While we’re stuck in a damp office, trying to get the next issue written up and finished in time, other more lucky people are shredding their heart out all over the world. But since we all know nothing comes from self-pity or moaning, so instead of begrudging them their trips, let’s join them at least passively! Here we got the latest adventures of Nikita rider Sabrina Kusar for you, who is currently enjoying the South American continent…
Words and photos by Sabrina Kusar
After discovering Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Puerto Madryn we were back on road for the south of Argentina. Everything changes totally; temperatures, vegetation, and atmosphere.
We are at the low season now so there aren’t a lot of people and as the volcano has been erupting for few weeks now it’s quieter than usual – NOBODY. That’s not cool for Argentina tourism but I have to say I really enjoy the feeling of being alone here…
We arrived in El Calafate which is definitely a unique place in the world. The village is next to the biggest lake in Argentina called Lago Argentino. Our youth hostel stands on a hill and offers us a magical view of the lake at all times throughout the day, but mornings and evenings project the most incredible light, completely indescribable.
We’ve been to Los Glacieres National Park (located in an area known as Austral Andes, in the south west of Santa Cruz on the border with Chile). It was soooo cold, around -15 °C. Equatorial temperatures definitely change. The sun was coming up and we took a boat that brought us down to the Glacier Perito Moreno. It was totally impressive to be in front of an ice cliff of more than 100 meters high right there in front of us. The noise of the ice moving and cracking was just massive. We were in total awe of the spectacle.
The day after, we went with the sun to the Parc of El Chalten. We were a bit surprised to arrive in a ghost town. It looked like something from the Scooby Doo cartoons or a cowboy western with nobody around and no noise! We finally found the way up the mountain in 10cm of fresh snow. We were in front of Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, two of the most renowned mountains in the world of alpinist enthusiasts. The more we walked between strange trees, the more we had the impression of being in the film Sleepy Hollow. When we returned to the village, in wet frozen shoes, we had the chance to meet the ONLY man in this place and were so lucky to learn that he was the boss of the only restaurant of the village usually closed at this time. BUT he opened it again for us, cooked a good soup and we shared exchanges about life next to a super cool heater.Argentinean people are really great and ‘solidaire’ all the time.
Here it comes towards the end of our travels in Argentina. We shred Esquel for a month and rent a house. On the first day of riding we were a bit sad because there wasn’t a lot of snow but it came! How lucky we were all the time during our travels! I said the same to my friend and she said that it’s probably due to karma! As I’m very fond of My Name Is Earl, I also do a lot for my karma and it definitely seems to work! Do good things for your karma and it’s gonna bring you back good things! BOOMERANG! So already in middle of our stay in Esquel, time goes so fast. I really enjoyed our stay here; people are wonderful, the snow is amazing, beers are good, the park is fucking well done, food is incredible…
Really, I found my paradise on earth and I can’t stay one more minute behind my computer! I must wear my COOL Nikita stuff and enjoy this place, so bye, sorry I need to enjoy!
