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6th - 9th feb
Something had happened on the trip. Most people had got on, after my initial misgivings about the age range and Ally, the highs and lows we had all been through had bonded us. The meals on the campsite, by the roadside and the beers had brought us all together. Not everyone got on and I can't imagine Gaynor and Moira will be exchanging Christmas cards but on the whole we had become a team. Roadside picnics were now a military operation run by a team of mums, clearing up now barely took a few minutes and everyone chatted to every one. The only issue I had was when I tried to help with dinner I was 'accidentally' stabbed in the hand. The olds hung out with the olds and the youngsters plus mike (now 43 and over the age limit) hung around together. But there was generally a great atmosphere, and even Ally had become less annoying. The trip to Ushuaia was fun, our last trip together on Peggy, and the thirteen hours passed by quickly.
The Falklands are still an issue in the southern part of Argentina. Ushuia and surrounding areas had borne the brunt of the war. It was here that the soldiers came from and here where the argentine army had been based. On the road to Ushuia we saw the makeshift runways that had been used. Even now a generation later it still felt a current issue. Many car windows had the phrase 'Los Malvinas sons Argentine' on stickers in them and the many war memorials on the journey into Ushuia attested to it's continued importance to the area.
Ushuia is the most southerly city in the world, fact! Other facts about the place all include the phrase 'most southerly .....'. We got there just in time for tea, the tea, as Michael Winner might say, was beyond ordinary. One of the worst restaurant recommendations mike has ever had. Mike's meal was a lowlight of the whole trip and seemingly made by someone who's only previous experience in the kitchen was making a pot noodle. Terrible! Then off to another Irish bar for a few beers. Anje drank all the bar's stock of Bacardi, and Vicky had the most random experience buying Tia Maria, it coming in five different sizes and in five different prices. Late night, and Anje still wouldn't kiss Mike.
The next day off on a boat along the beagle channel. Fantastic experience retracing the footsteps of those on the beagle all those years ago. I even managed to pick up (see pictures for avid merrion lookalike 80 year old Italian). The boat ride was spectacular and blew off any cobwebs from the night before. We had a perfectly clear sky, and it was warm and still, a rare occurrence in those parts. (random fact; apparently the pacific is so called because on 'discovery' it was so calm that the Spanish guy called it the Pacifico. Ally told us this, might not be factually correct.) After the boat a bit of a siesta, sightseeing and not a lot else. It is really easy to get into the habit of a siesta, this is not a euphemism, in the afternoon while sightseeing or hiking, just stop what you're doing sleep on the hill or in the room or on Peggy and feel refreshed for the evening. Can't imagine how this will go down at work, 'where are you off to?'. 'siesta time, obviously.' 'you're fired!'
Then tea, then bed, early, more hiking the next day.
And so to the last day, for some a trip on the 'most southerly train in the world', for lisa and i and a few others a light trek through the forest. It was a lovely walk through the Forest with huge lakes to sit at and watch, and relax. We saw some woodpeckers. The hiking on this holiday so far has been spectacular, I think Lisa has enjoyed it so much that there won't be pubs and a curry of a weekend but walks all around the country. After dinner Lisa, I, Anje, and Vicky found a comfortable spot and had a siesta in the warm sun. Then back to Ushuaia to get ready for the end of tour meal.
Our last meal together was in a camp site cafeteria, and while the surroundings may not have been opulent the food was fantastic. Steak with a salad and a sausage. The steak was cooked on an open grill at the end of the canteen. It may have looked like a camp site in Colwyn Bay but the food was better than you'd get in a good steak restaurant in London. Quoting Michael winner again, historic. This was all washed down with a couple of beers and wine. Then as everyone was tired off for an early night.
Well not everyone the usual suspects were out, Lisa, Lara, Anje, Vicky, Mike, Andy, Barry and me. Even Ally joined us. So where else but the Irish bar for a few beers.
Quick note on bars; you may have noticed a lot of Irish bars mentioned and be confused as I would never really go in them at home or when in Europe. Usually Irish bars are to be avoided like the plague, generally they are over priced tat, and O'Neils pubs have gone downhill, they now smell of old Irish men that have drank too much Guinness. But on this trip there have been a noticeable lack of what would be recognisable as a pub or bar. Tons of great restaurants, but nowhere for a beer. The only real places have been microbreweries and Irish bars. The irish bars basically have a green sign and that is all that is Irish about them, inside they have a bar and beer so great.
While In the Irish bar everyone was just enjoying the last night, all but one person, after having no luck with Anje, Mike had his eyes on our redheaded tour leader Ally. I like to think that she was putty in his hands, but Andy got too drunk and had to be put to bed by ally, Mike again missing out. Despite having his own double room for three weeks, Mike was again left twiddling his thumbs. Great night, and as we stumbled through Ushuaia sometime before four it really felt like we had made the most of our trip. We'd lost Barry, but unsure as to wether he'd made a run for it or was just drunk and lost we felt that as he was in his sixties he could take care of himself.
Up for breakfast and goodbyes and then off to exotic and sumptuous Buenos Aries.
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