| 17th Patagonia Caught the bus down to the airport and hopped onto the plane. There were only 10 others on the flight. We arrived at El Calafate (pop 4000) 3 hrs later. It was a barren landscape covered in snow, with very few or no trees around. Arrived in the little town`s hostel and started to chat to the others there. People were all dressed in about 5 layers with hats on, in the hostel. It was really cold there! I played some cards for a while, then I went to the travel agency to try and book another trip for the following day. I booked a trip to the Upsala Glacier (biggest in S America). Went out for some beers and food to the only place in town, Casablanca. Nice bar, and it looked like a scene from a movie. 18th Ice Ice Baby! Got picked up at 8am, and with 7 others drove to the port to catch the boat. It doesn`t get light there till 10.30am, so it feels so late. We sailed past icebergs of differing sizes all with an amazing blue colour to about 1.5kms from the glacier. We could not go any closer as there were heaps of bergs. I went outside to enjoy the views and the -7c temparature!. It was a pretty spectacular sight. A huge lump of ice that stretched for 100 miles... We sailed up a channel to a docking place and we walked through patagonian forest with lovely frozen ponds and rivers. We emerged onto a lake which was totally frozen and full of icebergs. The view from there was really good, we could see three glaciers coming off the mountains onto the sea...I do not think any pictures could do that any justice as it was breathtaking. After a wee stroll along the beach we headed back. Arrived in really windy conditions, which made the temparture about -15c. Got back to the hostel for about 6.30pm. Went out for dinner...yes back to casablanca, but this time I had some of this famous argentinian beef..it really is amazing, and at only $3, a steal! Think I went to bed late... 19th Moreno Got picked at 9am (same crowd on bus) and we droved 2 hrs over really bad, icy roads. We arrived a several viewpoints before for us to take pictures and walk along the beach. We arrived there and strolled down along the walkways. We were about 200m from it, and it was huge...about 20 storys high and about 9kms across! It was an amazing blue colour(from the light getting reflected) and had very sharp points. I sat and watched it for ages as bits of it fall into the water...as it does so it sounds like thunder. It is quite an amazing sight to see huge slabs of ice ploughing into the sea - they then create a wave which pushes the icebergs further into the lake. Quite a sight there... Headed abck to hostel on bus and on bus back we could see a snowstorm coming in over the mountains...sure enough, 1 hr later it snowed. Not heavily, as patagonia is almost a desert as its in the rain shadow of the Andes. Everyone was surprised... i went to the eat all u can meat place with John (irish guy). We ate alot there, of the nicest tasting meat ever... 20th Homeward bound John and I caught the flight back to BA, then checked back into the hostel. Met up with Liz, and then we sat upstairs in the common room chatting for a bit. Headed out for some food, then we hit the Irish bars. They were all packed, we did a little pub crawl as we had to wait till 3.30am, when England kicked off. Got to 3.30am, and we grabbed a seat in Kilkenny`s. I put on my Brasilian football top, much to Liz`s amusement! Great game and goals...I think we missed most of the second half as we were all sleeping!! Left there at 6.30am, and headed back. 21st Lazy days... Slept till 1ish. I was particulary ill this morning...I am never drinking again! We went out to a shocking place for lunch and then Liz and I wandered round. We picked up some shopping for NZ ( I got a new pair of trainers! for $30). Headed out for dinner, yes meat again! Back to hostal as John was knackered and Liz was going to NZ later. I stayed up watching some Jean Claude van Damm film until 12ish. 22nd We got up to watch the football this morning. Did some shopping, then had some lunch (doggy bags from last nite!). I went to get my haircut and John left to go to Igazu falls... My hair had not been cut for 3 months and so was rather long! I had a ticket for the England Vs Argentina rugby game this afternoon, so I got on a bus to the stadium. I knew I was on the wrong bus when I found myself outside BA in the countryside! I then got back on another bus and arrived there 20 mins late. Quite a small stadium but the fans were rather vocal. Argentina controlled the first half. During half time, there were some English lads on the next stand who unfolded their St Georges cross flag - they got a torrent of abuse. It was quite funny...only saw 10 English people there, but I think there were more! The 2nd half saw England control the game and get some tries and pull away into the lead. The game finished 26 - 18. The Argy fans threw their cushions onto the pitch! Got on the right bus this time, back to town. I forgot to mention, I went to see the Sum of all fears yesterday, it is pretty good, but scary! I am looking forward to leaving here, and going to NZ, it will be nice to travel easily, rather than constantly struggle. It has been an amazing three months here, and I looking forward to seeing some of the photos soon. I fly out of here tomorrow nite, then arrive on Tuesday morning (i lose a whole day!). I think tomorrow I will rest...for a change. Liz has just sent me an email, so I now have my instructions on how to get to the hostel! Thanks LIZ! Good nite from S America! |