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The South American Odyssey
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The South American Odyssey

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    Leptepu to Fiordo Largo and penguins

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    The connecting bus was a small one. There was a scramble to find seats on it as soon as the ferry parked. We managed to get our bags loaded and find 4 places to sit. Quite a few people had to stay back and wait for the bus to return to take them. The journey was about 10 kms and took about 20 min. At Fiordo Largo, the connecting ferry was waiting. We got on to it while the bus returned to fetch the rest of the people. The ferry route from Fiordo Largo to Puerto Gonzalo is a short one of about 45 min. The ferry is a small one with no cafeteria. We remained on the lower deck next to the cars with our bags. On the way, we saw some penguins swimming near the ferry.Læs mere

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    Caleta Gonzalo

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We reached Caleta Gonzalo around 3:30 pm. Our plan had been to stay in Caleta Gonzalo for 1-2 days and do some of the short treks in the forests and glaciers nearby. When we got off the ferry, we realized that it was not a town or a village. It was just the ferry port and there was only one camping area and a cafe there and nothing else. We walked 2 kms to the camping place. There was a que of people in front and behind us, all trying to find a place to stay.Læs mere

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    Open camping spaces

    Caleta Gonzalo camping

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    To reach the camping, we had to cross a patch of forest, across a wooden swinging bridge before we reached the open camping spaces. There were wooden patios but we couldn't find any reception or person to ask about it. Finally, one person told that the checkin etc was at the cafe near the harbor. So we left our bags with the girls waiting at the camping while Hristo went back to check us in. A bit later I realized that he might need our passport for the checkin so I too left after him and trekked all the way back for 2 kms to the harbor.Læs mere

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    2

    Caleta Gonzalo trek to Cafe

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    I took everyone's passport and walked back towards the cafe at the harbor. On the way back, I took a different shortcut trek through the forest and via a secluded bay. The path through the forest was very beautiful. It was lush green with small wooden bridges overs the streams. The bay looked exactly like the fjords in Norway. The path overall was around 1.5 kms and ended directly at the harbor.Læs mere

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    Cafe at Caleta Gonzalo harbor2Cafe from outside. Totally made of wood

    To the camping and back

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    When I reached the cafe at the harbor, Hristo was coming out from there. He had found that there were only 5 cabañas at Caleta Gonzalo and all of them are booked 5-7 months in advance. The cost too was a prohibitive one at 145000 CLP for 4 people. One could camp at the camping area for a fee but we didn't have tents or sleeping bags.
    So, the only option available was either sleep under the wooden overhead shades without sleeping bags and blankets or go further to Chaitén some 60 kms away. There were no buses going to Chaitén for now but there could buses on the ferry bringing the rest of the people and vehicles that had been left behind when our ferry left for Caleta Gonzalo earlier. We knew there wouldn't be any bus on that ferry but there could be a free bus on the ferry reaching at 7 pm, going to Chaitén or we could hitchhike on the vehicles coming on the ferries if the bus wasn't there.
    We went back to the camping area to get everyone and the bags back to the harbor to try and get to Chaiten.
    Back at the cafe, we waited for the ferry to arrive while we had some food in the meantime.    Læs mere

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    Paragua del SapitoEstrellas growing on the Tepa treeManeo

    Tepa and Maneo trees

    5. januar 2018, Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Deeper in the forest, we came across a small species of fern called the Toad's Umbrella or Paragua del Sapito.
    In the forest, every now amd then we would get a strong almost eucalyptus like smell. This, Igor told us was the smell from the leaves of the sacred Tepa trees.
    Another sacred tree is the Maneo. This too is a tall tree with wide spread branches.    Læs mere

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    2The gang with the lovely Dutch couple2

    Off to Chaitén

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Before we could order anything, the ferry arrived with the remaining vehicles and passengers that had been with us in the morning ferry. We tried stopping the vehicles coming off the ferry to hitchhike to Chaiten. There were some 10 other people waiting for a ride like us. None of the vehicles stopped till the ferry was almost empty. Then the 2nd last vehicle coming off the ferry was the Dutch couple we had become friends with earlier. We waved to them and thankfully they recognized us and stopped.
    Melinda and I had chatted with them almost 3 hours, a day earlier, while waiting to buy the ferry tickets. We had really liked them there. Very nice people, extremely polite and friendly. Their son was working in Stockholm so we could find a lot of common things to talk about. Then after that, we had met them on the 1st ferry as well and had spent quite some time together on the deck. Now, they were the ones driving the red pickup that we waved at. They were shocked to know that there were no buses and felt bad that we would have to sit behind. But, for us, this was an amazing opportunity to get to Chaiten. We all packed up at the back of their vehicle. One more person from Israel traveling solo joined us as well.
    The route was very beautiful through thick forests. We stopped at Lago Rio Negro. It was a lovely viewpoint over the lake. There we took pictures with all of us on the vehicle.    Læs mere

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    Lago Rio BlancoBurnt trees

    The burnt forest

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    After riding past the Laguna Rio Negro, we crossed a stretch of forests then we crossed the Laguna Rio Blanco. After that came the area of the burnt forest. There were tree stumps everywhere but none of them had leaves or were alive. Later we found out that the volcano Chaiten had exploded in 2008 and that had caused the burning of the trees. By now, the area had started recovering but the burnt out stumps still remain.Læs mere

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    Reached Chaiten
    Reached ChaitenUkulele session at ChaiturCabañas Brisas del MarFerry terminal a bit away from the village

    Reached Chaiten

    5. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Finally, around 6:15 pm, we reached Chaiten. Its a small laidback village with one main road and the Carretera Austral passing through. This village was totally evacuated during the 2008 eruption of Chaiten volcano. Most of the village was destroyed by the ash and fires and also the lahars caused due to the melting of the snow caps due to the volcano. The river Rio Blanco changed course causing the sea shore to move about a km further away. This is the reason why the current ferry terminal is almost 2 kms walk outside of the village. In 2011, the mayor of the region declared the place uninhabitable but some of the former residents started coming back in the hope of reviving the village again. Currently, the population is at about 2000 inhabitants, which is almost half of what it was before the eruption but the village has limped back to a place that doesn't show much signs of the destruction before. The village is split into 2 due to the river and one can find places to stay on either side of it (more on the Northern side though).
    We were dropped off at the main junction of the Northern part. After we thanked and waved goodbye to the lovely, helpful Dutch couple, Hristo and Maria went to look for a place to stay, Melinda stayed with our bags while I went to a tours kiosk (Chaitur) nearby to get some info about what all we could do from here and what are the possibilities for transportation.
    Chaitur turned out to be a tour operator and the bus stop for the village as well. The manager (I think his name was Wilson) was busy jamming up on his Ukulele with a Basque guy playing the guitar. I waited for about 5 min but tgey continued on and on. He plays quite well and it was nice to hear them play but Melinda was waiting outside on the road so I started walking out. That's when Wilson turned and asked me to get my bags etc and that he'll give all the information about the tours etc. I went and returned with our bags. The jam session continued. A German girl sitting inside whispered to me that this might take a while sinve she had already been sitting for almost 2 hours without getting any information from him. I tried to interrupt and informed him that we were in a bit of a hurry and we needed to get a place to stay and book a tour for the next day. That's when he said Patagonia is a place where Einstein actually understood relativity 😄😄
    We were there at Chaitur till almost 8 pm. Every few minutes I tried to get more information about the tours and prices but within seconds of starting the answer, Wilson would divert to a totally different topic. Finally, Hristo and Maria came back and informed that they had found a nice place nearby. We left Chaitur with no information about what we could do the next day or what tours were offered. We told Wilson that we would come there around 9 am next day if we wanted to join any tour.    Læs mere

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    Melinda taking cover under the bush
    Melinda taking cover under the bush22One of the houses that survived the volcanoSemi buried truckOff on the Alerces forest tourStill raining at the burnt forest

    Half a day of nothing

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The initial plan had been to get up by 8 am and get ready to go to Chaitur by 9 am and then decide which tour to do that day. When the alarm went off at 8 am, it was raining heavily and we all were quite tired so we decided to sleep in late. Mr. Wilson (actually now I remember his name was Nicklas) found our place and came looking for us in case we wanted to join a tour. We told him we were too tired and went back to sleep.
    Finally, around 11 we were up and got ready. We had our breakfast and then started to go around looking for someone else who could offer us tours around the place. That's when we came across Patagonia Ruta 7. They had full amd half day tours. We had already marked what all we wanted to see in this area and they had tours to all these places.
    We decided to go on a half day tour of the Alerces forest trail. It wasn't cheap at 56000 CLP for the 4 of us but knowing that we didn't have any other means of transport to and fro, we took it. The tour started at 3 pm and we drove North again on the route we had come South on the day before. It was still raining steadily but it wasn't a heavy downpour.    Læs mere

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    With Igor and AlejandroThe hidden hot springsUnder the Nalka leaf

    The hidden hot spring

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We hit it off quite well with our guide Igor and our driver Alejandro. Both are joint owners of the company. On the way, we stopped at a hidden hot spring right next to the road. Not too many people know about this place. Alejandro was told about it by his father when he was small. Igor told us about the Nalka plant with the huge leaves. The stem of Nalka can be eaten if the leaves are shriveled. If the leaves are still open and green then it is not ripe yet. The taste is almost like that of rhubarb.Læs mere

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    Canelo leavesEstrajeta

    Trail of the Alerces

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Around 4:30 pm, we reached the trail of the Alerces. It was still raining steadily but we were fully dressed for the rain. Igor had a lot of knowledge about the flora and faina of this area. He showed us the plant of Canelo. The leaves are white on the underside amd shine in the night. They have a sharp lemon grass like flavor and a nice lingering aroma. The leaved are boiled with ginger to cure throat pain and congestion. The forest was blooming with the red flowers of Estrellas or little star.Læs mere

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    Kila trees
    Kila trees2Brifits or tomato of the forestIgor with the Cow Rib Fern2

    More flora in the forest

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Next thing along the trail we saw was the Kila trees. These look exactly like bamboo bit much thinner and are very flexible like the bamboo. These trees are the only homes to the endangered marsupial species of Moneto del Monte. This species is the smallest living marsupial in the world and is about 3-4 cms big only. They are a nocturnal species making it extremely hard to see or observe them.
    The rain continued to pour as we moved deeper into the forest. Next thing that Igor showed us was the Brifits or tomato of the forest. These are tiny versions of tomatoes but are not edible and can cause severe stomach aches. The species help preserve the humidity of the Patagonian forests by absorbing the rain water in its leaves and holding it.
    Next, Igor showed us the Cow Rib Fern. So called because it looks like the ribs of a cow when the leaves are fully open. These plants are sacred to the Patagonian people since when the leaves are new, they are closed into a spiral shape somehow representing the circle of life.    Læs mere

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    Alerces

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Finally, we reached the Southernmost clump of the Alerces trees in the world.
    Alerce, also called Lahuen are the second most tallest and also the second most oldest trees in the world after the Sequoias. The wood of the trees is water repellent and hence was used in the boats (Dalca, Wampo - Mapuche names for the boats) of the pre Columbian people. The wood was also used as a packing layer in the roofs again because of its waterproof property.
    The wood has a reddish texture and these very old trees grow at less than 1 mm every year. Sometimes 2 of the Alerces growing near other can merge into one common tree. They still have separate roots, a common trunk but separate branches towards the top. Since they grow less than 1 mm a year, the merger might take hundreds of years.    Læs mere

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    To Escondidas waterfalls

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ -3 °C

    Back on the road, Alejandro found a ripe Nalka and broke the stems to give us to taste. It tasted much like rhubarb but a bit more sour and slightly different.
    After that we drove a short distance to the Escondidas waterfalls. Here too the trail was through thick forest but nicely made in wood. Here too, we crossed over the Rio Negro on the way into the forest.Læs mere

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    Gomita del Bosque

    Wooden ladders in the trail

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ -3 °C

    Deeper in the forest, the trail had to be maintained by wooden ladders going many meter up and down across the hill face. Now covered in moss and rain water, these were extremely slippery and we had to walk backwards to maintain our footing. On the way, we also saw the Gomita del Bosque or Rubber band of the forest. These are a very small rubbery variety of mushrooms that grow here.Læs mere

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    Escondidas waterfalls

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ -3 °C

    At the end of the trail, we reached the beautiful Escondidas waterfalls. They we swollen with water due to the heavy rains that had fallen in the previous days. The spray from the falls could be felt for quite many meters away.
    After the falls, we trekked back to the start of the trail since it was getting late and the 2nd falls higher up were not very safe to go to in the heavy rains.    Læs mere

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    Party at Igor and Alejandro's office

    Santa Barbara beach

    6. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ -3 °C

    After the Escondidas waterfalls, we drove back towards Chaiten. On the way, we stopped a while at the beach in Santa Barbara village. There we saw a sea lion swim in the bay.
    We reached back in the village by about 8:30 pm. Igor and Alejandro invited us to a party they were having later in the night in their office. They had just expanded their business and had bought the shop next door and were celebrating that. We joined them at around 10 pm. Igor baked us some nice homemade pizzas while we got introduced to all their local friends who had turned up. We returned back to our hotel by 11 pm since we had planned an early start the next day.Læs mere

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    Michinmahuida Volcano trek

    7. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We woke up early and were ready by about 8:15 am. We reached the office of Patagonian Ruta 7 by about 8:30 am. From there, we set out towards the starting point of the Michinmahuida trek.
    Michinmahuida is a volcano with a glacier next to it. The trek starts around 20 kms from Chaitén and is about 10 kms long.
    We reached the starting point by around 9:30 am. It was still cloudy and raining a little bit.    Læs mere

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    Calafate berries
    Calafate berriesCampanillaGomita del BosqueCanelo flowersChilka flowers

    Diverse flora in the forest

    7. januar 2018, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    The starting phase of the trek was through dense forest again and our biological discovery from the previous day continued.
    We saw and ate the black Calafate berries. These grow in Patagonia only and have a great taste when ripe. We also saw a different variety of the Gomita del Bosque. This one was yellow in color.
    In these forests, the Canelo trees had already bloomed and we saw its white flowers between the leaves. We also saw the red and violet flowers in the shape of a ballerina, called the Chilka.    Læs mere

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