Greetings from yet further south… (Though not as far south as we will be, as we’ve just decided to go to the southernmost town in the world. After some debate about whether it’s worth the money just to say we were there. But the bus tickets are bought, and it’s all happening on Friday. I’m getting ahead of myself though; first I need to fill you in on the glaciers national park and do a trek…)
Argentina’s Los Glaciares national park, in contrast, was no gimmick and worth every penny. We splashed out on a two-day glacier extravaganza, first walking to the big famous one, the Perito Moreno, then taking a boat tour to visit another five. You’d think we would have been sick to death of glaciers by that point, but they really were breathtaking – the whole place was so beautiful, it honestly brought me close to tears.
The Perito Moreno was impressive, but the Spegazzini (tallest in the park, and untainted by those pesky moraines) was my favourite by far. It’s a unique experience, standing on the deck of a boat so close to a glacier that we were frozen by its cold, but just unable to take our eyes off it.
It loomed above us, pristine white and baby blue, shimmering and calving: you see the rush of ice dust pour down from above and know it’s about to happen, then a vast boulder of ice slides off the face of the glacier and a second later you hear the roar; then it tumbles down effortlessly and disappears in a cloud of spray and drama, before the rising wave works its way outward and you’re convinced you’re about to capsize. (Then while the boat sways gently, you start to feel a little embarrassed for screaming in fear…) Apologies for not capturing all this on video, but I was too busy staring.
My advice – plan to stay in El Calafate for three nights so you have two full days to visit the glaciers national park, but if you have to choose between tour options, the day on the boat was the best. Getting that close to the glaciers was incredible.
It had to end sometime, and now we’re in Puerto Natales – yes, back in Chile – and about to embark on a four-day trek in the Torres del Paine national park. Am a little apprehensive as we’re completely alone this time, no expensive tour operator with guides to tell us where to go, porters to pitch our tent and cooks to cook our meals. Have a vague suspicion I once swore never to do this, but travelling-induced delirium must have set in as I find myself in a hostel room filled with camping equipment, and a very excited Richard poring over trail maps. So wish me luck, and give me strength, and remind me why I’m doing this?
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