22:20 - Crisp and sunny weather today. We all met after breakfast with our guide Isabel for our walk to the Cuernas. A rock formation supposedly looking like horns. Sunitta came along and we thought she wouldn't make it but she did, even if slowly. She kept up a long way behind us with Toby helping her out. It was 16km in total in mixed terrain...a bit up and a bit down, with a steep final hill to the place where we had lunch before coming back. The scenery is obviously very nice: lakes and hills with a backdrop of snowy mountains. But, unless there is something of outstanding beauty at the end or during the walk that adds to what you already see, I will never see the point of walking 7 to 8 hours just for the sake of it. It was not very strenuous (I guess nothing seems strenuous compared to the vulcano), and on the way back a few of us stopped off at the hotel just before our rough accomodation block. Even though supposedly it is not 5 star luxury, it had a great entrance and a lovely bar with large glass windows and beautiful views. We had a drink or two there before making our way back to finish off the mango pisco at the dormitory and then onto dinner (which was quite nice i have to say). We finished off the evening with a quick briefing by Toby and Isabel about tomorrow's walk. It is an 8 to 9 hour walk to the base of the towers (the torres that give the name to this national park). I have opted out. The idea of walking 9 hours to see something that I have already seen but not as upclose doesn't really inspire me. I need something more. I believe only 3 people have opted for it as I was not the only one to find the walk today a little boring. There are shorter walks that can be done and some people will do that. I might go horseriding and relax. I might even find a way of publishing blogs and pictures! The hotel 15 minutes down the road is the only thing that has internet around here, and there isn't even a telephone signal available. The next day we leave Chile behind and go to Calafate.
We've all had showers and sat around having a giggle before going off to sleep in our 6 man rooms. They really are a tight squeeze. Toby decided to rent a tent as he's a little claustrophobic and could not face another night in the dormitory. We saw to it that Sunitta got wised up to some things about the real world: no you don't get picked up and dropped off if you are having a foot massage, yes you can live with just one bathroom in your house, explanation of what swingers are, etc... She does make you laugh sometimes as she really does live in her own tiny world in a bubble. She then told a story about how when she was in Rome on a bus, a man inappropriately touched her and she just turned around and punched him, making his mouth bleed, and then rang the bell to get off as everyone was looking on and she thought she might get arrested :-))).
Oh well, time to rest. It's been a long day.