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!

Note: I have changed the settings for making comments. You no longer have to be a member of blogger.com to comment on our postings. I know that some of you had trouble with this, but it should be sorted now. If you have other issues, email me.

El Chalten - More Backcountry Beauty

After successfully completing the ¨W¨ in Torres del Paine Liz and I were thirsty for another trekking adventure. We had heard great accounts from other travelers of hikes around El Chalten, Argentina and decided to make our way north. Liz and I arrived in El Chalten after a short 3 hour bus ride from El Calafate. The weather upon arrival was windy and wet but we were hopìng that things might improve while we picked up some last minute supplies. Argentineans love their siesta so we had to find a grocery store and a place to get more gas for our stove before everyone in town (which was few) closed their eyes for a few hours. Luckily for us we found what we needed but unfortunately the weather was only getting worse. We stored what we didn´t need at a hostel we would be coming back to in 3 days. While doing so we chatted with some old friends we ran into once again, were told we were crazy for setting out in the current weather, and decided ¨oh well¨ and took off. What were we down here for anyway, to sit around like alot of other travelers checking Facebook all day?

So after rigging some trashbags over our backpacks we stepped out into the rain and wind to see how much mother nature had in her. The hikes ahead of us would be much shorter compared to the W so our first leg was estimated at 3 hours. This time was spent maniacally laughing at the horizontal rain that was being blown into us , seeing other trekkers come out of the woods sopping wet who were obvioulsy not prepared, and stumbling across a couple who were completely drenched, standing in the middle of the path, and being a bit overly affectionate under the circumstances. Liz ended up having to tap them on the shoulder to ask them to move as they had no idea we were standing right there.

Once we finally made it to our campground the wind and rain died down and our neighbors, who were in their tent the whole day due to the weather, came out to say hello. Sean and Sarah were down in Argentina for a few weeks from Northern California and we ended up learning alot about one another over the next couple days as we explored the rest of the park. Sarah is a massage therapist and wedding planner and Sean has a farm which they both look after with goats, chickens, hops and more. We were lucky to have befriended them and really enjoyed their company while camping. After a brief getting to know you Liz and I crawled into our tent to get warm and moments later the rain began and it rained, and rained, and rained that night. So much so that we ate dinner in our tent and decided not to drink any water so we wouldn´t have to leave to go to the bathroom.

The next day turned out to be perfect, allowing us to hike up to the main attraction of the area, Monte Fitz Roy, and snap some photos. The wind and rain, however, hit us again that night. While in our sleeping bags we could hear the wind building as it raced down the valley through the trees and then finally rushing over our tent. Day 3 was another beauty which allowed us to hike to another campground in just shorts and T´s in an effort to get as close as possible to Cerro Torre. We were lucky to not have any rain that night, but heard warnings that a storm would be coming through the next afternoon. We decided we would make our way out in the morning after breakfast and hopefully beat any bad weather.

As we headed back into town after our third night of camping and fifth day of not showering it was funny to pass the day hikers coming out into the park. Alot of them smelled fresh from a morning´s shower and a dash of cologne or perfume. On our second day I was humored at the base of Fitz Roy when I watched a woman with a guide apply lip gloss and check her hair. It was also on the bus to El Chalten that I realized I/we are on a different trip than some others when I watched a guy my age pull out a videogame system and begin playing at 8 am while I cracked open Three Cups of Tea. I have had the chance to read three books so far on this trip and this was by far one of the best I have ever read. If you haven´t heard Greg Mortenson´s story than get this book ASAP.

Despite some rain, however, the trek was a success. We saw more great natural beauty, got some more exercise, and made some more good friends. We are really enjoying our time in the outdoors and can´t get enough of it. I wish more people would realize how easy it is to sleep outdoors with the bare minimum as opposed to having massive houses filled with items we believe we must have to make our lives complete.

Below are a few pictures from this leg of our trip but please also take a look at http://picasaweb.google.com/lizhaske/TrekkingInElChalten?authkey=Gv1sRgCPOjhe__iLSxEA

Monte Fitz Roy

Leaving our campground and Fitz Roy

First view of Cerro Torre

Cerro Torre

I am baffled by the people I see smoking and hiking

Glaciers Never Get Old...

Despite seeing glaciers in Ushuaia and Torres del Paine we decided to stop in El Calafate to visit Los Glaciers National Park and to do a boat cruise on Lake Argentina.

The first day we went in a rented van with friends we had met trekking on the W, Tanya and Marc Simon from the Netherlands and Susan and Dwayne from the US. We arrived early in the morning, along with the rain and wind, in hopes of beating the tour buses. As soon as we got out of the van, we could hear what sounded like a mixture between fireworks and thunder as pieces calved from Perito Moreno. Unfortunatley our timing seemed to be a bit off, which provided us with a source of comedy. Every time the glacier calved we seemed to be looking the wrong way! In the end, we were lucky enough to see a few pieces fall, which was incredible. We recovered from the rain and wind with the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted and a picnic in our van.



The highlight of our El Calafate trip was definitely the boat cruise on Lake Argentina. We visited Upsala, Spegazzini and a third smaller glacier. All three of these glaciers were incredible, but what was even more majestic were the huge icebergs floating in the lake. We were even lucky enough to see one roll, which was nothing short of amazing. In this photo you can see just how massive the icebergs were by comparing it to the size of the catamaran on the left.

The photos from this experience are well worth viewing : http://picasaweb.google.com/lizhaske/GlacierTourOnLakeArgentina02?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-i6ZKj0IipKA#

Liz´s Thoughts on the Trek...

Jim did a great job of summing up our trekking journey in Torres del Paine, but I need to comment on my own experience. Overall, it was an incredible five days. I learned so much in such a short time about myself and what I can and cannot handle physically. (For example, I need to drink more water and not sit down when we have rest breaks.) This trek was definitely the most challenging physical experience I have ever had. As most of you know, Jim is a machine. Anything he attempts physically, he conquers with ease. Watching someone do this, especially when it seems that they are never tired or in need of a rest, can be very difficult. We were always climbing up or stepping down; we probably never walked for more than five minutes on flat ground. The path was not just a dirt covered surface. There were times where we were climbing over odd shaped rocks, walking in water, mud, stepping on loose gravel while trying to wind down narrow paths, etc. Get the picture? It was really difficult for me! Especially since I am not the most physically fit, as most of you know, but by the end my confidence level, endurance and sense of accomplishment had reached new heights. Nature somehow seemed that much more beautiful because I had worked so hard to see it. It is exciting to see my physical strength and confidence growing and also wonderful for us to learn new ways to support each another.

More from Ushuaia...

Just after we finished our last post we saw a Bolivian Carnival parade. It was an unexpected and very unique experience, which resulted in some very colorful photos!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lizhaske/MoreFromUshuaia?authkey=Gv1sRgCPuCwem03afsSA#

Torres del Paine - Feel the Pain and the Beauty

Prior to our trip Liz and I did some research and put together a rough itinerary of places we would like to visit. Torres del Paine National Park in Chile was a must see according to guide books and other travelers´ accounts. The question was, how did we want to see the park. The option of going for a day visit was a possibility, but most travelers experience the beauty of the park by hiking what is called the ¨W¨. The W is typically done in 5 days and trekkers can either camp along the way in marked campgrounds (some free and some at a minor cost), or stay in refugios which offer showers, dorm rooms, food, etc. Although we have gone on day hikes before, neither of us had ever done a 5 day trek but we decided we were up for the challenge. We want to do as much camping as possible while on our trip because it adds a sense of adventure but at the same time cuts down on cost. So before flying down to South America we picked up a tent, sleeping bags, and other essentials to help us survive the Patagonia extremes.

After a 15 hour bus ride from Ushuaia, Argentina we arrived in Puerto Natales, Chile, which would act as our jumping off point. We spent a full day at a hostel in Puerto Natales learning more about the W and what to take in order to be prepared. Everyone we talked to said that it is possible to experience four seasons in one day so be ready for everything. We cruised the town looking for the best deals on dried fruit, nuts, granola bars, dehydrated foods, and other foodstuffs that would keep us nourished during our journey. The next morning we caught a bus for two and a half hours out to the park, then got on a catamaran, and after that began to walk, and walk, and walk.

Rather than giving a day by day account I would like to try to sum up our experience in a few sentences and let the pictures do the rest. Overall the experience was amazing. Everyday our hikes took us through a new setting. It was as though parts of Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico were all wrapped together in this park. Every turn brought something new. We walked up to massive glaciers, under and around monstrous mountains, past cascading waterfalls, traversed rivers, and skipped over bountiful streams. We were almost always in view of one of the many lakes that encompasses the park and the greatest thing was that the natural water was clean enough for us to drink. I can´t tell you how wonderful it was to stop at a stream, fill my bottle, and take a sip of clean, fresh glacial water. It really made me think how sad it is that so much of our earth´s water is unpotable. I believe that all of us should have access to clean water, and of course free WiFi. As we hiked we could hear glaciers shifting and even saw mini avalanches taking place as snow and ice came barreling down mountains. I am concerned that although this is a natural occurrence it is at the same time not a good sign of our earth´s current status. It seemed as though it was happening all too frequently while we were there.

All in total we hiked over 55 miles while carrying packs that had starting weights of 22 and 36 pounds. To be exact in regards to distance, Liz hiked 58 and I hiked 60. Liz didn´t have to get a stretcher or anything for the last two, it was just that I decided to hike up to a lookout and she stayed behind. The one factor I have to point out in all of this too is that we were not simply hiking on flat land. There were a few flat sections but primarily it was up, down, and back up again. We were lucky, however, to have fantastic weather every day we were there which is pretty unheard of. It occasionally rained a bit at night, but each day the sun was shining and the weather was warm. At times the winds were strong enough to push you around the trail but that just made for more of an adventure. There were sections and hours that were tough along the way, especially the day we hiked 17 miles in 10 hours. In the end, however, it was all worth it. We came away with some fantastic memories, made some great friends along the way, and I am happy to say that Liz and I have a new hobby.

If the photos below are not enough for you then please take a look at the following link for more:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lizhaske/TorresDelPaine?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmZv_eo_o6HhwE

Monte Almirante Nieto

Rio Ascencio

Rio Ascencio

Cerro Paine Grande

Glaciar del Frances

Sunset at Campamento Los Cuernos

Glacier Grey


Glacier Grey


Lago Nordenskjold


Valle del Frances

Torres del Paine

Ushuaia - The End of the World...

The flight into Ushuaia was incredible. As the plane cork screwed toward the landing strip the wing lowered to unveil the most beautiful scene of snow peaked mountains, crystal clear water and and an incredibly blue sky. We were immediately taken by the beauty of Ushuaia.

We set up camp just north of the city at La Pista del Andino. The friendly staff greeted us and motioned for us to pick a site and set up. (Thank goodness for nonverbal communication! My Spanish is horrible, although Jim´s is improving daily.) We unloaded our things and made a home for the next few days. I think we both felt that our adventure was finally beginning once the tent was up and our sleeping bags were unrolled. Jim started a fire and we cooked steaks and squash for dinner. (Argentina is known for wonderful beef.) By the time it was ready, the temperature had dropped and we could see our breath as we ate. This didn´t bother us; we were just happy to be outside and enjoying camping life.

On our second day, after a very rough sleep for me, we headed to Tierra del Fuego National Park. We did a three hour hike along the Beagle Channel, which was fantastic. Jim set the pace and I followed. It was an excellent day as the weather was sunny and mild. We enjoyed lunch along one of the beaches and watched birds fishing from an island in the middle of the channel.

On our third day we went to see a penguin colony. There are many tours offered here, but only one allows you to actually walk with the penguins. We signed up for this one. After an hour and a half bus ride, we boarded a small boat and motored to the penguin island. The beach was a sea of wiggling black and white creatures. It was so enjoyable to watch the penguins waddle, swim, squak and shake. Be sure to check out the photos on our Picassa album, although they did not accurately capture how wonderful the experience was.

Today, day four, was glacier day! We left our camp and hiked up a mountain to see Glacier Martial. It was a long way up, but well worth the effort. Once we got to the top, the wind started to gust and snow began to pelt down. I told Jim that I wanted to touch the glacier before we went down. I felt that I had come all that way and did not just want to get a picture and then turn around. He studied the path, which was wet and uneven, and then guided me over slippery and unsteady rocks. We were both able to make the pass without a problem. After putting two hands on the edge of the glacier I said,¨Ok, I'm good!¨ We made our way back down just in time because the wind really picked up and the snow continued. (In this photo you can see what looks like a waterfall; this is where we touched the glacier. If you use the link below you can see this same peak in photos from the base of our journey up.)

Here are a few more photos from our time here...enjoy!

More photos are at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lizhaske/UshuaiaArgentina?authkey=Gv1sRgCMOQktnLjZj3hQE#

The view of Ushuaia from our camping area.

Our view as we hiked along the Beagle Channel.

Penguin Island