Boredom

I'm not going to die of cold or cracked calluses or be blown away in my tent.  I'm going to die of boredom.

I went on a brief foray to see Laguna Torres.  The wind saw its opportunity and greeted me with renewed determination.  I went out without a camera -- Fate's cue to transform the usual into the extraordinary as I won't have the chance to photograph it.

Not this time.  Walking at a 30 degree angle leaning into the wind I made it up the final moraine to get a quick glimpse over the top before being blown back to the shelter of a nearby rock.  This godforsaken lake is only about a quarter mile across but has two- to three-foot waves breaking on its downwind shore.  Again, the Cerro Torres peaks are hidden behind clouds and unavailable for comment at the time of printing.  We'll try back again tomorrow.

(8:30 pm)

I'm slowing inching my way though the day.  Next time I'm bringing more books.

Los Glaciares pays better lip service to keeping their park usable.  However, it's still only lip service.  On the way into El Chaltén, all buses stop at the guardaparque where you're given a plastic bag for your trash, told to use the toilets provided, camp only at the designated campsites and not cut new trails.  But they allow horses into the park who ruin the trails for hikers.  And horses definitely don't use the latrines.

So we all follow the trails to the campgrounds and setup our tents in the designated spots and go to use the toilet -- the one pit toilet for over 60 campsites.  Solitary confinement units are larger and better appointed; it's best to rope up in case you fall through the opening that's nearly as big as the floor.  It's dark in there so you bring a headlamp with you.  While doing my business, I had an unfortunate and irresistible urge to look down.  I don't recommend it.

Torres del Paine, on the other hand charges us around US $16 to get into the park and the toilet situation is the same, if not worse.  The only exception being the privately run refugios which have excellent facilities and will probably save some parts of Paine from contamination.  The only trail maintenance I see done is by Reighly International volunteers.  Looks like the money collected goes to line a pocket in Santiago.

I've got a fair bit of swelling around my lower left wisdom tooth.  It started out yesterday as a soreness -- which I've gotten before, usually indicating I'm not brushing well -- but has grown to the point where I can feel it when I bite down.  There is also soreness when I swallow, similar to the onset of a sore throat or cold.  I hope I'm not getting sick.  That would pretty much suck with all the traveling ahead and this being my one chance to see Joanna for the next six weeks.