Land Ho!
Trip Start
Dec 31, 2005
1
11
20
Trip End
Jan 24, 2006
Ushuaia,
Argentina
Thursday, January 12, 2006
The passage back through the Beagle channel was also smooth, and we slipped into Ushuaia harbour in the wee hours of the morning. Thus concluded a great Antarctic trip. I would recommend it to ANYONE, it was amazing just to be there, in the absolute nothingness at the bottom of the world. It really does make you feel small.
If I were to describe my Antarctic experience, I would say it reminded me how we all get bogged down in our own day to day lives, caught up in our immediate surroundings. But out here, the world seems so much more vast and those everyday concerns are put in a completely different perspective
00 - Sunset on the Drake Passage
. I think it was a very timely experience that I will never forget.***
Day one of part 2 of my trip which will take me through Patagonia begins in Ushuaia. Patagonia generally captures the sothern 4 provinces in Argentina, as well as the southern third of Chile, stretching from the Chilean Pacific across the Andes, the Patagonian steppe and over to the Atlantic. Much of Argentinian Patagonia (east of the Abdes) is dry desert, with very little rainfall, hot sunny days and cool dry nights. The terrain is very rocky and dusty. There a many grasses and scrub bushes.
All across Argentine Patagonia, cattle, guaneco (like llamas) and Rhea (like Osterich) are raised in large Estancias (ranches) that seem to cover endless distances. There any many mountains and plains, with fast, deep glacial rivers carving through the valleys. It is very beautiful and desolate...there are hardly any signs of life outside the few towns along the route we take between sights (see latter updates).
Anyway, Day 1 in Ushuaia we arranged a farewell dinner amongst the travellers, as only 9 of the 100-odd passengers would be continuing on into Patagonia. We ate very well, and drank even better - and well into the night. The local custom here is to eat dinner about 10pm and stay up well into the wee hours (2am), which explains why the siesta is still observed between noon and 4pm, when many things shut down.
We said goodbye to a few good friends that night (Hope to keep in touch with Caroline from Glasgow, Scotland and Laura and Brent from Portland, Oregon as well as promises to exchange photos with Beth from Detroit, Michigan)
001 - The approach to Cape Horn
. Also, we shared many funny sotires about our trip including:- Unnamed Canadian traveller who had a laundry fetish, and even stopped to wash her socks in the ocean at Deception Island. Note it is not helpful to wash mangy clothes in a pristine environment...at least not helpful for the environment...
- Swiss lady who liked one passenger´s penguin T-shirt so much that she had to paw it (and the breast of the woman wearing it) at LEAST twice, much to the delight of everyone else
- Said Swiss lady peeing in the sand in Antarctica. Again with that pristine environment thing
The morning of the 13th, we were off again and into Patagonia.
***UPDATED***
Visit to Parque Nacionale Tierra del Fuego
We had a few hours before heading out to Patagonia, so we hired a taxi driver for the afternoon and had him take us out to the National Park, just outside Ushuaia, and on the border with Chile. The park also runs along the north side of the beagle channel, so there are some magnificent views of both the channel and the mountains.
I have included some shots I took on this tour, some of which were taken by our driver, Emilio. He was very interested in coming to visit Canada and quizzed me thoroughly on what clothing he should have, what temperatures to expect in the various seasons. Im not sure how he will make out on that, but for certain he had no English language skills to speak of. We basically communicated through hand motions.
Pictures from NP Tierra del Fuego:
01 - Park sign (with me)
02 - flag of Argentina that flew at the entrance
03 & 04 - Vista shots from within the park
05 - Ensanada Bay
06 - Pier for ferries crossing back to Ushuaia
07 - Snow Goose
08 - Me at a Beaver Dam
09 & 10 - Horses
Youll note pictures 9 and 10 are of horses up close. Emilio knew of a place within the park where horses roam, and he took us on an adventure getting there (basically the shocks in the car got a workout). These horses came right up close to us as you´ll see by my pics.
Comments
Land Ho
Boy they sure keep you hopping.
Sounds like you met up with a great bunch of people, hopefully the remaining 9 will be just as much fun.
So glad to hear that your tummy didn't act up while in motion. Those patches worked wonders.Send more pictures if you can.
Take Care