It's chilly in Chile!!!!

Well it certainly is in Punto Arenas - most southern city in Chile!!!

Don't think we had long enough here to see much of the place - or maybe that was a good idea.  Punto Arenas has a large duty free shopping precinct called Zona Franca - mostly closed on Sunday!!!!  A good thing???

Some of the girls found really cute penguin beanies at a market.  Missed them too - will have to get a picture!

Just had time for a really quick lunch before our trip to see the penguins - time for a 'completo'  (aka ... hot dog).  Best hot dog ever - and washed down with a copa de vino!!!!  Lex's 6 weeks was up to so he also indulged.  Sadly he wasn't able to buy one of these glasses.

Rugged up really well for the trip to see the penguins - another GOOD decision!  It was windy and cold - but they were so cute.   We saw a number of them on the beach - apparently as they return from 'fishing', and others waddling back to their nests, and some popping up from nests.

Off camping today - no posts for a few days I think....   and loads of adventure!!!!

Decisions ... Decisions .... Decisions....

When travelling, making decisions seems even more of an issue, probably because you don’t get much opportunity to change it if you get it wrong – and there are so many decisions to be made.

Today, as we travel on the Tucan truck, Peggy from Ushuaia to Punto Arenas, we’ve been deciding about the activities we want to do in Torres del Paine National Park – there are several walks to choose from, horse-riding, kayaking around icebergs, boat trip to the glacier….

After an initial great start to the day, weather for most of the day has been overcast, light rain and windy and cold.

Sometimes you really want to wait and make decisions around the weather – but we have opted for kayaking (really hoping I don’t get wet  ….. and how long?  6 hours is a half day!!!  Really??), horse-riding (just a tad concerned about how stiff and sore I might be after 2 or 3 hours of horse riding,  Should I opt for 2 or 3 hours).  And lastly the walks – we have opted for the Torres Walk – full day and challenging!!!! Not sure that I will make it all the way.  MMMM  and the order we do these activities in may impact on my energy and ability to do the others.  Just have to wait and see.

Decision today to wear fur lined boots Lex bought me turned out to be the right one …. Warm feet.  Tick!  Gloves – Tick.  Scarf – Tick.   But should have opted for leggings and singlet too.  Things are in our bags in the bottom of the bus – out of range.  Being from Queensland, I don’t think we have appreciated what it will be like when someone says it will be cold.  Especially when the hotel is heated to such a degree that you can walk around in summery clothes.

Long drive day on the truck today – bus is cool inside, but there are a number of blankets and sleeping bags for people to use.  After we left Ushuaia, the landscape was mostly flat, and very wind-swept.  Plastic bags caught on fence posts or barbed wire flap around horizontally.  It is cold.

We stopped for a border crossing, firstly on the Argentinian side.  Easy – didn’t even have to get out of the truck.  Onto the Chilean side.  Immigration – out of the truck with immigration forms and passports.  Easy.  Then customs – all baggage off the bus, and scanned, while inside the truck was searched.  Then back on the truck while all compartments under the truck were searched.  Took a bit of time, but all went smoothly. 

Next stop, lunch: a reduced menu due to restrictions on taking fresh food across the border.  Richie, our driver,  is a marvel with wraps … pan fried in a little olive oil, and equally delicious with tuna, mayo, corn, palm hearts and olives, or dulce de leche.  Being warm made all the difference. Thanks Richie!  

On to the ferry – across the Magellan Strait.  Made it to the ferry crossing in good time, no delay.  Getting out of the truck didn’t seem possible, which worked out in our favour.  We managed to see some black and white dolphins from our vantage point without getting out into the wet, blustery conditions.  Times like these we appreciate the height of Peggy!

Next stop will be Punto Arenas – and next decision will be what to eat for dinner.  I’m thinking lamb….

Punto Arenas apparently has a duty free shopping area – was looking forward to having a look around, but our day there will be Sunday.   Possibly not even any supermarkets open for those little extras to take camping.  Oh well – that’s a few less decisions to be made.  Wish us luck.

Chile - than land of big numbers!!

I was having enough trouble getting used to Argentinian currency - is a 75peso meal cheap or expensive ...  approximately 4 to 1, so around $20.  Bill for a group of us for dinner was 650 pesos.  But here in Chile, we're talking BIG numbers!!

Changed some money = 200,000 pesos - or $400

Looks like a lot, but disappears fast.  Interesting that cost of items is in thousands of pesos, but Chile also has one peso and 5 peso coins.  When does anyone ever get to use these????

Discussions today re additional activities 

• kayaking - 45,000 pesos - around $90 per person
• transfers to Torres del Peinne - $5000 pesos - about $10

Tip is ... multiply by 2 and take off some zeros.    Vague - but it works!! 

So for 4-6 days in Chile, how much money will we need?  LOTS I'm thinking. (another decision)

Dinner at La Luna - salmon, king crab and lamb on the menu!!!

Our meal cost 25 000 pesos - about $50 for a lamb dish, a salmon dish, 2 beers, 2 wines .... and a 10% tip.  Not bad.

Time here is another case of big numbers. Arranged to meet for dinner at 8pm.  At home we'd be well past dinner by that time - and heading for bed in Peru.  However - it was already 7pm when we checked in - it really wasn't long.   Above photo was taken on our way home .... around 11pm... dirty stop out!

A day in the National Park - Tierra del Fuego

Wow - what a day. Spectacular scenery, great company - and all types of weather - sunshine light rain and cold!!

We did the 8km Coastal Walk, it was brilliant, although I'm sure to be a little stiff and sore tomorrow.  Lucky it is a rest day (well sort of).  We have a long drive day - our first one on the truck, Peggy. 

I have uploaded quite a few photos to the Picassa album, but will post a few here - pictures show it so much better than my words can do.  So much stunning scenery - we have LOTS of photos!!

Land Largo Roca is a really peaceful spot - especially after the group of school students departed.  

After such a big day out we needed a good feed, and took up a suggestion from Lex and Jeff - a place they spotted, the previous evening.   Note to self (and others) - 'Mixed grill for 1' really means enough food for 3!!!  But Susie gave it a good shot!!!

Life is a learning experience!!!!!!!

Fin del Mundo .... End of the World

Ushuaia .... arrived in Ushuaia early Wed morning after our 2am trip to the airport in BA - and feel lucky to be here on time as so many flights have been delayed or cancelled, due to volcanic ash from Chile ... or air strikes.  Not sure which.  But we are here!!!!!

 

This is the Hotel Bresia where we are staying .... 4th floor and big glass windows to enjoy the fabulous view of snow capped mountains all around.  Spectacular!!!

Off to find some breakfast - still can't believe that the boys took us to a chocolate shop for breakfast!!!! But they did serve breakfast.  Some of us had banana and chocolate (of dulce de leche ... carmel) pancakes - filled with THICK gooey chocolate.  No it wasn't me!!!!

Duty free shopping here .... mmmmm

Met our Tucan tour guide and other passengers later in the afternoon. Tour briefing and out to dinner with the group - we (6 'family' members) make up half the group.  Others are young travellers from Japan, Australia, Germany, Canada and Belgium. Really enjoy hearing their stories.

Tip from Zac ... try the King Crab, or salmon here in Ushuaia - so we did.  Had seen many plates coming out of the kitchen covered in a large crab shell .... but I ordered a hot crab dish so didn't get the shell experience. I enjoyed mine.... and we saw one of the live crabs being displayed around the restaurant too.

 

Lex enjoyed his salmon in lemon cream sauce too!!!!

Ushuaia - Most southerly town in the world - "fin del mundo" - end of the world - departure point for cruise ships to Antarctica - snow capped mountains right outside our window - the Beagle Channel a block away - magnificient scenery all around - refreshingly cold outside and warm inside - duty free shopping - great food - nice cold beer and cider - shops, pubs and restaurants with heaps of character - beautiful sunny days - rain showers - long walks. We like Ushaia.

Thursday we went on a cruise on the Beagle Channel which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, named after the ship Darwin sailed on. We got to see sea lions, birds, penguins.  Apparently this place is a favourite with bird watchers - many well-equipped, experienced bird watchers on our boat trip!!!

Where we stopped to see the penguins, the boat pulled right into the shore ... ever so quietly, and the penguins carried on regardless!!!  As if we weren't even there.  Amazing

 

When the boat was under way ... it was COLD outside on deck.  Inside was warm and very comfortable.  Changing temperatures is a little tricky to get used to here.  First day was mostly due to differences between shade and warm sunshine, but mostly it's because the buildings are heated.... and outside ranges from chilly to COLD!!!

About 5 hours on the Beagle Channel - then off to find one of Zac's recommendations - a place for salmon sandwiches for lunch.  And they were GOOD!!!  Large toasted panini stuffed with marinated salmon.  

Cloudy day - but very little rain.  But daylight lasts well into the evening.  We didn't didn't go out for dinner until 9pm - still daylight!!!  Have found a really nice cider here in Argentina - REAL, refreshing!!

On our way home .... 11pm!!

Long days - early mornings, and late evenings, makes uploading photos and blogging a little difficult!!!