Back to the American Continent
Trip Start
Mar 01, 2006
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287
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Trip End
Dec 01, 2007
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Punta Arenas,
Chile
Sunday, March 11, 2007
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After a very short night, Lionel and Bruno and swiss Milva and I took the bus to Punta Arenas.
I slept a lot in there, it was uncomfortable, especially since we were still abit drunk, and the landscapes were beautiful, the blue sky over all sorts of green and yellow and brown on the ground, with estancias or other settlements scattered in the hills.
Up to the north of the Isla Grande de la Tiera de Fuelgo, we left the trees and mountains and hills and ended up in the Pampa. We reached the border, had to get out to exit Argentina, drove more, had to get out to enter Chile, stopped to buy lunch in a place they got ripped off while I was havig an amazing nap, drove to Punta Delgada to cross the Strait of Magellan, and then south on the Peninsula Brunswick, the last bit of the american continent.
We reached Punta Arenas in the evening, walked around town to find our hostel, got some Chilean pesos and sat down for a Tenedor Libre (all you can eat buffet).
The city was very very quiet. The streets, as everywhere, are arranged perpendicularly ito blocks, and there are plenty houses. Construction here is made with materials that had to be brought from far away, and that gives a special look to the whole city. All the roofs are made of metal sheets, the walls look sometimes prefabricated. But there are lots of bright colors on the walls, like in Ushuaia.
Back at the hostel, Lionel, Bruno and I booked our boat tickets: We plan to go north to Puerto Natales, cross into Argentina again to El Calafate (Los Glaciares National Park) and El Chalten (FitzRoy range), come back to Puerto Natales. From there I will go hiking in Torres del Paine National Park, before taking the boat we just booked: On april 6th, we will reunite for a 3 day cruise from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt.
It is meant to be beautiful, we just need to cross fingers for good weather. The route goes through the canals of Chilean west coast, accessible only by sea.
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