Got back from Patagonia late Sunday to Dorina’s welcoming arms, 2 days on all I want to do is sleep but no rest for the wicked as we’re off to Kendal for a romantic couple of days tomorrow. On that front a big thank you to anyone who voted for us in the TGO awards & indeed to both Team 333 & Eryri Harriers who both used my absence to choose the Cafe as the venue for their respective AGM’s.
Patagonia trip almost didn’t happen after a disaster at the check in at Heathrow led me to thinking ‘this is an omen, don’t go’, thankfully John was there to help me see through the confused fog, dig deep into the pockets & get on with it.
2,000 photographs later I’d clearly made the right call, we were blessed with wonderful un-Patagonia like weather to take in the stunning views on offer at the Moreno Glacier, Fitzroy & Torres del Paine. Every day had more than one incredible highlight & many more memories to saviour including new friendships too. So was it worth the Airports, Flights & Turbulence on two of the return flights, on reflection yes but had I my time again a 4 week trip rather than two would have made more sense.
Some particular highlights for me excluding the views were:-
Several early morning runs alone with camera in hand to capture the sunrises, particularly of Fitzroy where on one return trot back to camp I captured snaps of both a Female & Male Woodpecker & a Red Fox, during these runs there was just a hint of a thought process ‘do Puma’s track & kill lone runners?’
Huw’s almost legendary ability to spin a yarn about the some of the sights, in particular the ‘AmericanIndian Red Trumpet Flower used for early communication by the Indian’s’ (Aka the ‘waterfall flower’) & the fossil of the ‘Megalongersaurus’ (Aka as a ‘seem of Granite’) come to mind.
The early arrival at one lodge which led to too many 6.1% Beers & some of us boys ‘having’ to follow some of the girls (aka Sam & Janet) into an ice cold lake. The photo’s of me trying to smile whilst in the water with hypothermia setting in & later slumped in a post alcoholic sleep (Rachel buying me a bottle of wine in return for my giving her a memory card for her camera was kind but didn’t help matters) taken by Janet & Sam respectively record my stupidity all too accurately, but great fun nonetheless! Janet has offered to pay for her crime (well actually in return for me loaning her my walking stick) by doing a turn on Pot washing at the Cafe, the fool!
Running alongside Simon, Charlie & Janet whilst they rode horses under Carlos’s supervision (if ever someone looked like a Goucho it was Carlos) only to be told at the halfway point that the Puma’s in this area were more aggressive than in the National Parks, & that they regularly took Fouls & Calves. Needless to say I kept a bit closer to the horses & Carlos’s mad but protective dog on the way back. This was then followed by a Lamb BBQ to die for.
The knowing look & gleeming eyes of Christian (our Torres del Paine guide) when we said our goodbyes & I thanked him for allowing me to return to the Torres viewpoint on my own despite his nervousness.
I am left with some great moments to cherish but also with thoughts of what next & are treks for me at this time in my life, Cho Oyu keeps on presenting itself to me, it could become a Monkey, Tim can we talk…….
First things first, Dorina, Kendal & the Penmaenmaur race this Saturday, hope to see many familiar faces there.
