Experimenting with water

You know you´re in South America when...

...the family pet is a young guacano

Ice climbing and hiking on the Grey Glacier (Torres del Paine)

Birds in Argentina and Chile

My 12 X camera zoom is coming in very handy with the birds. Aren´t the baby swans cute!

Tree Runner

Black-necked Swan

Crested Caracara

Harrier

Upland Goose

Ink blot test - or - reflected tree stump at dusk?

I think it´s the height of abstract photographic art. Well sort of. Ally thinks I´ve reached a low. What do you think?

Huerquehue National Park

Described in our Bible (The Lonely Planet) as one of the "must see" parks in Chile

We were rowed to our camp site by our new found friends, Victor and Nicholas (great because it saved us a long hike with our backpacks).

Ally getting adjusted to our new tent, purchased just a few days ago (it rained one night out of the three and thankfully passed the water proof test, thank goodness)...

Playing Volleyball in a forest clearing...

Meeting our fellow campers (the one on the right was a bit of a frisky fellow)...

Feeling well rested, we then hiked up into the mountains to explore some great views, beautiful waterfalls and high altitude lakes

Enjoying the reflections in the clear weather

Excerpt from Ally´s email

Before we left to go camping they held the national election and have elected the first women president for Chile. There was much honking of horns and people shouting slogans from megaphones. I was a tad concerned to see the riot police in full gear when I went to the supermarket but they were a happy crowd.

I really enjoyed our time in the national park. We stayed at a site initinally right on the banks of the lake and we were the only people there. It was so peaceful and pristinely beautiful. We did a fantastic hike up through the forests to big clear lakes at the top. Unfortunately they were quite close to the snow line so were very cold. I was only brave enough to put my feet in but some chap treated us to a naked swim! I don't think he realised that he would have to walk as far as he did to reach waist high water!

The trip down from the hike was a quarter as short due to the gradient and I started to dream of an ice cold Sprite. But we found a wonderful little place at the bottom that sold the most amazing rasberry pie. We ate it in no time.

We met three girls on the hike back who we knew from the previous hostel who were staying at another camp site so we moved as it was much cheaper. The chap came to fetch us in a row boat and he had a cutie friend who was 10. All four of us girls lost our hearts to the cutie as he had a killer smile and such an eager to please disposition. G spent hours playing volleyball and soccer with them much to their delight.

On our last night camping the weather was turning so we went to this beautiful wooden house and had a traditional Chile meal. It was hot and filling. We met a women who will be staying there for a couple of weeks as she is writing a book. She wouldn't tell us too much about it but she did entertain us with stories of all her travels. She had even been to Antartica. G then started to look in the book about trips there as it is on his life list but is is out of our budget for this trip.

Now we are back in Pucon for a couple of days before heading to Puerto Montt to catch the ferry which take us right down south past glaciers and stark mountian ranges. I am so excited about the ferry trip.

Pucon hot springs

Soothing my aching muscles from yesterday in these beautiful hot springs. Being a Volcanic area, hot springs abound in Pucon.

We went with Peter and Donna (a great couple we have met in our hostel) from Queensland and they delighted us with exciting accounts of our next abode.

The pool was set in this beautiful valley with a tumbling river rushing past the tranquil pools. Nice to cool off in between hot dips.

Pucon in the Chile Lake District

The mountain in the photo is a live volcano. The allure of climbing it is one of the main drawing cards of Pucon - along with the beautiful lake of course.

Climbing the Volcano!

Climbing up and up through the ice. Specialised boots and ice pick in hand, rented of course.

To amazing views of Pucon and other mountains...

And some silly devils. Far more risque photos available on request!

And the highlight - the amazing volcano itself - spewing smoke and periodic fountains of lava. It has not erupted for over 40 years so we felt somewhat safe...

One of the friendly guides. It was his fifth time up the mountain this week. Makes me exhausted just thinking about it! It sure was a tough slog going up. Coming down, we slid on our bums - the longest foofi slide in history. One of the most exhilerating experiences I have ever had.