Kerry from Derry

Moving on from the mighty Los Glaciers then to the End of the World - Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, next stop Antartica. So now I can say I´ve been to the end of the world on 2 different continents! (the other being Stewart Island in NZ).

So why did I come here then? Well I guess the draw was it being the literal end of the world but there´s much more to it than just that. The drive in involved crossing over into Chile and then back into Argentina and then through the mountains of Tierra del Fuego which means Land of Fire. Tierra del Fuego is the name of an archipelago shared between Argentina and Chile. It was "discovered" by Fernando de Magallanes in 1520, and he named the place as "land of smoke" or "land of fire", because of the campfires of the natives Selk'Nam or Ona (tribes).....so now you know!

As generally happens when you move South (once you´re over the equator of course) things start to get a little colder.....in fact so cold that it was snowing, somewhat unexpected it has to be said. Although it did make everything look just that little bit better - snow always does eh? So anyway got there and it was snowing and hence fricking freezing - time to hotleg to a hostel, have to say the first one I went too wasn´t that impressive....very small, dark and dingy and with a wierd group of people in it so, after 1 night it was time to suss out some new digs! Suss out I did and ended up in a little place calle Cruz del Sur pretty much right in the town centre. Undoubtably one of the friendliest hostel I have had the pleasure of staying in - of course it always helps when the people are good too. I just happened to be staying there when a couple (Carrie & Abran) I met on the flight from New York to Buenos Aires rocked up. The other memorable people for me was Troy the Ozzie bloke (I would swear he was a caracature if I hadn´t met him in the flesh - true blue ozzie bloke to fit all the stereotypes) who was one of the funniest people I have met in a long time and then there was Emily from England.

So anyway the 5 of us got along like a house on fire and basically drank the town dry while playing numerous games of that old traveller favourite - Shithead. Troy left a couple of days later on his Antartic voyage and the rest of us did some exercise - went hiking into the mountains with the intention of climbing up to see the glacier, I got half way there and turned back due to my granny knees and the exhausting effects of climbing uphill in snow, still, pretty good views from as far as I got and the short chairlift ride was a unique mode of transport for me in this leg of my travels.
The next day was a so called flat walk.....yeah right! Along the coast just out of town there is a track that´s suppose to follow the beach.....may just do that if you can negioate the treachous path to get there in the first place and then when you do the beach runs out after 50m and you have to go up to come back down again - Jesus! The bulls were also looking slightly hacked off at the interruption to their chewing the cud and all that so it was a quick wander through them and back towards town again. (When I say quick its approx a 16km walk....)

The next day after a true attack of the town`s red wine supply it was a trip out to Estancia Haberton, world famous apparently....to be honest by the time we got there (and the most amusing car conversation I have possibly ever had the joy to participate in) the hangovers were truly setting in and the weather was starting to look really ugggggggly so we headed back to lick our wounds in peace and quiet.

I had to leave the next day so it was a sad farewell wishing the others a truly horrible time on their 10 day trip to Antartica and leaving them extremely jealous of the 50 hour bus journey back to Buenos Aires (my how much fun does that sound eh????).

Have to say this was one of my favourite places in Argentina - both because of the people and the place, a truly chilled out place with a lot for you to do if you´re that way inclined! My only regret is not getting out on the water or doing the trip to Antartica - but then again I can always come back can´t I!

Yep - what could be the worst thing to happen (after theft, personal injury and assault of course) when you´re on your travels?

I lost 2 months of photos whilst attempting to download them from a memory card reader in an internet cafe - one minute they were there and the next it was telling me my memory card was blank! God damn bloody computers (or should that be people who can´t use them properly......). Can honestly say I have no idea what happened - but let this be a cautionary tale - if you´re not sure get a professional to do it for you!

But as I said not the worst thing that could happen - I have the memories and now it means I won´t be able to bore you all to death when I finally make it home with photos from this leg of the journey.

So I left behind the natural wonders of the living world and moved on to a monster.....the Perito Moreno Glacier. There are several other glaciers but this is deemed the most impressive (hence my reason for the visit and another 16/18 hours on the bus).

So the facts then: The Perito Moreno Glacier is a glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park in the south west of Santa Cruz province, Argentina.

The 250 km² ice formation, of 30 km in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile. This icefield is the world's third largest reserve of fresh water.

The terminus of the Perito Moreno Glacier is 5 km wide, with an average height of 60 meters above the surface of the water, with a total ice depth of 170 meters. It advances at a speed of up to 2m per day (around 700 m per year), although it loses mass at approximately the same rate, meaning that aside from small variations, its terminus has not advanced or receded in the past 90 years. At its deepest part, the glacier has a depth of approximately 700 m. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of only three Patagonian glaciers that are not retreating. Periodically the glacier advances over the L-shaped "Lago Argentino" ("Argentine Lake") forming a natural dam which separates the two halves of the lake when it reaches the opposite shore. With no escape route, the water-level on the Brazo Rico side of the lake can rise by up to 30 meters above the level of the main lake. The enormous pressure produced by this mass of waters finally breaks the ice barrier holding it back, in a spectacular rupture event. This dam/rupture cycle is not regular and it naturally recurs at any frequency between once a year to less than once a decade.

OK - there´s the facts...now what did I think of it? Well I have to say it´s one of the most impressive natural wonders I have ever seen, the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers in New Zealand whilst pretty damn cool just don´t compare. If ice is your thing then this is definitely the place to come.

Our trip was with a company who apparently do things an alternative way to the big tour companies - in practice that means we take the back roads and don´t have masses of people in each group (max 20 per bus). The back roads mean you get to spot a little more wildlife and again get to wonder at the miles and miles of tundra that make up this part of the world.

As you get closer to the Los Glaciares National Park the scenery becomes much more interesting - you get up and close to the Lago Argentina and feast on the views of the sparkling blue waters set against the back drop of huge snow covered mountains, very reminiscient of the South Island in NZ. As you go into the Park the road snakes and winds with the promise of getting closer to the Perito Moreno and suddenly, you round a corner and there it is in the distance, a snaking white river against a brilliant blue sky - in the true sense of the word....awesome! And it only gets better - as you get closer it draws you in and leaves you opened mouthed in wonder at the world around you.

I opted for a day that involved a little bit of hiking to get you closer to the glacier and sure enough after 2 hours of trekking along the shore and up and down a couple of gullies there we were just 50 metres from the monster. Its hard to describe it up close and personal.......the main thing that will strike you is the noise. It´s like a living breathing creature - constantly moving, it roars as even small pieces of ice drop off into the lake below. We were lucky enough to witness a large piece fall off - the sound of first the crack, and then what I can only describe as an eruption, is truly fantastic, if I can be given a little artistic licence here please......it sounds like what I´d imagine to be the beginning of the end of the world (if that´s not too dramatic!). The other interesting thing was the wave that it created - the boats arn´t allowed to get close for particularly this reason, its enough to capsize them. So after that it was back to the main area and time for a stroll along the terraces where particular view points have been set up for maximum viewing pleasure.....if you can manage to squeeze in past the other hordes of tourists that is!

After a spot of lunch it was time to hop on the boat and go take a look from a different perspective - again highly impressive. From the dock it was a half hour journey there and back but definitely worth it and makes for great photos if that´s what you´re after. Coming back in to dock was a Titantic moment - was expecting someone to start ringing a warning bell and screaming iceberg ahoy! Well maybe not that dramatic but was good craic anyway - an ice berg had managed to lodge itself against the dock barring our way....so what now I hear you ask? Well obviously you get a rope and sling it around it and then tow it out of the way trying not to capsize under the weight! An amusing finish to an awe inspiring day.

Now El Calafate itself - I think this is probably the most touristy place I have been too and the prices reflect that. There literally is nothing to do - one street worth walking up and down and that´s it! Not a place to spend a lot of time I´d dare say but definitely worth the trip for going to see the glaciers and the National Park.

Moving on from Bariloche then and across the country from West to East to Puerto Madyrn - one of the best places in Argentina to spot acquatic wildlife.

The main attractions in the area...ie: the Southern right whales, Orcas, sea lions and seals, and the ever so cute Magallanes penguins can be found in the area called Peninsula Valdes which can be reached on day trips from nearby Puerto Madyrn. More about the wildlife in a mo - just a couple of words about the town.

Have to say its nothing special - basically a small industrial town with a beach, lots of restaurants, etc but not much life in the place. Saying that though its a good base for accessing the Peninsula and cheaper than staying at Puerto Piramides.

So the wildlife then, I´ll take them one by one and attempt to educate you!

Southern Right Whale - (Eubalaena australis) comes to Golfo Nuevo to breed mostly during September and October but can be seen up to December, our guide reckoned that they have on average 1500 per year so if you´re there at the right time your chances of seeing them are pretty high. Early on they can even be spotted from the beach in Puerto Madyrn. They can grow up to 18m in length and apparently can weigh up to 60 tonnes. They are the complete opposite of Free Willy - not quite so cute but pretty awesome to look at, particularly when they´re breaching, they just look HUGE! I took a boat trip so got up quite close and personal, definitely the way to go but only if you have sea legs.....otherwise you might find the surge a bit much to deal with, pretty strong winds down this part of the world when I was there.

I will try to get around to posting some pictures one day.....

Orca´s - well these are Free Willy whales. We were lucky to see some swim around but unlucky to miss the feeding frenzy of an hour before we arrived (high tide). This is one of the only places in the world where Orca´s hunt seals on land (I know that sounds wierd....just wait a minute!) Basically they swim in on a wave and try to grab a seal before going out again by using their hughly powerful tail and the backward motion of the waves. Gutted we missed that but good to see them all the same.

Seals and sea lions - don´t think I have to give you too much info on these...do I? Suffice to say they are numerous, the male sea lions are huge and the babies very cute.

Magallane Penguins - (Spheniscus magellanicus) reach 45 cm high and 4 or 5 Kg weight; the males have a bill longer and thicker than the females. In September, the male penguins arrive in Punta Tombo after spending 6 months at sea where they feed (penguins are excellent swimmers); they build a nest or occupy the same nest they had the year before, and condition it. Later, the females arrive (penguins generally are monogamous). These lady penguins know a thing or 2 about keeping their men in line eh??? In October, the females lay two eggs inside the nest, and both members of the couple incubate them for 40 days. The baby penguins are born with grey feathers, and change them ten weeks after, but the characteristic black and white plumage appears when they are one year old. When I was there in mid-November they were still in the nesting phase so didn´t see any babies, just a lot of penguins milling around with that adorable waddle and many more nesting. (Again photos will be forthcoming at some stage in the future......).

Has to be said - an excellent way to spend a day!

Some mentions - Wolfgang (Swiss), Natalie (French) & Bernard (French Canadian) who for some reason took to calling me Carry On for 3 days......apparently something to do with my sarcastic sense of humour.....ummmmm!

Not much else to say about the place - next stop El Calafate and the glaciers!

Moving on from Mendoza it was a short overnight trip to Bariloche (or to be more accurate San Carlos de Bariloche), 16 to 18 hrs if memory serves me correctly..... with some fabulous scenery on the way. This part of the country really reminds me of New Zealand - snow capped mountains, dazzling azul lakes and enough sporting options that you can shake a stick at.

The hostel of choice this time was a little place called Marcopoloinn on Salta, highly recommended if anyone is in a mind to go. Very sociable little place with a dangerous little bar! More about that later.....

Bariloche sits in the foothills of the Andes and is one of the most popular places to go skiing in Argentina - in fact due to a late winter I just missed the slopes, they only closed the week before I arrived. It is consistently likened to a swiss ski resort and whilst I haven´t been to one of those I can imagine the comparison to be accurate in that the hotels, restaurants, etc have that ski lodge feel to them and of course the snow capped mountains help as well! Bizarrely enough there are also a lot of St Bernards around....just in case you get lost in the mountains and need a little nip of brandy to keep you warm until the rescuers arrive (or possibly to enable the toursits to take ´cute´photographs and part with a few pesos for the privledge).

Here´s the official blurb: ¨Bariloche is located on the shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake, 770 metres above sea level. It is 1650 km from Buenos Aires and has a population of approximately 100,000 inhabitants, making it the biggest city in the province. Bariloche is one of the most important tourist resorts in Argentina with around 1,000,000 tourists visiting it every year, which has lead to the city being home to the most important tourist centre in Patagonia. The city also has the ‘Cerro Cathedral’, which is one of the most popular snow skiing resorts in South America¨.

That may give you an idea of the temperature - it was bloody cold! Not what I was expecting it has to be said, I even had to go and buy some gloves and even if I say so myself - a very stylish hat (think balaclava.....). It also sits at the top of the region of Patagonia which is world famous for its more southern delights. Anyway back to the weather - how windy! Some days it was a real struggle to walk down the street, really could have blown you of your feet if you´re not weighed down like me with a few layers of the old blubber (it took a lot of work to get into this very fine shape....). I think the funniest sight relating to this was seeing a girl have her glasses blown off and then running down the street after them trying to find them whilst being basically blind! I did step in to help once I had managed to stop laughing, she was ever so grateful.

So things to do....well there´s a 60km cycle track you can do around the lake which I attempted to do and then the good old wrecked body stepped in and stopped me yet again. Did something to my coccyx bone and had to turn back after 12km´s and spent the next 5 days in severe pain, particularly when attempting to stand up or sit down! Amusing eh? Well not really but since I had done the same in New Zealand I knew it wasn´t too serious and that it would pass soon enough and sure enough it did.

So what´s a girl to do when its difficult to stand up and sit down? Well walk a lot obviously! So that´s what I did - walked my little legs off and then rested them with a beer or 2 at the end of the day. Met some wicked people in Bariloche and had a great laugh with them - so much so that I´m still in contact with a few of them and have bumped into others as I continue my travels - always nice to see a familiar face and all that.

Now mother don´t get excited....it was also the place of my first romantic liasion in Argentina but as with the nature of travelling that´s long over as we headed off in different directions! Still a nice way to spend a week!

Now due to the old pain in the ass I didn´t get to do all I wanted here but the options are: climbing, white water rafting, mountain biking, trekking, trips and camping in the mountains, eating chocolate a plenty and boat trips out on the lake. There are 7 main lakes in the region and it is also the starting point for Ruta 40 - probably the most famous driving route in the country.

Well that was my Bariloche - next stop Puerto Madyrn.

Again I´ll mention some people so I don´t forget (age creeping up on me and all that): Kara, Carola, Becca, Ian, Joanna, Roc, Fabien & Juan.