Today, on my birthday, I am back at home and will celebrate
with friends and family.
However, the last 4 weeks I traveled far from home and
explored Patagonia and the southern region of the South
American continent.
Overview of my Journey:
My journey took me from San Francisco
to Buenos Aires in Argentina
– albeit not in a straight line fashion as indicated on the above map. Painfully, I had to go through New
York before the night flight to the capital of Argentina . But traveling with my good friend Lynda made
the long flight and layovers bearable.
After a short trip for the airport to the inner city, we
were met by our Photo tour group at the hotel and spend 2 nights exploring the
‘city of tango and music’. Our next flight took us further south to El Calafate in the
heart of Patagonia , the most southern region of the
South American continent shared by Argentina
and Chile .
The next 14 days, we explored the FitzRoy Massive, a
mountain chain with its highest peak at ~11,000ft, walked on the Viedma Glacier
after strapping crampons under our hiking boots, met with an original ‘gaucho’,
the South American Cowboy, and his dog and horse, heard the rumblings of glaciers as they move
and saw calving big ice sheets from the glacier face, observed sheep herding on
an authentic sheep ranch, Estancia Alicia, photographed guanacos, the cousins
of alpacas and guanacos endemic in the South American Andes in the Torre del
Paine region, took a great ferry ride to Terra del Fuego (Land of Fire) and saw
our first penguins, a small and newly established King Penguin colony – and I
fell in love with these curious and beautiful non-flying birds.
On the Punta Arenas-El Porvenir Ferry crossing the Magellan Strait
Lynda and I left the group to return to Punta
Arenas where we explored the most southern town of
150,000 inhabitants and explored more penguins, this time the Magellanic
Penguins on Isla Magdalena, before joining our next group for an expedition on
the Magellan Strait
Our home on the Magellan Strait
Curious Young Elephant Seal
The time passed quickly with so many wonderful experiences
and soon we were back in Punta Arenas
not looking forward to our long haul back to the US : Punta Arenas
– Santiago – Buenos
Aires – Newark
– San Francisco .
Last day on the Magellan Strait - finally the sun made an appearance!
But what a journey it was!!
High mountains, open seas, wildlife on land, on sea and in the air. Seeing 8 condors taking the thermals up
higher and higher was an unforgettable sight better enjoyed without the camera
in front of my eyes. What a joy to see
these enormous birds with a 3 m (9ft) wingspan taking flight and soaring in the
high sky. They are not threatened in
these mountains, gliding over the enormous glaciers and over the fjords and
islands of this untouched land. There is a beauty in the rough landscape that
tells of hardship for man and beast who try to penetrate it. Those who survive the raw nature in this
region are richly rewarded. Since the
land in the southern cold climate offers sparse, low and hardy vegetation, the
seas mostly provide food for the condors, albatross, petrels, fur seals,
elephant seals, humpbacks and all the other critters that make their life
here. I am thankful having been given
all but a glimpse into a world quite foreign to me. I loved having the wind blowing in my hair,
happy that I did not fall into the icy waters when kayaking! - and mastering my
fear of climbing on crampons over glacier crevices.
Now I am back home.
My camera and I were very busy during the trip – amazing that I did not get
cramps in my index finger from triggering the shutter release - and I will
share my images as I work through and relive my trip.
Til next time soon,
Meggi
Comments? I love to hear from you. Please use my email mraeder33@gmail.com to reach me.
