Punta Arenas, Chile

On Saturday, 14 hours of driving, including 100km that took about 4 hours as it was so rough took us from Ushuaia, Argentina across Tierra del Fuego to Punta Arenas, Chile. It was a pretty boring drive, luckily I had bought yarn before we left and was able to knit an entire baby's vest during the trip.

We had six stops for the day, a bakery while the truck was fuelled up, Argentinean immigration and then twenty minutes later Chilean immigration, a very quick stop for our tinned lunch to be prepared (we ate as the bus drove on), a toilet stop by a ditch and then to see a shipwreck when we were almost in Punta Arenas.



The highlight of the day was seeing baby Commerson's Dolphins during the twenty minute ferry crossing of the Magellan Strait.



We had two nights in Punta Arenas as we were meant to go penguin watching but the penguins haven't arrived for the breeding season yet. This is a concern as they should have arrived a month ago and started breeding immediately.

Punta Arenas is a pretty port city, it's Antarctic offices reminded me of Hobart.



Today was a five hour drive to Puerto Natales ready to head into Torres Del Paine National Park early tomorrow morning. We did have a forty minute detour tod, one of my fellow travellers left his jacket in the hotel and realised twenty minutes out of town as we were discussing my new jacket (purchased yesterday in the duty free mall).

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The End of the World

I've spent the last five days in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southern most town in the world. It's located on the island of Tierra del Fuego which is split between Chile and Argentina. Most people come here to start a cruise to Antarctica but instead I've came to begin a 21 day tour with Tucan Travel that will end in Santiago, Chile.

I came two days early because I could but shouldn't have. It turned out there wasn't a lot to do here and it's very expensive. But it is amazing to have snow capped mountains right by the ocean, for 350° around you.





I started with a beaver watching tour that ended up to be rather lacking in beavers but I had a lovely time anyway. Had a yummy meal, champagne and mulled wine and made friends with an Italian family who are coming to Australia next year.



The first day of the tour began with a Beagle River tour which was lovely to see the area from the water. It also provides another opportunity to get to know those I'll be travelling with. Six Aussies, an Irish Australian, a British, an Austrian and a Brazilian. Our guide is British and driver a Kiwi. Apparently four more people will join the group at a later point.





Over two afternoons I spent some time at the maritime and prison museum which was very interesting. It's all housed in the old prison.



Today was meant to be a hike in Tierra del Fuego National Park but it is blockaded by striking teachers for the second consecutive day. Instead with three others I walked to the Martial Glacier on the outskirts of the town. We've been promised much better glaciers and national parks as we head north, starting tomorrow.





Now it's time for a little gathering with some of the group to eat up the nuts we can't take into Chile tomorrow, and drink a little of the local wine. Who knew that a one litre A$1.30 cartoon of wine was drinkable?

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Relaxing in Tandil, Argentina

Instead of traveling by bus down the east coast of Argentina as I originally hoped to do, I've spent the last nine days taking a from being a tourist and resting up before the last stage of my travels. I've been hanging out with my VIF friend Mirta in Tandil. It's about four hours south of Buenos Aries. A city of 120,000 people, where all the shops close from 1 - 4pm each day for siesta time. A city without any international fast food chains, they were shocked when I described how many Launceston has. Instead it has beautiful local produce, like processed meats and cheeses and had many great local restaurants. They even have a farm high school that commercially produces cheese and dulce de leche.



This week involved eating lots of veggies as they had been hard to find in Chilean and Argentinean restaurants. But it also involved eating authentic Argentinean food and developing a taste for Malbec wine.



The week started with Mirta's brother in law cooking Asado, Argentinean bbq for Sunday family lunch. Mirta's 16 year old nephew was my translator and informed me that you must purchase 500 grams of beef per person and it is always cooked by the man of the house, outside in a special wood fired bbq. The meat is eaten with crusty bread and wine. I enjoyed the roast beef and the chorizo but not the intestines!





We finished off with some traditional music.



This week I discovered my favourite Argentinean dessert, "flan casero mixto". Homemade flan with real cream and dulce de leche, I think I might need to learn how to cook it.



From my last visit to Tandil I had developed a fondness for Figlio ice cream. The banana split is still my favourite, with banana ice cream but note also lemon meringue pie, a three layer ice cream. Ice cream is a big deal in Argentina, particularly creamy, handmade ice cream. Ice cream is sold by cup size, as it isn't scooped and then weight for over 250 grams.







I also spent three afternoons being a guest in English classes from grade six through to teacher training. My favourite was an adult conversational class, I'm inspired to start up one at home as it was so much fun. My favourite trick was to tell them we eat kangaroo in Australia, it always got a great reaction. Most reckon they couldn't eat it!



One afternoon we were tourists with a student and visited the new Christ statue that watches over Tandil. It was built because the pope suggested Tandil needed one and is located on Pope Francisco Way.



We had planned to spend the long weekend in Buenos Aries but due to the unexpected presidential run off election we couldn't abd the long weekend wad moved to next weekend anyway.

Voting is very different in Argentina to Australia. There are no postal or early votes, and you must be further than 500km away to be exempted from voting (and go to a police station to complete a signed statement).

To vote you must turn up to your assigned table at your assigned school (320 - 350 people per table). After showing your id you're given an envelope and go into the matching classroom, where the windows have been covered and select the paper slip for the party of your choice and place it in your envelope. Then you bring it back to the ballot box for your table. Nobody else is allowed in the voting room with you. There are four teachers assigned to each table for the day, working without being paid. The two schools we went to had 4 - 7 tables each. Tables are assigned alphabetically so most married couples must visit two different schools. Each school had at least two armed local police outside. It was an interesting cultural event to accompany Mirta and a friend of hers to.



I'm now well rested ready to complete a three week tour through Patagonia.

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Bus travel and Mendoza

Last week was about lots of time on buses, thankfully long haul buses are very comfortable in Chile and Argentina. Monday was just over six hours as I traveled north from Concepción. In Santiago I was lucky enough to meet up with a friend of a friend who has stored some stuff for me and gave me a walking tour of the city centre.

Tuesday morning I headed to Mendoza, Argentina. This was an eight hour trip but two and a half hours of that was spent getting into Argentina. Customs took rather a long time going through the bags of some people on the bus. The drive up to the border was spectacular but I was glad I wasn't driving.



Wednesday I was honoured that some young women who had volunteered with us in Lima and are currently volunteering three hours away came to spend their day off with me. Thank you Megan, Mollie, Leah and Katrina.



Thursday I planned to go wine tasting but I wasn't feeling up to it. I did do the city bus tour, which wasn't that exciting but I learnt a little history. However I was impressed when my set choice lunch gave me the choice of water or wine and came with salad. Very different to the set menus I've experienced elsewhere in South America.



On my way back to the hotel I stumbled on the Melbourne Coffee Company cafe, which provided a much enjoyed touch of home.



Friday I set off on the longest bus trip of my travels, in the end it was just over 18 hours to get to Tandil. I had booked a "cama" seat, which is meant to be like a bed. This one wasn't quite flat but was comfortable enough that I slept for about 12 hours of the trip. Interestingly after being served lunch on the bus at 1.30pm at 10.30pm we took a 35 minute dinner break at a cafeteria. I'd eaten my snacks many hours before hand.

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Concepcion, Chile

On Friday I travelled six hours south of Santiago to spend the weekend with another VIF friend, Katty. It involved lots of talking, eating and sightseeing.


Katty's Mum baked me a traditional loaf of bread (pictured with Katty's daughter Isabella).


I sampled many kinds of empanadas and now know the secret to baking the best kind. We also had an amazing late lunch at a rustic restaurant in the country. It was located in the garden of a family's home. It was also the first time I've eaten soup with a knife and fork.



While visiting a handicrafts market we stumbled across some traditional dancers. I was asked to dance but Katty went in my place.


We celebrated my birthday with a yummy apple tart and "Happy Birthday" sung in Spanish and English. It was very special to be wished, in Spanish "Happy birthday, aunt" by a two year old. I also had a hot salt water bath by the ocean which was amazing!


Being based on a bay there were beautiful views everywhere we went.


On Sunday we toured a former coal mine. It was very interesting but sad to hear some of the stories.


This rope was used to keep the ten year olds working in the right spot...


Me in the mine with Katty's Dad and her niece, Haverina.

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Rapa Nui

Rapa Nui, aka Easter Island is a remote island of 6000 people five hours flight from Santiago. It is stunningly beautiful, photos don't do it justice especially as it rained on and off for my first two days there. Tourists flock there despite it being extremely expensive. My last minute decision to visit meant I got to fly out Premium Business class, fully flat sleepers have now ruined me!


A volcano crater on the very south of the island. One of the few places that still has native animal and plant life. The lack of water source meant that the native people almost destroyed the native habitat and themselves.

But of course most people come to see the moai (statues) and they are extremely impressive.





Both the restored ones, the ones half submerged in the quarry and the ones scattered around the island, slowly deteriorating. Amazing to think that men spent over a year making each one and then almost as long transporting and setting them up.



Even the cemetery is pretty...

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Antofagasta, VIF reunion #1

This last weekend I took a detour from the tourist trail and visited one of my former VIF colleagues, Luis, in Antofagasta in the north of Chile. It is an interesting city, as the desert meets the ocean. I could see the ocean from his apartment building but yet directly behind me it was clearly the desert.

I was lucky enough to visit Luis's school, on Friday for their MYP expo and then this morning I visited with his sixth grade English class. After answering questions and sharing about Tasmania I made them fairy bread. It was declared, "Rico" (very delicious).


Those of you that know Luis won't be surprised to hear we went out to eat a lot. Great seafood and very strong Pisco Sours.


We saw the local major attractions,


La Portada, a natural monument.


The giant hand, in the middle of the desert 70kms south of Antofagasta. Apparently the other hand is in Uruguay.

We spent Sunday afternoon relaxing with friends at an international festival. There was lots of great international food and dancing but I enjoyed the empanadas and this Chilean singer the most. Of course, when he asked for a volunteer to dance Luis was very quick to respond.

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San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

This wild west, frontier town is a popular stop for tourists coming from Bolivia, before they head to Salta, Argentina. I had just one full day, so I took two different tours. A 5am departure for the Tatia Geysers and then a late afternoon trip to the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) that finished at sunset.


The geysers aren't as spectacular as Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park but still quite interesting. Breakfast included hot chocolate that had been warmed by being placed near the edge of one. They're extremely hot, a fortnight ago Belgian tourist went too close and fell in one and unfortunately died from the burns she received.


I saw this plant (not a moss apparently) in Bolivia also, it grows just 0.5mm a year so even though it has medicinal uses it isn't worth harvesting.




Photographs really don't do Valle de la Luna justice.

As I drove through the desert to Antofagasta I couldn't believe that the desert was even more barren, a great reason to sleep most of the way!

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