Lago Peidras Blanco / El Chalten
November 2nd, 2007
I arose early, and still tired and a bit edgy and cranky from the continued lack of nutrition. (as I have mentioned, Argentina is not vegetarian friendly, and I have been subsisting on grains and carbs alone for a few weeks now). Bundled with the sleepless night, I wasn't eager to camp and hike much more without a down day in the hostel to allow for some muscle recovery. My body was starting to be achy, and I knew I had many miles to walk before I was back in town.
Before leaving with our packs - we took a smaller hike to the Lago Piedras Blanco (Both a lake and a Glacier). It was about 3 hours round trip to get there. We walked along a beautiful and peaceful stream that was clear enough to see every stone on the ground beneath it. The weather was sunny and crisp for now, but there were a few thick clouds gathering over the mountains. When we arrived at the glacier, there was a bit of scrambling over large boulders to get to the lake. At this point, I was very tired and dehydrated and sore, and cranky. (Poor Gregg!!!!)
The lake was incredibly beautiful, small and greenish blue - with chunks of glacial ice that had calved off from the large glacier on the other side of the lake. As we walked back to the campsite to gather our things - I told Gregg I thought I would go back to town instead of campaign again. The campsite we had intended to stay at was one hour away - and town was about 2 hours past that. He was angry and irritated with me - and I was irritated and tired in general. It was still early, bad weather appeared to be rolling in. We didn't have much for eating, and I had one page to go in my book - and nothing else to entertain me, should we have to sit in a tent all day because of poor weather. The views of the mountains were obscured - and all I wanted was a warm meal and a bed. We had quite a tiff about this, He was disappointed in my differing opinions on trekking and camping. I was dissapointed that he was dissapointed. It was a stupid and pointless fight brought upon by sleep deprivation.
He decided to stay and camp at Lago Capri, regardless of the gray clouds, and I opted to continue on and return to the hostel. We had ended our very short fight by this point. He said he would return the next day by 2 pm. As I walked down to the town, I felt a bit sad about our tiff, but thought it might be good to have a night apart, as we do spend every waking moment together.
My descent felt like it took forever. Every turn I rounded, I thought I was closer than I was. My body was aching and tired, and I wanted to sit down and have coffee and take a warm shower. For two hours as I descended downhill back to town, my knees ached and I wished I was closer then I was. Once I arrived in town, the walk to the hostel, which is only about 300 feet, felt as if it took hours. I was so relieved to be in the hostel, I knew I had made the right decision for myself in returning. I had walked more miles in the past three days, (probably 30) than I had ever walked in a three day span (probably double in fact). I was unaccustomed to carrying a pack - and I was feeling the effects of dehydration, poor sleep and a poorly balanced diet.
When I arrived at the hostel, my roommate was a French girl named Veronique. She spoke English, and invited me to dinner with a German girl and a Dutch girl she had met while traveling. We ate at a restaurant that actually had two vegetarian dishes (Hallelujah!!!)...and had a wonderful time drinking wine and talking about our travels. I felt inferior however, two of them spoke 3 languages, and the third girl, the Dutch girl, spoke 5 languages fluently! After dinner we went to a cafe a few doors down and had hot choco. I don't often meet and spend time with other travelers while on my trips - It is always hard for me to approach people and make conversation - so I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
When we returned back to the hostel, it felt wonderful to sit in bed and look through my pictures and relax.
Note: The last several pictures are actually from the day after this entry - they are Gregg's pictures from his camping night away from me, and the following morning before he met up with me again in town.
I arose early, and still tired and a bit edgy and cranky from the continued lack of nutrition. (as I have mentioned, Argentina is not vegetarian friendly, and I have been subsisting on grains and carbs alone for a few weeks now). Bundled with the sleepless night, I wasn't eager to camp and hike much more without a down day in the hostel to allow for some muscle recovery. My body was starting to be achy, and I knew I had many miles to walk before I was back in town.
Before leaving with our packs - we took a smaller hike to the Lago Piedras Blanco (Both a lake and a Glacier). It was about 3 hours round trip to get there. We walked along a beautiful and peaceful stream that was clear enough to see every stone on the ground beneath it. The weather was sunny and crisp for now, but there were a few thick clouds gathering over the mountains. When we arrived at the glacier, there was a bit of scrambling over large boulders to get to the lake. At this point, I was very tired and dehydrated and sore, and cranky. (Poor Gregg!!!!)
The lake was incredibly beautiful, small and greenish blue - with chunks of glacial ice that had calved off from the large glacier on the other side of the lake. As we walked back to the campsite to gather our things - I told Gregg I thought I would go back to town instead of campaign again. The campsite we had intended to stay at was one hour away - and town was about 2 hours past that. He was angry and irritated with me - and I was irritated and tired in general. It was still early, bad weather appeared to be rolling in. We didn't have much for eating, and I had one page to go in my book - and nothing else to entertain me, should we have to sit in a tent all day because of poor weather. The views of the mountains were obscured - and all I wanted was a warm meal and a bed. We had quite a tiff about this, He was disappointed in my differing opinions on trekking and camping. I was dissapointed that he was dissapointed. It was a stupid and pointless fight brought upon by sleep deprivation.
He decided to stay and camp at Lago Capri, regardless of the gray clouds, and I opted to continue on and return to the hostel. We had ended our very short fight by this point. He said he would return the next day by 2 pm. As I walked down to the town, I felt a bit sad about our tiff, but thought it might be good to have a night apart, as we do spend every waking moment together.
My descent felt like it took forever. Every turn I rounded, I thought I was closer than I was. My body was aching and tired, and I wanted to sit down and have coffee and take a warm shower. For two hours as I descended downhill back to town, my knees ached and I wished I was closer then I was. Once I arrived in town, the walk to the hostel, which is only about 300 feet, felt as if it took hours. I was so relieved to be in the hostel, I knew I had made the right decision for myself in returning. I had walked more miles in the past three days, (probably 30) than I had ever walked in a three day span (probably double in fact). I was unaccustomed to carrying a pack - and I was feeling the effects of dehydration, poor sleep and a poorly balanced diet.
When I arrived at the hostel, my roommate was a French girl named Veronique. She spoke English, and invited me to dinner with a German girl and a Dutch girl she had met while traveling. We ate at a restaurant that actually had two vegetarian dishes (Hallelujah!!!)...and had a wonderful time drinking wine and talking about our travels. I felt inferior however, two of them spoke 3 languages, and the third girl, the Dutch girl, spoke 5 languages fluently! After dinner we went to a cafe a few doors down and had hot choco. I don't often meet and spend time with other travelers while on my trips - It is always hard for me to approach people and make conversation - so I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
When we returned back to the hostel, it felt wonderful to sit in bed and look through my pictures and relax.
Note: The last several pictures are actually from the day after this entry - they are Gregg's pictures from his camping night away from me, and the following morning before he met up with me again in town.
posted by Samantha Farbman at 3:39 PM
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