Highlights: Depart for Ushuaia, Argentina and then set sail for the Continent of Antarctica
Our wake up call was at 4 am - boy was that early. Breakfast was set up for our group in a special room at 4:30. Our suitcases left for the airport last night so all we have with us is our carry-on luggage. We arrived at the airport at 5:45 am for what is now a 7:30 am flight. Ends up we didn't take off until 8:30 am - we could have slept another hour!
We then find out that the Buenos Aires city airport runway is not long enough for the planes to fuel up for a long flight so we have to stop in Trelew, Argentina after a 2 hour flight to refuel. Trelew is on the coast half way down Argentina (which is quite a long country). Ushuaia, our destination, is the southernmost city in the world and the jumping off point for most cruises going to Antarctica. We had time to read and sleep on the plane ride south. Trelew was very barren - almost like a desert and very flat. It took 30 minutes to refuel and then we were off for the next 2 hour flight to Ushuaia.
As we descended through the clouds into Ushuaia, the tops of the mountains were covered in show. It is cold in Ushuaia - middle of summer but only 40 degrees (ugh, I wouldn't want to live there!).
We loaded onto 3 busses and went up to a restaurant in the mountains overlooking the city and harbor. A beautiful view of the mountains and the Beagle Channel that separates Argentina and Chile. The Beagle Channel was named for Captain Cook's ship - the HMS Beagle.
Ushuaia is in the Tiera del Fuego District of Argentina. A very small town that thrives on tourism, fishing, skiing, and light manufacturing. The weather changes rapidly with only a high of less than 50 in the summer. In the winter, (May-June-July) they only get a few hours of sunlight - usually from 10 am to 3 pm. Since we are headed further south it will be daylight or twilight most of the day for us - yeah!
Lunch was hake fish with rice baked in foil - pretty good. We then took a short tour of "downtown" Ushuaia - (very short since the town is so small). Not much to see. We got a postcard from Ushuaia - the southernmost city in the world - for the girls.
Then we were off to the port for a riduculous security check and then onto the m/s Corinthian II. This is the ship's first cruise ofthe season to Antarctica. Nice accommodations and we even had a walk-in closet in our stateroom. We got all unpacked and then put "the rods" through the cabinets so the drawers won't rattle tonight on the rough seas in the Drake Passage (near Cape Horn). They are expecting "relatively mild" seas tonight - so we'll see.
We had tea in the Club on our level and then to the Lounge for an Orientation talk by our Tour Director - John Frick. The highest seas that they have gone through to get to Antarctica were 45 foot swells and waves - hopefully not tonight. Then we had the mandatory life jacket drill attended by everyone without any pushback - wonder if this is due to the Explorer sinking in Antarctic waters recently?). We went through the drill in detail.
Then we were off to the Bar for drinks (which are all on the house for this cruise - yeah!). After drinks we went to dinner with Tim (CA) and Jim (OH orthodontist). Dinner was quite good and the wait staff adorable. Many from Croatia, The Ukraine, and Russia. Always a smile on their faces.
At dinner, Jim who isn't married, told ua a story of his adventures in Russia with a woman he was seeing, Olga, and the Russian mafia! What risks he was taking with her!
Back to the bar after dinner for more cocketains and then to bed about 1 am. The ship was rocking quite well as we went to sleep. Seems that the rocking either puts us to sleep or keeps us awake! Another exciting day.
We've met such nice people so far - a few shiners but most are here for a good time. Roger and Pat from London were delightful. She was explaining to me that they are spending their childrens' inheritance on travel (See Leslie - I'm not the only one!). I told her my Barbara Hutton story (i.e. spend everything and then die with $1). Pat said - Well, the children will always get the house. I replied - Oh, I'm selling that and spending that too! To which she replied - Well, there's always the house in the South of France! I love it!
Off to bed - Larry and Tim
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