A Day in Ushuaia
The Disembarkation routine: 6:00 am wake up; 6:15 am luggage outside door; 6:30-7:30 am breakfast; 7:00 am dock in Ushuaia. All passengers off ship by 8:00 am with a bus taking those on an early flight out of Ushuaia directly to the airport. For all others (with the exception of tour groups and those being met), another bus would take us to a luggage storage facility on the main street where we could sit and relax, or leave the bags until our flights departed. The storage facility was really a restaurant serving coffee and snacks.
Several other ships were docked along with us. The gigantic, 91,000 ton Infinity owned by Celebrity came in. Over 1,600 passengers and 1,000 crew on a "around South America" cruise that began in Santiago, Chile and ends in Buenos Aires. The National Geographic Endeavor was moored directly behind us and one other ship. And then the Fram lumbered in...View image
Off the Orlova and luggage stored in a facility until a late flight back to Buenos Aires tonight, we staggered around Ushuaia on "sea legs" unaccustomed to solid land. Weaving back and forth like the proverbial "drunken sailors."
Ushuaia resembles a little Colorado ski town. Think Breckenridge, or Crested Butte with old, small buildings, mountains behind and one main drag. There are things to do. A short voyage on the El Tren Del Fin Del Mondo (train at the end of the world), excursions in the Beagle Channel or Tierra Del Fuego National Park by Rumbo Sur, a tour operator; and even zip lining with Canopy Ushuaia.
We spent the day walking around this charming little town. Buying souvenirs. Investigating each of the very plentiful shops (and truthfully, trying to waste time until our flight tonight). Once again, save time and money and buy whatever cold weather gear you need here in Ushuaia. Large selections and reasonably priced. How could anyone not go home without something that said "Antarctica" on it! It seemed that every other passenger off all those ships that docked this morning felt the same way. Shopping, shopping, shopping.
There were shops selling food and restaurants with lamb and beef roasting in the window for an
Hungry now, we chose Tante Saras...View image... for lunch, a very nice little two-story restaurant packed to the brim with diners.
Disregard Aerolinas Argentinas and tour operators when they say you cannot stand by for an earlier flight. Take a chance and go out to the airport to see for yourself. Persist. At first, the Aerolinas staff said there was no possibility but we put on sad faces, expressed willingness to stand around the airport and wait "just in case"...and two seats materialized on an earlier flight. It may not happen...but again...it might.
The flight to Buenos Aires was one of the bumpiest, most turbulent flights we've had in years. And, this was after all those days of wobbling at sea. We definitely got "sea legs" though. I can still feel the earth move under my feet, keep grabbing for non-existent grab bars and swaying, even though there is no need. Landing at Jorge Newberry late at night for one last day in Buenos Aires (couldn't make our flight home on the same day - a misconnect).
