There is a unique feeling when embarking on something new or different. While the feeling itself may vary depending on the magnitude of the action involved, as humans we always have a sense of hesitancy and apprehension if we undertake something where the outcome is uncertain. However, if we don’t go through this process, we essentially never encounter new voluntary experiences in our lives.
We recently enjoyed a few wonderful days in the Cajon Del Maipo region of Central Chile. Having left our camper van in a workshop in Santiago for a few days to get some functional and aesthetic repairs, we headed a couple of hours east in a rental jeep for our first venture into the Andes Mountains. The Cordilleras De Los Andes, as they are know locally, are absolutely beautiful, stunning in both their grandeur and design, and certainly a sight we look forward to seeing many more times on our adventure.
Our first venture into the mountains entailed a beautiful drive through the Maipo Valley following the Maipo River upstream. Passing the rural cabins and small villages along the way left me pondering the lives the locals lived, challenged by the rugged landscape and changing seasons, yet surely fulfilled and supported by the great communities they are a part of.
Following a few Google-maps inspired false dawns, we eventually settled on a spot to explore beside the river. In reality, and to any passers-by, this was not the most most picturesque spot available (although it was beautiful), nor did it appear to have the most obvious entertainment to offer. However, the children’s sense of adventure, imagination and enthusiasm made this a place without rival. Hours were spent studying the various colors and textures of the rocks and minerals found beside the riverbank, climbing and descending rock formations, and freezing hands in the icy river itself. There was nothing complicated or obviously unique about where we stopped, but enjoying such a place with our inquisitive children was certainly something special for myself and Laura.
Given that many of the mountains around us were still snow-capped, our children were very vocal about getting to enjoy this all too rare sight in Dublin. As such, we ventured off in search of fun and excitement, which we hoped would not be limited to the children amongst us! Our second mountain destination was the Lagunillas mountain ski resort, about an hour from where we were staying. To say that the hairpin-filled drive was spectacular would barely be doing justice to the scenery on show. Unfortunately for us, our visit coincided with the end of the ski season, meaning that the melting snow had recently caused the skiing element of the mountain to close until next winter. However, we did have the great fortune to be allowed go sledding on the mountain, which we literally had all to ourselves (a strange but certainly quite unique experience). Sleds, boots and gloves were rented, leaving just the small matter of the snow-covered hike up to our starting point (the chair-lifts had also unfortunately been turned off by our arrival date). Accompanied by our two young children, this was not a negligible task I can confirm! The melting snow often resulted in close to half of our bodies disappearing on many occasions. As I battled up the slope with sleds, lunches, waters and extra clothes in hand, the image of Rocky Balboa training in the snow before his big showdown with Ivan Drago in Rocky IV sprung to mind!
Once we were all set and ready to sled, the real challenge began. The melting snow had left the sleding route in a rather bumpy state. For anyone familiar with the Winter Olympics, picture the moguls event and imagine yourself hurtling down such a steep mountain-face on a piece of thin plastic. The result of such a combination does not take a Mensa member to diagnose…! A family snow-fight then followed our multiple wipeouts, something both children and adults revelled in. Having emptied large quantities of Lagunillas mountain snow from every item of clothing we adorned, we took the opportunity to re-energize with a picnic in the middle of the ski-slope. I think its true to say that there are fewer nicer spots to eat in the world than we enjoyed that afternoon. Simple sandwiches have never tasted so satisfying. The fortune we experienced being there that day was not lost on any of us.
The last mountain stop of our few days in Cajon Del Maipo followed the next day, with what on paper appeared a simple enough task. Drive 70km, exit jeep and admire a reservoir (or “embalse” as it is know in Spanish). Seems straight-forward, right? Wrong! These are the Andes after all and the effects of a winter season here are still very much front and centre. I have had the tremendous fortune to travel quite a bit in my 40 years so far. I have travelled on very questionable roads in countries such as Nepal, Tibet, Laos and Cambodia. Never had I travelled on roads however that were quite as bad as those leading to the Embalse El Yeso that day. A journey that should have taken less than an hour took multiple times that, as we drove through waterfalls, around rockfalls and in and out of what can only be described as craters scattered all across the road. Clearly the local authorities have decided to prioritize budgets on other more pressing needs.
On arrival to the reservoir, or 2.5km short of the reservoir according to our friends at Google, the road ended. We were advised that vehicles should be parked and that the reservoir could be accessed on foot. Advice was also casually offered that appropriate footing should be worn, given that some snow could be present on the walk. Thankfully we had brought our best hiking boots, so proceeded with our quest to view the now almost mystical reservoir. The walk up to the reservoir was indeed totally snow-covered, with steep cliff drops to our side throughout. Our children’s emotions ranged from excited and motivated to despair and outrage, as our not-so straight-forward trek continued and continued, in the deep snow. Eventually we did arrive to cheers, hugs and smiles. There was no crowd waiting to greet us, just the happiness and pride of some novice adventurers, joyous at the end of their considerable efforts! The reservoir itself was nice, but on paper anyway not worth the toll it took to get there. Thankfully life is not lived on paper, its lived with shared emotions, experiences and memories.
We did not discover a new life-changing rock or mineral, nor did we slalom at record speeds, and we certainly did not scale a world-renowned mountain, in our few days in Cajon Del Maipo. What we did manage to attain however was something very important in my opinion. We challenged ourselves to embrace nature, try something new, and push ourselves to complete something difficult. This left us all with a sense of achievement and confidence as we embark on further uncertain experiences.
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