.Yet another highly amusing Dutch guide took us around the delightful village of Veere. This was once a very active fishing village but once the storm surge barrier was erected the fishermen didn't have such easy access to the sea anymore and now it relies on a little bit of tourism. The streets are cobbled and the old houses are very attractive. There was a huge influx of Scottish people in the 16th century when the local lord married a daughter of James 1st of Scotland and he allowed the Scots a monopoly on the wool trade. One of the largest and prettiest houses is the Scottish wool house now a small museum. The city hall from 1474 is also a very attractive building. We were very lucky that the sun was shining so sitting by ... read more

The San Cristobal Tower hotel is a good location for exploring Santiago. The Turistica bus stops right outside and you can purchase the ticket from the tourist office in the hotel. You could pay 20,000 pesos each for a one day bus ticket but we paid the extra 10000 pesos as this ticket not only lasts two days but also takes you up the cable car and down the funicular so is much better value. A small bus first took us to the base of the Cable car. They obviously expect huge numbers of people as there were long lines laid out as in an airport. However we were virtually the only ones there so we sailed in a got a gondola just for the two of us and went up the mountain from the top ... read more

Plan B as usual. Woken by the tannoy announcement to say that the weather was too bad to land at the initial landing point so we were proceeding into Charlotte Bay. Here it was sleeting but calm so we had a Zodiak cruise around the ice shelf and the ice bergs. The scale of these is difficult to show but they are big and come in some fantastical shapes with lovely blue colours in them due to compression of the ice and absorption of all the light except blue. The glacier all around the bay was continually shifting down and dropping into the sea to form these large bergs. On one ice shelf we saw some cormorants and arctic terns and also a seal in the water. Amazingly algae grow on the ice and turn it ... read more

Ship is anchored by Barrientos- Aitcho islands. (Originally Hydrographic Office hence HO, then Aitcho). Temperature about 2 degrees but wind chill making it below freezing. Bright early with cloud later starting to drizzle. All geared up with thermal leggings, padded trousers covered by waterproof trousers over heavy boots. Jumper, fleece and huge red jacket, hats, gloves etc. All our gear has been checked and hoovered the day before to make sure we are not introducing any seeds onto the Continent. 6 to 8 people on the Zodiac, which moves fast to the shore, swing legs over into the water – only ankle deep and wade ashore. Large numbers of Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins which are moulting. The babies are now about 4 months old and losing their fluffy feathers. The adults have to moult all their ... read more

The walk to the railway station is only 10 minutes from our hotel. It is yet another early start but it is a lovely morning. It is best to pre book the train, bus and the Macchu Picchu entrance tickets before you come out here and have them at the ready. The train takes an hour and half going and two hours coming back. It is comfortable and the scenery changes as we follow the river which eventually reaches the Amazon, so finally we are in tropical rain forest. A Japanese tourist boarded. He had obviously been taken by all the things for sale and was wearing the Peruvian jacket and embroidered shoulder bag and of course was carrying a stuffed llama- very useful for going round Macchu Picchu! We were offered a drink of tea ... read more