Torres del Paine 'W' Walk Day 2 - 16th Nov

It is a long time since I slept on the top bunk but despite Mike, the Aussie's, best snoring efforts I slept like a log. Emma was in a different dorm and despite some John Michel Jarre themed 'show' involving some girls with head torches she also slept well.

A good example of German efficiency and organisation

Today's walk commenced from the refuge and involved a relatively short 7 mile trek up to Lago Grey (Lake Grey) and along the Eastern side of it to the leading edge of Grey's Glacier.

We were up relatively early and headed out from the refuge the weather looking a little ominous but still none of the notorious windy elements that this area of Patagonia is infamous for.

From my time in doing the D of E I learnt a couple walking rules of the road/ etiquette and whilst not wishing to enforce this on all I always aim to stick to these as best as possible. They are: fashion on the hill costs bomb-loads; the interests of the team as a whole count; do not race ahead, take a rest and then when the team catch up take off again; walk to the pace of the team (ie the slowest). Not everyone appears to have had the benefit of this advice and again there was a split early on with a sub-group wanting to stride ahead at a lightening pace.



The team - including the people in the background



The weather changed for the better for most of the walk and the beauty of this days route (incidentally Pablo's favourite walk) shone through. The valley section, the forest section, the lake section and finally the Glacier section.

About 10 minutes from the end we even had the good fortune to hear and see a native woodpecker and it's mate. I will spare you the video footage as life is to short to upload it to this blog!

We made it to the glacier in good time to be picked up by the only ferry of the day. The ferry ride afforded great views of the glacier, numerous icebergs as well as yet more views of mountain tops and spectacular scenery.

Is it a bird?

We disembarked the ferry and then jumped in the van that would take us the hour back to the relative luxury of hot showers and Pisco Sour at the Eco-camp.

Are you looking at me?