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Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek


by Mountainlove » Thu Jan 02, 2014 2:17 pm

Date walked: 10/12/2013

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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby lomondwalkers » Tue Jan 07, 2014 11:39 am

wow what an adventure!!! Memories that will live with you forever :clap: I thought I was being adventurous by going to the Lake District last month :lol: I was going to nip up the Luss hills but don't think i'll bother now :lol:

Fantastic report, cheers :D
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby jupe1407 » Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:34 pm

Wow, that looks brilliant, and the photos are truly awesome!
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby jr2811 » Wed Jan 08, 2014 8:17 pm

Patagonia has been on my bucket list for many years, and I am so jealous after having read your report. Very impressed that you planned and organised this yourself - very well done. The pictures are fantastic - thank you so much for sharing. \ :D
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby Walk-n-Roller » Wed Jan 08, 2014 9:04 pm

That is simply stunning.... :clap:
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby HighlandSC » Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:02 pm

Wow. Wow. Wow!

That looks stunning 8) Wife and I want to get to Patagonia at some point. Last year we went to Peru, also flew over the Andes before heading into a jungle trip this time...
Image

Thanks for the report *goes to look at flights* :D
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby MG1976 » Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:47 pm

Great Report Maja, and some incredible pictures.
Sitting in the office, feeling very jealous!
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby peter tindal » Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:31 pm

Jealous....... me .........no way :?

Wonderful pictures which will remind you of a wonderful trip in years to come.
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby Mountainlove » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:01 pm

lomondwalkers wrote:wow what an adventure!!! Memories that will live with you forever :clap: I thought I was being adventurous by going to the Lake District last month :lol: I was going to nip up the Luss hills but don't think i'll bother now :lol:
Fantastic report, cheers :D


Oh a trip down to the Lake District is adventurous as well (and far cheaper!) Although the current weather (watching the pouring rain right now) can be a slight downer :crazy:

jupe1407 wrote:Wow, that looks brilliant, and the photos are truly awesome!

Thank you!!

jr2811 wrote:Patagonia has been on my bucket list for many years, and I am so jealous after having read your report. Very impressed that you planned and organized this yourself - very well done. The pictures are fantastic - thank you so much for sharing. \ :D

You need to get yourself down there...bucket lists are there to be fulfilled :) The planning and organization is not too bad when you have enough time and it is lovely to think ahead and dream while doing so.

HighlandSC wrote:Wow. Wow. Wow!

That looks stunning 8) Wife and I want to get to Patagonia at some point. Last year we went to Peru, also flew over the Andes before heading into a jungle trip this time...
Thanks for the report *goes to look at flights* :D

Oh a jungle trip sounds really good as well! Did a boat trip through the jungle for 2 days once and since that time I wanted to return (the only place were you think Midges are not bad at all) As for flights 'Lan' is great for South American short trips.

Everyone else...many thanks for your replies!!! :D :D :D
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby HighlandSC » Wed Jan 15, 2014 4:22 pm

Mountainlove wrote:
HighlandSC wrote:Wow. Wow. Wow!

That looks stunning 8) Wife and I want to get to Patagonia at some point. Last year we went to Peru, also flew over the Andes before heading into a jungle trip this time...
Thanks for the report *goes to look at flights* :D

Oh a jungle trip sounds really good as well! Did a boat trip through the jungle for 2 days once and since that time I wanted to return (the only place were you think Midges are not bad at all) As for flights 'Lan' is great for South American short trips.


The jungle was great! We did 2 weeks in Peru... a week deep in the jungle near the Bolivian and Brazilian border and then a week in the mountains around Machu Picchu area. I really need to get it together and sort out my photos from the trip.... and a report.

We used Lan for some flights and they were good, although we missed our final flight from Mexico to the US (took far too long to get through the airport) so I had a bit of a battle with Lan but in the end did get us a nice free hotel for the night and free tickets on the first flight in the morning. Typical airlines, will always try for the cheapest way out... they originally told us we'd have to pay for a new flight and get our own accomadation. Thankfully I'm well versed in travel and know what I'm entitled to if the problem is their fault. Big international/multi-flight trips are likely to have some problem along the way. Tip for everyone: if possible get your itinerary on a single "ticket" and know which airline/agency owns the ticket as it's on them to sort out any problems when another airline may disown you! /endrant :lol:
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby ChrisW » Wed Jan 15, 2014 7:25 pm

Just breathtaking ML (no pun intended) I've been away a while but what a great post to find on my return :clap: Spectacular hardly seems to do it justice, I love the 'I made it' shot :lol: Kudos to you for seeing a small picture on a friends wall and planning and delivering such a wonderful adventure as a result of it :clap: :clap:
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby Scotjamie » Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:32 pm

Spectacular report Maya
Really well done :clap:
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby Mountainlove » Thu Jan 16, 2014 10:37 am

We used Lan for some flights and they were good, although we missed our final flight from Mexico to the US (took far too long to get through the airport) so I had a bit of a battle with Lan but in the end did get us a nice free hotel for the night and free tickets on the first flight in the morning. Typical airlines, will always try for the cheapest way out... they originally told us we'd have to pay for a new flight and get our own accomadation. Thankfully I'm well versed in travel and know what I'm entitled to if the problem is their fault. Big international/multi-flight trips are likely to have some problem along the way. Tip for everyone: if possible get your itinerary on a single "ticket" and know which airline/agency owns the ticket as it's on them to sort out any problems when another airline may disown you! /endrant :lol:


That sounded like a struggle, but I am glad you managed to get a hotel and free flight at the end of it. :D I agree that it is always saver to book all flights on the same ticket, but don't think that always works when you start to have questions. Here is why...
I booked the first part of my flight (Glasgow- Buenos Aires) with one airline (or so I thought) Apart from adding another stopover into the ticket, :roll: they failed to send me the right ticket number. When I tried to confirm my flight the day before I flew out, I received error messages. :shock: When I phoned the online agency I had booked the ticket with, they told me to phone Lufthansa, Lufthansa told me to contact United who operated the flight, United told me to phone the booking agency...this looped 3x resulting in 9 phone calls until finally after a 7h struggle, I received the right number and managed to book my seats (one of these things you definitely don't need the day before you fly.

If this sounds bad a flight with Bangladesh Airlines is a great way to spice up any holidays. :thumbdown: :? They will phone your mobile number in a country were you don't have a mobile signal and try to tell you your flight leaves either 3 days earlier or 7 weeks later. When by sheer luck you phone them to confirm your flights, they will tell you they do not send e-mails about changes (still trying to see the logic in it) 3 days earlier did not mean that you are back in your own bed earlier...no it means that you will hopefully enjoy 3 days in a completely different country...but at least with a free hotel accommodation. :crazy:

@ ChrisW and Scotjamie...many thanks!!
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby HighlandSC » Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:43 pm

Wow.... your plight sounds almost identical to the hassle we had up until the night before we flew!!! I won't drag this thread down any further with details..but it was the same thing. Flights had changed, the agency changed our itinerary to include an impossible international connection, blah blah blah. In the end it costed the agency thousands more and that caused delay waiting for approval. In the end it did get sorted out, and we went through like 6 ticket numbers or something stupid! They also gave us a $200 coupon compensation. The full drama is in the thread I started on Trip Advisor at the time.

Your Bangladeshi Airlines experience is taking things to the next level of craziness!! :crazy: :crazy:

In the end, this sort of thing makes up part of the adventure and fun of international travel!! Fun to look back on I guess... not so much at the time :lol: I've sure learned plenty of lessons I'll apply to future trips....not least, leave way more room between international connecting flights than you'll ever think you'll need!! And if possible, if there's something critical you need to make.... like our boat into the jungle, then if possible plan to arrive a day early. That way if events cause flight cancellations you can afford to take an extra day to get somewhere.
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby Mountainlove » Thu Jan 16, 2014 3:49 pm

We really promoting airline travel here :lol: :lol: lol
As you said it is all a learning experience :thumbup: and if nothing fails, it keeps you calm the next time when things don't work out as planned.
Having read the link you have added (what a nightmare) your experience sounds rather similar to mine. A really useful link I found is the following..http://www.sleepinginairports.net/
I actually took my camping self inflating mat and fleece sleeping bag liner with me as hand luggage :shock: :lol:
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Re: Patagonia - Torres del Paine Trek

Postby HighlandSC » Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:46 pm

Sleepinginairports.net :lol: I'd never have thought there were sites dedicated to it! Had a quick look - looks good info! I normally travel in hiking clothes and take a thin insulated jacket with me. I almost wished I had a mat and bag with me when stranded in Mexico.... luckily the $300 a night hotel we got for free proved much more luxurious! Good idea to pack them in hand luggage though.... not sure I could bring myself to do it as I prefer an ultra-light approach to hand luggage.

I dread ending up like this :lol:
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