Patagonia log: Day 3
Due to the logistics of things, we had the brilliant idea (not) to fit 4 of us girls in a tent intended for three people. We assumed we were small enough to fit. We did somehow fit in, but this decision also inhibited our ability to move at night. The space for each was minimal, making movement nearly impossible. You had to choose a position and stick to it… throughout the entire night 😂
Sleeping in a tent is always an adventure.
I'm not sure if our tent wasn't closed properly or what it was, but my head got extremely cold as the night went by. This resulted in me finding a weird position - slightly tucked with my head inside of the sleeping bag, belly up, with my knees bent since down at my feet, the backpacks and shoes were cramped inside to avoid scorpions creeping in our things. Space was limited from the sides and the bottom, and the cold wind in my head pushed me further into a cramped position. The result of it? Not much sleep, soar knees, and I was happy when the alarm kicked off for the sunrise wake-up call - I finally had a good excuse to move and get out of there. It was warmer outside than inside.
Even though the wind and rain had made themselves evident throughout the evening, by the time we were preparing ourselves for the morning shooting, everything had ceased, and the rising hours were calm. However, the weather still hid the imposing mountain peaks behind clouds. It didn't make the moment less memorable, though. The sun still found a way to shine its rays across the fog giving the scenery a somewhat mysterious mood.
This time of the day is my favourite. Everything is calm and silent. The world is just slowly waking up. Serenity best describes the feeling. Slowly the sun starts popping up, warming your face with yellow rays, giving a whole new atmosphere to the surrounding. I got my solitude space for meditation, admiring the beauty created before immersing in the photographic flow.
We've done some shots, each in their own creative zone and headed back to the camping spot for breakfast before organising and demounting everything to slowly head back the same trail leading to El Chalten.
When we were leaving the camp, the weather had cleared up, and the mountains were pompous, shining in the back. It deserved another shooting moment. We let the creativity flow a few more moments before actually hitting the path back with our belongings on our backs.
It was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived back at the Hostel to freshen up and go out again for a well-deserved warm lunch. Camping gear back to the store, and off we went, back to La Cerve - the brewery restaurant we had been to a few days ago. They had a big table outside and good food and drinks on their offer, something yummy for every taste.
As I prefer plant-based meals, the stuffed squash (calabaza rellena) on their menu caught my attention. Little did I know it was an entire green kabocha pumpkin fully stuffed with vegetables, probably weighing more than 1.5kg - a dish to share, but they forgot to write it in the menu. We had to laugh loud when the waitress brought it to the table. It was delicious, but way too much food. The others helped me out, but there was enough to take with us for a second round at dinner time (which is what we've done). For some people, this was the highlight of the trip. It resulted in excellent laughs (and a delicious lunch, I must say). Learning from it, read the menu properly, and don't only focus on what you like without taking the words literally to what they are.
There was still space in the tummy for ice cream at the only ice cream shop in town (you know what they say, the desert compartment is separated from the main).
We headed back to the Hostel for a leisurely afternoon and evening. We all highly appreciated the warm shower to clean ourselves thoroughly. We then sat together to do a first jointly editing session before each of us, one by one, went to our nests to get a good night's sleep - how good it was to lay down comfortably with freedom of movement.
