As I said before El Chalten sells itself as the National Trekking Capital. And, blimey they’re not wrong. Dominated by the ridiciously high, steep and pointy Cerro Fitzroy there are trails all over the place up to lakes, viewpoints and glaciers. Fitzroy didn’t really play a big part in my El Chalten experience as for the whole time I was there I couldn’t actually see it because of the clouds. But, it didn’t matter (not even the fact that as the bus pulled out on my way to El Calafate, the clouds lifted and the whole incredible thing was visible) and it didn’t stop me from trooping my way up hills, down hills, along valleys, across rivers, sometimes with a bridge, sometimes not, for 4 days. I loved it. Hooked up with others from the bus and people we’d met in the hostel and just walked for hours. In rain, in snow, in sunshine, in hail, in cloud. Nothing mattered except just putting one foot in front of the other. It felt incredible and honestly, I felt something change in me. My head felt clear, nothing to worry about, nothing could stop me, it all just fell into place. My God, could I actually be Happy? Certainly felt like it. And what’s more I saw condors. Lots of condors. And parrots.
Lago de los Tres