Saltos Del Paine Puerto Natales

... met een flinke plons in zee vallen.<br>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Br%C3%BCggen_Glacier<br><br>Nu zit ik dus in Puerto Natales en heb net inkopen gedaan voor de 4 daagse wandeltocht in Torres del Paine, een natuurreservaat in Chili. Voor de zekerheid heb ik maar een regenbroek gekocht want er is onstuimig weer voorspeeld voor de komende dagen. <br><br>Saludos,<br><br>Geert

Patagonia is the most southern tip of Chile. It is the closest region to Antarctica. When you go get a book on Chile usually the national park Torres del Paine is on the cover with some extreme natural beauty photo. It is the hiking - camping dream of those that love hiking and camping. Spontaneously one day my classmates told me that everyone was going out of town next week and no one would be in class. I went home and told Ryan we were going on ...

... fitness... As it was the end of April, all the refugios (cabins) were closing and the weather would be coming in, so we had to sleep under canvas in the rain/sleet/snow, rather than the warmth of a heated room. Along with 2 Aussie guys and a French girl I met on the boat, we decided to rent some gear, buy some clothes and buy some food and head out the following morning, and do the `easier` trek in the park: 5 ...

... and a cooked meal with dessert for dinner - could it have possibly been heaven?! We showered straight away, the receptionist gave us free towels, we must have smelt so bad, and had fingernails to rival the strayest hobo. We slept like angels for the first time after 5 days, 75 kms and sub zero temperatures in a warm toasty room... Bliss. Oh, and we forgot to mention we each were carrying approx 20kgs on our backs. Standard for any multiple day hike apparently. Final ...

... like being in the middle of absolutely nowhere. We headed into the city and walked around a little. There are some interesting mansions and buildings around the main square. A group of schoolchildren made friends with Scott as he took photos of the statue in the square. We stopped off at a tour office to reserve a penguin viewing trip for Friday. Dinner was at this sketchy restaurant we stumbled upon. Jules and Scott both ordered steak a lo pobre ...

... even reasonably priced! Needless to say, that hasn't happened since. Although we had originally planned to spend a day in town to get organized, we decided to depart bright and early the next morning for the hundred kilometer trip to Torres del Paine National Park, and the trailhead. But before we left, we indulged in some local microbrew and king crab and chive pizza - a treat before switching to pasta and other dehydrated delights. We ...

Next up on the Patagonia's Greatest Hits list is Torres del Paine, another mountainous state park near Puerto Natales, Chile. Here I found a nice, homey hostel/B&amp;B called Dos Lagos. The owner, Alejandro, was really nice, and also spoke English. Unfortunately, my bike was not being quite as cooperative. The next morning I set out to gather some supplies for camping out in the park - I rented some boots and a camping stove and bought some food ...

... al niet mijn grootste hobby, maar in Zuid-Am**ika had ik dat al helemaal graag willen v**mijden!! Maarja, ik voel ook wel dat ik geen keus heb. Na te hebben geinforme**d blijkt dat de twee tandarsten die hi** zitten beide aan het uitrusten zijn in zon*****e oorden en dat mijn enige mogelijkheid het ziekenhuis is. Zo gezegd, zo gedaan... bij het ziekenhuis (of wat ** voor door moet gaan) aangekomen blijkt dat de ...

... ferry, as the ferry did not leave until 4pm. I arrived in Puerto Montt at 11am and spent the morning walking around the port town with market places full of the most unusual display of seafood I have ever seen. Smoked seafood hanging from string, sea erchants, dried eel skin, rolled up dried seaweed etc. The little cafes selling the most amazing seafood dishes. Although tempted, I really knew I had a sea journey ahead of me so I refrained from eating, I really wish I took ...

... a table with an older German couple that we'd met in the park, who were interesting breakfast companions and then we headed out to run a few errands. <br><br>We successfully booked our bus out tomorrow to El Calafate, bought a few snacks, phoned Katie's parents and also found a fast internet place for me to update the blog later today. <br><br>We then did some emailing until lunchtime, Katie cooked a nice risotto in the hostel and then while she watched some inane Sandra ...