patagonia bus rides are so very long: first Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales (4 hours), then Puerto Natales - El Calafate (aprx 6 hrs plus Chile/Argentinia border control), then El Calafate - El Chalten (about 3 hours). We were so excited to wake up today, don our fabulous pleated hiking pants, and actually TREK. Friday, we head at last to Torres del Paine and will stay at refugios along the way + 1 night tent camping. Supposed to be one of the most spectular hikes in the world, we are praying praying the weather will be kind to us. El Chalten a good omen so far.
Love love love (and happiness) from Patagonia, Karen
(Tuesday, 11/24 10:16 pm)
1 comment:
oooo lovely! you are so hardcore!!! soak up the sun and views 'cause NY is getting cloudier, colder and more grey . . .
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