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Patagonian Paradise

By : Kristen Kidder
Trip Begins March 17, 2011
Trip Ends March 28, 2011

Cory and I were so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore this beautiful part of the world. Our Patagonian Safari was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will treasure forever. Thank you Adventure Life!
See my photos : Patagonian Paradise

Want to go? Patagonia Wildlife Safari, M/V Via Australis

I went to: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Reino del Plata, Ushuaia, Cape Horn, MV Via Australis, Chile, Chiloe, Marinelli Glacier, Pia Glacier, Wulaia Bay, Magdalena Island, Punta Arenas, Torres del Paine, Las Torres EcoCamp, El Calafate, Sierra Nevada, Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Puerto Williams, Tucker Islet
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March 18, 2011
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A Journey of a Thousand Miles...

Reino del Plata, Buenos Aires

...begins with a single step. I try to keep this saying in mind as my husband, Cory, and I set off for Ushuaia, Argentina for our once-in-a-lifetime Patagonian adventure. But the journey from our apartment in New York City - a whopping 6,458 miles away - requires a daunting itinerary of flights, including an overnight layover in Buenos Aires, before the trip can even officially begin. There is much debate as to what we should do with our time in the capital of Argentina - a mere 11 hours when all is said and done thanks to a 5pm hotel arrival followed by a 4am wake-up call. To sleep or not to sleep? That is the question.

We decide to just go for it. From the hotel we make a leisurely walk to San Telmo, the oldest neighborhood in Buenos Aries. I am enthralled by the cobblestone streets and quaint wine bars and it is so lovely to just stop and spend some time in an open air and share a bottle of wine and some cheese with my husband. Our ultimate destination is LaBrigada, a nearby grill that was recommended to us, but we take our time getting there. South American restaurants open later than what we are used to, and so there is plenty of opportunity to explore (and drink more wine) before sitting down to dinner around 10pm. Our steaks were even better than expected and Cory and I spend much of the dessert course congratulating ourselves on the decision to seize every moment of this trip. We even stumbled by an unassuming Irish pub on the way back to the hotel and decided to stop in for a shot of Jameson in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

Morning comes much too quickly. We are shuttled to the airport in time for our 5:45am flight, the majority of which I spend dead asleep on my seat tray. We finally arrive in Ushuaia that morning in need of a hot shower and a long nap.

March 19, 2011
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Boarding the Via Australis

Ushuaia, Argentina

Our plane lands in Ushuaia at 9:30am, and Cory and I head immediately to the Cruceros Australis office for check-in. The process was relatively seamless and was finished well before noon giving us a wide expanse of day to fill before boarding begins at 5pm. Cory and I are not much for souvenirs, but we dutifully walked the city's main streets, popping in and out of tourist centers, killing time. Later, as we wandered around the waterfront, I wondered just what it would take for us to become the sort of people who nap on benches in foreign countries. . . because after two days of travelling on approximately six hours of sleep, I was getting the feeling that we were about to find out. In a last ditch effort to stay awake we find a quaint little restaurant, far from the main drag and filled entirely with non-English speaking locals.
It's the perfect opportunity to dust off our Spanish, and after we finish our lovely lunch we head down to the pier to await boarding. Needless to say, we are the first people on the boat. Naptime here we come!

Neither Cory nor I have ever been on a cruise before, and we are a bit unsure of the etiquette. In an attempt to maximize our down time, we are a bit late to dinner and everyone is already seated when we arrive. Unfortunately we discover that our assigned table - full of English speakers of varying ages and backgrounds - is full and we are instead seated at a table of Germans, each of whom knows English and is approximately our age. At first we are disappointed by the mistake and feel badly that our presence basically forces our dining companions to be bilingual during meals, but it doesn't take long to see the benefit of the arraignment. Our conversations are lively as we compare travel notes and international experiences. It's tempting to linger over espresso that first night, but Cory and I head back to our cabin shortly after dessert. We are scheduled to land at Cape Horn in the morning, and we need to catch up on some sleep.

March 20, 2011
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Beavers, Orcas and Other Surprises

Cape Horn, Argentina

Our first full day on the cruise begins at dawn with ''early risers coffee'' on the deck. I'm excited at the prospect of our first trip on the Zodiac boat and make sure that Cory and I are near the front of the pack when the time comes for disembarkation instructions for Cape Horn. As a result, we're among the first to start the 160-step walk to the monument. Cory's an avid photographer in the most normal circumstances but here, at the southernmost tip of South America, he's relentless - so much so that we almost run out of camera batteries by the time we reach the famed Albatross!

The next few hours are passed easily: breakfast and lunch on the boat are scrumptious, and between meals Cory and I join some fellow cruisers for a viewing of the documentary ''Shackleton'' detailing the famed explorer's trips to the Antarctic. We decide to take another nap in anticipation of our afternoon excursion to Wulaia Bay, but our sleep is soon interrupted by the Captain's announcement that orcas - aka ''Killer Whales'' - having been spotted swimming alongside the boat. We rush out to catch a glimpse, and all I can think of are childhood trips to SeaWorld to see Shamu. Although the beautiful whales never jump out of the water, they come up for air enough for us to see their distinctive black and white coloring.

Our second disembarkation of the day is to Wulaia Bay, where Charles Darwin made contact with the Yaghan aborigines in the 19th century. Passengers are broken up into three groups and are led on a fairly easy hike that ends with a magnificent view of the ocean and our ship below. When the time comes to head back, a young guide - Pablo - pulls me and Cory aside and asks, with a mischievous grin, if we were interested in seeing a giant beaver that lives nearby. Of course we were! After discretely separating ourselves from our fellow passengers, Cory and I wait for our private, impromptu tour. As he leads us through the trees, Pablo tells us about his family, his tourism studies and his love of nature. ''Sometimes you just have to break away from the group,'' he says. ''But you can't tell anyone I've brought you here.'' The three of us sit on an enormous log near a damn and wait for the beaver to appear. After ten minutes of following air bubbles, we spot him, working diligently away on his masterpiece. We have to hustle back down the hill to the Zodiac boats shortly thereafter - where a whiskey and hot chocolate is waiting - but the sight was well worth it.

That evening we play Bingo and I win the last prize of the night, a joke for having the ''worst'' board. After a good laugh, we turn in for the night, eagerly anticipating the next day's adventures.

March 21, 2011
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Glaciers and Goodbyes

Marinelli Glacier, Chile

Our second -- and, sadly, last -- full day on the ship passes with ease. Cory and I are not scheduled to board the Zodiac boats for our tour through the Alacalufe Fjord until later in the afternoon, so we spend a blissful few post-breakfast hours on deck reading and drinking Bloody Marys. Although we've only been aboard the Via Australis for 36 hours, we've become friendly with many of the passengers and it's so nice to be among smiling faces as we relax and completely sink into vacation mode.

We decided to dress warmly for this Zodiac trip, and I am grateful for every layer as the boat navigates around the Fjord and approaches the beautiful Piloto Glacier. As luck would have it, we're on the Zodiac with some of my favorite ship passengers: an older, fun-loving Austrian couple and a group of German women who live in Minnesota and take annual trips together around the world. Our driver is even my favorite staff member, Pablo, from yesterday's beaver trip. The stage is set for a truly enjoyable excursion.

I'm not disappointed. Navigating the Zodiac through the Fjord, surrounded by electric blue glacier and floating ice bergs, is one of the most surreal experiences of the trip so far. The air is crisp and heavy, and the only sounds come from periodic crackling of ice and the splash they make as splinters plunge into the ocean. Everyone on the boat is joyful and we take turns posing in front of the glacier. It is funny how, since we're only together for a short time, boat passengers become known to one another by our nationalities instead of our names. Cory and I are called simply ''cute New York couple'' by many of the passengers, a nickname that never fails to make me chuckle. It's the moniker they're using now, as we pose in front of the glacier. ''Kiss, cute New York couple! Kiss!'' And so we do.

Before we head back to the ship, I take a moment to offer a silent prayer of thanks to the universe for the beauty of this day, for the opportunity to be on this trip, for everything. The German women are doing the same, exclaiming in heavily-accented English that we are so lucky for this day, and that they will never, ever forget it. I couldn't agree more.

March 22, 2011
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Bring on the Penguins!

Punta Arenas, Chile

As Cory and I began to research the cruise, the stop we were most looking forward to was the trip to Magdalena Island to see the penguins. Our guides have informed us that close to 70,000 pairs roam this relatively small expanse of space, and we board the Zodiac boat with both our digital and video cameras, prepared to capture every second. This is our last excursion before docking in Punta Arenas shortly before lunch, and I have made what I soon learn is the mistake of packing my heavier, less-often-worn, clothes the night before. Although I have on several light layers, they are no match for the Island's early morning chill and I begin to envy all the penguins we see huddled together in their dens.

This is not to say that the cold takes anything away from the magnificence of the sight. For the most part the penguins ignore us and go on about their business, waddling around, swimming and preening each other. Feathers cover the island, a product of the molting that naturally occurs as younger birds mature. Cory and I take several pictures and videos in an attempt to capture the penguins' calls but after 45 minutes I'm frozen and head back to the ship for breakfast and a few final tasks before disembarkation.

We are met in Punta Arenas by an Adventure Life representative and begin the long, but extraordinarily beautiful drive to Torres del Paine. Cory and I have our own private van and spend several hours chatting in Spanish with our driver, who is happy to pause for photos any time we request. Structured stops are also built into the trip to EcoCamp, and we especially enjoy a visit to ''the Cueva del Milodon,''(Cave of the Milodon), a large extinct mammal. The cave is a wonderfully interesting archaeological site, and makes me feel as though I'm in a life-sized pre-historic diorama.

We arrive at EcoCamp just in time for a lovely dinner, although I still feel a bit of nostalgia for the lavish cruise meals. Travel days are always difficult transitions, but Cory and I meet our guide, Rafa, and have a drink in the common area before retiring to our cabin. The beds are plush and the wood fireplace makes for a cozy night's sleep after a very long day.

March 23, 2011
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The Power of Nature

Las Torres EcoCamp, Torres del Paine

During our first breakfast at EcoCamp, Cory and I learn that we will be sharing our guide with another couple, Doris and Richard. We realize we've been a bit spoiled - this is the first time on this trip or any other we've taken with Adventure Life that we've had to share a guide. At first I'm concerned, because Doris and Richard are a sprightly couple in their 70s - how will Rafa be able to accommodate the interests and abilities of us all? But it doesn't take me long to realize that my fears were completely unfounded.

Our morning activity is an easy walk around the Lazo Sector Laguna Verde. Doris and Richard have walking sticks and are more than able to keep up, and we spend an enjoyable couple of hours becoming more familiar with the terrain of Torres del Paine. The famous Patagonian winds are in full force and although Rafa has promised Cory and I a chance to hike the Mirador Toro later in the afternoon, those plans are contingent on safety, and it's looking like they may have to be aborted. After lunch, we hike to the peak of our morning excursion, and the winds are exhilarating, but not to be underestimated. As we turn away from the beautiful view, Cory and I hear a crashing sound and turn around to witness an avalanche from across the ravine. The sight is magnificent, and Rafa tells us that it is the largest he has ever witnessed. Our quick-thinking guide even snapped a picture of Cory and I and Richard watching the snow come crashing down, and it becomes my favorite image of the trip so far.

Shortly after lunch our driver comes to retrieve us and we hear the good news that it's safe enough for us to hike Mirador Toro. We briefly split up from Doris and Richard, who are taken on a tour of a nearby lake, and begin the hike. It is challenging, but not too difficult - Rafa says that he wants to toughen us up after the opulence of our cruise - and we reach the top easily. The winds are still extraordinary, and we have strict instructions to sit down immediately upon reaching the summit. The view and the day itself have been so exhilarating, and even though we've just arrived in the park I'm already sensing that I'm not going to want to leave. When the time comes to make our way back down, Rafa leads us to a relatively smooth path and instructs us to just run. It seems like a crazy - and somewhat dangerous - command, but we soon learn that the winds are strong enough to temper the gravity of the descent. It's so much fun sprinting down from the peak and we are back at the bottom in no time at all. As we walk over to meet the van, Rafa makes what he thinks is an off-hand comment that comes to define the rest of our stay: Cory and I made the fastest time to the top of Mirador Toro of anyone he's ever guided. We quickly take it as a challenge.

Our return to EcoCamp is seamless and restful. After a wonderful dinner, Cory and I retire to the common room for a glass of wine before bed and we literally have the place to ourselves. It doesn't take long before we retire to our room and fall into an easy sleep.

March 24, 2011
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A Taste of Safari

Las Torres EcoCamp, Torres del Paine

Mornings in EcoCamp are almost indescribably cozy, as Cory and I wake each day to a freshly lit fire and hot water for tea (courtesy of Rafa, who sneaks in pre-dawn to prepare). This morning is especially wonderful as the skies around Torres del Paine are uncharacteristically clear and cloud free. Before going to the main building for breakfast, we spend some time on our porch taking in the scenery and snapping several unobstructed pictures of ''the Towers'' the best known summits in the park. Our guide book tells us that visitors can spend a week in the Torres del Paine and never experience a clear view of these beautiful peaks, and so - for what seems like the millionth time on this trip - we consider ourselves very lucky.

Today's activities consist of a drive and terrain walk in the morning followed by an afternoon hike for us and a navigation around Glacier Grey for Doris and Richard. These plans are just another example of EcoCamp's incredible flexibility in scheduling tours to fit the varying interests and abilities of their visitors, even those sharing the same guide. We're pleasantly surprised by the morning safari - our driver takes us by places known to be home to pumas, although we're not fortunate enough to spot one. During one floral and fauna stop I casually mention to Rafa that I would love to see bones, and he immediately leads me to a fresh skeleton, which I find fascinating. The circle of life, indeed.

Rafa described the hike to the top of Cerro Ferrier as ''shorter than yesterday, but much steeper,'' words that we don't take very seriously as we approach the base. However, once the hike begins Cory and I realize that we're walking up an incredible incline almost immediately. The laughing and levity fades quickly as we concentrate on making it to each trail marker - adorned, ironically enough, by a smiling beaver cartoon. I'm a regular runner and consider myself to be in pretty decent shape, but still my leg muscles are screaming with each step. Yet each time I think to myself that I can't go another moment without a break, the beaver appears and tells us we're that much closer to the top.

It only takes us about 45 minutes to reach the summit, but Cory and I both agree that this has been the most challenging hike of our lives. Again, we're instructed to sit down immediately upon reaching the top, and the three of us spend some time enjoying the howling winds and spectacular views. A rainbow appears as an extra bonus for our trouble, and we take turns posing in front of it. The walk back to the van takes not even half an hour, and we have plenty of time to kill waiting for Doris and Richard's boat to return to shore. We are happy for the break and are kind of shocked when Rafa tells us that we have once again set a record for fastest hike and return. Maybe all of our walking around NYC has prepared us for this trip in ways we hadn't expected.

This is Doris and Richard's last night at EcoCamp, and dinner is filled with stories about their world travels and their tips for a happy marriage. Before we turn in for the night, Cory, Rafa and I plan our strategy for tomorrow's main event: the 13 mile hike to the Tower base.

March 25, 2011
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The March Toward the Towers

Las Torres EcoCamp, Torres del Paine

A new group of EcoCampers arrived late last night, and there was talk that one of them was planning to join us on our 13 mile roundtrip trek to the Tower Base. However, we learn at breakfast that we are on our own with Rafa - the mystery camper fell ill during the night. While I feel badly that this unknown man's vacation has gotten off to a rocky start, I am glad that we have one last day alone with our guide. Also, Cory and I have become obsessed with making a respectable time up to the Towers, and would prefer to make the trip at our own pace. Rafa tells us that the average journey takes about 9 or 10 hours - his longest trip with passengers was 12 hours and his shortest clocked in at just 7 hours. I'm hoping that we can make it to the Towers and back in 8 hours round trip - respectable, but not record-setting. Cory, of course, aspires to a new camp record. Ha!

The hike is long, but the first half is not tremendously difficult. There are lots of switch backs and some surprising descents, and I think to myself that these will be no fun on the way home when we are significantly more tired. At the halfway point we realize that we are on track to set a new record, and this knowledge spurs us on when things get difficult.

One of the most interesting aspects of this particular hike is the changes of clothing it necessitates. We have base layers, rain coats and pants and winter hats and gloves. The weather is the worst we've had in Torres del Paine yet, and the fog prevents us from even glimpsing the rock formations we saw so clearly yesterday. The flux in temperature also means that we're adding and subtracting layers depending on the altitude, and as we approach the final 45 minutes we have to don everything to combat the chill, wind and what appears to be impending snow.

The Towers remain murky even as we reach the base. The fog gives them an other-worldly quality that Cory and I are grateful for. . . we feel like we've experienced the full gamut of Patagonian weather during our time here. As we perch on some rocks for a quick lunch, we say a silent prayer of thanks as we reminisce with Rafa about all the magnificent nature we've witnessed over the last few days. It soon begins to snow - the winds making it seem more blizzard-like than it really is - and we all jump to life in an attempt to photograph the flurries. We get one good picture of Cory and I at the Tower base before the clouds and fog obscure them completely, and then we all head back down.

Once we've descended enough to escape the snow, Cory and I turn ourselves to the other important matter at hand: whether we are likely to set a Tower trek record. It is obvious that we are going to easily beat the reigning champ, but Rafa informs us that he thinks it's possible that we could even make it back in less than 6 hours, which is unheard of. We keep this number in mind as we head home, but the trip back to EcoCamp is challenging - those valleys have come back to haunt us! We end up being a bit slower than we would have liked, and walked into the main cabin 6 hours and 10 minutes after we left - a new record! We're thrilled because it's only mid-afternoon, so there is plenty of time for a shower, a nap and some wine before dinner. I couldn't think of a better way to end the day.

March 26, 2011
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Back to Argentina

El Calafate, Argentina

Packing up and leaving EcoCamp is one of the hardest things Cory and I have had to do on a vacation. We've had such a wonderful time here and could have easily spent another week just taking in the sights of Torres del Paine and enjoying the company of the staff. Our transfer to Puerto Natales comes early in the morning and we say a blurry goodbye to Rafa, with promises to keep in touch over email. The EcoCamp staff has loaded us up with chocolates for our trip, and Cory and I chew silently as we take in the sights on our last drive around the park. I will never, ever forget this place.

Travel days are always a little unsettling, and this one is no different. After a rather chaotic bus ride to El Calafate, we arrive at our hotel dusty and tired. We added a stop at the famous Perito Moreno Glacier onto our trip, and now we are very happy to have done so because it's providing a buffer between the magic of the Via Australis and EcoCamp and our real life in New York City. Cory and I drop our packs and set off to find a restaurant that was recommended to us by Rafa, and after a very satisfying meal of pizza and beer, we head back for a little R & R. There is a television in the hotel room and the bad made-for-TV movie we find (in English no less!) provides a welcome distraction.

March 27, 2011
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Perito Moreno Glacier

Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

Cory and I wake early for the final excursion of the trip - a tour of Perito Moreno Glacier with an opportunity to trek along its peaks. The lobby is filled with tourists with similar plans, and we wait patiently with our boxed lunches until our name is called. Cory and I take a seat on the bus and enjoy the ride as we make our way to the viewing area.

The Perito Moreno Glacier is definitely the main tourist attraction in the area, but the thing that surprises me the most is how measured the bus intervals are. When we arrive at the entrance to the glacier viewing area, ours in the only vehicle in sight. Although I know there are likely scores of people inside, having the opportunity to enter without a crowd makes all the difference. Our bus driver tells us that we have an hour to view the glacier from the vantage point before we have to meet back. Cory and I leave quickly, putting as much distance between ourselves and our fellow passengers as we can before we stop and take in the beauty of the glacier. This way, once we are ready to pose for pictures and enjoy the sights, we can do so in relative peace.

At first we were hesitant to add this exertion onto the rest of our trip because we also had the opportunity to see glaciers on the cruise and in Torres del Paine - what if we were sick of looking at them by this point? But here, standing on the viewing platform, I am so glad that we decided to extend our stay. The electric blue of the ice, the crackling of the water. The ice is stationary, yet seems to be in perpetual motion. Cory and I snap several pictures, and the hour passes quickly.

Our trekking excursion takes up the better part of the afternoon and is similarly well-organized. There are several expeditions on the glacier at once, but it feels as though it is just our group chomping around on the ice. I'm surprised by the ruggedness of the terrain. . . for some reason when I imagined walking on glaciers I always pictured a flat surface. In reality it is like we are walking on the set of a Tim Burton movie. The tour and, for all intents and purposes our trip, ends with a shot of bourbon as we hand in our crampons. I can't think of a more fitting way to conclude.

Back at our hotel in El Calafate, Cory and I change into our cleanest clothes and head out for one last night on the town. We stop for a drink in what has become our favorite bar (a place we secretly think looks like it is straight out of Diagon Alley in Harry Potter) before heading to the best restaurant in town (at least according to our guidebook) and ordering an enormous plate of meat and a bottle of wine. Is there any other way to say goodbye to Argentina?

March 28, 2011
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Heading Home

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Our last day of travel begins in the late morning, but we have several flights (El Calafate to Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires to Lima, Lima to New York City) to get through before we arrive home. Cory and I are both so tired from our adventure, but are so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore this beautiful part of the world. Our Patagonian Safari was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will treasure forever. Thank you Adventure Life!

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