Cruising Around the Horn Again?

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SOUTH AMERICA – AROUND THE HORN – AGAIN?



Sunday, December 7^th – Pearl Harbor Day (no Japan this trip however!)



Another zero dark thirty morning for yours truly and when the dulcet tones of my cell phone chimed at 2:30am, what choice did I have but to drag my butt out of bed and prepare for another long and tiring transcontinental flight…..such is life these days, huh?



Limo service with my favorite driver Sir Frank was prompt at 3:30am and an hour later I was checked in and reading the morning headlines at McCarran (Las Vegas airport for you uninformed folks). As always happens in Sin City on a Sunday, the place was a zoo – tourists heading home either happy or miserable, depending on their casino winnings for the weekend. Thank god my gambling is restricted to boarding jets – I always pray the pilot isn’t throwing dice up front!



Having been upgraded to first (nothing new there), my initial beverage was of course coffee heavily laced with Bailey’s…..the only civilized way to greet any morning in my humble opinion. Eyes finally opened I browsed the Sky Magazine, only to realize I had seen every new release movie on tap for December….obviously will have to quit flying for a few weeks, if I want a new selection. We touched down in Detroit after an uneventful 4-hour flight, and I spent my 3-hour layout comfortably ensconced in a deep leather lounge chair, trying to catch some zzzzzzz’s. On to Atlanta and by 8pm I was tucked into a business elite seat for the 10+ hour flight to Buenos Aires. Thank you again Delta Airlines for the upgrades – always appreciated by your biggest supporter.



We left on time and after two mimosas, I was ready for the marvelous dinner served on the international leg of my journey. The plane was freezing in spite of the low temperatures on the east coast, but that Delta duvet and a feather pillow solved the problem. At the touch of a magic button my seat became a lie flat bed, and I actually fell asleep for a couple of hours which went a long way to recouping the time lost earlier in the day. I vaguely recall waking up as we flew high above Jamaica and again as we headed south over Paraguay, but the rest is a blur until an hour before touchdown, when breakfast was served. Coffee and Baileys again to get the old eyeballs fully functional of course, and I was then ready to face Argentinian immigration and customs….love those guys.



Monday, December 8^th – buenos dias to Buenos Aires:



Easier than usual getting into the country. Having a seat very close to the door, I was the second person off the plane and made it to the immigration hall in record time. Another colorful stamp in my almost full passport, grabbed my suitcase and found the Holland America representative just outside baggage claim. At least 40 folks from my flight were bound for the Zaandam and we all piled into two coaches for the pier transfer. It was barely 9am by this time and as the ship’s boarding didn’t begin until 11am, the guide gave us an impromptu mini tour of BA. A show of hands on the bus proved that I was the only passenger who had been here previously, so this unexpected treat was very much appreciated. As I know Buenos Aires quite well from previous trips, I took the back seats on the coach and went to sleep for another hour – it had been a very long 30 hours since I left Nevada.



Being acquainted with the BA Cruise Terminal I was expecting yet another zoo, but was pleasantly surprised when it proved not to be the case. It was less than 30 minutes in total from arrival at the pier to walking up the gangplank to the floating hotel which would be home for the next 14 days. My cabin was on Deck Two or Main Deck on the port side, very close to the stern. A large and lovely space with queen-size bed and more wardrobe space than I have ever seen on any cruise ship before. Even had enough room in one for my empty suitcase. I spent as little time as possible emptying my hand luggage (case hadn’t arrived in the cabin as yet), and then headed directly to the Rotterdam Dining Room on deck 4 for the Mariner’s Society luncheon – always held on embarkation day with each of their itineraries. I asked for a table for 6 and was seated with two delightful couples and spent an interesting hour swapping South America destination stories.



Back to the cabin where my suitcase awaited and once I was fully settled in, a hot shower was definitely in order. Wearing the same clothes for two days is really not the height of hygiene and I doubt I was smelling that good either! I had planned on napping away the afternoon but I found the time had slipped away and it was already 4pm – really too late to sleep if I was to make my planned meeting with cruisecritic.com friends from Texas in the Explorer’s Lounge.



7pm found me in there where I met Jim and Jan from Dallas – a couple who had rented an apartment in BA for the past 3 weeks, prior to joining the cruise. Spent a great evening getting to know each other and finally going up to the Rotterdam Dining Room for dinner. We ended up at a table with two new couples (Seattle and San Francisco home bases) and until 10pm, we swapped travel stories, email addresses and I dined on very rare prime rib – fantastic. Then it was time to FINALLY hit the hay and pass out for as many hours as possible. As we were still moored at the BA pier, it was extremely quiet and still, which obviously will not be the case once we set sail tomorrow evening.



Tuesday, December 9^th – adios to BA:



It was almost 8am when I dragged my aching butt out of the bed and splashed cold water on my face – this will have to take the place of coffee and Bailey’s as my “wake up” item. First a walk out on the Lido deck (warm and very humid with thunderclouds on the horizon) for a dose of fresh air, then down to the Rotterdam Dining Room for breakfast. Here I had the pleasure of meeting an Israeli couple who hail from Staten Island and two Japanese girls who had just arrived from San Francisco – all taking a trip to South America for the first time. When they found out I had done this itinerary previously, I was peppered with endless questions – I think I had four mouthfuls of eggs benedict before the food turned cold. Guess I will ask for a single table going forward, so I can have breakfast in relative peace……only joking, I don’t mind answering travel questions, but I would like to enjoy my food when I can.



Grabbing my computer after breakfast, I headed to the library for a new novel to read during the cruise, plus begin this travel blog. I managed an hour of writing before the various people I had met in the past two days started trooping thru the room and stopping at my table to gossip. Time to change my deodorant, I can tell. A couple from Sarasota, Florida had a bunch of travel questions I was able to assist with, then we went to the Lido Deck for a quick lunch. This time I was able to eat a full salad and my “must have” helping of bread pudding with vanilla sauce…..can’t cruise without this staple.



On tap for this afternoon is high tea at 3pm then the mandatory fire drill at 5:15pm – we set sail for Uruguay at 6pm. Fire drills are such a pain in the ass but being mandatory, really have no choice in the matter. Thank god it’s only 20+ minutes long at the most and my boat deck station is just a few feet away from the cabin – I can do this.



A relatively quiet afternoon – just high tea and the fire drill – then I curled up in the Ocean Bar to read my latest best seller. Hours flew by and it was time to dress for dinner. This time I met a family of three from Florida and a couple from Brooklyn, NY. Why do New Yorkers always live up to their reputations? Their luggage had been lost by the airline and as a result this cruise “is a total disaster and we will never sail on HA again” (that’s a direct quote from the wife). How the Zaandam and HA are the cause of their lost luggage is beyond me, but apparently they think differently. Tourists continue to astound me at times, I swear to god. But I do have one observation: I really believe open seating, as opposed to a set dinner time each evening, is the way to go on these cruises. Only been two nights so far, but I have met such a variety of people (made friends with a few of them btw) and that trumps seeing the same faces night after night. Note to self: always reserve open seating from now on.



Thought I would check out the main show room’s entertainment for the first official event of the cruise. As always third rate, but then of course this isn’t Broadway by a long shot. Thankfully it was over in an hour and I headed back to the cabin……I’m still a few hours short of a good night’s sleep.



My cabin is configured that the bed is directly in front of the large picture window, basically putting my head about a foot from the outside world and about 10’ above the waves. Tonight I had my own personal fireworks show – a massive thunderstorm was in progress as I watched the darkness slide by. Incredible flashes of lightening were, at one point, almost continuous stretching from the horizon and arcing over the ship. Rain pelted the window with a rhythmic tattoo and thunder kept the beat in time to the lightning flashes. This lasted for almost an hour and heralded my way into a deep sleep, which I desperately needed after the past three days.



Wednesday, December 10^th:



I had kept my drapes open to watch the storm last night, so was awake early to the bleary morning light as we approached Montevideo, Uruguay. Some problem with Argentinian customs had kept us an additional hour in port in Buenos Aires yesterday, so we arrived and departed Montevideo an hour later than originally planned. My full tour of the city and an outlying ranch/winery was scheduled for 10am, so before anything else it was off to the Lido Deck for coffee and some breakfast. Another hour down in the library to bring this blog up to date and then I was ready for whatever Uruguay had to offer this traveler.



Interesting day in and around the capital city of Montevideo. It is quite apparent that this cruise is probably only half full (if even that), as our entire group for the full day tour of the city and winery was just 31 people in one tour coach. We pulled away from the pier at 10am to a threatening overcast sky and high winds – did not bode well for today’s jaunt. The first 90 minutes or so were spent exploring the downtown sections and the endless miles of beaches along the Rio De La Playa (widest river in the world at 1.3 miles in most sections). As I have seen this part of the country on last year’s cruise, I preferred to relax and enjoy being chauffeured around for a change, while the rest of the eager folks climbed in and out the bus at all stops of interest. Like most of Latin America the Spanish influence is everywhere, and as Montevideo was the last stop for the treasure ships, coming from Peru loaded down with silver before they made the treacherous Atlantic crossing back to Spain, this was a very important port for obvious reasons. It is also noted for its historical monuments and attractive gardens, featuring a stunning display of roses. The city is a shopping paradise and is considered a mecca for leather lovers. Great deals on jackets, skirts, pants, coats, wallets and belts in calf, antelope, suede and sheepskin in every color imaginable.



Following the panoramic city drive, it was on to the Bouza Winery Boutique where we were walked thru the vineyards, the cellars and given the tourist lecture on how to produce wine (to hell with all that, just pour me a glass for god’s sake!). While a member of the Bouza family was waxing poetic on his wine heritage, I was busy obtaining an excellent wi-fi signal (best so far south of the equator), and was able to download the 4-day accumulation of 189 emails……geez, it took me almost an hour just to read thru these and delete the spam. I was also able to reach my brother Richard back in California via Skype to gossip for a while, and our connection was fantastic.



Now it was time for lunch and the wine tasting in the main room. Here we were seated at tables for 12 with crisp white linens and gleaming silverware – I was much more intrigued by the five wine glasses standing empty at each place setting. Apparently here in Uruguay they believe in “layer eating” or each item served and eaten separately. First came the sliced bread selections with pots of melted cheese and chunks of chorizo (spicy sausage) and served with a delicious tart white wine. Next pots of roasted mix vegetables and potato spiced to perfection, along with the first of three red wines – went down very nicely I might add. This was followed by plates of lamb kebab and thick slices of juicy red beef and these were healthy-size portions……naturally this was accompanied by a glass of merlot and a glass of the local red favorite. I was beginning to see thru a dreamy haze at this point and could barely read the screen of my cell phone (I was still reading thru the mass of downloaded emails). Dessert arrived – it was a creamy caramel flan, topped with sauce and dulce de leche (super sweet and wonderful) and a final glass of white dessert wine to round out the meal. Good thing we were at the end – one more glass and I would be face down on the table with my nose glued to the plate. I was feeling no paint at this point that’s for damn sure.



A woman from my table struck up a conversation as we started walking back to the coach to return to the ship. Amy is a single, mid-40’s white female from Maryland on her first cruise, traveling alone. We had been discussing pros and cons of cruising during lunch and she asked if she could pick my brain on all things “cruise”……being the Oracle of Delphi that I am, of course I agreed to help with whatever questions I could. I should charge for this shit! I can already foresee my evening: giving my travel lecture, advice and recommendations to the uninitiated…..I should be proposed for sainthood at this rate. Obviously these folks do not know with whom they deal, do they? LOL



It was close to 5pm by the time I was back in my cabin and as we sail at 7pm, plenty of time to relax and bring this blog up to date in the library. Armed with book and computer, that is exactly what I did. Now its two solid days “at sea” as we journey south along the Patagonia coast of Argentina with our sights set on Stanley in the Falkland Islands – we arrive there sometime Saturday morning depending on weather conditions. Tonight I get to regale a new dinner table group of companions with my wit, humor (read sarcasm) and viewpoints……well someone has to do it, might as well be me huh?



Thursday, December 11^th:



Had another delightful evening last night meeting two new couples (Florida and Canada this time) and as they were totally unaware of the Cruise Critic website, I explained the concept and invited them to our Meet and Greet at 3pm. If everyone shows up, should be blast. I have yet to meet the remaining members of this website with whom I’m been corresponding for the past three weeks, and that is more than enough reason for me to be there.



By 10pm I was ready to either continue forcing my eyes to remain open or head for the cabin……the cabin won and I climbed into bed and read my book for the next hour. We were out in the open Atlantic by this time and the boat was rocking – prelude to a good night’s sleep with that motion.



Awoke at 8am to a bright blue sky, brilliant sunshine and water everywhere the eye could see. This boat is still rocking and as I have yet to acquire my “sea legs”, I wobbled to the bathroom for a shower. During breakfast on the Lido Deck, I noticed the high rollers (cause of the boat rocking naturally) apparently coming up to greet us from the Southern Ocean – hint of what we face as we approach the Falklands maybe?



The two couples from last night’s dinner asked if they could meet me for an hour before lunch to explain the various travel websites I use regularly, and also to answer questions they have. One of the couples has never cruised before and the second have cruised a lot, but not been to many locations around the globe…..how do I get paid for all this travel knowledge I’ve acquired? Obviously I’m in the wrong job! I could direct them to the boat’s cruise director/shore excursion manager I suppose, but being the limelight hog I am, obviously I don’t. I do appreciate an audience anyway I can get it. As my mom often stated: so long as Linda’s alive, Sarah Bernhardt will never die…..LOL



This is the first of two consecutive sea days before we dock in Stanley (capital of the Falklands). This is the premier shore tour of the entire cruise, far as I am concerned.



Around lunchtime I headed to the Explorer’s Lounge and for the next 90 minutes I answered question after question starting with the “ins and outs” of this cruise and progressed thru best way and time to purchase airline tickets; how frequent flyer/guest programs actually work and how not to spend a lot of money et al. I had a dry throat by the time I went for lunch.



I spent a pleasant two hours up on the Lido Deck watching the rollers attack the ship and causing everyone on board to walk like robots….this ocean is getting very serious about its waves, that’s for sure. Our captain made an announcement in midafternoon that the current waves were around 8’, but to expect 17’ to 19’ footers by tomorrow evening – always something to look forward to, NOT. I vividly remember this same cruise my brother and I took April 2013 – there were nights when we literally were hanging on to our mattresses for dear life, as the boat swung from side to side in these southern waters.



3pm and I was walking into the Crow’s Nest for our itinerary roll call, with passengers from Cruise Critic….5 or 6 of the people who had posted there previously did not show up but a large number did, and I had the pleasure of meeting 8 new people. What is really terrific, is that the more people who end up taking our scheduled land tours, the lower the costs become for everyone…..I’m all over that! Happy Hour started there at 4pm and naturally when I saw Blue Coco Mojitos being served (2 for 1), my choice of afternoon beverage became very evident. We all decided on when and where to meet in preparation for our first land tour (Falklands on Saturday morning), and feeling no pain whatsoever, I staggered back to my cabin for a nap – I needed it.



Dinner was pretty standard – 3 new couples from Argentina, Canada and Ohio - to entertain with my travel stories and then I decided to give the Mondriaan Lounge another chance by watching the 10pm show. I always expect these shows to be third rate and they almost always are, but this night was certainly an exception. It was entitled “Classique” and the 10 Zaandam singers/dancers performed to various pieces of classical music but with a twist. It was fantastic, probably the best ever I have seen on a cruise and the only one so far, where I actually stayed for the entire hour start to finish. The male lead singer has a voice to die for, and what is he is doing wasting his time on the cruise circuit makes no sense to me – he should be headlining on Broadway, he’s that good.



Stopped by the Ocean Bar to say hi to a couple of Cruise Critic friends and had a nightcap, before making my unsteady way to the cabin. Too tired to think about reading and I was dead to the world by the time my head hit the pillow…..I’m having a blast on this cruise.



Friday, December 12^th:



Another glorious sunny day and cloudless sky greeted me at 8:30am but I’m fully aware the further south we sail along Patagonia, the worst the sea will become…..should be a wild night upcoming…..best make the most of this relatively calm day.



Decided on the Rotterdam Dining Room for breakfast and this time selected a single table so I could eat and read the morning paper undisturbed…..I haven’t had a meal on this boat yet, when I’m not peppered with endless travel questions…..like the internet service onboard, I should be charging by the minute! LOL I already have a Happy Hour date with some other Cruise Critic passengers today at 4pm who want to pick my brain, but this time they are picking up the tab (about time, huh?)



A wonderful relaxing day spent finishing my latest book and meeting Becky and Sally for Happy Hour at 4pm. It was while we were sipping mojitos that the captain came over the loudspeaker to announce a medical emergency with two of the passengers, and a medevac helicopter was on its way from Port Stanley to take then off the ship – turns out one had appendicitis and the other had fallen and broken a hip. We couldn’t stay in the Crow’s Nest as the helicopter would be landing on the bow, and if anything happened during this landing, blades could come flying thru the ceiling-to-floor windows we were sitting next to. So we went to the Ocean Bar instead (no windows) to finish our drinks.



I was back in my cabin when I heard the helicopter rotors approaching the ship. We had high waves and were rocking from side to side, which resulted in both passengers being winched aboard. The pilot had no problems executing this maneuver – that takes talent. Once the passengers was loaded into the helicopter, life onboard resumed as normal. The captain made another announcement that he expected high winds and possible 18’ waves overnight, but a clear morning tomorrow for docking in the Falklands.



Thought I would check out the show room again for the Gaucho performance at 10pm. The previous night’s entertainment had been excellent and I was hoping for a repeat experience but alas, that was not to be. It was a single couple dancing the tango (not that well, I might add), then the male playing an Argentinian drum, followed by a demonstration of the bolas (three balls on long strings, used to bring down cattle and game on the pampas). After 30 minutes I called it a night – wasn’t impressed and I was tired anyway……



Saturday, December 13^th – we arrive in the Falkland Islands:



We are now more than a 1,000 miles south of Buenos Aires with sunrise at 4:15am and sunset around 9pm for the next day or so. The drapes on the window weren’t completely closed and the early morning dawn light brought me out of a sound sleep at 5:30am. After showering and getting dressed, I made my way to the Lido Deck for breakfast and watched as “the Rock” appeared on the horizon. That’s exactly how it looks: a giant, low lying rock covered in vegetation…..nothing at all like its namesake in San Francisco Bay. It’s partially overcast and chilly – around 43f with wind gusts – but enough sun breaks thru on occasion to light up the red roofs and white walls of the homes in Port Stanley, clustered around the harbor. The ship is too large to dock at the pier, so we will drop anchor 2 miles offshore and use tenders to reach the port.



8am found me at the Ocean Bar on Deck 5 getting my tender number and shortly thereafter, that number was called. The cold wind slapped me silly as I stepped out onto the floating deck to board my lifeboat – woke my ass up in a heartbeat. A 20-minute rough ride got to me to the pier in downtown Stanley and I made my first step onto these unique lands.



While the uninhabited islands, now known as the Falklands (consisting of two major islands and 750 much smaller ones) were discovered by the Portuguese in the 16^th century, they weren’t colonized until the British and French, unbeknownst to each other, established ports on different islands…Spain claimed them at one point as well. The first permanent settlement didn’t take root until the 1840’s when the British sent a group of military pensioners over with a shipment of kit houses and gave them each 10 acres to cultivate.



For the next 150 years the people of these islands lived in relative obscurity, tending their sheep and serving ships until the armed conflict between Britain and Argentina blew up in 1982, over ownership of these rocks. The 74-day war ended with the UK victorious. The total population currently is around 3,500, two thirds of whom live in the capital Stanley which in many ways, resembles a small English fishing village with pubs and shops.



Outside of Stanley, the penguins are the islands biggest draw. Gentoo, King, Rockhopper, Marconi and Magellan (also called jackass penguins as they bray like donkeys) species roosts here, along with one of the world’s largest colonies of the black-browned albatross. With its haunting, remote landscape there are very few places in the world where humans can get so close to such a large variety of rare birds in such a pristine setting.



Our guide Leon met us with his land rover as soon as three more passengers joined the group, and off we went. The other three sat in the back seat, I had the shotgun seat next to Leon……the start of a beautiful friendship, LOL. We had a 2-hour drive to get to Volunteer Point, the home of the King penguins, which lies northeast of Stanley on the other side of the island. To say Leon is a character really didn’t do him justice – he was a riot. A true blue, dyed in the wool British patriot to the nth degree. Born and bred in the Falklands with a lineage stretching back some 6 generations, he is a farmer/rancher with approximately 21,000 acres of non-cultivated land, 36,000 head of sheep, 6 sheep dogs, 3 cats, 4 land rovers, a lorry (truck to you non Brits) 3 grown kids and a partner – she was driving one of the other land rovers with Zaandam passengers. His accent was straight out of London’s East End and I was probably the only one in the vehicle who understood him – the folks in the back looked totally baffled and I had to translate frequently.



We were definitely on a Disney E-ticket ride. The land is virtually all peat bog with a very high water table. We actually had what I would loosely call a “paved road” for the first 30 minutes, but once we crossed onto private farming land, it became the Wild West with only previous tire ruts to navigate by. We were bouncing from side to side, up and down – it sure beat any desert safari I’ve taken in the past in sand dunes. There were ruts at least 2’ or 3’ feet deep and Leon wasn’t too crazy about using his brakes. We hit those suckers full on – a cerebral hemorrhage was not out of the question for this trip!



At one point Leon enquired if anyone had a nervous condition….no one had the chance to respond….he had already flown over a precipice and we headed straight down a hillside – had to be 600’ to the bottom and we very almost vertical….I just knew I was dead in the Falklands….too funny. This was the terrain all the way to the King penguin colony – those flightless birds better appreciate what I went thru just to visit and photograph them. I peppered Leon with endless questions and he was happy to answer each and every one. It didn’t take long to ping to the fact that Leon doesn’t care for Argentina or Argentinians….he doesn’t just dislike them, he loathes, despises and hates ‘em. Each time he mentioned them, he spit out of his side window – I cracked up. This set the tone for the entire day and I simply had the time of my life with this guy…..what a hoot.



Once we reach our final destination some two hours later, I really don’t know what ached more: my head, my back or my ass – they were all fighting for supremacy. But it was so worth all we went thru – this headland is beyond belief. There are simply hundreds upon hundreds of the three major penguin types (King, Magellan and Gentoo) roosting in separate but very close colonies across the landscape. The south Atlantic waves beating against the nearby shore and the waddling little head waiters march in and out to feed, waving their flippers in a futile attempt to take flight. The King birds are the most curious. Standing about 3 to 4 feet high, they are second only to Emperor penguins in height. With camera in hand, I walked away from the milling group of ship passengers, and made my way towards a smaller colony of Kings and stopped still just short of the group, so not to startle or disturb them. I didn’t make any noise or barely move and in less than 3 minutes, one brave bugger decided to check me out. I had my camera ready and got some great photos quite close….it was worth the cold and strong wind gusts to capture them digitally. They are an attractive bird, with brilliant yellow markings around the head – many were in molt and feathers/down were flying everywhere. Sheep wandered in and out of these various penguin groups, obviously tolerating each other without batting an eyelid.



We had a 2-hour scheduled stay here before the long drive back to Stanley but after 90 minutes, I was simply too chilled and windblown to remain outside, so I returned to the land rover. My three backseat companions apparently felt the same – they joined me soon after. Leon was quite happy to leave early and as a result, had additional time to regale us with 1982 war stories, pointing out various battle sites along the way. As we approached the capital with our cruise ship in sight, fat raindrops hit the windshield and a glance at the sky said it all. Ugly black clouds were rolling in and the light was fading fast. Temperature had dropped to 40f and the wind was gusting higher. As we had left Volunteer Point 30 minutes early, Leon took us on a guided tour of the entire city (probably 1 mile from end to end at most), pointing out the governor’s mansion, the only hotel in town, police station, post office (complete with bright red mail boxes and telephone booths), and one of the largest satellite dishes in this part of the world. Leon was so proud to tell us that Stanley has two “department” stores, one grocery store, three churches and nine pubs – the ratio sounds about right to me!



I was sorry to say goodbye to Leon as we approached the dock – he had made my day all round – I had a blast. It was raining, cold and very windy as I stumbled onto the tender for the ride back to the ship….it had seemed like forever since I had arrived earlier in the day. Arriving at shipside, we almost were unable to tie up there to disembark. The waves were crashing against the lifeboat and standing upright was simply not an option. Time and time again the guys on the floating dock tried to tie up the boat, but the running current and high waves made it virtually impossible. We honestly didn’t know if we would be able to disembark for god only knows how long. Some ten minutes later they had the tender secured, but violent movements made stepping out onto the floating deck extremely hazardous, especially considering we had a bunch of older people who don’t exactly walk that well on a good day. It came down to one person at a time being lifted up and out thru the open doorway, timed to a wave passing under the boat. Once more, a Disney E-ticket ride but the fun wasn’t over yet. I had no sooner gotten onto the floating deck and prepared to climb the stairway, when a massive wave broke against the dock. Thankfully I had a woman right in front of me one step up who got the brunt of the water, but as I was so much taller than she, my head, face, neck and shoulders were drowned. My jeans from the groin down were soaked to the skin – lucky we both weren’t washed into the bay. I looked like a drowned rat by the time I boarded the ship, but at least I was alive and kicking to tell about it.



It was 3:30pm and I knew High Tea in the dining room was still being served, so made a beeline upstairs and spent the next hour gulping down hot jasmine tea with scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam. Feeling dry and warm I headed back to my cabin to relax and get all this down into my blog while it was still fresh. The ship’s horn sounded promptly at 5pm, I felt the rumble of engines stirring in the bowels of the boat and the Zaandam slipped her anchor moving out of the harbor channel, headed for the open Atlantic. The rain had stopped but the wind and high waves hadn’t, and once we cleared the breakwater, my floating hotel was rocking and rolling – nothing new there.



Dressed for an early dinner and as I was really feeling tired, I opted for a single table so I didn’t have to become a travel advisor AGAIN to a bunch of neophytes. I browsed the daily event calendar but didn’t see anything which attracted me to stay up late, so by 8:30pm I was climbing into bed to pass out. This is the first time since I boarded the Zaandam that I have gotten to sleep before midnight, but I really needed it……the travel, long hours and everything else finally caught up with me.



Sunday, December 14^th, halfway thru the cruise:



Got the best night’s sleep of the trip but with sunrise around here at 4:45am, I was up and stumbling around by 6am more than ready for a few gallons of coffee to get the old eyeballs completely open. This is another “at sea” day as we steam towards Punta Arenas, Chile where we will dock early tomorrow. Beautiful day, cloudless sky, bright sunshine and even the ocean is cooperating – low waves and the wind has moved on to annoy someone else for a change. Our daytime temperatures never get much above 43f and the nights are close to freezing – not really surprising, we are fast approaching the Roaring 40’s, also known as the Southern Ocean which swirls around Antarctica.



Enjoyed a completely lazy day for the most part. Found a cozy corner of the Explorer’s Lounge next to the large bay window, pulled up two arm chairs (one to sit in, the other for my feet) and finished my latest novel in a few hours.



Occasionally a point of interest would be announced over the PA system and I would look up, but as I have cruised this region previously, not really anything new to view. I did get into conversation with Debra, the future cruise consultant, who just happened to be from Manchester, UK born and bred, which of course is my home town. She gave me the latest catalogue for all HAL cruises for the next two years. This will come in handy as I browse the Friends and Family opportunities when I get home, and start planning the next adventure. And yes Richard, I do have a catalogue for you too!



It was formal night in the restaurant and I shared a table with four “newbies” from Atlanta – ladies who had ditched their husbands for a girls’ only cruise - so far, they were having a ball on their first trip to South America.



Monday, December 15^th:



Awoke to a glorious morning just off the coast of Punta Arenas, our first port of call in Chile. The Strait of Magellan takes its name from the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who discovered it in 1520. The hardy people who live here consider themselves first as Magallanicos and second as Chileans. In order to come and go from this stormy corner of the world, you have to either travel for days by bus across the Argentine Patagonia, fly direct or take a lengthy cruise through the southern seas. The California Gold Rush nurtured the port of Punta Arenas, which further developed with wool and mutton exports in the late 19^th century. However once the Panama Canal opened, marine traffic declined. Today, with a population of 110,000, the city attracts fishing vessels from the South Atlantic, as well as research and cruise ships. Recently it also become a duty free zone which has promoted immigration. Most of the main attractions are concentrated around the central square, with museums and mansions showcasing its rich history from pioneer days to present day.



The sea resembled a mill pond, hardly a ripple on the surface, which definitely boded well for our tender ride into port. It was barely 7am but I could see the lifeboats had been deployed and were lining up as transport for the passengers, so I decided to go over early and check out the internet signal on terra firma.



A smooth transition from the ship and by 7:30am I was logging into my webmail and Delta account. Needless to say hundreds of emails awaited my attention (70% spam unfortunately), but a couple of promising recruiter communiqués which I will respond to, once I have full Outlook access at the airport in Santiago next week. Delta was much more positive….have my first class upgrades for the domestic legs home and looking good for the 11-hour international flight.



Our guide for the day was due to meet the group at 8:30am, so I spent a quiet hour on the quay watching the busy waterfront activity as tender after tender docked and disgorged eager tourists, most on their first trip down here. Finally I began to recognize faces and when 7 of us were together, we made our way outside of the terminal. A lady holding a sign with our names greeted us and then we were introduced to our guide – he couldn’t have been more than 23 at the most – generally not a good sign in my experience. While the rest of the group looked around for our remaining two members, I got a chance to talk to the guide. Turned out he is attending “tour guide school” and has worked for the tour company for the past two years – I already had a sinking feeling he would not be up to snuff, and I was about to be proven right. We were supposed to begin our 5-hour tour promptly at 9am. By 9:30am the other two people still had not shown up to join the group. Everyone was getting pissed off at the delay, and our guide (never did get his first name) did his best to pacify us with “just ten more minutes”. Obviously the boy did not realize with whom he was dealing and was about to get his first lesson with yours truly.



I demanded he call his supervisor Stephanie, the senior tour company manager I had been emailing over the past 2 or 3 weeks, and then hand over the phone so I could speak with her. I didn’t waste words, it was clear cut and simple: if the tour bus/van did not arrive in the next 5 minutes, I was taking the entire group to the nearby taxi stand and negotiating a day tour with someone else, no ifs, ands or buts about it, period. Obviously the woman was smart enough to realize I was not joking, nor was I born with infinite patience (does that surprise anyone reading this, I think not) and everything happened ASAP. As the 12-seater van pulled up, here came our missing two folks from the ship and we all piled in and left the port for parts unknown.



It didn’t long before it was clear our guide was (1) incompetent, (2) clueless or (3) intimidated by me (fancy that!) as his standard response to any question was either (1) I don’t know or (2) I’m not sure, which as you all know well enough, doesn’t work with me. He had a few basic facts about Magellan and Darwin but his inability to weave facts into an interesting story, made for a boring and dull recital for everyone. I was sitting on the back seat and had to bite my tongue on a constant basis – I could do far better on my worst day and I rarely have any of those. I had posed a number of direct questions to him as I always do, but getting the standard responses I mentioned earlier, made me decide to shut up and let him run himself into a corner, which he soon did. We were headed to the Otway Penguin Colony, a 90-minute drive from the port, and when he blew yet another answer regarding the penguin species we would see there, I had had enough. Two of the couples on this tour were there after I had mentioned the private land tours, and I felt responsible for the inadequate and useless commentary they were receiving from this jackass. So I started my own commentary on South America, Chile, Magellan and Darwin and was able to answer (correctly) the majority of questions posed by the group. What a hoot – I really have to start charging for this shit, I swear to god!



We got to the colony but I wasn’t about to spend any more time with the moron than I had to, so opted not to walk down to the beach to view penguins…..I’ve seen plenty of those around the world, don’t care if I see them again, so I remained by the van and wandered off on my own to explore. An hour later we left for the return trip to Punta Arenas, where we were supposed to do a city tour. The weather had changed dramatically and it was pouring down rain as we approached the city limits, and didn’t appear to be easing at all. First jackass stops at the central plaza – did we wish to get out and walk around the monument? Hell no was the standard answer from the group, and I had to laugh – obviously not what he expected. So he takes us to an indoor market as it was close to lunchtime, for shopping and something to eat. Knowing how expensive Chile is to begin with, I warned the group that any meal they ordered would probably be in the $30 to $40 pp range, but at least it was dry and relatively warm compared to outdoors.



We got seats next to the windows overlooking the port terminal and I realized we were just steps away from our departure point back to the ship. I didn’t order anything to eat but the rest did. Thankfully the restaurant had wi-fi and I was able to login for a few minutes. The food was about what I expected, and no one at the table enjoyed it at all. It took almost two hours to get the food, then attempt to eat it, and then get the checks…..what a fiasco…..a complete waste of time and money and everyone was pissed off bigtime. I can only imagine the emails to be sent to the tour company after this trip. My recommendations for this tour company on Cruise Critic and Tripadvisor, will blast them into the hemisphere. We never did our planned city tour and by this time, I had reached my limit. I picked up my purse and left, walking back to the terminal in less than five minutes…..I was too angry to even say goodbye to the jackass, but he didn’t deserve it anyway. So much for Puenta Arenas…..we sailed at 6pm and I prepared to go to dinner with Amy, the woman I met back at the winery in Montevideo, Uruguay.



Being so far south, sunset wasn’t until a little after 10pm, so we spent a delightful evening enjoying dinner while we cruised along the coastline of the Magellan Strait – fantastic scenery with snow covered mountain ranges, far as the eye could see. Darkness fell and I headed back to my cabin, I had a date with a new best seller.



Tuesday, December 16^th:



Back into Argentinian waters…..it’s a strange configuration in this part of Patagonia. Argentina has 49%!o(MISSING)f it along the Atlantic, Chile the rest only on the Pacific side – however a small area containing the port of Punta Arenas is Chilean. They are basically cut off from the rest of their country (completely surrounded by Argentina) and a mini power unto themselves.



We have entered the Beagle Channel – a stretch of mountains, waterfalls and glaciers, approximately 180 miles long. Breathtaking from end to end…… snow-capped peaks, low hanging clouds giving the area a ghostly appearance, temperature hovering at 38f with a wind chill much lower. I was up and around by 7am and after breakfast, took up my usual residence in the library to bring this blog up to date. We are still cruising the Strait and due to arrive in Ushuaia around lunchtime – I can only hope and pray today’s private planned excursion is a complete opposite of yesterday. Don’t feel like playing unpaid tour guide AGAIN, plus my knowledge of this “end of the world” town is minimal at best.



We sailed into the Bay of Ushuaia at lunchtime…..this is one of the 3 locations that were not accessible on my last itinerary, due to severe weather. At first glance it resembles a Swiss village, not a trace of Spanish influence anywhere. The city, at 55 degrees latitude south, holds the distinction of being “the southernmost city in the world”. It is the largest city in Argentine’s Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago of 76,000 square kilometers. It is surrounded by the South Atlantic, the Strait of Magellen and the easternmost part of the Pacific Ocean. Until the late 1800’s this area was almost completely inhabited by the Yuhgan indigenous peoples. Early navigators from Europe disliked the violent weather and hazardous seas, which impeded their travel to Asia. It wasn’t until 1870 that the South American Missionary Society, arriving from the Falkland Islands, opened up the area to European settlement.



Until the mid-20^th century Ushuaia was known for its penal colony, as many of Argentina’s most notorious criminals were sent here to build a railroad for the logging and fishing industries. In 2002, the area experienced a debilitating economic crash which had since led to many pro-tourism policies being enacted. Immigrants here have been enticed by a virtually tax-free society and high wages paid to workers. It is also the main departure port for ships headed to South Georgia Island and Antarctica.



I had heard a rumor that passports could be stamped here at the local post office, displaying “end of the world” signatures, etc. I had requested and received mine from the front office and once I set foot on terra firma along with 21 other passengers going on the same land tour, we headed for the pier terminal building. The tiny post office building, probably 12’ square at the very most, with a single employee behind the one desk, was located at the entrance to the dock and we all trooped in, waving our single dollar bills (price for the passport stamp), and came out shortly after with three inked stamps. I was happy. Then we located our guide for the day, waiting by the 26-seater van.



What a difference a day makes (sounds like a song, huh?)……our guide Eliana was a sheer delight. Her English was heavily accented and she didn’t always get the right words in a logical sentence, but her bubbling enthusiasm and energy were infectious. We drove thru the small town as we made our way along the quayside of the massive inner harbor. Here are where the Andes Mountains were born and there is only one word to describe them: AWESOME!!!!! It’s less than a week to mid-summer day here and snow covers almost half of the mountain range – apparently it rarely melts. No matter which direction you turn your head, scenic views are a feast for the eyes……plus we had the rare event of fantastic weather. Brilliant blue skies, bright sunlight and temperatures hovering around 45f – that’s quite warm in this region, or so we were told. I like to think it’s because righteousness arrived in Ushuaia (yours truly of course) not because the climate was being agreeable. We turned inland and off the paved city streets, to a gravel road which led us deep into the pine forests. They obviously get an abundance of rain, green trees and peat bog mosses surrounded us and the snow-capped mountain range completed the circle. This entire region is known for its forests, rivers, lakes and peat bogs. Talk about an assault on the senses – this place is drop dead gorgeous.



We made a total of three stops during our 5-hour tour of this island archipelago: Ensenada Bay, Roca Lake and Lapataria Bay, the latter claims the title of the southernmost place in the world which can be reached by road, and the very end of the Pan American Highway. And for those who don’t know, the beginning of the Pan American Highway is Alaska – a 17,500 km distance in total! I seriously doubt there is anywhere in Europe which can boast so many lakes surrounded by high mountain peaks, in such a small geographical area. Needless to say, I took a boatload of photos.



Our ship was due to depart at 8pm. We were back quayside by 6:30pm and I was more than ready for coffee – I had missed one of my favorite mid-afternoon activities, the high tea. The skies had clouded over on our way back, rain had started to fall and so had the temperature – I was quite happy to re-board the boat, head for the Lido Deck and grab something hot to drink. And that’s exactly what I did.



The last few weeks of extensive travel finally caught up to me and when I returned to my cabin to shower and change for dinner, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I was exhausted and needed sleep in the worse way. I crashed just as we were pushing away from the dock and don’t remember much for the next 12 hours…..so much for dinner, sleep took precedence.



Wednesday, December 17^th:



I had remembered we would be “rounding the Horn” at 7:30am or so and as luck would have it, I awoke just before we did. With my nose pressed against my cabin window, I watched as we sailed around this legendary promontory. As expected, the confluence of Southern Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean was a maelstrom of waves, currents, clouds and rain…..Dante’s Inferno and the 7 rings of Hell came immediately to mind. No wonder the sailors of the 18^th and 19^th centuries wanted no part of this journey! It was exciting to see. The rocks are dark grey granite, constantly soaked with spray and standing as erect entrance guardians to the South America continent. The seas were a strange green in color with multiple stark whitecaps and the swirling dark grey and black clouds all the way to the horizon. Definitely a watery Dante’s Inferno in place of fire.



What a great day for scenic cruising! We entered the Chilean Fjords shortly after rounding the Horn and we are still in them almost 12 hours later. It has been a total delight to the senses every minute, mountain ranges with immense glaciers on both sides of the ship, towering waterfalls, snow-capped peaks in endless formation, marching to the distant horizons. This area is not called Glacial Alley for nothing….we must have passed at least a dozen so far, with no end in sight. Weather has ranged from brilliant sunlight to misty overcast gloom, but it doesn’t detract at all from the fantastic scenery.



Today is the first of three “sea days” – we make our last stop on Saturday at Puerto Montt, where I will be joining the usual group for a day long tour. We will continue cruising these fjords until early Friday morning, then we make for the open Pacific for the final run to the cruise end in Valparaiso – we dock there early next Monday morning. I spent a relaxing morning in a deep arm chair next to a floor-to-ceiling window on the starboard side, and was entranced by the passing views for hours on end. Following a simple lunch in the Rotterdam dining room, I headed back to the Explorer’s Lounge and ended up sitting thru a 90-minute presentation on “Art thru the past 500 years”. I expected to be bored out of my skull. To my surprise it was entertaining, enlightening and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not that I am about to buy anything from Park West Art Galleries, but at least the auctioneer knew how to hold an audience with his commentary.



As we still so far south of the equator, our sunrise and sunset times have changed very little over the past few days. Each morning we are greeted with sunrise around 4:45am (assuming clear skies of course), and sunset occurs around 10:08pm. This will change dramatically by the time we dock next Monday and so will the temperatures. We are at the freezing mark during daylight hours and dropping to mid 20’s overnight. By the time we disembark in Valparaiso, it will be in the mid 80’s. No telling what it will be when I land in Las Vegas a week from now.



Returned to the cabin to prepare for dinner and found my official certificate proving I have “Rounded the Horn” on the good ship Zaandam, signed by the captain. I also received an invitation to a champagne lunch with this same captain on Friday and all other Mariner Society members. Any excuse for free champagne and I accept willingly. Shall have to frame this certificate to match the one I got last year in Ireland, for being an official taster at the Jameson Whiskey Distillery……at this rate, my reputation is growing in leaps and bounds! LOL



Met more interesting people at dinner last night. A single American, hails from Northern California but living in Costa Rica for the past three years, was the most fun, we really hit it off. Melissa runs a yoga and personal training center down in Central America and I have a feeling we will remain in touch, going forward. A Swiss couple from Lucerne and a Canadian couple (husband originally from England), rounded out the table. Following dinner, we all opted to watch the evening’s entertainment in the showroom and this time, the Zaandam dancers/singers put on “Heat”….an energetic performance based on tango and salsa tunes. It was ok and once more, I stayed to the end.



A special event was on tap at 11pm. It was the chocolate bonanza and I can honestly say, I have never seen so much chocolate, ice cream, candy and cake in one place at one time. The ship’s chefs had set up numerous tables around the Atrium and loaded them up. I think just about every passenger was present and stuffing the high calorie treats down their throats. Surprisingly I wasn’t even tempted. The meals onboard are so outstanding, I was still full from dinner. An hour of reading to finish my latest novel and I switched off my cabin lights around midnight.



Thursday, December 18^th:



We ran the gamut of climate from overcast skies, to brilliant sunshine, to rain storms and mist so dense, it almost wiped out any visibility on both sides of the ship. It has been totally crazy but pretty standard for the Chilean Fjords. The captain had made an announcement in mid-afternoon to the effect that we can expect high seas and hazardous weather starting early Friday morning. Probably will lock the doors leading to the outside decks as well, depending on how bad it gets. I can only keep my fingers crossed that it doesn’t come to that.



Spent the morning after breakfast in the Explorer’s Lounge with yet another good book and upon returning to my cabin shortly after lunch, I found a handwritten note from Melissa, the American woman I met yesterday who lives in Costa Rica. Apparently she was so “taken” with me during dinner and my travel tips, she invited me to her home in the Arenal area anytime I want to go. Had no idea I was so charming…..LOL Another very interesting contact I have made on this current adventure.



Did a little laundry and hung it around the cabin to dry overnight. I’m really enjoying these sea days, not really doing anything that exciting, but with a relatively empty cruise, it makes for quiet, lazy hours spent in reading, napping and just relaxing by the picture windows.



Friday, December 19^th:



The predicted high waves and rough weather arrived at dinner last night and continues…..awoke to a beautiful sunny day but this boat has been rocking and rolling for hours now. Thankfully it didn’t disturb much of my sleep, but I was certainly conscious of it – hard to keep your balance when stumbling to the bathroom in the middle of the night!



We are finally leaving the Fjords and numerous islands along the lower Pacific coastline of Chile, and moving out into the open Pacific Ocean. Land is still visible on the starboard (right) side of the ship, but far out on the horizon as we sail north to our last stop before we disembark at Valparaiso. Tomorrow morning we dock in Puerto Montt and I will be joining a full day tour.



I had been invited to the Captain’s Mariner Society Brunch at 11am in the Rotterdam dining room. I was seated at a table with 5 other passengers (one American couple, one Swiss couple and a single California guy from San Jose). Wine and champagne were flowing freely and yes, I partook of a few glasses. As usual, got to discussing pros and cons of cruise travel and by the end of the meal, the two couples are joining the private tour tomorrow and the airport transfer next Monday. Needless to say, they had never heard of cruisecritic.com which seems to be a theme. We were presented with an authentic Dutch tile/coaster as a memento of the cruise and a “thank you” for being a Mariner Society member. I seem to be collecting all manner of goodies on this trip!



3:00pm found me back in the dining room for the Dutch High Tea and Melissa joined me for jasmine tea. That girl sure is into physical contact – always hugging and kissing me – rather weird huh? Or maybe she just loves my perfume……too funny.



Spent a few hours later in the day back in my cabin, reading and generally relaxing. Decided on a late dinner and made my way to the Rotterdam dining room at 8:30pm. Here I met Holly Hock (that’s her real name) and once again, I had the pleasure of meeting a real character. Currently living down in Douglas, Arizona, she is a former Braniff Airlines Reservations Agent and now teaches math. She also travels alone most of the time and this was her first cruise to South America. The only word to describe her which comes to mind, is “zen”…..the woman is out there – rather weird but I like her. I have a feeling we will meet again. Another couple at the table hailed from Argentina and once the conversation turned to the cruise stop at the Falklands, they really got annoyed. I listened to their ranting and raving for about five minutes, none of which made little if any sense, then I made my final remark, and I quote: “but the Brits still kicked your butt, didn’t they”.....didn’t go over too well with them, but my new weird friend Holly laughed.



Saturday, December 20^th:



Up bright and early as we hoped to dock around 8am and be onto the tender ASAP. We finally arrived at the pier in Puerto Montt just before 9am and a total of 36 people showed up! Luckily the private tour operator had brought two 18-passenger shuttle buses so everyone could be accommodated. The terminal had wi-fi but required a password, and I had a feeling that should I even be able to logon, I wouldn’t have enough time to do everything I needed to do online, before the tour started.



The skies were overcast but some blue could be seen and the sun was struggling to break thru the cloud layers. Chilly but thankfully the wind wasn’t blowing too hard at this point. We started our 6-hour tour by driving thru the port and into the city center, a distance of maybe 5 miles at the most. We had no sooner parked for a photo stop when the heavens opened and it poured down, not to mention the temperature decided to do the same. I had the advantage of visiting this port city on a previous cruise, so I opted to remain in the bus while the others huddled under a couple of umbrellas, listening to the guide give her spiel. I doubt they remained outside for more than ten minutes, before everyone was scrambling to re-board and get out of the cold, pelting rain.



The fishing port of Puerto Montt marks the official end of the beautiful Lake District of Southern Chile. Although first founded in 1853, it wasn’t until 1912, when connected via rail, that it became the contact point for the rest of the south. This region was settled by German immigrants beginning in the mid-19^th century, a project of Vincente Perez Rosales, a presidential advisor and tireless promoter of European immigration to Southern Chile. By 1900, the German colonists numbered over 30,000. Today, German last names and language are still very common, and the area is famous for delicious sausages, cakes and pastries.



Leaving the central square, we began a scenic 90-minute drive along the shores of Lake Llanquihue which at a total of 550 square miles, is the second largest lake in Chile. In the short time it took to leave Puerto Montt and arrive at the Petrohue River, we had passed thru rain, sunshine, thick mist, heavy overcast and back to sun again. This is the craziest region for weather. As we approached the river, we saw the famous Osorno Volcano which last erupted in 1896, on the far side of the lake. Driving up to the ski lodge on the volcano slopes is always dependent on fairly clear weather to make it worthwhile. We asked our guide to call ahead to check on visibility and upon hearing it was good and getting better, all the passengers voted for the detour. We started up the mountain on a 2-lane road with more switchbacks than I’ve had hot dinners. What a ride. It reminded me of Lombard Street in San Francisco but much longer…..it took 35 minutes to reach the ski lodge. We passed the snow line and were in a winter wonderland as we stopped in the lodge parking lot. Getting out of the bus we all gasped in awe at the vistas spreading out below our feet. We could see for miles across the lake and the surrounding mountain ranges – simply breathtaking. It was below freezing with a fierce wind, so after taking our photographs we quick-stepped to the lodge where hot chocolate and a roaring fire were waiting.



For those brave and hardy souls, a $20 ski lift ride in a gondola was available, but only 6 decided to make the trip – the rest of us were warming our feet at the fireside. Less than an hour later, we were headed back down the mountainside and yet another rainstorm broke over our heads, pounding the bus windows. It sounded too loud to be common rain – it wasn’t – it was sleet! Our next stop was the Petrohue Cascades where the most popular water sports of kayaking, fly fishing and white water rafting are available during these summer months. The weather really wasn’t cooperating at all, but most of the passengers were determined to get their money’s worth and took off for a 30-minute walk along the river to view the rapids, waterfalls, mountains and natural wilderness of the National Park. Again, having seen that before, I opted for the warm and dry bus, as did a few others.



Once everyone was back in the shuttle, we started our return trip to the port but first stopping at Puerto Varas, also known as the City of the Roses. Here we had an hour to either eat a late lunch, grab a beer on the waterfront or find the nearest high-speed internet café……we were desperate for a connection after 10 days of not being able to get our emails. Four of us ducked into the Parriso Café, ordered coffee and got their password. I couldn’t understand why, after 10 minutes of punching my email button, I couldn’t get anything downloaded. Made no sense, so I logged directly into my webmail inbox…..when I saw a sum total of 1566 emails, it became very clear why they couldn’t download to my phone! I was stunned. Who gets that many emails in just 10 days? I guess I do, because now I will have to wait until I can use my laptop Outlook application, after I check in at Santiago Airport on Monday evening. I was able to call my brother via Skype and explain why he hadn’t gotten any of my daily travel blogs, but he had already figured that out. Now everyone will receive this missive in complete form, instead of the blocks of data I generally send out. Here the weather was simply delightful, warm and sunny…..god, you never know what to wear down here, it changes so frequently on an hour by hour basis.



The last tender from the port to the ship departed at 5pm and our sailing time was 6pm. We made it back with 15 minutes to spare and of course, it started pouring down for the third time. I was soaked just walking up the steps from the lifeboat into the boat, so headed directly for my cabin and a hot shower. I was no sooner curled up on the sofa drying my hair, when the ship’s horn sounded and she slipped her anchor, smoothly pulling away from the dock and out between the breakwater walls. We will continue to sail northwards in the protected channels of the many islands off the Chilean coast until approximately 10pm, when we turn west and head out into the Pacific Ocean…..then it’s a 680-mile run to Valparaiso, arriving 6am Monday morning. Tomorrow marks our final “sea” day and I plan to make the most of it. Lots of people to bid adieu and I will start packing tomorrow evening.



A South America Gaucho Asado BBQ dinner was happening up on the Lido Deck, so thought I would check it out……not impressed and the food really wasn’t that good. Surprising, considering the meals onboard are generally excellent. One mouthful of the chicken and one of steak was enough for me to leave the rest on my plate and return to the Lounge with my latest book. After checking the daily guide for activities, saw that the Zaandam dancers/singers were performing ”Elements”…..based on Wind, Fire, Earth and Water. Again I was pleasantly surprised at the show – better than expected. Hopefully the general third-rate performances on board ships are becoming a thing of the past.



Sunday, December 21^st, the final day onboard:



My final chance to sleep in late and so I did. Wasn’t much before 9am that I appeared in the dining room for breakfast and shortly thereafter, Amy showed up to share my table. Hadn’t seen her for about a week, so we had a chance to catch up. It was a beautiful morning weather wise and we took our time drinking coffee and chatting before we left the restaurant.



A relaxing morning in the lounge and then headed back to my cabin to begin packing. Got most of that completed within an hour, and then I met another friend (Tony from Hong Kong) back in the lounge to finish off a bottle of wine. A total lazy day all round. I finish the latest novel from the library, said goodbye to a number of the folks I’ve met over the past two weeks, and then prepared for the final formal dinner…..



It was an international formal dinner and I met a host of new people and as always, it was bittersweet to bid adieu to the many friends I have made on this voyage. Hopefully I will see many of them again in the future.



To finish off, I attended the finale of Dancing with the Stars At Sea in the main lounge and was pleased to see that a couple I had met on day one (Alice and Dwight from Chicago) took first and third prize in the Cha Cha contest.



Monday, December 22^nd:



A final breakfast in the Rotterdam dining room and I was off the ship and boarding the shuttle to the port terminal in Valparaiso by 8:30am. We were to be a group of 6 (all friends from the cruise) and by 9:00am everyone was assembled, waiting on our guide and the coach.



The next 8 hours were a repeat of the tour/transfer I took the last time, sightseeing in Valparaiso, wine tasting in the Casablanca Valley and a city tour of Santiago. One of the couples in the group were staying extra days in Santiago, so we dropped them at their hotel first before continuing on the airport.



As always the place was a zoo, but once more my airline status had me whisked thru the check in procedures in record time and within 30 minutes of being deposited at the airport, I was already relaxing in Delta’s Sky Lounge and chatting with other cruise passengers. We boarded and took off on time (10pm) and for the next 10 hours I managed to sleep for at least four of them in the comfort of the first class lie-flat bed. Ain’t life grand? LOL



Tuesday, December 23^rd:



Very uneventful overnight flight and we were down on the tarmac in Atlanta twenty minutes early. This airport being so huge, now has multiple mobile kiosks which allow for American passports to be scanned prior to going face to face with the border patrol officer. I was in and out of customs and baggage claim again in record time, and once I had dropped my bag at the continuing flight conveyor belt, I was off to the next departure gate for my flight to Detroit. And here I now sit, waiting for the call for the Las Vegas leg in a couple of hours (yes of course first class…..there’s another class? I think not!).



I should be walking thru my front door by 3:30pm west coast time this afternoon……I’m more than ready to sleep in my own bed.



Cheers……

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