Trans Americas 2009 - The Blog

I woke to the sound of my alarm clock beeping at 6.30am to get me up for the skinny-dip in the southernmost ocean. Having got up and cleaned my teeth, I thought about it for a while and decided that it would be nice to leave a loose-end, something on the trip that hadn't been done, and went back to bed. The fact that I was still very tired may also have had something to do with my decision as well...

Unsurprisingly I slept late, waking around 9.00am just in time for breakfast. With a slight sense of deja-vu I went downstairs and ate breakfast, the small group of intrepid naked swimmers returning as I was finishing, looking very cold but chattering excitedly. Whilst it would have been nice to complete the set (North, East, West and South) I still like the idea of having left something on the trip undone – who knows, I may yet pass this way again and can then tick that box...

With breakfast done and the blog updated I attempted to go back to sleep, the after-effects of the last two nights taking their toll. I say attempted because no sooner had I got into the room than the cleaner knocked on the door. So I went out for a walk instead, attending to some other little jobs. These included getting a stamp in my passport from the tourist information office – which may seem a little odd, but Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world, and the stamp is pretty cool and made a nice addition to all the others I've collected so far. After replenishing my diminishing stocks of Argentine pesos I went and got my hair cut – deciding that I'd do it now rather than in Buenos Aires as I originally intended on the basis that it'll have 2 weeks to grow back a little before I get home and Tracy freaks out at how short it is. Well, have you every tried explaining to a hairdresser that only speaks Spanish to just trim it a little and leave it as long as he can? Hairdressers the world over seem to think that all men want a fair scalping, and this guy was no exception. Simon, who went to the same place an hour later, also got scalped. But it's done now, so no point worrying about it...

With my jobs done it was back to the hotel to catch up with Tracy briefly before the pre-arranged meeting at 1pm. Usually we have meetings in the early evening, but this was brought forward as there was a group of us leaving at 3pm for a 6-hour boat trip to see penguins. The meeting had a special purpose too, this being Mac's 60th birthday. Those of you who have seen “The Ride” DVD or caught it on National Geographic (the story of the initial 2005 Trans-Am trip) will know Mac for his famous quotes like “It's a once-in-a-lifetime trip” (this is his 2nd) and at the end his favourite expression “loada b*ll*cks”. He's a really quiet, unassuming and extremely generous chap, and rides a bike just like mine that has clocked up a massive mileage and still looks good (unlike mine, which is now pretty battered). So, with him sat looking decidedly uncomfortable centre-stage in the mezzanine section of the hotel's restaurant we proceeded to give him the traditional Globebusters birthday celebration. Only first, he was presented with a large cake, decorated with “Loada B*ll*cks, Happy Birthday Mac”...





Jim, the other half of the Kippers, then gave a lovely speech and presented Mac with his birthday hat – not the normal mickey-taking hat, but a very nice leather hat that he'd chosen especially and which suited Mac perfectly. Next up were the presents from the group, and as is traditional they were chosen to match the country in which the birthday was celebrated. They included a poncho, a gaucho “boleadora” or “bola” which consists of some balls on a string used for hunting, a mug (in place of the usual shot-glass as Mac likes his tea!), a tee-shirt with “Ushuaia End of the World” emblazoned on it and finally a tee-shirt with the “Llama Sutra” and pictures of Llamas in various erm.. positions... He looked the part in his hat and poncho, though...





With the celebrations I had a hamburguesa for lunch and then joined the assembling group for the boat trip to see the penguins. Arranged by Aaron, this was to be a 6-hour cruise along the Beagle channel to a large penguin colony where we'd get to disembark onto the island and “Dance with Penguins”. To say we were excited would be something of an understatement. Gathering in the hotel lobby were the 10 explorers – Gerald, Phil, Late Guy, Nick, Finn, Pertti, Simon, Jeff, Aaron and me. At the designated time we wandered across the road to the port and the ticket office, handed in our booking slip and paid the 140-pesos (the trip should have been 200 but we thought we'd got a group discount), then went through passenger control and boarded the large catamaran that was waiting for us. Unlike our last boat trip this one wasn't full, so we spread out over 2 tables and I managed to get a window seat and settled down to snooze before we set sail. Then there was a voice over the tannoy stating that if any passengers were booked on the longer trip they should report to the back of the deck as this boat wasn't going to Penguin island, and that the catamaran pulling out of dock to our left was the penguin boat... it seems there had been a cock-up at the ticket office, and the guy had issued us with tickets for a 3-hr trip to see the sea lions and lighthouse instead... Needless to say that it was too late to get off and that Aaron took the full force of remorseless mickey-taking for the entire trip for arranging a penguin trip that didn't include seeing any penguins...

We did get to see some sea-lions though (or “brown penguins sleeping” as we called them)...





and a large colony of Cormorants, to which the cry of “Oh look, poenguins” was met by the two stewardesses gently pointing out they weren't as if talking to the mentally handicapped and then proceeding to explain the difference, whilst we all tried not to laugh...





The boat then went to the island with the lighthouse, a very uninspiring red and white tower with a light on top and no penguins. I fell asleep for most of the journey, the sound of banter as Aaron continued to pay for his “mistake” ringing in my ears... When we got back ashore I went to the gift shop and bought a little penguin pin for his jacket, presenting it to him with “this is what they look like”... fortunately he took it all in good humour, but I don't think that's the last he's heard of it, especially as when walking to the restaurant that evening for dinner, the group waddled along like penguins...

And I stuck to my “dry day” promise, with just one beer to accompany my French Onion soup and Pizza, before turning in at a very reasonable 10.30pm... and tomorrow we start the long ride North... and the adventure continues...