Back Again

We made it back to the beautiful skies of Calafate in 3 hours this time just before sunset at 9pm.  The skies have such magnificant red and oranges in them here.  What a nice reception again from our friends at America Del Sur hostel.  "Welcome Home Kelly.  Glad to have you back, Darling.  Here are all your vouchers for everything we have booked for you and pay us whenever you want." 

We walked down the dirt hill our hostel is located on and down to the main drag, San Martin, to meet up with the Dutch Boys at La Lechuza pizzaria.

  Steph and I have been in 7 cities together in the last 3 weeks and 3 cities with the Dutch Boys in the last 2 weeks.  So a few bottles of wine were in order.  We reminisced about the silliness that has happened over this short time. 

What was it like to travel with Steph?  Much fun.  We laughed sometimes uncontrollably until our bladders and stomach muscles couldn't take it.  I'm going to miss having someone to help throw that big backpack over my shoulder and watch it when I have to use the loo.  I'm also going to miss all the little perks she was able to get by using her powers of persuasion with no shame.  I'm going to have to be rehabilitated from the chocolate and internet addiction she also helped me to get.  My parting gift to her was the big green flappy self infatable bed roll that had been dangling from my backpack for 3 months hardly ever being used.  I'm hoping that it will be just as annoying to her...err, helpful as she starts some potential camping. 

Dutch Boy Rogier announced at dinner that both he and Irish Paul would be going with her for the first few days of her hiking the W.

  This is a relief as this is something you don't want to do on your own.  So I guess you could say that Rogier will be doing the Slash route/ and Paul will be doing the V route. 

UPSALA AND SPEGAZINNI GLACIERS

All glaciers are created the same, right?  Well, not exactly.  I am glad that I went on one more glacier tour on my last day in Calafate.  As these ones were more like modern art sculptures than the others that I had seen over the last few days.  The German who has been on just about every tour I have been on since Puerto Madryn and the Swiss couple from the ice trek were along for this one.  Plus a few hundred other tourists.  We all jumped on big boats and were on the water most of the day.

 

We started at Punta Bandera, had lunch on Bahia Onelli, cruised over to Upsala Glacier (longest), and then Spegazzini (highest.)  The icebergs jetting up from the turquoise milk water were gorgeous blues and whites.  They look just like pieces of ice floating, but we are only seeing about 15% of the ice above water.   These things go deep.  We got to watch the glaciers crack and drop big chunks of ice into the water in the process.  Camera batteries definitely had to be charged that night!

Everything was a site, but my favorite part probably was the lunch stop.  We hiked through a little foresty area, before reaching a rocky beach facing the most beautiful water filled with ice chunks.

  I went off and found a peaceful rock at waters edge to eat my lunch on and just take in the beauty.  Nevermind that there were several other tourists doing the same thing within yards from me, I was in my own little world.  Lots of Holiday Card photos were taken at this spot that day.

It wasn't just a beautiful and peaceful day, it was also a funny day.  While on the catermaran deck one of the crew members started chatting me up.  He eventually asked me if I wanted to make a picture (as they say) and I said sure thinking he would take a picture of me on the deck in front of the glacier.  But no, he must have thought that I needed a photo with my new found Argentine boy.  In a minute, he's got his arm around me and asking the professional photographer to take our pciture together.  As the camera snaps, he plants a kiss on my cheek.  The other toursits roll with laughter.  Then photographer tells me to kiss him now.  A little embarrassed by the show taking place now on the deck, I say no.  But why?  I couldn't think of anything quick enough so I played the husband card.

  Wouldn't want incriminating evidence.  Just as I am saying this, up walks another professional photographer who says "Hey California!" Crap!  This is the same photographer on our Perito Moreno boat a few days ago who Steph and I posed with planting kisses on each of this cheeks.  Ooops!  I was caught.  The embarrassment continues as the photographers and crew boy follow me around most of the day snapping candid photos of me looking annoyed that eventually get laughed at by everyone as they play in rotation on the ship monitors.   

STRESS!

Reality hits as I disembark.  I am leaving tomorrow morning for Torres del Paine with nothing confirmed after that.

  No biggie, except I hear that it is in the middle of nowhere and there are no accomodations in TdP if I get dropped off there and can't get on a bus to my hostel an hour away.  I try to skype the 3 bus companies I have now learned have service between TdP and Puerto Natales.  They are either wrong numbers or don't understand me due to the combination of my bad Spanish and poor internet connection.  I try to email and there is either no response or an error message. 

I then call LAN airlines to try to book a flight from Puerto Montt (where the Navimag cruise drops me off) to Santiago and change my flight from Santiago to Rio.  After 20 minutes on hold, skype disconnects me.  Then after another 40 minutes on hold, the LAN agent tells me that she does not know what the cost will be to make the change and she will call me back.  On what phone?!  Can you email me?  What is your email address?  KE.  You said KE? Yes.  LL.  KE what?  LL.  LL what?  I am surely annoying everyone in the internet cafe with my loud alphabet talk.

 We have a bad connection.  Just look at my reservation, you have emailed me before and you should have it.  Oh yes, I do.  I will email you in 20 minutes with the price and confirmation.  Twenty-four hours later and I have seen nothing. 

THE LAST SUPPER PART TWO

Dutch Boy Sebastian stayed back in Calafate, so I got another Last Supper with him before I took off a couple nights later.

  We went to Rick's on San Martin.  It, of course, has big meat as it is Argentina.  But, they also have really great raviolis.  When you walk by the place, you notice that the lighting is very bright and not very appealing.  They also have this really tacky looking salad buffet in the middle of the room.  But, there were alot of local people in there and we thought we had heard good things about it.  It was a good decision.  We closed the place down at 1:30AM.  They informed us that all taxi drivers were home asleep, so the owner would drive me back to my hostel.  And he refused let me pay him.  How nice was that?

Upon arrival back to my room which only I occupied before dinner, I found my new roommate Gulu from Los Angeles of all places.  This caused us to stay up too late talking about home and our travels.  Three hours later my alarm went off as I needed to catch my tour through Torres del Paine and ride to Puerto Natales.  Felt like I was back in Rio again.