Youth

The Torres circuit was clearly a youthful enterprise. The huts were filled with 20-35 year-olds, many in their “gap year” between high school and university or university and work. Some, like the remarkable Katerina (age 18?), hiked solo, but had absolutely no qualms about engaging people along the trail and in a number of languages. We encountered the Three Israelis just out of their hitch in the military (and delighted to be in Patagonia, not Gaza), Swedes, Germans, Dutch, The SuperModels and even a Tasmanian. It certainly was one of the highlights of the trip, as we 60-somethings engaged in some reverse imprinting and found it reassuring to identify with kids rather than our shockingly decrepit peers. The lodge-lothario was certainly Slippery Ed, who always seemed to be chatting up something blonde. We feel that Jake, however, could use some work on his technique. “Say Helga, did you know that the AirBus 300-250C is now equipped with Rolls Royce hyper by-pass compressors?”

George Bernard Shaw said, “Youth is wasted on the young.” He was wrong.