We got back to El Calafate from Chile and I proceeded to go on a MAJOR shopping spree.  Not because I love shopping.  The fact of the matter is, I don’t like to shop.  However, what I dislike more than shopping is being cold.  My blood has gone thin since living in San Diego.  I can’t stand the cold like I could when I was younger.  My dad really conditioned us for the cold weather though.  In the good old days we’d ask him to turn up the heat in the house and he’d tell us to go put on a sweatshirt. ‘But Dad, I’m already wearing a sweatshirt.’ ‘Then go put on another sweatshirt. And a hat and gloves if you need to! Geesh, you kids.‘  Understandable.  Raising five kids was expensive. But these days, I’m a classic 72-77 degree girl.   San Diego is spoiled.  Anything over or under and the complaining starts.

I was vastly naïve regarding the weather in Patagonia.  One could say I was ill-prepared in my planning, and they would probably be correct.  In my defense, it is quite difficult to pack for 3 months on the road.  It is even more difficult to pack for 3 months on the road, when one is going from the heat of southern Italy to the freezing temps of Patagonia.  PLUS, it IS spring down here in the opposite hemisphere.  But don’t let that fool you my friends.  It was cold as cold can be.  And I packed. . wait for it. . a windbreaker.  Yes that’s correct; a windbreaker.  I thought with some heavy layers and a windbreaker, I would be fine.  Um no, I wasn’t fine, I was an ice cube (and not the millionaire rapper kind of Ice Cube.)  So, when we returned to El Calafate my first stop was to find a proper winter jacket.  With Jackie’s help, I did just that.

After my little ‘How great will it be to have a Patagonia coat from Patagonia?!’ shopping trip, we returned to the hotel. I was so excited that night.  Why you ask?  Was it because I was in the one of the most beautiful places in all of South America?  Well, yes.  But I was EXTRA excited because one of my very favorite people was arriving to town that night.  My friend Carly!  You may be asking yourself  “Is Theresa ever going to travel alone again?”  And the answer is yes, but not in the foreseeable future.  How lucky was I to be traveling with another friend?!  I’ll tell you. . you put it out there and things just work out.  Carly had been wanting to go to Patagonia for many years and when I mentioned that it was in the plans she jumped on the opportunity to head to Argentina.  Needless to say, Carly fit right in and completed our group of four. I knew she would.  She is sweet, friendly, hilarious and game for any adventure.

The day after Carly’s arrival, we were off to explore the Perito Moreno Glacier.  This glacier is named after the explorer Francisco Moreno.  The name, “Moreno,” is all over Argentina.  Moreno was very influential during the 19th century in helping Argentina define Patagonia’s territories and defend the land from Chile.  The Perito Moreno glacier is one of only three glaciers in the world that is advancing rather than melting. The glacier is grounded by rock,  1/2 mile deep, 2 miles long and can move up to 3 meters a day during the summer months. Impressive, I know.

We spent the day walking over the glacier using these crazy contraptions called Crampons.  They were essentially ice pick shoes.  At the end of the tour we drank whiskey on the rocks made from glacier ice. In the afternoon we sat on the rocks by the glacier, enjoying our lunch and watching mini ice avalanches topple into the sea.