Huerquehue National Park

Described in our Bible (The Lonely Planet) as one of the "must see" parks in Chile

We were rowed to our camp site by our new found friends, Victor and Nicholas (great because it saved us a long hike with our backpacks).

Ally getting adjusted to our new tent, purchased just a few days ago (it rained one night out of the three and thankfully passed the water proof test, thank goodness)...

Playing Volleyball in a forest clearing...

Meeting our fellow campers (the one on the right was a bit of a frisky fellow)...

Feeling well rested, we then hiked up into the mountains to explore some great views, beautiful waterfalls and high altitude lakes

Enjoying the reflections in the clear weather

Excerpt from Ally´s email

Before we left to go camping they held the national election and have elected the first women president for Chile. There was much honking of horns and people shouting slogans from megaphones. I was a tad concerned to see the riot police in full gear when I went to the supermarket but they were a happy crowd.

I really enjoyed our time in the national park. We stayed at a site initinally right on the banks of the lake and we were the only people there. It was so peaceful and pristinely beautiful. We did a fantastic hike up through the forests to big clear lakes at the top. Unfortunately they were quite close to the snow line so were very cold. I was only brave enough to put my feet in but some chap treated us to a naked swim! I don't think he realised that he would have to walk as far as he did to reach waist high water!

The trip down from the hike was a quarter as short due to the gradient and I started to dream of an ice cold Sprite. But we found a wonderful little place at the bottom that sold the most amazing rasberry pie. We ate it in no time.

We met three girls on the hike back who we knew from the previous hostel who were staying at another camp site so we moved as it was much cheaper. The chap came to fetch us in a row boat and he had a cutie friend who was 10. All four of us girls lost our hearts to the cutie as he had a killer smile and such an eager to please disposition. G spent hours playing volleyball and soccer with them much to their delight.

On our last night camping the weather was turning so we went to this beautiful wooden house and had a traditional Chile meal. It was hot and filling. We met a women who will be staying there for a couple of weeks as she is writing a book. She wouldn't tell us too much about it but she did entertain us with stories of all her travels. She had even been to Antartica. G then started to look in the book about trips there as it is on his life list but is is out of our budget for this trip.

Now we are back in Pucon for a couple of days before heading to Puerto Montt to catch the ferry which take us right down south past glaciers and stark mountian ranges. I am so excited about the ferry trip.