Welcome to Chile

Today we travelled by bus across the Patagonian steppes from El Calafate to Puerto Natales in Chile. Long bus journeys are a routine way of travel throughout Argentina. Ours, at 5 hours, was but a short excursion compared to the 27 hour journey contemplated by another guest at our B&B, and the 16 hour trip undertaken by a very pleasant Australian couple we met. The buses are comfortable and it is relaxing to sit back and enjoy the scenery, especially when you have the front seats. The landscape is wide with views across the flat plains to the mountains on the distant horizon. The terrain is scrubby with the occasional Calafate bush (Berberis) and not much else. An unbroken fence follows the road for mile after mile. I am reminded of the Australian film, The Rabbit Proof Fence, although what is being kept back here I don't know as sightings of sheep and other livestock are rare. In places Steppes Buzzards congregate and line the fence poles waiting for some road kill, but traffic is so light their reward will be a long time coming. We spot herds of rhea, Chilean flamingo, and the occasional condor circling lazily high overhead. I settle back, plug in to my itouch and enjoy some music. Morning Mood form Edward Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite, nicely sets the scene, followed by the appropriately titled "Long Hard Road" featuring the sultry tones of Sade on her recent album, Soldier of Love. The haunting melodies of Ennio Morricone, who provided the soundtrack to the film "The Mission", where the opening scenes are set at Iguazu Falls, perfectly complements the landscape. A medley of songs from the multi-talented Chicago based band, Pink Martini, raises the tempo and excitement as we start the descent towards Puerto Natales with the peaks of Torres del Paine visible in the distance. Travel, wonderful scenery, my music, and a beautiful and intelligent wife. What a perfect day to be alive. As if on cue, up pop the gravelly tones of Louis Armstrong, "What a Wonderful World". It doesn't get better than this.
With very few photo opportunities from a moving bus, I have uploaded this excellent video produced by the Chilean Tourist Office. It raises our anticipation of what lies ahead. Thank you to our friends, Carla and Ferdinando Torelli, from Terni in Italy, for sending the link.