Love in the land of fire

Today is Día de la Novia (Girlfriend’s Day) here in Argentina, and the perfect day to deliver some heartening news. Guess what happened here?

We got engaged! It was a lovely moment, as this was at the terminus of Ruta 3…the real end of the road in Tierra del Fuego National Park…and I had been feeling a bit melancholy about arriving. But Juan assured me that we would have many more roads to adventure upon, and both of us are thrilled to lock in each other as partners in crime in this crazy world. For far-away friends, we have pretty much been together since our first date, in June of 2010. It was on that very first date that he told me about his plan to drive his Volkswagen van to this very point, and I knew that I wanted to be with him when he got there!

Of course, Juan had to joke that he had driven the Americas and failed to find a better option–and of course I had to say that I was compelled to say yes to avoid an *awkward* drive back north. We look forward to a lifetime of more of these kinds of witticisms.

It was a beautiful day. We’d gotten up early to take the tourist steam train with about a hundred Brasilian tourists. I was dead set on this, ever since taking a similar narrow-gauge tiny train in Esquel and loving it. I’d hoped this little indulgence would make me feel better about having missed the boats to Antarctica, but of course it didn’t. ANTARCTICA. I still want to go. We both preferred La Tronchita in Esquel, which was a bit less formal: before boarding, you could climb all over the trains, once inside you could open the windows, stick your head out, and pass between the cars. This “End of the World” train had nicer cars, but didn’t really go anywhere and the scenery–though nice–was less interesting.

The trip back was a little better because most of the train emptied out to enter the national park with tour groups, and we got to ride back in our own private car.

Our first trial as a newly engaged couple was to make empanadas for our host family.

Juan found the perfect champagne.

After delivering the news via video to my family, we celebrated with our friends.

Patagonia has been such a special place, and this occasion just makes it all the more meaningful. Now we can spend the drive back planning a wedding!