We awoke early from what was probably one of my deepest sleeps ever and decided to head back to Calafate. We had done everything we planned to do in Chalten.We ate brunch across the street from our hostel, I’m getting very sick of Argentine food at this point and am also a little cranky.My completo breakfast sandwich came with hard boiled eggs instead of the usual fried egg, why can't they make food unhealthy when you need it that way!! We went on a search for homemade chocolate in the cold and rain only to find the store was closed, but luckily found delicious homemade alfajors (delicious cookie sandwiches with dulce de leche in between and coconut around the outside).
After getting back to Calafate we took a short cut to our hostel and wandered around town getting errands done again.I bought a stove for my trek in Torres del Paine National Park.We met up with our buddies from the glacier trek in a pub in town and relaxed for a bit. Thankfully Graham, who fell down the crevasse, was a little sore, but going to be okay.
We had a delicious Italian dinner; I had noquis with mushroom sauce. We randomly ran into Lauren, who is my good friend Patrick’s girlfriend, at the restaurant.I knew she was traveling around Argentina, but I didn’t think we would meet up because I thought I was a few days behind her. We spent a very pleasurable evening chatting between the two tables.
March 20, 2009
Today we had to wake up early to catch a bus to cross the border into Chile.I accidentally smuggled a ham and cheese sandwich across the border, but that just shows how tight customs are on the southern side.We found a nice hostel and the bus to Torres del Paine National Park stopped right outside.We ate lunch at a little delicious restaurant called La Picada de Don Carlitos, where I had a wonderful fish stew.
At this point, I was planning to do the five day trek (Alyssa pansied out) in Torres del Paine.It involves walking about 50 miles over five days carrying all your gear and food on your back.We heard there was an informational chat about doing the trek at another hostel called Erratic Rock, so we wandered over there hoping to meet some people for me to hike with.Thankfully, I met a wonderfully nice guy, Lee from England, he introduced me to his other trekking partners: Angie and Troy from California, Emilie from Montreal, and Alex from France and they let me join their troop!I was getting quite nervous for the hike and didn’t feel like eating dinner much, so while Rob and Alyssa ate, I had ice cream.A wonderful last supper.
March 21, 2009
We had an early breakfast at our hostel and took the bus to Torres together.Alyssa and Rob were planning on doing three days of camping and hiking, but without carrying gear. At the entrance they left to head out to their campsite and I headed across the park to the “end” of the trail, where I was going to begin.If anyone ends up doing this trek I highly suggest this start because it saves the Torres themselves for the very end of your hike.
The bus dropped me off at the boat dock where I met up with my other companions and we took a catamaran across the lake.On the boat Lee decided he wanted to do the trek in four days and skip the first day’s climb, so he broke off from the group.However, on the boat we also met Ryan from England and Greg from France who decided to join our group.
The first day’s hike consists of an uphill climb to Glacier Grey.Right off the bat I realize that I’m the slowest and least athletic member of my group and steel myself for a physically challenging five days.At the beginning of the hike we saw three Patagonian deer, very close up.Yay for wildlife.The trek up the mountain was very windy.It was so windy you could relax your body into the wind and it would keep you standing vertical and sometimes almost blow you over!
Patagonian deer
Fighting the wind
More BLUE ice from Glacier Grey
Whew look at that huge pack
Towards the end of the day we got lost trying to find the free campsite, so we ended up camping outside the refugio for a minimal cost. Camping on the refugio grounds allowed us to use the bathrooms and the refugio’s living room.After a successful pasta dinner – the first dinner I’ve cooked over the camp stove by myself, the group headed inside to pay cards. I slept well after such a long day of hiking.
We had to wake up at the crack of dawn (actually this time, it was 7 and the sun had just come up). We erased all traces of our presence from the expedition campsite and were laying around with our clothes spread out to dry when the expedition man came up and started checking over his equipment.
Fitz Roy in the Morning
Around noon we set off to Cerro Fitz Roy (which is just beyond Campamento Poincenot).The hike was even more beautiful in the sun, and there are many glaciers to be seen all over the mountains.I’ll realize later that this is my favorite place in all of Argentina.Once we passed Campamento Fitz Roy we had a virtually vertical climb up the mountain to Laguna de los Tres.It was absolutely beautiful up there.
Alyssa on the way to Fitz Roy
Rob and Alyssa
Yes we are hiking up that squiggly line
We ate lunch on a rock in the laguna over looking a huge glacier that looked close enough to touch.Alyssa and I hiked off to look at a waterfall and Rob wandered into the pronounced “danger zone” for an hour.We got worried and I had to go in looking for him.Once he was found we set off on the return hike to our campsite.
Amy on the glacier lake
Alyssa and Rob on our lunching rock
Alyssa next to the waterfall and in front of a lake that looks like turquoise paint.
I have turned from the musical genius of the group to the story teller and on the hike back to our campsite, created a story about the three of us.I am Tree Girl because I’m obsessed with plants, Rob is Caterpillar Boy because he plays with every bug he sees and Alyssa is the Patagonian Princess.Tree Girl and Caterpillar Boy are stealing the Patagonian Princess from her family to come back to our tribe.Rob requests that his name is changed to Butterfly Prince so he can marry the Patagonian Princess and immediately regrets that decision.He will be forever known in our mind as the Butterfly Prince – very masculine.
View on the way back down
I have to hike down that?
March 17, 2009
Today we woke up, ate breakfast, and packed our campsite.We had a pretty easy hike back into town where we re-established ourselves at our wonderful hostel.I had milanesa for lunch – which is a large pounded piece of beef, breaded and fried – this can also come “completo” but I did not order it that way.To stretch out our muscles Alyssa and I did a short hike to a small waterfall, it was pretty and senic, but the hike was mostly on a dirt road, not in the woods.
Hike down from the camping spot
We booked our glacier trek for the next day and spent some time in the one internet café in town.I found out Yar got into Austin – SO EXCITED!!!!
March 18, 2009
Unfortunately none of our alarms went off this morning so we woke up very late for our glacier trek.Our group left one guide to help us to catch up to the others. The hike turns into Mao Ze Dong’s “long march,” with very few breaks.At the base camp we caught up with the rest of the group, which consists of a whopping four doctors and many people traveling together on a tour of South America.
After a light breakfast of coffee and cookies (very typical here) we hiked to the river.We had to cross the river by pulling ourselves hand over hand across a line suspended about 10 feet above the water.Then there was a strenuous, but invigorating hike through the forest, over a waterfall, and down through a rock field.
Alyssa crossing the stream
Waterfall crossing
At the glacier we put on cramp-ons and hiked around.We looked at many crevasses.It was very cool to be literally on the glacier walking around.Unfortunately one of our group members took a fall into a pretty deep crevasse, hit his head, and had to be carried out of the glacier on a stretcher.This also meant we had to pass up on our chance to go ice climbing.We joined up with another group and hiked back.I got to practice my Spanish with the guides, who became fast friends with Rob and I.At 7:30 we rrived back at the hostel - hobbling – we just finished a 18 mile hike.As we discussed dinner plans we fell fast asleep.
Today we had to wake up early to see Glacier Perito Moreno. The drive to the park was absolutely beautiful. The river water was white like one of those Glacier freeze Gatorade drinks. It was absolutely freezing when we stepped off the bus. We took a short boat ride to the face of the glacier. I being the forever comic felt the need to yell "iceburg dead ahead" at the spotting of any chunk of ice in the water. The glacier was blue... you see pictures of the glacier and you think yea, blue, probably computer edited. But it is that BLUE in real life. My pictures absolutely do not do it justice.
Iceberg dead ahead!
Blue like you have never seen before...
After the boat ride we stopped in the cafeteria to eat some food and fuel up for our "walk." It was freezing, and windy and SNOWING!! but amazing. We got to see the iceberg "calve" a few times. Calving is when huge chunks of ice fall off the burg and go crashing into the water. The berg itself gives off this crazy loud creaking noise. FREAKY.
Alyssa avoiding the rain
CALVE!!!
Back at the cafeteria we attempted to warm up and play some serious UNO. But apparently card playing in public is illegal and we were told to put them away (although we played again in public many times after that and were never told to stop.)
Back at the hostel we faffed about warming up in front of the radiator.Then we realized we had a short time before we caught our bus and still needed to buy food for dinner.Alyssa and Rob brought all of the luggage to the bus station while I bought food and sprinted up behind them.We caught our bus, but were told no eating aloud.We ate anyway – such rebels.
After arriving in Chalten and settling into our clean warm wonderful hostel we bundled up as if we were going on a Antarctic rescue mission and walked two blocks to the restaurant for dinner.I had yummy capriccio and Rob and Alyssa decided I have multiple diseases because I crave undercooked meat and fish.Before retiring to bed we, of, course finished the saved UNO game.
March 14, 2009
Today was another rest day.It felt like we had been traveling for ages, so we decided to spend the day relaxing. We wandered around the two-bit town and collected info about camping and excursions in the area.
We found a wonderful chocolate shop and proceeded to laze about for hours.We drank hot chocolate with all types of yummy adventurous additives like tia maria, hot pepper, and bailey’s, while enjoying a serious game of rummy.The next day we were going to go on a glacier trek, but decided that since rain was forecast that we would go camping instead. (Still unsure why we thought this was a brilliant plan.)
Later in the evening we did our grocery shop for our three day camping trip. Had a wonderful dinner of salmon raviolis and this great local brewery that served all you can eat popcorn – yes I was in heaven.
March 15, 2009
When we awoke this morning it was pouring rain.We began trekking up the mountain with our special waterproof pants.Turns out they aren’t waterproof in a monsoon.Everyone else on the trail is headed towards town, but we will not admit our folly in beginning a camping trip in the rain.
We arrived at the campsite (Laguna Capri) to set up our tents.Which look incredibly dinky compared to the fancy-pants expedition tents that are set up all around us.After sandwiches, made huddled under an umbrella, we decided they only way not to die of hypothermia is to tromp around.The musical genius of the group (that’s me) made up a song about tromping.
The hike took us along side a stream, through the Valley of the Wind (named by yours truly), across a swamp to Campamento Poincinot.(By this time Alyssa’s feet were soaked and I was never happier about my hiking boots.) We thought we saw glaciers through the clouds, but couldn’t be sure, just glimpses of blue.
Valley of the Wind and possible glacier glimpse?
On the way back to camp, it stopped raining and we definitely saw GLACIERS.I have never seen blue that blue.Just as we arrive back at camp and light the stove for dinner the rain begins again.We ate our now famous noodles with soup mix and cheese – delicious camp food.We also realized that there was no way for us to get our soaking wet bodies into the tents without getting everything in them soaking wet.
Caterpillar Boy - he will make a showing later on...
We decided that since there were currently no expeditions going on we would break into their kitchen tent to dry off and change into our pajamas.We laid our clothes over every available surface to dry. We also decided it was worth it to sneak into one of their tents with a fancy rain fly for the night.We made a cloud bed out of all the extra sleeping bags they were storing in there and ate chocolate.Alyssa and Rob fell asleep as I read out loud.
I wake again at dawn as usual. To allow Alyssa and Rob some extra time to sleep I wander around the campsite. Luckly, I met up with some Germans we saw two days ago at the bus stop. They have an awesome tent that looks like it is a relic from WWII!
Alyssa and I at what we believe is Laguna Verde
Today we decided to hike to Laguna Verde, the search began along a dusty road and unfortunately for my fellow hikers we did not find the lake as hoped for, but I did discover a love of Oliver tunes, which I sang over and over until I could remember most of the words. Alyssa and Rob whinged of course, although I must say that Rob was an enabler and if I would quiet down he would begin to whistle the tunes to bring them back into my mind and start me up again.
Huge bridge that must be crossed. Rob is crossing it.
Eventually we found this huge bridge and of course crossed it and much to our surprize found a beach sans flies! It was a miracle. We ate lunch at this heavenly spot and relaxed here before heading back to our campsite to pack up and catch the bus back to Esquel.
Rob and Alyssa hiking along the road.
We checked into the first hostel we saw by the train station and did what ever camper does after days in the woods. SHOWERED. I think I smelled baaaaad. By this time we were starving and Alyssa and Rob lead me on a run (no joke I do not think we could have moved faster) to the restaurant. I think this is their payback for all the Oliver tunes earlier in the day.
Dinner was not amazing, but ice cream was.... yummmy.
March 11, 2009
Today was a relaxing day. We didn't have much to do before our bus later in the evening. We wandered around town and did a bit of shopping, ate amazing huge Lomito Completo sandwhiches (beef, lettuce, tomato, ham, cheese, egg, mayonaise - I will soon learn that nothing in Argentina is complete until you add ham, egg and cheese).
Our bus was a 24 hour - yes you read that correctly - ride from Esquel to Calafate. We luckily got the front seats which have windows to all sides. The bus ride consisted of sleeping, eating, sleeping, watching terrible movies, sleeping, looking at amazing scenery that consisted of rheas (South America mini-ostraches), huge bunnies, sheep and guanacos (southern South American lama-like creatures). We arrived in Calafate at 4:30 the next day - ouch.
View from the bus.
March 12, 2009
Obviously most of today was spend on the bus. When we got to Calafate we found our hostel - which had an 8-year old boy in charge, dropped off our laundry, scheduled flights from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires - after that 24 hour bus ride we had no desire to tackle the 50 hour bus ride that would have been.
Alyssa and I were out running errands when we spotted Rob. We quitely snuck up and tackeled, but he was not surprized... and we thought we were being soooo stealthy.
For dinner we ate at a Tenedor Libre - which is a buffet with lots of meat fresh of the grill. Yummy.
Today was the day we planned to leave Bariloche and head to Esquel. We had planned on kayaking before leaving as the weather is beautiful, but it just did not happen. This morning we woke up in our comfy hostel and Alyssa cooked Rob and me a delicious breakfast of omlettes and beans.
Shortly after breakfast we got on the bus to Esquel. On this bus ride we got to watch the Mummy III dubbed in Spanish, very exciting.
In Esquel we decided to try out our tents a night before going camping for three days. It turns out I´m stuck in Tina the Tiny Tent. I cannot even stretch out fully in this thing. How are Alyssa and I both ever going to fit??
After setting up our tents we headed out to the grocery store to pick up supplies for our camping expedition. I also had my first restaurant dinner of beef at La Luna - steak with roquefort cheese. It was absolutely fabulous. We ate very early for Argentina at 8 when the restaurant was empty, but we sat at the table talking for so long that the restaurant was jam packed by the time we left.
Unfortunately, the camp ground in the middle of the town was not very comfortable. We had two sirens go off during the night and trucks rumbling past. Alyssa has come down with some sort of illness and her and Rob were up all night with nose blowing... I, at least got two hours of sleep. I´m lookin forward to the peace and quiet of the national park.
March 8, 2009
The bus to Parque Nacional los Alerces was at 8 o´clock so we awoke very early to accomodate slow Rob. We are in the park and at our campsite by 10:45. We have discovered the flies at this park. There are two types at our campsite: little gnats that are only out in the morning and the evening and horse flies that are out as long as the sun is shining. Bug spray does not work on these animals, but smacking each other does! We are about to spend three days beating each other to death.
After setting up our campsite we eat lunch and set out on a little hike along the river. This river is absolutely georgeous. It is glacial run off and the brightest color of turquoise I have ever seen. The weather is perfect and after about an hour and a half of hiking Rob decides to jump in the river, followed shortly by the girls. This water is COLD. Colder than the water at Lake Titicaca. While our clothes dried we ate lunch. During the hike back we swam again and I got a little sun burned. You would think I would learn to put on sun screen the first time in the sun after winter.
Alyssa and Amy by the river
More views of the river
After our hike we took a nap, Alyssa seems to be getting sicker instead of better. That night we cooked our dinner over a campfire. It was pasta with vegie soup thickened to make sauce and CHEESE... yummy. The trouble with the campfire was not getting our water to boil as some may think, but keeping it from boiling over. We had fun acting like cavemen.
Rob with caveman stick
March 9, 2009
I have found that I´m not yet completely off my work schedule and cannot sleep as late as my two laze about traveling mates. So as Alyssa says I awake at dawn (10 AM) and wander around the campsite until I make an Argie friend... got to do my Spanish practice for the day, while Rob and Alyssa hide in the tent from the bugs.
We begin our hike to Laguna Escondida before having breakfast. On the way up we stop for apples and peanut butter. My apple attempts to make a fast get away down the hill and Alyssa and Rob laugh as I chase after it. I of course won the battle - the apple was all the sweeter for it.
View from hike
We reach the laguna after a strenuous hike up hill and Rob and Alyssa swim and bathe. I could not bring myself to enter the fridged water again. People arrive when Alyssa is still sunning in her underwear and she awkwardly tries to play it off... unsuccessfully.
From the laguna we hike to the Mirador (over look). On the way we take a wrong turn into an unfriendly bamboo forest, what an adventure. On the way down we stop in the shade of a beautiful tree to eat a tuna lunch.
Rob and Alyssa crossing the stick bridge
Pretty tree we ate lunch under
Back at our campsite we head to the river to relax. And by relax I mean beat each other relentlessly to continue our genicide on the flies.
Turquoise river
We build another campfire to cook our dinner and add even more cheese this time. We have found this is the magic ingredient to make all campfire meals delicious. I turn into the purple sock ninja and use my special powers of Ninja wind to blow the smoke away from our relaxation place. I then break into song and dance as is usual; for those that know my repitoire: the chicken patty song, the sloppy joe song, and the scoliosis song were featured. After Rob atempts to burn an entire tree in the fire we retire to bed.
I have finally returned to Buenos Aires from my travels to the far south and am going to take a couple of blog posts detailing the trip. Hopefully my blog posts will catch up to current time, but for now they will be in the past.
March 4, 2009
I arrived in Buenos Aires from a 12 hour flight! So long, thank God for CVS all natural sleep aid. Alyssa picked me up from the airport and took me back to the apartment we will be living in when we return to Buenos. It is in the Recoletta neighborhood. She made me an excellent breakfast of omlettes and beans. Then of course I took a three hour nap, after which we at empanadas... yummy. A lot of this trip is spent eating or planning for the next meal... my favorite activity.
Originally we were thinking of spending the first night in Buenos, but it was raining and gross so we trumped the original plan and decided to jump on the next 20 hour bus to Bariloche. Our bags are super heavy: clearly it is our lifetime supply of peanut butter... we must start eating!
March 5, 2009
So due to previously stated 20 hour bus ride we awoke on the bus. To Alyssa shagrin last night they started showing Batman: The Dark Knight at like 11:30. And then they turned it off at 1 in the morning about 15 minutes before the end... whoopsies. We have started to lighten our load by eating peanut butter. Later in the day we got to enjoy an excellent film with the Jonas Brothers, Camp Rock, dubbed in Spanish.
Me, Alyssa, and Rob in Bariloche
Just outside Bariloche we had a drug raid on our bus. Turns out to be nothing, but they pulled a guy off and looked through all his baggage. In Bariloche we met up with Rob, a friend Alyssa had met in Mar de Plata (the beach). We stayed at this very cool hostel. All the people there and one of the employees decided to have an Asado (Argentine barbeque) that night.
Before the asado (since argentines eat between 10 and 11 at night) we had a first dinner of pizza. The asado was amazing. There were a couple of Swedes, some Aussies, and a Welshman, plus the Argentine hostel employee - Christian. We had sausage on rolls (called choripan) and beef. The beef here is absolutely amazing. The asado ended with lots of Bon Jovi dancing and singing. I am loving this country.
March 6, 2009
Today Alyssa and I decided to do a hike up a mountain called Cerro Campario (or something like that). It was a VERY steep hike straight up the side. Very hard. At the top there were amazing views of the surrounding area of mountains and lakes. One of the most beautiful views I have seen to date.
After lunch, Alyssa, Rob and I took a bus to Lago Gutierrez where we hiked to a small waterfall and were joined by three friendly dogs. The entire hike we lollygaged (or as the British say faffed) around. (This blog is going to be full of new Britishisms that Rob is going to teach me as he is from London.) After the hike we went to a geologic and palentologic museum. We saw a fossil that was 90 million years old, which is almost the same age as Rob (ages older than us at 32). Also a really awesome Saber Tooth Tiger skull. On our way back to Bariloche we missed our bus stop and had to walk a bajillion meters through the suburban area of the town.
Rob on Lago Gutierrez
Alyssa and I faffing
We went out to dinner and a bar with Christian from the hostel. I tried a beer with hot pepper in it, which was very tasty. Ate waaaaay too much mexican food. Back at the hostel Christian had me try two Argentine mixed drinks. Fernet, which I think tastes like medicine, and Gancia, which is very light, lemony, and delicious.
It is so wierd to be leaving DC, probably for the rest of my life. During college I never really thought I could ever call this city home, but now I realize I do. The skyline is a comfort to me. I have a routine. And all my friends and my boyfriend are here. Even though leaving all that is very sad leaving DC over all is just wierd. Saying goodbye to good friends is hard but you know you will see them again, what I am having a hard time grasping is all the other goodbyes. Those co-workers and acuaintences whom you enjoyed but in all reality you will probably never see again no matter how badly you want to. You hug for the first and probably last time and say goodbye. This feeling is not necessarily bad but an expireience I've never had before and in it's newness very interesting.
February has been a great month over all. I got to go to my favorite local festival: The Chocolate Lovers Festival in Old Town, Fairfax. The weather was absolutely beautiful for the second year in a row and the chocolate of course was fabulous. We also got to attend a dessert wine tasting and I found out that port is not to my liking. But sparkling pink wine very much is.
For Valentine's Day my best friend from grade school came down to DC for the Rodney Atkins concert. We had an absolute blast. Rodney's guitarist (Shawn Byrnes) is a good family friend. So we took him out to dinner before the concert and he showed us all around backstage. The concert itself was awesome. We were about three people from the stage and rocked out all night. I sang so loud I lost my voice- that has never happened before.
The rest of the month was dedicated to packing up my life and moving it to my mom's house (thanks mom!). And then of course an amazing send off party. Rachel and Jenna hosted a get together at their apartment for many of my closest friends. It was Wild West themed with awesome cacti on the walls and a wanted poster where I forced everyone to take their picture. It was a great way to say so long (but not goodbye) to wonderful friends.
Now I'm sitting in the airport in Atlanta waiting to get on my plane for Argentina, so the next time you'll hear from me I'll be there!
I cannot believe that January is over. The biggest news this month is that I've gotten in to Grad school! I applied to University of Texas, Denver University, and UNC Chapel Hill and was accepted to all three programs in accounting. I've decided to go to Texas so if anyone ever wants to visit Austin there is a futon waiting for you. I hosted a few of Mom's friends for the inauguration so they can vouch for how fun it is to come visit me.
Christmas and New Years were wonderful. It is always great to spend time with friends and family and not have to worry about what state the apartment is in or going back to work the next day. I needed that long break. But who am I kidding I got a four day weekend for the inauguration later on in the month. My job basically begs us to stay home. :)
I've recently made a huge decision in my life. I have to start school in almost the beginning of July so I am going to quit my job and go live in Argentina for a month and a half. I want to spruce up my Spanish skills which have severely deflated since I graduated (haha rhyme). So I'm going to live with one of my best friends Alyssa and take Spanish class for a few months in Buenos Aires. I'm very excited - I leave in one month.
Since I decided that I'm leaving so soon I've started to really try to take advantage of all that DC has to offer. I went to the Museum of Women in Arts, which really turned me on to photography, especially portraits. They really are like a window into someone's soul. I also took in the great views of the city from the top of the Old Post Office Pavilion. Over the past 5 years this city has really become my home. Now that I'm leaving I'm starting to realize how much I'll miss the familiarity of it all.
Of course I've been spending a lot of time with Yar as well. We went to see Defiance a few weeks ago. Daniel Craig is so dreamy and I really enjoyed this movie. But then again I have this morbid interest in the holocaust and survivor stories. We also went on a weekend trip to Shenandoah National Park. We stayed in the cutest little cabin with a fireplace and a private hot tub. I love hiking and the trip to Shenandoah was very exhilarating - having to contend with icy paths ups the ante. :)
I hope to make the most out of my last month here. I'd like to get together with a lot of people before I go, so if you are in the area, call me! I speant an amazing night out with my girlfriends and one of my good friends from college, Patrick and his friends. I'd like to make memories like that with all of you!
Whew look at that huge pack
March 17, 2009
Alyssa and Amy in front of the glacier
Alyssa and Amy
Rob on Lago Gutierrez 
Alyssa and I faffing