Neil on Expedition: April 2006

--- Field Base ---

Sitting in the barn eating dinner out of the mess tin while singing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody with over 100 other people

Standing in a circle around decorated brown paper bags filled with sand and candles, the night before we deployed for phase 1, while people recited comical poetry they had written, one guy even reciting the lyrics from the Baywatch theme.

-- Trekking Phase – Avellano Valley --

Riding on a bus for 3 hours after rising at 6am with only having 4 hours sleep. We soon arrived at a police station to register with them and I used the facilities and soon realised that the toilet would not flush, so I made a swift exit. After another 40 mins on the bus we arrived in what could only be described as a desert with a never ending road in front of us, blazing sun and the bus disappearing in a cloud of dust! The one thing going through my mind - ‘What the f**k have I let my self in for!’

The first day trekking was so hot. I very nearly collapsed with heat exhaustion, I was so out of breath, I couldn’t talk. Had to rest in the shade for 45 minutes while Hamish collected water from everyone for me. What a guy!

Sitting on top of a mound at our first camp site in a valley watching the sun set behind the hills listening to ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ by Guns ‘n Roses and ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead.

Sitting on a the beach of Lake General Carrera (the 2nd largest lake in South America) watching it rain over the hills of Argentina and feeling great! This was after walking for 10 hours and a distance of 14km in the blazing sun, heavy rain and 80km + gusts of wind. I thought this day would never end! I was listening to Bob Dylans ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and I will forever remember this time when I hear the song. It was such a odd feeling that there is no one else about for miles!

The whole trekking group (11) in the group emergency shelter while it lashed down with wind and rain oputside. We sat in there for over an hour and a half in which time we enjoyed a delicious beanfeast meal and many a stupid games.

So many river crossings I lost count!! The water of the glacial river was so cold but after the 10th in a single day you start to get used to it. Although I did start to get fed up with gaffer taping the useless sandals I borrowed from field base to my feet.

Just going to bed (well bivi, sleeping bag and poncho) at 9.30pm and getting up at 5.30am and mobile by 7.30am. Was hard but had to be done to avoid the heat while walking!

Receiving Kate’s Valentines card when we got re-supplied by field base about two thirds of the way through the trek. Was so such a surprise and really made me so happy, even though it was way past Valentine’s day it didn’t make any difference!

Towards the end of the trek we bought 3 chickens from a old lady farmer who then proceeded to kill, pluck, chop and cook them in front of us. It was a really odd experience but it tasted so good. Also went fishing with her 8 year old grand son at 8.30 am on one of our rest days, caught nothing but had fun and learnt a lot.

I had my first experience of a rural Chilean town, Villa Cerro Castillo, at the end of the trek when we stayed in Yolanda’s hostel. Shops in peoples front rooms, a internet café next to someone’s kitchen, dogs everywhere, restaurant on a bus and the hostel was just a few run down buildings with a tiny dirty bathroom. I did have my first shower in 3 weeks here though which felt so good! I washed my hair 3 times just to make sure! Salvador once again impressed me with his bilingual skills by seamlessly swapping from Spanish to French to English throughout the night – none of which is his native language!

-- Back at Field Base for Change Over 1 --

Dancing round the barn listening to Oasis on my cd player in a silent disco dressed as Liam Gallagher. Everybody else had their own music and was doing the same but dressed all dressed up in fancy dress as well including Mr T, Robin Hood, Hardcore Ravers, men dressed as ladies, ladies dressed as men, ninjas, pirates and many more.. As the opening chords of ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ boomed from the ghetto blaster I took to the stage and swaggered around, flicked the V’s, leaned into the imaginary mic and played my imaginary tambourine. I must have looked a right idiot but my crowd enjoyed it. I think?!?

As Raleigh has a strict no alcohol rule, the above was done completely sober, which made it even more surreal! My fuel for the night was cans of sprite and lots of marsh mellows – MAD FOR THE MELLOWS (in a thick manc accent for those who remember)

-- Environmental Phase – Tamango Reserve --

Seeing a double rainbow span the valley as the rain which had been around all day slowly began to clear up. Really put a smile on my face, reminded me of many happy things from home!

Building a variety of land art Sculptures with Marc around our campsite (see previous post for an example) and then carefully removing them (kicking/throwing down the hill) when we left. Leave no trace!!

Dressing up as a pirate for the boat ride to our second camp site only to be greeted by a very un piratey dingy and luminous life jackets!

Sleeping under the ‘Shooting Stars’ and waking up with my bivi covered in frost and everything else around me being frozen.

Trekking with Ed through thick, thorny, thick, spiky undergrowth looking for the illusive Huemul, of which we saw none. My legs and arms were an utter mess after 3 days of doing that!

-- Community Phase – Chile Chico –-

Converting the barn/shed at the end of our campsite into our home for 3 weeks, it had previously been inhabited by a homeless guy and it apparently stunk to high heaven before we got there for phase 3. We painted walls, hung pictures, made tables and seats, made a wall of stuff and scattered candles around the place.

Carla giving me a banana and another piece of melon type fruit because I was feeling ill. It was just a nice thought which lifted my spirits and instantly made me feel so much better!

We played football against the local firemen, in which I scored 2 goals, I was very chuffed but didn’t really make any difference to the final result. We lost 15-20! I then spent the remainder of the match sitting and drawing stuff in charcoal on the side of the concrete pitch with a eight year old girl who didn’t speak any English.

Trying to hang the gates at the back of the playground with Tony. We had just broken our second drill and the bit was stuck in the wood and it was raining. The whole situation was very comical! I learnt many things that afternoon!

The opening of the playground was just magical. Even though the guest of honour didn’t turn up to open it, one of the local ladies took his place and did us proud. As soon as the ribbon was cut, the kids rushed in and played on it all. I returned later on in the evening when it was getting dark to find some kids still playing on the swings. So I joined in the age old game of ‘flicking your shows as far as you can while swinging’

Leaving Chile Chico on the ferry was possibly one of the most surreal experiences of the whole trip. I sat at the back of the boat and reflected on what we had achieved in Chile Chico and the other projects as well. I knew that this was the beginning of the end of my time in Patagonia. But I recall a few lines from a poem that I think I heard Marc read on the radio which included the lines ‘Everything begins with an end’ and ‘Everything ends with a beginning’. Looking back on it, these lines could not be more true!

-- Back at Field Base for End-Ex --

The final party was great!! It started with four guys bashing drums for about an hour or so while everybody danced around, which was just amazing!! Shona then lead a traditional Scottish dancing lesson, in which Helen and I attempted but never really got the hang of it, was fun never the less. The disco then started. Some good tunes were played, some rubbish tunes were played but it was all good fun! Once again in the absence of alcohol, fuel for the night was provided by sweets, fizzy drinks and cocktails/shots of 100% sugar based drink power called Zuko (which I since have found out is illegal in the UK due to certain ingredients). Come 2am the lights go up, people start to disperse, the clear up starts, the dj starts to pack up his equipment but plays some dark and down right dirty drum ‘n bass to round the night off! For me the party had just started, it was short lived though, only 1 hours worth! Around the barn we had bobbing for apples, a version of a coconut shy with mess tins, a paint wall, custard pie throwing and a Huemul piñata filled with sweets. It was so much fun!

I cant even begin to explain how weird it was to be leaving field base, our on/off home for the previous 10 weeks. I have now been home for 2 days and nothing has changed, it kind of seems that the past 10 weeks hasn’t really happened and was just a dream. I hope that what I have said has made sense and even inspired you. Raleigh hasn’t heard the last from me, I will return as staff sometime and somewhere…

I would like to thank the following staff for making my trip to Patagonia so special : Marc, Salvador, Tony, Steve, Sally, Shona, Abi and Jo.

"One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star"