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Published: November 21st 2023
And we're off!
On the first leg of a very long journey.We are going to Patagonia! John and I do a lot of trips to try to get Delta credit for diamond status (most requiring business class fares), but this might be our last because of some changes Delta is making. We are going out with a bang! Jamison is a great sport and has joined on all of our recent adventures (and just made platinum status himself!)
Business class flights to Chile from Seattle are pretty cheap in Nov-Dec each year. This is our second year. Last year we just saw Santiago (capital of Chile) and went to the coast for a few days. This time we are going to Patagonia! It's the Sourhern-most part of South America (the bottom 1/3rd) and has a Chilean side and an Argentinian side. We read that flying within the country is easiest so that's what we're doing. Flight from Seattle to Santiago, Chile, then the next day a local airline from Santiago to Punta Arenas, one of the main airports in Patagonia.
The trip to get there requires a few days. Fortunately, we've done this before. We left Seattle at 9:30 am on Sat and landed in Mexico City around 5pm for
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Mexican McDonald's at the Mexico City airport overnight layover. Aeromexico like usual. We've stayed at the airport Marriott a couple times already, so that's what we're doing again. The next morning, we set off for Santiago.
We had brought hiking poles with us (one of our Patagonia days will be an intense hike). Made it through Seattle no problem, but Mexico City security said we need to check them. Problem is that we have no checked bags. So after paying for the service to wrap them in plastic wrap (about $20, and we definitely need that in every airport in the US!) we found out it was too late to check them. They were left abandoned in the airport - not enough time to go to a locker or lost and found. I guess we will look for hiking poles in Patagonia...
The flight was comfortable and easy (lie flat) and we got in late Sun night. Stayed at another airport hotel until our flight Mon around noon to Patagonia.
We flew LATAM for one of the local flights down to Patagonia. It was actually pretty easy. We also learned that you can fly with liquids within Chile. Remember bringing a water bottle on
Amazing tacos in Mexico City airport
The airport is huge, reminiscent of NYC grand central station. We found a little place with awesome tacos for dinner! the plane?? The luxury! The flight was uneventful, save for leaving my eyeglasses on the plane. I've had a string of bad luck recently with forgetting things (favorite coat in Dominican Republic last week, had to run back to the plane from customs in Santiago for my phone). I hope this is the last! Fortunately I can get by without them, but replacing glasses sucks so much.
We had decided to rent a car off airport because it was significant cheaper. The guy was very nice but holy cow that took forever. At least an hour to fill out paperwork to drive to Argentina. I don't think it would have taken that long somewhere else, but who can say. We did end up with a really nice ride though. 2023 pickup truck.
We checked into the hotel (very much like a b&b, and pretty much typical for the town). Hotel Albatros. Punta Arenas is located right on the water (pretty much everything is here) and we look out/drive by the Strait of Magellan in many places. It's the middle of their spring here, and the weather is cool but not too bad. It also stays light until about
Postres
Very nice dessert course on Aeromexico, complete with a glass of port. It was a solid 3-course dinner. 10pm currently.
We asked the very helpful hotel owner for dinner recommendations, and decided on the steak place. It was a pleasant walk down there, and man did that not disappoint! It was relatively cheap and, at least mine and John's, were really good! I tried a local thing as well, a poor man's side dish apparently (very close translation). French fries with grilled onions and an egg on top. Holy cow was that good! I'm also learning that I really like Carmenere wine. I don't think I'd heard of it before this trip, but this is the second time I'm having it, and it's yummy!
The walk back to the hotel was a perfect end to a huge dinner (walking after a big meal is a lost tradition that really should make a comeback). Tues our first real adventure in Patagonia begins. The penguin tour!
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