After an extended bus journey of about 11 hours from Punta Arenas, I find myself at “the End of the World”. Much of the journey was uneventful, with the landscape varying very little for the first half of the trip. The arid steppes of Patagonia stretch either side into the vast distances, the engine whirs, occasionally accompanied by a palpable gust of wind. Even the ferry crossing at the much-famed Strait of Magellan was rather uneventful. Half the time I was lulled to a soft doze by the sheer monotony and cold weather. In due course, heading further south hugging the shoreline of Magellan, the vegetation grew more lush, sparse abandoned post or two sprinkle the landscape until we crossed back into Argentina. The soft folds of plains lifts into more rugged terrain, deciduous vegetation, and snow capped peaks. By 7pm, the tedious journey makes its final descent into Ushuaia, with almost 5 hours of day light remaining.
The wind seeps through the window pane attend by the drone of sparse traffic of the abandoned streets of Ushuaia on this Christmas Night. It’s another night at a dive hostel– replete with interesting characters;and though others are in a celebratory mood in the common room, I along with a Czech couple are too tired from long journeys to partake in the festive mood. Dinner was a sparse serving of instant noodles and canned tuna (as all services were closed for the holiday). In the distance can be heard the chords of a guitar strumming a merry tune.
After six days of strenuous trekking in Patagonia, the legs are much fatigued. However, to cap off the trifecta of regional national parks, tommmorw I shall hike Tierra del Fuego national park along the Beagle Bay. Although the weather in this region is notoriously capricious, with any luck, there should be some time for a liesurely stroll to appreciate the fauna.
