The Summit (El Cumbre)

On reaching the summit, we protected ourselves from the fierce wind behind a shelter of volcanic rocks like half an igloo built by fellow trekkers. Our guide, Diego, unwrapped a picnic of croissants (medialunas) using stones to secure the 4 corners of our paper table...accompanied by mate ('mattay', their bitter green herbal drink). Clouds floated by just above our heads as if we could almost touch them. Tea and croissants never tasted so good.

Lanin National Park

We climbed to the top of one of the many volcanoes here called Cerro Colorado and with the guide's slow pace, Anita found it a doddle and amazingly enough quite enjoyable. From this promontory we could see clearly into Chile.