Day 10: Crossing the Border to El Calafate, Argentina

We left Explora this morning after breakfast for the journey across the border to el Calafate, Argentina.  The trip could take anywhere from 4 hours to 8 hours, all dependent on the border crossing.  The border doesn’t open until 8 am and on the Argentinian side,  the immigration paperwork is all done by hand.  With busses coming across the border, you can apparently really get tied up.

Our first stop was about 1 ½ hr. into the trip for a bathroom break at a store that was very reminiscent of a general store for tourists that we have at home.  

We kept looking for $50 bottles of Vermont made pure maple syrup and jam from Stonewall Kitchens.  Instead we found calafate jam  and ponchos.  

There was an interesting vehicle outside the store.  It appeared to be a rolling hotel with very small berths (think Japanese businessman’s hotel).  I wonder how well one could sleep on these bumpy windy roads.  Also, where’s the bathroom?

We all piled back into our van  and our driver told us in broken Spanglish that we didn’t have to put on our seatbelts, it was a very short trip.  He then drove the van across the road and parked! This was Chilean Customs.  The line for passport control didn’t seem that long, and within about 10 minutes we were on our way.  We had heard so many horror stories of having to wait for hours at the border. This, we thought, was a piece of cake, until we realized that we were now in a 5 km no man’s land between the borders  (who owns this property? Do you have to pay taxes in both countries?), and we would shortly have to face the Argentinian border police.

As we approached Argentinian passport control, it was obvious, even to the uninitiated, that this was going to take some time.  

Some of the people on line had been there so long that they had cobwebs hanging from their dusty skeletons (just kidding).  

Our driver, Fernando, had us stay in the van out of the cold wind,  while he stood on line for us.  I’m not sure what we paid for this transfer, but whatever it was it was worth every penny.  We periodically checked on Fernando and brought him snacks.  We didn’t want him to pass out and lose our place in line.

He finally made it into the building and we all joined him.  Inside, we found Roy and Hilary (one L),  a very nice couple from Sydney that we had met in Torres del Paine at the Explora.  We were soon at the front of the line, passports and proof of payment of the $150 reciprocity fee  in hand.  They never even looked at the reciprocity fee paper.  Finally, we heard the satisfying sound of the passport stamp, and we were on our way.  It seems we did much better than most, only a little over an hour!

We got to el Calafate after what seemed like an eternity.  The town of el Calafate was, until recently, a sleepy little town of about 2,000.  In 2001, the airport was built and the population exploded to 25,000 overnight.  The first few years, the population expanded out of sync with the infrastructure, but a few years ago, developers from Buenos Aires changed all that.  It is now a modern, though  pretty, little town replete with shops, restaurants, and hotels.  To Molly’s dismay, there was no Starbucks. 

Our lodging for the next 2 nights was Estancia Eolo, about 15 miles out of Calafate, high on a hill in gaucho country with the Glaciares National Park in the distance.

 

After our lengthy 6½  hour trek, we needed to get out an do something.  Our hostess, Carolina, suggested either horseback riding, or what we thought was hang gliding.  It was a toss up as to which would be the safer choice, but we figured the horses, being closer to the ground, would be the better choice.  Milt and Rhonda opted for a ride to the ranch where we would start our ride, and a walk back (about 3km).

 

We were picked up in a  4x4 to take us to the horses at the neighboring estancia.  

There, we met our guide, Brian (who spoke no English- what Argentinians would name their kid Brian?) and our horses.  I was riding Pablo, Jeri was on Flush (or Flash- couldn’t tell from the accent). 

All Pablo and I knew was that Flush or Flash was pretty gassy.  We started riding around 6pm and the temperature dropped and the wind speed rose as we continued.  We all started getting pretty chilly.

The terrain and views were great.  

There were lots of birds, alt of caracaras, and rabbits everywhere.Dave and Molly had a few technical difficulties.  Molly’s saddle was causing her to list to the left (repaired by Brian, and Dave’s foot came out of his stirrup.  This was particularly at an inopportune moment when his horse saw his stables and bolted into a gallop (probably a trot or canter).  Good fortune continued to smile;  no one injured. 

Brian dropped us off at the Eolo and took the horses back to the stables with him.

Dinner was great this evening.  Much improved over the Explora.  We all (except Molly who is a semi-vegetarian) had excellent Argentinian beef.

Tomorrow we are off to hike the Perito Merino Glacier.