So when we sat down to plan our trip we knew we were defo going to South America and Marc pipes up how he always wanted to go to Antarctica so after a quick look at google maps I announced "honey it doesn't look that far I am sure it will be fine" hahaha 5 mins later the plan was scrapped, how was I to know it literally costs thousands of pounds each to go !!!!!!

So after a bit more searching somehow I cam across this glacier in Patagoina in southern Argentina, it was the next best thing .


The Glacier
So this is only of the only glaciers in the world that is still growing, this is due to the fact that the top of it is so high up and gets constant snow this builds it and then it pushes down to the lower region, the part we were in. Its actual size is 39km in length and at points 5km wide. The height above the water is on average 74m and it goes down under the sea a whopping 170m. The glacier appears to be blue, this is due to how compact the ice is and the light reflecting though it shows up really blue its just stunning, Marc says its a Man City glacier haha. As the glacier pushes down from the higher region there are parts at the front of it that regularly break off - its a huge noise that thunders through the air then you hear the splash of the ice falling in.   
 






  
Iceberg dead ahead !
We got picked up at 0800 and it was an hour n half drive to Los Glaciares National Park where we got on a boat to take us round to the glacier . After about 5 mins we turned a corner and there it was, it was utterly huge it was just amazing we couldnt stop staring at it, more than some of the people on the boat who didn't really seem to care, its like HELLOOO...weirdos.

We braced the cold and stood outside it was just looming in front of us as we got closer, even after all the pics I had seen of it I was truly gob smacked by the size and beauty of it.

Off the boat and we headed to the "refuge" where we had our wee briefing and left our packed luch (yep considering the cost of it not even a sandwich was included!). We were given some gloves thankfully as it was utterly freezing, I had borrowed some hiking boots from the hostel and Marc hired his for the day - trainers were not advised strangely enough. So we were strapped up in our crampons and off we went.


 
Trekking on ice
So after a demonstration of how to go up and down in the crampons we were off - it was totally mental just walking around this glacier - we got to look down super deep holes that were so blue it was stunning. We hiked around for an hour n half then climbed up to the top of one of the peaks the view was amazing. Unfortunately it was raining the whole time although it kinda just added to the affect of climbing on the ice but there are a few blobs on the pics .

So just as the trek was ending the guide announced he had one last thing to show us....we climbed over the hill to find a table of whisky glasses and good old Famous Grouse whisky - he chipped off some of the glacier ice and we had some whisky on the rocks hehe - amazing what a nice touch.

We stopped for some lunch which we shared with a couple from London who hadn't been told you had to bring your own and as there was no shop it was baguettes all round.
 







 
The Balconies , could it get any better !!
So it was back to the bus so it could take us round to the balconies, the viewing platforms, by this point we were tired and kinda like hmmm its freezing out there I am not really fussed we had been on it and seen it. Well just when you think you had seen it all this was just utterly ridiculous, we were now a the front of it from above looking right back at the length of it into the horizon as opposed to the side of it which we thought was already huge, now we could see both sides of it and I also managed to catch a video of a small part falling off in the distance have a look at the vids below . You just cant get the pictures or even video to show the full size of it - we just stood there in silence trying to take it all in - its without a doubt probably the most stunning thing I have seen on this trip, like I say even after all the pics I have looked before I just wasn't prepared for the sheer size of it, its nature at is finest :-)

I have added in some pics from the internet at the end to show the ariel views of it and a pic of a huge chunk of ice falling it - cannot imagine seeing this one !!! We did see a good one when getting our briefing but not in time for the camera, of course. Marc had seen another one but I missed it as usual then at the end Marc was like lets get a cuppa tea before going home, I was waiting to see another bit fall but it was freezing and tea was a good idea, of course as we turned away 2 seconds later another chunk fell off..... we were behind a tree !!!!!!!!!! GUTTED its just my luck lol.


Time for a beer 
So we headed down to the pub tonight to meet a couple from London who were on their holiday, we had met them on the trek, they hadn't been told that they had to bring their own lunch so we had shared our sandwiches with them . They were really nice from Clapham just 5 mins away from where we used to live in London. We keep meeting people from Balham/Clapham/Brixton area its too weird.

We had a great night and as I was trying to ask for the bill in my best Spanish the waiter looked all confused at me then Bryan said he had gone and paid it all as a thanks seeing as we had shared our lunch!! It was only a baguette bless, we couldn't believe the generosity of them its was so lovely, what kind people, the favour will be returned back in sunny London when we return home - big thanks to Bryan & Sharleen.

So all in all one of the most amazing days of our trip - its maybe not Antarctica but wow it was just spectacular - there are some videos on this too hope you get some idea of how utterly amazing this was.

 
Costs
Entry to the national park - £15 each
1.5 hour mini trek on the glacier & bus transfer - £100 each
bed in a 4 bed dorm - £12 each