finaly a few pictures

The bikes here are crazy! My favorite to date....The WINNER

Cabo Polonia sunset.

The streets of Buenos Aires.

Lots of stray dogs down here. Always seeking shade.

Checkin out something....

the big hike......or TREK

Well the first hike of the trip was a success. We spent most of the monrning running arround dropping off half our stuff that we didnt need at a hostel, where they would keep it safely for us. Getting food and water for the trip and trying to figure out how to get out of town as it felt like we had been walking back and forth across town for hours. Unfortunatly we picked the steepest trail out of town known to man. It was about 40 minuates of hell. It was about like climbing up the sand pit at the Y 4 times with a bag that was improperly packed. But we made it and once we were at the top it was worth it. The trail leveled out and wound arround some marsh areas and back twards the peaks towering above us. The view was awesome and we had a clear view of mount Torre. A thin tall peak that is just over 3000 meters. Looks like quite the climb. It took us arround 4 hours to reach our first camp site. The campsite was in a great loacation tucked out of the wind and righ beside a rearing glacier river. What is it again the makes glacier water so murky? tastes good anyway. We set up camp and headded up to the small lake at the base of the mountain with a glacier hanging into it at the far end. We could feel the cold comming off the water when we were standing beside it. I figure if you fell in you would have about a minuate before you couldnt move. We walked arround to where the river left the lake and found two ropes tightly strung out arross it for climbers to cross and make there summit attempts. There was a little sign there that said experianced climbers only. Open ice and rock past this point... We desided that we better not push for the summit at that point. We payed on the ropes for a bit then headded back to camp.

It rained a bit that night and into the next day, so we desided to stay camped where we were and not get wet on the 5 hour hike to the next camp site. We didnt realy get up to much that day. Lots of lazing arround waiting for the rain to stop so we could go hike arround a little. We made some realy good soup and had that to wram us up a little. It was a little cold for sages sleeping back so I took a turn that night sleeping completly clothed and still froze. The next morning we packed up and headed for Fits Roy. Another valley that ends with a mountian a little bigger than Torre. I believe its summit is arround 3500 meters. The hike was a little tough at the begining arain but leveled out and passed through some lakes and realy nice forests. Our camera battery unfortunalty died shortly after we had a view of the mountain so we only got a few pictures. Lucky we ran into some americans that snaped a few shots of us and said they would email them to us. Sure hope they do. The Fits Roy camp was just as nice as the other. With good wind protection and a river to fill our bottles. We set up camp then went exploring a little and found some nice little streams and fields. That night we used both my sleeping bag and sages as a blanket and had a nice warm night. The Hotcore pulls through again!!!

We left the next morning arround noon to come back to town. This was a nice hike since it was mostly flat with a little downhill here and there. The views yesterday where a little cloudy and it was soo windy that it pushed us arround quite a bit, but luckly it was a tail wind and pushed us in the right direction. It took us about 3 hours to get back to town will a little lunch stop. The final hill was a little tuff on the old knees but we made it without to much trouble. Sage for the amount she told me that shes not a hiker did awsome. And by the fourth day was into a speedy groove. We droped into town arround 3 and the wind in the valley was blowing soo hard that there was no way that we where going to camp. So we found a nice hostel and got a room for the next 3 days since thats the quickest we can get a bus north to where we will cross into chile. Anyway sage is anxiously awaiting me to finish this so we can go make some pancakes, so I best not keep her waiting any longer.
Love Orin

from sun to snow.

Punta del diablo was great, our second night in the tent was quite a bit better than the first, still a little sand problem, but a little rain comming down kept us cool. We had an awesome BBQ the night before we left at our hostel. The was a guy there from Seattle so we talked with him alot since he has been where we are going. They have a realy neat way of cooking down here. They have these big brick, waist high fireplaces with two grills in them. A larger one that sits about a foot high and another smaller grill thats a little lower. They start a fire ontop of the larger grill and let it burn till coals start falling through. They put all the meat on the smaller grill, then just slide the coals out from under the big grill to the cooking side. Works awesome since you can keep fresh coals comming all the time. At the hostel we had a bunch of chrizo, steak and salad. They cut there beef quite differently down here so it has alot of bones and fat on it, but the meat in between is awsome. It was raining quite heavy when we went for the bus on wednesday. So we used the rain coats and rain covers for our bags that day, kept us both nice and dry. The bus ride went by quite quick, the only problem is when you get picked up at the little stops out in the country, they dont give you a ticket, so you dont have a seat number and when people come on that have a ticket and your in there seat you have to move. Sometimes there is no seats to move into so you are left standing in the isle of a greyhound, very wierd.

We got into Montevideo early afternoon and headded back to Che Lagarto, the hostel we stayed in before, since we knew where it was and the air argentina office was right next door. We wanted to get our tickets to El Calfate that day so we went and did just that. It ended up costing a little more than we wanted to get down here but with time saved on the bus it was defatly for the best. The next day we grabbed the bus up to Calona where we could get the boat accross to Buenos Aires. It was about a 3 hour bus ride, but the seats were plush and it was quite a nice ride. When we got into Calonia the bus took us right to the ferry teminal. We already had tickets so we checked in then hit customs. Getting through customs was a bit of a scare. Apparently we needed to keep our buquebus tickets that we used to get into Uruguay. We did not know this and both of us had tossed them probly at the termal when we arrived in the country. Luckly there was a guy there who spoke english and only took a little convincing to let us out of his country. The boat ride seemed quite long as we putted along at a snails pace. The big boat is way slower than the little one but we desided to take it to save some cash. We got our bags, this time making sure we had everything still attached and headded for the familiar Ostinatto hostel. Lucas was still working there for 10 more days so we got to see him again along with our old room mate Oggy. By the time we got to the hostel it was after 10 and by the time we went to the bank and ate dinner it was midnight, by the time we got to bed it was 1 and we were up at 4 to get the sleepy ride to the airport. Most terrifying cab ride yet! seemed like the cabby was running on less sleep than us.

The plane ride was prety good, except for the guy behind sage who did not want her to put her seat back, and tryed to break her neck instead of telling her by slamming the seat foreward as hard as he could, after the 4th time and some english spanish yelling matches we settled on a half way mark. One rude dude. We threw some left over Uruguay pesos at his head later when he got off the plane. Lucky the stewardest was on our side. The flight was actualy 2 short flights and in total took about 3 hours. It was a bit of a shock when we got out of the airport, we left a huge city 3 hours ago and now we were standing at tiny little airport beside a glacier blue lake with huge mountains to one side and a desert to the other. It was a 25km bus ride to the heart of El Calfete, a small tourist town about the size of whistler. We found a hostel were we could camp in the little orchard in the back for 5 bucks a night with use of the showers and kitchen, made some delicious rice and stirfry then went to bed in the tent. Sage seemed to be a little cold waking up in the night to put on a few more clothes. I slept like a baby (good sleeping bag mom).

We got up this morning at what we thought was 6 to head to Glaciar Perito Moreno. But after we walked over to the taxi place we learned that it was 5 since there is a time change that we were unaware of between B.A and here. Sooo we climbed back into bed for a bit till the real 6, ate some cereal, packed up a quick lunch and jumped in the taxi with 2 other swiss girls and headded for the glacier. We headded up early since if you get there before 8 you dont have to pay the 20 american entry fee. But it worked out just awesome since we where out there for the sunrise over the lake with huge mountains surrounding us and a HUGE glacier to the west with 2 rainbows stretching the full 7 km wide glacier. It was quite spectacular. We then headed along the huge catwalk setup they have that takes you down the mountain side to see the glacier. We had 4 hours to spend out there and it went by way to quickly. We spent our time watching from different viewing points on the catwalks. After about an hour of watching little bits fall we finaly saw a piece about the size of the kitchen table plumit down the 55 meter high face and crash into the water. Sage and I decided that that had made our trip worth it. We sat for a little longer at that spot watching and listening. I never knew glaciers were so loud, the ice cracking is quite an impresive sound. But since this glacier moves forward up to 2 meters a day theres a fair amount of noise. A few more smaller pieces were falling, so we desided to go for a bit of a walk to warm up a little. There was about a 1km loop of catwalks that went along the side of the mountain accross from the glacier. As we came arround the top part of the loop the view was fantastic. We could see almost the entire 7km ice wall but right infront of us seemed to be where the action was happening. Then a big chuck about the size of the bin trailer loaded slipped down from the bottom of the glacier. THEN......about 30 seconds later a piece the full 55 meters tall about 10 meters deep and 10 accross just crashed off the edge shooting chunks of ice an easy 70 meters up over the water, and sent a tital wave down the lake. It was definaly one of the most amazing forces of nature I have ever seen. It just so happened that Sage decided she wanted to catch a few chunks falling on video and ended up getting the whole thing on the camera! It was amazing to see that big chunk of ice fall, and behind the chunk that fell the ice was a dark dark blue that looked realy cool. We checked the clock and desided it was time to head back to catch our ride back to town. When we got up there the cab driver was just sitting in the car eatting his lunch waiting for us. We swung the door open to learn that we still had an hour, and that our clock and our stupidity had screwed us once again. I imediatly changed the time on the clock and we headded back down for some more viewing. Just as we arrived another fairly big chuck came down, then another huge one almost the same size and the first big one crashed into the water. We talked to a man out there that said these big chunks were rare to see falling off. We met up with the swiss girls down the mountain and headded up together and came back to town.

Sage and I then made some lunch and headded out to get all our pictures burnt onto a dvd so that hopfully we can get them on the internet soon. We are going to mabie try later tonight since the place we are at now dosent have computers with dvd drives. I am now very tired of typing and am going to end this entry. If only I could do this everyday I might not have to wirte so much, but its tuff. Sounds like its a little wintery in Summerland and Alberta at the moment but hopefully that fresh snow will melt soon and you guys will have some sunshine. You should check out Glacier Perito Moreno on Wikipedia. Its quite a site to see!
Talk to you soon.
Love Orin

Paradise.

The last few days have been great. We grabbed a bus with no problems out of Montevideo. It was a nice modern bus with AC and everything. The bus ride was about 5 hours to Cabo Polonia. We went through about an hour of residential area then we were out into the country. It was very green landscapes with lots of trees and shurbs. Its wierd to see a cow field full of palm trees. There was alot of cows, horses, sheep and the occasional ostrage and a few other birds that I didnt recognize. It was nice to see some wildlife other than pigions. The bus zig zags from town to town dropping a few people off and picking up the odd person standing beside the road. It seemed like a nice short ride and before we knew it we were in the middle of nowhere. We jumped off the bus into some big old 4x4 toyota trucks and blasted through some sandy roads out onto a beach that you couldnt see the end of. On the end we were destin for there were a few little white shacks and a lighthouse towering above the small comunity.

We arrove in the town hoping to pitch our tent in a grassy spot back from the beach. We realy didnt no where we were going and happened to run into a hostel owner that spoke very good english. He continued to tell us that Calo Polonia was a park and that if we camped the rangers would kick us out of the town. He was waiting on two people comming in that hadent arrived yet, and said that if they didnt show soon we could have there room. He said we could go wait for him at his hostel. As we were walking along the beach we heard someone yelling our names. When we looked over we saw a girl that we had met a few days before in Montevideo named Stephie. She is in Uruguay on an exchange program from germany and is doing a little beaching before school starts next week. She was staying at a new hostel in town that luckly had 2 beds left, so we grabed them just as it turned dark. That night we just sat under the stars and looked up at the milkyway like I have never seen it before and saw quite a few shooting stars. Very nice change from the city.

In the morning Sage and I were up to see the sunrise. WOW! After that we went for a walk from the beach we were sitting on, to the beach on the other side of town about a 4 minuate walk, if you go slow. This beach was more protected since it was in a bit of a bay. The waters were fairly calm on this side of town. We continued our walk into town were we found two people sitting the the so called tourist booth. We were hoping to find some new place to stay since the hostel was 24 american a night! The man sitting at the booth told us that there was knowhere, but after a little convincing led us to a crazy old lady that told us she had a place for two that we could have for one night. We wanted to try to find somewhere for three so that we could get stephie outta the hostel and mabie make it a little cheaper for all of us. She showed us the little vacant house that sat accross from hers. It was a nice place with a little burner from cooking a table with four chairs and some kitchen utensiles, with a double bed and one single bed in a room on the other half of the house with a little addition with a toilet in it. Then 5 minutaes after telling us that we could only have two in there for one night she allowed us to have three people for two nights at a cost of 60 american, half the price of the hostel. As we headded back to get Stephie she just happened to be walking right infront of the place so we grabbed her and she was quite pleased.

We spent the next two days at the beach playing in the waves and laying in the sand. After the beach called for a nice shower of cold water that we got with a bucket from the well right infront of the house. We ate good meals in the house like eggs and hashbrowns in the mornings and pasta and bread for dinners. The last night we were in town there was a huge storm out over the ocean with lighting that lit up the entire skyline every 4 seconds or so. It was just amazing. We sat and watched it for almost an hour. Luckly we headded back when we did, cause about 5 minuates after ariving home it rained sooo hard the back door couldnt keep up and we had water pouring into the house. We tossed our bags on the table, put a towl accross the bottom of the down and laid in bed listening to the rain hitting the roof. In the morning we woke up earlyish and went over to the lighthouse to climb up to the top. It was a big brick lighthouse with a very very steep winding staircase that went up thru the middle. Once on top the view was amazing, there was 270 degrees of ocean with beaches running as far as the eye could see on either side of a little village with big dunes in the background. We also got to look at the light inside the lighthouse that I didnt realize was a fairly small bulb. With a very elegant, very large series of lenses arround it to magnify the light. Once down we loaded up our bags and jumped in the truck for the bus stop. We arrived just in time to catch the bus out to Punta del Diablo. Said our goodbyes to Stephie and jumped on an older bus. The ride was just over an hour of half dirt and paved roads, again stopping in smaller communitys alog the way. The bus then dropped us in what apeard to be downtown Punta del Diablo.

With no idea of were anything was in town we found a sign that read Hostel Del Diablo and headded for that. It was hot and our packs were heavy. About half a mile up the road we came to Hostel Del Diablo. A very nice very expensive hotel. He sent us on a wild goose chase arround town on foot to find the right hostel. After asking a few people we ran into a woman traveling here from Argentia who spoke farily good english and she led us to the place. Stephie had a pamphlet that said we could camp at the hostel so we were looking foreward to doing just that. The place looked great but after talking with staff for a bt they informed us that they were full and they didnt allow camping. They were very nice and sent us with a map to the Hostel International about a 20 minuate walk from them. We tossed on our bags again and headded out. H.I. is a bit of a distance from town but they make up for it with free bikes. Altho I wouldnt call these rusty pieces of metal bikes, but we grabbed the best two and headed for some grub. This town appaently shuts down at the begining of march so after some hunting we finaly found a little place to eat. Great burgers and fish. We then hit the beach for a swim and went back to the hostel jumped in the shower then into the tent for some sleep.

Sage was having a tuff time with the mosquitos last night and was hunting two in the tent for quite some time. She seemed to be sucsessfull after some time and we then had an alright first night in our new tent. The new tent is a little small for us, with little rooom to store our gear. So the night was a little cramped and warm, but we learned a few things and I can only imagine tonight will be better. We grabbed our trusty bikes again this morning and headded into town to hunt for a internet or phone place to get in contact with home since it was dads birthday yesterday and I wanted to wish him a good one. Happy Birthday again dad. Hope you got my email. We were hoping to grab a bus accross the interior part of Uruguay up to the falls in Argentina but we are starting to learn that we have to go back to Montevideo up get up there, so we might go back to Buenos Aires then catch a flight to the south and bus our way back up, through the country to the falls and then off to Boliva possibly skipping Chile as its very expensive just to get into that country. We are thinking of flying since its only about 150 us dollars and will save us alot of time that we can spend working our way up. Well we are going to grab some food now and possibly hit the beach again. Hope all is well in Canada and California, hope your staying warm dad. talk to you soon.
Love Orin

a few more hours till paradise.

So this tent smazzle is finaly comming to an end. We still dont have the tent but it is very close to us. Instead of delivering the tent they brought us a stack of papers that we need to take to the air port and pay twice the cost of the tent for customs fees! So we made some complaints to Fedex and with the help from the all mighty mom, hopefully it will get sent back to canada for free. Either way the boat company we used to get to Uruguay lost out tent poles so we are shit outta luck anyway. We are going to buy a new tent as soon as I am done this and be on our way to the countryside!

The last couple of days have been fun, despite the trouble we have been having. Nothing extremly exciting has hapened to talk about. Lots of hanging arround just enjoying this city before we go. We tried to leave yesterday but certin things got in the way. We are on our way to Cabo Polonia (not sure on that spelling) Its supposed to be some kinda old fishing goast town that is only accesable by jeeps. We are hoping to just pitch our tent beside some palm trees and relax for a few days. Apparently theres some realy neat things to see arround the area. Theres no power so I wont be blogging for a few days or so. Hope all is going well for everyone in canada i realy enjoy reading your comments. Im glad that someone was smart enough to send this link to the ¨Californians¨in the family. And im glad to hear from you guys. Isnt the warm weather great!!! sorry dad. Later Orin

Beachin It

Well yesterday morning started out to be another terrible day south of the equator. We were woke by ¨the devil¨ a.k.a the maid screaming at us in spanish, again I believe for the thrid time. No idea what she wants from us but knowone else seems to be concerened, so we ignored her. We wanted to get a wash done and there were laundry flyers in the hostel. I asked the man behind the counter were it was, and off we went. After some walking, the address on the flyer says it should be right infront of us.... nothing was there, great. It was realy hot and this was just another thing gone wrong. So feeling a little down we both seemed to remember seeing another place right by the hostel, so we wandered and wandered and atlast there it was. So we got our laundry dropped of and headded for the beach.

We made a stop at Ta-Ta and got some groceries and beers for our day at the beach, jumped in a cab and were off. When we got there we rented an umbrella from a man for 2.50 for the day. We then lathered the sunscreen on and just relaxed, very nice indeed. When we got back to the hostel Sage noticed a bright red spot about the size of half a sheet of paper on her hip. Whoops guess we missed a spot! Its quite helarious and looks like a spot on the side of a cow. When i laid down i noticed that my back was quite tender. ¨Sage did you put any sun screen on my back¨ I said. ¨I dont think so¨ she replied. Well my back is now quite burnt, and very itchy. Luckly we have a big bottle of aloe and arnt feeling the effects to badly.

Last night we went to the Carnaval celibrations down at the band shell right by the beach. It was quite a performance with singing and dancing and apperently some comedy that Sage and I didnt understand, but the crowds seemed to like it. It appeared to be a judged event with each group getting 45 minuates on the clock to do a perfomance. There where about 10 mics scattered across the stage and they just danced arround and sang into whatever mic was closest. We cabbed back to the hostel and went off to bed.

This morning we just picked up out laundry and now are at the internet place catching up on a few things and trying to figure out were to go next. I hope things are well for everyone in Canada. Talk to you soon. Later

READ THE LOWER ONE FIRST

I cut if off so not to loose all my typing so you gotta read the lower post first for this to make any kinda sence. Montevideo has been great, the poeple here are so much nicer than across the river. The hostel is a little crummier but still is alright its realy loud so sleeping is a little tuff. The vibe here is a little more like vancouver were people move a little slower than B.A and arnt so creepy. Plus its way claner and way cooler (its always got a nice ocean breeze.) We have been planing to rent bikes for a few days but still havent got arround to it. Yesterday we went for a big walk down along there seawall and ended up at an ammusment park. We even rode the swinging ship, a few crazy spinny things and I even got Sage and some young local girl whos mom wouldnt go with her on the roller coaster, and Sage hates roller coasters. We both had alot of fun but it definatly made us feel a little wierd. We got some water and continued walking till we hit the big main beach, we just wanted to badly to see it but the time we got there we were so tired we jumped in a cab and went back to Plaza Indepencia, got some dinner, played some quater football on the table and went to bed. This morning we woke up a little late and decided agin to rent bikes tommorow (hopefully that will happen). We took a walk down to some restuarant and has some lunch. Eatting out here is way cheaper than buying grocerys, and it shows since the grocery stores are so tiny and tehres sooo many little places to eat. After that we walked out on the breakwater for the shipping yard. Today it was absolutly covered in people fishing on either side. No oil in the pan needed for cooking these fish! After that (i know this is getting long) we headded to the beach to just chill and thats exactly what we did, just sat on the beach for a few hours soaking up some sun. Sooo nice to finaly just relax outdoors in a clean environment. Im now sitting in a little cubicale in an internet center after making a lunch of salad bread, cheeze and meat, and im very tired of typing so im going to try to put some pictures up then go to bed. Good night all.