From the Edge of the World to the Devil's throat - South America

14.12.2016 - 29.12.2016

Route around the world started from Finland. South American red spots in order: Buenos Aires - Bariloche - El Chalten and El Calafate - Punta Arenas - Ushuaia - Iguazu Falls - Rio de Janeiro.

El Chalten - Feeling the wind

El Chalten, day 2. If someone would have told me that the elevation in today’s 20km hike was 1.1km, I would have stayed in hostel and read some comic books. In comparison, the highest point in Finland is only 1330 meters from sea level. At the end of the very steep slope I felt my self as a mountain climber.

Sendero Loma del Pligue Mirador Lookout Panorama. The picture is very different from reality. You can't see for example the 100 meters vertical drop that is in front of me.

El Chalten, day 3. The day was sunny once again, which meant another 20km hike. The scenery beneath the majestetic Mount FitzRoy was breath taking. I set the earplugs to my ears and turned the music on. I hadn’t felt so relaxed in years. Back home it is always so easy to damage your brain with internet and all this meaningless stuff.

Mount FitzRoy, Lago de los Tres. Walk was 4 hours one way but was worth it.

On the same evening we prepared some barbecue with other backbackers. We were super lucky to have an Argentinean cook among us who was able to prepare a whole lamb in an open fire!

Preparing to roast the lamb in open fire in El Chalten.

El Calafate - Bus hazzle and the glacier

It was time to continue my trip to the town of El Calafate which is known from Perito Moreno glacier. It wasn’t too easy to get a bus ticket.

I arrived to bus station ten minutes before the bus was leaving. I went to the desk to purchase the ticket. Paying by credit card wasn’t an option and I didn’t have enough cash. They said I don’t have time to go ATM.

I checked my backpack for more pesos - no luck. I asked when the next bus would leave. In eight hours they said. I demanded answer for the ATM location again and now he pointed to other side of the road. I don’t know why he didn’t tell this at first time.

I ran to withdraw cash and came back, but someone was in the line before me. Three minutes until the bus would leave. I called for the ticket officers but they ignored me on purpose. The bus left from the terminal. In a worked-up state I asked why they didn’t serve me first as other people were not that busy. I didn’t even listen the answer before I smashed the bank notes to the table, mumbled some curse words and asked to give me ticket to the next bus. Face red from the anger the employee pushed money back to me and told me to leave.

I bought my ticket from another company to a bus that would leave in two hours. I paid by card.

Bus to El Calafate took three hours. The next day I went to Perito Moreno glacier by a tourist bus. It was amazing how powerful noice those falling small ice blocks kept. Well, the size of the blocks was illusion. The height of the glacier was actually 70 meters and underwater depth incredible 160 meters.

Perito Moreno glacier, El Calafate. The ice was pouring from mountains.

Punta Arenas - Nimble penguins

Maybe it was because of those heavy hikes but I had a mild flu when arriving in Punta Arenas, Chile. I was really surprised how fast the penguins were in water. But it’s pretty obvious considering that they are fish predators.

Set the subtitles for the video from the settings.

Ushuaia - The southernmost city in the world

The last destination in the tip of South America was literally at the edge of the world. That’s because Ushuaia has been titled as the southernmost city in the world. In Ushuaia I mostly healed from the flu.

An interesting fact about the latitude of Ushuaia: Even though it is the the southernmost city in the world, it is not that close to South pole. The corresponding latitude in Northern hemisphere would be in Lithuania which means that whole Finland is in greater latitudes.

Ushuaia, Mountains, Tierra del Fuego. In Ushuaia I only made short walks in city centre.

Iguazu falls - In the Devil’s throat

On Christmas I already felt better with my flu. When I arrived to Iguazu falls I first went to Barzilian side of the falls. It was difficult to even recognize what I saw as the total width of the falls was almost 3km.

Iguazu Falls, Brazil - Panorama. This view was from Brazilian side lookout tower.

After seeing the falls I went back to Argentina side to take another bus to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. It wasn’t the most ambient place to be on Christmas eve so I just quickly walked through the city and got back to bus station.

Christmas eve in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. The streets were totally empty.

Next day I toured the Argentina side of Iguazu falls. It was amazing to walk above and in between the falls. This time I really experienced the whole power of the complex natural water system.

Rio de Janeiro - Hills and heat

Rio de Janeiro, day 1. The city was even more beautiful than I expected. The views were gorgeous and beaches long. On Boxing day I just settled down in the accomodation.

Rio de Janeiro, day 2. Christ the redeemer statue was a real tourist trap. Hysterical people squat, lied and cursed while desperately trying to take selfies with the statue. If I had to choose from the two I would rather go to Sugarloaf mountain with the cable cart. Our tour group single mindedly voted Sugarloaf views better than Chrsit the redeemer.

Crowd in Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro. It was impossible to get a good picture about the statue.

Sugarloaf Mountain Panorama - Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro, day 3 and 4. I took a refreshing swim in Copacabana beach but rest of the day I just charged my batteries. It was really mind blowing how a 6km beach can be so crowded that you have to use elbows to make your space.

Costs - Estimated less than 10000 euros

My estimation before the trip was to spend 10000 to 15000 euros during my around the world trip. Right now it seems that I will make it closer to 10000.