You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 28, 2006 07:00 PM Rolling on the South Atlantic...
A cup of strong tea or coffee in the morning - it is free available day and night. Only ocean around... Our ship is
pitching down and jumping up due to the large swell. The best view is from thebridge - it is open to the passengers at any
time. The crew is nice - I started to speak russian - they were quite surprised.
Only waves and wandering albatrosses around. Since two days I did not see any other ship. With a speed of 11-12
knots we should reach South Georgia tomorrow.
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Feb 27, 2006 07:00 PM 1400 km swells of Atlantic ahead!
I didn't sleep much.. Rolling during the night was horrible! Can you imagine: every few minutes my body was sliding from the
pillow to the end of my berth and then in the next minute when opposite rolling was coming my body was sliding back to the
pillow. Again and again. Funny? Yes, during first quarter only... It is hard sailing. Going along corridors of the ship you
are swayed by the motion from one side of your passage to the other. Watch your head, your hands and the rest of your body! The chairs and the trash bin are wandering around the cabin during the night.
From Falklands to South Georgia we have 1400 km...
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Feb 26, 2006 07:00 PM Through the landmines to Stanley...
Wet landing from zodiacs at Long Island - close to the lonely farm. The
hospitable farmer showed us how he takes care of his
horses and sheeps. Interesting! He has hard life far from the world...
Electricity only from the local, oil-powered
mini-power station. Then the charter bus took us (abous an hour drive) to the capital of the archipelago. The landscape of
the grassy hills is rather monotonous... Around Stanley (or Port Stanley) we saw many fenced mine fields - remains from the 1982 war. The city of pastel - painted houses is located along the sound - with some 3 km from one end to other. There is interesting museum (entry cost 3 pounds), anglican cathedral and catholic church to see. Collectors like their stamps and
coins...
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Feb 25, 2006 07:00 PM Windy Falklands
The Falklands consist of two large and about 700 smaller islands. On the whole archipelago size of Wales live less then 3000 people. In the morning our zodiacs - little rubber boats - landed for the firsttime on the New Island - on the west side of
the archipelago. Tree-less and grassy land.We took a walk to the opposite side of the island. There is high cliff where
albatrosses and king cormorants are nesting. They are not shy. I took some good pictures. Hope you will like them...
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Feb 24, 2006 07:00 PM This is not a cruise ship!
My second sail to the islands of Antarctica. Now I am sailing South Atlantic on
the little Russian reseach vessel. Only 43
passengers, few staff and 19 of Russian crew. I share small 3 by 2 m cabin with
old and funny mate - Ken from California.
Ken has some motion problems so I took upper berth. Jump up, jump down... Ahoy!
The sea was calm as long as we were sailing
Beagle Channel, then on the open ocean we experienced large waves and strong
rolling of the ship. The foood is OK but some
fellows do not come for the meals... Bon apetit! Fortunately I do not suffer
from the seasickness...
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Feb 23, 2006 07:00 PM From Tierra del Fuego...
Tourist information office in Ushuaia is very efficient - they will give you updated info `What to do`with prices and different options. In the evening in the old airport´s hangar there is show about Charles Darwin and Beagle. Like a musicall - inteestin scanography but no single lady on the stage! In the norning you can take a bus /10 peso RT/ + chair lift /15 peso RT/ and climb from the upper station to the face of Martial Glacier. There is also nice view of Ushuaia and Beagle Channel from this trek...
Yes, my little expedition vessel is already waiting at the pier. Embarcation time is at 4 pm. I will jump on with my old backpack and the great maritime adventure will begin. 38 days on board - I never sailed for so long time. Keep your fingers crossed, please! Ahoy!
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Feb 22, 2006 07:00 PM The end of the Americas - Ushuaia...
If the sun is shining it is unforgetable place - with the landscape reminding the best of the Alps... I am lucky! Strong sun is shining till 9 pm, the air is crystal-clear and I am enjoying the beauty of the nature. It is my third time in Ushuaia... I stay in the Yakush Hostel - nice and clean place - like a timber mountain logde with a panoramic view to the main street from the dining room. They charge just 28 pesos per night in the 6-bed dorm and breakfast. You can even have your free tea, coffee any time and sip any amount of yerba mate - national drink of Argentina.
The nature is the main attraction of Ushuaia - there is a National Park to visit just few kilometers from the town. They offer old steam train route to get there. You have a choice of different boat excursions alond the picturesque Beagle channel - 70 pesos for 3 hours and up. I plan to take the chair lift up to the mountain for the view - hope to show you the photos... Lets take a sip of yerba now!
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Feb 21, 2006 07:00 PM Santiago by night...
I visited Santiago twice already so this in only transit stay now. Close to Los Heroes bus terminal they opened new hostel - Che Lagarto. They charge 12 USD per bed in the dormitory and the light breafast is included. The problem appeares if you need to leave early - no bread today said old lady at 7 am - the supermarket will be open later... Hostel is located just 50 m from Alameda - the main street and 200 m from the airport bus stop. They charge 1100 pesos for the ride to the airport. The highlights of Santiago; San Francisco Church, La Moneda Palace and Plaza de Armas are within the walking distance... In the night they are nicely iluminated. But do not walk in the middle of the night - the safety level seems to be lower then in the past...
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Feb 20, 2006 07:00 PM A bottle of coca cola or bottle of wine?
Mendoza province is famous for its wineries. They say it is about 800 of them. Many of them are open for visit and tasting their wines. Tour agencies organize half-day trips to the wineries (the cost is 30 pesos pp). And if you are going to the supermarket (Carrefour is close to my Alamo hostel) you have difficult choice: the bottle of red wine and coke cost almost the same...
Mendoza has not colonial architecture but a lot of shaddy plazas and big San Martin park (as wide as the city centre).
In the heat of 31 deg Celsius it is difficult to walk the park - but just after the ornate gate they have info pont and offer sightseen in the microbus - round trip cost just 1,50 USD. They will take you up to the Cerro de la Gloria with nice war memorial monument and the nice view of the Precordiliera...
In the evening I an heading to Santiago de Chile. They have also good and inexpensive wines there...
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Feb 19, 2006 07:00 PM Happy day in the Andes...
Mendoza acts like a gateway for the tours to the highest mountains of South America. It is easy to get there and to enjoy the scenery. Several tour agencies offer day tours to the main range of the Andes - the program is more or less the same and they chorge 70 pesos pp for full day, no meals included. I started at 7.30 am after an hour drive we began to climb the international road heading to Santiago. The mountains here are beautiful: a lot of colors, snows on the summits, rapid rivers... One of the attractions was the view point where I saw for the first time Aconcagua - the highest peak of the Americas. Then we climbed from Las Cuevas by gravel road to the monument of the Christ on the frontier range. It stands on the altitude of 4200 m above sea level. You can imagine how nice panoramic views I saw from this point!...
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