Reflecting through your challenges
I guess you think that everything will be beautiful and smooth. You are prepared for some hiccups, but when all is good you’re not really thinking about things going bad, right?
I'm back from Patagonia, back in my routine (so to speak). Back from my longest time off from work yet.
How was it, people ask, when you get back. What were your biggest highlights of the trip, they want to know. I think there are much better, more insightful questions to ask someone when they come back from their trip. For instance:
What were the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Have you changed your perspective of the world and how?
How are you different because of it?
To answer these questions for yourself, you have to take some time to think deeply and reflect on yourself. I did that, and it fit perfectly with my reflections over the past year. The answers are also more complex than the usual post-vacation responses: ''it was great," ''the food was good," ''the views were amazing," ''the people were so nice."
In this issue, I'll do my best to recap my time off and try to share with you those deeper responses and all the things I learned. To do that I need to share (almost) the whole trip, from start to finish.
Describing the trip in one word: challenging. In one sentence: It provided me with multiple lessons on how to handle stressful travel and life situations while offering time and space to reflect what I value.
Let’s try now with a longer format.
Preparations
Before I left for Patagonia, I longed very much for nature and the mountains. I was happy to leave the big concrete jungle of Buenos Aires. The planning of this trip started 6 months before, and even before we actually started it, it was logistically very challenging. The first challenge was in September when our first flight from BA to El Calafate was moved up 4 days, so we had to book 2 new flights for the same dates. And we're still waiting to see if we'll get at least a partial refund.
Another problem was the campsites in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, where we wanted to complete the O Circuit, which is 123km/76 miles long. It's summer now, this trek is on many people's wish list and it's peak trekking season. For this reason, we had to book all the campsites in advance, which isn't so easy. You aren't allowed into the national park without a reservation. I'm not a fan of booking things so far in advance and committing to a certain route, but if you want to do this trek, you have to.
In addition to transportation and lodging, of course, we had to buy the things we wanted to have with us on the trek. When you go camping for 8 days, there are a lot of things to consider. This included many small things (camping food, snacks, coffee, medicines, etc.) and big things (appropriate clothing, a tent, sleeping bags, mats, cookware, gas). Since the weather there is very unpredictable and unstable, even if it's summer, you have to be prepared for winter and summer weather, sometimes all in one day. The backpacks were heavy, as you can imagine. Almost 20 kg I'd guess.
After all the planning, the trip and my time off finally started, but I got a delayed response because I didn't know I was off work. Or that I basically didn't have to do anything. I can do whatever I want, I realized after just a few days. I suppose it started with the celebration of Argentina's victory in the World Cup. That was definitely a unique time to be there. The day after, we also celebrated my birthday. And I thought to myself, wow, I'm still on vacation, I still don't have to do anything.
I guess you think everything will be nice and smooth. You're prepared for a few hiccups, but if everything's good, you don't really think about it going bad, right? But it can also change instantly and become very black. That probably happens on every trip, especially in countries where everything isn't as easy and predictable as it's in Argentina.
It happened to us on a day when it shouldn't have. I woke up at 6 am and felt like something was missing. It was like we didn't have something. I thought about the Covid 19 requirements. We found out that you need a vaccination certificate or a valid PCR to enter Chile. I hadn't gotten my booster shot yet and immediately started to panic a little. The bus was scheduled to leave at 8 am, so I hoped I could solve the problem by then. Shortly thereafter, I got a slap in the face.
All pharmacies and hospitals were closed. And why? There was a two-day national holiday in the country because of Argentina's victory in the WC. After taking a cab around town at 6.30 am, we finally found a private clinic that does PCR testing. But, of course, you can’t get the results right away. You have to wait until 3 pm the next day. And suddenly our plans changed. We had to book a new bus for the next afternoon at 4 pm, book another night in El Calafate, book another place in Chile and change our trekking plan, which fortunately was possible.
The next day, shortly after breakfast, we got the negative PCR test! and we finally left for Chile. We were very happy and relaxed on the bus, thinking that our trip had finally begun and was going smoothly. We already started to plan what we wanted to eat for dinner in Puerto Natales, but then came the next little shock.
We arrive at the border and on the Chilean side we wait about 60 minutes on the bus. We didn't know what was going on. Suddenly we started asking questions and found out that one of the passengers didn't have the right papers to cross the border. People on the bus were talking about turning around and going back to El Calafate. We were like fuck no, that's not going to happen to us after all we've been through with the PCR tests. Fortunately, after another hour of waiting, we were able to continue on to Chile, and the passenger also got his paperwork in order. I think he'd be the most hated person in the world if we had to turn back because of him.
After that, we finally move on to Puerto Natales, Chile. But the logistical challenges did not end that day. We had to pick up our camping gear no later than 10 pm but knew we would not get there until 11 pm. Fortunately, the receptionist was kind enough (with a tip as an incentive) to wait for us. We get there and check out the equipment, but we do not have enough cash on us to pay for it - it was not possible to pay with a card. So I run to the nearest ATM and withdraw Chilean pesos, go back, pay, and we are done. We arrived at our hostel shortly after midnight, when all restaurants were already closed. For dinner, we had to satisfy our growling stomachs with a granola bar - good preparation for eating in camp. Even though the night was short sleep-wise, we enjoyed our last real soft bed before moving into our tent for the next week in Torres del Paine National Park.
The walking begins
This was my first real multi-day trek and what an experience. I must say that the real challenge for me wasn't physical, but mental. Every day we covered between 10 and 20 km with our backpacks, from camp to camp. The place is beautiful, one of the most beautiful landscapes I've seen so far. It's unique. There you have the feeling of being the only person in the world. You're far away from everything and you don't have cell phone reception. So you have no choice but to turn off the distractions of the real world and really BE with the few people who hike with you.
During the trek, we found a real balance between everything, especially the weather. For the first couple of days, the weather was perfect. Mostly sunny and not too hot with mostly light breezes. But when we left our 3rd camp, the day after Christmas, it got serious.
It was our shortest day of hiking, but at the end of the hike, it started to rain and snow. By the time we arrived at the campsite, it was very cold, the snow was getting heavier and we were completely soaked. A good time to pitch a tent and sleep in it while trying to keep at least some of your clothes dry. But that was just the beginning.
At camp, we were warned that there was going to be a snowstorm the next day and we'd have to leave no later than 6 am. It was also our longest day of hiking (9 hours) and the day with the greatest elevation gain (600 meters of ascent). When someone tells you that a snowstorm is coming, and in a relaxed way, you don't really know what to expect. We found out soon enough, though. And the climbs don't feel bad either when you see the numbers, but believe me, with the heavy backpacks and weather conditions, it's tough.
We started walking through the forest, still wet and cold, but the combination of snow and rain wasn't bad. When we got out of the woods, the biggest challenge of my life began. We had to cross the so-called John Gardner Pass, which is 1,200 meters above sea level, and we were in the middle of a snowstorm. My first thought was: ok, this is just some snow and wind, so I went through the first ascent pretty fast but was immediately out of breath. The wind was extremely strong, they say around 150 km/h with heavy snowfall. I'm not that small but the wind was pushing me in all directions. Then when Laurel fell into the snow because of the wind, I realized it was getting serious. Every step was a big challenge. It became even more difficult when my hands froze - I couldn't feel my fingers - and when I stepped into the freezing water with both feet. We were freezing, tired, fighting the wind, and couldn't see the end of the pass.
At some point in the middle, I actually thought for the first time in my life that I could easily die here. Many things went through my mind during that time, like my family and how simple life actually is. And how all of a sudden you just focus on one thing, getting through this shit. Mostly, though, I was just trying to motivate myself and tell myself that I can do it. That I had to do it. And somehow we did it.
We got over the pass, away from the storm, and started walking downhill. The snow was gone, but there was still no lack of wind. I could at least move my fingers, but they were still a little numb for a few days. I can't tell you how long it took us to get through this storm because I lost track of time with all the adrenaline, but it was about 3 hours. The next part of the trek was mostly downhill and flat just beside the lake and a huge glacier (Grey Glacier). The sight of the glacier after this intense experience was very peaceful. In the evening at camp, you can just be thankful. And be happy about the modest but at that time delicious camp food.
The next day, the last day of trekking in Chile, unfortunately, there was the same strong wind, but at least we weren't in snow and it wasn't that cold, so we pushed through it (literally). When we finished our trek, we had to take the ferry to the other side of the coast and then take a bus back to Puerto Natales where we had booked our hostel. We managed to pay for the ferry but didn't have enough pesos left to pay for the bus back to Puerto Natales. At the bus station, where it was raining hard, there was a small bar and a young man overheard us saying that we didn't have enough money for the bus. He asked us how much we needed, and we said 5,000 pesos (6 USD), and he gave it to us right away. So we caught the bus at the last second before it left! I couldn't believe what just happened, how lucky we were, but I'm very grateful for it, for the person who lent us the money.
We went to Puerto Natales, but we had a similar situation as the first day. We had to return the equipment by 10 pm, but again we knew we would be late. Fortunately, another receptionist was waiting for us and all went well. This time we arrived at the hostel before midnight, and luckily the restaurants were open so we did not have to eat a granola bar for dinner. The receptionist recommended a pizzeria, and (again) we were lucky because we were the last guests to be served at 11 pm. It was one of the best pizzas I have ever had, I must say. Everything was good again. Or was it?
The next morning we took the bus back to El Calafate, Argentina, and everything went smoothly. Again we started planning what we would have for lunch (mostly it was me dreaming about food), and another surprise awaited us at the border. Everything went fine on the Chilean side, but the Argentine border was simply closed. So after an hour of waiting, we turned around and headed back to the Chilean border. It was already planned that they would drive us back to Puerto Natales and take us through another border pass. But when this happened, after an hour of waiting, the Argentine border magically opened and we were able to continue our journey.
For the rest of our trip, if you can believe it, we had no more big surprises. We were able to celebrate New Year's Eve with a good Argentine BBQ and wine and managed to squeeze in 3 more days of trekking in El Chalten, which was much easier and without any major problems. We were supposed to hike for 4 days, but we were just too exhausted to sleep in the tent for another night, so we headed back to town to drink beer, eat good food and relax.
Huh, that was intense even as I was writing it. The whole adventure, looking back now, taught me many lessons and insights, more than I learned from any person or school. Lessons about travel, life, and the uncertainties that come with it. Here are some of them:
For me, I realized during the trip, this was part of a larger journey and not a vacation. It was a way for me to find out all the things that I don't know yet that I don't know. I was there to find the things I wasn't looking for yet. To get out of my comfort zone, to learn.
We can plan all we want, but things will never go as planned. The good thing is that unplanned things, if you keep an open mind, can provide more satisfaction. If we plan and have in mind this one attraction, this one experience, this one sight that is supposed to be the highlight, aren't we then taking the joy out of all the other things along the way and seeing them as unworthy of our attention?
I learned that the only time I could really detach myself from work and think about everyday nonsense was when we were trekking away from civilization and could occupy ourselves with other, simple things. On the other days when we were in town, I actually wanted to do something, I wanted to work, I was distracted and my mind was still working a lot. What kept me from working was physical fatigue and a big but simple goal for each day - get to the next campsite, pitch the tent, cook dinner, and eat breakfast the next day (oh, how I looked forward to peanut butter in the morning). That was what gave me happiness and purpose. Very simple and primal. The day after we finished our trek and were on the bus back to town, I felt like something was missing. I felt a certain emptiness. I don't think I can give myself time off by lying around the resorts. It felt good to do nothing and just lay around all day for some time when we got back from the hike and were mentally and physically exhausted. We just drank wine, watched movies and visited the usual tourist attractions. But after 3 days, I was bored and craving adventure again. For me, a good vacation is a balanced vacation. But of course, everyone has to find out for themselves what is good for them to really clear their head.
You will not be rewarded for every little thing you do. I think school does a poor job of preparing us for that with its grades. You have to find your own reward in the little things, and sometimes the reward does not come right away. Sometimes you do not even know what the reward is, or it's a small reward that you have to learn to appreciate. At that moment, for me, it was peanut butter for breakfast, a beer at the campsite, or successfully pitching a tent. Appreciation is something you have to give yourself, no one can take that away from you. You have to live on your appreciation, not on the praise of others.
Don't mess with your mom's feelings - and pay the price if you do. I forgot to tell my mom that I wouldn't have reception before we left for the trek. So I had to pay 2 USD for 10 minutes of Wi-Fi at the second campsite where we could still get it, just to let her know that I wouldn't have reception. But then after a few days I remembered that I had told her the wrong day of my return. So I had to buy Wi-Fi again at the last campsite, only to tell her I'd be back the next day. That's an important lesson I learned.
When we landed back in Buenos Aires, I was actually very excited and enthusiastic about many things. I was happy to be back in the big city, and I was looking forward to starting to work on the things I'm passionate about. I was excited about the coming year and what it'll bring.
Although I gave you a longer answer about how the trip was, it was really great, the food was good, the views were amazing and the people were nice. Happy new year, if I'm still allowed to say it.
There was an insightful reader comment under this post: https://www.rtvslo.si/zivljenjski-slog/ture-avanture/popotniski-dnevnik/po-almini-poti/druzenje-po-avstralsko-okoli-tabornega-ognja/497713
I saved it at the time. Fortunately, because now it's no longer there:
"True travelers do not need anything predetermined, because they are open to new experiences, ... they have no idea where the journey will go, and they do not worry about it at all, ... they let themselves be surprised, guided, persuaded ... they can even allow themselves that someone else comes back from the journey than their old self!"