Towers Reflected

Sunrise at Torres del Paine, Chile.

Awe-struck

Continental Ice Shelf, Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile. 

Icicles and the Andes

One last adventure in the Andes with our friend Carlos, near Santiago, Chile. June 2010.

Tatoo Photo Competition

I entered a few photo competitions in the last month. One of them is being hosted by Tatoo, a South American outdoor gear company.  One of my photos is published on their gallery page. I haven't won anything, but it's kinda neat seeing the photo up there.

To see the photo, go to their competition gallery, then scroll down to "FOTO 45" in the Trekking category.  It is a self-timed picture that I took at sunrise of Fitz Roy, in Los Glaciares National Park.

Paine Grande

Paine Grande. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. 

Panorama Mania

Happy Monday everyone! That probably means more to you than me. However, it does signify the last Monday that we will be in the States. Next Sunday we fly to Helsinki to start Part II of our world journey.

Until then, I will continue to catch up on our stories and photos from South America. For today's viewing pleasure we have a smattering of mountain panoramas, stitched together from 3-6 photos. Click on each photo if to enjoy the full resolution.

Looking south onto the most southern point in South America - Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

The mountains near Bariloche offer some of the best trekking in the Andes. Argentina.

The approach to El Chalten on Route 40, giving us a rare clear view of the famous Fitz Roy towers of Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina.

Sunset from our campsite after our first night in Los Glaciares. We stayed in the park 10 days and after nine months in South America is still a clear highlight.

Torres del Paine N.P Chile. Another park in which we spent 10 days. Despite the mass tourism and exorbitant costs, it was still worth it.

Unknown minor range immediately southeast of Huayhuash, Northern Peru.

Huayhuash Trek, Northern Peru.

Sunset from the 4200 meter summit on Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia.

The Last Overnight Bus

Our time spent in Bolivia was too little. Surprisingly, our travel plan actually went more smoothly than we thought it would, and we have landed in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile earlier than anticipated. I thought I might like San Pedro, but after a 3-day tour through the Salar de Uyuni, I cannot find a strong reason to stay around. We could see more: desert, odd-colored lakes, salt flats, and dry, brown and red volcanic mountains? Or, we could return to Santiago a few days early and see our friends there.

The answer is obvious. In an hour we will be boarding our last overnight bus. Twenty four hours to Santiago. I know we have spent at least a dozen nights on buses, and have been on sevearl 24-hour buses. It is no big deal anymore. Moreover, Kristin and I are excited to have some time to read, write emails on our netbook, and talk. We have a lot to plan for. In one week we will be back in San Francisco, rushing about like lettuce with our head cut off as we try to mmet up with friends and family while simultaniously planning for the next year of our journey.

We are excited to see our friends in Santiago, just as we are eagerly anticipating the fun times to be had back in California. Our Latin American adventures are almost over . . . nine wild months on this diverse continent has taught us a lot. We will continue blogging about it as our thoughts are collected in the coming weeks. I also have a boat load of pictures to share. Some of our best adventures have not been shown yet.

The twenty four hour bus ride would be torture to most people, but for us it will be the calm before the storm.

No Earthquake Here

Hey Everybody - we are in Sao Paulo, safely on the other side of the continent from Chile. Thank you for your concern voiced via Facebook and emails. We do have several friends from Chile though, so please keep them in your thoughts. We are still waiting to hear from them all. It seems that Facebook has become the best way to communicate en masse.

I still owe you a post about Ilha Grande and another about Paraty, both to be accompanied by more envy-invoking photos. I apologize in advance.

Crossing Borders, Pt. 2

Follow up to my earlier blog on Cochamó Valley:
Last week Kristin and I hiked from Chile to Argentina. We had enough food for 7+ days and all of our stuff for the next 6 months. The packs were relatively heavy, but still half the size of anybody else's. With the heavy rains, no trail markings, and horribly planned trail, we spent a few days hanging out in the Valley hoping for a break in the weather.


(Somewhere under that mud is my shoe)

The day we left, the Valley was cloudy and only slightly rainy. Still, that was better than the downpours of the prior week. Beyond the mud, we were also slowed by the complete lack of trail markings. At one point, I followed a trail that a prior hiker had hacked through a bamboo forest. It was the most promising trail we had found, but after two hours of forging ahead, we returned to our lunch spot to find the proper trail. At other times, the trail was up a river slot that had walls 2-3 meters deep. I asked Kristin if she thought the river or the trail came first. Her reply? She hoped the trail came first, for her sanity's sake. Who would put a trail up a muddy river slots? By the end of the trip, our clothes and packs and shoes were mere molecules held together by dirt. But we made it.


View from our campsite on a rare clear afternoon.


Same mountain on a more typical day.

Yes, we made it to the border crossing. Which leads me to a follow up of another blog post:
In my last border crossing, I was nearly held hostage for carrying millet, a benign edible seed. In walking accross the border this time, I was hopeful that it wouldn´t be as bad. Going into Argentina never has been.

However, getting out of Chile was really just a continuation of last month´s border fiasco. It seems that in the hours long argument, red tape, and quadruplicate citiation, they forget to take one of the copies of my immigration form. At this latest border crossing, which was a house in the middle of nowhere and 3km from the actual border, my friendly border crossing agent was perplexed as to why I had this extra sheet. He scolded me for having an extra sheet and he didn´t know what to do about it. Now, had I "lost" this sheet in a trashcan, everything would have been OK. But somehow having it was criminal. After using my best broken spanish to argue our case, he eventually let us through. However, he first gave me a 10 minute diatribe on being careful with this very important official paperwork.

After an hour of hiking we made it to the Argentinian border. Upon inspection, the Argentinian border guard inquired as to why my passport wasn´t stamped by the Chilean agent. Wait, what? After all that talk, the agent didn´t actually stamp my passport. Seriously? Mr. Argentina told me I´d have to hike back to get it stamped. I argued more, told him it wasn´t my fault and that it shouldn´t matter to Argentina. It´s obvious I just came from Chile AND I had the proper amount of paperwork. I told him to go call Mr. Chile and verify it. The not-so-happy agent eventually left the office. Five minutes later, without any explanation, he stamped my passport. We were legally in Argentina. I don´t know what will happen when I try to go back to Chile next time. More fun, I suppose. Can´t wait!

Now that we´re in Argentina, we had 50-60km to the nearest town and apparently no shuttle or legal way to get there. So we started hiking. Traffic was very sparse. So limited, in fact, that we seriously discussed stealing cows or horses and riding to town. Eventually a pickup truck stopped. It was 4 twenty-somethings from Buenos Aires. They could squeeze us in and take us to a nearby camp.

During that ride, we became friends. We shared crackers and Yerba Mate and jokes and advice on where to travel. This led them to invite us to ride with them to El Bolsón, which is where we wanted to go anyway. Hours later, we arrived at our destination with four new friends and four places to stay in Buenos Aires.


Using ropes to help us on a steep, exposed, slippery slab during a day hike.


Playing around on Pared Saco (literally Dry Wall) at the end of the day.


Super sketchy stream crossings. At least it cleaned the mud off!


Along the hike we found our dream cabin.


Yes, that is the actual trail.


As we approached the border, we found a few hardy folk who were willing to brave the isolation and frigid winters. They are certainly rewarded with excellent summers. I think that these people were given land in exchange for working the land. This has more to do with Chile wanting to secure this land against Argentina. Sharing a 4000km border, there are bound to be disputes and it is only within the last two decades that the border has become more or less agreed upon.


On a bridge, looking into Argentina. We´re almost there . . .

Cochamó - Thorougly Soaked

Last week we had the brilliant idea to hike from Chile through the Andes to Argentina. Dire warnings about "bad weather" weren't going to stop us. We're in Patagonia after all. In ways, the weather defines the experience. But sometimes, the only way to enjoy the experience is to ignore the weather and to keep on trekking. It is said that only tourists talk of the weather here.

Well, that was before this summer. While Cochamó Valley saw the sun about half of the days last summer, we were in a spell of at least 26 rainy days out of 31, according to local climbers. It has been the rainiest season in history. Who knows how far back local history (read: memory) dates? Regardless, it was bad. On most days the clouds impeded the views of soaring granite cliffs and precipitous waterfalls. However, in the rare moments of spacial clarity, we were stunned with what we saw: a Yosemite virtually unbeknown to North America. There are no roads here. There are three buildings: one is an extremely basic hut used by campers for cooking, one is a caretaker's house, and one is a simple, rustic refugio where you can stay in a bunk for the night. During the summer the valley is temporarily populated by hopeful climbers and a few curious backpackers. Trails are muddy and steep, the routes are heavily vegetated, the weather is foul, and even the hike into the valley is difficult. However, at the end of this arduous trail of climbers love and perseverance is the chance to put up a new route on a big wall. Where else in the world can a climber do that?

I did notice a high proportion of climbers from Boulder Colorado. I also heard a few comments of "it's the Yosemite of South America" or "it's like Yosemite without all the tourists." While this are both true, there is already a Yosemite, and it's in California. I didn't find any other Californians wondering the globe for another Yosemite.

Kristin and I thoroughly enjoyed the hike, even if we didn't fully embrace the rain. At the end of the week, we made it Argentina. Mold was growing on certain textiles, but we were able to keep dry our precious things: books, computer, and sleeping bag. Yes, we were able to hike with 7+ days worth of food plus everything we need for the rest of South America.

Big Walls

Big Trees

Deep Muddy Trails

I'll write more about the Valley (as will Kristin), post more pics, and tell two more tales of border crossings (yes, two more!). But now, you must let me enjoy some hard-earned Argentinean sunshine and chocolate. Ciao!

Crossing Borders

It may sound ridiculous, but we have gone over the Chile/Argentina border 8 times in less than two months. It's always a fun event but the most recent crossing was also the most spectacular so far.

Kristin's family visited us for the holidays. As you've read, we spent Christmas in Mendoza and Uspallata, Argentina. On the already-long bus ride from Uspallata to Valparaiso, Chile, we had the bonus opportunity to wait on the bus for 2 hours. This was just before the border and we couldn't get off of the bus. Eventually we were able to check out of Argentina, then check into Chile, and then go through Chilean customs. They are atypically stringent on the Chilean side. I didn't think I had anything to declare, but they check out bags regardless. I had fun trying to describe why I had so much muesli, oatmeal, 10-grain cereal, and Clif Bars. I maintained that I was vegetarian and it was hard to find these foods in Chile (not so true, except for Clif Bars, which are non-existent in South America). The customs agent also found a bag of millet, which I argued was like oatmeal even though I didn't know the Spanish word for millet. Twenty minutes and much discussion later, they had determined that millet is a seed, that I did not declare that I had seeds, and I had therefore lied on my official entry documents. Fuuuuuudge. Another ten minutes of argueing (still in my broken Spanish) and I found myself in a backroom office, no windows, trying to further explain my way out of this situation. Kristin didn't know why I was taken away, nor where I was going.

The first agent filled out four very official looking documents, all in triplicate, which needed my signature to certify that my contraband was: brought in by me, taken by the authorities, and then destroyed. After the fun was over, my new friend left the office. A few minutes later I made a new acquaintance. This agent was going to fill out the paperwork for my citation and fine. When we got to the part about why I brought seeds and didn't declare them, I tried to explain my desire (need?) for a special diet. Eventually it was easiest to say that I am diabetic. The agent perked up a bit when I told him that. He added that tidbit to my confession, then went to see el jefe (the boss). Some more waiting. Finally, he returned and said that I would only get a citation  and no fine. Yay for diabetes! My brother Neil worked for the American Diabetes Association for three years. He'd be proud that I am still raising awareness around the world.

Anyways, more paperwork, my waiting, more signature, copies made, red tape, and finally I was released. Only an hour gone and I was back on the bus, which had been waiting for ME this whole time. The bus passengers applauded when I finally boarded. The bus driver was gunning it before I even got to my seat.

Lesson learned: don't eat seeds.

Second lesson learned: Argentina is better than Chile

Third lesson learned: don't cross borders with other people, it just complicates things. So, to ensure this doesn't happen again, Kristin and I are taking a bus to Cochamo Valley (2 hrs east of here) and then hiking for an estimated 6 days across the border into Argentina. This is totally legit as there are no roads leading through this section of the Andes. We'll see how it goes. We are in Patagonia and the weather is supposed to be fantastically wet. If all works well, we'll end up in the hippie town of El Bolson. Then north to Bariloche for more hiking and chocolate.

Stuffing my pockets as I run from the authorities.

They Say Pucon is Beautiful

Sometimes you arrive in the right place at the wrong time. Do you wait for things to improve? Or do you move on, knowing that you're missing something great? 

Such was the case with Pucon - the so-called adventure capital of Chile. Within an hour of town there are numerous lakes, mountains, hot springs, volcanoes and Class III and IV rivers. A day before we arrived, the most prominent and famous volcano Villarrica had an avalanche. [avy-nerds: 60cm deep wet slide on top of an early-season ice layer, D1, R2, NW slope, 1 party of 9 caught, 1 injury - broken leg] While the climb is not that intense, the views from the top of the volcano are supposed to be fantastic. The volcano is active and has a lava-filled crater lake in the middle, spewing up plumes of smoke. Anyways, the park service shut down access to the mountain. The rest of the park was already closed due to snow, so we couldn't even hike around it. The mountain biking was all on roads instead of trails. The other big park nearby limits camping to refugios (the "improved campsites" that we despise). The weather was in a funk of fog, clouds and rain. Two days of hanging around and we weren't having fun. So, despite the fact that we didn't see any of the natural wonders around Pucon, we left.

We didn't have to go far to feel better. The less touristy town of Villarrica, also on a lake, offered us good respite. We found an excellent shop and ate cake for dinner. There is an amazing hostel there. The owners are Swiss and traveled half-way around the world by bike, before ending up in Villarrica and starting the hostel. The walls were absolutely covered with pictures and postcards from all over the world, mostly of cyclists. It was really inspiring. We even got homemade bread, jam and yogurt for breakfast, in addition to coffee/tea, oatmeal and fruits. It was a real departure from most of our homestays and hostels. Simply put, it just felt right.

Sorry Pucon - we never got to see your true beauty. But there are a lot of mountains and lakes and volcanoes in our future, so don't feel like you're the only one. 

Well, we're on the road again to a college-town that was mostly founded by Germans in the 1850s. Kristin is reading Motorcycle Diaries, which I really liked. It has all the fun and whimsy of Steinbeck's Tortilla Flats, plus it gives you a keen insight into the development of Che's passions, social and political views. I am starting on War and Peace, which doubles the weight of my backpack. Thanks Alisa for the excellent, if hefty, Christmas present. I certainly have the time to read it! 

Taking a breath, taking in the views: above the town of Pucon, looking out onto Lago Villarrica.

Homecoming and Going

After two weeks of traveling with the family, K. and I returned to our adopted home in Santiago. This is the third time we've visited our friend Carlos. Each time his family welcomes us with open arms and sincere generosity. Having a "home base" really helps to make our travels a little more manageable, personable, and educational. 

But, we are not ones to sit still. After two days we are on the road again. We are heading south to the Lakes District. We'll start off in Chilean and make our way over the Andes to the Argentinian side by next week. Both areas are blessed with many lakes, mountains, volcanoes and, hence, many parks. Just what we're looking for!

Having a typically late-night dinner with Carlos and his family.

Enjoying the views of Santiago and the Andes from the top of a smaller mountain.

The Art of Valparaiso

Walking is our favorite way to experience a city. But a quick ramble through Valparaiso's twisted, hilly streets and you'll appreciate what sets this town apart from any other that we have visited. Glass and ceramic murals adorn sidewalks, entry ways and windows. Walls are blank canvases for local artists. Telephone poles and benches are transformed into public displays. Not only is the art everywhere, but it's also really good. It beautifies the city without seeming contrived.

In the spirit of Valparaiso, I've taken a number of photos to illustrate the abundance of art. This is just a smattering of what we saw, but I am certain that you get the idea. Enjoy!

New Year's Eve

We have been successful at avoiding crowds up until now. However, going to the most popular place in Chile to celebrate New Years proved to be a superb idea.

When Mark G. and Catalina M recommended the coastal town of Valparaiso, I thought it would be a ritzy beach town with no character and a lot of tourists. That describes the neighboring town of Vina del Mar. Valparaiso left us wanting for nothing. It's a hilly port town with normal blue and white-collar workers. There is a culture of street art (ie elegant graffiti) and colorful houses. We found excellent vegetarian restaurants and good fresh seafood. It was easily our favorite city for food. The street are relatively pedestrian-friendly and by far the best way to see the city is on foot. So, as far as cities go, this is definitely my favorite! (Mendoza is a close second).

Valparaiso is probably fun year-round, but being there for New Year's Eve amped up the fiesta exponentially. Before heading out for the night, we whipped up a great pasta dinner at our hostel. Three bottles of wine helped wash it all down. At 11pm, we made our way to the waterfront for "artificial fire" (fireworks). The main street was closed for 15 blocks. There were no less than seven visible, synchronated firework displays lasting over twenty minutes. I've never seen such a spectacular spectacular in my life.

We were back at the hostel by 1am. We could hear the distant pulse of dance music as people partied their way into morning. We could still hear the music at 9am as we ate breakfast. Partying until morning seems fairly standard for Chile and Argentina. I don't know how they do it!

K. and I are now back in Santiago. Her family left today and we are sad to see them go. It was such incredible fun traveling with them. We are faced with some difficult decisions to make on where to travel next, how long, what flights and visas are needed, etc. Plus, we're looking at an uncertain future of when we'll see our families next. Boo.

Our Favorite Dessert. Oh wait, we licked the plate clean before a photo could be taken.

How could you not like a farmer's market like this?

Celebrating the first few minutes of 2010!

Torres del Paine

With Torres del Paine, we concluded our tour of southern Patagonia and its triumvirate of stunning parks - Tierra del Fuego, Los Glaciares (Fitz Roy), and Torres del Paine. We spent the last month criss-crossing borders in search of the best backpacking. We found it in Torres del Paine (TdP), along with thousands of other people and high costs.

Yo, Robot.

Since arriving in South America, I have seen more Will Smith movies than I had in my entire life. I don't know what this says about me.

Regardless, it is hard to escape American culture, whether it is Friends or Sex and the City with subtitles, or an American idea turned into something like Latin American Idol or the numerous reality shows. The top three bands I've heard? Beatles, Bob Marley and Queen. Yes, technically not American bands, but you get the point. English is the de facto international language, and American pop culture is becoming the world's culture. Now if we could just do something about the sliding value of US dollar, that'd be great.

Food, transportation and sleeping arrangements are the three constant challenges of our journey. Kristin blogged about the food situation already. I'd just like to echo her sentiment that it is very difficult to pay for food you don't really like. It's worse when you have to pay too much for it. It's particularly hard to plan a 8-day camping trip when your choices are thus limited. I mean, I haven't had peanut butter since Guatemala. I don't know what to do for lunch!

We are really lucky, particularly in Northern California, that we have such a wide selection of good foods. Not that everybody takes advantage of that, but I know I couldn't live without it.

On that note, we're heading into the "wilderness" of Torres del Paine. This is a park that I've dreamed of visiting. Like the rest of Patagonia, it is absolutely notorious for unpredictable, rapidly changing weather and ferocious winds. We'll see how our little TarpTent does! And 8 days of processed food should be exciting.

Note: we will be out of communication for the next 8-10 days. If the world ends during that time, we'll have to wait until we get back to check Google News to find out. Until then, here are a few pictures from our last hike in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Ciao!

Wind and snow are all part of the daily fun.

Even though it looks like Spring, we're certain to get all four seasons in one day. True Patagonia weather.

Glaciar lakes, tumbling waterfalls and towering peaks - it's worth the effort!

The Real Fun Begins

Something felt safe about Central America. It wasn't necessarily that the countries were safe or that we weren't taking risks and having fun. Rather, it was the innate feeling that we were still under the giant US umbrella. We weren't far from home and could return easily if we had to. The Yankee shadow looms long here.

This week we made the big jump to Santiago, Chile, which will be our base for exploring the continent for the foreseeable future. We've had the pleasure to reunite with an old friend from Davis, Carlos, who has been incredibly gracious, helpful, and welcoming. While he lived in Davis for less than a year, he's treating with a kindness usually reserved for lifelong friends. His family has been most welcoming as well.

Yesterday was K's birthday. Carlos' family gave her a rose from their garden and three bittersweet chocolate bars. K and I slept in, then spent a lazy day shopping, eating the richest chocolate cake we've ever had, and strolling around downtown Santiago. We ended up at a Vegetarian restaurant and shared a salad (still partially full from the cake!). It was a relaxed, fun day.

Tonight, we flight to Punta Arenas, which is in the far south of Patagonia. We'll spend a month there, hiking around Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego, Los Glaciares, and possibly Antarctica. Communication won't be consistent, but we'd love to hear everybody's Christmas plans. My mom and K's family will be visiting us here for two weeks. We plan to stay in Mendoza and Upsallata (Argentina) and Valparaiso (Chile).



[It feels like California: dry weather, snow-capped mountain top to the east, golden poppies, and man-altered rivers.]