I was travelling in Argentina about 5 years ago, through the
town Bariloche. In summer, the tourist town is a hub for travellers looking to
go hiking up the neighbouring mountains. On my second day I planned a trip
which would take me up a mountain one day, stay overnight at an outpost, and
come back down the next. I couldn’t wait.
I should note that as a backpacker, I was travelling solo.
This meant that friendships were temporary and companions on such day trips came
by chance. I was alone on this hike so I took the chance to pack my favourite
necessity – the iPod. The best thing about travelling alone is listening to a
couple Led Zeppelin albums in a row!
I also managed to pack some other essentials - water, food, sleeping
gear, a couple pesos, and, of course, my camera.
The trek was long; longer than expected. But rather than offering
a challenging gradient, it would zig-zag up the mountain like those roads in
the Tour de France: up to the left, hook around a corner; up to the right.
Feeling adventurous, I figured I could save some time by cutting straight up
through the bush from one road to another, effectively halving the time taken.
The best thing about travelling alone is that when you had a great idea, no-one
is there to second guess you!
