Land of the Tango

Here I am in Argentina... maybe someone can tell me what number country this is... I´ve lost count! I will eventually count them all (along with all the stops) when I return home.

Another one just hanging out at the glacier

Welcome to the land of the peso, great steaks, tango and diverse scenery. I´m desperate to get to Buenos Aires now, but I also feel obliged to see some of the sights whilst so far away from Australia. I´m happy to be in Argentina for I´ve wanted to come here for years... but even though I didn´t enjoy Chile as much as I should have, I really don´t feel as though I did this country justice. In my preliminary planning, I really wanted to do the Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales boat ride... but maybe another time. And doing it with someone else would of been so much more fun. To tell you the truth, travelling alone is starting to lose its appeal... it´s more boredom than loneliness, even though loneliness is a factor now and again. Surprisingly, I´m hanging out for the tour BA to Rio... thought I´d never get to that point.

Argentinian Patagonia

I spent this morning on a very comfortable 6 hour journey from Puerto Natales to El Calafate... we spent about an hour of that in immigration. On entering Argentina, my first few moments were spent shivering... it´s cold here. Thank god I´ve got 3 weeks in warm Rio... I will need it to thaw out.

El Calafate is the entry town to Perito Moreno... one of the greatest glaciers (if not the greatest) in the world. I spent this afternoon organising my tour to this glacier (90 peso... about $US30), along with my connections to El Chaiten. I have since found out that Route 40, one of the greatest stretches of road is CLOSED till November 1 so I have had to reorganise my routing... I will spend 2 nights here and 1 night in Chaiten (maybe a day trek) before making the massive bus journey to Puerto Madryn to see the whales. From there, I will wing it over to Bariloche... my final stop before heading to Buenos Aires. I think I am up for some massive bus journeys... including the 3 buses connecting me from El Chaiten to Puerto Madryn... this will probably rate up there with getting from Casablanca to Madrid as being the most taxing moment of the trip... to say the least, I´m not looking forward to it... it was either the bus ride or a 1,000 peso ($US330) flight direct to Bariloche. Unfortunately, the Oneworld Alliance does not fly from El Calafate to Bariloche.

Boat coming to pick us up

One of the first things I noticed about entering Argentina were the people... naturally. They are beautiful and very fashionable. I´ve been told the people in Buenos Aires are even more so. And I continue to notice their gregarious spirit, especially when embracing one another. Even though it is only day 1 in this country, I have noticed that they are a lot more cheerful than the Chilleans. God I hope so... I didn´t warm to the Chilleans as much as I have with the Peruvians, Moroccans and... Thai!

Being a Saturday night, I´m on the hunt for some pubs etc. but I haven´t found any decent ones here in El Calafate. It is a small town, geared for the tourist, but I´m surprised that their eateries and pubs are terribly sub-standard by world standards... there are several fancy restaurants but I´m not interested in that as a single, independent backpacker. I´m sure there are many business opportunities here for locals wishing to tailor to this market... I suppose it will be back to the hostel tonight which is a pretty good place. The staff were very welcoming and friendly, and despite speaking only a few English words, the young guy who welcomed me was especially willing to help and kept saying sorry for not being able to help me more... wow... what a far cry from the horrible girl at the ABC Hostel in Munich all that time ago (she asked me what she should do when I reported the internet as not working).

Close up of boat

El Calafate isn´t the most attractive place I´ve been to but nevertheless has snow-capped mountains in the background. The drive through Patagonia was beautiful with vast stretches of flat plains with mountains in the background. It sure is worth it just for the scenery.

Close up of glacier wall

Edge of glacier wall

Embracing the argentinian flag

Enjoying the boat ride

First view afar of Perito Moreno

Glacier wall 1

Glacier Wall 2

Iceberg cut off from the glacier

Just hanging at the glacier

Last close up

Me at the glacier

Me in front of the glacier

Me on the boat

Me under the shades

On trek to the glacier

Perito Glacier 2 from the trek

Remote Road in Argentinian Patagonia

Returning to the dock after an amazing visit

Sailing along the wall of the glacier

Side of glacier 3

Signage at the glacier

The glacier and its fragments

The glacier viewed from the trek

View from the boat