The start….March 11 headed for the Eugene airport horribly early, with carryons carefully stocked with the barebones essentials of raingear and fleece for Patagonia. If the airline security people wondered about our choice of footwear for a long flight to the elegant city of Buenos Aires (my husband’s bright orange Sportiva …

Fuzzy-headed morning arrival, not a lot of sleep to be had in Sardine Class. Following the advice of our guidebook (the Rough Guide to Buenos Aires), we ignored the various Cambios in the arrival hall and headed to the small branch of Banco Nacion just outside the meeting point to change some money. Tried to make mental adjustment: Argentine …

The rest of that day and the next we wandered around downtown Buenos Aires. Wasn’t sure what to expect, but found it to have a European feel (not such a surprise when you realize this is a country with relatively young European roots). Outside the centro, it’s not really a pretty city, despite many green parks…too many …

We were collected right on time from the hotel by a guide who delivered us to the airport and oversaw our check-in for our flight to Ushuaia, then accompanied us to the security checkpoint…a good thing, as it was in a hidden corner of an adjoining building. The guide said that in the past some tourists had not found the checkpoint and thus …

This was Cape Horn day, and we had to be up early for disembarkation instructions in order to ride the Zodiac boats to Cape Horn…the last stop before Antarctica, if one was going that far! It was windy and choppy, but just barely within allowable conditions for loading and landing, so at 7am we headed in to shore. Crewmembers expertly …

Last full day on the boat. Sailed through the fjord-like western channels of Tierra del Fuego, under cold grey skies and intermittent rain. Another lecture--on the Magellan Strait--a sailing knots demonstration, and a discussion of the wines of Chile with a generous glass of Carménère. Considering this was on an empty stomach …

Everyone up early to disembark in Zodiac boats at Magdalena Island! We all wanted to walk among the cute “penguinos” before being off-loaded at our final destination, Punta Arenas. Unfortunately the wind was 40 knots and the adventure was cancelled. (Groans of dismay by passengers do not trump the captain's decisions.) Even though …

Our guide was at the hotel promptly at 10am with a minivan to take us to Puerto Natales and then on to Torres del Paine. The road led through mostly flat, open land, with glimpses of pink flamingos in a distant lake, and occasional rheas (like ostriches) and guanacos (like llamas) by the road. The famous Patagonian Andes were visible in the far …

Off to visit Grey Glacier and other local sights in the park. Couldn’t help but notice, the drivers had two tendencies, one, to drive on the left as long as there is no center line in the road (and no one coming), and two, to deal with potholes and washboard roads apparently on the thought that it’s better to drive as fast as possible …