Perfect Day Part 2

It had always been a dream of mine. I¨d seen husky sledging occasionally on Christmas wintery movies, and thought how amazing it would feel to do it, and how unlikely that I would ever get the chance to experience it.
I was wrong. Ushuaia doesn¨t only have a superb ski resort, it is also a center for siberian husky breeding and so there are ample opportunities to fulfill the dream.

After our superb powder day at the slopes, we were picked up at the hotel by an Argentinian guide called Walter. A half hour trip in the back of his muddy 4x4 and we arrived at the Husky Center. Lots of newly wed Spanish couples and a few Argentinians awaited as excited as we were to start the evenings programme.

The first dog I spotted when we went out into the snow was known as Bear, he is a pure breed siberian husky and as so he has one ice blue eye, and one brown eye with a sparkling white background. His fur is so thick that you struggle to get your fingers deep enough into it to feel were it begins, and he is very calm and placid as soon as you begin to stroke him. Approaching him was a little intimidating because most of the huskies are ready to go once they are in their harness, so they bark and jerk forward with excitement.
Chris and I sat in the rickety wooden sledge with the six dogs up front, one loud comand and away we went. It was really different sliding through the snow seeing the dogs ahead of you. The funny thing about it which you never picture happening, is that for some reason the running makes them want to have a poo. A couple of times one poor dog would look funny and start to try and poo whilst hopping, at the same time the others dragged him along! We did have to make a few strategic stops for them to do that, and unfortunatelly the ride wasn´t as fast as I had expected.
Never the less I felt so happy, the cold fresh air lapped me gently on the face as we travelled through the forest in the twilight.
A two kilometer trail takes us to our destination, a hut made entirely of logs put together in a conical shape with an opening at the top for the huge fire that´s burning inside.
I´m thinking to myself that this isn´t too safe, but none the less I enter the make-shift shelter. It´s cosy and warm as we all sit around the fire for the evening, eating hot food, drinking mulled wine (Chris has my share) and listening to our guide playing the classical guitar, and singing old folk songs that tell stories about The Land Of Fire.
After they´ve all consumed a fair bit of mulled wine the songs get less classy and we all join in to sing La Macarena. With full bellies and some feeling well oiled, we step out of the hut into a very stary crisp night. The dogs are howling in the forest which is a bit spooky, and they are ready to take some of the group back to the Center.
For us, there´s something different on the way back. A brand new, shiny, dangerous looking skidoo is awaiting. Chris is excited beyond all belief, so much so I´m worried he might pee himself. And I am a little worried as I have to go on the back of his skidoo!
It´s pitch black, only the headlights illuminate the snow clearing. A 1 minute instruction and we are off! It is soooooo exhilarating!
I could see Chris´smile from the back of his head, and the woohooing was deffening.
Then it´s my turn. And my oh my those things can fly! I don´t know what came over me but I full throatled that thing. I couldn´t really help myself, I felt like I was in a video game and none of it was real. It takes corners amazingly but you have to have a good eye for uneven ground up ahead, otherwise you can really see how you´d go flying off it.
It made out stomachs float and our bodies tingle, it was great!

Without a doubt, this was a day I wouldn´t mind repeating over and over again.