Our Island Home

Day 1 : Tensions are high, you can smell the anticipation as we arrive at the bus station at 7 am.  People frantically jostle for the bus, even though it is clearly ticketed and will get us all there at the same time, but we have come to expect this kind of behaviour from our fellow travellers. Diverting out of Argentina we had travelled to Puerto Natales near the National Park Torres Del Paine, Southern Chile for a 5 night hike, titled the 'W Trek'. This place is inaccessible by road from the rest of Chile, you have to arrive via Argentina. As we take a better look around it is unclear whether people are going to the W Trek or to a North Face Convention. The 5 full buses that arrive at the park after the 2 hour journey quash any romantic notions of a secluded hike. Curse lonely planet.....again. Day 1, hike to Refugio Paine Grande   A grueling 18 km hike ensues to our first camp site, Refugio Paine Grande. We set up our hire tent next to 10 o...

Upon leaving BA, we re-entered the magical world of the sleeper bus and travelled to Puerto Madryn (20 hours south). Here the Atlantic sea meet the Pacific Ocean and a David Attenborough style wonderland exists as a result. We crawled on our bellies right up to sun-baking elephant seals (the guide told us if they made a move for us to just run as fast as we could), walked amongst a penguin colony and rode our bikes 28kms out to see a nearby sea lion colony (which almost killed our American friends, whom we had convinced to come with us). I hadn't expected to find a place like this in my travels and I must say, it was magical. I was in heaven. Males being Males. Sea Lion Colony just outside of Puerto Madryn Lazing around on the beach with these guys... Our American buddies in Puerto Madryn Guarding the newborns Next stop: "fin del mundo" or "end of the world". We reached Ushuaia after two border crossings, a ferry ride and an...

Picture this: hot sandy desert, pristine beaches, santa hats, bonfire, beer, all you can eat BBQ and great company. Sounds like an Aussie Christmas, right?! Except in South America (or Punta Del Diablo, Uruguay where we were staying) they celebrate on Christmas Eve and don't eat until about 11 pm. The view from our beautiful apartment in Punta Del Diablo, Uruguay Many hours relaxing by the pool in 38 degree heat After Brad tripped into the door of the hostel in front of everyone (only 1 beer down I might add), the ice was officially broken. We spent Christmas eve drinking Caipirinha served out of giant buckets with: a dutch couple (don't worry Inge, you're still our favourite), an Irish/Hungarian couple and a guy each from Italy, Spain, Switzerland and South Africa. What a bunch! And oh, what a night (please refer to selfies taken on the walk home and the next day). Merry, Merry, MERRY Christmas Christmas at the hostel. Punta Del Diablo, Ur...