Altiplanico Sur Puerto Natales

... Here there is an amazing volcano you can hike up with a guide (5hrs each way) and there is also a small ski resort.<br>Although it was clear blue skies, for the two days we were there it was too windy to hike up and the ski resort had closed for the season the previous weekend. So we headed further south to Puerto Varas (lake, volcano, skiing etc).<br><br>Here things looked a bit more promising. Initial reports from the hostal were that the ...

... woods with beatufiul mountains all around us and then once is started raining we just had to book it and didn't care what was around us. That night we stayed at the indoor hostel * and made ourselves feel better with a real meal and a shower. The next day was shorter, across a rock beach with the bluest water. Crossing bridges made of random trees and there was some sun! At this point we are going up the middle of the W and are hoping to have a ...

... Erratic Rock&#8217; talk about trekking in the park and spent the whole day organising equipment and food supplies for the trek, including a tent which we&#8217;ve now realised we&#8217;re going to have to carry! Our packs must weigh about 15kg!! Luckily the water in the streams is some of the cleanest around so that&#8217;s one less thing to worry about.<br><br>The &#8216;W&#8217; Trek<br><br>Photos: <br>http://www.facebook.com/album.php?a id=109949&amp;id=542586048&amp;l ...

I left El Calafate and crossed into Chile yet again, this time across large expanses of dry brown-yellow plains, with low, but snow capped mountains dotted around. Being now a ¨professional¨ backpacker, I had been smart enough to put my bag into the luggage compartment of the bus last, so I was first to get my bag when we arrived in Puerto Natales in Chile, also I had memorised the layout of the town so I could walk straight to the ...

... the boat and i think we all suddlenly realised that it wouldnt be feasible to trek, camp and manage a group of that size for the 5 days hiking in torres del paine. One of the guys suggested buddying up, and from that moment on the pairs went off to stock up on food, camping equipment and stoves etc.... i am still travelling with my 'buddy' shelly now, so successful was the pairing! after hearing this american guy chat about how intense ...

Vent de fou! Promenade humide aux Torres del Paine. Crazy wind! Wet walk at the Torres del Paine. ---------- Après un trajet sans trop d'histoire (3h de bus seulement, pour une fois!), je me suis retrouvé un peu plus au nord, à Puerto Natales, à la limite sud du parc national de Torres del Paine. Punta Arenas est au bord du Détroit de Magellan, et Puerto Natales est au milieu de montagnes incroyables, une nature sauvage et superbe: avant même d'arriver en ville on en a un ...

... the way, I bumped into an Aussie who I met in Pucon, Jesse, and a really cute Brazilian called Laura. We all head to Natales together which is the preparation point for trips to the Torres Del Paine National Park in Southern Chile. This is simply an awesome spot and a must if you are in Patagonia. Jesse and myself set out for a 7 day hike, known as the Circuit and Laura, being a girl, does the W hike - a shorter 3 day version. Bit different to the other hiking ...

... I met some Brits on an overland bus tour. The next morning the weather looked like ****. I went in to the store to ask Mr Velvet Rope what the forecast was, and he smiled broadly at me and said, 'Rain'. I asked a little or a lot, and he looked at me like I was crazy. Justifiably so, predicting the weather in Patagonia is a fool's game at any level. I was still preoccupied with my tire and didn't want to hike around in the rain, so decided ...

... was!! Nogal een opluchting kan ik wel zeggen!! Om mijn probleem te v**helpen heeft hij mijn tand een klein beetje bijgeslepen zodat de tand van mijn ond**kaak mind** hard op de pijnlijke tand zou komen. Na deze kleine ingreep was ik de volgende dag al van mijn pijn v**lost!! En was ik nogal blij dat ik naar Punta Arenas was gegaan en niet mijn vulling **uit had laten roppen door de doe-het-zelv**t in Pu**to Natales!!

... of Cebu in present day Philippines. He also gave Tierra del Fuego its name - not after the magnificent sunsets as many believe but after the numerous fires he and his crew saw on shore as they navigated the channel at night. <br><br>So, the distance was so great I chose to stay here overnight before heading to Torres del Paine for a week of hiking. I'm off early tomorrow morning...wish me good weather!