Following a six hour stinky bus road from El Calafate (no water in the whole town), and a very easy boarder crossing into Chile arrived in Puerto Natales and checked into a great hostel. With duvets, not sheets and blankets…so nice!! “The Singing Lamb”, this season mainly run by two really lovely guys from the states, super helpful and friendly. The staff can make such a difference to hostels, and these guys certainly did! Had a much needed shower and headed into the small town to get organised for my trek.

Puerto Natales is a destination for two reasons, it’s the end or start destination of the Navimag boat trip that goes to & from Puerto Montt through the Chilean Fords. And it’s also the closest town to the Torres del Paine national park that is a massive must for trekking travellers. I don’t really consider myself a trekker, and originally planned just to visit the park for a day. But after reading up a bit, meeting a lot of people who’d completed the “W trek” I decided I should do it. Due to my timeframe of having to be in Santiago by the 22nd I only had a few days for the trek, and I was doing it alone wanted to make it as easy as possible so had booked into refugios, and took full board versus camping and carrying all my stuff. I had a day and half in Natales before I left for the park to get organised, (only actually involved borrowing some poles, packing a small bag and attending a chat/brief about the trek). But it was nice to have the time in the town and found a couple of decent eateries, including one place in particular. Had a whole King crab for the first time in my life, bit pricey but worth it. I also met up with the Dutch motorcycling couple again for a pizza, I won’t see them again as we take very different routes, but it was really nice to see them again.

So the park and the W the trek:

Day 1, arrived in park midday. Walked with a German chap (goat!!!), about 15km, 6 hours. Started in very warm sun, and headed up into clouds. We climbed the final slightly difficult ascent to “Torres” and were lucky enough that the clouds moved and we saw them! I have to say I felt slightly fraudulent with my 30 litre day pack when I was watching people walking past with 70+litres for camping etc, but I was very happy too. Seeing people looking miserable because they are carrying loads does not make me want to do it!! First night Refugio was pretty decent. I had made a bit of a cock-up, having booked my Refugios and food online with an agent, and paid in US dollars, I had read but not taken full heed of the fact that I needed my passport and tourist paper from boarder control. This was important as I had paid less 19% by paying in US$, but without the passport and paper to present at the Refugios then charged me the 19% extra in cash! And I hadn’t bought my credit card, or much cash thinking I’d paid for everything up front. So that first night I had to shell out some extra $, leaving me with nearly nothing.

Day 2, easy day. 14 km, 4 hours, walked solo. It had lashed it down all night and I was dreading going out in the rain, but it had pretty much stopped, and aside from grey skies and clouded hiding the mountains I was walking underneath it was really lovely walk. Advantages to hiking alone: walk at your own pace, stop when you want for water, snack, photo or wee. You can talk yourself out loud and no one is there to tell you that you’re a bit weird. And you can break wind freely. I got the second Refugio at 2, shoes soaked through, pleaded ignorance on the 19% and said I didn’t have the money, which I didn’t so he let me in. I had a shower and settled down to catch up on some reading on my Kindle only to realise I left it at the other Refugio…..needles to say on radioing through it had not been found. I then also manage to burn my arm quite badly on a wood stove pipe hanging stuff up to dry. I really could have done with a glass of something….but didn’t have the cash! Doh, doh, doh!!!! Stooooopid, forgetful, clumsy self!!!!!

Day 3, the killer! 29 km – 9 hours. Again it had totally lashed it down all night, and all though the skies were trying to brighten in the morning as I set off and it was quite beautiful with the mist rising from the lake and mountain bases, I was soaked from walking through the bushes and half the trails were water logged so my shoes were sodden after two minutes. I had set off early on my own knowing the length of the days trek, but after half an hour a guy from Buenos Aires caught up with me and made me walk with him. It was good as again had a whole day of only speaking Spanish, but also he really pushed the pace and I think if I was on my own I would only have gone to the first view point up the valley we hiked to, as opposed to the whole way up and back. I found out after a few hours he was a sports teacher, hence the relentless pace! Again the clouds really limited what we saw, but the hike was really varied with forests, rivers and boulder scrambles. Arrived to the final Refugio at five, and the guy let me off with the promise I’d email him my passport and paperwork the following night which I did!

Day 4- 22km, 8 hours. I hiked alone on the final day as I set off earliest. First thing in the morning it was nearly clear blue skies so I grabbed my camera for breakfast and got a couple of shots of the mountains I’d been walking under the last few days. Really glad I did as twenty minutes later the clouds blew on a strong wind and covered them! One of the things I’d been told to expect in the park was the really changeable weather, and in particular strong winds. Up untill the last day I’d not experienced any wind, the final day threw everything at me. Wind, rain, snow, sun….actually it was pretty cool. At times I could stand up and try and fall forward only to have the wind hold me up, I was really glad of the poles on this day as they really helped keep you moving, and also slow you down when you needed to. The hike was up to a large lake and a glacier, unfortunately the clouds yet again did not play fair, and when I was nearest the glacier couldn’t see to much! I also again bumped into the British couple who were doing it properly and camping…..just looked a bit too much like hard work for me! The final hour back my feet were throbbing….but I had no blisters, so very thankful. I took the catamaran back across the lake to the bus, and had some of the best views of the mountains of the trip! Arrived back into Natales to the hostel at ten pm, and one of the American lads had picked me up a crab pie “Pastel De Jaiba” from a local restaurant for my dinner! Delicious but so naughty…crab, cream, cheese and bread…..but I think I had earned it! (All though my jeans still say otherwise!!!).

I’m really pleased with myself for doing this trek, and even though I made it as easy as possible for myself, I’ve never walked anything like these distances. I don’t know if I am a full on hiker yet, there’s something about the clothes that just aren’t that appealing, but I think I’ll make an effort to keep it up whilst travelling as its the only exercise I’ve had and will get! And the scenery and nature is cool!

One other note, my brother gave me a merino wool base layer as a present before my travels claiming he wears the same type for a weeks snowboarding and it never smells. Well I wore it for all four days, and I’m not saying it smelt of spring flowers at the end, but it was amazing how it don’t stink and I had seriously sweated!!! Thank you J!

That was my final stop in Patagonia, and the south. It had been wet, wild, challenging but most of all beautiful!…..despite the freakin clouds……and for the things I missed because of the weather there’s always google images!!!