Nahuel Huapi

Nahuel Huapi National Park in northern Patagonia, Argentina.

1800 metres above the town of Bariloche, on a trail between Refugio Frey and Refugio Jakob (of the four refugios), at the end of October, the beginning of summer. Where the snow still covers part of the way, but the sun shines through.

Two women sit on a rock, talking over some tea. They spent the night in the refugio with us. They seemed to be friends, not strangers, but one wonders if the companionship had been made on these mountains or in a city someplace far away. They had left that morning before we did, meandering slowly along the path towards Jakob. As we passed them by, they had stopped to talk, about what, I am not sure. But I thought to myself… what a place to sit and talk. Surrounded by nothing, just wild mountains, but with people gently on route.

Places we go to be alone but not lonely.