2geonomads

Friday 6th March 2015.

After travelling north-west back up the Gerlache Channel during the night we wake up to see our ship anchored in Foyn Harbour at Enterprise Island and close to Nansen Island.

Another glorious Antarctic morning so we are off in the zodiacs by 8.00 am to cruise around Enterprise Island. The paddlers, snorkelers and divers were also out in force, exploring the area near to the remains of one of the factory vessels, the Govenoren.

A small, no doubt well-heeled but naive group had anchored their private yacht close to the wreck, no doubt hoping for some peace and tranquility. Not a hope!

One of our snorkelers did provide some  unexpected entertainment as he ‘logged’ , whale-style for a worrying length of time but to our great relief he eventually showed some slight signs of life and moved on a couple of metres.

Words can’t do justice  to this truly beautiful location and we spend 2 hours in the zodiac with il maestro helmsman Diego. Quite apart from the spectacular ice formations we spot many  penguins, fur seals and Antarctic terns as we cruise through the brash ice.

An unforgettable morning with one ice formation in particular catching the eye as the very high compression has given it a very deep grey colour and another huge iceberg very reminiscent of the Matterhorn.

The morning has been a photographer’s dream but has also provided Gail with another reminder that her zoom lens is safely tucked away in the warmth of Punta Arenas and in the keeping of Tomas Holik whom Gail will no doubt greet warmly by the throat at the end of the trip.

Back to the ship for lunch with this old codger musing on the thought that he had just spent 2 fantastic hours out on a zodiac with 8 females and one Argentinian gigolo!

Before heading off out again after lunch our Scottish friend Emma downloads our photos so that so that we can let Sergei get his copies of the crashed Brazilian aircraft taken at King George Base. Not really sure why he is so keen to get these but maybe what Vladimir P wants Vlad gets!

After lunch we head off towards Melchior Island where we disembark and go on our last Zodiac ride for this trip with Elena at the helm.We are rewarded with a display from numbers of humpbacks who are going through the whole gamut of movements and at very close quarters, absolutely spectacular ! Seeing them feasting on thousands of krill in one mouthful will stay in the memory for a very long time.

Linger as long as possible in this glorious setting and receive an unexpected bonus when one of the large icebergs calves a huge piece with a loud crack, leading us to beat a hasty retreat and for Elena to contact the other boats to steer clear of this potentially dangerous  berg.

Back on board ship we are flattered to receive an invitation from Ross and Shan from Singapore to join them in their luxury Captain’s suite ( the best cabin on the ship) for some bubbly to celebrate Ross’s 60th birthday.

As is her wont Shan leaves us in no doubt that she thinks that John from the USA is a proverbial pain in the  rear end and is far from being the intellectual he has pretended to be from the start of the trip. Making matters worse is the fact that J, on finding out that Shan had booked their suite as a special treat for Ross, has expressed his willingness to pay good money if they will swap cabins! John’s wife Tracy has incidentally been very kind to Gail letting her have clothes which are seemingly surplus to her requirements and has been very helpful in so many ways. It’s come as quite a relief to me that my small stockpile of cross- dressing garments can stay at the bottom of my case!

At his usual pre-dinner briefing Christian, our leader, has reminded us that the weather is due to take a real turn for the worse tonight and tomorrow so we should batten down the hatches.

Stay well enough to have the usual tasty dinner and then I at least dose up on Phenergan to keep all the food on the inside. Shan leaves the dinner table looking very green but Gail’s cast-iron stomach is as always holding up very well.

Off to bed hoping that the dreaded Drake Passage is kind to us over the next couple of days.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.

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Wednesday 4th March 2015

Hannah Point; Whaler’s Bay (Deception Island)

Wake to a much clearer, milder day after travelling through the night to arrive at Livingstone Island and more specifically Hannah Point. After breakfast we disembark to land on the beach and set off on a 1.5 kms walk along the pebbly beach. Our welcoming party includes 3 types of penguin, chinstrap, gentoo and a couple of macaroni penguins with their distinct golden markings on their head.

Also to be seen were Giant Southern Petrols with their huge wingspan and occasional appetite for baby penguins. Brown skuas were seen as we progressed along the coast together with the huge elephant seals and some fur seals.

The elephant seals will never win a beauty parade with the males weighing up to 4000 kgs and the females 800 kgs. Life expectancy can be up to 20-25 years but certain males who service a veritable harem live much shorter if more energetic lives.

Judd’s kayakers have had the bonus of seeing a leopard seal capture 1 unlucky penguin in a speedy and efficient manner .

Return to the ship shortly after 11 am and set off on the 20 kms trip south to Deception Island with some magnificent coastal mountains off to the port side.

Christian reminds us that whales could well be sighted in this area so we get back out onto the deck to check this out as we head south before lunch. Orcas sighted shortly afterwards and Officer Roman expertly manoeuvred the ship for all to gain a good view of these fantastic creatures.

With the wind picking up we go down for lunch which for me was a somewhat truncated affair as I start to feel a bit the worse for wear and retire to our cabin to recover. How the hell did I come from the same country as Lord Nelson and Francis Drake!

As we approach Deception Island  in windy weather we get our first view of Neptune’s Window, a break in the wall of the volcanic crater called Whalers Bay in Port Foster on Deception Island. We enter the bay through Neptune’s Bellow which is  a fairly apt description for this location.

We head off at once with Diego to take the fairly demanding trek up to the Window, viewing along the way penguins and some occasionally fairly aggressive fur seals.

After having explored the remains of the whaling station and the British Antarctic Survey base we return to the beach along which we had earlier walked with the weather taking a definite turn for the worse.

By the time we make our way back to the ship visibility is almost nil and a real snowstorm is under way. After the previous fine weather we now know why this is called Deception Island.

Christian advises us that Deception Island is not a good long term anchor position so we set sail away from the area once more into open sea and some wilder conditions.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

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Tuesday 3rd March 2015

James Ross Island and Devil Island Weddell Sea

The plan had been to anchor and land at Devil Island but waking to very heavy pack ice it became clear that we had no chance of achieving our objective. However, compensation came in the form of being able to view very close quarters the surreal and truly magical pack ice surrounding the ship.

Pete and JB

Moreover, it presented an opportunity for the traditional group photo to be taken on deck with the photographer AEL Liz dressed up in her penguin outfit.

With plans to proceed further south into the Weddell Sea thwarted the only option was to beat a retreat, retracing our steps to Brown Bluff and towards Antarctic Sound. In the process we receive ample evidence of the incredible navigational skills of the captain and his crew.   As we extricate ourselves from the pack ice we enjoy a bonus sighting of penguins and crabeater seals out on the ice floes.

During the the afternoon we enjoyed lectures, first from historian Alasdair on the exploration journeys of Nordenskjold, Bruce and Charcot and then from naturalist Diego on penguins, pointing out that the seals spotted earlier were in fact krill eaters rather than crab eaters.

Before dinner we received an update from the various team members, especially Diego who took the opportunity to explain why Argentina has set up a colony at Hope Bay ( or Esperanza in Spanish. As he explained there has been something of a race between especially Argentina and Chile to have some children born on the Antarctic landmass while the British have established a Post Office!

As we approach evening the swell becomes greater so we decide not to linger too long before turning in.  Once again fellow passengers come to our assistance with Anne loaning us a charger for the IPad and Tom a lightning connection for my IPhone.

Tom also provides the comment of the day when he explains that he couldn’t get a scotch as there was a shortage of ice! Quite ironical as we had spent much of the day extricating ourselves from threatening pack ice.

A memorable day which embodied much of what we had come so far to see and experience.

Turn off the lights as the ship pitches and rolls just enough to be conducive to pleasant night’s sleep.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

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Thursday 5th March 2015

Paradise Harbour Port Lockroy (Goudier Island)

Wake up to calm seas in Paradise Harbour and the now familiar voice of Christian with his wake-up call ” good morning, ladies and gentlemen, good morning “, all in his charming if heavily accented English courtesy of his French Swiss background.

First port of call is Brown Base a seasonal base where we take a short climb up the snowy slope for a great view of the bay.

Many penguins as usual and crap to match. Return to the zodiacs and enjoy a  spectacular trip inside an icy amphitheatre and see at very close quarters 3 humpback whales either diving or ‘logging’ ie resting while floating flat on the water.

Also see some blue eyed shags which are the only shags in the Antarctic ( at this temperature that ‘s no surprise! ) BTW shags are also known as Antarctic cormorants.

Before lunch we see an assortment of bodies ( 26 of them) taking the Polar Plunge from the ship’s ladder with Scuba Diving Guide Martin helping all out of the water. A couple of the more daring, exhibitionist males go skinny dipping into blue acorn territory. I resisted the temptation to leave a perfectly fine, warm ship and decided that the Plunge might not be the best for a decidedly skinny member of the ‘ Zipper Club’.

After lunch we head along the Bryde Channel into Gerlache Strait where we travel north to Cape Astrup and then south- west down Neumayer Channel. Drop off kayakers opposite Channel glacier and then continue down to Goudier Island aka Port Lockroy on our left and the seven sisters peaks on Wiencke Island to the south.

Skinner , the local Post master comes aboard to tell us of the workings of this outpost of the British Royal Mail Service after which we go by zodiac to Port Lockroy to post cards, buy a couple of other things and check out the very friendly local penguins. BTW All post was to be brought on board Polar Pioneer the same day and then taken to the Falkland Isles for onward shipment to the UK and from there to be distributed to the various parts of the globe. The postage was only $1 per item. We limited ourselves to only 3 postcards but Sarah from the UK took the opportunity to send 21 cards!

Not surprisingly Skinner, British to the core, has a very different idea on the correct pronunciation of Lockroy as against Christian who insists on the French version with the ‘roy’ becoming ‘roi’ as in ‘king’.  The friendly rivalry obviously stretches to this far flung outpost.

After we leave the post Peter, our friendly zodiac skipper takes us for a tour round the bay and we get another view of the surrounding waters and ice formations.

The sighting of a superb Weddell seal completes a very rewarding day.

Return to ship for an outdoor BBQ on the stern deck at 7pm when we all dress up in silly hats, forget our inhibitions and enjoy a party to remember. This goes on till 10.30 and even later for some on a truly magnificent full moon evening. Apparently at least one person didn’t make it back to their own bunk. Oh, to be young again!

Emma David Sarah

In bed by 11.00. ( my own btw)

Cheers

the Obese Ferret

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Monday 2nd March 2015

Brown Bluff and Paulet Island Weddell Sea

First and foremost a quick rundown on the Aurora crew in whose care we will be for the next week.

Aurora Team
Back L to R Alisdair, Liz (penguin outfit) Judd
Front L to R Martin, John, Birgitta, Diego behind Heather, Peter

Christian Genilliard- Our very well-travelled Expedition Leader who has worked on projects such as ‘Round the World Race’ and the America’s Cup.

Liz Pope- Assistant Expedition Leader who has travelled widely throughout Australia, New Zealand, India, Vietnam,Nepal, Mexico,Europe and Africa.

Alasdair McGregor- Historian, painter, photographer and writer.Vast experience and knowledge of the Antarctic and the author of 3 books with Antarctic themes, including the biography of famed polar photographer Frank Hurley.

Diego Punta Fernandez.- Naturalist. Originally from Buenos Aires but now based in El Chalten Patagonia. For over 15 years he has been leading trekking, birding and photographic trips through South Patagonia.

Dr John Barry- Doctor who has worked in over 50 countries over the past decade and when not aboard Polar Pioneer works as a GP in Bondi. A big part to play in getting some of us landlubbers through Drake Passage on our return from Antarctica .

Elena Wimberger – Hotel Manager. After working on board Polar Pioneer in the European Arctic in 2014 Elena is now visiting the Antarctic for the first time.

Birgitta Moeck – working on her first trip to Antarctica but a very experienced diver and underwater photographer who is the Creative Director for her family company Crystal Water Film Production AB. Birgitta comes from Orust on the west coast of Sweden an area with which I am very familiar and which we visited last year.

Other vital members of the crew with whom we have less contact in view of the activities for which they are responsible are :

Judd Hill, Sea Kayak Guide, Martin McGrath, Scuba Diving Guide and Peter who works for an independent company, Waterproof and is involved in the diving and kayaking area.

I have had a good night’s  sleep but Gail has had just the opposite with the luggage drama really hitting home. The previous night’s sanguine attitude had been replaced by her understandable anger at the stupidity of the idiot who had made the mistake.

Given the fact that we had been on a charter flight with only Aurora passengers it is unforgivable.

Understandably Gail is totally uncompromising in her determination to get the right size of waterproof jacket ( which had been ordered some months earlier) rather than the XL provided.Liz, the assistant expedition leader feels the full force of a very disenchanted Gail. The correct size L is delivered to the cabin but it has been used and has salt stains on both sleeves. Not happy, Liz!

Excellent breakfast after which we have another mandatory briefing on zodiacs and how to get our superannuated limbs into and out of them.

With rather threatening skies we eventually land at Browns Bluff ( as distinct from Paulet Island which had been the original plan). Our first landing on the continent of Antarctic!

Get to view Adelie and Gentoo penguins at close quarters plus a few fur seals. Weather and visibility closes in and the call comes to return to the zodiacs before the ice closes in.

Hot drinks and a great lunch thaw us all out and with the temp now at minus 5 we are off again on the zodiacs landing on the north side of Paulet Island.

Unmistakable odour of the Adelie penguins ( by now few in number as the end of the season approaches) and the Antarctic cormorants assails our senses as we land and receive an informative briefing from Alasdair on the ill- fated Nordenskjold’s expedition of 1901- 1904 and the loss of the ship Antarctic.

Remains of stone hut occupied by 20 survivors from the sunken ship Antarctic 1901

Spend considerable amount of time on shore and are able to view the wild life at very close quarters. Have good chat with Birgitta Mueck in Swedish which is lot better than my very rusty Spanish.

Before heading back to the ship Liz, who is our zodiac skipper for the afternoon takes us on a great tour through the maze of icebergs and fantastic shapes, even achieving a short stay on floating ice.

Return to Polar Pioneer very happy with the day’s events and Gail decidedly less peed off with the luggage issue.

Drinks in the bar with the Captain to celebrate this epic journey and he makes a fine brief speech before returning to the task of keep us all safe.

Usual great meal although Gail blots her copybook by forgetting to save a seat at our table for Sarah, our UK friend who has charged the battery to Gail’s camera.

G tries to make amends by making a non too subtle attempt at matchmaking by finding Sarah a seat next to Diego, our pin-up Argentinian naturalist .

End the day chatting to a group including Ross, with whom I discuss the merits of George Best, Becks and a few others. Peter, who had lead us from the aircraft on the first day, joined us to tell us his version of events on the luggage and Sarah stays to join us and tell us  of her career as a diver and instructor.  As Peter is not employed by Aurora he is able to be fairly blunt with his comments but is full of praise for Aurora and the whole team.

In bed by about 11pm after a day which has gone a long way towards taking Gail’s mind off lost luggage,at least for a while.

 Cheers

Obese Ferret

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Sunday 1st March 2013

Charter Flight Punta Arenas to King George island in the Antarctic

Wake up to the good news that the flight to  King George Island is definitely ‘on’.

Quick drive to the airport and duly take off at 10.00 approx under clear skies in a

90 seater  BAe 146-200.

Excellent lunchtime snack on board  and after very smooth flight of 1 hour 50 minutes we land at KG Island in surprisingly warm conditions.

Boarding the BAe146-200

1st site of Antarctica – flying into King George Island

Chile Base KGIsland

King George Island

Interesting sight when we are confronted on landing by a Hercules aircraft belonging to the Brazilian Navy which had crash landed some weeks earlier. Sergei, a member of the Russian crew on Polar Pioneer, asks us to take a photograph of the  stricken aircraft  for him.

Arrival on King George Island in Antarctic

Radio Operator Sergei near crashed Hercules KGIsland

As our luggage ( or at least most of it- more on this shortly) is being offloaded from our aircraft we proceed to an area where we change into wet weather gear for walk down to awaiting zodiacs for short trip to Polar Pioneer. The wet weather gear included gumboots which we had ordered some months earlier and which we would have to wear for any excursions from the ship.

The 1km walk in rubber boots to ship in distant background

1st site of Polar Pioneer (smaller ship on left) the trusty zodiacs and Gentoo penguins

Again the pre-trip organisation left something to be desired and it was a fairly chaotic scene as we all tried to locate our correct size especially given the fact that many of the gumboots had no size markings.

Far more impressive was the attention given to briefings on safety and other procedures prior to getting into the zodiacs and on board ship.  This was to be a feature of the whole trip.

We are directed to our very comfortable cabin on the 5th deck and prepare to settle into our new home for the next week but the best laid plans …..

Some genius has either failed to off-load Gail’s case or has loaded it on the plane again. The result is that it is back in Punta Arenas with no prospect of getting it back for the trip.

Craig has again come to the rescue and has tracked the case down through the ‘Find my phone’ app.( Gail’s phone is in her case). The ship’s crew members are not very helpful so C is our tech saviour again.

Whilst fellow travellers could not be more supportive with various offers of assistance it still sticks in the craw that this has happened at all. It has certainly taken the gloss off the start to the trip which is only alleviated by the excellent dinner served up.

In bed by 10.00.

Cheers

Obese Ferret

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Saturday 28th Feb 2015

Punta Arenas

Get up ready for the great adventure only to be thwarted by the news that the flight to King George Island has been cancelled due to the weather.

Head off to Dreams hotel for coffee but decide to go back to our hotel for the planned briefing at 10.30. This did not eventuate so we take time out to buy a cheap hair dryer and have another look around the city eventually returning to Dreams for a very nice brunch.

At 3.45 we set off on a bus tour of Punta Arenas with the first stop being the Salesian Museum and this was followed by a return visit ( for us) to the Cerro de la Cruz lookout.

Finally we visit the PA cemetery which is very impressive and our guide gives us a brief summary of the history of this place and the city in general. Apparently he has just returned from duty looking after 3000 tourists from a mega cruiser in the harbour.

Dinner at a changed time ( the timetable seems to be a moveable feast) and then off to bed.

Whilst we all appreciate that we have to accept the vagaries of the weather in this part of the world we are nevertheless less than satisfied with the way in which Tomas Holik has handled the situation. Communication during the day has been decidedly haphazard and given the fact that we have lost one day of our Antarctic trip we feel that firstly we should have been provided with lunch and not left to our own devices and secondly we could have been advised of any other  options for the day rather than just a tour of Punta Arenas, parts of which we had already covered.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

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Thursday 26th February 2015

Santiago to Punta Arenas

Another sunny day but the air pollution is extreme, apparently the result of a number of bush fires in the area.

The usual fine breakfast and then it’s off to the airport in a taxi seemingly driven by a superannuated Grand Prix driver.  Finally board the Latam Airlines A 320 for the 3 hours and 20 minutes flight to Punta Arenas.

I pass the time chatting to a guy from Denver who is doing some trekking through  Patagonia with 10 other travellers as Gail has managed to get a window seat in row in front of me.

As we fly further south we fly over some truly magnificent mountain/ glacial scenery and I start to appreciate to the remoteness of this part of the world.

Glaciers NP Patagonia

We arrive about 3 pm and after a short taxi ride we duly check into the Hotel Cabo de Hornas for our two night stay. To be honest the hotel has seen better days but is perfectly adequate . Once again we have eaten very little during the day so we are both more than ready for our evening meal. Unfortunately, dinner is not server until 8 pm in the hotel so it’s off to a local fast food restaurant for a very tasty large pork toasted sandwich.

In contrast to the scenery on the way down to Punta Arenas this area is totally flat and somewhat windswept . The temperature, at least when we arrive, is not unduly cold and after the meal we head off on a short walk through the town and down to the waterfront.

Punta Arenas Chile on Magellan Straits

Straits of Magellan Statue Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas Main Square

By the time we finish our stroll the wind has become stronger and the temperature has dropped markedly. One can only imagine what this place is like in the depths of winter!

We are both now feeling the effects of our travel and are happy to crawl into bed for a good night’s sleep ahead of our journey into the frozen wastes of Antarctica.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.

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Friday 27th February 2015.

Punta Arenas

Slept well until about 5 am but then decided to catch up on all the blogs to date for this trip. Complete this task by about 8.00 am and after a shower head down to the hotel breakfast room. The breakfast is fine although the service is ordinary at best.

We now have problems with the plumbing in our bathroom so it’s perhaps a blessing that our system is as blocked as the hotel’s! We report the problem to the girl at reception but all the staff seem to be working on mañana time. The weather is surprisingly fine and the temperature higher than the previous day which was in itself fairly mild. First priority is to find a pharmacy and try to source some adhesive tape for my knee and some thyroid prescription drugs for Gail ( she had forgotten to take them out of the fridge at home). Successful on both counts thanks to a very helpful lady with whom we were able to communicate in spite of her almost non-existant English and my equally rusty Spanish.

Set off to walk up Juez Waldo Seguel to the lookout at Cerro de la Cruz. This offers a fine vista over the town and the main square which we had strolled through earlier in the day. Gail purchases a hand knitted beanie complete with ear flaps So if we can find a herd of alpacas for her to take on board the Antarctic vessel she will look the real deal.

Back to the hotel where I once again request a plumber to look at our loo. He duly arrives and ‘ solves ‘the problem . A very temporary solution as it later turns out. Gail spends the next couple of hours doing camera, website and travel blog updates while I watch Man City being outclassed by Barcelona in the Champions League and nodding off from time to time ( that’s me not Man City! )

Nothing left for us to do now other than to have an early dinner, attend the briefing by the Aurora team and turn in for an early night. ( We have to be up by 5.00 am the next morning prior to flying down  to the expedition vessel.) As we will be out of contact for the next 10 days this will be the last blog for a while.

Cheers The Obese Ferret

Stop Press. We decide to give the undoubted culinary delights of our hotel a miss and instead head over to the newer Hotel Dreams on the waterfront. We are rewarded with a superb meal of savoury crepes ,  a berry tart, and the best coffee since we arrived in Chile. In short it was our hotel before the rigor mortis set in.

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Wednesday 25th February

Valparaiso to Santiago.

A lovely breakfast served up by Alexandra and we meet up with the owner who gives us some background on the guesthouse and it’s history.

We opt not to go on a guided walking tour of the town, preferring instead to do our own thing and cover the areas to the west of Av Templeman , visiting Plaza Anibal Pinto, Plaza Victoria and the Catedral de Valparaiso.

One of many parks catering to families

Reloj Turri

The Museo Palacio BaburizzaPort

Down at the port area

Sign regarding Tsunami instructions – note wiring also!

Finally arrive back at the bus terminal after passing through some less than impressive precincts and take the hour – long trip back to Santiago.

After the initial misgivings about doing the detour to Valparaiso we have found it to be a charming, somewhat quirky town  with loads of character and well worth the detour.

Back in Santiago we check back into Hotel Ismael and find that we have been given a lovely room overlooking the park at a very reasonable rate. It turns out that the girl at the reception had made an error on our taxi booking when we first arrived in Santiago, hence the special treatment for our return  stay. We also make an advance booking at the same reduced price for two nights on our return to Santiago at the end of our trip.

Also on the recommendation of the hotel we walk to the Lastarria area to Nolita restaurant. Although situated in a delightful spot where cafés, pubs and fine dining establishments abound Nolita is a major let-down. Whilst the food is quite acceptable the service is terrible with the waiter seemingly completely apathetic to our needs.

In short right area but wrong establishment !

Gail returns to the hotel while I do one last walk down to Plaza de Armas- a big mistake as at night this becomes one of the least salubrious areas of Santiago and I suspect one of the more dangerous.

Pleased to be back at the hotel and pack the bags for the long journey south to Punta Arenas the next morning.

Lowlight of the day. Gail picks up from checking online records that there are 4 ‘rogue’ withdrawals against my Visa Transaction  Card. A quick check by yours truly shows that my card is missing and it seems to have gone on 23rd Feb, the day of our arrival in Santiago.

Phone calls are made to cancel the card and this is achieved without any dramas. However, efforts to have the card replaced are thwarted when the girl to whom I am speaking in Australia simply  cannot get her head around the fact that I am not able to pop around the corner to the bank to pick up a replacement and I am not sitting at my desk with all of the necessary information on our various credit cards readily available.

Before I finally get to sleep I am able to discuss the lost card issue with a member of the bank who is not as geographically – challenged and can now continue on this memorable journey with my some peace of mind.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

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Tuesday 24th February.

Santiago to Valparaiso.

Much of the morning spent seeing more of the areas around Bellas Artes, Plaza de Armas, and the market before heading off to take the train to Pajaritos where we switch to the bus for the 100kms trip to the coastal town of Valparaiso.

Interesting journey through the many fine vineyards of the region before arriving at about 3.00 pm in the Unesco-listed city.

As in most towns the area around the bus terminal leaves something to be desired and the walk into the centre along Ave Brasil takes us through a somewhat seedy part of town. However, first impressions can be misleading and this is certainly the case with Valparaiso as we pass through the many colourful streets which rise up from the singularly unimpressive port to the beautifully painted houses and steps. To help us tackle the first part of the steep climb we take a very rickety funicular after buying tickets from an equally rickety, semi-comatose lady. This brings us to Av. Templeman, the main street leading up to Voga, our small bed and breakfast in a very attractive area. A delightful young lady Alexandra greets us and gives us a quick Cooks tour of the very tastefully furnished house.

The steep climb up Templeman St

Street Art abounds in Valparaiso

David standing next to some street art bearing his name

As it states in all of the guide books Valparaiso must provide plenty of prospects for cardio-thoracic surgeons but our daily walks along the beach in Busso must have done the trick as we seem to cope with some fairly demanding walking without any problems.

Somewhat surprisingly no steps seem to have been taken to beautify the port area although the Plaza Sotomayor makes for reasonably impressive approach to the centre.

As we have not eaten any lunch we are well and truly ready for dinner at the superb small restaurant La Concepcion offering a fine elevated view over the town. The quality of the food is in keeping with its vantage point and we arrive back at the guesthouse very happy with our day in Valparaiso.

Voga Guest House

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.

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Monday 23 February 2015.

Sydney to Santiago, Chile.

Given the 14 hours time difference between Sydney and Santiago we arrive in Chile one hour before we take off ! The premium economy flight is comfortable enough but at 11 hours it is really too short to enjoy a good sleep. However, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘ My Old Lady’ a film with Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott-Thomas. MS at her imperious best well supported by the other fine character actors.

Arrive in Santiago feeling rather jaded and mood not improved by the no-show of our our pre-booked taxi driver. Eventually, we place our  rather fragile  trust in the hands of a fairly unsavoury- looking character who deposits us at the fine Hotel Ismael overlooking a park in the Bellas Artes area of the city.

We do our usual walking tour of  the more popular spot s including such as Plaza de Armas and the Patio Bella Vista area although time does not allow us to travel up to the San Cristobal Hill for a view over the city. We do , however, manage to revisit the old Mercado Central which we had last seen in 2006 when we visited Peru, especially Macchu Pichu.

Dinner is taken at Galinda restaurant in a fairly bohemian part of the city. The establishment has a certain quirky charm and the food is all that one could wish for. The evening is made all the more memorable when an obviously hungry local starts tucking into the large pile of chips which we had left on the serving plate at our table.All this while we were still finishing off our meal!

Turn in for an early night and to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.

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Sunday 22nd February 2015.

Perth to Sydney.

Quick call to my former cardiac cell mate Shaun Allen on our anniversary  then it’s off to the airport with Craig driving Gail’s BMW which he will use during our absence overseas.

Say our usual fond farewell to the young fellow and after a pleasant flight up to Sydney we enjoy a quiet dinner at the Rydges Airport Hotel.  Now well and truly ready for our trip of a lifetime.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

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