Melimoyu and an exercise in Zen

I'm off tomorrow morning for Melimoyu attempt number two. This time we're catching the barcaza from nearby Puerto Chacabuco and taking the 16-hour trip up along the coast. With some good luck with the weather, it could be a beautiful trip.

The plan is to spend 5 days in Melimoyu and then catch the barcaza back to Puerto Chacabuco next Wednesday, but all depends on the weather, which has a way of not cooperating around here. Under other circumstances it wouldn't be so bad to be stuck in a place like Melimoyu, but I have a flight the next Sunday to go to Torres del Paine, and I really don't want to miss that. Apparently I have three chances to make it out next week: my scheduled one on Wednesday, one on Tuesday, and one on Thursday. The Tuesday and Thursday options, however, go north to Raul Marin Balmaceda, which apparently would require me to convince the police chief to drive me to La Junta where I could get an 8-hour bus back to Coyhaique.

So that's the deal: three shots to get back in time for my flight, and a lot of time to worry about the weather and run through all of the potential outcomes in my head. It's going to be an exercise in Zen to enjoy my time in Melimoyu and leave the logistics on the other end to work out as they may.