There is a Chilean town that's further south (Fort William or something like that) but apparently there's not a lot there, so everyone ignores its existence and Argentina claims the title of being 'at the end of the world'. It's certainly where the cruise liners take folk and from the town, I saw one or two of those, a National Geographic Explorer ship (ooooh)and some Antarctic cruise ships. This far south, it's only starting to get dark at about 11pm and getting light at about 4am.
A hilly town, with pretty nice houses next door to what look like sheds (less salubrious house), where I learned that the traffic rules include giving way to traffic going up or downhill. I think that made for some interesting driving for the crew at first as they wondered why people in tiny cars were seemingly randomly pulling out in front of a 20 tonne truck. Hmmm. Our campsite runs as a ski lift base in the winter and the still-snowtopped mountains made a beautiful backdrop. We're seeing a lot of that kind of scenery in Patagonia and it doesn't really get old for us.
Warm in the day and chilly at night, my bed attire at the bottom of the world includes full thermals, socks, hot water bottle, fleece liner, fancy shmancy sleeping bag, pulling the cord on aforementioned fancy shmancy sleeping bag till as little of my face as I can bear not to cover is showing, a fleece jumper if it's particularly brrrr and warm thoughts. Others on the trip talk of having to undo their bags cos they're a bit warm. Freaks.
various methods of keeping warm, hearty sausage and mash, wrapping up and sitting by the fire or having a swig of baileys.
Spent my time here catching up on blog and photo admin and mooching the town, in particular in search for my 'secret santa' gift for my assigned victim, which most of the group are taking part in. We dropped some of the gang off for a steam train ride into the national park. Mikkel and I couldn't resist the photo opportunity while we waited to wave them off.
Oh, we did have a truck party for Francois' return (he'd had to leave us for a week) and invented a few 'cocktails'....wine + rum = wum, rum + whisky = risky (apt) and risky + sprite = sprisky. This is what happens when people have time on their hands and no tv, ok! The next night, most of us ventured to the irish bar (yes, every town does have one) and then the casino. Most folk watched, some dabbled on the fruit machine, but yours truly, having watched a few hands of blackjack, decided to join in. Changing up the grand sum of 100 peso (20 quid). I hadn't realised the G&Ts served here were equal to a triple UK measure.....so my earlier hands were better than the later ones. Ahem. I quickly doubled my money, hovered around that level for a bit, then decided I'd keep playing till I got back to my initial stake. A very entertaining evening, despite the cheesy odour
of the feet of the traveller next to me at the blackjack table (not one of our lot).
random lunch stop
We left Mikkel in Ushuaia as he's got his wallet out for an Antarctic cruise. He'll rejoin us in about 10 days in Chile. I'm very jealous of the trip but not the cost (a few grand) or the cold. He'll also miss truck xmas and new year - booooo.
typical shrine by the side of the road - there are lots of these
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