Another highlight of being in Calafate has been meeting Tony and Ursula. They are two uber-cool people! From the moment I met them, they welcomed me openly and have been taking care of me ever since.
They have both led these incredible lives and have kept me rapt and in stitches with their stories. They are tremendously candid and very warm, extraordinary people. I got to share my experience at the Perito Moreno Glacier with them- in fact, they were the reason I got to see the Perito Moreno Glacier, so really they shared their experience with me. They fed me wine, treats and have generally been a complete and total pleasure to be in company with.
The craziest of it all is that we know a lot of the same people. One of their sons is a world-class freestyle whitewater kayaker, and frequents the Ottawa River for competitions and training. He has spent a lot of time with the company that runs the ski area where my dad is a ski instructor and they know a lot of the same people. A long-time friend of theirs teaches (or recently retired) French at the same high school as Kelly in Arnprior. They just spent the last few days around Southern Argentina with a NOLS supervisor that Dan met in Arizona (who happens to have grown up about 20min away from him in NS) and is currently working for. I´ve travelled all this way, as have they, from different ends of North America only to find out that we have all these connections. The world is sometimes such a small place.
And the irony of it all is that Tony and Ursula were bumped from a Torres del Paines tour that would have taken them off to Chile and we would probably not have had a chance to meet. I love this part about travelling. Sometimes things don´t turn out the way you have planned, but what you get instead is something even better. And being in the company of these two has been a great treat for me and has undisputedly made my stay in Calafate much, much better than I could ever have expected. Tony and Ursula, you two are a treat. When tables are turned down the road, I hope I have the stories and your infectious energy to capture the attention and respect of some young´un like me. And if not, I´ll tell them about this cool couple I met one time in Calafate....
Thank you.
The craziest of it all is that we know a lot of the same people. One of their sons is a world-class freestyle whitewater kayaker, and frequents the Ottawa River for competitions and training. He has spent a lot of time with the company that runs the ski area where my dad is a ski instructor and they know a lot of the same people. A long-time friend of theirs teaches (or recently retired) French at the same high school as Kelly in Arnprior. They just spent the last few days around Southern Argentina with a NOLS supervisor that Dan met in Arizona (who happens to have grown up about 20min away from him in NS) and is currently working for. I´ve travelled all this way, as have they, from different ends of North America only to find out that we have all these connections. The world is sometimes such a small place.
And the irony of it all is that Tony and Ursula were bumped from a Torres del Paines tour that would have taken them off to Chile and we would probably not have had a chance to meet. I love this part about travelling. Sometimes things don´t turn out the way you have planned, but what you get instead is something even better. And being in the company of these two has been a great treat for me and has undisputedly made my stay in Calafate much, much better than I could ever have expected. Tony and Ursula, you two are a treat. When tables are turned down the road, I hope I have the stories and your infectious energy to capture the attention and respect of some young´un like me. And if not, I´ll tell them about this cool couple I met one time in Calafate....
Thank you.
4 comments:
Tera, great stories. The best thing about travel is the comfort of randomness: totally obtuse but strangely familiar places, people, and memories that you never would have known if you stayed home. Long live your travel and long live your blog.
By-the-by Tera, uncle brian is Dee's Brian, er, but not her uncle. Forgot that part.
Brian
Terra, you are too nice, that was a really great article. Of course, we too so enjoyed your company and glad that our paths have crossed. We are back home now and glad that our trip was a succes, It's people like you that we met along the way, that made the trip so special.
Save travels ! Tony and Ursula
Thanks for the msg Unkie Brian. I like hearing from long lost (and found) family. Welcome aboard!!!
PS- so true about randomness. I'm learning that "flow" puts you in some truly amazing places in the company of some amazing people. This is the best experience of all.
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