Christmas in Bariloche

Christmas can be a lonely time for the solo traveller. This year I opted to choose a nice hostel (Penthouse 1004) and participated in the shared Christmas Eve dinner that they organised. So there I was in a penthouse hostel in Bariloche, gazing out over a National Park lake after cooking up some roast vegetables as a contribution to the most diverse meal I’ve probably ever eaten.

It was a great evening and there were plenty of people to chat to which made me forget my loneliness for a bit. That pang for home comes and goes on this trip quite often, but keeping busy at Christmas is the best medicine.

Bariloche wasn’t quite as warm as I expected. Sitting on the National Park Huapi Lake wind comes in gusts frequently. Donning the winter jacket I still managed to get outside each day, sample chocolates for my own Christmas gifts and also do a few excursions.

One day a few people from the hostel and I hired a car to drive 250km around the small circuit along various lakes. It was an interesting drive with a rather impatient driver, but still a good day out.

Another day I ventured up the chair lifts to Cerro Campanario to get an amazing view out over snow-capped mountains, hills and lakes of the National Park. It reminded me of why I’m travelling – to see these amazing views and experience wonders like these first hand.

Christmas is never easy when I travel alone, no matter where I am – and I’ve done a fair few abroad now. At least while I travelled this year I had plenty of people around me for the Christmas season. Yet, I’m looking forward to being surrounded by family next year.