South American Adventure - Day Eleven, Sunday 2nd March 2014

Early start again this morning, as we are being picked up and driving to Torres del Paine in Chile.  After a quick breakfast, we checked out of the hotel.  The driver was on time!  We left the hotel at 8.00am, for what he said (in the little English that he had) was a four hour drive.  We started off in part cloudy weather, but it soon changed into glorious sunshine.  The road was good, and there was little else in the way of traffic once we had left El Calafate.

We had a spectacular view of the Andes at one point.  We stopped to take a picture.  He was explaining something about the mountains – it didn’t seem to hamper him that we could understand nothing.  Just smile and nod!  We continued our journey south west, and the flat lands that we had got used to changed into rolling hills.  The wildlife didn’t change – still choiques, guanacos and sheep.  A little further on, and there were birds of prey just sitting in a line on the fence poles watching us go past – one after the other.  There was a condor just gliding next to the car for several seconds.

We turned off the remote open road and after one hundred yards or so there was a petrol station – with loads of people milling about.  There were a couple of locals with stalls selling souvenirs, and a bus full of a local football team – the Defensores, or so it said on their backs.  Where did they all come from? 

We set off again, and after a couple of hours, we turned onto a small gravel road.  It turns out this was the road that the border crossing was on.  Nothing more than a farm track.  At the first part, we had to leave Argentina.  We took our passports in to a wooden shack.  One queue was for people coming in, and one queue for people going out.  Luckily, ours was the shortest queue.  The Argentinian Army was in charge here – the 43^rd Squadron or something.  My passport was stamped quickly, and Paul handed his over.  Lopez (or so it said on his lapel) said something to Paul.  He thought there was a problem – but he was actually wishing him Happy Birthday for tomorrow!  Thought I might have had to have gone on without him there.  We then had to drive a mile or so through no man’s land.  We then came to some more buildings, where we had to get out with our passports again.  The driver had given us some forms to fill in to get into Chile – this was where they had to be stamped.  Just before us a bus had pulled up – and the whole bus load was in the queue before us.  Quite a wait.  Nobody turned up behind us, not even after we had had the passports stamped.  Just bad luck.  I had noticed that everyone was having their luggage scanned.  The driver went back and got our suitcases, and then the hand luggage.  He brought my handbag with everything hanging out the top where I had just fudged about and got my passport out.  Bloody hell!  We got through no problem, the car was checked by the immigration people, and we made our way out onto the road again.  There was a proper road for a while – well, a road with large pot holes in.  They all had a lovely large ring of white paint around them, so someone knew they were there.  Just didn’t want to fix them I suppose.

We turned off onto a gravel road again after a few minutes – you could see how much traffic was up ahead as there was a cloud of dust following any vehicle.  Just a couple of cars, and we soon lost them.  After a while he turned off onto another gravel road, and had to stop and open a gate.  Looked as if we were going into someone’s property, but there was no sign.  We could be being kidnapped I suppose.  How many security checks did we do when we got into the car?  None.  We weren’t.  After twenty or so minutes of travelling upwards, with the most glorious view of the mountains to our left, I could see some cabin like properties up ahead.  This was Awasi – the extravagance of this trip.  Or Paul’s birthday present.  No looking on the internet for something the night before this year for me!  He did ask earlier whether I had been mistaken and booked a tent in a field.  I assured him not.

Wow!  This place is something else.  We were welcomed by Ximona, the general manager and JP, who is to be our guide for the time we are here.  Lunch was on the menu first, and what a view from our table.  Then I noticed that my glasses were not in my bag.  They must have fell out when the driver pulled my bag out of the car at the border crossing.  This is the second pair I have lost on this trip – Paul reckoned the guanacos at
Rincon Chica had the first pair.  They disappeared into thin air.  I have never lost a pair of glassed before – now I have lost two!  There are only twelve cabins here, and everyone else was out for the day.  The food was excellent – I think I may have to worry about my calorie intake here.  King Crab salad to start, conga risotto, and crème brulee was served after we had been met with mate (the local hollybush tea) and cookies.  Just about managed it – I think we are going to have work hard here to build up an appetite! 

We then had a briefing with JP as to what and where we would like to go over the next four days.  It turns out that he has had a few days off, and had been to El Calafate with his girlfriend.  We were at Perito Moreno on the same day!  He didn’t see the big collapse, so Paul had much glee showing him his video of it.  Paul said he wanted to trek the big mountain (!) so that is on the cards for tomorrow.  Then we will do some small trails, and then mountain biking.  Horses were mentioned, but brushed aside!  The weather forecast for the next few days is good – perfect for trekking.  Not sure about us though – would probably call us overcast at the very least, but we will see.

Next we were shown to our villa.  They are all separate cabins, none overlooking the others.  The view is magnificent – the picture above is what we wake up to.  The last time we had a view like this was in the Himalayas, but then we had a hole for a toilet and were sleeping on a slab of concrete in a sleeping bag.  Not quite like this.  There is a huge living area with sofas, and a fully stocked mini bar and coffee machine with windows all the way round on all sides.  Our bags had been unpacked by the time we got to our villa – Paul saw some walking poles just be the front door and said he had some just like those!  They were his!!  The bathroom was ultra luxurious, with robes and the softest towels.   The hot tub was being stoked up – literally.  There is a fire under the hot tub, and it had been lit ready for our arrival.  There was a little hot tub kit in a basket, with slippers and towels etc, to use for going out.  It is going to be hard staying here!

Sitting in the hot tub felt a bit like a missionary must have felt like being boiled ready to be eaten by the cannibals.  The fire was underneath heating up the water, and there we were sitting in it.  The view though was amazing – right down through the valley to the lake and the mountains.  There were cows all around, noisily chomping away on the grass, birds making a racket and a few wasps buzzing about.  They seemed to take a liking to his red wine, so he donated it!  Better that than us.  I think there might be a nest around, as there were quite a few.  Paul got very good at swishing the water at them – then they just went away.  Perhaps someone in a nearby hot tub had something better than red wine to tempt them with.

The cows are all over the place – on the way to dinner (we are in the cabin furthest away from the main cabin) the path seemed to have a few additions of fresh cow poo.  There is a torch on the key, so will have to make sure that is used to find a way through without treading in anything untoward in the dark.  The food, unsurprisingly, was superb for dinner.  So well presented, and in small proportions.   The chef introduced himself – he is from Argentina – and said he would cook whatever we wanted.  We’ll see if we make it back in one piece tomorrow – or if we are in a fit state to eat!!