It’s time to leave El Chaltén. If I hadn’t already booked the bus, I might have stayed. I just love this place and could still go on more hikes. But it’s time for a long bus ride. The bus leaves at 9pm and by chance the seat next to mine is empty. After the poor dinner I feel tired, a lot of hiking the last days and not much sleep. Usually I can’t sleep sitting, but with the seat next to mine free, I end up sleeping until 7am, only waking up to change position every hour or so. Perfect, now only 12 more hours to go… 

And with some stops, more people getting in, the seat next to mine taken. The worst are the two police controls. We don’t cross the border, but they check everyone’s passports and pick a few people who have to open their backpacks and show everything that’s inside. Each control takes an hour so we have a big delay, arriving finally at 9.30pm in El Bolson. 

I booked a hostel some 6km out of town and start looking for a taxi. I don’t understand the first people explaining in Spanish but finally I end up at the “remises” agency where a couple from the bus is already waiting, same hostel. Perfect. At 11pm we finally reach the hostel, check in, sleep. 

The next morning is a pleasant surprise. The hostel is so cozy and has a huge garden. Breakfast is included, homemade bread and jam! I also meet a few other people and get some advice for hikes. With Henrike I head into town, by bus. It’s Easter Sunday but luckily the supermarket is open, at least till 1.30pm. I need to buy food for my next 4 day hike. El Bolson is a small hippie town and there’s a little market in the centre where we go first for a stroll.    After our shopping we get some empanadas for lunch and wait for the bus to take us back to the hostel. It’s much warmer in El Bolson, I am sweating in my hiking boots and pants. Back in the hostel I enjoy sitting outside in the garden, eating apples, bananas and of course (it’s Easter!),  some Milka chocolate eggs I found in the supermarket. At 5.30pm there’s a yoga class in the garden and then Henrike and I prepare a yummy dinner, butternut, potatoes and ricotta with parsley. It’s so much nicer to prepare food with someone else and enjoy dinner together! 

For some reason I am unable to upload any other pics of El Bolson and me eating chocolate although I have good Wi-Fi so you just need to Google El Bolson pics for now 😉