Another of these never ending early mornings. After a 5.00 am departure from our hotel in San Pedro de Atacama for Calama airport we reached Santiago at 10.00 am for our connecting flight to Punta Arenas at 1.15 pm. The 3 hour wait was tolerable as Santiago airport had free internet hotspots which helped me keep up with the world in English!
Punta Arenas Airport
Our onward flight was to Punta Arenas (the southern tip of the Chilean mainland just short of Antarctica) after a stopover at Puerto Montt. We finally landed at Punta Arenas at 5.30 pm.
Initially supposed to spend the night at Punta Arenas over the Estrecho de Magallanes before moving onto Torres del Paine the next morning, we had a change in itinerary as the bus timings changed. So we had to take the bus from Punta Arenas at 6.30 pm to Puerto Natales for a night stay. Going from the airport to the town centre bus station, this town is a buzzing port on 125000 people with a good mix of German and Slavic descent, that shows in the buildings and even the features of the people.
On The Streets of Punta Arenas
Straight roads criss cross the town where everyone seemed to know each other, we saw children in groups going home from school, punks skateboarding on the by roads, sailors walking the streets and on the other side the vastness of the Strait of Magellan fused with the distant horizon.
The Bus Station
At a very colourful bus station we boarded the bus for Puerto Natales 247 km north. The bus travelled on a good paved road through pure wilderness with not a soul or house in sight for miles and we reached Puerto Natales at 9.45 pm, completely exhausted. Our hotel was a much welcome respite.
The Strait of Magallen
The food was great and so was the Pisco Sour….by now I am almost addicted to this drink and have plans of taking a bottle to London for a Pisco Sour party this festive season! Right on the waterfront, it was a real treat. The little of this town we saw, told me we ought to have stayed a little more – the houses and the streets and the general atmosphere was fantastic.
The Straight Road to Puerto Natales
Off to bed now, its been a 18 hours on the move today – its a 7.30 am start tomorrow. On to Patagonia – first stop Torres del Paine national park. More about it tomorrow.
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