It was about 8pm on New Year’s Eve in El Chaltén. The boys and I, fresh from our hike, were on the hunt for grub. We had a list of recommended restaurants, but as we walked around town, popping our heads in and out, asking if they could squeeze us in, we were turned away time and again; each restaurant door represented hope, quickly dashed. It soon became apparent that booking ahead would have been wise.
In our quest for sustenance, we stumbled upon a spot that was less than stellar, despite charging over £100 for a set meal (thankfully only £60 on the Blue Dollar). Honestly, I was just happy to be sitting down. The starter, a nondescript Russian salad and cold cuts, barely registered, but the main course was truly underwhelming. Patagonia is known for its lamb, but that night’s offering was as tough as old boots, a disappointment visibly shared by everyone at the table. Jeremy joked about asking the waiter, “¿Cuál es el secreto del cordero?” translated to “What is the secret of the lamb?”. This question, normally reserved for exceptional meals, was now repurposed for our amusement. We were all so exhausted that everything seemed hilariously exaggerated, as if we were on an acid trip. At that moment, it truly felt like the funniest thing we’d ever encountered—a classic “you had to be there” moment.
Throughout the meal, someone would blurt out, “¿Cuál es el secreto del cordero?” sending us into fits of laughter once again. This joke has since become a running gag in our WhatsApp group, bringing a smile to my face every time it’s mentioned.
Of course, we didn’t say anything to the waitress; I’d imagine they were just having a bad night. The chocolate dessert, however, was absolutely fine and turned out to be the best course of the meal.
After dinner, we celebrated the turn of the New Year at our table with glasses of sparkling wine in hand. I grabbed a bottle of wine to go, and we paid up and headed back to the hostel.
The culinary journey might not have hit the mark, but the night was far from a write-off. Back at the hostel, a party was in full swing in the kitchen. Everyone was dancing to cumbia, typical party music in South America, enjoyed especially during times of celebration. True to the warmth of Argentine hospitality, we were offered food and fernet. It was at this party I met a very interesting girl named Timo, born and bred in Patagonia and currently working in the local tourist industry. You’ll hear more about her later.
We left the party and ventured back out. The local nightclub, the only game in town, was bursting at the seams as you’d expect. Picture a sea of hikers turned party-goers, where North Face and Patagonia logos were the evening’s haute couture. In this unlikely setting, I found myself chatting up a Brazilian girl, only to lose her to the siren call of the restroom—a journey that turned into an odyssey of its own. I asked Leandro to keep her entertained, but upon my return 40 minutes later, I found her snogging the face of a man who could have passed for my doppelgänger. Meanwhile, Jeremy had his own adventure, opting for nature’s call in the great outdoors, only to find re-entry a quest too far. The bouncers saw him off, leading him to retreat to his lodging in defeat.
After a painstaking queue for another round of drinks, Leandro and I decided to call it a night. The experience reaffirmed my preference for something more low-key on NYE. Outside, the scene was no less chaotic. While I stopped to chat with a few souls still queuing up to get in, I witnessed a scuffle; typical nightlife drama. I guess a club full of drunk people on New Year’s Eve in a picturesque hiking town in the heart of Patagonia is no different from a club in London, or anywhere – where there are drunk people partying, there’s always a chance of trouble. Luckily, it had nothing to do with us, so we headed back to the hostel.
The next day I woke early for a hike around the majestic Fitz Roy, before a chance meeting with Timo back at the hostel led to a fascinating chat about life in Patagonian Argentina. She’s an avid hiker and conservationist. Click on my podcast episode ‘Adventures in Patagonia’ to hear her talk about life growing up and now working in Patagonia https://candidrich.com/podcast/.
