Saying Goodbye to Patagonia

February 17, Sunday 

Las Torres Hotel waiting to cross the river. 

It started raining yesterday evening and it rained all night and most of the morning. After supper last night, our driver Turu moved the bus across the river, which was already water covered, to high ground.  We were due to depart at 8:30 this morning but there was no way to get passengers and luggage across the flooded river. It took three hours for the hotel to work out a plan of egress.  At one point they talked about putting us on an inflatable boat!  For awhile the hotel vans were able to cross but the river kept rising.  About 11:30 we boarded 4x4 pickups, riding in the back with the luggage, and crept across the swollen waters.  The water came up to the floorboards but we all made it across safely.

We still had a 6 hour drive plus stops for lunch, gas, and potties but made it to Punta Arenas by 6 and were ready for dinner at 7. It was a beautiful evening at the private home of Edwardo who is the manager of Wilderness Travel in Chile. We had king crab, scallops, abalone and ceviche as appetizers,; wine, beer and Calafate berry pisco sours to drink; and a corn and chicken casserole for dinner.

After our leader Karen spoke each group member commented on the trip and I sang the song I had written about our trip.  And to top it off Edwardo played the guitar and his wife and daughter sang beautiful Chilean songs.  We then had fun trying to sing American folk songs but we could never remember all the words.  Lots and lots of laughter!

Plans are already in the works for this group to gather for a similar trip to Norway in 2020!