We arrived in Buenos Aires after an 18-hour bus ride across Argentina from Bariloche.  The city was a busy one, much different from the serene nature in Patagonia, and felt similar to the European cities I have visited before.  Being in a large city, I rarely take photos and am often too distracted by everything around me.  I want to take time to reflect on the history, on the architecture. and on the people.  And to be honest, most of my time was spent searching for the next ice cream stand — I think I ate an ice cream cone at least once a day!

We took a small history tour and visited the Casa Rosada, toured Cathedrals, explored the neighborhoods of La Boca and Palermo, got up close and personal with animals at the Buenos Aires Zoo, and even ran into a friend of Nora's from Switzerland!  We made friends with a skydiver from France, had coffee and tea at the oldest coffee shop in the world (Café Tortoni), went to a ballet in Teatro Colón, and watched people dance Tango.

Buenos Aires is a huge city that needs to be experienced over a long period of time, rather than the five days we had there.  And as much as I loved the city, my heart was left back in Patagonia.

LOCATION: Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATE: March 2013

 After Villa La Angostura, we traveled to Bariloche to hike up to Refugio Otto Meiling.  Nora had heard great things about this hike from her friend Theresa, who she'd met in Southern Patagonia. We decided we would make the trek with Nora's friends, Theresa and Mariela, starting from Pampa Linda at the base of Mount Tronador.  We began with ease, then ascended the mountain by switchbacks that took us higher and higher and made it much more difficult to hike with packs on our backs.  We  stopped occasionally, filling our bottles with stream water and removing or adding clothes as temperatures changed with the altitude. There were plenty of moments where we were able to stop and appreciate the scenery.  

Every now and then, we would hear a rumble from Tronador, aka "Thunderer",  due to the falling ice blocks from the glaciers that capped the top. As we hiked closer, our view of these glaciers became greater as the terrain changed from dirt to volcanic rock.  There were moments where my body became  paralyzed with fear. I could see how easy it would be to slip on a rock and tumble down below.  With the help of my hiking buddies, I pushed through it and we finally made it to the top.  

We unloaded our packs outside the refugio and went inside to claim our beds for the evening.  Single mattresses were lined side by side in the loft of the shelter. We unrolled our sleeping bags, changed our sweaty clothes, and hurried downstairs to get warm in the common room.  Some of us sipped on tea, and others on maté.  We were tired and our muscles were sore. It felt good to be finished for the day.

A perk of staying at the refugio was being able to eat dinner there. As we rested, a meal was being prepared, and as we waited, we made friends with some locals from Bariloche. We all played cards and joked around. I listened intently, trying to understand the Spanish being spoken. Finally, dinner was served and after an amazing meal, we celebrated Mariela's 40th birthday.  Nora and Theresa surprised her with cake and wine and we all joined in for singing "Feliz Cumpleaños".  It was a perfect evening, full of joy and laughter.

Before going to bed, I wanted to have a look at the stars.  The stars in Patagonia are like no other and I wanted to capture them with a photo. I took a step outside and zipped up my jacket.  The wind was fierce and cold and I knew I had to be quick. I tried my best to get a focus, but could barely keep my hands out long enough to focus perfectly.  I took three or four shots and ran back inside.  I was thankful to be warm again and needed sleep.  I crawled into my sleeping bag and fell asleep quickly.

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast, and explored the glacier before heading back down to Pampa Linda.  I had never been so close to a glacier, let alone touched one before, and took as many pictures as I could. 

The trek back down was much easier and we made it down quickly.  I felt like I could do anything and was ready for another amazing experience. 

Total miles: 36 RT

LOCATION: Mount Tronador, Argentina

DATE: March 2013

Last year I made a promise to my friend Nora that I would backpack parts of South America with her.  Years ago, we made a pact that we would travel the world together. When I visited her last year in Switzerland, she informed me of her three month trip and invited me to join for parts of it.  I decided I would meet her in Chile and we would then travel to Argentina together.  Because of Nora's travel schedule, I decided to be in Chile for a week by myself before meeting up with her. 

I arrived in Santiago on a Sunday afternoon.  The summer was coming to an end, but no one seemed to want it to.   I stolled around a nearby park, ate some ice cream, and decided that Santiago seemed very hip.  Over the next couple days, I explored Cerro Santa Lucia, hiked to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal as the sun set over the mountains, and practiced my Spanish by taking a city bus forty minutes away to buy an overnight bus ticket to Villarrica.  On my last day, I was able to meet Rodrigo, a university student studying close to my hostel.  He took me on a tour around the city and we had a great time chatting about art and culture.

I was in the city for a total of three days.  I never really felt in danger and everyone seemed so kind and friendly.  

I really enjoyed the warm weather, the hundreds of dogs that roamed the city, and the feeling of being fully present in a place so new and foreign.   Santiago, you were fun.

LOCATION: Santiago, Chile

DATE: March 2013