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Patagonia

November - December 2023
The boys are back on the bus again to travel from Santiago to Buenos Aires Read more
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  • Ant TravelsPatagonia

    Getting ready - a week to go !

    October 31, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    So why ? And where?

    The name Patagonia comes from the word patagón. Magellan used this term in 1520 to describe the native tribes of the region, whom his expedition thought to be giants.

     Patagonia is a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers in the west and deserts, tablelands and steppes to the east. Patagonia is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and many bodies of water that connect them, such as the Strait of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, and the Drake Passage to the south.    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia

    How many times can you pack?

    November 3, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    Packing ! Unpack repack re choose ! Weather on W walk unpredictable but walk fantastic ! I’ve re-read the books !

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    1
    Day 2

    Day one Santiago

    November 7, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Well it was an uneventful flight , early arrival with great views of the moutains / cordillera on one side and coast / arid scrub on the other side coming into Santiago! Hostel found easily and we are off on tour !
    A funicular train up to lofty San Christobal hill and some impressive views of the city and the snow covered hills in the far distance !
    Down the hill and a well earned lunch and beer before we join a walking tour of the city ! Starting at the Bellas Artes museum , closed due to budget issues , we strangely meet another Oasis traveller adding to the two we bumped into at the hostel and they’re not too young !
    It’s a free tour but with a normal tip ! takes us to some interesting places - street art in Belles Artes.
    The plaza des Armes is the old city square and has numerous impressive buildings and bronze plates on the street tell the story of the city , close to the river , irrigation help from the Incas and some brightly painted streets .
    The plaza de la constitucion
    is busy with tourists , police and army as we have a visiting president who gets a weirdly rousing shout out from the ranked soldiers ! It’s actually the old mint of Santiago and called Moneda . Salvador Allende looks over all until his death in 73 and the start of the other guy and the troubles ! Moneda and New York is the financial district of the city .
    Up the street we reach the GAM or cultural centre in Lastaria which was appropriated by the Pinochet gang and its huge tower which for a long time a symbol of the regime now stands empty but the arts centre thrives !
    Our final stop on the tour just around the corner is an area full of restaurants , bars and music - somewhere to seek out later !
    The day ends with a climb up to the old Spanish fort on San Lucía hill , whose height and buildings were seemingly increased in height by the detritus from the canalised river . It actually has a clearer view of the city and the snow capped mountains .
    And that apart from that we’re done and some food and beer will do us -only six miles but tired after a long day !    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    Day 3

    Day 2 Valparaiso

    November 8, 2023 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    So sleep still a little disturbed but we have good breakfast natter with Chris and Mark fellow travellers !
    Then we negotiate both tube and bus and we’re off to the coast for the day!
    It’s a quiet journey to Valparaiso through the coastal mountains , scrub , vineyards and occasional saguaro cactus stumps !
    It’s an amazing blue sky day and we negotiate the trolly bus downtown to Plaza Sotomayor.
    We overshoot as the bus driver drives like a demon and the doors slam shut like a trap !

    Valparaíso is a port city on Chile’s coast. It's known for its steep funiculars and colourful, clifftop homes and art murals and graffiti
    We visit the port fish market and some churches before reaching the square with its monument to the fallen , city centre offices and art deco buildings .
    It’s then up the 1902 funicular railway to reach a curiously green supposedly Yugoslavian walk and art nouveau folly-esque Baburizza palace !

    Up now in the Cerro Alegre region it’s mural after mural in an area that has echoes of San Francisco hills, streets and houses and also the Swiss French Jura region with their corrugated walls ! It’s all colour and steps and buildings and murals and art ! It’s really very impressive and you can wander around for hours which is what we do!

    A brief beer and we head home for a good meal and beer before a night cap or two and an education of Pisco drink ! Is it Peruvian or Chilean? We try and get the answer from the stylish barman in ch-pe libre bar of the independent nation state of both countries ! It’s scenes from Cocktail but not Tom Cruise but Venezuelan finest fast talking bar man ! We are relieved and it’s been a good day ! Other videos on Facebook !    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    Day 4

    Day 3 Santiago and the start

    November 9, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Another walk and then the 6pm tour introduction to OO ! It’s not quite Dragoman!

    Another walking tour but this time it’s the alternative non business area taking in some old embassies , murals depicting the attempts to change the constitution and a traditional inn, the posada del Corregidor - a haunt of Neruda !
    Crossing the river is like entering a different city as it was original area for the poor folk and now it’s embraced all the migrants - a strong Palestinian area, South Koreans and others from South America ! The outdoor
    Flea market leads to vegetable and meat and fish markets such as la vega chica !
    We learn about the mapuche , the original people I think ! There are hundreds of small food stalls and including their version of cottage pie - Chilean ‘corn pie’, or pastel de choclo, spiced beef mince is topped with a fluffy layer of smashed sweetcorn and it also includes garlic , spices , eggs and other stuff ! Tempted by the very sweet drink called Mote con huesillo! We are treated a sopaipillas which is type of corn bread which is best eaten with spicy chilli sauce . The weird seaweed on sale appears to be an alternative to vegetables and milk !
    We finish with obligatory cemetery visit which all mod cons , temples , multi story flats and rows of filing cabinets ! It’s odd and with a lot of odd customs and shrines to the sainted and famous !

    The evening meeting went well and it seems a happy camp and good mix - they appear to drink and have fun so looking good !
    Off on the road tomorrow at 8am heading south for bush camp !    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    11
    Day 4

    Day 4 (bus day 1 ) On the road to Pucon

    November 9, 2023 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    So we’re up early after last nights intro and breakfast in hostel and then onto the bus !
    There’s a good mix of youth and experience and it’s predominantly Brit with two Canadians , two yanks and two Aussies and a full bus of 24!
    We swop stories of trips we’ve done and also hear how the legs from Cartagena to here went ! (The visit to the active silver mine sounds distinctively dangerous ! Providing gifts to independent miners ( dynamite stick???) for access whilst there was no real support or safety checks).. Five will be doing the complete gig finishing at Manaus after Xmas !
    We awake to find WhatsApp messages telling us that some of the party were robbed in a club last night - money stolen and police useless!
    On the road for a day but it’s raining and it continues all day. It’s a day to discover everyone on the bus .. chatting , reading , sleeping, some watching movies !
    It’s a day to get used to things-
    Stops for loo and lunch .
    The bus is different from before with just us inside and driver Kev and leader Claire upfront and below . Eight at front and the rest sitting around the edges , not looking out windows ! We’re 21 as three catching up after sorting things out with police,
    Not much see apart from rain and wide rivers and vineyards.
    We eventually find a
    Campsite and not a roadside as the weather needs us to find some cover!
    Arrival drill is similar - tents more circular bivouacs are put up , the cook team starts the meal prep. We find the owner and he provides some beer.
    A meal of rice and tomato type vegetable melange .
    After chat and beer and music trivia it’s bed time and it’s quit til 12 when the Friday night disco starts up and lasts til 530 am! Not the most restful night and we’re up for breakfast at 7 and a depart at 730 after all stowed away . A wet full dull day    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    11
    Day 6

    5 Off again to Pucan and volcano

    November 11, 2023 in Chile ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    It’s wet again but we are on bus for the day !
    It’s a wet day looking at rivers and mountains and rain !
    We eventually reach Pucon and plan ahead for things to do ! The volcano is off as it’s too tuff and also closed because of possible tremors !
    We wander round town to get some gear !
    Down to the lake to catch the views of the volcano from the black beach sand !
    It’s windy and then wet and windy and snow and sleet !
    It’s a beer in the pub and the second tastes of thyme but it’s actually MJ , skank ! Hic!
    Dinner in town and we don’t have to camp tonight it’s hostel time!    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    112
    Day 7

    6 Pucon and El Cani lake walk

    November 12, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    A good nights sleep back in the hostel and we’re up early to negotiate the bus system .
    We did find it yesterday but the location of the bus stop is still open to some confusion !The shop next door offers coffee but I discover there’s not much coffee in it ! And that’s breakfast !
    We wander around and eventually find the mini bus stop and we’re off cross country to to the machupe reserve of El Cani which offers us a 7 mile walk up a very steep hill through forests for a great view of the volcanoes we hope !
    As we start we are happy to see the Sun on the volcano and the sky is blue!
    We stride out after being told the snow is on the top and we might be unable to get to the top! It’s chilly but not raining !
    We pass the halfway hut with a small fire inside . Then it’s through the woods and we’re walking through snow !
    Fantastic views of lakes of las Totoras and Negra and strangely huge monkey puzzle trees! Also some strange orange barked trees which Chilean Myrtle I learn !
    The lake views are impressive but the snow now is too thick for a final walk to top for the ( Informed later that the top was in the mist anyway ! )
    A good day walking from 830 to 4pm and 14 miles but the 7 up were tough! The sun is out and it’s back to town for some libation !    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    Day 7

    7 Bariloche road day

    November 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    A day on road and we cross into Argentina ! It was a quiet night for some of us, great views of the volcano and a good bed - the kids were out with the karaoke til 3am . It’s a sunny day driving the tree lined valleys with mountains up there covered in cloud or snow . It’s a quieter bus as a consequence of sleepers or readers or music. We wait for the flavour of border crossing inspection as we travel up in scenery reminiscent of the Swiss alps . Oh by the way the big yellow bus is called SpongeBob (SquarePants )!
    Getting out of Chile takes an hour, thirty minutes to Argentina and one hour customs and no investigation of baggage! There’s a great view of Lanin volcano covered in snow.
    Now over the Andes we’re in a central plain covered by monkey puzzle trees again and flanked by snow capped peaks. We descend to upland grassland and warmer temps!
    We take Lunch on the run, food shopping on the journey and head to camp at Bariloche - it’s near town and we’re there for three nights. We’re down then up and we’re in their Lake District but it’s much larger , greener , wetter then drier.
    The camp is out of town - it’s cold and could get colder and wetter and windy ! Could be an interesting night !    Read more

  • Ant TravelsPatagonia
    Day 9

    8 Bariloche lake and Cerro Campanario

    November 14, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    Well that was some night ! Late night food and then very cold night - sleep not very good ! F-cold!
    I was breakfast rep today and glad to get up at 720! I was awake ! Breakfast coffee much needed!
    Chaotic trip to town via bus as we couldn’t get voucher and nice lady paid for us for free!
    Andy luckily found English speaker on bus who gave us lowdown on town !
    In town it’s find a shop that sells warm kit that is needed as we’re only a third way down Patagonia!
    Money exchange process is odd , find strange man on street , obtain rate 8500 per 100dollars US as long as it’s a blue striped 100 bill ! He takes us to a liquor shop off Main Street to complete the deal out of sight of any you know who ! Bank rate about 5000!
    We now have wads due to 150percent inflation !
    Great view from town across the huge lake - like Canada lakes on steroids here in their Lake District !
    We see the sights both cathedral and city hall !
    The wind is up but sun still out there !
    After a successful shop for gear to aid sleep and walking we have a huge sandwich lunch - enough for three meals and a very passable Malbec for under fiver!
    Afternoon romp up hill via ski lift at cerro campanario! It’s majestic and the sun is out to enable a 360 view of the area , mountains and lakes ! It’s epic!
    Home for a quiet sunny afternoon and rumour is there’s a beer festival tonight somewhere close ! No festival but a nice porter and amber ale and then a swifter in the local across the road, and a good day and a warmer night !    Read more

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