"Remember: conditions in Patagonia are extreme. Every mistake can be fatal. Enjoy the park." With these cheerful words, the park ranger bids us welcome to Chile's most famous national park: Torres del Paine.
Known as a true hiker's paradise, it is time to dig up our hiking boots from Pepe's dusty trunk, and equipped with day packs and towering expectations, we set off to the unmissable Torres. Eight hours, a couple of painful knee joints, and three invisible(!) granite towers later, we can confirm what we have always known: hiking is far overrated! :)
Having been spoiled with utter solitude along the Carretera Austral, we suddenly find ourselves on a true hikers highway, including bottle necks and hiker jams; with the scenery on day one by no means as breathtaking as the park's reputation made us believe (no, I am not impressed by trees... at all).
After that first disappointing hike, and while Pepe is in good hands with T3 handyman Christian, we resort to real horse power instead. Less pain, more gain! :) Galopping through endless fields, along beautiful blue lakes, overlooked by snow capped mountains... this is Patagonia! One day, I will be a cowgirl...
“Cowboys don’t take baths, they just dust off.”
Glacier Grey, with its spectacular fifty shades of blue - or "paine" in the native Tehuelche language - turns out to be an absolute highlight of the park: an exciting boat ride amidst icebergs, made even more unforgettable because of the exceptionally sunny day and... the pisco sour on-the-glacier-rocks! Remind me, why would we go hiking again?!
Meanwhile Pepe is equipped with two brand new wheel bearings, and ready to roll! After a lovely night at the foot of los Cuernos, it is time to leave the Park of Paine behind us, but not without throwing a regretful look back over our shoulder.
“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.”
