Grumpy old mountain man living in Spain
A symphony of artisanal, sun-dried durum wheat pappardelle, generously enveloped in a slow-cooked passata di pomodoro. This foundation is elevated by a confit of sweet, translucent gold shallots, offe...
Today marked a little shift in our Patagonian adventure. We said a temporary goodbye to the wonderful Gabriella at the Hotel Confin Patagonico (thanks to Claudia and Jorge who gave us a fantastic deal...
Patagonia is known for its ferocious winds. Today they were generally light but there were occasional strong gusts. Kiersten took advantage of this to give her hair some styling.
Let me start with a confession: I am utterly unequipped to do today’s hike justice. My vocabulary fails me, and while I’m a perfectly acceptable photographer, my images are but pale echoes of the real...
A few of my favourite finds today from a circular walk taking in three mountain lakes and Cerro Paredon above the town of El Chalten. A new bird for me, if I'm correct in my id, is the White-browed Gr...
A few of my favourite finds today from a walk beside the Rio de Las Vueltas. Austral Thrush Southern Lapwing Patagonian Sierra Finch Black-chinned Siskin Rufous-tailed Plantcutter
The day began, as so many do, at the National Park office. It was a visit that proved more worthwhile than we could have imagined. We were hit with the news straight away: a whopping $45 per person, p...
If you’ve been following this TravelLog, you’d be forgiven for thinking we’re two joy-sucking vampires who hate fun, sunlight, and functional transportation. The journey had been a masterclass in frus...
After a tough, frustrating 45 hours of difficult travelling, the final 3 hours were unmitigated bliss! The gods were smiling down on us as we approached El Chalten and the magnificent Mt Fitzroy welco...
A 45 second video summary of a 13 hour night flight from Madrid to Buenos Aires. The first time I've had my safety demonstration done, not by the plane stewards, but in this case, by the Argentine foo...
I'm British. Queuing is supposed to be in my blood, a national sport I'm meant to excel at. But it turns out, I absolutely hate it. What I truly love is the alternative I'm experiencing right now: bei...
Well, that was stressful. From arrival at the airport to sitting down with a well deserved beer took 2.5 hours! Long queues at checkin/bag drop, security and passport control. Making me think serious...
There’s a certain magic that settles in once you’re finally on your way. The frantic energy of the last few weeks begins to dissolve, replaced by the gentle hum of the engine and the promise of advent...
It's always quite a sad moment when we go on our travels to leave home and our dogs. Even more so when it's an extended trip. Do they sense it will be a lengthy parting or is it just us assuming so? S...
The week before an extended trip is always fraught with packing chaos. What to take, what to travel with etc. Made even more complex because our trip is to the other side of the world In a land of ice...
Spent a few hours today thinking about a tent for Patagonia. Don't need expedition tent as only out for 3 days max at a time. Given ferocity of weather in Patagonia it needs to be very strong to withs...
At the end of October 2025 my wife and I head back to the town of El Chalten in Patagonia. Its a place we have visited on six previous occasions. This time however we shall not be venturing onto the v...
I go into the mountains for many reasons but certainly one of them is to ensure I get a break from the norms which humanity seems to be building for itself. I want peace, solitude, quiet and beauty and I want to see nature at home in its own environment.
A scrambling superb round of the Corral del Veleta which includes the summits of Cerro de los Machos (3329m), Zacatín (3307m), Campanario (3318m) - Salón (3325m) and Veleta (3394m)
Hobbies and projects that I have been interested in have been moving me naturally towards a more self reliant future