#Puerto Madryn wildlife

[travelernight]

10 Amazing Places To Visit In Saudi Arabia

[travelnshit]

A Trip Around The Valdes Peninsula

We’d come to Puerto Madryn to lay low in a lovely beach town but it’s probably against some manner of law to not visit the Valdes Peninsula whilst you’re here. It would probably have been cheaper to do a tour but we’re trying to avoid close proximity to other humans and their various disease carrying snot particles before our Antarctica cruise, plus we like the freedom of a car. So we rented…

[manessha545]

Puerto Madryn Cruise Port, Argentina: Located on the northern coast of Argentina’s Patagonia region, Puerto Madryn is the gateway to Valdes Peninsula, a popular marine wildlife viewing destination. The peninsula is home to a large population of the endangered southern right whales, dolphins, elephant seals, penguins, and more. Puerto Madryn is also a jumping-off point for exploring Punta Tombo, Argentina’s largest colony of Magellanic penguins. Travelers arriving at the Puerto Madryn cruise port often head out on a full-day excursion to the Punta Tombo Penguin Preserve

[eopederson]

Pingüinos de Magallanes, Península Valdés, Chubut, 2008.

Normally I am not much of a wildlife person, and certainly not a wildlife photographer, but I am greatly anticipating a return visit in December to Puerto Madryn and the nearby wildlife sanctuary on Península Valdés.

[mollidays]

PUERTO MADRYN (23.02-28.02)

Aaah het zee’tje, de ideale plek om wat gas terug te nemen. Schitterend weer, flaneren op de dijk met een verfrissend ijsje van Jauja en kreeftrood verbranden: het hoort er allemaal bij.

Puerto Madryn is naast badstad ook de toegangspoort tot Península Valdés, een schiereiland vol wildlife. Wij nemen onze beestige bingokaart erbij en schrappen volgende beestjes: snorkelen met de zeeleeuwen, pinguïns tot op 1m afstand, curieuse gordeldieren, luie zeeolifanten, speelse kortsnuitdolfijnen naast de zodiac, overstekende vossen en grazende guanacos.

De enige afwezige op het feestje is de orka. Deze worden af en toe gespot terwijl ze jagen op zeeleeuwen die rusten aan de kust. We volgen het advies van de parkrangers en rijden bij hoogtij naar de twee hotspots maar helaas geen orkashow die dag. Gelukkig wordt dit ruimschoots gecompenseerd door bovenstaande ervaringen. Uitgerust en vol vitamine D trekken we per nachtbus naar de hoofdstad.

[treviphoto]

Ballena Franca Austral 🐳 Patagonia Argentina 🇦🇷

[captainmartinisblog]

A Long Penguin Day

Wednesday 5th February 2020 – Puerto Madryn

The ship arrived about 6am in Puerto Madryn, Argentina but aside from being the country’s second-largest fishing port, it has absolutely nothing to commend it. A Welsh community settled in Gaiman near here in the 1865 and still survives to this day but quite why escapes me because the landscape is flat and desolate. It seems they were mis-informed but presumably stranded!

It was just as well we had booked an all-day excursion today because we had missed the chance of seeing any penguins in the Falklands and this was our “insurance policy”. So we were duly ‘on parade’ at 7.45am.

However, what we didn’t realise was that the Punta Tombo penguin colony is 110 miles south of Puerto Madryn and it involved a 3hr+ journey on the coach, including the obligatory p-stop, along with 5 other coaches, at an overwhelmed service station with only 3 loos for the ladies! Consequently, we didn’t arrive at the colony until 11.20am.

Punta Tombo is actually the largest colony of Magellanic Penguins migrating south from southern Brazil every year to nest and rear their young.

Here we had 1 and-a-half hours to take the 3km walk through the ‘Rookery’ (or colony) during which we got to see them at really close quarters.

The young can be identified by their fluffy coats, which are soon shed in favour of their more familiar black-and-white plumage. Goodness, they were cute!

The colony occupies a peninsula which is part of an ‘estancia’ (or ranch) and in the 1970s it was given over to the government and is today a national wildlife park.

Llamas (or Guanacos) roam wild in the area too and of course there are sea-birds and hawks circling, on the lookout for exposed chicks or eggs left unattended. Nature can be cruel.

And while the smell of penguin-poo in the air is difficult to describe, hopefully, you can hear their calls in my video – over the sound of the wind (sorry about that!)

We then had a rushed 1-hour lunch, which might not have been rushed were it not for the slow service at the restaurant. First course was an empanada, similar to a Cornish Pasty but with less potato and no swede and therefore perfect! Along with a glass of Argentinian plonk, that would have been fine for me but we had to wait ages for a tough steak and by the time we had managed that, many had to abandon thoughts of the crème caramel dessert. At about the same time, Andrew heard a terrific ‘crash!’ from the kitchen; it was more than the restaurant could handle in an hour, evidently!

The return journey in the coach was non-stop and still took over 2 and-a-half hours. It was wonderful to see the penguins but 5 and-a-half hours in a coach for 90 minutes of penguins and a second-rate, rushed lunch was a big ask. However, as we arrived at the ship (late), all the stewards were outside to welcome us back with disco music and champagne! It was all rather lovely.

[iz1986]

Scores!

One of my main objectives in Argentina was to see more Southern Right Whales, and other wildlife, off Peninsula Valdez in Chubut Province in Patagonia, to the south of Buenos Aires. As well as wHales, the area is also linked to Wales in its heritage, incidentally...?! I am so satisfied and happy that I got to see more species than I ever expected, including an unexpected Orca, and whales closer than ever before. Call me a crazy whale lady, but I dreamt (literally, when I got over wakeful excitement) of the day in the run up to it, and am still thinking of it all a day after the event. 

I intentionally got accommodation in the port town of Puerto Madryn, not far from the beach and with a view of the water to maximise spotting opportunities, and there have been plenty today too. It’s taking time to write this, since every so often I have to scan the sea for whale’s tails, blows or breaches. Each of these breath-taking whale behaviours I’ve seen from my tatty French windows since a stunning sunrise this morning. Most of my budget here has been blown on a (WELL worth it) wildlife tour, so accommodation has taken a bit of a hit. It hasn’t failed to deliver in terms of its viewing platform status though.

The organised Peninsula Valdez Tour started bright and early with an experienced South American guide called Juan and two other hopeful participants. I’ve been on bigger group trips which might scare wildlife, so this group size was already a score. I sat at the front of a comfy four wheel drive, beside the guide, between beautiful views throughout, and with plenty of leg room in front of me. Another score! As we drove around the peninsula from the town to the countryside the sun was coming up, as were some moody skies. The sun looked low and moon-like as clouds shrouded it, and Mother Nature made up her mind what the weather would do. Rainbows seemed to strike down around us from the skies, so we all hoped they were a sign of luck for the day ahead. I’d never seen such clear and colourful ‘arc de iris’ (rainbow in Spanish) as these.

On the road down to the water, we saw our first Southern Right Whale of they day, and I bet Juan wished I wasn’t in the other front seat of his vehicle at that point, as I squeeled and grabbed his (driving) arm. He survived, and we soon switched our transport to set sail from the sleepy single village on the peninsula, Puerto Pirimades, in the obligatory gorgeous get up of orange water proofs and life jackets. It was just minutes before we met two inquisitive Southern Right Whales relaxing in the water. One was a large female, and the other her year-old calf. Though much smaller than his mum, he was also huge. 

Their size never fails to amaze me, and as they were up to and under the boat, it was perhaps even more obvious than usual. I have never been quite so close to these humbling creatures, despite attempts to see them at any opportunity. The whales were above and below the water, blowing, looking and rubbing. When beneath, they stretched out so we could see their unbelievable size and shape. Heads, tails and backs breached the surface of the water, and I was absorbed in the animals’ every move, as I also moved about the boat, but aboard it, to get the best view of them. They were completely awe-inspiring, gentle and unfazed. The ultimate score!

It didn’t seem possible that Peninsula Valdez could deliver much more than that, but back on dry land, and unexpectedly (at this time of year), an Orca made an appearance. Also close to shore, he was such a distinctive dark dart through the  water as he went decisively along craggy land formations, following his own route. Not far from him were elephant seals and sea lions (snacks!) so he knew what he was after. Also on our tour armadillos, guanacos and maras made exciting appearances on the flat, bushy land. Penguins and eagles represented the bird world beautifully from both land and sea. Southern Right Whales were the real score of the seas though, and I think they will always win me over.

[travelernight]

10 Attractive Places To Visit In Argentina

[travelnshit]

We rented a car to bum around the Valdes Peninsula near Puerto Madryn. We weren't here at the right time for the whales but it's still an absolute treasure trove of wildlife. Guanacos are going to be the first things you see, and you're going to see a lot of them, but apparently yelling, “NOT A LLAMA!” out of the window is not conducive to getting photos of anything other than their arses as they run away. We headed to Caleta Valdes to see the seals which were just sunbathing, occasionally flicking sand onto their backs. I could definitely get on board with being a seal, just slobbing about all fat and stinking of fish. In fact catch me on any given Sunday and I’m nearly there. Next stop, penguins, and they're right there on the cliffs by the carpark. They gave zero fucks about the starey, cooing apes. They were just hanging out, mostly in their couples, some of them occasionally braying like donkeys. One of them waddled onto the boardwalk to inspect us a bit closer before it realised we weren’t that interesting and waddled back off. We saw more seals, an armadillo, lizards, things that look like emus but aren't emus. It was such an amazing day. . https://travelnshit.com/2022/12/23/a-trip-around-the-valdes-peninsula/ • • • #argentina #visitargentina #travel #travelgram #instatravel #wanderlust #lesbiantravel #couplegoals #travelcouple #peninsulavaldes #puertomadryn #sealion #wildlife #wildlifespotting #magellanicpenguin #armadillo #nature #naturegram #instanature #turkeyvulture (at Península Valdés) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm5FYXkOosY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[eopederson]

Playa en invierno, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, 2008.

While the water was entirely too cold for swimming in August, this beach resort popular in the southern hemisphere summer becomes a wildlife watching extravaganza in winter. The bay (Golfo Nuevo) is a nursery for southern right whales with its fairly shallow waters, warmer and protected from the heavy seas of the nearby open South Atlantic. Seals, sea lions, penguins and a host of other bird species winter in the nearby area. I am not much of a wildlife watcher let alone a photographer of animals, but over the coming months I shall past a few shots of wildlife taken at and near Puerto Madryn.

[caryn-lyn-blog]

Patagonia

Hello all! I know it's been awhile since I've last posted. I've been procrastinating in writing this blog post because I feel like I can gather all of my thoughts about my recent tour around southern argentina.. because it was so incredible. It's hard to describe an experience that is so unique but I will try to describe it with as many details as I can. First of all, this bus tour was organized specifically for Rotary exchange students so I got to share this traveling experience with about 40 other exchange students from my district from countries such as Germany, France, Belgium, United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada. We were all thrown on a bus for 2 and a half weeks and away we went. Little did I know that by the end of the trip would would share an unbreakable bond. First stop: Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina. The first thing we did was visit the beach. It was a nice day but because we were in southern Argentina in Patagonia, the dip I took in the ocean was pretty chilly. But that did not stop me from having fun on the beach. After all this was the first time I had seen the ocean since I was about 8. While walking on the beach with some of my friends, there were also food vendors walking about. Perfect opportunity to try something yummy right? I bought some warm churros, which are a type of sweet, fried and filled with dulce de leche (like carmel). Next, we visited the coastal avenue pier while taking a tour of the city. It provided a nice view of the very blue ocean and the ships that it was housing at the moment. I was taking in every detail possible because this town was so unique and different because it was a port. From there, we visited the Tehuelche Indian monument which signifies the indigenous people of the area of Patagonia. Now, for one of my favorite and one-of-a-kind experiences was whale watching the southern right whale in the Peninsula Valdes. I was so excited to experience the marine life up close during this once in a lifetime opportunity and we were sure a lucky group. When we got out on the water, we all had to be quiet and we were able to see 4 whales at the same time. Two mothers and two babies that were still nursing, which was the reason they were still in the bay, our guide explained to us that this is rare to see which made the experience for me even more special. After the whale watching excursion, we had time to explore the terrain around us, with beautiful, breathtaking views of the ocean and the rocks. It was even transparent so that we could see the small marine life and coral. I can't explain how amazing it was to be on the top of the cliff with my fellow exchange students from all over the world, feeling like we were on top of the world and also feeling thankful that we could all be there together, experiencing these beautiful places. That really is a genuine and unforgettable feeling. Second stop: Punta Tombo, the largest reserve in the world of Magellanic penguins and other wildlife such as guanacos which are a relative between the llama and the camel. The funny thing was, when i was walking through the reserve, i looked down at the beach and see the penguins and guanacos sharing the beach. What a funny sight. I also learned something new about penguins. When we arrived at the reserve, it was pretty warm out which confused me because I thought penguins could only live in the cold and on snow but I had a pretty unique experience sharing the beach, ocean and warmth with penguins! Punta Tombo was a wonderful experience, sharing the walking paths with the penguins, witnessing them in full breeding season and I even got a selfie with some penguins!

[treviphoto]

Orcas hunting @ Punta Norte - Patagonia Argentina 🇦🇷🐬💪

[travelguideworldtour-blog]

10 Tourist Attractions in Argentina

10 Tourist Attractions in Argentina

  Argentina is a very diverse nation, surrounding everything to jungles.  Stretching from the north into amazing Patagonia’s elements from the south west, Argentina features a rich cultural tradition that’s drawn up on lots of influences from all over the globe.  Having its lovely”barrios,” including vibrant arts areas like La Boca and stylish districts such as Palermo, Buenos Aires features a European feel and can be your ideal location to start researching (it is also the ideal spot to learn how to tango, which most amorous of Argentinian dances).  The other attractions will be the Nation’s natural wonders, like also the Falls as well as the glaciers of this Andes

Iguazú Falls

The Magnificent Iguazú Falls lie Across Argentina’s Boundary with Brazil, Together with Iguazu National Park about the Argentinian side and Iguaçu National Park Across the side. Safe being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these tremendous shores are definitely among the most spectacular landscapes in south usa .  Visitors may become near an area and platforms created to supply the greatest perspectives, including a number in the base of the drops, these thundering falls as a result of your network of paths.  Iguazu is infact composed of between 150 to 300 drops several that varies based on the growing season, together its border, varying between each striking along with 60 to 82 meters .  Served through an global airport at Argentina (plus something in neighboring Brazil), it’s relatively simple to go to, specially when flying out of Buenos Aires.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The principal hub for tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Website of Patagonia’sLos Glaciares National Park, the smalltown of El Calafate delivers many different lodging alternatives and other conveniences for people.  It’s here the a lot of people combine trips to find that the park’s most favorite glaciers, many significantly the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier, a gigantic 30-kilometer-long ice formation (along with the planet’s third largest freshwater book ) only 78 km from town centre.  It’s only a trip from El Calafate into the sizable tourist centre of the glacier, also out of here a brief walk into the glacier and also a pleasure circuit that is walking.  Ice trekking tours are available which range to trips that are more.  One other crucial quality of Los Glaciares National Park could be that your 3,359-meter-tall Monte Fitz Roy, also a superbly beautiful mountain straddling the edge together using Chile that’s reputably more difficult to climb than Everest.

Buenos Aires: The City of Barrios

Among South America’s most attractive cities (also certainly one of the greatest ), Buenos Aires is most frequently the very first glance of Argentina most traffic will probably have before going to favorite holiday destinations like Patagonia.  Nevertheless, the wise ones will go here and simply take from the numerous beautiful museums and galleries housed in the fabulous old colonial buildings spread throughout the town’s districts or”barrios.”  Of the mustsee barrios, make sure you see La Boca, Buenos Aires’ most vibrant area and dwelling to the enjoyable Caminito Street Museum, also a mythical pedestrian zone and also open museum famous because of the brightly colored houses, sculptures that are amusing, along with also outdoor cinema lessons.  Trendy Recoleta is just another must and can be where you will come across the Recoleta Cemetery having its intricate mausoleums comprising the remains of such famous Argentinians as Eva (Evita) Perón, together side numerous public arenas, museums, and galleries, cafés, and souvenir stores.  Other areas to research when time licenses are Palermo along with Belgrano making use of their wide boulevards and palatial mansions, as well as at the downtown center, the beautiful Plaza de Mayo.

Ushuaia: The End of the World

At the southern end of Argentina, Patagonia is famed because of the spectacular landscapes: some stunning mixture of the Andes and long stretches of plains and plateaus.  Most experiences here begin in Ushuaia, the world’s town.  Launched being a penal colony at early 20th century now a favorite jumping-off point for trips to Antarctica or just around Cape Horn, this town on Beagle Channel is surrounded with a exceptional landscape of hills, sea, glaciers, along with forests to the boundary of this Tierra del Fuego National Park, having its own spectacular scenery and diverse flora and flora.  Popular attractions comprise the San Juan de Salvamento light house  – also called the End of the World Lighthouse – built in 1884 on the Isla de los Estados; the end-of-the-world Museum having its own exhibits regarding the region’s history, aboriginal lifetime, along with ancient penal colonies; and also the Maritime Museum of Ushuaia, positioned in the city’s infamous former army prison and worth seeing its numerous marine artifacts along with scale models of famous ships like Darwin’s Beagle.

 Puerto Madryn and the Valdés Peninsula

Puerto Madryn’s Town Is Located on the Beaches of Golfo Nuevo in a Few of the most places in the Patagonian Shore. Founded by Welsh settlers in 1886, the deepwater interface and nature reservations of the city ensure it is among the very popular holiday destinations in Argentina, while watersports are also attracted by its rocky coast line enthusiasts wind-surfers who love blasting the Patagonian winds that are strong.  High lights consist of the Natural Science and Oceanographic Museum, at a gorgeous heritage building over looking the sanctuary, which houses hundreds of displays of Patagonian fauna and flora, for example a whale horns and also a remarkable exhibition about giant squids.  For nature lovers, the major draw is that your Valdés Peninsula, an essential character publication recorded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the wildlife.  Guided tours of this book are crucial, and people typically depart having seen that which from sharks (here to mate and calve), together with sea seals, sealions, along with orcas.  Additionally, it is an essential breeding ground for migratory shorebirds, in particular penguins.

Tierra del Fuego National Park

The lakes, lakes, peaks, and glaciers within Tierra del Fuego National Park draw a lot of visitors and hikers to Argentina’s earliest coastal national park, also a huge 156,000-acre region which extends all of the way from Beagle Channel into the ancestral Border and northwards to Lago Kami.  Employing town of Ushuaia for being a base, adventurers venture out on the park’s hiking paths or across the shore to research its striking scenery, including sets from rocky waterfalls, dense woods, and hills, together side beautiful glacier-fed lakes like Roca along with Fagnano.  Probably one of the very popular paths is Senda Costera, also a coastal way to Lake Roca in Ensenada Bay that delivers a opportunity to observe a rich diversity of wild life such as condors.  For anyone that would rather observe the sights from relaxation, have a ride onto the brilliant Southern Fuegian Boat , a tasteful classic steam railway throughout the park into Canadon p Toro.

Mar del Plata

The greatest beaches in South America come from the city of Mar del Plata, on the Atlantic shore 400 km from Buenos Aires.  The gorgeous shores sprawl for at least eight km, together using all those charming Mar del Plata’s modern cruise boat port function as the Chica along with Grande shores (they truly are also popular with sealions, most of that go outside from the seas across the town’s fishing wharves).  A playground for the most mansions and gardens, squares, as well as its parks Welcome with hotels over the magnificent shore of the city.  Along with the beaches, wind swept dunes, and magnificent cliffs, Mar del Plata hosts the fantastic Juan Manuel Fangio Museum, a car museum specialized in a few of the planet’s biggest Formula One drivers and comprising at least a hundred cars and 500 decorations (a highlight can be a exhibition focused on the very first automobile, an 1886 Daimler).  Another must see is your Mar del Plata Aquarium having its many marine draws, including dolphin and seal shows, penguins, tortoises, and flamingos.

Bariloche and Argentina’s Lake District

Only called Bariloche, San Carlos de Bariloche has got a more reputation.  Town is most likely best recognized for local Cerro Catedral, the weakest of its own peaks and also a favorite ski hotel that draws people from everywhere.  Certainly one of the biggest ski hotels in South America, Cerro Catedral comprises at least a hundred km of ski terrain and it is very popular for the magnificent views across Nahuel Huapi, certainly one of many lovely lakes which produce up Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina’s Lake District.  Bariloche isalso, in actuality, located within the park also functions as the significant tour centre for individuals wanting to learn more about the area’s diverse all-natural beauty, that encompasses everything from volcanoes to waterfalls and glaciers while offering opportunities for biking, biking, biking, biking, and scaling.

Mendoza

Certainly among the most amazing cities of Argentina, Mendoza can be popular with enthusiasts in the winter because it’s summer time.  After the snow flies, skiers from round south usa become adventure a number of the Andes’ most useful ski slopes at the favorite hotels of Las Leñasfamous for its steep terrain, also Los Penitentes, only 25 km from the boundary with Chile.  The areas are very popular among climbers and walkers, most planning to get the very top of this Aconcagua mountain that is 6,960-meter-tall summer biking.  Outside activities include road riding and white water rafting, a few offering experiences.  Also renowned for its coconut oil manufacturing, Mendoza has lots of other interesting cultural attractions, including quite a few museums and yearly festivals, in addition to a bustling Central Market (Mercado Central) where sailors purchase meatfish (in addition, it boasts some superb food stores and restaurants).

Historic Córdoba Cathedral

In Argentina Córdoba may be the 2nd largest city of the country and it is usually employed .  The majority of the town’s finest older buildings back into early historic time period of the 16th century and may be observed if researching the historical portion of town across Plaza San Martin, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Of them, among the very essential could be that the gorgeous Isle of Córdoba, also a wonderful combination of Baroque and Neoclassical styles that may trace its origins back into the initial Roman Catholic church assembled within 1580.  High lights of this arrangement, a lot of which dates from the 18th century, also comprise a superbly ornate interior with lovely 20thcentury frescoes and murals painted by leading Argentinian artists, a exceptional silver altar, along with also an essential selection of golden votive offerings (make sure to also have a look at its own crypts, the ultimate resting place of quite a few crucial Argentinians).

See more articles about South America!

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    10 Tourist Attractions in Argentina

[sharonchteh]

~31st January 2019~

Leaving El Chalten with a heavy heart as we drove away from one of the most identifiable mountain range. While looking longingly towards the mountain, I was thinking of how I could spend a couple of months here without spending my entire savings.

We had a few camping nights to look forward to before we reach Buenos Aires. It was a long drive before we reached a nice seaside town, Puerto San Julian, where we camped in a municipal campsite. It’s a cute little place with a beach and a promenade for walking and jogging. It was pretty much dinner, sleep, breakfast and on the road again.

~1st February 2019~

Long drive days are a killer to the body, so most people tend to just sleep or unintentionally dozed off. The next municipal campsite was in Camarones, a relatively long drive and I can see that everyone was getting a bit tired it. Overlanding with a large group of people was becoming my least favourite things to do.

Once we were at the campsite, it was routine to put up the tent then dinner and bed. There was excitement in the air that night because we’ll be visiting a penguin colony the next day before we head over to Puerto Madryn.

~2nd February 2019~

Breakfast was nice and early so that we were ready when the guide for the penguin colony arrived. The guide was a nice lady looked like she’s near retirement or retired and decided to educate people about the penguin colony as a guide. She spoke Spanish only, so Oli did the translating for us with Kylie helping from the truck cab.

The colony lives within a protected national park for wildlife like guanacos, hares, armadillos, rheas and many others apart from the penguins. There were broadwalks where the penguins lives, allowing visitors to get closer to them without getting in their way of life.

The penguins are cute and seemed so familiar with the presence of people around them. They just get on with their daily grind of digging out a home, protecting it and waddle to the beach to go fishing for food. We stayed there a while, enjoying the wildlife around us, the walk and being out of the truck.

On the way back, we were able to sit on the roof seats again to enjoy the surroundings. It was great to see people in other vehicles that passed us waving and looking in amazement of the truck. We dropped the guide back at the campsite and continue with our journey to northwards to Puerto Madryn.

We visited the travel agency on the way into town and arranged activities for the next day. It’s a large seaside town with everything you expect such as restaurants, ice cream stalls, beach bars, travel agencies, beach sports and a lot of people.

It was quite late and dinner was cooked in the dark so was putting up the tent. I saw that the campsite was busy and there were a couple of mini parties going on, I kinda knew it was going to be a restless night.

~3rd February 2019~

The campsite is on the edge of town so I thought it’ll be a bit quieter, nope! That didn’t help when people partying till the early morning on the campsite with no rules visible for partying till late night.

Most of us are heading off to do snorkelling to see the sea lions. The tour office kitted is out with two layers of wetsuits that seemed too tight and wet shoes. We were led out o the office towards the beach to board the boat used to take us out to sea. It didn’t take us long to get to the location where the sea lions were but still, a few people were getting a bit sick from the motion of the boat.

We were further kitted out with hoods, fins and snorkels before jumping into the water. It was great to be so close to the sea lions but none were interested in playing that day. Instead, they were just lounging on the rock sunbathing and stretching out to chill. The sea was a bit rough that morning and even though I know I can swim pretty well with fins, I was staying near the guides and floats.

On the way back, there were some green faces that looked like they were ready to empty their stomach at any time and one finally did when we were back on the beach. It was then a race to get the wetsuits off so that we could go to the loo. What a relieve to make it?!

The rest of the day was just chilling out with few people lunching and bar hopping. We met a lovely artist backpacking with a puppy, looking for a ride out of town so that she could hitchhike to Buenos Aires. I knew the answer would be no on our truck for many reasons yet some thought it would be possible. I saw the disappointment in her face when she was given a no on the lift out of town.

The truck was broken into when it was parked at a supermarket for cook group shopping. One of the bags got stolen was mine with laptop and money in it. It was fortunate that someone saw what was happening and called the police. The thieves didn’t manage to go through any of my stuff so everything was still in the bag. I’ve learnt a few things from this incident about myself and a few other facts that I have to keep in mind for the rest of the trip.

~4th February 2019~

We’re camping for the last night for this leg of the trip from Santiago to Buenos Aires then hotel in the city where the next trip starts for Rio de Janeiro. It was the usual routine in the morning, all packed and hit the road for a long drive day.

Our campsite for the night was in Bahía Blanca en route to Buenos Aires. The campsite with a pool but the facilities would make you cringe, that’s how I remembered it. Oh…I was more than happy to skip the shower when I peeked at the cubicle.

For the first time I felt like I’m supposed to be somewhere else doing something else. Restless, that’s the word. I’m restless and the world around me suddenly felt foreign because there’s no purpose of me being there. Made me think and force me to focus on why I’m on this trip in the first place.

After a quiet evening to myself, tiredness seeped in and I fell asleep like a baby. My brain probably had enough by then.

~5th February 2019~

Buenos Aires, this was the first time I was looking forward to a city. Perhaps it’s a transition between two trips which will give me time to get my head together before the start of the trip to Rio de Janeiro.

Another long drive day and we were all too familiar with the routine stops for loos and refreshments. When we reached the city, everyone was happy to be checking in to a hotel to recoup from all the camping we did. Roomie with Emma, finishing the trip how we started by sharing a room.

Dee, Emma and I went out for a simple dinner that night then back to the hotel for a good night sleep.

~6th-8th February 2019~

There were a few things I needed to do in BA before we start heading to Uruguay. First thing first was to get my yellow fever vaccination for Brazil then see the city. It was easy enough to get it but the language barrier made it a bit tricky.

So, I went to the clinic early in the morning on the 6th and they told me I must have a prescription from the doctor. They recommended a doctor for me, gave me the wrong address and direction but lucky that I managed to find it. I had to pay for the prescription and it was still cheaper than getting it in the UK. When I went back to the clinic with the prescription, they told me I had to come back the next day midday for the jab. So I went back, paid a small charge and all done within 15mins.

The rest of the time in BA was spent exploring and scheming to do ‘not touristy’ things, which was hard. Walking around the different sectors in the city to get a feel of the cultures and history. To start was a free walking tour after visiting the clinic, then I was looking for something fun to do to end this spell of being tired of cities. Since I had to be back at the clinic at a certain for my jab, I planned to go to Recoleta cemetery and do a fun task of finding and taking photos with cartoon characters around Puerto Madero area.

On the way to the cemetery there is a beautiful bookstore on Av Santa Fe called El Ateneo Grand Splendid that certainly worth visiting. A converted theatre with its stage is now a coffee shop, the features preserved and lined with bookshelves. There was still a feel of the grandeur of a theatre but a bit less than I expected. Now Recoleta cemetery is one impressive place to visit. I love cemetery for its peacefulness (apart from the tourists) and it reminds me how fragile and temporary life is.

I appreciate the present because I knew death from a young age and the Ripper felt like an angel looking after me since father passed away. My closeness with death at times is questionable but the introversion reflective state of mind helped me stay in the present, appreciating the moments I have and live the life. I was wondering whether the feeling of contentment and fulfilled life might be temporary and it’ll just dissipate as I travelled the continent. It didn’t happen. Being in the cemetery reinforced that and if the Ripper decides that it’s my time to go then it’s time to go, hopefully in a peaceful state as father did years ago.

It was a nice stroll from the cemetery to Retiro area and back to the clinic before going off on a hunt for cartoon characters. When I crossed the bridge to port area, the scenery reminded me of Dublin with new buildings lining the canal. Once I found the first cartoon character, it was the thrill of the chase for the rest of them that kept me going. It was a fun non-touristy thing to do, something different from the normal sight-seeing and I have photo evidence of it all!

Buenos Aires…saying goodbye to some of the quirkiest people I’ve ever met and the start of the last leg of this journey around Latin America. Travelling with 22 other people taught me a lot about myself and behaviour in general. BA to Rio, there were 13 of us plus Kylie and Steve (Lewis left us for Santiago to do another trip to Ushuaia). The dynamic changed again with people leaving and joining the group.

Next stop, Colonia where we crossed the border to Uruguay.

Argentina: Puerto San Julian-Buenos Aires ~31st January 2019~ Leaving El Chalten with a heavy heart as we drove away from one of the most identifiable mountain range.

[alanccabrera-blog]

Mientras yo me encontraba haciendo malabares con la cámara para apuntarla a alguna ballena desprevenida; Diego “el corcho” me dijo: - Después te paso fotos que tengo miles. Disfrutá el espectáculo con tus ojos no a través del lente de una cámara. Decidí hacerle caso ya que no solo se me dificultaba enfocar, sino que también era mi primera vez en una lancha sintiendo el oleaje del mar argentino. Horas después me mando esta proposición de matrimonio que aquí comparto. (Y no señores y señoritas no hay Photoshop ni edición.) #mar #marina #puertopiramides #peninsulavaldes #ballenas #ballenafrancaaustral #chubut #patagonia #argentina #avistajedeballenas #whale #naturaleza #wildlife #casamiento #wild #viajarporargentina #turismo #motoviajeros #argentino #alaruta #motoblog #travel #motoblog #boat #bote #lancha #barco #whalewatch #savethewhales #madryn #puerto https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm6fbFYnDnw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ngb2825ts3ff