Patagonia log: Day 6
February, 2023
After the perfect day we had yesterday filled with emotions, adrenaline and loads of incredible images to process, today was more about taking it easy. We had a leisurely morning, where the majority slept in, while I used the silence of the morning to do some writing and enjoy the easy flow that the early hours provided. That also allowed me to connect with the other guests at Goiien - one lady on her way to Antarctica with her son and a couple travelling with their young adults who had just recently moved to Chile to study and was backpacking around South America. The beauty of the place is that you get to meet the reality of other travellers.
The day had already started with rainbows blooming outside the hostel's windows - one after the other, just like a mass production of colourful stripes. And it didn't stop there... Eventually, everyone woke up, had an excellent breakfast, and we packed our things to hit the road to our next destination - Puerto Natales—less than an hour of driving.
On that morning, during our breakfast, Leo, one of the trip organisers, was demystifying one of the pictures he has published in the past - a hill with a Guanaco and a rainbow in the back. He confessed it was photoshopped. He had combined two pictures in one. However, nature showed us that his vision of that image wasn't that surreal after all. Around mid-way to Puerto Natales, the cars stopped. Initially, we didn't entirely understand what the excitement was all about. Until we saw a group of Guanacos wandering around the landscape right in front of a beautiful, low rainbow, we all ran with our cameras to document the event. As if it wasn't already dreamy enough, Ricardo suddenly shouts - a condor was flying just between the colourful rays at the same time that Leo's vision was being registered. The reality was even better than his dream. One of those moments that one stays in awe of. Impossible not to be grateful for the beauties of nature in moments like these.
The rest of the ride was smooth. We arrived at our accommodation - comfortable apartments with large rooms, warm water, a kitchen and a living room. Everyone was happy to have a little bit of comfort again. We went directly to lunch for a warm meal with perfect service (one I hadn't experienced in a long time, if at all) at the Grande Mesita. You could see everyone was happy, relaxed and feeling embraced.
It was interesting to see the cultural difference between Chile and Argentina (at least, that was my perception on that day). People in Chile are different, physically and interpersonally - speaking softly, delicately, but efficiently. Caring.
After some good food, we quickly stopped at the hotel to pick up our gear and went off to Cuevas de Miloton - the local attraction. The weather was a bit shitty, but we decided to go into the big cave anyway. It was interesting to visit but very touristy - a downside for us, who were experiencing raw nature the days before. It is always a harsh contrast when suddenly you're confronted with structures and tourists. But it was still a pleasant stroll. My focus and my flow entered when I started observing the details of the rocks and patterns of the cave's interior. Almost like paintings, everywhere you looked, there was another drawing made by the conjunction of stones and water threads flowing in between.
We went back to the hotel to edit and relax. It was an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and editing techniques while exchanging ideas—nothing like ordering Pizza to accompany the process and having an easy night in.
