Ushuaia

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As the ship cruised through Drakes Passage we were quite subdued; as we pined for more Antarctic time even the passage seemed rather deflated. We wished our fellow passengers, with whom we had shared dinners and exchanged stories of the day, farewell before being greeted by Ushuaia, Argentina, the most southernly city in the world.

The city is perched behind a cluster of Beagle Channel islands, cocooned within a stunning backdrop of dramatic mountains. With our base set for the next few days we set off to explore the city and its surroundings.

After being waited on hand and foot for the last two weeks, it was time to fend for ourselves again. Another episode of Team Gringo was well overdue so, of course, within a couple of hours we'd already booked ourselves onto the wrong bus, giving us only one day in Ushuaia. We had already discussed which date we needed to leave prior to purchasing the tickets - but talking dates would be too easy wouldn't it? - so we asked for the tickets instead by the day, oblivious to the fact that it was actually Tuesday, not Monday. Fortunately as we realised our mistake we were able to exchange the tickets for the correct day.

So what was Ushuaia like? Very touristy and very expensive (Europe prices), but then that means you have everything on tap. After we hopped around the city's premier museum - which was once a prison and interestingly happened to be modelled on Britain's original use of Australia as a penal colony (Ushusia is located in Tierra Del Fuego - an island itself) - we saw everything from Antarctica exhibitions, maritime artifacts, stuffed animals, modern Argentinian naval exhibits, information of prisons of the world and, of course, fire-fighting suits! They also kept one wing of the building as it would have been when used for captive purposes and turned another two into an art galleries. Probably the strangest museum we'd ever been to but it certainly grabbed our attention for a few hours!

Using Ushauia's tourist-trap goodness we organised a day in Tierra Del Fuego National Park. We had talked to a lot of people who had recommended a visit and it was instantly easy to see why. With another impressive backdrop of complete mountain ranges we took a coastal hike along the side of the Beagle Channel ending deep into the park. As we progressed from the coastline's brilliantly coloured and defined rocky, mossy, seaweeded coves, the trails led us into the park's lush green forest. As we walked over bridged streams the trail turned to give us a different vantage point of the mountains before ending at Lago Roca. There were also plenty of opportunities to spot the local wildlife from native birds and foxes to introduced rabbits.

Keeping the city's tap-like ability to pour silver-spoon convenience into our cups I took a lone trip aboard the Tres Marias back into the Beagle Channel and off to the neighbouring islands that shelter Ushuaia's port - sea lions (quite amazing seeing them close up - they seemed to have a lot to shout about) and more trekking on the untouched (well just about) Isla 'H'. With its similar landscape to the park, it provided more opportunities to view the local wildlife close up, and relatively undisturbed.

Feeling the need to start the preparations for the pending trek further up field I picked up Cecilia, hopped in another mini-bus and we hiked to the bottom of Glaciar Martial. The trek was only 2 hours but as the trails became steeper, looser and bordering on dangerous our thoughts forwarded to our next stop - trekking in Torres Del Paine. If it's like this how will we survive for five days?!

Our last day was spent with a full day tour to the other side of Tierra del Fuego, away from the National Park and mountain ranges. First stop was a gentle river canoe trip. Now, being paired with two other British persons, and given the 'pedigree' of British rowing achievements you would think we would have been far ahead of the Chileans, Germans and Italians. A pathetic display of in-coordination and puzzling steering (that would be me) led to one of the tour leaders replacing one of us. As we carried the canoes into the Beagle Channel we made good time and earned a lunch stop. The afternoon saw us travel from the lunch location of Estancia Harberton via Zodiac dinghy to Isla Martillo and another penguin rookery. After the fun of observing the comical habits of the Gentoo and Magellanic residents we went to Gable Island where we trekked for three and a half hours, again seeing the diverse and magnificent landscapes that Tierra Del Fuego posesses.

As our time in Ushuaia came to a close we left - on the correct bus and headed for a return to Puerto Natales. The 13-hour journey started fine, smoothly through the border and back into Chile. But as we arrived at the port to exit the island and return to the mainland we hit a stumbling block - The Magellan Strait. Rough seas and high winds had led to the ferries being suspended. After a 5-hour wait the ferries resumed and we were again on our way. As we eyed a 3am arrival into Puerto Natales the bus made its scheduled stop at Punta Arenas. It was at this point the drivers decided that they didnt want to go on, and would make the final 3 hours of the journey at 9am the next morning. Left stranded in any Patagonian town in the height of the season will always throw up obstacles as beds, buses and tours are usually fully booked. But at midnight it seemed we may have to use that tent slightly earlier than we first expected.......After knocking at several doors, hefting 17kg of backpack pain, the bars started to look an attractive option for alternative accommodation. But as luck would have it after 90 minutes and 8 hostels we finally tracked down a place with a couple of beds.
Full Antarctica Photos on Flickr
Full Ushuaia Photos on Flickr

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