Life at the End of the World
¨You have great impact on others by the way you listen, than by the way you talk.¨ - Unknown
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| We crossed the Strait of Magellan by ferry to arrive on the island of Tierra del Fuego |
Sheep Farming
Hitchhiking from Puerto Natales was an adventure, and
I arrived at the farm after several different rides from several different
characters. Life at Por Fin was quite an awesome experience. The small sheep
farm is run by the Maclean family of Scottish background. Patrick and his son
Michael are the main farmers. Daniela, Michael's girlfriend, and the local that
lives there year round, Telo, help on the farm as well.
I arrived not knowing what to experience, other than the life of a sheep
farmer. To my surprise, I learned a lot more than just the farm life. Patrick,
Michael and Daniela opened my eyes to a healthier mindset, the life cycle and how peaceful farm life can be.
Set in the middle of nowhere more than an hour from any small town, the house
is run on wind energy, wood burning stoves and love. No cars, no streets, no
light pollution, no signs of city. Peace.
The simple life includes listening to birds singing, watching animals roam the
rolling hills, enjoying sunrises and sunsets, noticing the weather every day, playing music, eating delicious food and finding the inner peace inside yourself that is
shared amongst nature. Some of the farm jobs I learned are chopping wood, building fences, herding
sheep, clearing dead sheep and saving nearly dead sheep.
10 beautiful days passed by rapidly, but I will always remember the incredible hospitality shared by Patrick, Michael and Daniela. Thanks you again!!
Hitching a Ride to Wherever You´ll Take Me
The Maclean family gave me a ride to the northernmost part of Tierra del Fuego,
where I could most easily hitchhike to other parts of the island. We said our
goodbyes and I began sticking my thumb out to the truckers and cars coming off
the ferry from the Strait of Magellan. Quite a beautiful place to find for a
ride, it took several hours before my ride found me. A trucker named Luis
hauling fruits and vegetables from Mendoza, Argentina, offered to give me a
ride to Rio Grande. Perfect, I´ll go there! We set off around sunset and drove into the night
until 10 pm. He offered for me spend the night in his truck cabin with him
instead of paying for a hostel. I hesitantly agreed as I had never spent the
night in an 18 wheeler truck cabin. Luis is a great person, and offered me
rides to and from Tierra del Fuego and Mendoza whenever I want.
The next morning, I sent messages through couchsurfing, a website where people
share a place to stay for free. I got a response from a mom named Nancy and
decided to stay with her. What a pleasure to stay with Nancy!! Natalia, a
friend of hers, picked me up and drove me to her house. As we arrived, lunch
was getting prepared by Nancy and her daughter Ludmila. A week passed by
quickly in Rio Grande as I found interesting museums about the indigenous
culture on the island, attended tango and guitar lessons, shared many laughs,
delicious food and great conversations with Natalia, Nancy and her family.
Thanks so much for the warm hospitality and the love you share!
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| Nancy and I share a glass of wine |
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| We went mussell hunting in the Atlantic Ocean! We filled our buckets to later cook and enjoy |
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Tolhuin
Nancy had asked a friend of hers that lives in Tolhuin, a small town 60 miles
south of rio grande, if I could spend some time with her family. Valeria, her
husband Leonardo and their three boys welcomed me to their home for the
weekend. They live in the middle of a small forest outside of town in a house
they built. Thanks for everything you shared with me.
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| Leo, Valeria, their sons and me enjoy a meal in their quaint home |
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| Overlooking Lago Khami at sunset. This lake sits on the southern end of the island, is part Chilean and part Argentine, and sits on a fault line. |
Ushuaia
After several days in Tolhuin, I hitchhiked to Ushuaia, the southernmost city
in the world. Upon arrival, it began to snow. As I looked around, I saw the
Beagle Canal and sailboats to the south, and the city nestled in front of snow
capped mountains to the north. Snow began to fall as I began to walk around
town to find a hostel.
I have spent several days in Ushuaia, hiking trails nearby and sharing with the
locals living here. The first night I stayed in a hostel, and afterwards I was
welcomed by another couchsurfer, Mariela. Thanks for opening your home to me
Mariela!
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| The Beagle Canal hosts sailboats in front of the towering mountains |
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