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Ushuaia 'End of the world, beginning of everything'.......It is categorically known as the southernmost city in the world, so not ones to miss out on an adventure, we made our way down south, we travelled from Puerto Madryn to Comodoro Rivadavia where our connecting coach transported us to Rio Gallegos, changing again, taking us over the border to Chile and then back into Argentinian territory.It was a very tedious experience as we had to queue to stamp in and out of the two countries as there is no straight passage to Ushuaia.
We arrived weary, once again.....luckily, hostel owners arrived at the drop off location and offered us a great deal on accomodation. The night was cold and we were welcomed into a clean, cosy and toasty hostel. The night passed quickly, undisturbed, the city was still under the cover of darkness when we awoke around 8am......but as always, once the sun rises and filters through, the light is instantaneous.
Discussing our options with the local tourism office we booked a horse riding experience around the coastal forests of Ushuaia. With 3 hours to burn before our tour we decided to attend the local museum, which was once infamous for its use as a prison. There were once native peoples (Yamana's) who lived on the shores of the rivers and coasts.....their physiology was adapted to their climate, due to the high levels of water they mostly spent their time on canoes, distorting their limbs, lengthening their arms and torsos but leaving their legs almost useless. Unfortuntaley this area was conquered by the europeans, who imposed their dress codes on these people, causing pneumonia, colds and leading to eventual deaths and complete elimination of this community. We trawled the corridors of the prison, which explained the pre-european history and post. Depicting the lives of the prisoners, the eventual settlement of communities and trials and tribulations of expeditions to the antarctic.
Eventually we made our way to the stables, where we were introduced to our horses...each one with their own personality! The horses knew the paths of the region and led the way, we were accompanied by the owner and another guide who are Gaucho's......real life cowboys! The horses took us into the most spectacular regions with the most amazing views......feeling as if we should be in the rocky mountains! Autumn had Ushuaia in its grip, so the forests were of beautiful oranges, browns and greens. Concentration waned slightly when we were taken through some decidely scary steep descends by the horses......praying they would keep their balance and not loose their footing! We stopped for coffee and Alfajors ( Cakes) whilst the horses rested, recuperated and chatted amongst themselves :)We mounted the horses once again trekking to the lower lands, leading to the beach, views of ushuaia from a different perspective. Whilst riding we felt a sense of being in the moment, really appreciating the experience, knowing then and there it was a highlight! We reached the stables and dismounted, our sad goodbyes but wonderful memories.Â
The following day was grey, leading to the fall of heavy snow, limiting our sightseeing opportunites but increasing our visitation to the the cafe shops and general shopping!
There was great difficulty in reaching Ushuaia but when you weigh up the pros and cons, its definitely worth it...a highlight of the whole trip! Whilst travelling back to mainland Argentina we once again took the same route but were travelling half the distance and were more aware of our surroundings. The ferry crossing offered us the opportunity to see the playful dolphins that enter the waters of the crossing.....a quick glimpse clearly defined the pleasure of having taking this journey!
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