argentina with Travis

Hitchhiking across the Argentine Patagonia.

A loud clattering noise followed by the sound of a sputtering engine roused me from the middle of a dream, and for a moment I couldn’t tell if I was still dreaming or awake when my brother told me that our bus just broke down. As I regained my senses, I noticed we were pulled off to the side of a small gravel road at an awkward angle in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. Rocky hills and windswept plains as far as the eye could see. Brown and Grey dust swirled around outside and filtered in through the all the open windows on this hot summer day in early February. I could hear the bus driver mumbling curse words under his breath in Spanish as wiped his forehead of sweat with a dirty rag while fiddling around with the fuse box under the steering wheel.


In the very southern portion of Argentina lies a vast expanse of open steppe, semi arid desert, and mountains with glaciers and crystal clear lakes, that together make up the very large and sparsely populated region known as Patagonia. My younger brother Travis and I were backpacking from the southern tip of Argentina all the way up to the lake country around Bariloche some 2000 km to the north. We had departed earlier that morning from the small town of El Calafate, which is very close to the famous and incredibly beautiful Perito Moreno Glacier. We were still many uncomfortable and bumpy hours by bus from El Chalten, which is a frontier town at the base of the great peaks of Mt. Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. These mountains are within the boundaries of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, and are home to numerous trekking trails, mountain climbing adventures, and some of the world’s most difficult rock climbing routes. That was the next destination for Travis and I.

The peaks of Mt Fitz Roy. Southern Argentina.

Unfortunately for all of us there was no radio on the bus to signal the headquarters we were broke down, and anyone that had a cell phone didn’t get any service out in the remote region that we were stuck in. There might only be a couple of cars passing by over the course of the whole day. To make matters worse it was very hot out, the bus driver was not helpful, and some people did not have that much water with them. The next bus would be coming through in about 24 hours, which seemed like an eternity to wait. I thought to myself as the bus driver assured me we would all get on that bus, “Our bus was full, if the next bus is completely full, which is likely this time of year, then there is no way everyone is going to fit, so then what?” While my mind was busy calculating our odds and time frame for getting out of there, my thoughts were busy picturing 40 people swarming to board the next day’s bus as it pulled up completely full of people, with luggage piled high on the roof of one of the smaller old and beat up minibuses that the charter company uses, which probably was only meant to hold 25 people. It was at that point that I decided we opt for plan B.

In talking with some other passengers, I learned that there was a junction with another busier road some 20 miles ahead, where there was a decent chance to stop a car and catch a ride to somewhere. All the while Travis was pulling on my sleeve demanding to know what was being said since he didn’t speak Spanish, as I was desperately trying to keep up with the fast spoken and uniquely accented Argentine Spanish- far different than the Mexican Spanish I was used to speaking and hearing at home in Chicago. Plan B was put in effect- We were going to walk up to that intersection in hopes of stopping a car.

We gathered our belongings, made sure we had adequate water, and started off walking up the road, knowing we had daylight until about 1045pm and plenty of time to cover the distance before nightfall. As the heat beat down on us, we kept on walking, making pretty good time. We were being conservative with our water consumption and covered our heads with t-shirts turned into turban like headwear to avoid too much exposure to the burning sun. Finally, after about six long hours, dusty and sunburned, we made it to the intersection I was told about. I saw the other road was paved and cracked a smile at Travis as if somehow we had found a pot of gold.


Sun setting over the Patagonia


The real treasure was meeting Juan Alvarez and his family after I stood in the middle of the road, waving my arms in every direction, and practically forcing them to stop their old station wagon. They were from Buenos Aires on a long driving holiday and wound up driving us about 100 miles up the road, in the general direction we needed to go anyways! I got to speak with them and learn about their family and home, while Travis periodically tapped my shoulder to ask me what in the world we were talking about. They dropped us at a little wayside restaurant/motel before they turned off the main road heading north, since we were going to find our way east from this point. Travis told me he hadn’t been so hungry in all his life, and that the small empanadas he ate there was his best meal of the trip.

After collecting ourselves overnight at the wayside restaurant/motel Café Perez, named after the owner, good fortune struck again the next morning. This time in the form of an old German couple and one other man heading to El Chalten, driving what had to be the smallest car I had ever seen. It took me about a half and hour and the promise of some lager beers once we reached town to convince them Travis and I could squeeze in the back seat with our packs, and that the car wouldn’t bottom out all the time on these bumpy and poorly maintained roads with all our extra weight. After ten hours on very rough dirt roads, creeping along like a snail, packed in the back seat so tight that we practically lost all circulation in our legs, heavy packs sitting on our laps the whole time, and sweating to death- We finally arrived in El Chalten. I learned that the people left stranded on the bus made it in the day after us.

I look back at the route we took to get to El Chalten and it’s certainly not the easiest or most direct way, but instead one we will always remember. That experience helped to further solidify my bond with my younger brother, and we both look back on that incident and the whole trip as a wonderful experience we had together. Travis and I had just as much adventure getting to El Chalten’s famous mountains as we did camping and hiking in them.





By Erik Rasmussen

Please visit my website Erik’s Adventures (www.eriksadventures.com) or email me at erik@eriksadventures.com to learn about some of our trips, look at some great photos, or to ask any questions. Thanks

sailing the Dalmation coast

Sailing The Dalmatian Coast in Croatia


About 10 years ago, when you mentioned the name Croatia to the casual traveler, you usually got one of two responses. The first was “I have never heard of it” and the seconds was “Isn’t that Yugoslavia, and in the middle of a dangerous war”. It is true that Croatia was once a part of the republic of Yugoslavia, from after the Allied victory in World War Two until the early 1990’s. It is also true that there was a bitter war fought there at the time the Iron Curtain was falling and communism was crumbling all throughout Eastern Europe and Russia. At that time Croatia’s tourism industry came to a near standstill as people stopped visiting this beautiful crescent shaped country and its marvelous coast in favor of more stable destinations. But times certainly have changed there because today Croatia is one of the hottest destinations anywhere, attracting millions of visitors from Europe and all over the world, while offering a multitude of great experiences. Featuring charming castles set in the forested hills in the north, sparking blue lakes and waterfalls such as those around Plitvice, to the cosmopolitan capital city of Zagreb; Croatia has amazing diversity and beauty despite its small physical size.

The Plitvice Lakes are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The crown jewel of this country in my opinion is it’s very western portion that includes the coastline along the Adriatic Sea from the Island of Rab in the northwest and extending down past the southern UNESCO World Heritage City of Dubrovnik. This part of Croatia is commonly referred to as Dalmatia or the Dalmatian Coast. Dalmatia enjoys a Mediterranean climate and all the benefits that come with such pleasant weather. It begins with typical Mediterranean vegetation and agriculture- including olive groves, fig trees, small farms, herds of goats and sheep, rugged mountains with vineyards and rock walls built on them, old stone villages, crystal clear waters, great seafood and wine culture, small fishing communities, and of course abundant coastline. There are over 1000 islands- many of them uninhabited and right off the rugged coast. The area has also retained its unique culture and most of its old Byzantine architecture and medieval walled cities.

The dark blue is the portion of Croatia known as Dalmatia

It was in the northern part of this famous and historical region that I embarked on a 7-day boating adventure a few years ago with 24 friends aboard a beautiful handcrafted sailboat named the Moja Maja. We had a friendly and fun crew, a great captain named Tomislav, and very nice accommodations onboard. I knew right away we were in for a fun filled time. Our first full day at sea began by exploring the magnificent archipelago of Kornati, which is also a National Park. These idyllic and mostly deserted islands are perfect places to hop off for short hiking adventures, and jumping off rocks and small cliffs into the refreshing Adriatic.

Kornati Islands The Moja Maja

In the evenings aboard the ship, we were treated to tasty local wines and traditional Croatian dishes such as fresh seafood grilled to perfection by our cook Sonja. All the while all of us were able to sit up on the roof deck and watch the stars fill the sky while the cool night breeze brought in the pleasant smell of the sea. Our trip also took us south to other beautiful islands and coastal spots such as Hvar, Korcula, Mljet, and Dubrovnik- the furthest southern major town in Croatia. We were able to do so many exciting things on this trip such as exploring beautiful 1000 year-old walled cities, castles, and forts in the old coastal settlements of Hvar, Korcula, and Dubrovnik. We also snorkeled and kayaked the Adriatic through and around rocky points and sculpted cliffs near tiny, deserted islands with no name. On Mljet Island, part of which is a National Park, we hiked through beautiful pine forests, swam in freshwater rivers and visited a small castle on an island in a small lake that is situated on the western portion of Mljet Island. Most of us thought the idea of an island within an island was pretty extraordinary.

Island within the Island of Mljet.


View of the harbor from the castle on Hvar.


In addition to all these activities and sights, the nightlife in many of these little ports, especially Hvar was second to none. Our group had a fantastic and somewhat bleary-eyed time heading out to bars and clubs that usually were only a few minutes walk from where our boat was docked in the harbor. The majority of these are situated in old castles or beautiful buildings and offer dancing, drinking, and a festive and friendly atmosphere until well after the sun rises. In the Dalmatian port towns you must be careful to get out of the club by the time your boat is sailing in the morning! There is also nothing better than leaving the clubs then going for a dip in the Adriatic as the sun rises, and afterwards stopping into one of the local bakeries as they pull that day’s fresh bread and pastries out of the oven still piping hot, while the smell of the fresh baking overtakes your senses.

The patio at Carpe Diem club on the water in Hvar.

Having fun in the clubs!


We ended our trip in Dubrovnik, which is generally regarded as the most famous site along the Dalmatian coast and arguably in all of Croatia. This perfectly preserved walled city is a stunning piece of architecture, and its old cobbled streets are lined with cafes, restaurants and shops. Style and fashion are also a big deal in Dubrovnik. In the evening there are so many beautiful, well-dressed people strolling down these streets that you imagine yourself part a runway fashion show. On the architectural side of things, Dubrovnik’s high walls offer great views of the entire old city and all the orange tiled roofs that cover the old stone buildings bunched so close together inside the walls. There are plenty of narrow streets and corridors to explore for hours on end, nearby beaches, and great views of the sea and nearby islands from the top of the wall. On our last night my friends and I hit a little hole in the wall café and just admired the moon over the sea for hours while sipping on some Karlovacko Pivo’s (Croatian brand of Beer), and snacking on a stone oven cooked pizza loaded with veggies and fresh meats like cured ham and homemade salami.

Dubrovnik
The next morning we all had to say goodbye to this magical place and return to reality. That day I pledged to return here within a few years. Now I am keeping my promise by organizing another group to visit in the summer of 2008. Besides I still have to try one of the flaming drinks at the Carpe Diem club in Hvar when I get back!


Written By: Erik Rasmussen
Owner: Erik’s Adventures LLC. Our website is www.eriksadventures.com. To get more information on Croatia, other travel destinations, or to join a tour with us please contact me at erik@eriksadventures.com.