Paul compared the holiday today to boot camp. The alarm went off at 6.00am – normal time to
get up for me. Boot camp would be more
like 4.00am – it could be arranged…… We
are being collected at 7.15am for our “All Glacier Navigation” tour. I think by the end of today, I will be all
glaciered out. But as we are here.. As usual, the pick up came at 7.30am – the
one day we are late the pick up will be on time! We were again one of the last to be picked
up, and the mini bus was full. We met
the same English couple as yesterday – these must be the two “to do” tours
here. “I read your blog last night” she says.
“I will have to be careful what I say to you today!” Oh my god – I definitely will have to think
carefully what I say if people we meet on the way are reading it! Ha ha.
I wonder how many people I have upset already over the last few years.
The journey to the port took around forty minutes. When I first knew the size of the boat – it
takes around 200 people – there was probably a look of horror on my face. We were told that we could upgrade – and as
one does – we did. Business class on the
boat. If you have to go on a boat with
200 people, it is best if you don’t have to sit with them! We didn’t get any special treatment at the
start though – this was not the only boat going. There were probably in the range of three to
four hundred people queuing to get onto the jetty where the boat went
from. We had our national park tickets
already paid for in advance with the tour.
If you don’t have them, you have to queue at a little hut to get
them. Not everyone was aware they had to
do this, so they walked all the way down to the jetty, only to have to walk all
the way to get the ticket.
Once we were on board we had the “Captain’s Club”. We were shown upstairs to the front of the
catamaran to a separate lounge area where the captain drives the boat. There were sixteen lovely comfortable
business class style seats. If I
have to spend all day on a boat, this isn’t a bad way to do it. All sixteen seats were full – they cost 300
pesos extra per person, but included all the tea, coffee, chocolate, wine, beer
etc that you wanted. That was Paul
sorted out for the day! Our steward was
Juan, and he looked after us very well.
We set off, firstly heading to the Upsala Glacier. This is one of the largest in the Los Glaciars
National Park . It took around an hour and a half to get there,
and on the way we were given croissants
as well. Very civilised. We had to go through the narrowest part of Lake Argentina
to get there, so I decided to go downstairs and out to the front of the
boat. I stood at the front, and
remembered the last time I was on a boat I had decided that a fleece was fine
and didn’t take my jacket, hat and gloves.
That was a mistake then, and here I was standing in the wind in only my
fleece and thinking why have I done this again?
Plonker. Down here, there were
hoards of people – albeit rather more sensibly dressed! As we approached the glacier, there were
large and small icebergs. Some huge. Hope the captain is looking where he is
going! Most people then decided to do
their Titanic impression and have their photograph taken at the front of the
ship with their arms outstretched. After
the two hundredth person, I was getting a bit fed up of elbows in my face. One chap had to have one taken with his
camera, then his video camera, then his ipad.
Not sure how he had enough hands to carry them all.
This glacier may have been bigger than the Perito Mereno yesterday, but
it hadn’t have the wall of ice that stands proud from the water. It just comes down like a river to the
lake. Very impressive though – although
no great big collapses like yesterday.
That is going to take some beating!
We then moved on to the next glacier – Spegazinni – which took around
twenty minutes to get to. This was
similar to Perito Moreno, with a high wall of ice. I went back upstairs – there were a couple of
doors that opened to the outside from up there, so decided I wouldn’t brave the
hoards again. At least upstairs there
will only be another fifteen pairs of elbows to contend with! It was a really good view – and nowhere near
as cold, as you could jump in and out very easily to warm up. It was actually only when we were sailing
that it was cold. When we were at the glaciers
or going slowly along the front of them it was beautiful. The sun was shining again – we have been
really lucky with the weather.
After we left this glacier, we have a two hour trip to get to Perito
Moreno – the last glacier on the schedule.
Juan brought sandwiches round – went very well with the ham and cheese
roll I had in my camera bag that I made at breakfast. I haven’t done that before – it was a last
minute thought that we were on the boat all day with nothing to eat! Nobody seemed to mind – in actual fact I
don’t know if they even noticed we were there.
As I said, backpackers can get a free breakfast! The sun was beating down through the windows,
and the lake was so calm – it all combined to make a half hours snooze
unavoidable! This is a very easy way to
spend a day.
The last glacier was Perito Moreno again. This one is the most famous not only because
of its accessability, but because of the dramatic pieces that come away. As we were approaching, we could see the
walkways that we had been on yesterday.
We sailed up the within a couple of hundred yards at one point of the
glacier wall. I remember seeing a sign
by one of the walkways yesterday saying that several people had been killed by
the falling ice because they were too close to the edge. I think the walkways had all been moved back
to prevent this happening. I am sure we
have quite a quick reverse speed if needed!
But alas, even though we spent another half an hour or so sailing up and
down the face of the glacier, there were only minor collapses. There were several ooohs and aaaahs – it was
spectacular to some. But it all has to
be put in perspective – we saw a massive collapse yesterday, and dribs and
drabs like this are not going to cut the mustard anymore.
We left the glacier for the hour or so to get back to the port, and I
feel that I am now glaciered out.
Yesterday was amazing, and if I had to choose between the two tours I
would have chosen yesterdays every time.
This one was good, and if we hadn’t done yesterday I would have enjoyed
it more I think. But, for me, it was
again a little too sedate. I would
definitely recommend paying the extra to get the better seats and all that
comes with it. It really was a bun fight
trying to take pictures downstairs. We
were met by the minibus after disembarking, and taken back to the hotel for our
last evening in El Calafate.
We tried the town again tonight for something to eat. We chose a restaurant and decided to have
lamb – it is apparently good here. Even
after a pint of campari (that is how it came, not how much I ordered!) it still
tasted as if it had been cooking since last Christmas. Paul’s dish wasn’t too bad. We had passed an ice cream parlour – Tito’s -
on the way, so decided to get pudding there.
Only about forty flavours to choose from! At least I am managing to get some calories
(ha ha, as if I need them!).
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