The evening bus was supposed to get into El Calafate around 11pm, but as usual, going through the border took a while - meaning that we didn´t arrive until midnight. Fortunately, I´d memorised directions to the nearby hostel, and they were expecting me. Unfortunately, the directions involved going down some steep steps from the bus station, and since there was no light, and there were stretches of platform between each group of steps, trying to get down them unaided would have been an impossibility, even without a heavy backpack.
In Britain, I probably would have been terrified in a similar situation, in a strange town. Here in El Calafate, however, two local guys coming up towards the bus station saw my predicament, politely helped me down the steps, and saw that I was OK. At Hostal Lautaro, another Dirio was waiting for me, and I found myself with a 4-bedded dormitory to myself, with bathroom and kitchenette attached. Breakfast was included, however, and the next morning I met Dirio´s wife Belen: a lovely warm, welcoming person, whose breakfasts consisted of fruit juice (real this time), drinking yogurt, cereals, various breads and/or croissants, and a small piece of homemade cake.
El Calafate was a nice little town, expensive, but good for window shopping in the Indian art and crafts shop, especially. It also had an admittedly rather unattractive park, where there were some large birds with long curved beaks, and a small outdoor museum.
Took regular afternoon bus to the Perito Moreno glacier, which had the advantage of leaving you there until 7.30 in the evening, by which time all the tour groups had left. It was misty and raining when we arrived, but cleared up later, allowing decent if not sparkling views over the enormous, still advancing glacier: already at least as big as the city of Buenos Aires, apparently.. Walkways gave you views from various sides, and watching large lumps of snow and ice tumbling into the blue-green water below, at intervals, became addictive. Apparently, two lakes are separated by the glacier, forcing the water levels in each to differ. Every few years, the force of the water forces the glacier to break up, with dramatic force. The last time was in 2008.
Update April 2012: the last time was on 5th March 2012!
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drmpc2YNoQ0
Met an Italian couple (Alexandro and Alexandra) whom I´d first met on the bus coming over the border. Mentioned the border crossing into Chile to them, and they asked where I was staying in El Chalten, since they wanted to know more about it - they thought they might come.
Back in El Calafate for another night, I´d chosen the option of camping in the garden near the cherry trees, since there were no beds that night. Here I found that one of the poles in my new Karrimor tent had cracked - what a pain. Managed to rig it up enough for the dry, calm night, but it wouldn´t do in the wind.
El Chalten and Fitzroy National Park
Saturday was the day to move on to El Chalten (still in Argentina). On arrival, we were taken to the National Park office en route to the bus station, where fire precautions etc were explained again. Hostel Albergue Patagonia was modern, clean and spacious . Allocated a room sharing with 3 female rock climbers from South Korean, who were aiming at climbing Fitzroy and the Corres before the end of February - scarey!
Went to get tent pole mended, by which time it was pouring with rain. Met up with the Italians, who were still considering the border crossing. Sunday cleared enough to walk for a while, but the mist spoilt the views rather. Met John and Antonia, the Irish couple, heading for a campsite, and also ran into the French guy (Etienne) who had helped me over the river on the way to Cuernos, and his girlfriend Clare. They told me that it had snowed on their tent the previous night! Turned cold and showery enough in the afternoon to need all my layers, including waterproofs and gloves. Ran into ´Mr Tuna from Israel' again, in the evening.
Monday started bright and fine - good enough to get some good views of the Fitzroy range. Enjoyable day, running into the Irish couple for the last time, and walking with them for a while.
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| Blowing the cloud away from Fitzroy! |
The Italians had come to find me the previous day, to say that they had finally decided that they needed to take Ruta 40, instead of the Chile border crossing, so as to be able to get back to Buenos Aires in time. So, for the border crossing via Lago Desierto next day, it was to be just Hans from Holland, staying at the same hostel, and me.
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