O is for Optimistic…

Or maybe just ‘Oh what have we gotten ourselves into.’ On the eve of our next adventure, I cannot help but question our sanity. Barely 4 months ago were a typical city living couple, with desk jobs and no fitness routine to speak of. Tomorrow we embark on an 8 day trek.

Not, as you might imagine, 8 daily hikes, returning to the comfort of a warm, cosy bed each evening. But 8 days hiking and camping. 8 days carrying our tent and bedding, our clothes, all our food and cooking equipment, everything, on our backs. There will be no hot dinner waiting for us and no pre-pitched tents to simply fall into after a hard day’s hike. What lies ahead is 86 miles of unforgiving mountainous and forest terrain, including 3 steep ascents. The unpredictable weather means we’ll likely experience daily rain, sunburn and winds of up to 100mph. Snow is also not unheard of even in these summer months. Blisters are probable and exhaustion is guaranteed, (Unlike the views if the weather is bad). This is nothing short of a hiking marathon, otherwise known as the O Circuit.

So why are we about to put ourselves through this? Why not opt for the shorter and less challenging of the 2 main hiking trails in Torres del Paine, the 4 day W Trek?

Well honestly, besides Aiden’s competitive nature, given that only 5% of all Torres del Paine hikers complete the O Circuit, the O Circuit is often referred to as Patagonia’s untouched gem and one of the most beautiful treks in the world. So how could we not? 

We’ll be hiking through a landscape of snow capped mountain passes, blue-grey glaciers extending as far as the horizon, or precariously clinging to the sides of mountains. Jagged towering rock formations, turquoise glacial lakes adorned with icebergs, and deep moss covered forests, which wouldn’t feel out of place in a Tolkien novel. With footfall on the trail limited to just 70 people per day, the solitude and serenity of the hike allows us the opportunity to glimpse some rare wildlife, undisturbed by our passing. Our expectations might be high, but every description we’ve read, and every photo we’ve seen is breathtaking.

So on the eve of this epic adventure, it’s fair to say we’re both bricking it. My heart is sinking listening to the wind and the rain lashing down outside, and my back already aches just looking at our backpacks, knowing the distances we’re about to travel. Yet like children on Christmas Eve, it’s not apprehension preoccupying our thoughts, but excitement. We cannot wait!