Epilog

So what did we learn on Wanderung 23? First, it is always cold and windy at the southern tip of Chile and Argentina even if it is technically "summer". If you ever take a trip down that way, make sure to take some warm layers and at least one windproof and rainproof outer layer if you want to wander around outdoors like we do. I would also avoid cotton fabric like the plague and make all the layers some type of moisture-wicking fabric. That said, I still didn't think to take a warm hat and thus ended up purchasing a nice warm wool hat with tie-down ear flaps (styled roughly like a deerstalker cap) in Puntas Arenas, Chile.

Secondly, the folks are friendly and hospitable, but you really should try to master some elements of Spanish because as soon as you get off the beaten path not that many folks speak English. We participated in Missy's six basic Spanish sessions and I think those were just the ticket to help communication, but a Berlitz phrase book would be another approach. One problem for me personally is that Spanish is spoken in a rapid, flowing manner that makes it very difficult for me to parse the words and then understand the sentences of native speakers. Gaining that listening ability will require training my ear to the pronunciation of Spanish and that might take some practice.

Thirdly, the cruise ship is one of the few ways to actually get into the fjords of southern Chile and around Cape Horn if you want to do that. We enjoyed the view from our cabin, the food, the service of the Veendam staff, and the company of our dinner companions, so we had a wonderful time. It is, admittedly, traveling in the lap of luxury but given the lack of roads and the danger of flying a small aircraft or sailing a small sailboat in areas like Tierra del Fuego, I just don't see any other feasible way to do it. There are, of course, possible discomforts or even dangers associated with cruising in the far southern latitudes like that. The day after we returned home a small cruise ship was hit by 40 foot or more waves in the Drake Channel and was damaged enough to have to head back to the nearest port of Ushuaia, Argentina. For our part, we certainly had rough seas around the Falkland Islands, but we felt the mild discomfort was well worth seeing a unique part of the world.