El final de mis viajes

After 275 days of travel it is time to go home.

I have travelled over 35,000 kilometers for approximately 720 hours in more than 70 buses, two boats, a plane and one train, visiting nine countries in total.

I went from 0m to 6088m, visited the deepest canyon, highest city, largest rain forest, driest desert and the longest waterfall in the world, just to name a few! 

Nine months of visiting breath-taking and awe-inspiring places; deserts, jungles, mountain ranges, it is impossible to pick a favourite.

I hope you enjoyed reading this a fraction of how much I enjoyed experiencing this amazing continent.

Hasta luego amigos

Santiago, Chile. Pt 3

Back in Santiago! With five days left of my trip I was able to relax and spend the last few days living a life of leisure before returning to Australia and the "real world". I was lucky enough be able to crash on my friends couch, twenty-three stories up in a great apartment on the overlooking the city.

I spent plenty of time swimming in the roof-top pool, drinking, sunning and occasionally mingling with the cast of Cirque du Soleil who were staying in the building at the time.

A perfect way to end my travels.

More photos here

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Staring out the window during the twenty-four hour bus journey, I watched the seemingly endless Peruvian coast rush by while I journeyed further south from Huanchaco. I returned to Chile after eight months away and detoured inland to visit San Pedro de Atacama, the driest desert in the world.

At an altitude of 2,400m and under the blazing desert sun I decided it would be a great idea to rent a mountain bike and head off to visit the "Valle de la Muerte" (Valley of Death) and "Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). The going was surprisingly easy, only having to walk my bike in places where the sand had drifted onto the road making cycling impossible. The Valley of Death was appropriately named, it was great to cycle along the barren wastes and imposing rock formations that hemmed in the track.

It was a longer and tougher ride to the Valley of the Moon, but it was definitely worthwhile to explore the amazing salt caves, gigantic sand dunes and to watch the scorching sun descend over the nearby mountain ranges. I returned to the small town dusty, thirsty and sore, but happy for the experience.

Thus the final destination was checked off my list, it was time to return to Santiago and prepare for my flight home in less than a week.

More photos here

Torres del Paine national park

From Puerto Natales I decided to do a five-day, four-night hike (the W-trek) through Torres del Paine national park. Everything we needed for the next five days was carried in on our backs (except for drinking water, that came directly from the many streams). No electronics save a watch and a flashlight, a great chance of pace. I travelled with a swiss guy (Joris) I met on the ferry from Puerto Montt, we decided to share cooking and camping equipment and team up for the trek.

Day 1.
We got a lift with some friends to the national park entrance early morning. We were treated to an amazing sunrise over the steppes and mountain ranges, things were definitely off to a good start. We hiked in overcast skies but it was a warm trek to the first camp site (approx 9 kms). We set up camp only to find the tent we rented was barely long enough for me to lie down in, and only by the smallest margin were we both able to lie side by side.... Nevertheless we then hiked up to the first lookout, the world famous Torres del Paine. Absolutely incredible.... The weather was turning worse but we still got an amazing view to the three towers (with circling Condors) and the aquamarine lake at the base. We met with two travellers from the Navimag ferry at the summit, they shared their wine, cheese and fresh fruit with us(the benefits of paying a lot of money for a guide and a day trip), we were very grateful. We made it back down to the camp site in the afternoon with the skies getting darker.

It was the last time on the hike I would have dry feet.

Day 2.
We awoke in pouring rain to a thouroughly wet camp site. We made the most of breakfast before packing our tent and heading to the next campsite. After an hour of walking in the howling wind and pouring rain through muddy trails and gushing streams I was thouroughly wet. At some point in the 22km trek to the next camp site I lost the use of my fingers due to the cold, it took some hours of massaging and warmth before I could straigthen my little fingers again. Still, even with the bad weather we made good time (mostly keeping on the move to stop from freezing) and we arrived at the camp site with the skies slightly clearing. We set our tent with as much protection as possible and had an early night, hoping for drier days to come.

Day 3.
It rained again overnight and as a result our tent leaked from above and below, now our sleeping bags, backpacks and clothes were damp. Deciding to make to most of it we a hot breakfast and trekked 10kms to the French Valley, a spectacular stretch of trail surrounded by towering mountains, ice fields and through autumnal forrests. An amazing place, we stopped at the final lookout feeling insignificant but in awe. At this stage it started raining again, with occasional sleet so we returned to camp. It was Mark's birthday (one of two North Carolinians we met camping) so we cracked our only bottle of cheap red wine to mark the occasion. Served at room temperature (roughly 9 degrees) it was a nice end to a great day.

Day 4.
Awaking to sunshine but cold weather we began the 24km trip to the next camp site. This section took us through areas of the park devastated by recent bushfires, past gorgeous lakes and through rocky valleys lashed with immense winds. Several times gusts of wind would stop me dead in my tracks, unable to walk onwards. The lakes were whipped into a chop and we spotted the occasional chunk of ice that had broken free from the glacier upstream. After the last grueling 4 km hike through undulating valleys we arrived to our final camp site early in the afternoon. Only a few hundred metres away was the lookout to the Grey Glacier. The sun was shining as we jumped the barrier and walked down the rock face for a closer view. I´m at a loss for words to describe what we saw. Sitting on the rocks in the driving wind but finally with some sun in our faces we sat and watched the glacier, so many shades of blue and patterns, with an amazing mountain range in the background. It was an incredibly vindicating sight after so many hours walking through wind and rain, it was worth every step.

Day 5.
Awoke to more rain, we set off in darkness to the rendevous point to catch the ferry and bus up back to Puerto Natales. The streams were flowing more due to the amount of water recieved in the night, and with the low visibility it made for some interesting crossings, but we made it back with an hour to spare, cold and wet. It was an incredible few days, even with the foul weather I experienced some amazing sights, and wouldn´t hesitate to reccomend it to anyone who is up for a challenge.

The less said about the state of my feet, the smell of my shoes and my clothes in general the better....

A lot more photos here

Navimag Ferry

The day finally arrived in Puerto Montt for me to board the Navimag ferry to Puerto Natales. It was an overcast, miserable day, not the sort of weather I was hoping for on a four day, three night cruise.

It was rainy, overcast and windy at times but we were quite lucky to have decent weather for most of the trip. Even the 12 hour stretch of open water in the Pacific Ocean didn't seem as rough as the 3-5m wave predicitions would warrant. I still took a sea-sickness tablet but felt no ill effects, others weren't so lucky...

It was a pleasant trip with several documentaries shown and lectures given about the native flora and fauna, and even a bingo tournament on the final night!

I was a bit dissapointed by the trip, I expected to sail through valleys of snow and icy fjords. Only once did we spot a glacier, far in the distance, whereas the halls of the ferry were decked with photos of the Navimag sailing through spectacular icy vistas. It was the same with the animals, a few whales were seen in the far distance, even rarer were penguins, dolphins and sea-lions.

Still, I'm now in Patagonia, time to do some hiking....

More photos here

Chiloe, Chile

Heading further south I stay for a few nights on the Isla de Chiloe in the town of Castro. Not a great deal to see and do, I visited a few museums and old wooden churches but missed out on seeing the national park. I feel like I have seen all I can in the general area. I should have bought some camping gear, lots of multi-day hiking trails in the area, and still have 10 days before I need to catch the Navimag to Patagonia. 

Therefore I´m going to take a slight detour into Argentina for a week, hopefully more excitement awaits. 

More photos here

Puerto Varas, Chile

Puerto Varas is another small, touristy town with a lot of German heritage. Situated on Lake Llanquihue it is a very relaxing place to stay, but not a lot of activities on offer. There is a stunning view from the lake front, more volcanos and mountains in the distance.

I took a bus to Petrohue and hiked a 12km return track around the base of Volcano Osorno. It was a pretty easy walk but it has some great views, especially of Lake Todos Los Santos. One the way back I stopped off at a nearby waterfall, once again the water is an amazing shade of blue - green, and crystal clear. It is a shame the fishing tours start at $200 per person!

It is getting colder during the evenings now, luckily the place I´m staying has several fireplaces. Great way to unwind in the afternoon... Sitting in front of the fire, reading, and drinking $2 bottles of red wine.

Went for a 50km bike ride to Frutilla, across train tracks, through fields, along lakes, past pastures full of cows and sheep. I'm ashamed to say that I got off the bike many times to wheel it up the numerous hills...

I have spent a lot of time reading here, it is relaxing but everything can be seen in a day or two. I still have a few weeks before I have to catch the ferry to Patagonia so taking things slow for the time being. It is getting colder by the day, hopefully I haven't left it too late.

More photos here

Valdivia, Chile

Valdivia is a small town south of Santiago, situated on the banks of two converging rivers. It apparently draws a lot of tourists during the summer, but as I arrived things seemed to be slowing down.

The afternoon I arrived I walked around the central part of town until my room was available. Along the banks is a large fish market selling all manner of seafood. The fish are scaled and filleted before your eyes, the waste and offcuts thrown into the river, and the colony of sealions that hang around in the river take care of the rest.

Further down the bank is a submarine, I would tell you more about it but the 40min tour I took was completely in Spanish. All I know is that it was made in Scotland and wasn’t designed to accommodate giants like myself. Still, it was interesting to stoop around in, and the sealions appreciated a hot metal surface to bask on.

That night the hostel organised a going away party for one of the seasonal workers it employs. Being the only ’Strayun there it was decided that I was to be in charge of the BBQ. It wasn’t a bad job, they made sure my glass was never empty of home-made sangria.

I walked around town the next day visiting the museums and parks in the area, and worked up an appetite in preparation of my visit to the famous German brewery (Kuntsmann Cerveza) in the area. I wasn't dissapointed... The best part? The beer came out in a 2.5L glass columns with a tap at the bottom. Great way to drink beer!

The next day I ventured out to some of the outer forts and castles with some Germans I met the night before. A bus and several small ferrys took us between forts, most were heavily damaged during the previous centurys earthquakes but in most places the walls and parapets survived, if the buildings did not. It was a wet and overcast day but still quite pretty. Ate some local fruit from the many trees along the trail, also partook of some extremely fresh seaweed to appease a local couple that showed us around their native gardens. Once again I visited the brewery, this time we ordered a 'taste test' of beer. My favourites? The honey beer and the blueberry beer.

Explored the town some more, walked through the grounds of one of the many universities in the area. For a 'college town' it was remarkably sedate on Friday and Saturday night, walking home around midnight the pubs and clubs seemed deserted. Maybe they were all arrested during the protests the previous day?

More photos here

Pucon, Chile

Pucon to me feels like Byron Bay, if instead of beaches you were surrounded by mountains. Very touristy and overpriced, but I avoided the action adventures (climbing a volcan not withstanding) and laced up my hiking boots.

First off, Noah (an American I met in Santiago) and I ventured out to El Canl on a wet and overcast day. It wasn´t our first choice but something to do with daylight savings happened overnight and we missed our desired bus by and hour. Our backup plan took us to the 400 ha forest that was formed by a citizens group to protect the ancient arucaria forest from logging. It didn´t stop drizzling the whole day which was a blessing as it was hard enough work making our way to the end without the added challenge of the sun beating down on us. We managed to make it to the mirador (lookout) after a steep and demanding 3 1/2 hour hike and were rewarded with...... mist. Visibility was less than 10m, but it was great to walk through the forest in fog, very atmospheric. Eating wild plums and mulberries that dotted the trail was icing on the cake! No photos unfortunately.

After a days rest I ventured out to the Parque Nacional Huerquehue and walked the Los Lagos trail. It wove through more ancient forests, moss covered trees and walls of bamboo and opened up to several  spectacular crystal clear, blue lakes. What I wouldn´t give for a kayak, a fishing rod and some decent lures. I stopped for lunch on a granite boulder and relaxed for a while, doing my best lizard impersonation. Basking in the hot sun with only the sound of the wind in the trees and the noise of birds and insects was amazing.

The next day Max (a german guy I met at the hostel in Pucon) and I took the bus out to the Parque Nacional Huerquehue to attempt the San Sebastion trail. It promised to be a harder hike and it didn´t dissapoint. Immediately after we started the trail steepened as it was obvious this wasn´t a heavily walked trail, unlike the previous day. After an hour we made it to the first flat section, a field of golden grass framed by the Andes and volcanos in the distance. After a brief bite to eat with incredible views we continued on trekking through ancient trees and scrambling up granite boulders until we conquered the summit. We had 360 degree views on the park and no clouds in sight. Such an amazing view, it was well worth the difficult hike. We had lunch on a granite boulder overlooking the valley, while a hawk glided on the thermals so close we could hear it pass. I may have also fallen alseep for 30 minutes or so.....

In the one week I have been in Pucon I have climbed over 4000 metres, there are so many amazing trails and parks to explore. Although sore and my feet may be missing more skin that I care to admit but it was definitely an amazing experience. Also, $2 bottles of red wine ease the pain...

More photos here

Volcan Villaricca, Pucon

I arrived in Pucon after an overnight bus ride to a sunny and hot day. Pucon itself is a very small town, very tourist orienatated and thus very expensive. Still, I found a cheap hostel and booked to climb ´Volcan Villaricca¨the next day.

I awoke at 5:30 to drizzle, and while it was still dark I could see no stars out, it was completely overcast. It did not bode well for the climb. My guide said that the fog was due to the exceptionally hot day yesterday, and the climb would still go ahead as we would start trekking above the fog layer.

Sure enough, our mini-bus gradually climbed through the clouds, and once again we were greeted by a gloriously sunny day, and the sight of the Volcano rising 2850m into the sky.

I chose not to take the ski-lift 1/3 of the way up the Volcano and started the 5 hour ascent all on foot. The first few hours were spent scrambling up volcanic rock, after a few short stops we rested once we made it to the snow line. There, we attached our crampons, got out the ice-axe and started to the final 2 hour ascent to the crater. We could see the smoke rising from the crater at the bottom of the volcano (and from town when the sun was clear), but as we finally made it to the top the smell of sulphur told us we had reached our destination.

And what a magnificent trek it had been! With the fog covering the ground it felt like we were high above the world, with only a few surrounding mountains and volcanos managing to poke through into the sunlight. The view from the climb up was breaktaking, and if that wasn´t good enough every so often the volcano would throw up a some magma!!! I have always wanted to see lava, topped off an amazing climb.

The return was much faster as we could slide down the ice on our arse, and the rock sections were much easier too. The descent took about 2 hours. It wasn´t the hardest climb, I was tired but not sore or exhausted, but it was one I will definitely not forget!

More photos here

Santiago, Chile. Pt 2

Took a really good guided tour through Santiago and saw a lot of interesting places with some local commentary. Was told of ´Cafe con piernas´(coffee with legs) where you could go and get a cup of coffee while being served by semi-naked women. Apparently it is quite a hit with the local businessmen. I´m yet to visits and of those establishments....

Afterwards I went house hunting with a girl from my hostel. One of the owners offered her to come over for a party so she could check out the room and meet the people. I tagged along and ate delicious tacos prepared the owner, a Chilean chef. They were cooked over hot coals in a bqq suspended from their balcony fence, great idea. I spent the night utterly bewildered as 7 people (Two North Americans, one English, two Chileas, one Venezualan, one Italian) spoke very rapid spanish all night! I still had a really enjoyable time, everyone was so friendly and hospitable.

The next morning was spent visiting the two Irish pubs in Santiago trying to find somewhere that was showing the Super 6´s Rugby Union match between Ireland and France. The first place we tried (and were told to watch it there) was closed for renovations. We jumped back on the train to try and Irish Pub (Dubin´s) that I saw the day before. In a not so surprising event, they only showed soccer and didn´t have any other channels. We met an englishman there who had the same idea, so we wandered around the pub district to see if we could find it eslewere. After 20 minutes we gave up and decided to have lunch instead. After parting ways we got back to our hostel only to find it was being broadcast on a channel we had in our hostel. Saw the last 5 minutes of a 17-17 draw in Spanish.

Later that night I accompanied an North American friend of mine to a sunset party thrown to welcome people joining the ´Start-up Chile´program. Food, drinks and a roof top pool, all on the 22nd floor. Had an great time, chatting to a great bunch of people from all over the world, taking photos of the stunning Andes mountain range bathed in the orange light of of dusk, watching the city lights stretch on into the horizon. An amazing night....

More photos here

Santiago, Chile. Pt 1

I arrived after a long flight (Brisbane - Sydney - Buenos Aires - Santiago) tired but ok. First impression of the city were really good. I managed to catch the right bus from the airport, then walked for 45min to my hostel. Partly becuase I needed the exercise, mostly because I didn´t want to push my luck with the public transport.

Santiago is a nice place, wasn´t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. Easy to walk down the street without being hassled, nice wide streets and footpaths make walking around the city a pleasure.

I spent the last day and a half (first morning I slept until midday) checking out the sights, I will still need another couple of days to fit in the rest of the museums and attractions. I walked up the main hill overlooking the city (Cerro San Cristobal) where a giant statue of the Virgin Mary overlooks Santiago. The government has set aside 772 hectares of land (that can´t be right¿¿¿.... haha check out the question marks¡¡) for the city municipal park. I walked around for 4 hours taking in the public pools, Chilean and Japanese gardens, recreation areas and smaller parks. Saw many people on mountain bikes going up and down the roads, Chileans seem like an active people.

Finished the day with a trip to the zoo. The had a diverse selection of animals, it was surprising. Polar bears, white tigers, condors, kangaroos, lots of chimps and monkeys etc.

More sight seeing to come....

Photos here