That's great, it starts with an earthquake,
birds and snakes, an aeroplane
Lenny Bruce is not afraid
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn
World serves its own needs, regardless of your own needs
Feed it up a knock,
speed, grunt no, strength no.
Ladder structure clatter with fear of height, down height
Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for hire and a combat site
Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck.
Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered crop.
Look at that low plane! Fine then.
Uh oh, overflow, population,
common group, but it'll do.
Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed.
Tell me with the rapture and the reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty psyched.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign tower. Slash and burn,
return, listen to yourself churn.
Lock him in uniform and book burning, blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a candle, light a motive. Step down, step down. Watch a heel crush, crush.
Uh oh, this means no fear - cavalier. Renegade and steer clear!
A tournament,
a tournament,
a tournament of lies.
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives
and I decline.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide. Mount St. Edelite.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom!
You symbiotic, patriotic,
slam, but neck,
Right?
Right.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...fine...
(It's time I had some time alone)
Sunday, 25 October 2009
No Paine No Gain
Having settled down in Puerto Natales, we got out a map and with the help of Carlos, the brilliant owner of the house we we staying in, planned a 2 day jaunt around the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, despite its southernly location one of Chile´s biggest attractions and a veritable mecca for hikers and mountain climbers. Due to time constraints we couldn´t take in the ´W´, a 4 to 5 day trail, or El Circuito Grande, a 10 day circuit encompassing most of the park, but instead worked out a sort of greatest hits of the place. For the first day, we utilised bus transfers within the park to see various lakes, waterfalls, always backlit by the stunning Paine Massif with the imposing Los Torres in the centre. The highlight of this was an hour and a half walk taking in the huge Lago Grey, with Glaciar Grey in the distance. Walking from the forest onto the beach our eyes were drawn to one thing.
Ice bergs.
There were ice bergs.
At the beach.
Ice bergs at the beach.
ICE BERGS AT THE BEACH.
You can understand our excitement, I´m sure. Despite the unbelievable awesomeness of this surreal place, it was a whole new level of freezing, and posing for photos in front of the lake, one was prone to be splashed by water being blown by the incredibly strong winds.
Walking through Torres del Paine, by the way, I experienced winds stronger than I´ve ever felt before. Twas a little brisk to say the least.
Following this we hopped on a bus back to the park entrance, then walked for an hour and a half until we arrived at the campsite Los Torres. Here we set up our tent, made a cup of tea and cooked some pasta. Then we went to sleep and woke up quite cold.
Starting the next morning, we hiked the trail up to the Torres base. This wasn´t too challenging, had some great views, and of course experienced every season in one day. It started off really pleasant, before raining, snowing, becoming really windy, raining some more...
Unfortunately, upon arriving at the base of Los Torres (the scary looking granite towers you´ll see if you google Torres del Paine), it was far to foggy to see them. Add to this the heavy snow, and óther than throw some snowballs around we didnt stick around long.
And so it was, back to the camp, pack up our tent, back to Puerto Natales for a victory pizza and then an early bus to Argentina the next day.
Ice bergs.
There were ice bergs.
At the beach.
Ice bergs at the beach.
ICE BERGS AT THE BEACH.
You can understand our excitement, I´m sure. Despite the unbelievable awesomeness of this surreal place, it was a whole new level of freezing, and posing for photos in front of the lake, one was prone to be splashed by water being blown by the incredibly strong winds.
Walking through Torres del Paine, by the way, I experienced winds stronger than I´ve ever felt before. Twas a little brisk to say the least.
Following this we hopped on a bus back to the park entrance, then walked for an hour and a half until we arrived at the campsite Los Torres. Here we set up our tent, made a cup of tea and cooked some pasta. Then we went to sleep and woke up quite cold.
Starting the next morning, we hiked the trail up to the Torres base. This wasn´t too challenging, had some great views, and of course experienced every season in one day. It started off really pleasant, before raining, snowing, becoming really windy, raining some more...
Unfortunately, upon arriving at the base of Los Torres (the scary looking granite towers you´ll see if you google Torres del Paine), it was far to foggy to see them. Add to this the heavy snow, and óther than throw some snowballs around we didnt stick around long.
And so it was, back to the camp, pack up our tent, back to Puerto Natales for a victory pizza and then an early bus to Argentina the next day.
Monday, 19 October 2009
The Long Way Down
We awoke Friday morning, had breakfast in the little guesthouse we were staying at, packed up some things and then out of nowhere the little old lady who owned it announced we had to leave. I told her we have to go to the bank, we don´t have enough money to pay you at the moment, to which she simply replied "no", clearly not realising her 2 options: let us go to the bank or be shortchanged.
Eventually she devised a plan that involved us going to the bank, returning with the 2500 chilean pesos we owed her and giving it to her neighbour, as she wouldn´t be in. Fine. So we do just that, dropping our bags off at the ferry port. To our dismay the Navimag people tell us that due to short space we´ve been upgraded to a private cabin with a window and a wash basin. Aw no! So we won´t be in the engine room afterall.
We get some food, mate (thats mah-tay), and head back to her place with our ducats. She is not in, so we give it to her neighbour, and make our way to the port. We board the ship (late...have to walk through the hold with all the trucks and animals and cargo, the rest of the passengers were treated to an elevator ride), find our cabin, and we´re off.
See the map below for our route (number 1 to number 9).
We sail through lakes past the island of Chiloe, and on the second day sailed into the open Pacific. It was a tad choppy and there was much vomiting all around. Let´s just say the wash basin in our room came in useful afterall.
At one point we enjoy tremendous miscommunication, crazy hand gestures and the heavy consumption of Pisco with some Chilean fellows who speak no English. One of them looks like the murderer from Zodiac. Another plays accordion.
On the third night, as the ship is navigating the maze of fjords and tiny islands, we experience really heavy rain, which is fun. Followed at 6am the next morning, as we are going through the Wide Narrow, by lots of snow.
We arrive at 9am in Puerto Natales, the most south Steve and I have ever been (so far). We disembark, wave goodbye to our floating home (and curse its stinking baños), and make our way into town. Needless to say, it´s quite cold and windy here.
Tomorrow we´re going camping in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine.
Eventually she devised a plan that involved us going to the bank, returning with the 2500 chilean pesos we owed her and giving it to her neighbour, as she wouldn´t be in. Fine. So we do just that, dropping our bags off at the ferry port. To our dismay the Navimag people tell us that due to short space we´ve been upgraded to a private cabin with a window and a wash basin. Aw no! So we won´t be in the engine room afterall.
We get some food, mate (thats mah-tay), and head back to her place with our ducats. She is not in, so we give it to her neighbour, and make our way to the port. We board the ship (late...have to walk through the hold with all the trucks and animals and cargo, the rest of the passengers were treated to an elevator ride), find our cabin, and we´re off.
See the map below for our route (number 1 to number 9).
We sail through lakes past the island of Chiloe, and on the second day sailed into the open Pacific. It was a tad choppy and there was much vomiting all around. Let´s just say the wash basin in our room came in useful afterall.
At one point we enjoy tremendous miscommunication, crazy hand gestures and the heavy consumption of Pisco with some Chilean fellows who speak no English. One of them looks like the murderer from Zodiac. Another plays accordion.
On the third night, as the ship is navigating the maze of fjords and tiny islands, we experience really heavy rain, which is fun. Followed at 6am the next morning, as we are going through the Wide Narrow, by lots of snow.
We arrive at 9am in Puerto Natales, the most south Steve and I have ever been (so far). We disembark, wave goodbye to our floating home (and curse its stinking baños), and make our way into town. Needless to say, it´s quite cold and windy here.
Tomorrow we´re going camping in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine.
Friday, 16 October 2009
Sky of blue, sea of green, in our yellow...
We´ve just been informed that they´ve upgraded us from lowly engine room shared cabin to a private twin room WITH A PORTHOLE!!!!
FOR NO EXTRA COST.
FUNK YEAH.
also expedia suck
FOR NO EXTRA COST.
FUNK YEAH.
also expedia suck
Thursday, 15 October 2009
San Carlos de Bariloche
So, after CONQUERING the 2000+ metre volcano in Pucon, Chile, we made our way to the depressing shipping town of Puerto Montt. The next morning we got a bus over the border to Bariloche, Argentina, a place where *gasp* I´ve been before. Here´s what went down.
Climbed cerro campanario to the wonderful lookout platform on top, giving us a panoramic view of Lago Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche and the surrounding mountains. National Geographic calls it "one of the top 10 views in the world".
Got a bus to Llao Llao, walked through a forest and hung out at the lake. Made friends with a dog we christened Chi Cho.
The next day biked a similar route, but round the 60km (apparently) Circuito Chico, with a break at the godawful (read: terrific) dinosaur "museum". Went out drinkin´ the local beer with our new Spanish friend Alfonso.
THE NEXT DAY WE DID NOTHING DONT JUDGE US WE´RE ONLY HUMAN
We went to El Bolson, a hippie town 126 km south of Bariloche. Walked around the market, walked out of town to see some nice views, twas all very quaint and pleasant.
AND FINALLY, after putting it off for several days due to bad weather, we braved Cerro Catedral. Snow meant that we couldn´t actually climb the ridge (if we could ski, then it was possible to chairlift up, ski down, walk the rest), but instead we just had an awesome walk. Got lost at the beginning because we (I) are idiots. It was very pleasant walking along the first stretch, by the time we reached the forest it had started snowing, the last half km up to Refugio Frey (in January the site of a picturesque marshy lake) was covered in thick snow and battered with icy winds. We became hysterical, mountain fever surely haven taken hold. Falling over every 3 steps, giggling like the evil Nazi from Raiders of the Lost Ark whose name escapes me currently, it was a tough haul. But we got to Frey, enjoyed a cup of tea and then made our way back. A tasty Lomito was waiting for us back in town.
DID NOTHING ONCE AGAIN AHRHHGHG
except eat ice cream and chocolate
Got a bus to Villa La Angostura, biked the Parque Nacional Bosque de Arrayanes, made friends with more dogs (christened Rama, Baghera, Mowgli and the one-legged Monalito respectively). Supped on torta brownie.
And now we must reluctantly head back into Chile. For sure, the dirty streets of Puerto Montt are not welcoming, but we must board our vessel tomorrow morn, sleeping in windowless dirty cabins for 4 days, navigating the icey waters of the south Pacific and the Patagonian fjords, arriving at Puerto Natales on Monday.
Upon leaving this fair country before I vowed to return. I kept my word, and now I must vow once again. We shall return in a few weeks. But for now, the sea is our friend, enemy and sultry lover.
Bon voyage, chicos.
Climbed cerro campanario to the wonderful lookout platform on top, giving us a panoramic view of Lago Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche and the surrounding mountains. National Geographic calls it "one of the top 10 views in the world".
Got a bus to Llao Llao, walked through a forest and hung out at the lake. Made friends with a dog we christened Chi Cho.
The next day biked a similar route, but round the 60km (apparently) Circuito Chico, with a break at the godawful (read: terrific) dinosaur "museum". Went out drinkin´ the local beer with our new Spanish friend Alfonso.
THE NEXT DAY WE DID NOTHING DONT JUDGE US WE´RE ONLY HUMAN
We went to El Bolson, a hippie town 126 km south of Bariloche. Walked around the market, walked out of town to see some nice views, twas all very quaint and pleasant.
AND FINALLY, after putting it off for several days due to bad weather, we braved Cerro Catedral. Snow meant that we couldn´t actually climb the ridge (if we could ski, then it was possible to chairlift up, ski down, walk the rest), but instead we just had an awesome walk. Got lost at the beginning because we (I) are idiots. It was very pleasant walking along the first stretch, by the time we reached the forest it had started snowing, the last half km up to Refugio Frey (in January the site of a picturesque marshy lake) was covered in thick snow and battered with icy winds. We became hysterical, mountain fever surely haven taken hold. Falling over every 3 steps, giggling like the evil Nazi from Raiders of the Lost Ark whose name escapes me currently, it was a tough haul. But we got to Frey, enjoyed a cup of tea and then made our way back. A tasty Lomito was waiting for us back in town.
DID NOTHING ONCE AGAIN AHRHHGHG
except eat ice cream and chocolate
Got a bus to Villa La Angostura, biked the Parque Nacional Bosque de Arrayanes, made friends with more dogs (christened Rama, Baghera, Mowgli and the one-legged Monalito respectively). Supped on torta brownie.
And now we must reluctantly head back into Chile. For sure, the dirty streets of Puerto Montt are not welcoming, but we must board our vessel tomorrow morn, sleeping in windowless dirty cabins for 4 days, navigating the icey waters of the south Pacific and the Patagonian fjords, arriving at Puerto Natales on Monday.
Upon leaving this fair country before I vowed to return. I kept my word, and now I must vow once again. We shall return in a few weeks. But for now, the sea is our friend, enemy and sultry lover.
Bon voyage, chicos.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
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