In search of America...

Driving south from Puerto Deseado, the land gets dryer, the vegetation even more sparse, the wind fiercer and we even come across hailstones on the road. Luckily some encounters with the local fauna:  choique (Darwin's rhea), peludo (big hairy armadillo) and some beautiful stopovers break the monotony of the road.

On a beach near Puerto San Julian. The wind was so strong in the following night that we had to leave at 3 AM to seek shelter behind the walls of a gas station.

After another windy crossover from Rio Gallegos, we finally reach El Calafate...first views of the Andes, a dream becoming true.

Here we meet Papy Poney, who is joining the family for the next 2 weeks. Not even a day to recover from his 26 hours trip...we go and visit the Laguna Nimez, a beautiful bird reserve on the shores of the Lago Argentino.

Plenty of birds to see, and everyone really enjoys trying to spot the different species.

Another windy day...we get some lessons done and use the afternoon to visit the Glaciarium, a museum explaining everything one needs to know on glaciers.

19- 20 November: the weather forecast is awesome, and the schoolwork is finished for the week...we decide to make the most of the clear weather to explore El Chalten and its mythical mountains: Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, nous voila!

The mythical Andean Condor...in front of the Fitz Roy...Sebastien was on fire!!!

A 2-hours walk to Laguna Capri offers us nice views of the Rio de las Vueltas and brings us closer to the Fitz Roy.

Don't believe the expression you see on Theotime's face, he was actually happy to be there and had been walking amazingly well that day!