West Patagonia – Santiago: Bringing myself in trouble

Located on the west side of Patagonia is the famous Route 40, a road that is popular by many bikers in the summer. As the road goes through the Andes no busses ride on most parts of the route. We could jump on motorcycle, sit on a bull, walk the rout and quit after 50km with blisters on our feet and or take the bus directly and miss a part of the route. '' Three thousand kilometers rodeo riding through Patagonia '' would be a good title for my book, but the comfortable seat of the bus won.

From Calafate, the southernmost point of our trip, my father and I visited the Perito Moreno glacier. I had never seen a glacier before, so when I saw this glacier I got a 'WOW feeling’’. A WOW feeling is the feeling you get when a group of top models walks naked down the street, when you are at a live performance or your favorite band or when nature shows you something that is different than everything else you have seen. These are moments that grab your full attention and make a lasting impression. I got goose bumps all over my body and said softly '' wow ''.
That first view which made a deep impression looked like a 70 meters thick, bluish-white ice with jagged peaks rising from the water. The deep blue color, sharp points and unstable idea of ​​a huge amount of ice floating on water caught my attention. As if the glacier felt my wow feeling ebbed away, it dropped a big chunk of ice that hit the water with a thundering blow. My attention was fully back and that of the other visitors as well. The blow was so loud that all conversations stopped and everyone turned his gaze to the place where the ice broke. The people hopefully looked to the glacier with their camera ready, waiting for more ice could to break off. But the glacier had learned that it would retain his interest if it would play 'hard-to-get', so it waited until the people turned around and continued their conversation before it would drop a second chunk of ice. The ritual repeated itself and many people left the glacier a little disappointed, because they didn’t have a picture of a falling block of ice. My father saved his energy and went to the bar early.

Three hours from El Calafate is the hiking town El Chalten, home to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. A park like any national park should be run. Upon arrival, a park employee tells you what there is to do in the park, what the dangers are, what the best places to visit, at the track there are stylish wooden boards that shows you where you are, the trails are easy to walk and there is no mess to see in the whole park. We subtly wanted to throw away two banana peels, but failed miserably. A banana peel landed three meters off the path at an open spot and the other landed in a treetop. Probably we have provided the only visible rubbish in the park.
The staff strictly controls if visitors comply with the rules. I got pulled back when I wanted to make a walk with one of the many homeless dogs in Argentina, because dogs can be a threat to a rare species of deer that live in the park. When I asked how to get rid of the dog, the employee replied you I had to give him ‘’a good kick’’. A dog is not a football, so I hopelessly walked around for half an hour to find a way to get rid of the dog, until the dog had found other human friends. I quickly ran back to the park and saw how the dog was completely absorbed by his new friends probably already forgot me.

We made two challenging hikes in El Chalten. My father is planning to climb the Himalayas up to 5000 meters in a few months without training. With such an ambitious man we did not need a guide. Secretly I hoped that my father would carry the bag, would take me on his back on the steep parts would run ahead of me to prepare a cheese fondue on the mountain top. This remained a fantasy, but nevertheless my father walked 50km in two days in motorcycle boots, climbed to 700 meters and walked for the first time with spikes under his shoes. For a man of 58, which does not do any sports a firm performance.

We walked over mountainous, dry and sometimes snowy landscapes with mountain peaks of 2500 meters on our side. The walking trail was relatively flat and easy to follow. Two stubborn men from the Netherlands found this pathway, designated by Segeth senior as '' way for gay people, '' too boring and decided to create their own way. Through prick plants, over loose stones and along ravines, we made our way over the mountain. Several times my father got frightened when he looked down into the valley or I slipped meters downhill when I lost my grip on the steep, dry soil. Our drinks ran out, I got annoyed by the prick plants and we did not move forward. The way back down was tempting, but the road to the top a lot more exciting. We wandered up and fortunately met the walking track near the top. I was relieved and didn’t think for a second to leave the track again. I was rather on the path of the gay people than that someone had to find us between the cactuses.

During the many walks I got the idea to buy my sister Argentinean tea for her birthday, including a video statement. I had seen many people drink tea, but had no idea how to make it. The receptionist of the hostel was happily willing to give me a quick course, so here is the roadmap for making and drinking Argentinean tea in the traditional way: 1. Put a handful of edible herbs in a cup. 2. Put water in a kettle, wait till it starts to flute and turn the fire off after one minute. 3. Quickly mix the boiling water with spices. 4. Drink your cup of tea empty before the neighbors are standing at your front door. If you succeed, you get a high-five, if not they may plant their hand in your face.

By plane Calafate and Bariloche is 1000km apart, unfortunately the bus must make a detour and added an extra 1000km to trip which makes it a journey of 30 hours. After one and a half day in a sitting position, I was full of blood clots, my sprinter legs were turned into matchsticks and my battery was charged to 300%. I had to move and took my father to a walking track around a large lake. Again we could not stay on the marked track. This time we found a swampy area where the challenge was to jump to the dry lands. This failed and after we both had wet socks the fun was gone.

My father also wanted to spend some time in Chile. After two minutes in Chile, he found the country already much greener than Argentina. When I listened to my father I would think that a border could change the environment completely in a few meters. In that case, I would take a few boundaries in my garden, so I have a beach, the mountains and a lawn in my backyard and no longer need to go on holiday. In my eyes there was a little difference between Argentinian or Chilean Patagonia. It was both touristy, mountainous and as you went north the desert turned into grassland.
I did notice that Chilean are very proud of their country and that they don’t look very happy. From 1973 to 1990 the country was led by general  Pinochet. During his reign he sowed fear among his opponents by mistreating them, he changed the laws in his favor, banned the media that didn’t support his policy and suppressed protests very hard. Seventeen years long he could do he wanted in Chile, until there were  elections in 1990 and Pinochet could be removed from the field. Behind those sad Chilean faces is perhaps some of the pain and sorrow that has been felt during the dictatorial regime.

After a stop in Pucon, a backpackers haven for young travelers who want to climb the Villarrica volcano, we drove by bus to Santiago, from where we went to Valparaiso. Valparaiso is on the coast and is built on 47 big hills. Thus, there is no flat piece to be found in the town and the roads follow the path of the least resistance. No straight streets, no houses that look the same and a lot of colors .The result; a dynamic city where your creativity takes you for a ride. In an environment where each stone is painted, on every corner a band is playing and is on every square people sell homemade stuff you come alive and all sorts of ideas bubble up in your mind. I loved the lively atmosphere and although I've been here for one day I was sold to this city. Now I just have to find a job here so I can call Valparaiso my home for a few months.

After four meaningful, intense weeks with my father it was time to say goodbye. A man of great character and interesting thoughts. The conversations he has with dogs, the joy when he opens a bottle of wine, the curious look through the window as he sits in the bus, the questions that make people think, the painful face when he sees  someone being hurt , the pleasure with which he talks about his boat and the determination with which he taught me life lessons draw my father. He does things his own way and I noticed that many people were attracted to that. I'm going to miss my dad, but above all appreciate that we were able to make this trip.

 

After Senor Segeth left South Amerika with loose hips, a rhythmic way of speaking and fire in his eyes I started to look for work. Work I need to find quickly to extend my stay in South America. I visited a tennis club and the first person I spoke to was immediately enthusiastic. He told a long story from which I understood that I could pick up balls for 25 euros per day. Not the main prize, but at least something to start with. That night, however, I lost my phone and also the contact details of the work provider.

That week Chile celebrated their independency, which they got in 1810, with lots of alcohol, soldiers marching through the streets and the Chilean flag waving everywhere. At two o'clock I started drinking herremotto’s, Chile's most popular cocktail of pisco, wine and ice cream, with the people from the hostel. And if the atmosphere is good I often don’t stop drinking. Twelve hours later, I still drank herremotto’s, but I was not entirely sober anymore. I decided to take a nap on a bench in the street, not the smartest things to do at night, and was awakened by someone posing as if he wanted to help me. I looked him in the eyes and saw such an aggression that I didn’t accept his help. The guy walked away and two minutes later I realized that he had stolen my phone and probably was trying to steal my wallet when I woke up. I decided to walk to the subway, so I could return to the hostel. While I was looking for the subway, I walked past a group of guys which one of them came walking beside me and whispered something I couldn’t understand. I continued walking stoically until another guy came out of the alley and blocked my way. They grabbed me and try to steal my wallet that I had put in my boxer short. I was not willing to give them anything and an intense anger came up in me. With all the strength I had I tried to wriggle myself out of the four arms that were around me. Luckily, they did not really hurt me and I slowly got more space. After thirty seconds, I was able to free myself and run away. They had pulled the hood of my coat, but I still had my wallet. A few blocks away I found the subway station and sat down in the subway. Now I only had to stay awake for 10 minutes to get off at the right stop, but I was so tired that I fell asleep three times until the end of the ride. After I had been for two hours in the subway, I was finally awake to the right stop and arrived at 9 am at the hostel. I had brought myself into unnecessary trouble and made someone happy with a phone. A donkey will hit the same stone three time, but I have bumped into the same stone nine times already. I wonder what animal is three times as stupid as a donkey, because I have to take a tattoo of that animal.

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After a few days in Santiago, I flew to Sweden to see Sofia again. Four months ago we saw each other for the last time in Australia and now it was a good moment for me to visit her before I would find a job. After one and a half year I'm finally back in Europe, but still not home. Do you want to know how I spend my time in Sweden and how it is to see Sofia again? Read my next blog.