What’s in a name ?

I have decided to start using one of my other middle names as my forename whilst travelling in Latin America. The main reason is that the Spanish language does not really handle my name very well and its pronunciation is challenge for many here. They are just not used to the ry syllable and I am becoming fed up correcting it. The name Nicholas is commonplace, especially here in Argentina and I also like having three syllables instead of just two as it will then have a kind of symmetry with my surname.

I know that it will feel quite strange at first; that I will have to modify many things such as my mindset, introductions with others, my online presence and other many other situations that I haven’t even thought of as yet. I also like the idea of being named after a Saint, which can never a bad thing. My mother even uses her third name as her forename, as I believe is the custom in countries such as France and Spain.

I look forward to this experiment and seeing how much it changes things. Watch this space.

Peace

Nicholas!

Patagonia – The End of the World

It is now three months since I departed the UK, where I now find myself in Patagonia; an area that straddles Argentina and Chile, and possesses one of the lowest population densities anywhere in the World. I have wished to come here for many years, since I first experienced the awesome splendor of the Nepali Himalayas so it was a trill and a relief to arrive here.

The town of Ushuaia, Argentina is the Southernmost anywhere and a world away from Buenos Aires, if not a three flight. At this point one is not that far away either from the Falkland Islands and indeed Antarctica.  I am tempted to spend around USD 4,000 to go there but perhaps I should wait until another time, when I can get my good friend Richard onboard also ( he first put the idea out there when we were in Cape Town many years ago).  The Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (fire earth) is here and hosts, penguins, sea lions and whales and has a host of tour companies that send boats out into the Beagle Channel to these creatures in the their natural habitat.

After an 18 hour coach trip north through bleak, beautiful and desolate countryside, there are the towns of El Calafete, El Chalten and the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. To witness the incredible Glaciar Perio Moreno shed its ice from its face as it steadily advances about two metres a day is spectacular. The day before I arrive there, I am informed that its ice arch has finally collapsed into the river; an event that occurs about once every four years or so with its remnants floating away.  The event occurs at about 3am in the morning ( as it did the previous time) so no one but the time-lapse cameras actually witness it.

The Fitz Roy range next to El Chalten, which is within the national park is stunning and offers numerous day treks into the mountain range without the need for any bus transfer. It is the sort of place that I could easily revisit with my tent and sleeping bag so that I could catch the sunrise rays illuminating the snow covered rock faces.

To travel in Patagonia usually means crossing the border between Argentina and Chile a few times, so it is advisable to have plenty of pages in ones passport! As I write, I am travelling on a four day cruise ship journey through the islands, fjords and glaciers off the Southwestern coast of Chile. It is enchanting, beautiful and somewhat windy journey to the Lakes District; a place for adventure, wine tasting and so much more I am told.

Ciao for now.

A Setting Sun in the big cities

We have come at the end of February and my last two days in Buenos Aires, where I have given myself the luxury of staying in a private single room in a friendly, quiet hostel that attracts the more mature traveler.  This is just what I need after the excesses of the previous festivities. It feels like the end of the first stage of my journey; a feeling that I expected because my flight was booked before my initial departure.

 I have decided to use my time here to rest, to catch up with some friends and source some decent books to read. I am not a convert to electronic books and I have concerns that I will not find what I want to read. I am yet to find a second hand English language book exchange shop the like of which that are prevalent in India, here in Argentina or Brazil. Fortunately I do find a really good one back in San Telmo and buy three books which will give me enough engrossing reading material for the next month or so. This will be supplemented by my Spanish exercises that still remain to be completed from the classes I took last month. I greet every successful Spanish conversation with a local with a smile of satisfaction as if it were a small victory in my war with words.

Another task I have set myself is to also procure some half decent underwear! From what I have seen thus far, the shops mostly sell pants made from polyester. What kind of people  are they out here? All I want to do is to walk into a department store to select and pay for decent boxers without having a conversation about it in one of the many smaller mens’ shops.  My quest is finally over when I see a Zara store in the upmarket barrio of Ricoleta.  Bingo! My friend Ali and I still have to discern between the cotton and synthetic underwear but I finally find what I need so much after two months of relative discomfort!

Due to government  import restrictions,  many items are just not available here in Argentina; the most surprising of which are guitar plectrums.  I can’t be certain whether the country manufactures these harmless bits of plastic, but I was told by a salesperson in a well-stocked musical instrument shop that he had none to sell.  I suspect that Argentina is getting by, but not in a way in which they are now used to. Time for me to cut to size a plectrum or two from my shaving cream can top!

Next stop Ushuaia - 'the town at the end of the World' , well the nearest one to the Falkland Islands.

Peace

G