** ANTARCTICA - 2002 **
** Chapter NINE **
** Punta Arenas **
This is the 21 April 2005 edition
of this page.
14 December 2002 (cont)
Then I got a further FANTA ORANGE for 12NKr, on Deck7, and went to my cabin immediately
at 11.33hrs. At 12.30hrs, we hauled up the anchors to start the next leg of the journey to PORT
WILLIAMS. This would take about four hours and would incorporate the 'customs' and other
fomalities.
I was out from the lunch by 13.50hrs for a rest. I then got Martin's EMail address. Continuing
my cabin-rest, I looked at maps until 14.26hrs. They are kinda-different in this part of the world!!
Then it was upstairs and to the left to Deck7's observation area. Unfortunately, I was caught with
a "wingeing Aussi" so I excused myself from the Observation Deck by 15.15hrs and 'escaped'
downstairs - meeting Martin and his wife, first, and then returning to my room.
Then I attended Sunniva's Talk/Presentation at which I took photos and got her Web-address
and brochures. I had several chats with her for a long while.
Then I viewed scenes outside the boat and watched the CHILEAN PORT AUTHORITIES
approach and search our boat before returning to their other investigations. Small boats were used by them,
all looking very 'grotty' - and THAT was our 'official' ENTRY at PORT WILLIAMS!!
A rather good evening meal of many courses came that evening, my DIET requiring me to 'opt out'
of some of the choices - and with reduced amounts of the others!
I just couldn't eat THAT much with this meal following closely after an 'English RECAP' meeting
in the STELLA POLARIS BAR (telling us the skimpy details for tomorrow's movements!) [Apparently,
we have tomorrow's lunch, then our 'included tour' of PUNTA ARENAS and then our 'vouchered trip'
to the Airport for the plane to SANTIAGO!]
15 December 2002
Waking up at 5.10am after a good night's sleep, the calm waters of a CHILEAN FJORD are progressing
and drifting
as we move Northwards(?). Like yesterday evening, it is a very interesting scenic trip - even from the
port-holes of my cabin!!
This morning's "sheet" isn't very helpful about the 'times', clock-changes or whatever!
I packed my case and bag as I got dressed until 6.38am, - and found NO REFERENCES to the
TIME ZONE changes - so I'll have to ask at the Nordnorge's "reception"! The separate envelopes,
arriving later on my door, didn't give any further clues either, - they just confirmed the amount I'd
spent on my CRUISE-CARD!!
On visiting the 'reception' at 7.05hours, I found that the debitting of my 135NKr will have been done
automatically! No further action was required on my part!
After a quick breakfast, incorporating Yoghurt and some drink, I called at 'reception' to find out the
time for leaving my 'case outside the door' and also the label for the hotel in SANTIAGO!
The information I gleaned was:-
Case outside door (time) : 11.00 and labelled with Hotel name
The 'City Tour' : Time from 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Transfer to Airport : 4.30pm or as announced (The airport is 20km away)
Then I gave this same data to Martin (in person) and Ron Beatty (over the phone). At just gone 9.10hrs, I needed
to wait for the 'case outside' action at 11.00hrs and the lunch at 11.30hrs prior to the arrival at PUNTA ARENAS.
I passed some time on Deck4 with Martin and Freida - and later - the older Aussie who (as opposed to his son-in-law)
claims to have his "head screwed on right!" I was back in my cabin for 10.45am when I put my case out into the corridor -
before going upstairs to wait for the meal at 11.30am.
After the meal, it was a matter of waiting until 1.30pm for the 'Bus Tour of Punta Arenas'. It was called the "Guided City Walk"!
Included in this hour and a half of walks was a visit to the PLAZA DES ARMAS (it seemed to me that every place, where
the Spanish language is used, has one!!) We were back to the boat (sorry, "ship") by 16.15hrs.
An ice-cream cost me $1(U.S) and I got 570pesos(Chilean) in 'change' - it was only an ice-lolly! A bus took me about
5 miles around the town.
Unfortunately, there was no one on the 'bridge' to anwer my questions about the "MILES - SO - FAR" done by the ship
since we got on! I'd have to calculate that when I got back home!
Our connecting bus to the airport (I have vouchers for that!) came at about 5.00pm - and I made sure all our "five-
persons worth of luggage" were transferred to the VAN.
On the way to the airport, Ron requested a return to the painted 'old firestation' for his photography. We had taken
an en-route diversion, although the airport was 20Km from PUNTA ARENAS town! That made our journey, by this
van, 24Km (i.e 15 miles). Our driver acted as an interpreter for us at the CHECK-IN, which took a long time (from
17.50 until 18.15hrs)!!
There, we were ALL ready to proceed upstairs to the departure lounge for the LA286 flight to SANTIAGO!
(The travelogue will continue in the next chapter.)
EMail (?) to: Roy's Location.
Return to 2002's Index-page
or return to Antarctic index-page
or return to Roy's home page for full
list of books/travelogues either finished or under preparation.