Three months later and still awaiting a completion date on the move, my Dad received a surprise phone call from Heidi at Estancia Travel offering him the winners package of a riding holiday to Chile featured in Rider magazine. Due to commitments my Dad was unable to get away on the dates specified, but Heidi agreed to transfer the holiday to me. This was not the honeymoon we planned, but Nick and I jumped at the opportunity and, after a few hurried phone calls, confirmed our acceptance to Heidi.
Then realisation that my passport ran out in 1987 and I had no holiday entitlement having just started a new job. That weekend life was put on hold whilst we made arrangements to get to this far flung land. Then the thought that I had never left my horse in anyone else’s charge for more than 24 hours before, but Dad came to the rescue!
It was inevitable, with the holiday arrangements confirmed and a sigh of relief, an incoming call scheduled the long awaited completion on our house bang in the middle of our trip! The house had to wait - we were off to Chile. The house was packed wall to wall with boxes before we left for the airport, in readiness for our move the morning after our return home. We hoped we would make it back on time and without hitch.
Neither of us had travelled that far before let alone to the furthest point south of our land; the very end of the earth where the Andes disappeared into the sea and the glaciers flowed at the waters edge. We had no idea what to expect from the terrain, the weather, locals or the horses. We set about exploring our destination on the web which lead to further excitement as we read how Ferdinand Magellan pioneered the treacherous straits and how the Patagonian Legend, Big Foot, great adventures began. I was looking forward to viewing the herds of Guanaco on the Pampa with great excitement.
So we began our journey to Southern Patagonia know as Magallanes. We travelled over 2 days through 4 airports (Heathrow, Madrid, Santiago, Puerto Montt, and Punta Arenas) and finally a taxi ride to arrive in the Province Capital of Punta Arenas. We took a walk to the seafront to stretch our legs and admire the wall murals and the not-so-art wall graffiti before settling into the Plaza hotel for the night. To our surprise we didn’t experienced the anticipated jet lag. However, beware of the domestic luggage weight limit on the flights within Chile. Our luggage weighed in comfortably at the start of our international leg of the flight but then, ouch, we were stung with a hefty surcharge, being 15kgs over the domestic limit. We gave thanks to travellers’ cheques.
The first day we visited Yvonne and her family at Olga Teresa for a Rodeo Demo and a tour of the working ranch. With just us two on the trip we were treated to a ride on the family’s own competition horses ( Photo 1 ), past fields of land mines through very prickly bushes to a condor-nesting ridge ( Photo 2 ). We were privileged to be invited into their home for lunch with the family and an initiation and introduction to the traditional Chilean Pisco drink (We don’t advise you try this drink at lunch time).
Day 5 we rode what was to be our longest ride of the holiday from Estancia El Pionero onto Estancia Lazo across the plains, on the National Park Horses. Carlita was to become my favourite ride. Most of the day shone bright rays of sunshine as we crossed at least 3 different terrains of grass to sand to rock to wet lands and back to grassland. Along with the varied terrains came varied weather, ranging form bright sunrays to cold rain to blustering winds. The highlight was crossing through herds of sheep to be greeted by lambs who had to be chased away by our Baqueano. Manuel, otherwise they would have followed us the whole trip.
We took a 4x4 transfer, after about 4 hours, to the next Estancia, as we moved closer to the cold snowy mountains, whilst Manuel took the horses on to our destination. We untacked the horses and Manuel herded them on; they didn’t question the direction in which they were pointed, after they had rolled and had a little play. So amazing to watch, especially trying to imagine our horses back home loose, awaiting their directions - I think not
Day 6 we awoke very cold. After our long ride the previous day we had arrived at the Estancia to find no hot water so we had to brave a cold shower. The cold was soon remedied when we were greeted with every possible breakfast option you could eat by a burning log fire. The breakfast….started with fruit juice and fruit salad, then pancakes with syrup filling, cake and biscuits with coffee or tea, cheesy eggs and cereal with hot milk, (Nick was delighted when they offered him what looked like chocolate rice crispies). All this, followed by toast topped with ham, cheese and jam. Needless to say we had not left enough time to let all that food go down before we rode and yes we ate it all - rude not to!
We rode up to the Toro Mountain Look Out point (very high). If you go up you have to get back down. Oh Boy, they kept that one a secret. Down we went on a near vertical drop. Breakfast was a distant memory by this time. To Nick’s delight (I think not!) Manuel stopped near the top on one of the path turns as he had spied fresh Puma tracks, not one but four of them, which we had missed by minutes. Once Heidi and I caught up, Nick breathed a sigh of relief not to be hovering at such an angle, contemplating the path below him, for a moment longer. Here is a picture of the Moutain from the side ( Photo 5 )(the one of us actually descending didn’t come out).
I am a mere mortal stumpy human being. We left at 10.30 and returned at 18.00. My asthma decided to start on the way up and my muscles cramped on the way back. I am proud of myself, that I got just half an hour away from the peak.. Nick got right to the top and even more proud of his achievement, (although the photo didn’t come out of him at the top, you can see the rock peak above my head). Like the terrain on horseback the walking paths took us through gravel, woods, water, rocks and back again! Thanks be for the luxury dinner and Pisco by the fire.
Day 9 Blurred vision from the earliest morning start of the holiday. I have never ever lost the ability to walk and always remained sober before now! Relieved that we spent most of the day on our return to Puerto Natales on a boat. We started off in a Zodiac fully clad with bright orange waterproof jackets all puffed out like a Michelin tyre advert. The zodiac had to drop us off at the base of the waterfall with a short walk to the next zodiac awaiting us on the other side. A walk to the top of the waterfall is suggested. Give me a description on your way back down, I muse! Another hill to climb up - not likely, after yesterday.
The second zodiac took us past seals bathing and onto the main glacier look out where you can walk up to the edge. The next boat took us down the Ultima Esperanza Fjord and after visiting the Serrano Glacier and its surrounding banked rain forest we stopped for lunch at Estancia Perales. We have acquired a new passion for Chilean Pisco over the holiday, but at lunch to drink only accompanied by glacier ice, rippled real vibrations through your body.
We spent our last night south of the National Park in the hotel Llanuras de Diana where we had a hearty meal with Heidi, Gustavo and friends. Puerto Natales is the terminal for southbound ferries from Puerto Montt, and the operation base for hiking, glacier cruises, overland, and horseback trips. We didn’t have time to look around the local town shops, the shower beckoned my sore calves as we docked and an early morning start was ahead of us.
Day 10 began with a 3-hour coach journey to the airport in the neighbouring town of Punta Arenas. This was a very luxurious coach thankfully, as we feared the worst having seen the local town buses on the first day. The type of bus you hear before you see. The journey took us through heavy rain, bright sunshine and snowdrifts. The airport was in bright sunshine so hopefully we would not have to relive the water skid landings in the puddles of our in bound journey. I am not a nervous flyer but those puddles made me hang on to my seat.
Luckily we checked in with plenty of time to catch the plane before ours which was a good job too because our scheduled plane had been cancelled and we had no idea until that morning. It seemed funny going on holiday and not shopping but we made up for it at Santiago airport spending any spare cash on Pisco and wine with just enough left for a key ring memento. A final farewell as we boarded the flight to Madrid; with serious decisions ahead of us as to which films to watch and which cds to listen to for the next 13 hours.
My parents met us at Heathrow to transport us home for the last night in our house before the all action following day when we were set to move to our new home. Reading this article back to myself and reflecting on the excited chatter of the homebound car journey, we just cannot do Chile the justice it deserves. You have to experience it for yourself. The Criollo horses are far more sure-footed than you could ever imagine. The hospitality and accommodation is delightful. The food and drink tantalises your taste buds. The renowned Patagonian weather and its extremes are literally breath taking.
We intend to save up for an anniversary return!