Torres del Paine

I've made three trips to Torres del Paine since I arrived in mid July, and every time my eyes see the gigantic massif of rock and glaciers, I am humbled. The view is constantly changing with every passing second. Whether it's the wind blowing the clouds into a new pattern or the ice crashing down the side of the mountain during an avalanche, there is always a new perspective.

During my last adventure, I joined three environmental scientists from the National Science Foundation as they collected water samples from Lago Sarmiento. They are here from Stanford University to gather data from different bodies of water in Patagonia to study climate change over several thousands of years. This lake is one of the few bodies of water that has no inlet and no outlet, and so the water is completely contained within the sprawling shoreline. Another special feature of this lake is the calcium carbonate (Bioherms) that grows beneath the surface of the water. Bioherms are a coral like growth that continue to die as the lake level decreases, however, it makes for an incredibly beautiful white shoreline around the lake's perimeter. I've been told that Lago Sarmiento is one of the few lakes that have these special characteristics, but the most amazing part of the story is that boats are not allowed on Lago Sarmiento. The scientists had to apply for special permits and received permission from the National Park to use a boat on the lake to collect data for their research. So basically, I am one of the select few who have traveled on the majestic blue water of this enormous lake! I spent the entire day collecting samples of water, samples of soil from the lake bottom, and reading the depth of the water (the lake is over 350 meters deep in some spots). Needless to say, I learned a plethora of new information about geology, climate patterns, and the evolution of the glaciers that filled the lake thousands of years ago.

So why me? Why did I receive the invitation? Well...I was asked to join the project as the photographer. Which means that my photos will likely be published with the results of the research! The scientists will work for another two years, collecting and studying the data, so please don't hold your breath for my big break...I'll keep you posted once the findings are actually available. But even if my photos are never published, it's likely that I'm the only photographer that has ever taken pictures from Lago Sarmiento. It was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity!

In other news, I've been talking with a board member from the Fundatión Patagonia about my ideas for the trash clean up along the coast of Natales. I'm not making much progress, as most of the board members are on vacation for the winter months. I'm hoping that we can set up a meeting once they return to Natales for the tourist season. Until then, one of my friends and I are planning a trash clean up day of our own on Tuesday. We will walk the coast in town until our bags are full, which probably won't take long. Who knows if I'll end up working with the Fundatión Patagonia, but I'll get that garbage cleaned up one way or another!

I'm also planning to create a website for my photography. Again, please don't hold your breath, as this is a huge project, but it is in the works. A few people have asked to purchase my photos for their websites to advertise for trips to Torres del Paine, which will be great publicity. That, in addition to the opportunity with the scientists, is a red flag that it's time to put a little more time and energy into my photography. It's really quite exciting!

And so I continue to fill my time in Patagonia with amazing experiences! It makes me wonder what is in store for me in the future? Only time will tell...

P.S. I tried to upload photos but the internet down here is a bit slow. I'll try again next time! Big hugs from Patagonia!!!

Update from Natales

The weather here in Natales has been gorgeous this last week! There seems to be a misconception that the winter in Patagonia is unbearably harsh, but this is not the case at all. On the contrary, it’s quite comfortable to spend the day biking along the coast in the sunshine, which is how I spent my afternoon yesterday. Earlier this week we awoke to rain in Natales, but by mid-day, when we arrived at in the park, the clouds parted and the sun warmed our skin. Torres del Paine is absolutely incredible in the winter, covered in a blanket of snow. The perspective of the rolling hills leading up to the gigantic massive of rock has an entirely different dimension. It’s difficult to find words to describe the beauty of this wonder of the world. Simply, it’s breath taking.

Even more amazing, are the animals that survive in the extreme climate of Torres del Paine. The nandu, guanaco, condor, and several other species of birds are just a few examples of the fauna we witnessed that day. The nandu is a large land bird that makes its home in the southern region of Patagonia. This ostrich like creature can run at speeds near 60km per hour, but lacks the ability to fly. The guanaco, like the llama, is blanketed with thick wool to protect it from the ever-changing weather of Patagonia. And the Andean Condor, the largest bird in the world, has a wingspan of 6-9 feet. I couldn’t even begin to count how many condors we watched soaring through the blue sky on our drive to the park.

So you may have concluded, from reading my last few blog posts, that I’m enjoying my time in Patagonia. Indeed, I find myself in a world that is wild, exciting, and filled with adventure. Every morning I’m grateful for the vista of the sea, dwarfed by the towering, snow covered mountains. Every day I appreciate the smell of the salt water blowing up from the coast, filling the air with a richness that warms the soul. And every night I enjoy taking dinner and tea with my friends in a warm house, filled with laughter. For these things, I am thankful for my time in Patagonia.

Let There Be Work

During my first two weeks in Natales life was pretty quiet, but this last week has proved to be a bit more eventful. I'm meeting many new people, so it's nice to see some fresh faces and make some new friends. One of my housemates has returned from vacation and I enjoy having company in the house. Living in a big house, alone, for two weeks can be pretty...well, lonely. I appreciated having time to get settled and become comfortable, but it's great to have someone to share meals and practice Spanish.

However, I have even bigger news! I started working a new job on Saturday night!!! I'm working in Baguales, the local brewpub, and I'm super psyched about it. It's equivalent to the Southern Sun of Boulder (which most of you know was my second home), so it really couldn't be more perfect :) The food is great, my co-workers are friendly and helpful, and the beer is AMAZING! More than anything, this will be a great way to help learn Spanish. Until November, the bar is only open on Friday and Saturday, which means that I can go camping, climbing, and kayaking during the week and still make some cash on the weekends. It's a pretty sweet deal, especially considering I've only been here for three weeks!

Yesterday I received an invitation to Patagonia Camp, which is a hotel just south of Torres del Paine. Patagonia Camp is a beautiful hotel, built from Lenga wood, which sits in the middle of nowhere next to an enormous lake. The rooms in the hotel are actually yurts that are scattered along the hillside. And with views of Los Cuernos, the setting is more than ideal. I spent the day walking in the rain, taking photos, and just enjoying in the beautiful nature that surrounded me.

My friend Angie and I are hoping to leave for a three-day trip to Torres del Paine tomorrow. I still need to repair my tent, so that is the plan for today. Hopefully it doesn't take me all day to locate and buy the supplies I need for the repair. I decided that the duct tape idea wasn't going to hold up to the wind and weather down here. So instead, I'm going to stitch the holes before sealing it with seam grip. Hopefully this idea will hold up to the extreme conditions.

So all in all, everything is going great for me in Natales. I have a nice house, amazing friends, a job, and all of this is surrounded by the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen. Life is good!

A walk along the coast

Wanted to share a few photos from one of my favorite walks around town. The coast is beautiful in the winter! The water is calm, the mountains are covered in snow, and birds fill the shoreline. Can you believe that pink flamingos live here in the winter? I always thought that they were a tropical bird but obviously that was misconception! There are hundreds of them along the coast, along with swans, ducks, and many other species of birds. If the birds can survive the winter weather in Patagonia, then I will be just fine :)

Most of my time is spent studying spanish, going for walks around town, reading, exercising, and cooking. Each day that passes brings a little more daylight with it, but the nights are still very long. Although it is snowing today, the temperature is not terribly cold and it's still comfortable to go for a walk along the coast. I wonder if the flamingos will be out today?

Hola de Puerto Natales!!!

I arrived in Natales last night and I could not be happier! The air is brisk and fresh, the mountains have a blanket of snow, and my house has heat! More than anything else, I'm so happy to have a space to call my own. It's such a relief to unpack my bag and know that I don't have to pack it again tomorrow morning. Don't get me wrong, I love this traveling gig but it can be exhausting at times. Even when I was staying in Santiago, I never felt completely safe or comfortable. It was always a big event to travel across the city alone, being the blonde girl and all. I constantly had to be aware of my surroundings, so there is never really a time to take the big breath of relaxation. I had to sacrifice so many amazing photos because I was nervous about taking my camera with me while I was alone in the city. It was an amazing experience and I learned so many things, but now I can finally take that long, relaxing breathe of fresh air.

Seven months ago I visited the most beautiful place and I felt a peace that I had never known. Since then, I've worked so hard to return to that place...to that feeling of peace. I quit the best job that I've ever had, I sold most of belongings, and I left the friends and family that I love so much. I made the choice to change my life, completely, so that I could discover more about the person I want to be. And here I am, in the middle of nowhere at the bottom of the world...feeling more peaceful than ever. Sending lots of love and hugs from Natales :)