Travel further to the South

January 23 1998


Well Folks, sitting at the ends of the earth. Not quite the uttermost ends yet, but in a week’s time I´ll be at 55 degrees South. I met up with a couple of Capetonians, and as they say, if you thought the Cape Winter was miserable, try the Patagonian Summer. I however, have had far better luck than them with the weather, having an essentially sunny trek through the stupendously beautiful Torres Del Paine. I could wax lyrically about it for ages, but will spare you the cyberspace. Simply put, get there and hike it. And to those who already have, need I say more. In what seems to be the pattern of this trip, I did myself the disservice of acquiring acute tendentious in my Achilles tendon (rumour has it this may be a result of doing two days walk in one with a 30 plus kg pack, but I refuse to believe it) so am sitting with the feet up in Punta Arenas until next week. Then its off trekking and more trekking until the tendon snaps or my boots collapse. There is so much to do here in terms of walking it would take 5 years just to do what I want to, and another 3 lifetimes to see everything. The Antarctic birdlife is also something special, and I am thoroughly enjoying being the amateur naturalist again. The trip with Rob through obscure parts of the Chilean lake district was, in a word, FANTASTIC, and I could not conceive a better way to spend the festive season. Christmas was spent on a ferry on a very remote lake between Chile and Argentina. It even snowed in the hills above us that evening. We rode mountain bikes lots and climbed a Volcán Villarica. Swam in Crystal clear lakes and walked on windswept beaches. Simply revelled in the sheer force and beauty of nature as Chile presents it, which is very Big very bold and very very beautiful. Punta Arenas, the town where I’ve been swallowing my ibuprofen and ice packing the heel is a lovely little city, with piles of interesting travellers, some trying to get to Antarctica. Only a dream on my budget, but maybe next time huh Oh well, much more to say, but you all know how cheap I am and time passes.