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December 7, 2002 - Patagonia, Chile and Argentina
Over the last 3 weeks I have experienced Patagonia on many types of boats (a kayak, ferry, cargo ship, raft, catamaran, zodiac, and duckie) and I have been surrounded by H2O (rivers, channels, open ocean, gulfs, waterfalls, glaciers, and icebergs). We spent 3 days on Chiloe Island, and when the rain finally let up we had a good day of sea kayaking. Then we boarded Navimags Magalanes cargo ship for a 3 day journey through the Patagonian channels, fjords, and gulfs from Puerto Montte to Puerto Natales. We slept in a section with over 100 little bunk beds, each with little curtains and lockers for backpacks. It was very cozy. Upstairs there was a cafeteria style dining hall and a bar. As we entered the Golfo de Penas (Gulf of Sorrows) you could hear the sad cries of distant cows below deck. The weather could have been worse, but most times when I went outside I was in full winter dress. I enjoyed visiting the bridge and watching the radar, GPS, and other gadgets. Generally the crew was pretty relaxed, but when they maneuvered through some extremely narrow passages the tension rose. We spent the evenings with wine, cards, bingo, and dancing. The last day was full of sun and jagged peaks covered in snow.
Melissa and I continued to El Calafate, Argentina and went glacier watching. We spent hours sitting in front of the Moreno Glacier that flows out into a lake (196 ft tall, 3 miles across, and 7 miles long). It is constantly cracking and exploding, and huge chunks of ice crash into the water. What appeared to be little pieces would fall, but from the sound I imagine they must really have been the size of cars. The next day we visited the Upsala Glacier on a boat trip, and walked to a lake to view two more glaciers. The lakes were full of icebergs of every shape and every shade of blue.
Melissa headed home and I continued south to Ushuaia. It did not get dark until 11:00PM, and the sky would start to fill with light around 3:30AM. The city is at sea level and is surrounded by 5000ft peaks and is full of nice and helpful people. I went walking in Tiera del Fuego National Park and went to the end of Route 3 which is the furthest south you can go on roads in the world. I went paddling in a river, then out into the ocean where we encountered sea lions and penguins. We trekked around an island to a spot in the middle of the Beagle Channel where you can see where the Atlantic meets the Pacific and where Chile meets Argentina.
Today is my 180th day in South America. I must begin to head north as I have run out of time and I have run out of highway. I have traveled from Otavalo (just north of the equator) to Ushuaia (just south of the Strait of Magellan) mostly overland by bus. I have 11 days to travel north to Peru and I am trading in my backpacker membership for some airline tickets. With the possible exception of one 12 hour nigh bus, I am happy and saddened to say that I will not experience another South American long haul bus journey.
December 18, 2002 - Lima, Peru to Washington D.C.
I stayed a few days in northern Patagonia in Bariloche, Argentina. There was a lot of time to enjoy chocolate and empanadas, along with views of lakes and mountains. On my way north, I had a couple days in Buenos Aires and one last dinner at a parrilla with people I had met along the way. I spent my last week in Piura, Peru where I lived in September. I didn?t tell any of my friends I was coming back, and it was fun to surprise them, and it was a nice week.
Finally, the airline ticket I had been carrying with me since the beginning was turned into a boarding pass. I went to sleep somewhere over Peru and woke up somewhere over the United States. As the plane went below the clouds in New York, the first things I saw were the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. Ah, it felt nice to be home. While sitting on the 40-minute flight to Washington, I pulled the complimentary onboard magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. The front cover had a lovely photo of a C.E.O. He almost seemed smirk at me. In less than a month, I will be back working for his company. Yep, I am home ? I wish reality could have let me enjoy it a little longer. I am clean, I have fresh smelling clothes, and I am eating home cooked food. But best of all, I am still on holiday for a few more weeks.
Photos
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