Friday, February 13, 2016 - WTRD 36
Today, the weather is cloudy and windy. It snowed last night at the higher elevations. Perhaps this is a good thing for a couple of reasons, our trek has been modified to two shorter walks where we will be hiking only 13 kilometers and take refuge in our mini bus between hikes. This modified day is also better for those who are recovering from the stomach bug.
Russ is feeling better this morning. I am too, and hoping that I dodged the bullet. I stop taking the Pepto and feel okay. Our first hike is to an overlook of the Torres del Paine and the "horns". The towers and horns fade in and out of view as clouds swirl through the mountains. It's beautiful and well worth the walk.
The wind is so fierce on the way to the overlook that I have to plant my walking sticks, back to the wind, to keep from blowing over. Our Mountain Guide Joy (Joey) estimates winds at 80 kilometers and hour, and we are instructed to drop to our knees and get close to the ground if the wind gets stronger.
The wind is so fierce on the way to the overlook that I have to plant my walking sticks, back to the wind, to keep from blowing over. Our Mountain Guide Joy (Joey) estimates winds at 80 kilometers and hour, and we are instructed to drop to our knees and get close to the ground if the wind gets stronger.
We return by way of a rushing waterfall.
As mesmerizing as a waterfall can be, we do not linger and seek shelter on the bus where we eat our lunch and rest a bit before our second hike which will again be uphill. We are heading out to see some cave art and hopefully see some Guanaco (wild species of lama), puma, and maybe armadillo.
We pass by a well known puma den, but with no success of seeing a lounging puma. There is evidence though that they have been around, cleaned bones everywhere.
By the time we make it to the caves, I'm not feeling well at all. We are miles away from the bus. I hold on as best I can, and even manage to take some photos of the 9,000 year old cave art,
a look out sentinel guanaco that would alert the herd of a stalking puma
and a herd of Guanaco and then.....well, let's just say I stayed far behind the rest of the group because my body began to erupt.
Russ became the sentinel that watched the trail behind me just in case a puma decided to pick off the weakened herd animal.
By the time we make it to the caves, I'm not feeling well at all. We are miles away from the bus. I hold on as best I can, and even manage to take some photos of the 9,000 year old cave art,
a look out sentinel guanaco that would alert the herd of a stalking puma
and a herd of Guanaco and then.....well, let's just say I stayed far behind the rest of the group because my body began to erupt.
Russ became the sentinel that watched the trail behind me just in case a puma decided to pick off the weakened herd animal.
The guanaco are an interesting herd that lives partly on National Park property and part on private property. There is a fence that separates public and private lands primarily to keep in the private cattle. Pumas typically live in cave like ovehangs. They eat horses, guanaco, and whatever else they can find. There are many whitened skulls and bones, and as we approach the fence line, we saw many small, very bloody bones, just having had its flesh ripped off.
Our guide tells us that the puma has learned how to chase the herds of guanaco toward the fence. The babies and the unfit cannot leap over the fence and are easy prey. I look at the fence and wonder if I could get over it...probably not.
As we walked down the trail we could see sentinel guanacos keeping a lookout for pumas and other threats. We could see guanaco pits that had been stamped out by the animals to use as group toilets. Backs to the circle and sentinels watching they can defecate with some security.
As we walked down the trail we could see sentinel guanacos keeping a lookout for pumas and other threats. We could see guanaco pits that had been stamped out by the animals to use as group toilets. Backs to the circle and sentinels watching they can defecate with some security.
Most of the herd was grazing in a large grassy field to our left. Babysitter guanacos with all the youngsters were on the right side of the fence. Babies we bleating for their mothers,
whether they were frightened or wanted a feeding, and the mothers would coming running and leap over the fence. It was interesting to watch the behavior and interaction of these animals.
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| Bleat, Bleat! |
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| Milk is on the Way! |
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| Aww! Guess this isn't in the baby sitters job description. |
Finally, we get to our beautiful Hotel Del Torres where all I want to do is get to our room so I can explode in private. I am grateful that tomorrow we will stay in the same hotel, and I can sleep all day. Russ goes to dinner with the group and raves about the gourmet meal. I pull the pillow over my head.
The briefing that I did not attend held by our Mountain Guide after dinner, doesn't look really promising for tomorrow's big hike, snow, wind, and high winds, according to Russ. He won't know until morning what the plan is. I already know what my plan is. Ugh!
All is Well with Half the Worrall Travel Rs at Torres del Paine.
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