End of the world

I came back to Argentina for a week before taking a ferry boat in Chile (which leaves on Mondays only). I went to the end of the world, Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, situated in Tierra del Fuego. It's a beautiful place with colourful houses, between the sea and the mountains.

In addition to breathing fresh air on a tour to the nearby national park, I saw some exhibitions of the native Yaghan (Yamana) people. The Yaghan were nomads who traveled by canoes between islands to collect food. The men hunted sea lions while the women dived to collect shellfish. Surprisingly, despite the cold and rainy weather, they did not wear clothes. They covered their bodies with animal grease and used the fires for drying themselves and getting warm. The Europeans made them wear clothes, live in houses and - just like in other parts of the world - tried to convert them to Christianity. Unfortunately the Yaghan could not survive contact with white man's diseases. The people who had lived in the area for thousands of years died out in a few decades. Or well, there is still one full-blooded grandmother living...

In Ushuaia I finally went to a yoga class. I wanted to do a lot of yoga on this trip and after lying in bed with a fever two weeks ago, I really felt like my body needed yoga. I was happy to hear the lesson would be integral yoga containing elements of hatha and kundalini yoga, because I do the latter in Finland. After the practise the teacher gave a small lecture, too. She raised interesting questions about freedom and made us think what we really need and want. We are influenced by our parents, friends, the media... But we should find our own path, write our own story.

I feel very free and calm on this trip. I am lucky and thankful for the chance to be here, to walk my own paths. But are they always my own? I have visited a lot places, because they are mentioned in my guidebook or other travellers have told me about them. For sure I have seen some amazing places! But now, instead of rushing to take photos of Perito Moreno glacier, I decided to stop in the small town of Tolhuin, norht of Ushuaia, to have interesting conversations with a shop-keeper and journalist who has a small studio for radio broadcasting at the backroom of his shop.

My time in Argentina is coming to an end. I will return in August, to the northern part of the country. It's time to summarize what I've seen and experienced in a month. I've seen gorgeous views, met friendly people and greeted them with a 'beso' (a kiss on the cheek), danced tango, tasted the wines, meat, thick caramel sauce called dulce de leche... I've been offered mate (traditional drink, a bit like strong green tea) and more than the taste, I enjoy being part of the social ritual. Mate is drunk through a silver straw from a gourd that is passed around and everyone uses the same straw.

A lot of people seem to be surprised that I am travelling alone. "Aren't you afraid?" Well, if I'm able to live alone, why wouldn't I be able to travel alone?