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It just keeps getting better and better. Argentina is full of surprises!! I'm not sure that we are ever going to leave, Literally 5 mins after arriving in Puerto Madryn, I was screaming hyserically and slapping Sharon on the arm. I had seen a whale tail emerge from the sea and we hadn't even made it to the beach front yet. It's hard to believe whilst you are here that the southern right whales are an endangered species as everywhere you look there seems to be a group jut splashing about and playing. I couldn't believe how close to shore they were and with the added extra bonus of a pier for us to get closer to them, we spent our whole first afternoon just standing, watching and trying to get the perfect photo!
The next day, with the weather forecast a little windy for boat trips we decide to head to the other 2 tourist attractions in the area.
1) The Dinosaur museum in Trelaw - where we learnt lots about the evolution of the world as we know it today and also saw the fish that the human species are said to have originated from.
2) Gaiman, a welsh settlement in Argentina - this was a bit of a let down really and we just ended up spending a relative fortune on tea and cakes, apparently the must do here. If you are in the area, don't bother, Newport is nicer!
The next day, sad to have missed precious whale watching time the day before we head off out early in our little hired polo, with Rupert that was staying in our dorm last night, for a day of whale watching fun. We found it very easy to navigate, as there were only 2 roads, one of which was closed due to road works. There were so few cars on the road driving on the wrong side of the car and road wasn't an issue until we got back into town later that day to negotiate the many one way roads that seem to be so common over here in their very American block road systems, I have a new found respect for taxi drivers!
Anyhow, it doesn't get light here until about 10am so we enjoyed a very spectacular sunrise on our journey to the peninsular, whilst bumping along the gravel roads. We found a boat to take us out whale watching with ease and were soon embarking on a 1.5 hour cruise all looking like Michelin men we had so many layers on in an attempt to keep warm. The whales are exhibitionists really and put on a great show, again there were loads. They waved their tails, did full jumps out of the water causing massive splashes and 2 even swam right up to and under our boat. If only we were here a few months later when the water is clearer, the photos would have been so much more amazing.
With limited time before our bus onwards, we decide to take a leisurely drive back stopping at a few beaches along the way that are renowned for whales being very close to shore. We weren't disappointed! At every beach we stopped it only took a few minutes before we spotted whales. I don't think I'm ever going to be able to go to the beach again without looking out for the tails poking up through the surf. The whales are huge and the sound they make sounds like someone blowing very loudly through a metal pipe. They really are fascinating creatures.
Sad that we had no time to go and see the elephant seals or the armadillos, I decide it just gives me an excuse to come back one day - and to make sure I time it with the arrival of the penguins who are currently, very sensibly, sunning themselves in Brazil. (which is what I hope to do soon!)
We make final use of the hire car to drop our new found friend Rupert with our bags at the bus station, whilst we head to hand back the car. Say our goodbyes and off we head again, on yet another bus!!
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