Christmas Day 2013

This was the view from my window on Christmas Eve.  I have never been anywhere more photogenic in my life.

Today is Christmas Day.  We went on an 8K walk this morning - gentle moor-land.  Green and mossy with so many wild flowers.  Yellow and white and purple, swaths of flowers. We were up close and personal with guanacos who are having their babies - soft fluffy big eyed creatures which wobble on long legs. They are cousins of camels - much prettier and more appealing though. Also saw Adean deer, silver fox and pups, caramel coloured skunk, rhea birds (kind of pigmy ostriches), and masses of birds, swans with black necks, geese with babies, condors and many other birds.

Lunch was a Gaucho Asada.  Lambs on spits, and so much else, empandas, pisco sours, sides of beef - on and on - What a Christmas lunch.  All in a lodge around a roaring fire it was a Christmas to remember.  In the afternoon another 8K through fields of daisies, more guanco

Now it is cocktails and we are planning what to do tomorrow.  An all day hike for our last day.

More later.  TTFN

Christmas Eve 2013 - Greetings from Bottom of the World. Part 1

The plane landed by the Straights of Magellen. One of those places like Samarkand and Timbuctu which I once thought lived only in the imagination.

It was windy and white caps frothed briskly across the water. There were a couple of wrecked boat hulls and not much else. A scene changed little since Magellen went on his world exploration in the 16th century. A masted schooner here… in full sail...this wind…? Doughty sailors indeed.

We deplaned, found our contact, clambered into vans and began the five hour drive to Torres del Pines National Park and the Explorer Lodge - our home for the next six nights.   This has been a long journey.  9:45 am SFO. Stop over at LAX. Unscheduled plane change at 3:00 am Lima. Upside of that was a chance to fly on the new dreamliner. On takeoff and landing lights change from pale blue to pink to red to orange.  Comfortable seats too. Arrival at Santiago 8:00 am.  Guide wanted to change city tour to morning from afternoon.  Nothing doing we were headed to hotel for shower and nap.

Two days later on our way again - a 4 hour flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas stopping once along the way. Breathtaking views of the Andes from my window.

Now, destination Explorer soon.  Can't wait.

TTFN