I’m spending a couple of weeks at the end of the world, in Patagonia. With everything going on in the world it felt liberating to be completely offline for a few days, hiking through vast steppes and mountains, seeing guanacos, condors and coyotes in their natural habitat. But Patagonia was once, too, ravaged by the white male, his devastating religion and patriarchal ways. Native people were stripped of their dignity, kidnapped, murdered.
Nature remained. It’s still here, beaming, disparaging all of man’s ostensible acomplishments.
We keep forgeting how small we are. We keep destroying, thirsting over power and influence. We keep forgeting we’ll die.
Having in mind that I’ll inevitably die sooner or later, I decided to embrace minimalism on this trip. I brought only a carry-on and a hiking backpack. They contained two pairs of hiking pants, one pair of sweatpants, a few T-shirts for hiking and daywear, Birks, hiking boots, some toileteries and underwear. I also had a pair of jeans, sneakers and a hiking jacket on me. No perfume, no hair conditioner, or lip scrub I would’ve loved to have after days and days in Patagonian wind. No dresses, no evening jackets, no bras even. Just essentials really. And yet, I felt somewhat embarassed when I met a Dutch lady in her 50’s who traveled with a single pair of pants. We can always do with less than we think we can. And it’s such a wholesome rule to live by.
I don’t really know what I wanted to say with this entry. I’ve been obssesing over Patti Smith’s diary style newsletter latley, so I felt encouraged to share the thoughts I’ve been having on this trip no matter the outcome. Anyway, to continue in Patti’s footsteps, here’s a little photo diary I’ve been keeping.
Lenga trees in their finest attire. Ushuaia, the southest city on Earth, also known as the end of the world.
A fashion forward shower curtain in El Calafate, Argentina.
Few things grow in Patagonia. Wool is queen.
Spring in Puerto Natales, Chile.
Same outfit worn in four cities with one yet to be worn in. Washed once in between.
Your diary road is fun to read. Even your thoughts around, how we little ones destroy ourselves (planet) further on.
I was really looking for someone writing in a personal style and from a yearning of sustainability/ not just beauty and minimalism.
Grateful to find you here :)
I'm working since 2 years on a farmhouse repair, no bras needed here :)
I'm excited to read your substack again! Please share on. I love your perspectives!! Delivering the poetic vibes of fragments ♥️
This piece has reminded when I had to prepare a backpack during a tsunami alert. I did not forget the lip balm though: out of all the not essentials things you’ve decided to leave back I believe that was the only mistake.
Shout out to the shower curtain !