Puerto Natales

16.1. At 6:30 the alarm clock rings again and we go to the bus terminal to go to Puerto Natales. No one checks our ticket and we drive through a barren landscape three hours to the north. Amelia spots some running birds that resemble emus. Later we find out that they were rheas. It is much colder as it apparently snowed in the higher elevations last night. So much for "summer in southern Chile", even though the latitudes correspond to those of Hamburg. We leave our backpacks at the reception of our hostel and look for an opportunity to drink coffee. We are also satisfied with mocha and a muffin! Our apartment is warm, huge and just cozy!

We go to the cinema and then to the Italian restaurant. Tonight we have an appointment with the W-Trek organizer to receive some documents, goodies and information. After that, we enjoy the evening with good wine and Spanish TV. Actually, only Hollywood blockbusters are shown, which gives the impression that Spanish or South American television is more exciting than ours at home.

17.1. We treat ourselves to coffee at the Brewhouse and wait to have dinner with Vivi and Michel definitively for the last time. They rave about the W-Trek, but didn't have the best weather. At 14:15 we drive about 2.5 hours by coach to the entrance of the national park. The vastness of Patagonia is breathtaking and the majestic mountain ranges rising from the flat to hilly landscape make our anticipation grow. After changing buses, we arrive at the first refuge and check into a room with two Indian Canadians named Arif and Anik, who have the same adventure in front of them as we do. The refuge seems quite new and the welcome drink, a Calafate Sour, is tasty! You can see the Torres directly from the lounge, and we can roughly estimate what awaits us tomorrow.