To the End of the World and Back

Friday 6-03-09 14:56
Ushuaia Airport

I’m back in Ushuaia! Yesterday consisted of much cooking/eating at the hostel and walking around shopping or relaxing. We also tried Calafate berry ice cream, which was delicious. Definitely needs to be introduced to Ben and Jerry’s or someone. At night, we went out to the indoor lounge of Librobar (the restaurant that we went to the first night) and it had a very chill atmosphere with really awesome music. We then checked out a boliche but in the end decided to head home. We really are a close group – last night it was literal as ten of us slept on two beds together.

Today has consisted of many planes. On the first flight here, I sat next to a guy from Israel who lived in Tampa for 3 months and had been to Thailand and all these places I had been to as well, so we had a great conversation the whole time. Talk about small world. Our next flight is to Comodoro Riviera.

Random observation about El Calafate/El Chaltén: Many buildings, especially hostels, had a strange affinity with playing reggae music. Maybe it was an attempt to trick tourists into picturing the warm Caribbean and forget about the freezing cold outside.

Later (much, much later), back in BA…

Well, it was certainly an interesting process getting home. We were unexpectedly forced off the plane once we landed in Comordoro Riviera. After a confusing set of rumors, we discovered that our flight was cancelled because of a storm in the Mar de Plata. We sat in the airport for hours so I grabbed a sandwich since we had only eaten alfahores all day. I have to say, olive oil and vinegar is a condiment combo that is really growing on me.

Since we were riding LADE, we were told our next flight wasn’t going to be until Monday morning. I don’t know how, but Coqui (our ISA travel guide) finally worked it out for us to take a flight to Bariloche, a western city known for its natural beauty (too bad we couldn’t have spent some time there during the day). From there, we caught our fourth and final flight to Buenos Aires, arriving at four in the morning, a good 17 hours after we left El Calafate. For a map of our crazy travel route, see exhibit A.

Home again, home again, jigidy jig.
Coli