14th November 2011.
After two sunny and beautiful days in Patagonia the winds dropped and it started to rain. Sue and I had decided to take a long trek today into the Forest and mountains. We set off with our guide wearing our waterproof gear. It was a short van ride to our start point and after a climb we soon forgot the rain as the views were just stunning. The area we had picked for today’s walk is so very different from the other parts of the park we have already visited. This area has many melt lakes and lagoons high up and each corner we turned and every wooded area we exited had another garden like scene. If we had been walking in a formal garden it is hard to imagine how better laid out these lakes and surrounding areas could be.
Lunchtime was in a sheltered spot as the rain had slowed down bringing with it higher winds. Explora (correct spelling) Hotel has a policy that their guides carry a mix of salads and garnishes to add to the sandwiches they provide for your packed lunch. What is very amusing but a nice touch at the same time, these have to be laid out on a checkered blue and white table cloth. So here we are in the mountains in the rain, sheltering from the wind having lunch on the floor from a blue and white table cloth.
This trek came to its highlight when we made it to a high point that gave us an all round view of the park. The wind had dropped to a moderate blow and the rain had also stopped but unfortunately the cloud did cover the tops of the snow covered peaks that make such a magnificent backdrop. This did not spoil the moment however and we spent time soaking up the views and enjoying our achievement in reaching this high spot.
Upon returning to the hotel we showered, changed and joined Carol & Jim for a drink, by now our group was starting to grow and we have made friends with an English couple Andy and Claudia, also two English ladies travelling together Annie and Helena. As a group of 8 we are having a great time and once a couple of glasses have been quaffed the laughter levels increase. It is great to have been able to meet up with a fun group to share these experiences with.