Short-hand notes from a stint in Patagonia: Day 2

Day 2: January 17th

6:00am - wake up on floor of airport. I'm cold.

6:01am - roll over. A line of people are checking-in downstairs; the doors are all propped open.

6:03am - man comes by to open restaurant, tells us we have to move.

6:30am - we go downstairs to call Buses Fernandez again; they tell us they don't have room until the 1pm bus. we go ask information for advice, they tell us Buses Fernandez has 5 spaces on the

8:00am bus. we talk to French couple biking across the world as we wait; they're trying to get to Puerto Natales too.


8:28am - bus comes, we all get on after the couple manages to convince the driver to squeeze their box-packed bikes under the bus.

8:31am - the attendant comes and tells us we have to get off the bus because there are 5 people with reservations. we get off bus. 5 well-equipped, young Chileans are waiting outside. we try to argue, then look sad. the 5 well-equipped, young Chileans offer to sit 3-to-a-seat with us for the 3-hour ride to Puerto Natales. we get back on bus.

Crisis #1 averted.

8:38am - I meet the 5 Chileans as we pull away from airport. only 3/4 of my butt is on the seat. they tell me they're donig the Circuit in Torres del Paine; I tell them we don't really know what we're doing - random hiking?

9:15am - half of butt asleep; man gets off bus in middle of nowhere; I take his seat.

11:30am - arrive in Puerto Natales, locate Erratic Rock Hostel. Hostel makes us happy. we meet Sascha (german) who's staying in our room. also meet guy who left park early because of rain; advises us to pack everything in trash bags.

12:00pm - wander around town getting info and supplies. purchase trash bags. have lunch at Magay's--pizza and sandwiches = amazing. see father and son pair eating too--german? dutch?

3:00pm - informational talk about Torres del Paine given by Andy at our hostel; we have no idea what we're doing. Andy finds this exeptionally hilarious.

3:20pm - realize we have to change all our plans and reservations as well as rent lots of equipment. spend next 5 hours convincing Andescape to refund all our money despite their 5 day advance notice policy, making bus reservations for El Calafate and the park, renting tent, stove, ground pad, pot, flashlight, rain pants, and repacking all our stuff.

A long time after, still not having slept - make dinner, make tomorrow's lunch, bathe and apply skin treatment, use internet.

Crisis #2 averted?

12:00am - hostel is loud; is sleep really that important?

Short-hand notes from a stint in Patagonia: Day 1

On Jaunary 16th my friend Graciela and I set off for La Patagonia for two weeks of trekking and penguin sightings. The following is a shorthand (but at times way too detailed) account of the trip.

Day 1: January 16th, 2007

11:50pm - plane takes off just before midnight after an 8pm bus ride to Santiago.

3:15am (January 17th) - deboard in Punta Arenas airport, quickly remember that Chile has no central heating. Graciela is wearing flip-flops.


3:27am - lots of people are grabbing backpacking packs off the conveyor belt; they have tents and ground pads as well as warm hiking pants. They also seem to know where they're going.

3:26am - we feel slightly intimidated, slightly anxious, more than slightly cold.

After soliciting information, we try calling Buses Fernández to secure spots on their 8:00am bus to Puerto Natales, but they appear to be sleeping, so we follow a group of 5 well-equipped, young Chileans upstairs where they break out their sleeping bags and ground pads to go to sleep. Gras attempts inflating her new ground pad; not so successful. I curl up in my sleeping bag and try to sleep.