Happiness in Patagonia

We were impressed as soon as we started to drive on the famous Carratera Austral road , which in Chile meant the beginning of Patagonia. Crazy views, and just from behind the wheel! We were not even walking, and we were already so excited about the beauty around us that we stopped every few kilometres - just so that we could take a look and take pictures of the area.

Carratera Austral is a road leading to the narrowest part of Chile. It is located between The Andes in the east and the shore of the Pacific and numerous fjords and bays in the west. In Chile, these places around Carratera Australia are considered the most remote part of the country. The road is in a relatively bad condition - it is mostly macadam with large holes and with many turns. It is true that it is gradually being asphalted, so it is likely that in a few years it will be much easier to drive on it. The fact that this is the only road in this part of the country tells a lot about the remoteness of the area. That also gives it a special charm. Above all, there is a new view on the beautiful landscape after every turn. Once we watched the mountains, the second time the road turned to the ocean and we drove along the coast of the fjord, then again through the plain, pastures to the lake, then again under the mountains ... Every kilometre is served with unique beauty.

Along the Carratera Austral, we went for a shorter hike, where we climbed to Lake Laguna Castillo. It’s a lagoon under the mountain of Cerro Castillo, which is probably the most beautiful thing we ever saw. The lagoon was a beautiful blue colour (not purely turquoise but such a deep blue light) that we had to pinch ourselves so that we believed that what we are seeing is real. Above the lagoon there was a glacier, and above the glacier, the black, imposing, pointed mountain Cerro Castillo rose proudly. All three together, the Blue Lagoon, the White Glacier and the Black Mountain, are a peak of natural beauty. We sat there and admired the nature before us. Wonderful and perfect. Views like this are really something that completes us.

Many hours of driving and a little less kilometres later we came to another beauty of the Chilean Patagonia: Lago General Carrera Lake and the marble caves in this lake. The lake itself is beautiful turquoise colour, but when you come closer to the huge marble boulders, you see the nature's work. Water is crashing to the rocks and is carving the marble and is creating wonderful tunnels and caves. To see the marvellous patterns of marble, narrow tunnels and, at the same time, floating along the turquoise lake, was an experience, that we still have trouble believing that we have experienced it.

On the other side of the Andes, in Argentina, leads the Route 40, which is also very remote. The difference is only in the land. Because most of the rain never comes across the Andes, the Argentine Patagonia is completely dry. Nature is brown with many salty lakes or salty ponds, no trees or shrubs, there are practically no turns on the Route 40. After two fairly boring days of driving along the Argentine Route 40, we arrived at El Chalten, the starting point for many hikes. We decided on a 4-day trekking called Huemul hike, where you walk for 2 days (out of 4) on the third largest glacier in the world (the only bigger glaciers are Antarctica and Greenland), the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Trekking was extremely strenuous, but also extremely beautiful, as we have never seen so many glaciers ever before. The most impressive was the Viedma lagoon, where we camped on the last day of the trekking. Our camp was located directly on the opposite the Viedma glacier and the icebergs, broken from the glacier, were swimming in the lake right in front of the camp. There we could observe how these pieces are crumbling, breaking, turning. To see a 70-meter ice mountain breaking in half, then turning around and showing a huge piece of ice that was previously hidden under the surface of the lake was really something extraordinary.

After the hike, I talked to my mother and she asked me: "Are you having a good time on the trip, are you content, are you happy?" And it was probably the first time in my life when I could answer this question completely honestly and definitely: "Yes, Mom, we have a great time, we are enjoying ourselves and we are happy. Patagonia is wonderful."

It is true, Patagonia has more than fulfilled our expectations. It is such a beautiful landscape that we would recommend it for everyone to visit her at least once in a lifetime.

Since we are not only interested in our happiness on this trip, but also on the happiness of other people, we are asking travellers and locals that we are meeting what makes them happy. Below are some answers:

Emelie and Gilles, alpinists and doctors of physics from France
Emelie: nature, walking in the fresh air and peanut butter make me happy. Sometimes just peanut butter on a spoon.
Gilles: alpinism, climbing mountains and view from them.

Johanna and Beno, a hitch-hikers from Germany
Johanna: travelling or having free time without worry, no obligation, no thoughts on the job.
Beno: travelling with my better half, Johanna.

Tecla, communicologist from La Plata, Argentina
Awareness that my mom is healthy and that everything is fine with her. She is the only family that I have (my father and brother are already dead), so it is really important to me that my mother is well. Otherwise, playing soccer on the beach or on a wet grass where I can slide also make me happy.

Tamara and Pablo, a Slovenian-Argentine couple from Buenos Aires
Tamara: It's lucky to buy an airplane ticket! Or when we buy everyday things in unusual places. We buy items that we use in everyday life in different countries. For example, we have a funnel for the bathroom from Paraguay, we bought our spoons in Morocco ...
Pablo: ... so these things became parts of my life, and every time I use one of these objects, I remember the trip. Well, otherwise, travelling makes me happy.