We arrived in Punta Arenas to grey skies. After the stunning views from the plane as we flew over the Campo del Hielo, it was a bit of a let down to have such overcast skies. As we were checking out the rental car in the parking lot of the airport, it began to rain. Not a hard rain but sprinkles and wind and everything started to get wet. We huddled in the car as our rental car worker went through some of the details of the contract, and he told us to be careful opening our doors in Torres del Paine because the wind can pull the door off the car! We shook hands, and he wished us a fond journey.
As we became familiar with the funny French design of the Renault (you have to lift up on the stick in order to put it into reverse), the rain came down slightly harder. And as we began to back out from the parking spot, our rental car worker friend came running back and asked if he could have the payment up front – in cash. Our welcome to the south went from sunny glacier views to overcast skies and rain to the sinking feeling that we were being scammed. Who had ever heard of being charged up front for a rental car?
We paid the cost of the car and quickly got onto the highway headed to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine. Within minutes we were out of town and onto the beginning of the steppes of Patagonia. Wide open landscape, wide open skies, fast moving clouds, mile after mile of fences in perfect condition, wind, wind and more wind, hardly any cars, straight roads, sheep, Darwin Rheas (cousin to the emu and ostrich), and rolling hills.
The drive took 2 plus hours to Puerto Natales, and at one point we were stopped at a police check point. As we pulled up and rolled down our windows, the policeman asked where we were from. We said the United States and he smiled and said, “Down here in Patagonia, the winds are so strong that they are a danger. Drive carefully.” And with that he waived us on. As we pulled away we laughed at how none of us had experienced such a police stop in all the countries we have been in.
But the officer wasn’t kidding. The winds down south are like none other. Trees grow in one direction only because of the wind. Oftentimes you even see trees with branches on only one side of the trunk to the effect that even when there is no wind, the tree looks as though it was battling a powerful gale. Later in the day on our way into Torres del Paine we stopped at a scenic lookout point and the wind almost knocked us off our feet. Not to mention that the wind almost pulled the doors off the car! Thanks rental car guy for the warning; buying a car door in Southern Patagonia can't be cheap!
Two shots from Natales (above and lower left).
The road into Torres del Paine (below right).
Jane and the wind! (bottom right and left)
No comments:
Post a Comment