October 31st
Now I’m headed to backpack in Patagonia for the next few weeks! Thanks to a transportation strike, my flight switched airports last minute, but Nai reassured me it was for the best since it was closer—and honestly, I was just relieved it wasn’t canceled! I left around 3 a.m. to give myself plenty of time, which turned out to be a good call since I spent well over an hour in the Jetsmart line. During that wait, I had the delightful realization that I’d left my binoculars at Nai’s apartment—yeah..the ones I brought specifically for Patagonia… Still, I made it through security with time to spare and was soon on my way to El Calafate.
When I arrived, I was met with clear skies and crisp air, not too cold, though! It was beautiful out with just a light jacket and I was happy to sit outside the airport while I waited for my shuttle into town. I dropped my stuff at my hostel and immediately walked into the town center to get a coffee. I stopped at a small coffee shop on a side street and enjoyed a frothy latte outside while I orientated myself with a map of the town. Feeling sufficiently caffeinated, I wandered down the main street, popping into souvenir and sweet shops… totally had the vibe of any touristy mountain town with a mix of souvenier charm and outdoorsy energy.
For the afternoon, I visited Reserva Laguna Nimez, a nature reserve next to Lago Argentino, the largest lake in South America. Not even half a day into my trip south and already missing my binoculars, I stopped by an equipment store that conveniently sold small pairs of for a pretty reasonable price. Not an expected expense, but I knew they’d come in handy—and they absolutely did.
The reserve had this nice trail that wound through wetlands and along the lake, full of waterfowl and songbirds. At one point, a German woman walking ahead of me pointed out a fox sitting quietly right next to the trail— a very cool moment. It was a beautiful day to get a taste of Patagonia wildlife and already feel like my new binoculars were worth the buy.
Wrapped up the evening FaceTiming Mom and Dad from the porch of the hostel. With a Calafate sunset in the background and them sharing Halloween cheer by showing off a few neighborhood trick-or-treaters, it’s definitely a Halloween (and an October) I won’t forget.
