Chalten

December 7, 2025

The campsite wifi is fustrating, with it constantly crashing. So a solution is to find a cafe with fast wifi, which I do, spending 4 hours over a coffee. The caffeine stimulant producing a fast work effort. The wifi sharp, loading in nano seconds. And as if I look like I am just playing about on my phone. Texting, instead of doing something which needs to be done, a restless fidgeting man at the next table, interupts and starts talking to me.

What have you seen in Patagonia, he asks, and adds, I want to know is it worth spending much time here? Is the whole of Patagonia barren plains?

He told me he is from Belgium and went on to tell me he had just flown in from Brazil via Iquazu Falls and if Patagonia was all barren plains, he didn't want to waste much time here; and instead would fly to Colombia and see the Caribbean Coast; going on to say, I am getting on with limited time left. My doctor says I need to cut down on my flying. I would guest he'd be mid 60s. I want to tell people at home all what I've seen.

I told him its a holiday. He should relax. Why incessantly be rushing around sightseeing. Generally, with his attitude, I think he will spend much of his time in airports, stressed, and on planes, when his doctor advised against flying, following a bucket-list with tick-boxes to say done of dubious value. My experience of travel in Patagonia is its about the journey. The road. The places on the road, local people and fellow travellers met, creating memories that stay with you a life time.

It was lunchtime when I had finished texting, and with a feeling of guilt for sitting in the cafe so long, I ordered a hamburger and chips with a IPA beer.

On the walk back to the campsite, the forecasted rain hadn't materialised, while the wind blew a gale down the valley.

Only picture: an evening walk by the river with horse riders on the other side

On monday, walked up to a viewpoint on a hill to the east of town.

Chickweed. Not sure about purple flower.

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	2
Comment on this entry	Comment	0