So it´s been almost a week that we´ve been down at the end of the world. We went to Tierra del Fuego yesterday and did a coastal hike. Some of the views of the mountains and the water were stunning. It´s always nice to get in touch with nature. Today I thought I´d do a smaller trail close to town since it was recommended in the hostel´s attraction book. I walked down along the water and saw a shipwreck along the way. Took a few photos and went on my way. As I wandered down onto the next street I sensed that the neighborhood was a little sketchy. I kept going, thinking it might change and it did, but not in a good way. It got worse and worse the farther I went and I was starting to get a little nervous. I figured it coudn´t be so bad or they wouldn´t have recommended it though. As I finally reached the trail I felt a disturbingly uneasy feeling rush over me. I peaked down the trail in suspicion and looked back and saw that there was a group of teenage boys up the road. I figured I´d walk in a little way to see what the trail looked like and as I walked in I looked back and noticed the group of boys were in a huge crowd staring at me from the edge of the trail. I was super freaked out and knew that I couldn´t go any further into the trail, as they could have followed me in and who knows what would have happened. Maybe nothing but then again maybe something terrible. I´d rather be safe than sorry. I held my head up and marched out passed them and heard one boy say "my friends are going to beat you up". Maybe it was my imagination playing tricks on me in the heat of the moment but I swear I heard him say that. I walked passed them in a fast pace and luckily there were people down the road and they didn´t follow me. I was shaking the whole walk home. I found a main street to walk home on but I had my gard up the whole time. So being a solo traveling woman is never easy. There are always precautions to take and ALWAYS go with your gut. I knew when I saw the trail that I shouldn´t go in. I wish the hostel´s description had included a warning. Anyway, I got out and back to the hostel safely. At least I saw some of the local lifestyle over there, rough as it was. Not to mention the dogs that chased me and barked at me along the way. It´s always scary when you think you might get attacked by a dog, or a human. Tomorrow is my last day here so I think I will take it easy. I need to go calm my nerves!
