After a marathon 27 hour bus I finally made it to El Calafate. It was not that bad a journey at all and the time flew by. Save for the company showing 'Saw 6' at eleven am and the tear jerky 'My sisters keeper' before 'lights out' the trip passed without incident.

True to our form we rocked into El Calafate in high season with no reservation. Thankfully at this stage in my travels I am more of sure bet than a cat to land on my feet (paws). In all honesty though, at a tourist destination such as El Calafate there are generally too many accommodation options.

The main draw of El Calafate is to trek the Perito Moreno glacier and do a spot of trekking and camping in Los Glaciers national park(Northern section) in the town of El Chalten. On our first walk through the main strip we spotted the recommended Hielo y Aventura tour agency. It has a monopoly on the glacier trekking so we didn't really have an alternative option. With the trip booked for Wednesday the 7th of December we had two days to squeeze in some camping in the national glacier park!

Another early 7am start and a quick four hour bus trip we were in El Chalten. Just before we got to the town the bus company very handily stops off at the park rangers office for a quick debrief of the area. Even before we got the advice from the rangers we had already decided to trek towards Cerro Fitzroy. Unlike a conventional mountain, its top is a soaring granite face of several hundred meters. It is instantly recognizable on the drive towards El Chalten as it dominates the landscape. Another golden rule of camping was not to light open fires (gas stoves are ok).Just recently an area of 36 km² of Torres del Paine national park burnt due to some campers careless attitude. We had been warned and with all our camping gear we set off.

I trekked through forests, scrubland and drank from glacial rivers along the way. We reached base camp Poincenot, dropped our gear and trekked for another hour or so to get a close up of Fitzroy. It was a steep ascent on loose gravel and I often found myself gasping for breath. However knowing what views awaited me it was hard not to get ahead of myself and I attempted to run up parts of it. At the summit I gazed in awe at icy lagoons, the sheer height of the Fitzroy tower and its hanging glaciers. As Corkonians would say - it was savage!

Back at the campsite we set up camp and started cooking another group favourite, Tuna Pasta. Equipped with a gas stove and a trusty penknife we cooked up a storm. Like three Bear Grylls we adapted to the outdoor life like pros. Although unlike Mr Grylls we actually camped in the wilderness and not in the nearest hotel. Since no one bothered to research any ghost stories it was an early night. After a tough day of trekking, a sleep on the uncomfortable ground was just what I was looking for.

The next morning the plan was to walk to Cerro Torre. After a temporary lapse in navigation we were back on track and out of the marsh. Unfortunately, when we got to the turnoff for Cerro the clouds had rolled in. Any chance of the views was gone so we decided to head back for the town. The walk back to town was about two plus hours but we couldn't have timed it better. Just as we handed back our gear a nasty storm blew in. Time to hide out in a cafe and wait it out.

It was my first time doing a DIY camping trip and it was a great experience. My previous camping ventures had included a tent in my back garden as a kid and the Inca trail where the porters do everything for you. Festivals don't count! We did have glorious weather, stunning views and great company so it was always going to be a success. I just hope that my future camping trips are as successful as this one!