Antarctica - Ushuaia and heading to the Drake Passage
Antarctica - Ushuaia and heading to the Drake Passage
Whew, after a day that didn't quite go as planned, I spent most of my downtime exploring a few spots in Buenos Aires that I hadn't visited yet, such as El Ateneo Grand Splendid. Since it was a predominantly rainy day and I had to catch the 01:00 shuttle for my flight, I took it easy, focusing on organizing a few things. My two main priorities were planning my upcoming time in Ushuaia and arranging the necessary documentation for an insurance claim upon my return home.
Initially, I planned to use a luggage storage facility and spend the day exploring downtown Ushuaia after my arrival. However, at the last minute, I opted to hire a guide for the day. After some research, I discovered the Experience Ushuaia through the camera lens tour on Tours by Locals. I messaged Paula to confirm her availability, considering it was nearly 9 PM and the booking was for the following day. She quickly responded, confirming her availability. We scheduled the tour to start at 9:30 AM, allowing me time to have breakfast and travel into town from the airport.
With my plans all sorted and feeling totally relieved, I tried to catch some sleep before the airport run. That didn’t happen—ended up just chilling with my Kindle instead.
Heading to the airport was a breeze this time. I had my boarding pass on my phone, zipped through security, and found my way to the gate no problem. Everyone talks about how strict Aerolineas Argentina is with their baggage rules, but I breezed through with my carry-on and personal item. Maybe it was because I didn’t check any bags? The gate area was filled with people like me, all delayed from the past few days, now eager to get moving.
The flight itself was a nice surprise, especially after all the prep stress. The plane was only two-thirds full, so I managed to score a window seat with plenty of space. Just being on that plane, knowing I was finally on my way, shifted my whole mood. It felt like a huge relief and really put me in a great headspace.
I tried finding a spot for breakfast online but nothing much was open early, so I settled for a simple but nice cafe at the airport. The coffee was good, and it was a nice way to start the day. Definitely making a mental note to brush up on my Spanish for next time, though. Muddled though, but knowing more would’ve made things smoother.
The taxi to town was fast and dropped me right near the port, just right for linking up with Paula and doing a bit of people-watching before our tour. She turned up quickly, we handed off my luggage to the driver, and started our leisurely walk along the waterfront.
All the ships in port just waiting for us to start our adventures!
The most Christmas decorations I’d seen in Argentina so far. Paula was just a fantastic guide, full of information on the history of Ushuaia and the current news.
The driver met us, and we began touring various spots. Paula had brought along an entire binder packed with information, historical photos, maps, and stories to add depth to everything we encountered. One of the things I love most about these smaller, private tours is the ability to delve deeper and explore more intriguing places without the limitations of a full bus of people. It allows for a more personalized and enriching experience.
There’s the ship! The one all the way to the right behind the smaller one.
Can’t believe some people actually cross the Drake in boats this size..
I absolutely loved touring the area; it was fantastic and gave me a great overview, but it's definitely left me itching to return for a more in-depth exploration. There's so much more I want to see, especially the train to the end of the world!
By around 2 PM, I was back at the port and decided to grab lunch at the Albatros Hotel before meeting up with the Intrepid team in the parking lot.
And a good view of the ship that will be taking us to Antarctica!
On the ship! I wish I’d taken more (any) pictures of us boarding, the crew formed a bucket line and just loaded our luggage onto the ship in no time at all. They’re such a well oiled machine.
I want to try a small ship like this sometime...
Almost my only interior photo of the ship. So bad at documenting things.
I went through the standard muster drill, had an initial meeting with the expedition team, enjoyed a really nice dinner in the dining room, and before I knew it, the ship was cruising down the Beagle Channel!
Next up, the Drake Passage and hitting Antarctica for the first time!