Round the World 2008

I’m back in Buenos Aires where I started the trip 8 months ago, completing my trip around the world. I’ve spent the past few weeks in Brazil traveling from Sao Luis to Fortaleza to Recife and then to Rio de Janeiro where I met Carole and Audrey. The highlights of Rio were Sugarloaf Mountain, the Christ the Redeemer Statue that overlooks the city and Ipanema beach. We then traveled to Iguassu Falls which really is one of the most incredible natural wonders in the world.

During the trip I took a total of 52 flights traveling 75,000 air miles. I look forward now to getting home and seeing family and friends who I miss very much!

Last night our group went out to a tango show in Buenos Aires. I couldn´t have one more steak dinner after so many on the trip so I had the pumpkin ravioli. The steaks in Argentina are delicious but you can get tired of them quickly. A guy sitting next to us had a camera crew with him. He was filming for an American travel show…sitting next to him, I´m sure I was in camera range so look for me on a travel show covering Buenos Aires. Tom, our group leader made a slide show of our time together which we watched at the hotel. He gave us all DVD´s. I´ll see if I can post it. We stayed out pretty late and said our final goodbyes. Most people flying home or to their next destination today or tomorrow.

This was on our final hike in Tierra del Fuego National Park:

I´ll miss this group. We´ll stay in touch by email. A few of us were doing round the world trips so we may actually cross paths again in the coming year.

Today I flew to Santiago de Chile. There was a guy at the airport holding up a card with my name it and I was taken to my accomodation for the Teach English volunteer project. Pretty basic accomodations…but a good location in the city center. Tomorrow morning I start at the school.

We went as far south as we´ll go on this trip (or my entire trip) yesterday on the cruise through the Beagle Channel. The weather was stormy and the waves were almost unbelievable. There were 12 of us plus crew on a small yacht. Half of the passengers were on the verge of getting sick…luckily no one did. We stopped on an island which was essentially a rock where the wind gusted to 60-70 mph. All in all not a pleasant trip and according to the crew the seas are even more wild on the tours to Antarctica. The Beagle Channel is named after Darwin´s ship which came through in the 1830s. The highlight of the cruise was when we got close to some rock islands which were filled with sea lions and king cormorans.

Today we hiked in Tierra del Fuego National Park. Tomorrow we head back to Buenos Aires for our group´s final night together. The plan is to go to a tango show and dinner.

Yesterday we went to see the Magellanic penguins just outside of Puerto Natales. We were able to get very close and I was able to get some great photos which I´ll post on Flickr as soon as I get to a PC with USB. We´re right at the season where they begin to migrate north, so we were lucky to catch a good number of them.

Today we took a 12 hour bus ride crossing back into Argentina to Ushuaia, which is the southernmost city on earth and the final destination on this tour. We´ll be here until Friday. Ushuaia is surprisingly large considering its remoteness, filled with lots of stores and restaurants. It´s the gateway for trips to Antarctica (745 miles away) , the Falkland Islands, and other adventure tours in Tierra del Fuego. We had a great lamb dinner tonight at a local restaurant.

Tomorrow we take a cruise on the Beagle Channel and have options for excursions for our remaining time here (kayaking, horseback riding, hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park).

Yesterday we got up early and drove to the port where we got the ferry to the glacier. With the gear, walking on the ice wasn´t too difficult. Because the huge glacier advances about two meters per day, the icescape is constantly changing. We hiked around to find ice walls which were suitable to climb. Some of the walls were over wide crevasses which looked bottomless. Being strapped in was supposed to keep us safe, but one of the guys in our group lost a crampon into the crevass. Climbing was a great workout on the arms and legs and we we were out on the glacier the entire day. By far it has been the best day of the trip yet.

Trekking around the ice we came upon an ice cave which according to our guides was just a crack in the ice a few weeks ago. It became so wide that we were able to go inside of it.

After Tuesday´s hike and yesterday´s ice trekking and climbing, we appreciated the inactivity of the 6 hour bus ride to Puerto Natales in Chile. The border crossing into Chile was long and tedious, but now we can take it easy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow we start a 3 day camping expedition into Torres del Paine National Park.

The tour of Patagonia has gotten off to a good start. The weather has been sunny and warm for an area known for its high winds and cloudy skies. I´m travelling with a nice group of people. mostly from the UK and North America. From Buenos Aires we flew into El Calafate. Yesterday we saw the Perito Moreno Glacier which was incredible. 2 kilometers wide and huge chunks of ice breaking off from time to time into a large lake and forming icebergs. Supposedly this is one of the few glaciers in the world that isn´t receding. I haven´t found a PC with USB so can´t post photos yet (but will post some I found on Flickr):

by Madra Rua (Hauke)

Today we did a 15 mile hike to Mount Fitz Roy which was extremely challenging. Much of it was uphill but it was well worth it for the spectacular views of Fitz Roy:

by nikko1974

Tomorrow we are going ice climbing which involves climbing vertical walls of ice using crampons and ice axes. We will be harnessed in for safety thankfully. Should be a real adventure.

I´m back in Buenos Aires where I left off in November. “End of the Earth” tour to Patagonia to begin tomorrow. Thanks Dean for staying with me at JFK on Monday night and for taking the farewell photo: