Prologue
Many years ago, perhaps 30 years ago, we made a travel destinations wish list. While many letters were represented in the list (I-for Israel, G-for Galapagos etc.) the most prevalent letter was ‘A’. There was Alaska (done that twice), Australia (been there), Africa (been there too!) and Antarctica. For years we salivated over brochures, looked realistically at the prices and decided to pass on Antarctica in favor of less expensive trips. We finally found an Antarctica trip that was substantive (i.e. not just a big cruise ship passing through without stopping) yet affordable. The trip we finally selected includes two nights in Santiago Chile, 17 days on a small expedition ship (318 passengers) cruising and stopping along the Chilean coast with its fjords and magnificent Andes scenery. Then we cross the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula for five days with Antarctica shore excursions, possibly two a day, weather permitting. After re-crossing the Drake Passage we leave the ship in Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost city in the world) and fly to Buenos Aires for three days before flying home. The good news is that the trip was paid for before the economy crashed. The bad news is that this will probably be the last big overseas trip for the four fabulously fortunate friends in the foreseeable future. Enjoy the journals and occasional photos we get to send out with spotty internet access (The web site will not be updated until we get home).
Day 1 Sat 11/8/08 On Our Way
We left Logan airport in Boston for an uneventful flight to Atlanta. Following a short layover we were headed for Santiago.
Day 2 Sun 11/9/08 Santiago, Chile
The flight was long- nine and a half hours, but the food was decent and we all slept some. We landed on time, paid our unanticipated, reciprocal $131 per person visa fee (apparently that’s what the US charges Chilean citizens to visit the US), collected our luggage then hit a snag. Chile is very serious about prohibiting import of fruits and vegetables. They inspect incoming luggage where they found trail mix, including raisins, in Elliot’s carry on. An hour of extra paperwork and a $37,000 fine (that’s in Chilean Pesos, only $57 US) and we were on our way. The tour company put us on a second bus to the hotel with people from a later plane. This involved more waiting but finally we got to the hotel. Once settled in our room we headed out for some lunch. It is Sunday and many restaurants are closed. Very few people speak English so, after consulting our Spanish phrase book we asked a man in a drug store if he could recommend a restaurant. The good news was that he understood the question. The bad news was that his reply in supersonic Spanish was totally unintelligible He was very patient though and a little more Spanish and a little English and lots of pointing got us off to the Marco Polo on the Place des Armes.
We had a nice lunch and got back to the hotel in time for our tour briefing. From four to six thirty we were taken on a city bus tour of Santiago. This is a huge city of six million people, more than a third of the population of Chile. We toured the colonial era downtown area as well as the modern suburbs with embassies and fancy condos. We stopped at the former presidential palace where Salvadore Allende was shot in 1973 in the coup that brought General Augusto Pinochet to power. On the bus, we all sang Happy Birthday to Roberta. The last stop was the Place des Armes where we had had lunch. Back at the hotel we decided we were more tired than hungry so we retired early.
Day 3 Mon 11/10/08 Into the Andes
We boarded the tour bus about 9 AM for Portillo, a ski
resort high in the Andes. The road is choked with trucks heading across the
mountains from Argentina to the Chilean port of Valpariso. Along the way we
stopped for a view of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas at 22,557
feet. The final several miles were a series of switchbacks much like a giant
Lombard street but without the flowers. The Hotel Portillo sits by a lake in the
shadow of several 18,000 foot plus peaks. The view was stunning though the air
was thin at 11,000 feet. After soaking in the scenery we had a delightful lunch
at the hotel and we got to know a couple the other people in the group. After
lunch we were ushered into the theater to see a promotional
video about the
Portillo ski area !!!??? We expected someone to sell condos but we were spared
that. The drive back was along the same road and most of us slept. Back in
Santiago we shopped for some recommended Chilean wine, found a great Gelato shop
for “supper” and wandered through the streets to a park where Santiago was
founded.
Day 4 Tue 11/11/08 To the Ship (Click Here for MS Fram Information)
At nine AM we loaded on to the busses for the trip to Valpariso. The trip took us through two lush valleys full of vineyards separated by moderate coastal mountain ranges. Once at the coast, we drove through Vina del Mar, a town that started as the summer home of Chilean wealthy including a casino build by the same architect that did the casino in Monte Carlo. This is still the high rent district for vacationing Chileans and Argentineans but sprawling Valpariso to the south has begun to engulf the town and the border would not be distinguishable save for the signs. At the pier we went through a perfunctory security screening then went aboard the MS Fram. We have adjacent cabins on deck six. They are snug but adequate, especially for Sandy & Carl who are used to living in a motorhome. However, Carl keeps looking for the switch to operate the slide out;-). The Fram is small by cruise ship standards at 370 feet with only 318 passengers. We toured the panoramic lounge area, checked out the fitness room, classrooms, internet café and gift shop (not yet open). We then had a delicious buffet lunch which bode well for eating during the rest of the trip. We have assigned seats but most meals are buffet style with open seating in keeping with the casual nature of the trip and to facilitate people coming and going at odd times when we are making shore landings in Antarctica. By now we were underway and went out on deck to watch Valpariso fade into the mist. Soon we passed out of the harbor and into the open Pacific where we were greeted by sooty shearwaters and an occasional albatross. We were also greeted by 30 knot winds and about six to eight foot swells. The motion was considerable so walking and holding on took some practice. We picked up our bright blue expedition windbreakers and attended an orientation to the side trips offered in the different ports we will visit. We tried some internet but the wireless was not working so we returned to the Schultz’s cabin for a celebratory drink. The motion was getting to Roberta so just three of us went to dinner and later attended the Captain’s welcoming speech and champagne toast.
Day 5 Wed 11/12/08 At Sea enroute to Puerto Montt
Today was a full day at sea and we attended three lectures. The first was about the local Maputche Indians and their interesting culture. After a big lunch we attended a lecture on albatrosses including the ones we were most likely to see on this trip. The third lecture was about our next port call at Puerto Montt. The wind and waves eased up in the morning but grew stronger in the afternoon. The four of us had adjusted to the motion pretty well but it seemed to be getting worse. At seven PM they announced that the forecast had been wrong. The wind had strengthened to 45 knots and the motion was so bad that they closed the elevators. At dinner only a third of the tables were occupied. The ship does not roll very much but pitches heavily in the growing swells. During dinner Carl watched the horizon across the stern move from below the diningroom window to above the height of the ten foot window. As Carl typed this journal at about 10 PM he said to Sandy, “It’s hard to type when the keyboard keep moving around!”.
Day 6 Thu 11/13/08 We Finally arrive at Puerto Montt
We were rocking and rolling as we went to sleep and there were a few big lurches during the night but by morning it was much calmer. No white caps and smaller waves. As we turned into the channel leading to Puerto Montt the seas were calm and full of wildlife. Out on deck we saw sea lions and dolphins and many different kinds of birds. There were three species of cormorant (olivaceous, red-legged and blue eyed), Peruvian pelicans, magellanic penguins, Wilsons storm petrels and hundreds of sooty shearwaters. Once tied up in Puerto Montt we left the ship and found our tour guide. Elliot had found a private guide service that was a better value than the ship arranged tours. Our guide Jeanette had a minivan just for us. We toured the city then headed 30 miles north to Petrohue Falls, a beautiful wide cataract with the Osorno volcano dominating the horizon. It was a beautiful spot. We also visited Emerald Lake with a color that lived up to its name. We then drove to Puerto Varas, a tourist town of 30,000 people on the shore of Lake Llanquihue. Here we found churches and other early 20th century buildings built by German immigrants along with shops and stores one would expect in a place that calls itself the Tourist capital of the south (Chile). Our guide told us that many of the visitors were from Brazil. Back on board we had another delicious dinner. The food has been very good. We all retired to the Greenbaum’s cabin for drinks and review of the day’s photographs. We departed Puerto Montt at about 10:30, heading into the Chilean fjords
Day 7 Fri 11/14/08 Into the Fjords
After breakfast we attended an interesting and informative lecture on whales. Mid morning we decided we needed to work off some of the desserts so we changed into workout clothes and got some exercise. Sandy and Roberta used the treadmills in the fitness center and Elliot and Carl did laps out on deck. They walked briskly around the stern on deck seven then up the stairs to deck eight where they could complete the loop around the bow. Each lap took about two and a half minutes and included the additional aerobic challenge of walking into a 40 knot wind while going forward. Forty minutes of this made for a good workout. After lunch we hung around the Observation Deck reading and watching magnificent scenery. Though we are not yet in the Fjords, we are sailing down a wide channel with snow capped mountains on both sides. We attended another interesting lecture, this time about the explorers and adventurers who discovered southern South America and Antarctica. Then, for several hours, we stood at the bow watching birds and sea lions and soaking in the awesome scenery. Later in the afternoon the ship cut across the Chonos Archipelago back into the open Pacific. Although the ship began to pitch into the Pacific swells, we were much steadier on our feet. Since our second seating dinner is not until 8:15 PM, we spent the early evening enjoying a drink in the observation lounge where we could continue to enjoy the scenery and play cards as well. Sandy taught the Schultz’s to play hearts and ten minutes after learning the game, Roberta beat us all soundly. The schedule for tomorrow became available and we learned that around 7 AM we would be passing a particularly beautiful spot so we all headed for bed right after dinner.