Day 179: Feb. 10, 2008 Tolhuin to Puerto Natales
Trip Start
Aug 15, 2007
1
182
202
Trip End
Mar 01, 2008
Puerto Natales,
Chile
Sunday, February 10, 2008
It was still overcast and drizzly when we got up. We ate breakfast in the dining room, packed up, and checked out by 9:30. Liz drove in the drizzle all the way to San Sebastián. Going through Río Grande is much more obvious when it is approached from the south. We stopped at the ACA Hostería in San Sebastián to gas up and buy some water. Aquiles was there so we said hello and chatted with him for a few minutes before crossing the road to pass through the Argentine border station. Things went smoothly on both sides of the border and we breezed through.
I drove in the rain over the 120 km of gravel road through Chilean Tierra del Fuego. Herds of guanacos were hanging out by the road every few kilometers, it seemed. The combination of heavy traffic and two days of rain caused considerable deterioration of the road. Our backs were mighty glad to hit the paved road at Cerro Sombrero. We quickly traversed the final 35 km to the ferry at Primera Angostura. We had to wait a half an hour for the boat so we got a cup of coffee at the landing restaurant. It was raining pretty hard as we crossed so after paying for our passage, we sat in the truck and meditated. The crossing flew by!
Liz took over the wheel and drove us off the ferry and back onto the South American mainland. We followed the road west to Ruta 9 in the rain. Within an hour of turning north, toward Puerto Natales, the weather finally cleared. I've always liked this part of southern Chile. Wide open, rolling prairie land describes it best. Although glacial features are present in some areas, they are not as dominant as they are along the Straits of Magellan. The volcanic neck at Morro Chico and the two cinder cones visible in the distance from there are the only other significant geological features breaking the scenery. Views across this land go on forever.
As we continued north, we entered a broad transition zone toward beech forests populated by trees spaced far enough apart to allow grass to grow. Liz was thirsty as we approached Río Rubens so I suggested we stop and get something to drink at the hotel there. I've stopped there several times and like the place. Someday, I will stay there. As soon as we got out of the car, the smell of cooking meat brought on hunger pangs to both of us so we shared a milanesa sandwich, which hit the spot.
Liz drove the final stretch into Puerto Natales, arriving at around 7:30. The broad plain with the mountains in the background, on the far side of Seno Última Esperanza, were beautiful as we approached. We went right to the Hospedaje María José and got a room for $16/night for two nights. Once again, only twin beds were available. After settling in, we walked to a supermarket a couple of blocks away and bought food for breakfast and lunch, as well as some wine and cheese for the evening. We meditated and then wrote of our experiences as we snacked on wine, crackers, and cheese. When the noise through the paper-thin walls settled down, we turned in. I was out in no time.
