Summer in the Southern Ocean 17, Homeward Bound

18th January 2024

We were up and dressed before Hannah’s last ship wake-up call. Breakfast was at 6.30am with our luggage collected while we were eating. An efficient disembarkation process meant our coach left for the airport at 8.01, exactly as we were advised it would.

We had some time to kill at the airport, but ensured we had enough sustenance to make up for the small protein bar we knew we would receive on the 3-hour flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires. An uneventful journey, capped by our arranging a taxi to our hotel downtown, a mere £27 compared to the $75 offered by the hotel for a pick-up.

We went out looking for somewhere to eat. There was a long queue outside the famous Tortoni Cafe which we visited last time, but we didn’t have to wait long for a table at the recently refurbished Confiteria Ideal. We enjoyed an early dinner to the sound of a pianist who kept encouraging the diners to give him a round of applause. Lynne fell asleep before we had a chance to visit the hotel rooftop bar!

Morning saw us find a local cafe for a late breakfast. Lynne was delighted with her cappuccino, but disappointed that her smashed avocado on toast with scrambled eggs arrived without the avocado on toast. Her Spanish needs some work!

It was a lovely sunny, very warm day. We strolled up to the Casa Rosada, with the famous balcony where Evita Peron received the adulation of the crowds. The area was much improved, as when we last were here, it was covered in worksite hoardings. The area in front is now beautifully pedestrianised with lush green grass, statues and fountains.

We had spotted a promotion offered by the airport taxi firm which we had used to reach the hotel. By WhatsApp, we arranged a cab to the airport which cost us £18; convenient and less than the public shuttle bus would have cost from the centre of town! We are flying to Heathrow, via Frankfurt, a long journey with time to reflect on our holiday.