March 7, 2009 - March 9, 2009

March 7, 2009

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.