We leave Ushuaia under a cloud, or many...so to speak. It is very early in the morning and we hop on the bus for Road trip 2...Punta Arenas, Sandy Point. It is an 8 - 10 hour trip. There are many recognisable faces on he bus but we have 50 seats and 8 passengers..very exclusive. The terrain here is flat, grassy and windswept with beautifully sculptured smooth hills disappearing into the distance. The road is unpaved for much of the way and the driver has certain rally driving qualities with magnificent sliding manoevers accompanying the sweeping corners. Reassuringly you can see for miles into the distance and the approaching vehicles are usually accompanied by a pall of dust. There is much wildlife and farms are dotted on the horizon. It has many of the qualities of South Island, NZ without the lovely green hues you get there.
Finally we approach Punta Arenas, get ourselves checked in and wander to the plaza. There are some grand maisons, financed by the wool trade and mostly imported brick by brick from Europe. Shackleton watered here on is way to rescue his comrades sometime around 1914 and it probably hasn´t changed much since then.
The following day we visit the Magellan Strait. This was avoided in most part by the ships sailing in Dampiers day as it is difficult to navigate and treacherous with its changeable weather, even for Pilots with Dampiers skill. Remarkably they opted to go round the Horn!
We take a trip to Magdalena Island to see the Magellan Penguins.
It is penguins as far as the eye can see and they are clearly slighty peaved by the presence of us humans and nip at your ankles as you pass.
Punta Arenas is a stopping off point on the way to Puerto Natales and Los Torres National Park. We head for Puerto Natales toute suite. It is also a charming little town full of hostals and restaurants but with the most exquisite wood framed houses clad with tin and painted in variegated colours. It also has big skies and grand sunsets as the sun disappears in the direction of Los Torres, our next stop.
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