JustTwo

Just the two of us

18 January 2014, Puerto Natales

The last ten days have been wonderful. A relief to be on our own and free to do whatever we want. We spend some days in hostal Yagan in Puerto Williams and passed our time for the flight to Punta Arenas by walking up to the beaver dam and meet friends we made in this little town before the Antarctic trip. Travel over land requires different skills; in stead of needing to repair things, we now have to plan lodging and travel itineraries. It is high season and many transport options are booked full for the next months.

Thus we fly to Puerto Arenas and from there take a bus to Puerto Natales, our next base camp for about a week. From here we make a tough but lovely walk to the Mirador in the Torres del Paine national park. You will recognize the famous viewpoint. On the way back williwaws surprise us on the bare slopes of the mountain. Stones fly eye-high in this wind, bombarding us. Julie has to crouch low and I am nearly blown off the slope. We survive but wonder what happens if the wind is just a bit harder as it does the next day!

A walk up Sierra Dorotea gives us a nice view of the plateau of Puerto Natales and our first close up with the mighty Condor of the Andes, 4 meter wingspan! The next day we see a group of five flying in a remote area, only reachable with our rented pick-up truck. What a sight! Again we are lucky that day when we come at the end of a road to a Hacienda where the cowboys are just busy branding the young calves. A lot of flames and smoke and loud moans of the calves. We do see evidence that accidents do happen when lassoing the calves, a broken off hoof.

Tomorrow we will fly to Puerto Montt where Julie has many friends from her previous stays there. We are invited into their homes to stay until we have to take the bus to Santiago for our flight home.

We are looking forward to meeting all of you, again and become friends!