December 28th - Off to Uruguay

This morning we rose early and were transported to the ferry depot.  There we said goodbye to Valeria and Daniel and then headed into immigration and customs.  The ferry was ultra-modern and a hydrofoil.  Over 900 passengers and cars and trucks, it took us three hours to cross the Rio del Plata...yes, THREE HOURS to cross the world's wides river.

We landed in Montevideo, Uruguay around noon and were met by our guide Mirta.  She spoke broken, but understandable English.  Very pleasant and world traveled, she escorted us to our hotel for check in, lunch at a local restaurant, and a chance to freshen up.  Then it was off on a whirlwind three hour city tour.

The city is old, dusty, and HOT.  Even in the air-conditioned bus it was sweltering.  We saw some amasing architecture and some lovely, yet very dry and flowerless parks.  The day tour ended with a drive along the river coast....we all still swear it's an ocean.

Dinner was again at the same very nice restaurnt where we enjoyed baby beef, fish, and some great wine.

December 27th - Our First Full Free Day

Today was our first full free day of the trip.  The first day that nothing was planned except to sleep in and enjoy Buenos Aires on our own.  The hotel breakfast buffet was available until 11AM and many of us chose to sleep late and enjoy a leisurely breakfast.  Today was also to the day to mail home any unwannted heavier clothing.  With temps already nearing the 100 mark and promising to get hotter there would be no need for jackets and long pants.  Many of us headed off for the international post office with boxes and cash in hand.  After a couple of hours of dealing with Argentine bureacacy the task was completed.

At dinner tonight we each shared our stories of what we had done and where we had gone.  Some had returned to La Boca for more street tango, others went to the botanical gardens.  The gardens were dry and free of flowers.  A few simply wandered the city and looked at shops and more landmarks and amazing buildings.

Later that evening we headed to the Galleria Pacifco Mall and their extensive international food court for a progressive dinner of some great "not so fast food" choices.

We

December 26th - A Full Day City Tour and TANGO!

We started out early with our wonderful guide, Valeria, arriving bright and cheerful and full of information.  We visited eight neighborhoods of the city today starting out with the the government buildings, the presidential mansion, and the govenmnet house with the famous ¨¨Evita¨balcony.  We took a subway ride on one of the oldest subway systems in the world.  The line we took was over 100 years old as was the car we rode.  While on the subway train we experienced a sighting of Saint Bobbie, patron saint of the subway!  Next was San Telmo and their famous Sunday Antique Market. All of the garage sale junkies were in pig heaven.  The streets were crowded and the heat was amazing.  There was music in the air and the city was alive.  From there we traveled through some of the older parts of the city and then into La Boca, home of the TANGO!  With the colorful buildings painted in so many bright colors, the music filled the air and the tourists filled the streets.  Sidewalk cafes were full of people eating and watching couples doing the tango on the small performance stages in each restaurant.  We ate at one and enjoyed local empanadas, pastas, and sandwiches.  Nex t up with Puerto Madera and the new harbor and extremely upscale living and shopping.  The modern hi-rises and stunning architeture were a stark diversion from the old town just a few blocks away.  We ended the tour portion of our day six hours later at Ricoleta cemetery where we visited the tomb of Evita and desperately tried to get out of the scorching 100 degree day.  With not a breeze to be felt and high humidity we all were feeling the weather.

A shower, swim, and nap in our air-conditioned rooms was the final reward for the afternoon.  That evening we were picked up at 8:30 and taken to a local tango club deep in the city´s neighborhood.  There we mixed wiht the locals, had a meal, and enjoyed the tango lessons and dancing with the people of the city.  There is lots of video to share when we all get home.  We got back to the hotel just after 11PM and off to bed in anticipation of our free day tomorrow and the list of everything we all have been planning.

December 25th - Christmas in Buenos Airies

We woke to a beautiful and already warm day with temperatures heading toward 95.  The hotel restaurant has an amazing breakfast buffet of fruits, cheeses, meats, egg dishes, and pastries of all sorts.  We enjoyed a really great breakfast.  Afterward a few of us attended Christmas service at St. Nichols church.  The church dated back to the mid 1800's and was really quite beautiful  We were surporsed to find the church only 1/4 full for a holiday service.  There were no children and it was a good guess that there was noone under 40 in the congregation. After breakfast we walked back to the hotel and enjoyed some free time before meeting in the lobby for Tom and Bobbie's Christmas surprise.

At 12:30 PM we met in the lobby and were informed of our surprise tour to Tigre and the river delta.  We would be leaving the city and heading north and out of town to the river delta.  Our tour along the way was guided by Valeria who graciously left her family at home and opted to lead us.  We stopped in San Yisidro for a short walk, a visit to the cathedral, and some ice cream.  Then it was off to Tigre to board a river boat for a cruise of the river delta and the tributaires and canals of the Parana River.

The boat was quide luxurious and we had the entire yacht to ourselves.  We road the delta looking the summer homes and docks.  Families were enjoyed picnics and swimming.  It was unbearably hot and the somewhat cool breeze standing on the back of the boat was a welcome.  The river curise lasted about 90 minutes followed by a drive back into the city and to our hotel.

After several hours of rest, swimming in the hotel's fabulous pool.and simply relaxing, we all met in the restaurant at 8::30 PM for our Christmas Dinner and gift exchange.  Andrea and Denise arrived in the afternoon just after we had left for the day trip and were excited to join the group.  We had the hotel dining room to ourselves and with a beautiful table and lovely dinner, we enjoyed the evening and the great company.

After dinner we had our silly gift exchange and wild switching of presents.  In the end most everyone got what they wanted....although that darn Penquin shaped pitcher made it around the table a few dozen times...smile.  It was a great evening and lasted well past 11PM.

December 24th - Last Day to Shop before Christmas

We all got a chance to sleep in and enjoy a nice bed, some TV, and a bath in a REAL tub!  Breakfast was at our own time followed by a free morning to get some last minute shopping done and to mail our winter clothing back home.

We packed up our jackets, parkas, long underwear, and other cold weather gear and headed off to the post office.  The banks were closed by the currency exchange was open so we got some additional pesos.  Once at the post office we were informed that only letter service was avaialble...so back to the hotel we went to repack our luggage and absorb all that we thought we were going to get rid of today.  

We only a few hours left before heading to the airport for our flight to Buenos Aires we all hit the streets and got into the holiday spirit.  In addition to souveniers there was that special exchange gift for Christmas Day dinner.  Tom and John were busy looking for ballcap pins in their contest to outdo each other.  When we met back at the hotel at 1PM we all laughed at how many of us had bags from the same stores!

We headed off to the airport for our LAN flight.  It was only 30 minutes late.  Things are improving!  The three hour flight was pleasant, the plane fully sold out.  We landed at 6:30 PM and were met by our guide for the next four days, Valeria.  What a charming and beautiful young woman!  She introduced us to Daniel, our driver, and our 25 passenger private AIR-CONDITIONED touring bus.  The temperature in Buenos Aires at 7PM was now 89 and with the humidity felt like 95.

We checked in to the Pestana Hotel to find an absolutely lovely 4/5 star accommodation.  Lobby, bar, restaurant, pool, gym, business center, and beautifully appointed rooms and marble bathrooms!  Yippee, no more tents and windy nights.  With the changes in our schedule due to the switching around of the Antarctic cruise, Tom has forgotten to make reservations in Buenos Aires for dinner.  We weren't supposed to be here until Christmas Day.  Oooops.  The conceirge attempted to find a restaurant that could handle 12 of us with no notice and eventually found one a few blocks away that was willing to make an accommodation.

We relaxed and met for dinner in the lobby at 8:30 PM.  The walk was short and the temperature had dropped a bit.  It was just starting to get dark.  We arrive at Chacko Restaurante.  A beautiful upscale restaurant with an amazing menu...only there was a slight surprisze.  The entirees started at $75 and were ala carte.  The side dishes like potatos were $30 and the desserts started at $25.  $1000 later we were well fed and bled.  Burger and chips from here on out...smile!

After dinner we opted for a late night walk.  Buenos Aires on Christmas Eve was very quiet but the famous oblisque was a short walk and the night was pleasant.  As we wandered the streets we noticed that the only people out were the homeless and things were not looking too safe.  We reached the landmark and quickly turned around and headed back to the hotel.  We had been warned about the crime and muggings to tourists.

Soon fairys and visions of sugarplums danced in our heads as we slept into Christmas morning.

December 23rd - Back to the End of the World

This morning we had a not so early breakfast followed by a short bus ride from the Valley of Terra Mejor and into the Ushuaia.  Our third time back we felt like natives.  Once in the city center we picked up our guide for the park tour.  His name is Mingo and he has been in Ushuaia for 27 years.  He spoke perfect English.  We were taken directly to our hotel, the Los Lagos Hosteria were we left our bags.  Next we drove further south to Tierra Del Fuego National Park were we got out of the van and started our hike for the day.  Bright blue skies, warm breeze.  A perfect day.  We walked though two different ego systems looking at the various trees, shrubs and flowers.  Four varieties of orchids...yes, orchids in Antarctic Argentina...truly beautiful.  We had our picnic lunch on the beach of Bahia Encenada and got our passports stamped from the world's farthest south post office.  What a hoot.

Then it was back to town where we boarded a four hour cruise of Beagle Channel and the channel islands,  We saw cormorants, seals, and lots of birds.  We landed on one of the small islands and visited a couple of archeological digs.  Very interesting.  Then back to port.

At about 7:30 we walked to dinner at the only Chinese restaurant in Ushuaia were we were treated to not only a full Asian style buffet with octopus, squid, fish, and mussels along with the usual sweet and sour this and that but also a full Patagonian grill with meats, lamb, and sausages.  Yikes, another huge meal.
 

Tonight we said goodbye to our guide Nicholas at dinner.  Even though we would see him again at the airport we wanted our last evening to be special.  He was given a huge tip which he appreciated very much and it was cute to see how big his eyes got when he saw the amount.  He was a special young man and he took VERY good care of us all.

Then off to bed and one more day of shopping before Christmas.

December 22nd – A Quiet Day Getting Further South

Today we slept in and had a lovely breakfast with Carol and Richard.  They served the traditional Patagonian breakfast of cereal and toasts along with coffee, tea, and juice.  Before breakfast Judy, Tom and Bobbie went for a morning walk in the quiet countryside and made friends with the herd of horses.  After breakfast we met their son Patrick who showed us around the farm with a tour of some of the outer building and the sheep shearing hall or barn.  We were to have had a demonstration of how dogs work and herd sheep but the horses had trampled down one of the fences during the night and the sheep had escaped.  Being at this comfortable farm was both relaxing and charming and a nice way to end four days of intense hiking.  After our tour we loaded up the bus and headed further south toward Ushuaia and Terra Mejor Valley.  Today’s drive was only three hours and we reached Solar del Bosque, a cozy mountain refuge just after 1:00 PM.  We were met by the owners, Alex and Marianne and here is where we said goodbye to our driver and our lovely clean bus.  Arnoldo was such a nice guy and was so proud of his personally owned vehicle.  Tomorrow morning a local bus will come to take us the rest of the way into Ushuaia.

The refuge has several buildings and five stayed in a small cabin and the rest slept in the loft of the main building.  The loft above the dining area sleeps a15 and we had the entire area to ourselves…in fact we hade the entire refuge to ourselves.  Nestled in the valley floor surrounded by a dense lenga forest, there were countless beaver ponds in all directions, each with working beavers, lodges, and dams.  Truly a peaceful and restful location.

For lunch we were served an assortment of homemade empanadas as well as fresh fruit.  The empanadas were heavenly with light and flaky dough and heavenly feelings of various meats, cheeses, and veggies.  After lunch most of us opted to enjoy the quiet setting, take a nap, and wander the immediate grounds.  Bobbie, John, and  Nicholas went on a aggressive hike up into the mountains to see Lake Esmeralda and more beaver ponds.  They returned a couple of hours later soaked and muddy up to the knees.

For dinner Marianna made us homemade spinach and cheese ravioli, lots of french bread, and a lovely terramisu parfait.  A few MORE bottles of Malbec and we were once again happy and ready for bed.  Climbing the stairs into the loft, there was no time for Tom's foolishness tonight...he was already asleep!

December 21st - An Amazingly Long Drive and a Stay at the Farm

Another early morning, breakfast at 7:30 AM, packed and on the road.  We had a 12 hour day ahead of us.  We traveled through the last part of Chile through pastures, steppes, and desert.  We saw countless guanaco, rheas, and lots of flamingos on the quickly drying ponds.  Once in the high plateaus we traveled through sheep and cattle ranches.  Around 11AM we stopped at a nice roadside cafe for a bathroon break and cup of coffee, gassed up the bus and were back on the road in a few minutes.  We did however had a chance to get a few photos of some local highway patroalmen and their cruiser and also introduced a few gauchos to Kathryn...smile.

We reached the Strait of Magellan around 2PM and boarded our ferry.  It was quite a ride with high winds and high waves.  Once on board we left the bus and ventured up the ladders to the small lounge where we rocked and rolled.  The crossing took about 40 minutes.  We saw several dolphins chasing the boat.  Once on the other side it was another three hours to the Chilean/Argentine border where we waited for almot 90 minutes to get our papers processed and granted passage.  Over the border another two hours brought us the town or Rio Grande and the Atlantic coast.  Here we stopped for more fuel and a short bathroom and coffee break.  Rio Grande is a large town of aobut 100,000 people with lots of industry.. 

Another two hours drive through some higher ground and now a lenga/beech forest and we turned off of the highway onto a gravel road.  Within minutes we were deep inside of a very heavily wooded area wtih guanco, eagles, and geese.  We drove and wandered through the forest for about 30 minutes getting further and further away from the main road.  

Suddenly and quite to our surprise we were at the gate to the Estancia del Hijas (ranch of the daughters).  Sevearl buildings were scatted across the hillside.  We stopped at the first cottage where a man was tending a fire surrounded by three sides of lamb.  A lady came out to the bus and in English (with an Australian accent) welcomed us to her ranch.  We were shown around the grounds and then taken to the bunkhouse where beautifully clean toliets and showers awaited us.  We each had a small double bunk and sleeping bags.  Not as rustic as the last several days and the hot showers were very inviting.

After a nice rest and shower we were invited to the dining hall where we found a beatuifully set table, a huge salad buffet and more BBQ'd lamb than we could all possible eat.  A few bottles of wine, followed by possibly the best flan any of us had ever eaten and were we very happy "campers"

A bit of silliness back at the bunkhouse with Tom's bodycase fashion show and we all went to sleep.

December 20th - The Third Part of the “The W” and then out of the Mountains and to Puerto Natales

We woke very early today after had a windy night with gusts up to 90 kph.  Often the tent felt as if it was going lift off the ground.  An early breakfast was followed by the gang splitting up into two groups – one that would hike and one that would relax and enjoy a quiet morning in the lodge.  We had a very nice mountain breakfast and then stepped off in the windy valley – a VERY windy valley.  The hikers this morning were Tom, Bobbie, John, Amelia, Hans, Rita, Carol and Verena.  Five went with Maurie and three with Nicholas.  The winds were amazing and it was raining so hard that the raindrops were driving horizontally.  After an hour of hiking Tom and Rita had fallen behind and after a rest in a shelter of lenga trees decided to turn back.  The winds and rain were so hard.  Carol and Verena made it to the top of the ridge and then turned around and headed back to the lodge.  The rest went on to the Grey Glacier overlook where the winds were so strong they were nearly blown into the lake far below.

Back at the lodge we surrounded to wood stove and watched the rain fall.  After drying off getting a bit of respite, we had our box lunches and waited for the afternoon catamaran to take us back across Lake Pehoe.  It was cold and wet waiting in line for the boat.  Once on board we enjoyed hot cocoa and rocked and rolled with the waves as we once again crossed the lake and back to our waiting bus.  Arnold met us on the other side where we began our four hour drive to the small ocean port town of Puerto Natales, Mauricio’s’ hometown.  The countryside was mostly steppe with sharp canyons cut into the mesas as we descended a 1000 feet to the seacoast.  The four hour drive was greeted with most everyone napping.  We reached Puerto Natales in late afternoon and checked into our hotel, the Francis Drake.  The hotel is a very old one with about 12 rooms and a dining area.  The rooms were small but there were comfortable beds and clean and hot showers.  We each dove into the showers for the first bath we’d had in FOUR DAYS.  You can only imagine how that bus ride must have smelled….fifteen wet dogs huddled in one small bus…smile!  The hotel was so old that Mr. Drake had not been knighted yet!  The staff were very, very pleasant and accommodating. 

We gathered our laundry from the last four days and with maps in hand set off to find the local tourist laundry and enjoy some free time.  The town was small and clean, but with an imporverished look as many small South American towns.  We wandered the streets listened to Christmas Carols coming from the bell tower of the local church.  The laundry was a drop off service and all of us deposited our loads for a late night delivery.  We then took off in many directions to so a bit of shopping and exchange money before dinner.  On the main street some of us discovered a small neatly signed shop advertising handmade local artisan craft.  The name of the artist is Merriam Parra and the shop we both exquisite and reasonably priced.  The first shopping foray ended in adding roughly $1000 to her familiies’ income…smile.  There would be later visit to add more to the local economy.  Tom and Bobbie headed off the local mountain outfitter to purchase a special gift for later that night.

We met Mauricio and Nicholas at a quaint local restaurant named El Rincon del Tata (Grandpa’s Hangout).  Surrounded by rustic décor and many local antiques and old photographs of the region, we enjoyed a terrific dinner of king crab, lovely fresh salads, fish and steak.  Several bottles of local Chilean wine complimented the meal and we were well satisfied after many days in the mountains.

During dinner we gave Maurice a very generous tip that brought tears to the young man’s eyes.  We would later learn that he is seldom tipped by his mountain groups and had never received one as large as ours.  He promised to put the money to good use repairing a home he had just purchased on the outskirts of town.  Nicholas was then surprised with a new pair of hiking boots.  The surprise on his face was picture worthy.

After dinner we all wandered back to the hotel, some for yet another hot shower, some internet time and a bit of CNN.

December 19th – The Second Part of “The W”

As is mountain tradition, we woke this morning very, very early and packed up our packs for a trip across the lake.  After breakfast we drove as short way to the lake landing and boarded a catamaran for the half hour ride across Lake Pehoe.  The catamaran was quite modern and nicely equipped with sharply unfimred crew.  Capable of holding about 100 passengers it was full this moring with eager hikers looking forward to another great day in the park.  The winds had calmed and the sky was a bright and irresistible blue.  It was going to be a great day.  The ride was pleansant and we landed on the other side of the lake at the resort.  A modern facility with large cafeteria and bar along with wood boardwalks throughout the large camping area.  We quickly set up one tent to hold our bags and then broke into two hiking groups to assault the middle of “The W.”  Today would be an awesome day as the weather continued to break.  We traversed over small hills and valleys walking under the towers of Paine Grande, the tallest mountain in the range.  We skirted Lake Sarmiento with its amazing deep cobalt blue color.  After two hours we reached the banks of the French
River and the entrance ot the French Valley.  After crossed the swinging suspension bridge we rested and had lunch at the  French Camp site.  At this point half of us turned back for a return hike to the lodge.  The rest of us continued up the trail to the top of the glacial moraine and a closer view of the back of the horns, the shield, and the spear – names for the granite peaks that surrounded us.  After another two hours of climbing over rocks and boulders and up very steep trails over roots and tree trunks, we reached the top of the moraine and a spectacular view of the peaks.  The sky had cleared, the cloud cover had dissapted, and the day was spectacular.

We took many, many photos and then slowly headed down the mountain.  Five hours later we returned to camp and straight up the stairs of the lodge to the bar for a well deserved Pisco Sour and a few beers.  Dinner tonight was in the cafeteria and we were treated to a great dinner of fresh veggie salads, braised chicken and potatoes, and white chocolate mouse.  Yummy!

Some more conversation was followed by retiring to our tents and warm down sleeping bags.  It didn’t take long for us to fall asleep.

December 18th - A Little Climb to the Top of the World

We woke for an early 7AM breakfast today before setting off by bus to a ranch on the north side of the Torres Del Paine Park.  After about an hour of driving we reached an upscale resort hotel and working ranch and the trailhead of the Mirador del Torres trail.  Sara was informed that this would be too difficult a trail for her to handle so she checked into the day spa at the hotel.  The rest of the group was broken into two groups, those who would hike faster and more than likely to the top of the mountain, and those who would be a bit slower and only go as far as the Chilean Refuge.

Mauricio, our mountian guide, gave us some last minute pointers and instructions and off we went.  As we were trekking across the ranches pasture we encountered a huge herd of horses, possible over 200, being moved from one area to another - and a break neck speed.  Suddenly we stood in front of this massive herd as it raced past us at full gallop under the careful herding of gauchos on horseback.

We crossed  few streams and then a swinging bridge over the Ascension River.  Then is was uphill into the Ascension Valley.  The trail was well marked with many hikers, each with a goal of reaching the top.  The climb was a steady uphill haul for well over three hours.  It was a cloudy day with patches of sun and there was a slight chill in the air.  At the top of the pass and before entering the valley itself, we met with high winds, some 40 - 50 mph.  It was quite a feet to stand on the ground and not be swept off the trail and down the steep cliffs to the river far below.  We eventually reached the Chilean Refuge and the half way mark - roughly 6 miles into the day´s hike.  At the refuge we enjoyed a well deserved rest and some hot cocoa.  There were many hikers staying at the refuge and in the small mountain camp which surrounded it.  It was a hikers oasis in the middle of this awesome valley.  Steep moutains surrounded us.

After about 30 minutes the slower group caught up with us, we had quick chat and shared some stories of the windy pass, and then the fast group took off into the valley.  For the next two hours we wanderded over a heavily forested terrain of Lenga and Beech trees.  The trails was dotted with an amazing assortment of wildflowers and Amelia was taking a picture of each species she encountered.  The winds were brisk and when we got into a clearing they were as furocious as before.  At the mountain encampment Kathryn chose to step off the trail and wait for us to return from the last segment.  There in front of us were the towers of Torres del Paine and a grueling 1 1/2 hour climb straight up over a boulder field which is the moraine of the glaceir high above.  

We took off at a good pace and soon were overcome by the climb.  Circling and sometimes climbing over these huge rocks we eventually reach to top and found ourselves at the bottom of the towers looking up some 600 to 900 feet in the air at these three massive monoliths of granite.  At the bottom was a aqua green glacial lake and to the left the glacier that was filling it.  The view was breathtaking.  It was amazing.  Now a full eight miles into the hike and still needed to backtrack to the ranch we began our decsent, met up with Kathryn at the bottom of the moraine, and headed back down the hill at a quick pace.  Four hours later we were back at the bus, a full 11 hour hike and now with almost 16 miles under our feet, we were exhausted, exhilerated at our accomplishment, and ready for a nice nap during the ride back to the campground.

The slower group had turned around at the refuge and had been back for some time.  They met up with a well healed Sara and were waiting for the rest in the hotel.  We got reached our campground an hour or so later, and had a late dinner at 9AM in the dining hall with windows facing the mountains we had climbed that day.  There was no trouble gettin to sleep this night as we all crawled into our tents and passe out.

December 17th - Drinving HWY 40 - Wow!

Today we got up at 6AM and were on the road by 7:30.  Heading south from El Calafate we traversed the Argentine Steppe south to Torres Del Paine National Park.  Six hour of driving over praire, grassland,  and ascending impressive steppe mesas, we viewed countless guanacos (wild llamas) and rheas (ostrich like b birds).  We spotted many condors overhead as well as South American brown eagles and other birds.  We reached the Chilean boder at 1PM where we were met our mountain guide, Mauricio.  After going through a pretty scrutenous border check (papers, luggage, and huge tarrif) we enjoyed a great Chilean style lunch before heading into the park.  Once in the park there were more wildlife to see, countless crystal blue lakes and an amazing waterfall.  The wind was amazing as well with gusts up to 50 mph.  We reached our campground around 6PM.  Seven little yellow tents with sleeping bags all neatly set up with a bathroom a short walk away.  After reviving Verena, Rita, and Sara (somehow they forgot the word ¨tent¨ in our itinerary, we had some free time to explore the lakeshore and take some awesome photos of the mountains.  Absolutely magnificent.

Pictures - Pictures - Pictures

Okay, for all of you who are wondering where all the pictures are....be patient...smile.   So far our internet  time has been little and when we get to a computer there are twelve of us desperate to check in with family.  Our days have been so full that we have had no time for dancing for rebel-rousing!  Pictures will come eventually and we´ll let you know when they start to get posted.  We have a free day coming up soon!  Hang in there.

December 16th - Perito Moreno Glacier and a Windy Day

We all got to sleep in a bit today and had breakfast on our own time.  The Hostel del Glacier Pioneros is a lovely place with a sweet little breakfast concession that is reminisent of a Swiss ski lodge.  The staff were very pleasant and accommodating as we enjoyed a traditional continental breakfast of toasts, cereals, and coffee.  Our guide Nicholas met us on time and introduced us to our glacier guide, Juan and driver Esteban.  At 9:30 we boarded our private bus and headed out over the Argentinean Steppe toward the Andes Mountains.  The landscapse reminded us of the California foothills, sparce, dry, sagebrush.  We saw wild llamas, eagles, a condor in flight, several species of goose, and many flocks of flamingos.  The drive was broken up wiht a few stops to look at wild flowers and to admisre a large herd of sheep grazing near the road.

As we approached the mountains the elevations and landscape changed to that of Beech and Lengas trees.  Soon we were into the beauty of the Andean footnills.  After passing through the national park check point the face of the glacier was in view.  Being from Alaska you would think we would not be impressed by another glaceir.  Well, this one is massive and magnificent.  The series of steel walkways go on for miles.  We used them to view all of the aspects of the glacial face.  Afterwards we had a light lunch at the lodge before heading back into town.

When we reached El Calafate an hour later half of us opted to visit the lagoon and view the flamingos and other birds.  Another long walk of about four miles brought us back into the city center for some shopping time before dinner.  Later that night our trek guide Nicholas treated us to a traditional Patagonian BBQ - beef, lamb and all the fixings...too muich good...and oh so good.  A great night's sleep followed.  We have to get up very early tomorrow.

Decembert 15th - Back to Port and Points Beyond

We woke this morning to find ourselves still at sea, only traveling so smoothly that we thought we were already tied to the pier.  Still in the Beagle Channel we were quickly approaching the port of Ushuaia and soon the loudspeakers onboard were barking instructions for our last morning onboard the Sergey Vavilov.  After another amazing breakfast - John says his most favorite meal of the day - we checked our bags one more and left them in the hallway.  At around 9AM we left the ship and were taken to the luggage storage location.  The rest of the morning was free time to wander the streets of the southermost city in the world, mail our heavy antarctic clothing home, and visit the museum.  

At the post office we got a big surprise.  A mere $50 to $75 to mail our parkas home...yikes.  With people saving our place in line we each took turns going across the street to the bank to get more pesos.  Our packages will arrive home in three to six weeks - or - maybe never - we are warned that the Argentine mail service is notorius for losing packagbes!

Some of us had lunch once again at Ramos General Store - just can't seem to get enough of that lovely little antique store/restaurant.  At 2:00 PM we gathered at the lugage storage spot, got our bags, and headed to the airport.  Our flight was delayed about 30 minutes and the terminal was unbeleiveably hot.  So once again we were pealing off layers of clothing.

Our Austral Airlines was quite nice with a bit of turbulance upon takeoff and landing.  Flying high over the Argentine Pampas it was hard to beleive that somewhere in the distance were 16,000 to 20,000 foot mountains.  We landed in El Calafate on the Chilean border and were met at the airport by our personal guide, Nicolas.  He is a pleasant and well spoken young man in his early 20's.  He will be with us for the next nine days.

We checked into our hostal, Los Pioneros de Los Glaciers and got settled in.  We were all pleased to find beautifully prepared rooms, clean as a whistle.  With city maps in hand we each took off in different directions looking to exhange money, find bottled water, and do some quick souvenger shopping.

Later that evening we gathered at a really fine restuarant - way, way out of our budget - and enjoyed an amazing dinner of truly succlent Argentiean steaks, chops, and lamb.  Along with a couple bottles of whine, with was quite an evening.  Afterwards a short walk found us at the local ice cream store for a late night treat.

December 14th – Our Last Day at Sea

We woke late and made it to breakfast.  The seas were still quite high and the rocking has gone on all night long.  No one has seen Sara for a full day now…word has it that she is sequestered in her room heavily medicated for sea=sickness.  The rest of our group eventually made it to the dining room for a quick breakfast.  Today we where offered two presentations.  One was a documentary of a ship to sail around Cape Horn.  The footage was filmed in 1927.  It was very interesting.  The hard part was watching the ship on film rocking and rolling as were we at the same time.

The second presentation was a slide show of snapshots taken during the polar plunge.  We all had a great laugh watching each other’s faces as we bobbed up and down on the cold water.  Lunch was at 12:30 PM today with pizza as the main course.  Afterwards we laid low and simply watched the waves and the rocking of the boat.

At about 3PM we sighted land and knew at once that the rough part was almost over.  By 6PM things has calmed down quite a bit and at the Captain’s dinner we all enjoyed a calm dining room and a lovely dinner of Filet Mignon with all the trimmings.  Then it was off to bed as we have an early morning and a full day tomorrow as we set off for Patagonia.

Antarctica, for Tom anyway, the absolutely most cool thing ever done.  Absolutely amazing!

December 13th - Back at Sea - High Sea - Grab those Puke Bags!

We are now in the middle of a hurricane.  100 plus mile per hour winds.  The captain has closed all outside decks and all of the water-tight doors have been secure.  Meal services has been limited ot what will stay on the place in between the rocking and rolling.

Few of us bravely went downstairs to take part in the presentations on the lower decks.  Sea Sickness medic ations poured out of the onboard clinic.  It was quite a long 24 hours.

December 12th – The Shetland Islands

After last night’s dinner and during the night we began the crossing from the Antarctic Peninsula to the Shetland Islands.  The seas were gentile and the ship rolled only slightly.  With a 5:30 AM wakeup we all retired early to get some rest.  After a 6AM breakfast we landed in XXXX Bay for a really cool hike from one side of the island to the other.  We say three species of penguins, Adele, Chinstrap, and Gento.  The highlight was both Weddell and Elephant seals all sunning on the beach.  We were able to get within a few feet of this huge animal and lots of photos were taken.  On a nearby mound were nesting Skea birds.  Being a protected area we weren’t able to get too close.  Being a bit further north of the peninsula we actually walked on sand rock, instead of snow, and a lot of the island was exposed with a lot of patches of green moss and other ground cover.  Although the morning was overcast, it was pleasant.  We were on land for about three hours before returning to the ship.

Lunch today was hot dogs and macaroni and cheese – or what the Russian and Argentinean version is . . . smile.  During lunch we set out to the passage again for a five hour cruise to King George Island, location of bases from five different countries.  Today we were guests of the Chinese research station.  Very modern and well equipped, we toured the Chinese faculty and went into several buildings.  The base was sparsely populated with maybe 15 people.  In the summer months (Jan – Apr) it will grow to over 40.  They were very nice and accommodating.

We returned the ship in late afternoon for tea on the observation deck. Shortly before dinner the seas became very rough with 15 to 30 foot ways.  We were officially back in the Drake Passage.  During dinner table, chairs, passengers, and eating utensils routinely sailed across the room.  Soup and wine service were suspended for the evening because of the rocking of the ship.  Needless to say the dinner hour was short…get it in and get out.  The rest of the evening was spent in the observation lounge marveling at the size of the waves and the side to side and front to back rocking of the ship.  We were promised a full night long assault from the now hurricane winds and tidal surge.

December 11th – Another Glorious Day in Antarctica

We woke this morning to find that the ship had relocated to another fabulous small circular harbor surrounded by amazingly high monoliths of granite.  There was little shoreline visible with the ice shelves meeting the water’s edge from a sharp decline.  After breakfast we suited up for our first landing-a glacial hike up to the top of one of the ridgelines surrounding the bay, and a chance to see our first Chinstrap Penguin colonies.  After our landing it was quickly decided that climbing the 45 degree smooth ice face of the slope was not safe and we returned to the ship.  After a short sail we found ourselves in yet another quiet cove surrounded by a huge colony of Gento penguins.  After landing we spent about two hours roaming through the various nesting spots and taking photos.  Afterwards, and before returning to the ship, we were treated to a harbor cruise among the massive icebergs.

Back at the ship we had lunch while cursing to our next destination, Wilhelmina Bay, and with hopes of sighting whales.  Laurie also hinted at a special event that would take place in the last afternoon.  The scenery was spectacular and sure enough we sighted several humpback whales as we cruised through jagged mountains and a myriad of glaciers and glacial plains.

At 3:00 PM we were all invited to a Polar Plunge.  Yep, down to our skivvies, and into the 34 degree water of Antarctica.  Of the 100 passengers, 34 decided they were lunatics AND of the 34 lunatics, six of our twelve opted for the event.  First in line was Kathryn, followed by Frenchy, then Tom and Bobbie, then Rita, and finishing up with John.  Donning lifejackets and a tether with a twenty foot line, we all took our turns at bravely walking down the gangway, jumping in the water, and then very QUICKLY getting out and back up and into the ship.  It was a blast and everyone both wet and dry had a great time.  Those that braved the lunacy were given certificates to commemorate their feat.

December 10th – Our First Continental Landing

Up until now we have been visiting island just off of the Antarctic
Peninsula.  Today we get to step foot on the continenent itself.  After
breakfast we suited up in our Antarctic gear and headedto shore once again,
this time to a deserted Argentinean outpost.  After visiting the penguin
colonies and climbing a nearby snow cliff for some pretty awesome views, we
boarded our zodiacs for a morning cruise among the blue icebergs and claving
glaciers.  The colors are intense and mystifying.   After a few hours of
cruising around, we returned to the ship for lunch.

This afternoon we landed once again on the continenent just in time to watch
a magnificent calving of the nearby glacier.  The tidal surge was over six
feet high and we had to run up from the beach and on to the snow cliffs to
escape being washed way.  This was quite exciting.  We spotted our first
Chinstrap Penquin and a couple more leopard seals.  Whales could be seen
breaching in the distance.

Tonight we enjoyed an Antarctic BBQ on the rear deck of the ship…ribs,
chicken, and all the fixings.  There was music and a lot of laughter.  By
now we have gotten to know a lot of the other 80 passengers on the ship and
have discovered that there are about 17 different nationalities.  A true
Antarctic melting pot.

December 9th – German and British Outposts

During the night we sailed into another secluded bay to find a fully
operational German research station.  We landed our zodiacs on a rocky
shoreline and made our way up the snow path to the station.  After touring
the station and talking with the researchers we visited the nearby penguin
colonies and were able to grab our first glimps of a few eggs.  Returning to
the ship we sailed to the other side of the huge bay and visited yet another
outpost, this one run by the British and now a fully restored museum and
post office.  The visit was grand we toured the various rooms of the
station, bought and mailed postcards home, and once again enjoyed the
penguins colonies across a small inlet.  There we were able to get within a
few feet of a paid of leopard seals sunning themselves in the bright and
warm summer sun.

This evening we gathered on deck for the most magnificent sunset at midnight
you can imagine.  As we watched the sky turn from blue to yellow, to pink to
red we also watched 30 passengers take to the zodiacs for an overnight
camping adventure in the snow of a nearby island…yikes.  The temperature
during the day has never gotten above 34 and tonight will be well below
freezing.  I’m sure there will be stories to tell in the morning.

December 8th – The Antarctic Peninsula

After another bumpy night we reached the South Shetland Isalnds and the
inside passage fo the Antarctic Peninsula.  The mountains are stunning,
rising straight out of the water, some as high as 10,000 feet.  After some
serious thought and reviewing weather conditions the captain decided to take
us as far south as possible today and then begin working our way back up the
passage.

Mid-morning found us entering Lemaire Channel.  This narrow channel is
spectacular with high rock walls and loads of snow and icebergs.  Once
inside the passage the rough waters subsided completely, the sun came out,
and the start of a glorious day was at hand.  We spotted Leopard Seals on
the ice flows and the varying colors of blue in the ice and the glaciers
that surrounded us were amazing.

Our first landing was to a colony of Gento penguins.  We were all issued our
bright yellow Antarctic parkas, boots, and life jackets.  Once by one we
made our way down the gangway to the water’s edge where our zodiacs were
waiting.  Twelve at a time we were ferried to the shoreline line were we
disembarked.  Pengujins were everywhere, totally oblivious to us and simply
going about their life of feeding and then climbing up the slopes to their
awaiting mate who was patiently keeping their precious egg warm.  We started
a climb to the top of the mountain, not an easy task, passinjg colony after
colony of birds, all nesting on the warm rock outcroppings.  It took nearly
an hour to reach the top and the reward was worth the effort.  Hundreds of
birds, climbing up as high as us mind you, surrounded us.  We sat and took
photos and marveled at the spectical.

After several hours on shore we returned to the ship for lunch.  Our next
landing would be at 2:00PM.  We sailed back up the channel and into a quiet
bay.  There the expedition leaders once again surveyed the weather and
possible landing spots.  The decision was made to head north toward the
upper regions of the peninsula and to a bay full of whales, seals, and of
course more penguins.

Lunch was terrific and the conversation was full of recollections of what we
had seen that morning.  At around 2:30 PM we once again disembarked to a
beach and began our wandering through the myriad of penguin colonies.  After
several hundred photos we once again returned to the ship for dinner and
then a movie in Tom and Bobbies suite

December 7th – Second Day at Sea

The winds picked up overnight and the sea was even more outrageous that tne
night before.  We all reminded ourselves that we would have two days of this
on the way back to Cape Horn…yikes.  The rain was torrential and the ship’s
captain closed all outside decks.  Meal service was interesting to say the
least.

During the day we had two additional lectures:  one was on Ice and its
rock-like qualities.  The other was on whales and seals.  The education
aspect of the trip so far has been outstanding preparing us for what we will
see once we reach the Antarctic Peninsula.

Tonight after dinner the group got together in Tom and Bobbie’s cabin for a
movie.

December 6th – First day at Sea

Last night after dinner we entered Drakes Passage and none of the warnings
we were given about rough water proved long.  Most of the group took the
advise of the ship’s captain and took their motion sickness medication.  The
night was very rough with the boat rocking from side to side.  When we awoke
and saw what was going on outside we were all a bit concerned.  We were in
the middle of the Drakes Passage riding up to 20 foot waves.  Every step we
took required a firm hand hold on the hallway and stairwell rails.  The
higher up on the ship the worse the rocking became.  Everyone was in good
humor however and taking advantage of the ship doctor’s advise none of us
got sick.

We enjoy several lectures today.  The ship’s historian talked about the
history of Antartica and the many historic voyages of exploration.  The head
of the expedition gave a talk on the formation of sniow flakes and the
significant scientific study in most recent years to classify the specific
shapes and configuration of the snow crystals.

Lunch was served in the dining room with plates, serving dishes, and glasses
moving around and some making it to the floor.  In the afternoon we all
settled in upstairs in the observation lounge to watch the huge waves and to
sway back and forth with the ship.

In the afternoon we once again enjoyed two more lectures; one from the
resident geologist and another from the bird expert.

December 5th – Almost there…

We woke at 3AM and packed in preparation for the day.  Private cars were

once again waiting for us at 4AM to take us to the airport for our 5:45 AM

flight.  As we were prepaing the leave the hotel we discovered that Verena

and Rita overslept.  A loud taxi horn and phone call woke them and in five

minutes there were dressed and packed.  You’ll have to ask them for their

own stories later on…smile.  At the airport we got our boarding passes and

boarded LAN Airlines for our four hour flight to Ushuaia.  Once again we

were pleased to see an immaculate and beautiful pane with great service…and

much to our surprise less than half full.  I’m sure you guess at what was

running through out heads.

As we approached Ushuaia several of us remarked that from the air it looked

just like home – snow on the mountains and open patches of tundra and newly

thawed ponds.  We landed at 9:30 AM and were met at the gate by the cruise

staff. When we had not arrived the morning before they had taken it upon

themselves to check with the airline, learned of our delimema, and that we

were booked on today’s flight.  What a relief to be doing business with a

far greater organized business!

Our bags were checked and forwarded to the ship and we were dropped off in

the small city’s center for four hours of sightseeing.

The group broke up and headed in different directions.  Being Sunday, a few

gift shops were open.  The day was amazingly sunny and warm…we missed the

rain and last snowfall of the season by just two days!  At 1:00PM we

gathered for lunch at Ramos General Store.  The store and restaurant are

designed to look like an old general store from the 1800’s with antiques all

over the place.  The bakery made amazing pastries.  We all enjoyed a great

lunch of fish, paninis and homemade pasta.  Some local draft beer and great

herbal tea blends made the meal special.

At 3:30 PM we boarded the transfer bus to the pier and were introduced to

our ship.  The Academik Sergei Vavilof is an Antarctic Exploration vessel.

It carries a maximum of 132 passenger, thus only two lifeboats each holding

66 people.  We were checked into our rooms, enjoyed a welcome drink and

small introduction lecture in the bar topside, and then went out to the

decks to water the sailing out of Beagle Channel.  As night fell we were

given a fabulous dinner in the dining room before heading off to bed.

Pictures to come so stay tuned.

December 4th – The Journey into the Next Day

As soon as the ticket windows opened at 5:30 AM we decided to check in and
get our boarding passes.  We wanted to make sure we were on that plane.
After the first six of us had been processed Bobbie realized that they had
put us on a much later flight and that we would not make our Buenos Aires to
Ushuaia connection.  She called a supervisor over an explained the
situation.  To our surprise the supervisor was able to get us on the next
flight to Buenos Aires…the only issue was that it was leaving in 30 minutes.

She issued new boarding passes and escorted us to immigration and security.
In immigration we were met with the next challenge.  Since we had not been
processed properly the night before, we were not being allowed to leave the
country.  Having immediately gained illegal alien status in Brazil, we
became the star attention of the border authorities.  After a lot of
explanations, and the finding of the passenger manifest from the night
before, we made it through immigration and on to our plane.  Once seated and
assured that we would be taking off on time, we laughed at the reality that
the twelve of us had successfully gained illegal entry into a foreign
country and then got out.  Oh my!

Our flight to Buenos Aires was once again aboard a beautifully appointed and
well served aircraft.  A hearty breakfast was followed by a few hours of
sleep.  For Tom it was for the first sleep he had had in now 30 hours.  We
landed in Buenos Aires International Airport at 9AM confident that with the
extra three hours we would reach Ushuaia only ten hours late.  Tom left the
group in the waiting area and went on meet the TAM Supervisor in charge of
our situation.  Once there he discovered that TAM has not made the
reservations on the other airline, that there were only five seats left on
one flight leaving in two hours and another seven seats left on a another
flight leaving in four hours.  The only obstacle was a one hour transfer bus
to the domestic airport.  TAM agreed to pay for the bus transfer, got
tickets issued in a matter of minutes, and then it was a sprint from the
south terminal to the north terminal to gather the group and make the bus
leaving in ten minutes.  It was a sight indeed to see the TAM supervisor
running in high heels and Tom at her side with his back on.  We gathered the
group and made the bus with literally a minute to spare.

The drive across Buenos Aires to the downtown airport was quick as we
watched neighborhoods and large apartment building pass by.  We were amazed
at the density of the city with people literally living one on top of the
other.  Arriving at the AEP domestic terminal the group settled in for a
snack and beverage while Tom sought out the TAM representative to get the
tickets they had arranged for us.  He returned an hour later with the TAM
official and news that the seats had not been held as had been promised and
that now all were sold out.  We would not be seeing Ushuaia today.  Our
phones did not work and we could not contact our Antarctica cruise company
as it was Saturday.  TAM airlines said there was nothing they could do and
they were sorry.  Tom informed them that the whole series of events was
unacceptable and that since we did not accept their offer of a hotel room in
Sao Paolo that we would graciously expect one now.

Within a few moments the official returned to inform us that we would be
housed by the airline’s expense at a 5 star hotel downtown and that
transportation and two meals would also be covered.  A short time later we
were met by four private vehicles that quickly took us to the Hotel El
Conquistador in the Recoleta section of the city.  The rooms were
beautifully appointed with king beds and very nice bathrooms.  We were
invited to lunch on the balcony overlooking the main lobby and the city
streets below.  Afterwards we enjoyed free time wandering the city center
and doing a bit of unexpected exploring.  We were served a beautiful steak
dinner later that evening.  A few of the gang took off for some nighttime
exploring while the rest of us tucked in for a good night sleep and a very
early call the next morning.

December 3rd – A long day’s journey begins . . .

5AM found everyone on time in the lobby of the hotel and waiting for the hotel shuttle.  Some last minute instructions were followed by the short ride to the terminal.  As we checked in for TAM Airlines we quickly discovered that they were weighing all of the carryon luggage…with a 20 pound limit we knew we would be well over the limit.  Some quick relocating of bags behind others in line and hiding bags behind pillars got us through the check in process without one of our bags being checked.  Whew!  Once at
the gate we all laughed as most everyone there had carryon bags larger and more than likely more heavy than ours….smile…so much for us being so coy!  We enjoyed a light breakfast as the airport café and anxiously awaited Carol’s arrival.  One hour before our Sao Paolo flight was to depart a very tired lady appeared pulling her wheeled backpack behind her.  THE GANG WAS COMPLETE.

After boarding TAM Airlines we once again were pleased to be on yet another beautiful and meticulously clean and well appointed wide body South American airline.  The plane had coach seats a bit wider than those of the American airlines.  The seats reclined back further as well.  The flight was full with no empty seats in tourist class.  We were immediately served a very nice breakfast with beverages.  Then it was time to settle in for a nap or enjoy one of the over 50 selections of movies, TV shows, and other offerings in the included entertainment package.  Four hours into the nine hour flight we were served a really nice lunch with choice of beef tips, roasted chicken, or pasta.  Along with free wine and cocktails we were quickly satisfied of any hunger pains we might have experienced.  Another four hours and Sao Paolo appeared on the horizon.  With the three hour time frame, we were now completing the first 12 hours of our very long journey to the tip of South America.

We disembarked and headed for the terminal by transfer busses.  Once inside it was through another level of security and the confiscation of Tom’s camera tripod.  According to Brazilian TSA tripods are weapons.  At the gate waiting for our next flight to Buenos Aires we were informed that the flight would be delayed at least two hours.  It was hot, humid, and crowded, but
because the flight status changed every few minutes we were afraid to wander too far from the gate.  Three hours later we were boarded on the aircraft.  Already concerned that we might miss our flight to Ushuaia, two Brazilian fellows added to the unrest by complaining about the delay.  They were loud and kept getting up and arguing with the flight crew.  Because of the disturbance the airline would not close the doors.  We kept thinking to ourselves, if we were in the US the police would have been called already and these guys would have been taken into custody.  The turmoil created restlessness and many started getting up and pulling their bags out of the overhead compartments.  Our group simply sat and watched the ridiculous behavioral of the Brazilians and Argentineans and wondered why the airline company was allowing this to happen.

Now four hours late and with the aircraft doors still open, the captain announced that he had exceeded the time allowed for him to fly and that the flight was canceled.  We were in panic mode because we would now miss our 5:45AM flight to Ushuaia.  We all left the aircraft and were transported back to the terminal and through Brazilian immigration.  We were surprised that they did not check our passports, but simply checked off our names for the passenger manifest.  Once in the terminal we were informed that we would be given hotel rooms and put on a noon flight to Buenos Aires the next day.  We were concerned about not getting back to the airport in time and decided to sit it out in the terminal to insure departure.  We settled in at a local café while Tom took off with a TAM Airline official to sort through the challenge.  Two hours later he returned with good news.  He was able to get us on a 10:20 flight which would get us to Buenos Aires in time to catch one of two flights on another airline that would get us to Ushuaia.  TAM Airlines agreed to pay for the new flights.

December 2nd - Gathering of the Gang . . .

 We enjoyed a lazy morning with Becky and Leo in Ft.  Lauderdale.  Frenchy finished writing postcards to her class in the Alaskan bush and Bobbie and Tom enjoyed more family time.  Around 9AM we discovered that Carol had missed her Anchorage to Miami flight.  Yikes!  Luckily she was able to get
re-booked and will arrive tomorrow morning about two hours prior to our flight to Sao Paolo.  That’s cutting it a bit close.

At noon we gathered once again for a great family lunch and more laughs.  As we were preparing to leave for the airport Frenchy discovered her keys were missing which meant that we could not move the car, let alone drive it.   After a thorough search of the house, the grounds, and under every piece of
furniture that existed we agreed to accept the inevitable…the keys were either lost or locked in the truck of the car.  With AAA Club card in hand we called for a locksmith, left it all in the hands of Leo’s housekeeper, and took off for Miami in Leo’s truck.

Once at the La Quinta Inn at the Miami airport we met up with the rest of the gang.  Verena, Rita, John, Amelia, Hans, and Judy arrived early morning and had enjoyed the day poolside.  Sara had stayed the night before at another hotel and arrived along with Kathryn in the late afternoon.  Some repacking and reducing of extra carry-ons brought everyone into “compliance” with the trip required amount of luggage.  We called upon the packing skills of Rita to get everything in its place….oh my, are those little carry-on backpacks bulging!

Some last minute details were confirmed and we all met at Bennigan’s for our welcome dinner.  A few cocktails loosened everyone up and a great dinner finished the night.  With last minute instructions in hand, we all headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep and a very early morning…all praying along the way that Carol was in the air and would make it on time.

December 1st - Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale

10 AM, packed, and ready to hit the road.  Frenchy, Tom, and Bobbie set off in Frenchy's land yacht for the five hour drive from Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale.  The drive was pretty with blue skies and white clouds.  As we neared the Everglades the day turned cloudy making the drive across Alligator Alley even more creepy.  We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale at Leo and Becky's home, Bobbie's sister and brother-in-law.  The family gathered this evening for the first night of Hanukkah.  We lit candles and had a toast.  The food was great and we all opened presents and told family stories.  The evening ran well past midnight followed by a good night's sleep.  Tomorrow we head to Miami to meet up with the rest of our travel partners.  Yippee!

November 30th - Tampa

Today the four of us (Don, Dianna, Tom and Bobbie) took off in the convertible and headed south to Fort Collins Beach and points south.  We had lunch at Ana Marie Island sitting on the beach at a great snack shack and then drive the intercoastal waterway to Saratoga.

We got back to Tampa early evening in time for a wonderful Korean BBQ at a local haunt followed by some TV and family time.

November 29th - Tampa

Boat Day!  Today we rented a pontoon boat from MacDill Air Force Base and sailed across Tampa and Hillsboro Bays to Apollo Beach.  We enjoyed a great lunch at Circles on the harbor and then spent the afternoon motoring around the small islands and coastline looking at the palatial homes and private docks. 

It was scortching and record setting 89 degrees.  Later that evening back at home we enjoyed a home-cooked meal and watched a half dozen episodes of Californication...oh my!

November 28th - Tampa

After 16 (yes, sixteen) hours of flying and switching planes we arrived in Tampa, Florida.  Anyone who thinks getting out of Alaska is easy need only fly there round trip once!  Anchorage to Phoenix-layover and delayed flight-Phoenix to Tampa-and a four hour time zone change...ugh!

Once here we were picked up by Bobbie's sister and brother-in-law and we were once again at home in their warm and comfortable embrace.  Don and Dianna are such awesome hosts and we love them so much.  Every visit is full of catching up and sharing.  It's great to be back with Bobbie's family.  Tonight we enjoyed a family dinner joined by Bobbie's Uncle Jim and Aunt Dell.-two very lively and energetic octogenarians.  Frenchy popped in to add color and variety to the gathering! 

Everyone stayed the night in Don and Dianna's beautiful home.

And we're off . . .

Tom and Bobbie head off to Tampa, Florida to spend four pre-trip days with family and friends and meet up with Frenchy.  Together they will drive down to Miami on the 1st.
 
Kathryn is in transit to Miami via Minnesota where she has been visiting family.

Sara in in transit ti Miami via Seattle where she has been visiting family and friends.

John, Amelia, Hans, Judy, Verena, Rita, and Carol flight out very late on the 1st.

Denise and Andrea leave on the 23rd and will meet up with the group in Buenos Aires.

One Week to Go . . .

We all met last night for our final trip meeting.  We enjoyed a feast of Patagonian lamb, roasted potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and green bean with carmelized onions.  Afterwards we grabbed a glass of red wine and went over all of the trip details, answerwed questions, and reviewed our packing ideas.  There was quite a bit to cover!  Following our meeting we were treated to a great three hour workshop on how to take amazing photos.  Marco and Becky from Gutierrez Photography were on had and did a really great job of orienting us to the special features of our cameras.  All that is left now is finalize affairs at home, get plenty of sleep, and fly to Miami. 

We are almost there!

20 Days to Go . . .

We did another great preparatory hike yesterday.  We started off at the Alaska Wildberry Farm parking lot and managed to accomplish about four miles down an icy and cold Campbell Creek trail, each carrying a full pack.  We headed back the way we had come and ended our day at the Peanut Farm with a cold beer and some great food compliments of Leopard Trax.  Tom heads back to Anchorage this coming weekend in hopes of joining the group for one more extensive hike up the Tony Knowles trail to Point Woronzof next Sunday.

Our final group meeting will be on the 18th coupled with a great photographic workshop.  It's all coming together nicely!  Keep on counting the days!  Yippee....South American here we come!

Cool Travel Accessory

Looks like our Leopard Christmas is happening a bit sooner than we expected.  While searching for restaurants on line for our trip we found this very cool travel accessory.  It is a close-out at REI and has some great features.  The travel clothesline comes with ten feet of nylon cord, ready-hooks on both ends, with a tightening ratchet, and the clothespins are alligator style clamps secured on the line.  Each couple and single lady gets one.  This will certainly come in handy.  No doubt about that!

Checking the Weather . . .

For us Alaskans (and one Virginian) who will be leaving the cold and snow of winter in a few weeks, here is what is coming our way.

Ushuaia - 55 today and getting warmer.  By December 4th it should be 65.

Antartica Peninsula - 39 today. By December 8th it should be 48.
El Calafate - 58 today.  By December 15th it will be in the 70's.
Buenos Aires - 82 today.  By December 25th it could be as hot as 100...yikes!
Manaus - Amazon - 89 today.  By January 5th it will be in the high 90's.
Rio de Janeiro - 78 today.  By January 10th it will be in the high 80's.

How exciting!

27 Days to Go....and Someone has a Bit of Time on his Hands....

Tom’s Steps to Packing Light
(stolen from a very bright online travel article)

Step 1.  Get a small bag. Note:  We've got this covered.  See August 14th entry.  The bag should be lightweight and easy to carry. It is helpful to have a bag that can be carried as a backpack, or as a shoulder bag depending on the circumstances. It is also handy if it has wheels. It is quite common to have to walk long distances, climb stairs and have to do many things at once, all while you
have your bag with you. Not checking bags means faster transfers and no lost luggage.

Step 2. Plan your wardrobe so that everything matches with everything else. This does not have to be monochromatic or boring. Rather, it suggests a minimalist approach to fashion. Ladies, one skirt and a single pair of trousers can be matched with a t-shirt, a fancy blouse or a tank top to make six different outfits--plenty of clothes for a week journey. You can get fancy with a scarf, bandanna, hat or other uniquely "you" wardrobe piece. If done right, you might be able to get
away with one load of laundry rather than 'darks' and 'lights'. Guys, just follow suit.

• Bring enough clean underwear so that you can get through at least 6 days of our journey without doing laundry. This also goes for socks, if you will be wearing those daily. Laundry opportunities will present themselves as we travel.
• Bring at least one pair of waterproof, dark hiking shoes. Short of a river crossing by foot, they won't get wet, they are incredibly durable, and are extremely comfortable. Best of all, you won't be carrying additional weight and sacrificing the big space taken up by another pair of shoes in your luggage. A second pair or shoes such as sandals, thongs, or slipper might be considered. We will NOT be visiting any dressy or formal locations.
• Consider your packing space carefully. Put items inside of other items, like those Russian nesting dolls. Roll clothes into small rolls to reduce wrinkling. Stuff socks into shoes.
• Pack your dry toiletries in the one bag and your liquid and gel toiletries in another. Remember to keep your liquids and gels to no more than 3 ozs.
• Keep your hand lotion, water, sunglasses, ear plugs, snacks, toothbrush, floss, hair brush/comb, a change of underwear, pen, notebook, camera, and any special medicines and necessary items you need in the top of your bag or organized in a sensible manner because you never know what may happen at the spur of the moment when you travel.
• Keep your ID, money, credit cards, in a security pouch. Keep some small currency in your pocket for little purchases (rather than pulling out everything each time). Carry photocopies of your ID, visas, and credit cards with you but in a separate compartment from the real ones (the idea being that if you lose one, you still have the other). Consider 'buddy packing' where your travel partner keeps your important photocopies and you keep theirs. This is a great idea.
• Electronics. Think wisely about this category. Obviously you’ll want your camera. Even if you are not in the habit of taking pictures, don’t leave this off your list.

• Cell phones. Unless you have a great international calling plan you’ll find that even the shortest call will be amazingly expensive. Even if you simply want to check email on your phone, you’ll pay significant roaming fees. Tom will have a cell phone with him for emergencies. You will have access to telephones everywhere there is cell service so seriously think about leaving yours behind. If you do bring it with you, make sure you have your charger and any plug adaptors required.
• Laptop. Even a small one with charger with adds several pounds to your bag. We will have internet service regularly during the trip. All hotels and resorts will have internet stations. Tom will have his laptop and you are welcome to use his when WiFi service is available.
• Fans, headphones, radios, alarm clocks, etc. all take up space. Think long and hard about what you really need.

Step 3. Make a packing list and visit it several times before your final pack. Practice packing your bag several times.  Roll clothing so they stay less wrinkled and pack tighter. Use corners and other cracks and crevices wisely. For example I always try to pack things in bags and inside of one another. It’s easier when I’m looking for something. I like the small and medium compression bags, not because you can get a lot of stuff in your luggage but because it keeps things firm so they don’t wrinkle. Putting like things together such as all shirts in one, pants in another, socks, underwear, toiletries, etc. makes it easier to find quickly what I want. Instead of having to unpack and repack 20 items, I am only moving four or five.  

Step 4. What you don’t bring you can buy. The first rule in packing is to layout everything you absolutely are certain you can’t leave home without and then put HALF of it back. I love this concept and travel even lighter these days than on earlier trips. There is always something along the way that I will want that adds to my wardrobe…and the weight I am carrying. So if I start off real light, then I can enjoy more space for souvenirs I would have otherwise passed by.   

Tom’s Suggested Packing and Check List

In Daypack
Camera, battery charger, and plenty of memory cards.
Cell phone and charger if you decide to bring one.
Flashlight or headlight.
Binoculars (optional).
Pen and notebook.
Laminated Itinerary.
Sunglasses.
Extra eyeglasses.
Medications.
Sun block (can be purchased there).
Insect repellent (can be purchased there).
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

In Backpack
Underwear and socks.
Four to five tops.
Two long pants.
Two short pants.
Swimsuit.
Rainwear.
Light gloves.
Extra shoes.
Toiletries (travel light).
Book (optional).
Travel games (optional).
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

To Wear
Jacket.
Hat.
Heaviest Top.
Heaviest Pants.
Hiking Boots.
Money Belt
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

Documents and Finances
Passport with Visas.
Shot record.
Driver’s License.
Credit & Debit Cards.
Cash.
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

Can’t do withouts… you probably can...do without
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

Now lay it all out and put back half of what you see. You’re all done. Put both pieces together and then weigh your pack. Decide if you really want to carry more than 25 pounds.