Southern Most Journey Continued

October 28, 2009
Upon boarding the bus everyone cuddled into their blankets and feel asleep. We woke to the passport control and boarder security to Chile. I have never gone through passport security so fast. Chile sort of looked like what I imagine Ireland to look like, green long grass, sheep, and cliff sides that lead out to the ocean. After about two hours of driving through Chiles Southern countryside we had to get out and board a ferry with the bus to cross over into the Tierra De Fuego, the Southern most province of Argentina. On the bus for lunch I ate canned peaches. We were very limited to what we could bring into the country. Within a few hours I was in the breathtaking mountains of Ushuaia. Upon arrival they brought us to a all you can eat Chinese buffet this time warning us not to get sick off the food.
October 29,2009
When I woke the next morning I was greeted by one of the most profound vistas in my life. The little town of Ushuaia stood on a hill side as the houses led down to the waterside. The snow top mountains created a little nest for the town and in the distance you could see Chile’s mountain range. The afternoon we had free to do as we like. A group of friends and I decided to take taxi’s up to the foot of a mountain. From there we hiked for about an hour on what was a deserted spring ski slope. At points bitter cold snow was up to our knees and quickly drenched our shoes. At the top was a small ski cabin and the end of the ski lift. We climbed into the ski lifts safety nets like hammocks. Latter we decided to start a campfire on the mountain side. We sat around singing songs as we struggled to keep or fire lit. The boys had decided to go see what was past timberline. You could see all of Ushuaia from our little hideout. When the sun began to set behind the mountain we headed back towards town. Shoes soaked and hands chilled we slid down the mountain side. It took us nearly half the time to get down. At the bottom we encountered a little tea house. Quaintly decorated like a doll house we gathered around a windowsill table as it began to snow and drank chocolate submarines.
October 30, 2009
We woke early; somehow we came up with the crazy idea to go swimming in the sea. After placing our bathing suits under our winter jackets we headed down to the port. It was just one of those things you have to say you did at the end of the world was our idea. By the time we got there the snow began to fall hard. I was already freezing. At this point there was no way I was going to go swimming. I guess that we just have to be one thing I didn’t do at the end of the world. In the afternoon we took a small bus to the national forest. The forest was green and lush similar to those of the east coast in the US. Our first stop was at an old train station and home to the southernmost prison in the world. The worst of the worst were sent here yet was closed in the 1950’s and now serves for a museum. Our second stop was the southernmost post office. A little shack that stood out on the waterside a green snow covered mountain side laid as its back drop. A little old man worked inside. On the back wall hung pictures of Che and Evita two national heroes, and in the right hand corner stood a little shrine of the virgin marry. We where each given our passports to get a special stamp from the southernmost post office. Our third stop was a beautiful lake covered in mist; you couldn’t see to the other side as things faded into the darkness. We sat and skipped rocks on the water side. Our final destination was the end of route three; a very famous route that travels from the tip of Alaska to the end of Argentina. In the night rotary took us to a bar restaurant like thing to celebrate Bernie’s 18th birthday.
October 31,2009
Today we woke early at four to drive to Esquel a town in the province of Santa Cruz. In the process we crossed back into Chile while leaving the Tierra de Fuego. The day was spent traveling on the bus. At night me and my friend Dylan could not sleep so we decided to pull some Halloween pranks on everybody. We placed sugar in the mouths of those who slept with their mouths open; glued paper to peoples face and to the leader’s bald spot. We also placed lotion on people’s hands and tickled their faces so that when they woke they whipped the lotion all over their faces.
November 1, 2009
Today we arrived in Esquel. It felt like a summer afternoon, we were greeted by a beautiful garden and little cabins. Lena and I ventured around taking pictures of the flowers and searching for a apple tree. The afternoon was spent in the grass with friends. Some wrote in their journals while others sunbathed and played the guitar. After everyone had showered we headed for the center where we bought stuff of make chocolate bananas for that nights campfire. We also bought a little cake and sat on the dusty sidewalk eating. As the Kiwis say it was real yum! We passed by a guacho an Argentine cowboy. We stopped him and asked to take pictures with him and his horse. I’m pretty sure he thought we were crazy. I still can’t get over how beautiful of a day it was. Here we were in sundresses as we looked out upon snow covered mountain tops. At night with a little bottle of Suzan’s rubbing alcohol we managed to start a fire. We cut open the bananas and placed chocolate inside and proceeded to roast them over the fire. Others soon began to gather around the fire side and we told scary stories through the night.
November 2, 2009
The next morning we loaded the bus for our journey to Bariloche. We ate breakfast in a cabin that also served as the receptionist’s home. I ate the best media lunas in my entire life (croissants direct translation half moons). Our arrival time was set for shortly before dinner. Bariloche is also nestled upon a mountain side the overlooks a lake. The street in front of our hotel was very similar to that of Lombard in San Francisco as it winded down to the waterside. At dinner another group of students began to cheer. “Oh o oh bari bari bariloche”. When students complete their secondary schooling in Argentina they travel to Bariloche for a little over a week to celebrate. To some extent it’s like Las Vegas. That night we went out dancing the place was packed as students from all over Argentina gathered
November 3, 2009
We woke in time for lunch the next day. We were one of the last groups there. We would have most likely slept through it if it wasn’t for the fact that Rocia came knocking on our door. The day was spent visiting the little town. Bariloche is famous for its chocolate and we stopped in all the little stores for samples.
November 4, 2009
The next day we drove around the city and to various lookouts. Rain sprinkled a little as we looked out onto Bariloches waterside. In the middle of the lake stood little green islands. I feel in love with the scenery and wish we had more time to go hiking. In the afternoon we drove to San Martin de Los Andes. We took a scenic route called the Seven Lakes. It took a lot longer but it was gorgeous. We stopped to take pictures at many of the lakes. We were supposed to have a picnic at one but do to the snow we ended up having our picnic on the bus. San Martin de Los Andes also sat on a lake side. We stayed in a little hotel on the southern part of the town. It was really cue. The bathroom was all one piece of plastic from the cling to the floor it sort of felt like a airplane. We walked around town taking pictures and drinking tea with friends. We ran into a interesting couple from France that had traveled all over the world and stopped to talk. Our final night was spent gathering with friends and reminiscing about all our adventures during the trip. I was sad to see the trip come to an end. But I made great new friends, traveled to far off places, and a handful of memories that I will forever store close to my heart.