Day 4 – Thursday 11th October 2018
Buenos Aires – El Calafate
Distance travelled:-
By plane – 2080kms/1292 miles (3hrs)
By foot – 11.4 kms/7.10 miles
By public transport – 37 kms/ 23 miles
Steps taken – 16,469
Goodbye Buenes Aires, hello Patagonia.
After a couple of busy, hectic, noisy, vibrant, and chaotic city days we are leaving.
I have been pleasantly surprised by Buenos Aires. A city for a few days I am usually happy with, anymore then slightly eager and ready to escape…a country girl at heart….solitude is a big factor for me. However Buenos Aires felt good.
It was green, loads of green space in fact, every single street we were in lined with trees, great architecture, amazing and interesting history, information overload to the extent of feeling overwhelmed but in a great way if that makes sense.
And I found my favourite tree in the world…it’s that beautiful I had to put it in again.
So in contrast, Argentine Patagonia…its vast, wide open and pretty empty!
We catch a plane taking a 3 hour flight to
Patagonia in the south which represents a large portion of the country. National Parks make up lots of the areas surrounding the main tourist bases.
Slightly after flying out of the city we are straight into that green empty land it goes on and on for miles. After flying for just over two hours the landscape changes. In the distance you can see the mountains covered in snow and glaciers….I feel excited already at first glance.
Patagonia is one of the world’s last great wildernesses and the most incredible destinations…in my opinion of course.
It’s home to jaw dropping scenery, granite towers, incredible lakes, cascading waterfalls and beautiful glaciers.
The geography here is unbelievable – those mountains covered in ice, it’s from another world…the distances, the vastness. I love loneliness.
The sense of possibly stepping on a spot only two or maybe three people have treaded on before fascinates me.
Rich in history with many legacies of the humans who have visited and lived upon these shores…I am eager to explore and keen to learn more!
We were heading for El Calafate, basing ourselves here for 3 days as we needed to provide ourselves with ‘ windows of opportunities’ in order to see and do what we had planned.
Weather in Patagonia is unpredictable, so we had to be sensible when organising our trip making sure we planned for days that werent so activity friendly, allowing ourselves time to do these activities on a different days if need be – fingers crossed we are lucky!
Accomodation for the next 3 days
El Calafate is a city. The name of the city is derived from a little bush with yellow flowers and dark berries that is very common in Patagonia.
Some say that if you eat the berry it guarantees your return to Patagonia to hook you with another irresistable attraction….yip I am hunting down that berry, and eating several as I want to return for sure.
On arriving, El Calafate is much more than a gateway to the Patagonian wilderness – it appears like a fun town offering all sorts of outdoor activities…I like it already!
It reminds me slightly of an up and coming Mammoth Lakes, a ski resort type place, it feels nice and laid back!
A few pictures of the town
We wondered around the place trying to get a feel of the area and it’s so much bigger than I expected.
More exploring will have to be done later but I’m excited to be here.
Mary's Outdoor Adventure's 
Am up early and 1st thing I check is your “blog:. Looking forward to hearing or should I say reading about the next stage of your adventure . Did read up about Patagonia and believe it rains quite a bit so you should feel at home but I do hope it doesn’t curtail your activities too much. Wonder if you’ll come across any Welsh speaking Patagonians.?
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Hi there….I never got your message until now….sorry.
So glad your enjoying the read. So yes they say it can rain quite a bit here and I’ve also heard that 4 seasons can happen in a day….even within 30 minutes, it’s that unpredictable! But I suppose that’s what adds to the adventures as you are up against the elements! I say that now but once in the mountains when I’m trying to pitch my tent I may eat my words!
Now yes the Welsh….so I’ve been reading up on that one and someone at work also mentioned that…but no….we haven’t ran into any yet but it could happen!
Most do not speak English here or very little so we are trying to get by with the little words we know although Andy knows more phrases than me….you should have been with us, isn’t it Spanish you speak?? X
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One of the hills in the distance looks like Benarty so that should really make you feel at home😀 Must be plenty wood around as most of the buildings seem to be constructed of wood. Very colourful!
Love ^God Bless
AUNTIE ALICE XX
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Wow….well noticed, I’ve just looked back my blog to see what you meant 😂…is it the hill in the picture with the houses beside it….it really does look like Benarty! 🙈
There is loads of wood around….the place is surrounded by trees….as I you know, I love trees, so I have fallen in love with Patagonia already….it’s the simple things you see!
They are also using corrugated iron here on their buildings and it’s really cool….infact we went to a restaurant tonight that was built with one inside and out…and from my experience it was roasting inside….although they did have heat on…maybe this is the way forward 🤔
Talking about similarities…met a couple from Sydney today, that asked where we were from, we replied Scotland to which he replied “ah Scotland OCH AYE, similar conditions then” !!!😂🙈
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Morning Mary. As Alice does… I start the day with your blog. Glad you arrived ok and found a bed for a few nights. Been having a look at the area you will be exploring in the next few days….it looks amazing. Those glaciers. I’m with you in spirit I even know what time the buses leave to take you to the glaciers. Although knowing you you’ll probably walk there! (Ha ha!). Enjoy the next bit of your adventure.xx ps much as we like seeing photos of you…can we please have one of Andy or a selfie of the two of you with the glacier as your backdrop or do you not do that sort of touristy thing?xxx
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Good morning/afternoon….that’s nice to hear. It’s a lovely place here, much more than I expected …heading to the glacier now. Just thinking maybe you can be our PA for next few weeks since you have/ know all the information lol. Hmmmm selfies I’m not sure of but I may try please my auntie😂…we shall see 😁X x
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I’m reading all these things on Trip Adviser! It’s quite useful As I didn’t know these things at all!! Wouldn’t even have known how to get to Patagonia but for your trip. Keep enlightening us.xx
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Your bringing us the entertainment as we travel 😂🤣…and fyi we did catch that bus you saw 😂…brilliant!
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Now you have both arrived at the Gateway to Patagonia another adventure begins. Looks as if there are so many options, Walk beside Perito Moreno Glaciers, Hike or horse ride in the Patagonian Andes so much to do the choice is endless. Cannot wait to read what you do next.
Theresa x
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It’s amazing here and it’s only day 4 really! You would like it for sure!! So many options, something for everyone…although not sure about my horse riding skills 😂🙄🤔 xxx
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