Bed Bugs and Bruises in Bariloche

After camping for most of our trip, we decided to splurge and treat ourselves to a double room with a private bathroom in Bariloche. (In the past we have stayed in hostel dorm rooms; which typically means a simple room with bunks for six to eight people.) We checked-in and handed over our laundry before setting out to explore the city. Bariloche is in Argentina´s lake district and falls inside Nahuel Huapi National Park. It probably goes without saying that it is a very scenic and beautiful place, surrounded by many lakes.

Although our hostel had been highly recommended by a local travel agent and had fantastic reviews online, our experience was nothing to rave about. When we picked up our laundry, that we had requested not to be machine dried, but instead line dried, everything was still wet in the plastic bag. I guess something was lost in translation, even though Jim wrote the instructions in Spanish on the bag. So at 10:30pm we hung our wash up and crossed our fingers that it would be dry in the morning for our trek. Thankfully by morning, everything was dry enough for us to continue with our plans. But, something we had not planned on was me waking up covered with bed bug bites! Both of my arms had over twenty bites each. My feet, hands, neck, and leg were also feasted upon. Like with many other things in the past: lice, parasites, multiple viruses...Jim was untouched, while I was left with red welts that itched so much that I had difficulty sleeping for the next few days.


After reporting the problem to the hotel staff and packing up our mostly dry clothes, we set out for our third trek of the trip. The first day we hiked to Refugio Frey. The hike was a lot different from what we had done in the past. The paths were not as well maintained as the other parks we have visited. We passed several dry streams and a forest that had been scarred by a fire. We did enjoy the beautiful lakes and walking through bamboo paths. The camping area at Frey was beautiful, with a lake and stone refugio. After our camp was set up, I was quite happy to put my feet in the water after four hours of hiking in the hot sun.

The second day was a nightmare! It started out as just a challenge as we climbed up boulder after boulder making our way up a mountain with no switchbacks. We were met with a lake nesteled between two mountain peaks, which was incredible. This would have been fine, but then the path continued taking us down a steep mountain that was covered with scree. Friends had described this as a ¨controlled slide,¨ but I would relabel it as an uncontrollable slide! This descent took what seemed like forever because I was so terrified of falling and getting hurt. (I have issues with heights.) I slid and landed on my bottom at least fifteen times, but luckily never got hurt. Jim had one close call when he stepped on a lose rock and slid around, hitting his shin. After making it to the valley and regaining my composure, we were met with another climb straight up and another descent with no switch backs. I totally lost it. Jim practically had to talk me down step by step because I was so panicked. He tried to reassure me that I would feel good after we got down, but I still do not feel good about the experience. I feel like it was something very traumatic that I survived and only because I had no other choice. I had to come down, there was no other option. I will never climb over two mountains that do not have suitable paths in one day again! (In the photo you can see the path that we hiked down to on the first mountain of torture!)

The final day of trekking was very pleasant. We connected with another American, Doug from Atlanta, and had an enjoyable seven hour hike to Colonia Suiza where we camped and had dinner together. It was nice to meet a new friend, especially someone with such an interesting background. Doug went to West Point and after several tours in the Army as a helicopter pilot, is now training cadets at a military college in Georgia. We are meeting him for dinner tonight and plan to keep in touch when we go our seperate ways tomorrow. We are catching a bus to Santiago and then a few days later will fly to Peru.

As always, follow the link if these photos are not enough for you!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lizhaske/Bariloche?authkey=Gv1sRgCOf-z7Wzq4vEeQ#

Sunrise at Frey

Nearly down the first mountain.

I appreciate the 8th guideline!

Argentinian ice cream makes it all worth it!

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