Month: January 2023

“The mountains are women” are the words of my friend Chloe. She got her writing published and ever since I read it, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this phrase and how true it rings. As I was hiking up my final trail in Torres del Paine to see the torres, I felt the connection with nature and the femininity within her. I walked fast so I could be alone with her and not have anyone in my way.  There was nothing but trees guiding me up, snowflakes hitting my nose, mountains towering in the distance, and my breath. It was the most meaningful time during the 4-day backpacking trip on the W trail. 

I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, I just knew I wanted to go to the park and hiking for a few days seemed fun. After renting the camping gear and prepping some food, Julián and I were off. The initial boat ride across the lake was stunning right off the bat and we were greeted with the well known windy welcoming. The lodge that awaited us near Lake Grey was enormous and reminded me of a fancy ski lodge. I don’t know why I was surprised to see the campgrounds — Torres del Paine is a huge tourist attraction so it makes sense but in my mind, seeing such beautiful land with such invasive infrastructure was hard to grasp. Anyways, we hiked for some 5 hours up our first part of the W, ended up in a more humble campground and pitched our own tent.

This day was hot and equally windy but very worth it for the glacier that we got to go see the next morning. The first glacier I’ve ever seen actually and it was enormous, the most impressive one we saw throughout the whole trip! It was massive and sitting nicely by the water. It was so silent too, creating an almost ominous feeling. Looking at it, I felt guilt. I felt lucky to see this enormous piece of ice while it’s still here. I wondered if it’s shrunk a lot in recent years. I wondered how long it would be here until climate change has totally destroyed it. I felt like I wanted to give my respects to the glacier in some way, like say thank you for still being here and I’m sorry for how we’ve treated you. 

So due to my lack of research, I learned along the way that there’s at least one glacier at the top of the trails that make up the W shape. After Glaciar Grey, we then packed up our gear and headed to the next campground, Frances. We unfortunately arrived at the same time as the trail to the glacier closed and also learned that it’s a rough hike up so we decided to spend the night and then again, get up early to hike up to the glacier and then onto the next spot. There were two glaciers here in the middle: Frances and Británica. This was a hard hike and even harder without coffee as I felt my eyes bulging out of my skull and my knees screaming at me to stop climbing up rocks. We finally made it to glacier Frances and it was beautiful because you could spin in a full 360° circle and be amazed with a turquoise lake in one direction, a forest in another, the mountains in another, and of course the glacier in the other. I was content here but because we are humans and have this weird sense of incompleteness if we don’t finish something, we kept going to find the Británica glacier. This I found funny because the glacier ended up being so much less significant. We really just hiked super high up and everything that was so beautiful hours ago was still beautiful but just smaller, hah! Nonetheless, I’m glad we actually completed the whole trail because otherwise we would have just done like a weird U shaped trek instead of the W and we can’t have that! 

I do think 4 nights and 5 days is the way to go for this trip so you can take your time — we definitely had to walk fast to each trailhead in order to hike it in time. I would have liked to take my time more because it was all so beautifully overwhelming to take in. Then again, it’s nice to get in a fast rhythm of walking. Initially, I laughed in my head a little about the walking poles I kept seeing people use. Or I would hear them behind me and think how funny they sound. But I will now never judge those devices again. The people that used those sticks flew by and after my knees were killing me on the 3rd day, I wished I had a pair of those dorky things! 

The 3rd day was our 20 some mile hike because we packed in 2 glaciers with steep uphill hikes and then went to the next campground. The most beautiful day as well because we somehow got lucky and hiked early enough to be basically alone the whole time, just us and the glaciers. We also were mainly alone hiking to the final campground and you could really feel the isolation out there but in a beautiful way, just you and the nature and you feel so little in the midst of it all. We got heat, rain, and wind this day. You really do get every season here because we got snow the next day! 

The mountains spoke to me this trip but so did everything else. No one talks about the pastures of green lush grass that go on forever or the huge trees with sunlight shining through them or the bridges arching over the turquoise water. It was literally a dream to be there. I didn’t see the Torres the next day during my final hike up because the fog covered them but that didn’t matter to me, it was everything else in the hike that mattered. Julian and I even ran for a little bit of the hike, making me feel like a kid again with bursts of energy. Every time snow or wind hit my face, I was reminded that I’m alive and grateful to be feeling it. It was so much more than a hike to see the most desired sight in the park, it was a full experience getting up and town the mountain and I enjoyed every second of it. I loved pushing my body and mind all while being in the place that makes me feel most alive, in the outdoors. 

If I had the chance to do my trip over again, I wouldn’t change anything because I’m learning so much about myself and traveling. But if I were to come to the Patagonia again, I think I would come with a tent and sleeping bag and work my way down the whole carretera Austral, hitchhiking and sleeping on the lawns along the road. Many friends I’ve met have taken this route and while it would be a completely different type of trip, I think it would be exciting and more rewarding from the people you’d meet to the sights you’d see! In Puerto Natales, I got to meet up with a friend I met in Mendoza which was amazing! I also invited a friend that I met at the park who happened to be from Montana. Before I knew it, I was eating lunch with my Aussie friend, a fellow Montanan and Julian. Seeing someone again that you once met while traveling is such a nice feeling because it defies odds. I’ve met people who say, “I’ll never see this person again so whatever, it doesn’t really matter” but that’s bullshit because it’s a small world down here and why wouldn’t you want to make friends with people from all over the world, it’s one of the coolest opportunities we have while traveling. Anyways, it was nice to see him because I’ve met way less people since heading south and it feels more isolating and touristy in these towns in the Patagonia. Maybe it’s the shift from workaways to being a guest at hostels now but I miss the interactions. 

Julian and I are headed to Punta Arenas and then Ushuaia, to the end of the world as they say! I don’t know if we’ll see penguins or whale watch or do the tours that people come here to do but I’m ok with that. I like just being here in this part of the world.

[written on 01/14/22]

Approaching a lush green forest, Julián and I stepped outside on the outer deck of the fairy. I tightly wrapped my scarf around my neck and face just so my eyes could peak out. The cold breeze felt good after a month in hot Mendoza. Arriving in Chaitén at 10pm was unexpected but beautiful because we arrived with the backdrop of a orange and pink sunset. The Workaway host agreed to pick us up as well which I was thankful for as I didn’t have service upon arrival and the cabins lay 12 km outside of town. The owner is a peculiar man. I’ve learned that his tone of voice does not match his message and it’s hard for me to follow his Chilean Spanish. Nonetheless, a kind man with a bit of a hoarding problem. 

We entered a cabin to be greeted by the other volunteers, 4 Chileans, cooking French fries just for us. I quickly bonded with this group due to their welcoming personalities and I love the Chilean slang they use. We work from 10am-3pm and then go adventure Chaitén and the surrounding forest after. We always cook meals together, hitch hike, and stay up until 3am talking. We’ve connected so much that we decided to go to Futaleufu together and rent a cabin. 

Being in the forest, in cold weather, with a black sand beach nearby and fog hovering over green mountains in the distance has absolutely revived my soul! I’m realizing how healing nature is for me. 

Going to Futaleufu was the best decision we could have made — it’s an absolute paradise filled with cows, turquoise water, mountains, and lots of sunshine. The owner at the cabins in Chaitén was a little upset we were leaving and told us there’s so much more to do in Chaitén and that we’ll get bored over in Futa. I think he’s just jealous he doesn’t live there. Working for him was fine, the cabins were really cool but most of the time I found myself reminiscing on how I’d love to stay here with a group of friends instead of cleanup after a group of friends! I figured 3 months of cleaning up after travelers was enough and couldn’t wait to be the guest in Futa. 

The 3 hour bus ride had beautiful scenery but we were cooking inside the bus. It was basically a rolling oven and unexpected from chilly Chaitén. The ocean breeze really does a lot. There also weren’t enough seats so I found myself sitting on top of my friends’ laps or on the ground next to the bus driver. 

The cabin we rented was perfect and quaint, right by a path that lead to the river that we swam in most days after our long hikes! It was perfect. The town reminded me a little of Missoula but smaller. I was grateful to be there and to realize I’ve lived in such beautiful places, similar to this one, my whole life. I’ve been lucky enough to explore the Pacific Northwest of the states, which with the nature access, has some of the prettiest sites I’ve ever seen.

The 3 nights in Futa flew by and then we returned to Chaitén to spend the night before catching a ferry back to Puerto Montt the next day. Unfortunately, I can down with some illness on the bus ride back and lacked energy to do anything besides sleep. We were going to hitch hike back to the cabins to stay for free because we never actually got our 2 free days after the week of working but the 10 mile walk with my bags seemed too daunting for my throbbing stomach. I also realized that I had money to pay for a hostel in town for the night and I didn’t need to suffer if I didn’t want to. I know that I’ve worked hard to save up money for this trip and so that now I can accept times to relax. The group decided to go that route too and we ended up negotiating for a cheaper rate. After being in Futa, Chaiten seemed like a dark ghost town. But maybe that was just my sickness talking…

It was great to be surrounded by so much Spanish this week, or rather this month. I haven’t spoken any English aside from phone calls back home. The Chilean slang did exhaust my brain cells at times and I found that especially when I got sick, I just wanted some English. But I think everyone is more irritable when sick. Nonetheless, I’m grateful to have met Denisse, Titi, and Tommy, and hope that they have the best travels. Now onto Torres del Paine!

[written on 01/09/23]
The best blog posts are written upon reflection, I think. Or as my dad told me, the ones where realizations are written are more interesting than explaining the day by day. I agree with this because I get bored reading about itineraries and common tourist activities that were partaken in. As I sit on the ferry heading to Chaitèn, Chile, I’m thinking about how many people are traveling this same path, down the Austral road into the all glorious Patagonia. I’m thinking about how plans don’t really matter and aren’t that special nor unique. What is so much more fascinating to me is the feelings and thoughts that people have along the way. Are they traveling for themselves or others? Are they appreciating the good and bad times? Are they taking photos solely to remember the pure beauty of the landscape or to share on Instagram? Are they going to gain a desire to travel more after this trip? How do they view their trip? As a break from life or as their life? While none of these answers really matter, I think it’s fascinating. It’s fascinating to hear about the purpose of travels and the end results. 

Reflecting on my trip, I’m realizing that I grew more in the last week than in the four months that I’ve been in Latin America. I’ve looked back on my blog and journal and read the fear that I had while starting my trip. I remember the feeling of uncertainty weighing on me and the lack of familiarity being daunting. I questioned my trip for about a month straight. But over the last week, my fear has vanished. The feeling of uncertainty excites me! I love being unfamiliar and having to figure things out. I’ve recognized how competent and intelligent I am, that I can navigate the world if I want to. That’s something powerful for a 22 year old woman to realize. That’s not something that we are taught growing up in our society, even with the positive upbringing I had. Although I was fearful 4 months ago, I knew deep down there was a reason I was planning to leave everything that was familiar and beautiful to me. And for that, I’m forever thankful for the bravery of past Jasmine. 

As I head down to the south of Chile, I’m refraining from planning. Because I don’t have a tent and with the uncertainty of weather, I’ve made some reservations in hostels to know I have a place to sleep but I don’t want to have any expectations for the near future. I’ve realized how much I value traveling solo as well, I have a desire to do more of this. I’ve continued to be inspired by female solo travelers. Watching my female friends walk away with nothing but their backpacks and a grin on their face for their future that awaits them gives me such an inspired feeling. They are capable of anything and so am I. 

This morning in the hostal in Puerto Montt, I was speaking to the owner, a middle aged woman with 4 kids who has run a hostel for 20 years. She initially refrained from talking with me upon learning that I was from the states. This bothered me at first because I was initiating conversations in Spanish but she only responded to Julián. I remembered what Kendall told me months ago in Chile, that before you judge someone, ask yourself if it’s a cultural difference. I paused and thought that instead of being silent and hurt that she wouldn’t talk to me, I’m going to show her we can communicate. So I sat down with my coffee this morning and joined her for breakfast, speaking in Spanish. She told me how she’s always worked in tourism but hasn’t traveled much because of having kids. She then asked me “but aren’t you scared to be traveling alone? And so young too, what are you 24 years old?.” I responded with, “no, I’m 22 and I was scared when I started my trip but I’ve had a full turnaround with my mentality on fear and traveling.” We were silent after this and I realized how lucky and happy I am to be seeing Chile instead of with babies at home. 

I have been looking forward to being in the mountains for months! Even after my profound thoughts on reflections, I’ll still do a quick recap of Mendoza, hah! I went paragliding in cerro arco which was absolutely spontaneous and amazing! 30 minutes flying in the sky was one of the most meditative things I’ve done. The landing was equally memorable because I got to watch all the professionals land and talk to Argentinians left and right. I felt so comfortable and cool speaking in Spanish and realized how well I speak while I’m by myself speaking 1:1. I even met a guy who lived in Eugene! 

I was reunited with my friend Seba, from Valparaíso. He came to Mendoza with a friend and we made the most of 2 days together. I’m blessed with the memories of laughing and dancing in the middle of the night in a plaza together. 

I learned how to make hundreds of empanadas and ate the most delicious food in Argentina. The alfajores and asados are to die for. 

And now I’ve been reunited with my friend from Colombia, Julián to go explore some of southern Chile with. We even got to see Kendall for 30 minutes yesterday as we both happened to be in Puerto Montt! 

It’s a small world down here in the Patagonia!