I've been having a bit of a dilemma with my Argentinian travel plans. The main problem is the weather in the far south of the country. I had hoped to slowly make my way down through Argentina to Ushuaia (the worlds most southerly city) and then head up through Chile.

The down side with that plan is that after March/early April things start to shut down there. Bus and boat routes dramatically reduce and access to some National Parks becomes increasingly difficult as the weather worstens.

So, what i've decided to do is grab a flight all the way down to Ushuaia and then start working my way back up - whilst I can.

This plan had been going well until I arrived at the airport this morning at 6:00am only to be told that my flight had been moved to 3:50pm and therefore i'd missed my connection from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia! The only option was a night in Buenos Aires airport and then a flight the day after at 5:00am. Guess that offsets my good luck with the "plush" bus last week :-)

So as things stand I should be arriving in Ushuaia on Tuesday morning. And for those in the UK who are getting fed up of all these ´good weather´reports, check out the weather banner on the home page. Its going to be cold. Especially with those famous Patagonian winds!

Posted by Russ Jones at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ushuaia

Well after lots of flight delays I finally made it to Ushuaia, the worlds most southerly city and generally marketed as "The End Of The World!". A nice little place, certainly a fair few tourists passing through, but at least that means plenty of decent places to stay and eat. No shortage of good Steaks of course. This is the ONLY trip where i've actually gained a little weight whilst i've been away!

Heading To A Glacier

Anyway, despite the initial 'shock' of going from 35 degrees down to 5 or 6 degrees, i've settled in quite nicely. I may need to buy a few warmer layers and some gloves, but everything is going well down here at "the pointy bit". I didn't have any grand plans set out for what i'd do when I got here (probably because it was only a few days ago that I decided to jump on a plane and come down here). I think my general assumption was that i'd spent 3 or 4 days here, visit the National Park and do a little treking. Still part of my plans. However, yesterday I decided that I was going to 'splash out' a little and went to talk to an expedition company about getting to Antarctica!

Not MY Ship I Hope

It was kind of a good news/bad news/good news story as I comitted myself in the morning to an 11 day trip with the penultimate ship of the year only to have it cancelled in the afternoon. Apparently due to "technical difficulties" - although I believe the boat was only half full, so I think that, that was probably a major factor. Anyway, the GOOD NEWS part of the story is that I managed to get the LAST space on the LAST boat of the season. VERY Happy!

So, i'll be leaving for Antarctica on the 13th March. I hope to have some good pics to post then :-))

Posted by Russ Jones at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Well, i've been in Ushuaia for a week now and it must be said that i've not really done very much. However, that is exactly what I felt like doing and sometimes its great to take some time to do nothing, rest, meet the people around you and not feel the 'need' to dash straight off to see the next great landmark.

Anyway, i've started to come down with a cold (seems to be an epedemic in the Hostel.) I'm hoping that it will pass in a couple of days as i'm of to Antarctica tomorrow (speaking of great landmarks!). I hear that the Drake Passage is typically a very rough crossing and sea sickness is VERY common (even amongst those not usually affected). Sea sickness combined with a head cold is not the start that i'd hoped for on my Antarctic trip, but i'll have to wait and see how that works out.

The trip has a great range of lectures from prominent PhD's and expedition veterans on all aspects of the Antarctic environment and wildlife, so it will be good to be learning lots of new stuff.

The ship leaves tomorrow afternoon and we spend 2 days crossing the Drake Passage before we hit the South Shetlands and then its onwards and 'downwards' to Antarctica. Once we reach the peninsular we should be making landings in the small Zodiacs dinghys 2 or 3 times a day (weather depending.) So expect lots of pictures of Penguins and Whales (and of course lots of Ice).

Posted by Russ Jones at 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Having been to Antarctica and seen LOTS of glaciers, I wasn't too sure about seeing more so soon. Was I all glaciered-out? Well I went anyway and was very glad I did.

The Perito Moreno glacier is in Argentina, almost 80km from El Calafate, in Patagonia. It is the 'star attraction' of the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and as such sees almost a continual stream of tourist buses. I guess thats the downside, the sheer volume of people being bussed in to see this mammoth ice field. But, they wouldn't all be here if it wasn't worth the trouble.

So its hugely popular, its hugely spectacular and quite simply... its HUGE! I did see enormous glaciers in Antarctica, but because they were set in totally white surroundings (i.e. Mountains covered in ice) it was very difficult to pickout the glacier from the general mass of 'white'. At Perito Moreno the glacier runs through a green valley and the contrast is startling.

In its own right, it is a big glacier covering 250km2 and running for 30km. At its terminus its 5km wide and 170m high (although 110m are below the waterline). Hopefully the people in the foreground of the picture on the right will give a idea of scale.

Its one of only 3 glaciers in Chile which are not in retreat! Although it is technically advancing at around 2m per day, the amount of ice breaking away from the front of the glacier is about the same and so its isn't actually gaining ground (it hasn't made any forward progess for about 90 years!).

Its the rate at which ice carves from the glaciers leading wall that brings so many people. There is a continual cracking and creaking from this very active glacier. Occasionally a very loud bang can be heard and large chunks of ice will break from the glacier. Its not always possible to spot the falling ice, but what people are hoping for is a large ice carving from the front of the glacier into the water. It happens every now and again and sometimes in quite spectacular fashion. Imagine a 60m column of ice collapsing, its a bit like a towerblock being demolished!

I'd have to say that as glaciers go, this one's pretty special and I do think that the rainbow is a nice touch :-)

Posted by Russ Jones at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I know that some of you have already seen these pics on Facebook. But, for those you haven't, i've now added them to 1smallworld.com under Photo Gallery - Diving Photos. Or easier still just follow the link below...

DIVING WITH SEALIONS

These guys were such great fun. A bit like playful puppies (right down to chewing your hands) only under water.

Posted by Russ Jones at 10:09 PM | Permalink

Well this entry has absolutely nothing to do with my current travels. Its really just a test to make sure that i've managed to get youtube videos embedded in the site.

Maybe now i'll be able to share a few of those Rio Carnaval clips that I promised from oh so long ago. But in the meantime, you can enjoy this clip

Pretty amazing though!

Posted by Russ Jones at 11:45 PM | Permalink

Catchy title eh? Well, since leaving the slopes of Volcano Villarrica in Chile, i've covered a lot of ground. Heading once again back into Argentina - the passport is rapidly filling with stamps from these two countries. First stop over the border was the 'Choclolate Kingdom' of the Argentinian Lake District. A few days in San Martin de Los Andes and then onwards to the tourist mecca of Bariloche. Both swamped with the most spectacular chocolate shops i've ever seen.

On the first (of many) visits to a chocolate shop in San Martin, I was unprepared. The assistant asked what I wanted and I just stood there staring at 50 different chocolate options, unable to decide. She just stood.... waiting, which made things worse. I think its a fairly safe bet to say that I visited a chocolate shop at least once every day during my stay in the area. I was beginning to suspect that the nearby lakes and hills may also be made out of chocolate.

Faced with a potential life of obesity and diabetis I decided to leave Bariloche and extend my diet beyond chocolate. I set off for the Atlantic coast in search of Whales (not to eat of course!)

The coastal town of Puerto Madryn is a town with welsh heritage which was first settled in 1886. However, it is the towns proximity to the Valdes Peninsular which draws the majority of visitors. The peninsular is a wildlife haven for Penguins, Elephant Seals, Sealions, Guanacos, Orcas and a variety of Whales. Perhaps MOST famous for those scenes of Orcas coming up onto the beaches trying to snatch seal pups (March/April).

The wildlife in this area is seasonal, particularly the Southern Right Whales which spend most of their feeding time in Antarctica before their annual shindig begins in late May around Peninsular Valdes. By all accounts, in the peak whale season, its common to see anywhere between 6 and 20 whales frolicking in the bay. My timing here was not the best because I arrived at the end of the Orca season and just before the Southern Right Whale season. However, I was lucky enough to see one early arrival (believed to be an over enthusiastic young male - much like myself I guess :-)) who spent quite a while leaping from the water in an awesome breaching display.

Although, my timing was off for the Whales, the Sealions are year round patrons and I took the opportunity to get back in the water (albeit, rather cold water) after a few months away from scuba diving. Just two of us, myself and the guy from the dive shop. Thats just the two of us AND around 25 sealions! Many young pups and females who were very happy to play. Chewing my fins, hood, hand. They would swim towards you and stop just inches away from your face, staring you in the eye, looking rather puzzled as if to say... "so what are you then?"

I was truely stunned. It was one of those moments when your jaw really does drop open, which is not great when you are trying to keep a Regulator in your mouth ( I would use the word 'gob-smacked' except I know how much my Dad hates it :-)) If you haven't already done so then have a look at the photos in the 'Diving Photos' gallery. DIVING WITH SEALIONS PHOTOS

Onwards to the Capital city of Buenos Aires. Just life in the big city (but with more Tango than most) - Bars until 6am and beyond, good restaurants, shopping... a chance to catch up with 'civilisation' after the desolation of Patagonia. And, a stepping stone on to Urugauy. Ships leave regularly from Buenos Aires to Colonia in Uruguay and this was exactly where I was headed.

Punta del Diablo

As I arrived in Colonia I went through the usual border crossing process that I had been through so many times before, but this one had a little surprise. I placed my bag on the counter for the customs search and opened it for the typically stern looking customs official. As he started to search the bag he asked where I was from, to which I obviously answered "England". He stopped, looked up and gave me one of those suspicious 'customs official' stares (probably something they learn in Customs College) and asked (in Spanish)..."The Falklands, Argentinian or English?!" Now customs officials are not the best people to upset, its bad enough having to have your BAG searched, I certainly didn't want it to go any further than that. I was trying not to laugh at his question but decided to play the stupid tourist card (something I carry off very well :-)). I told him that I didn't understand any Spanish (not a million miles from the truth!) ... finally, he cracked up and started laughing! Customs humor eh? I think he was Uruguayan anyway.

Like the towns of Patagonia, the towns of Uruguay can be ghostly quite in the off season. Non more so than Punta del Diablo in the east of Uruguay. Here I was the ONLY gringo in town and passed a few very pleasant days on long EMPTY beaches watching dolphins play in the bay.

Quicksand in Punta del Este?

The Capital city, Montevideo is a fairly average capital without note. However, two hours from the capital lies Punta del Este - BOOMING holiday resort - or at least i'm sure it would be if it wasn't the off season. Looking at the number of closed bars and clubs, it certainly had the potential. It was in a Youth Hostel in Punta del Este that I met Julio. Julio was not your typical Youth Hostel patron in that he was 78. My room mate and a very interesting man. He was from Buenos Aires, but had just bought a small flat in Punta del Este. He spoke excellent English, which was just as well as I speak atrocious Spanish, and had many stories to share. Although the holiday resort of Punta del Este was not really my kind of place, I enjoyed my time there. Which just goes to show that travel is AS MUCH about the people you meet as it is the places you go.

One morning at breakfast Julio declared...."Russ, you and I are both MILLIONAIRES ..... in TIME!" I like that outlook on life :-)

Posted by Russ Jones at 7:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Chika

Leaving behind the big city of Buenos Aires (there is only so much Tango, Steak, All-you-can-eat BBQ's, and Booze a person can take - in the name of science, I have tested those limits) I set off West to Cordoba. The plan was to meet up with Chika an American friend who I last saw 3 months ago in Ushuaia.

Cordoba itself is a fairly average Argentinian city, but the region around Cordoba has lots of small and much more interesting towns to explore. We spent the first couple of days in Cordoba Backpackers (which was in the process of re-decorating) and having narrowly survived the overpowering fumes from both the fresh paint and the dodgy gas heaters we decided to move on to the much smaller town of Villa Carlos Paz.

Less than a hour away from Cordoba, but a whole different world, the first real challenge in Carlos Paz was finding somewhere to stay. The first four hotels we tried were all closed for the season. Deciding that this problem shouldn't be faced on an empty stomach we found somewhere for lunch (at least they were still open). Our friendly waitress not only served up a good lunch but pointed us in the right direction to find a place to stay. If in doubt eat - its a whole new perspective on problem solving! We eventually found a hotel in which we were the only guests (I suspect we were the ONLY guests in town.) But, the place was certainly more peaceful than Corboda and after a few cold beers down by the lake side we settled in quite nicely.

From Carlos Paz onto Cosquin. At least finding somewhere to stay here was easy (straight out of the guide book). And, we arrived in time to join the family in celebrating the Mothers birthday. Birthday cake all round! Somehow Chika got involved in a political discussion which I decided to stay well out of. I didn't think a replay of the Customs Official 'Falklands Conversation' was the best way to make new Argentinian friends nor the best birthday banter!

An easy day trip from Cosquin lies La Falda and here we wandered aimlessly through the Sierra Chicas. Soon after getting off the bus in La Falda we were joined by two additional companions... of the Canine variety. I'd like to say that we adopted them for the day, but it was fairly clear that they had adopted us. After the first hour or so of trying to get rid of them, we eventually gave in and named them instead. Butch and Sundance.

Butch and Sundance, did their very best to defend us from the anything and everything, including passing cars and cyclists, which they chased with enthusiasm. We spent quite a bit of time making apologies or trying to explain that, despite how it looks, they really aren't our dogs. They stuck with us ALL day. Up into the hills and back. When it came to lunch they lay down quietly some distance away, not even very interested in the leftovers from our little picnic - I don't suppose peanuts, advocado and carrot would have been their first choice. Once we returned to the town we had to wait for a momentary distraction before making a run for it. We couldn't face them chasing the bus all the way back to Cosquin!

After 3 days in Cosquin we moved on again, this time to La Cumbre. The main reason to come here was for the Paragliding. Having enjoyed the first paragliding experience some 7 months ago in Venezuela, I was keen to fly again. And, because this time, Chika was also flying we were able to get a few airbourne photos of each other. Weather conditions were almost perfect and the flight a little more lively than the last one as the pilot seemed keen to show off his abilities by sending us into wild spins at every opportunity. I had been a little concerned that the flight would be a rather quick one as the hostel had told us the flight "could last upto 20 minutes". I needn't have worried as the pilots longest flight was for 5.5 hours over 95km - keeping us in the air for around 40 minutes didn't really cause him much trouble. Chika landed some 5 minutes or so before me, just as I gained a few new airbourne friends. 4 HUGE Condors came in to join the flight, as I looked up I could see one gliding along just at the tip of the paraglider canopy. Others passed directly in front - I felt rather awed and just enjoyed the view for a while before grabing the camera.

A great day and finished off with a rare find in this part of the world ... Thai Green Curry! Yes I know it is perhaps a strange choice, but as i've already said, there is only so much steak a person can eat. Its funny how a persons memories of a place can so often be won over by a simple good meal. Mmmmmhhh Curry!

Posted by Russ Jones at 1:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Once again, i'm playing a little 'catch up'. I prefer to leave the photo galleries until I have left that particular country - and, well, the truth is I just keep coming back into Argentina!

However, I now find myself in Bolivia and i'll be heading north from here, so here is the Argentina Photo Gallery...

COMPLETE ARGENTINA PHOTO GALLERY (41 Photos)

I promise that the next entry will be a 'wordier' one and i'll tell you a little bit about whats happened since my last Paragliding entry oh soooo long ago.

Posted by Russ Jones at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)