Patagonia (Chile and Argentina)

thomasinturner Wyświetlono: 61 razy 2006-03-23 11:13:20

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We had a 14 hour bus journey south from Valparaiso to Puerto Montt at the north end of Patagonia, on the edge of the Patagonian Lakes District (Chilean side). We arrived at 9.30 in the morning, both wearing shorts and flip flops after a few days of sunshine on the coast, and got off the bus in what was undoubtedly Lake District, but it was rather more like Cumbrian weather than South American. We spent the first 20mins in Puerto Montt standing on the concourse, fending off touts offering accomodation, whilst frantically rumaging in our packs to find trousers, boots, waterproofs..anything warm! Bienvenido a Patagonia!!!<br />
We had a 14 hour bus journey south from Valparaiso to Puerto Montt at the north end of Patagonia, on the edge of the Patagonian Lakes District (Chilean side). We arrived at 9.30 in the morning, both wearing shorts and flip flops after a few days of sunshine on the coast, and got off the bus in what was undoubtedly Lake District, but it was rather more like Cumbrian weather than South American. We spent the first 20mins in Puerto Montt standing on the concourse, fending off touts offering accomodation, whilst frantically rumaging in our packs to find trousers, boots, waterproofs..anything warm! Bienvenido a Patagonia!!!

Puerto Montt is actually a pretty grim kind of town, especially in bad weather. We had one night there in a hostel that is difficult to adequately describe...there was a toilet seat it sas just kept behind the sink pedestal - of course! And to be honest, it didn´t really look like anything that you really wanted to come into contact with bare skin!!! So we left, which is the beauty of travelling. If you like somewhere, you stay. If you dont, you leave - ´tis good.

We didnt go far. North 20Km or so to Puerto Varas.
Puerto Varas is much nicer, however the weather was not, so rather than a 4 day trek, we hired a car and did a rather drier, motorised tour of the national parks of the Chilean Lakes District. We took the little Fiat places that perhaps it wasn´t designed to be taken; 60mph down unmade dirt roads, through streams and half way up Volcano Osorno!

We visited the Island of Chiloe, camped and went horseriding the following morning. Tom and the owner/gaucho on big, firey, fast, Sth American steeds, and me plodding behind on a animal that really was not all that interested in going for a walk never mind a run (or gallop - whatever its called). We took an really interesting route through a lake. Tom and the guy were Ok, because they had big horses, but my little Shetland pony in combination with my lanky legs, meant that I got very wet feet... and lower legs... and knees!!

My experiment to see if I was equally as alergic to Sth American horses was also very successful. The answer is YES! Well actually NO - its worse! Couldn´t see, couldn´t breath, sneezing, everything. And then just to cap the
I hope the car hire company doesn't see this!!day off, I took the clothes I´d been wearing into the tent which meant that I became alergic to my nice new tent!!! Ain´t horse riding great?!! But at least Tom enjoyed herself and had the opportunity to gallop through the waves along a deserted beach which is something that she has always wanted to do. Her satisfying a life long ambition was all I was interested in - being the kind of, selfless, kind hearted, self sacrificing guy that I am........What?

After four days the weather improved, just as we were about to move on.

Strona: 1, 2, 3

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