As we arrived here so late they let us just go to bed and check in the next day. After a lie in Donna was still feeling under the weather and didn't each much at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Puerto Varas was settled by Germans back in the 1850's, unfortunately the German Alpine architecture is now lost amid modern hotel blocks and shopping centres. There are two major volcanoes nearby, snow-capped Osorno and the bare Calbuco. We would like to have climbed either...

Once on board the Navimag ferry the Captain gave an interesting speech, 'if we have to abandon ship, it's not true that the captain will be the last off, if you see me running that way wearing a life vest, follow me', 'we have many s***ting facilities on board', ' don't ask me when we will see whales, if you want to definitely see whales you have to spend 24 hours a day at the bridge', 'don't as when we will arrive in Puerto Montt, we will arrive when get there...

During our journey back to Puerto Natales we saw yet more Llamas close up! It was Sunday afternoon when we got back into town which meant a mad dash to buy dinner from the supermarket before it closed. Next it was crack on with the washing so it was dry before we checked out in the morning - even though doing your own laundry here is strictly forbidden! What a great dinner Donna prepared - a rack of ribs each (well I ate half of Donna's as well as my own). We ...

Our first stop in Torres Del Paine N.P. was Torres Central. The dirt road ends here and besides the campground there is a refuge and a posh hotel! Even though we could see loads of camping spots it was supposedly full and we were booked for a premium platform tent (already set up) for 60USD a night (camping with our tent would have been 12USD). It had been a superb day travelling to the park, anyone trekking this day would have had fantastic views. On our long ...

If you want to go trekking in Torres del Painne (TDP) National Park then its more than likely you will go to Puerto Natales first for provisions and transport to the park. So that's just what we did. We checked into the 'Big Bang' hostel which was far better than our digs in Punta Arenas. Communal clean kitchen, dining area and lounge - comfy sofa and movies in English! When trekking in TDP generally people either trek the 'W' which is a 4 or 5 day trek carryin...