Back from Torres and heading south...

                                                       Below friendly police on the trail.

The Torres

                                        Pancakes for breakfast to fuel a 30km walk out to the bus.

Have just had an amazing 6 days in the park. We were one of the first people let back in since the fire started. They think it was started by a group of Israelis camping off the track and burning toilet paper, it was then very quickly a big problem with 100km winds fuelling the flames and in one case the fire jumped a kilometer across a lake and started burning on the other side. There is not much they can do in such strong winds but have been lucky to have some rain. It seems they have it sort of under control now. But it keeps re-igniting whenever there is more wind.

                                           Si pointing the way to "his glacier" glacier Dixon

                                                                    Glacier Los  Perros

So we were confined to the path up to the torres and the back of the park. This is not such a bad thing as the back is beautiful. Also as were were one of the first back into the park we had it all to ourselves, this was lovely and we had about three nights camping basically alone in campsites before the hordes returned. Unfortunatly we were not able to go to Lago Grey which is where Lucy was living when she was in the park so we will have to leave that for another trip...(a great reason to come back).
We had a fabulous time and Simon loved the glaciers and the extreme geology of the place with shear granite peaks contrasting with dark sedimentary layers all twisted and folded. There were also lots of interesting birds and we have booked in some time today to steal a look at the bird book in the book shop to try and idenitfy what they were.  We had a good sighting of a falcon yesterday in the back of the park as she hunted a mouse and then ate it on a dead tree while we snacked on crackers, she then took off and we got to watch her hover motionless above us.  No woodpeckers, but a possibility for further south.  It has been really special for me to see the Park and even theough we didn´`t get to Lucy's favourite places, I have been able to appreciate what a beautiful place it is and how much it means to her.
Today we are headed by bus to Punta Arenas where we will take the ferry across the Magellan strait to Porvenir and begin cycling again to Ushuaia, hopefully with a tail wind!  Looking forward to a good week or so on the bikes again as we pack away the tramping gear after a solid 102kms of hiking in 5 days. 

                                                               Si walking out of Dixon