Highlight of the trip so far was definitely the hike over the glacier. I had of course been a bit doubtful beforehand if I would do it or not as it was quite expensive and I am quite mean... However, expense is all relative here, with a bed for 9 euro a night I decided I could bear to spend some money on special outings. And I'm really glad I did it. The Snow Queen of Narnia herself could have come charging across in her sleigh at any moment I'm certain! It was definitely another world out there. And it's worth it just to see how much the guides love their work. They are quite simply the coolest guys on the planet, lots of dreadlocks and reggae and techie climbing gear. In the summer glacier guide and in the winter snowboard instructor - you simply don't get any cooler than this! But despite the supercool image they have they are also endearingly childishly enthusiastic about their 'place of work'. They are so happy and proud of the fact that they can be there every day and love showing others the wonders of this place. There were 5 other people and me on the hike with 2 guides to show us the way and tell us how to use the crampons properly and so on. There was also one paying customer for the ice-climbing option but all the other instructors/guides went along for the run. When we got there (the cave/climbing bit was the end of our walk over the ice) they were all having a great time clambering about and laughing and drinking mate and just generally being out to play...
On the way back the wind started howling at full Patagonian strength (which is at least 3 times what it is anywhere else I suspect) and it was raining and I'd still got my waterproof trousers in my rucksack because in all the excitement of donning crampons for the first time I'd forgotten to put them on. Theoretically I should have been feeling pretty miserable but strangely enough I was happy as a daft woman on a glacier can possibly be. And I knew too that I could spend the rest of the afternoon in Refugio Grey, drying my clothes at the stove and reading and drinking hot chocolate so the wet and windy boat trip back didn't bother me in the least.
