Monday, March 20, 2006

March 10, 2006 Day 15, Patagonia Trip

March 10, 2006 Ushuaia, Argentina

Good news. Today we learned at 6:00 that the airline strike is over. Although we'll certainly be delayed, we will indeed make it to B.A. without difficulty. Fingers crossed... Even a 1 day strike has completely crippled some people's vacations. Many were to leave today on the last boat of the season to Antarctica. Apparently there are 100 people who did not make it. Some did make it, but not their bags. Can you imagine flying all the way to B.A., only to not make your boat because you the connecting flight is dead?Today we woke up in a new room at the hostel, but nothing different. The bugs again paid us a visit, this time dining on both Terri and myself. Not fun.However, the rest of the day was fantastic. Today was quite sunny, hitting the low 60's for a high with a nice breeze that picked up in the afternoon. I'll give you one guess what breakfast was. Good job--bread and juice. The croissants they give us have a sticky honey cooked into the top, so they're actually quite good.At 10:00, we headed out to the ranch for some horseback riding. Of course, Terri thinks it's hilarious that I got the ugliest horse on the ranch. It looked more like a cross between a donkey and a sheep, but got the job done. The trail ride couldn't have been better. We rode up into the nearby mountains, offering views of the bay, islands, and mountain ranges. It was actually spectacular, as the sun was peeking through the clouds all day. The ride was 2 hours long, which is actually perfect for me. We even got some beach galloping in, as well as crossing a river and settling back into the ranch in the early afternoon. Terri then went into the town to shop, and I headed to the obvious activity. GOLFING. Yesterday I spotted a course, and the urge to play in the southern-most course in the world was just too much. To rent clubs, play 18 holes (9 hole course twice), buy 3 balls, as well as tees, it ran me about $60. For the quality of the course, I'd say I got ripped off. Especially since the locals only have to play $16 for a round. But throw in the views of the mountain peaks jutting straight up, a beautiful day, the wild horses running around the fringes--- it was a wonderful day for any price. This is the first chance I've had to just do my own thing and relax on this trip. Nearly every minute of every day has been planned to this point by GAP Adventures. Today was our first free day since Buenos Aires, 2 weeks ago. Not that I don't enjoy Terri's company (or the the rest of our group), but to ramble around a golf course in a spot like this will definitely be remembered.Dinner tonight was back at the Crab Shack we ate at 2 night ago. Tonight we had dinner with the whole group, and I had a Parmegian King Crab Dish (Yum). Terri had the spicy crab, and has now decided this crab doesn't meet her expectations. Dungeness all the way for her. To me, it pretty much tastes all the same. But for the next 3 days, BRING ON THE STEAKS!!!Time again to get to bed. We have a date with the bugs. We don't want to keep them waiting, as they can get very upset with us...

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