A Tale of Foiled Plans and Four-Hour Pints

Greetings from the bottom of the world, where the weather is as predictable as a coin flip and the beer is cheaper than a decent cup of coffee.

First, a mission statement. We’re not here to sell you a lie. You won't find a single photo of us, tanned and serene, doing yoga on a sun-drenched glacier. No, sir. We’re here to bring you the raw, unvarnished, and often damp truth of Patagonia. Think of us as your friendly, slightly shivering reality TV show from the Andes.

So far, the "good, warm weather, sun and blue skies" package has been our daily itinerary. Shocking, as this is Patagonia after all. We thought we’d signed up for some truly spectacularly awful, wet, and windy days. Anyway, consider this your front-row seat to all of it: the majestic, the miserable, and the "did my face just freeze" expression?"

The Mountain That Wasn't

Today's grand plan was straight out of an adventure brochure: a majestic overnight mountain camp. We were going to be those people - intrepid, wind-swept, sipping rehydrated stew while perched on a rock like a pair of proud, cold mountain goats.

Enter the spoilers: a villainous cloud forecast from the ominously named "WindGuru" app and my co-adventurer, Kiersten, feeling a bit… under the weather and biologically rebellious.

So, we did what any brave, seasoned explorers would do. We paused. We looked at the clouds. Looked at Kiersten. We looked back at the clouds. And we collectively said, "You know what? Let's try again tomorrow." The mountains have been there for millions of years; they can wait one more day for the honour of our company.

Discovery of Liquid Proportions

Thus, our day of high-altitude daring transformed into a day of profound relaxation. We went shopping. We visited a chemist. We chilled out. And then, we stumbled upon the true heart of Patagonian culture: the "Happy Hour."

Now, "Happy Hour" here is a loose term. In most bars, it’s a generous four-hour window from 4-8 pm. But today, we found the holy grail. The Shangri-La of happy hours. A pub offering a happy hour that ran from 1:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Eght hours! 

This isn't a "happy hour." This is a "happy work shift with two coffee breaks." It’s a declaration that the entire second half of the day is better with a cheap pint in hand.

Now, the price: $5,000 ARS. I know what you're thinking. "Five thousand for a beer?! Have they lost their minds?!" But fear not, 5,000 Argentine Pesos is actually under $4 USD (or just over €3). 

The beer itself is fantastic - locally brewed, tasty drafts of IPA, rubia, negra, amber, roja, you name it. And we’ve found it serves a vital, almost scientific purpose. It perfectly fills the "Patagonian Chasm", that critical, often awkward gap between finishing a hike (or in today's case, finishing "not-hiking") and going to bed, when you need to thaw out your extremities and contemplate the meaning of wind.

So, there you have it. The reality of Patagonia: one part foiled plans, one part dodgy weather, and three parts inexplicably long, cheap, and delicious happy hours.

We wouldn't have it any other way.

Until tomorrow (if the clouds permit),
Richard & Kiersten