South America

Sunday, October 15, 2006

In 8 hours and 5 minutes I am boarding a plane bound for South America. I am set to land in Lima, Peru at 11:50 Am tomorow night October 16th. Hopefully my buddy Sam should be there waiting for me as his plane is due to arrive 1 hour and 50 minutes before mine. I am certain that this is going to be the wildest and most inspiring long adventure so far in my life. Standing in heavy duty trekking/mountaneering boots and both shouldering heavy backpacks packed to the brim with mountaneering gear including crampons, ice axe, climbing rope, carabiners, belaying devices, ice screws, nylon anchoring straps, head lamps, climbing harnesses, helmuts, sleeping bags, tent and all other general camping equipment, guide books, a fly fishing rod and warm and waterproof clothing. We are absolutely totally prepared to travel to this part of the world(atleast as much as one can be while still maintaning a mobile backpacking lifestyle). Which part of the world should we need all this gear? After leaving Lima we are set to follow the Andes Mountain Range, the longest and second tallest in the world, through Peru and Bolivia into Chile where we enter Patagonia. Patagonia is a large and rugged part of the Andes relatively uninhabited and remote. As you follow Patagonia South you enter the land of glaciers and Southern tundra until arriving at the strait of Magellan which conects the two largest oceans in the world the Atlantic and of course the Pacific. Finally after crossing the strait lies an island called Tierra Del Fuego (The Land of Fire) one of the last true wildernesses in the world aswell as the most Southernly towns in the world. I still don't expect it would be anything like Northern Canada as far as remoteness is concerned due to its tourism. Still this is just my so far impression as I have not already been there and IM sure in many ways my impression will change as I see and experience it first hand.

I always have a crazy feeling when I am waiting for a flight 9 hours away that will take me from my home land to a far and distant corner of the world with different languages, different people, and different standards. I never know exactly what to expect; it could be wonderful, it could be so-so or it could be disastrous but I always know that I can expect adventure. Afterall adventure is all about uncertain situations often with atleast some element of danger but not necesarily. Aslong as my bag is not somehow stolen near the begining of the trip (It is always a possibility when travelling the third world but anywhere really) then it should be all good, aslong as I get good use and experience out of my equipment that I should be more

At this point my two main goals are to reach Tierra del Fuego and my number one goal is to climb Volcan Aconcagua 6900m the tallest on the continent. We plan to climb some high peaks in Bolivia and do some long treks in Patagonia far from civilization. My buddy Sam will accompany me for about ten weeks until he flies home from Buenas Aires and then my plans are up in the open. Ill definetly check out Uruguay and then have two options Brazil or back up the western side. Actually I have almost infinite options hahahaha, I love it! Anyway Ill keep an update going on my blog site and try post some good photos as IM sure Ill have a few. than satisfied.