Today I booked in some brilliant weather from the fairy godmothers, packed a lunch and all my cameras and dressed like an onion. I caught a bus to Hosteria El Pilar just on the north of the national park border to venture the 5hrs hike back to town. All in the hopes of seeing Mt Fitz Roy shrug off the dense cloud and show his face to me.
The trail shadowed the river bed, bounding up and down on the banks through forest. As I struggled higher and higher, I was rewarded each time the trees gave way to panoramic vistas of the opposing mountainside with its towering peaks dressed in snow and magnificent glaciers clinging to the cracks in between.
I listened to parrots calling to each other (I know! Parrots in glacier country…I think between penguins in the desert and parrots in snow the animal kingdom is playing tricks on us!), and of course the unrelenting wind swirling the forest trees around.
Parrots! In glacier country! 
Nature will prevail in adversity 
Limbo time 
Quiet trails 
The trail went past a couple of campgrounds, wound through mountainside, to wide open valley, to river beds and eventually back down the mountainside to town again. Most of the time I felt like I’d never see another soul again – it could make me feel I was lost and way off the trail. Then I would feel the full force of any number of mostly-European hiking groups intent on making it to the other end, seemingly never really taking time to view the panoramas right in front of them. They would storm through, annoyed that anyone should be in their way, hiking poles, expensive but ugly clothing and very intense facial expressions passed by and I was again allowed to revel in the solitude.
I drank and filled my bottle with glacier stream water time and time again, had some lunch on the march and took many, many photos. It is so hard to not take a photo here. Everywhere I look is a postcard and I just want to show the world that this beautiful place exists.
Hmmm 
Rio de las Vueltas – “The Meandering River”
I was swept up in the whispers of tiny snow showers, as if the dust was being blown off the mountain top. The sunshine blazed down after it had a considerable sleep in and I spent the final couple of hours out of my rain proof “real jacket”. The rangers were doing some work on the trail and try as I might, I have absolutely no idea how they got a wheel barrow up that trail, that’s a top work ethic!
The one thing I didn’t see though, was Mt Fitz Roy. Even when I got to the prime viewing area on the shore of Laguna Capri, it remained closeted in its thick cape of grey cloud. I shall just be content with knowing I was close by and buy a postcard instead…me and many, many others.
The closing stages tumbled down the mountainside and from the looks of the hikers coming from the other direction, I had done the best thing by taking a transfer – not many looked like they were enjoying their journey through splendour with the grimaced faces.
Cecilia said I must be getting fitter as I finished the trail in around 4.30. I’ve not often enjoyed a hot shower like I did that afternoon!
Back at the hostel I spent the evening talking to David from Birmingham, who is the owner of the 34 Thousand Miles photo blog. A seasoned traveller and lovely gentleman who couldn’t let me leave without going 2-1 up in our rounds of the card game, “shithead” – this was in between a couple of cups of coffee brewed through an old sock, some giant Quilmes beers and watching a friendly between Argentina and Brazil. I called it a night at 0-0 score, 75mins in – it was close to midnight after all – this is when my mystical ability to turn away from a game means the good guys score and I miss it! Argentina scored, then Brazil then Argentina again for a 2-1 full time score…all of which I didn’t see. Those who have witnessed this phenomenon in action at Broncos or Origin footy games will know what I mean. Clearly it’s a transportable and multi-code skill!
You are truely gifted you know? I love that your skills are international! Influencing a game by not being there brilliant (but not so much for you)! Awesome photos!