Journey Impressions: Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas: Population approx. 0.12 million (2002)
Chile: Population approx. 17.7 million
Population growth (2016): 1.1%
People per km²: 24
Gross national income per person in 2014: 14.900 USD


05 February 2018, Punta Arenas:

After recovering from the flight and tiring landing in Punta Arenas, we decided to take it easy on 5 February. When we’d finished breakfast, we took a little walk along the beach and into town. As usual, we treated ourselves to a filet mignon in a nice little restaurant. On the way back to the hotel, we passed the Magellan monument and were impressed by the signs indicating tsunami escape routes in the town.

At 5.30 p.m. we met up at airline DAP to carry out preparations for the next day’s flight to Antarctica. Our guide Christian Andersen informed us of the basic conservation regulations in Antarctica and discussed the code of conduct that everyone had to keep to. As it turned out, apart for Kurt and me there were two other German-speaking attendees from Bremen - who were of course fans of Werder Bremen football club. Sergey and Valeria had already lived in Bremen for over 20 years and originally came from Belarus. Two other people in the group came from Moscow: another Sergey and Pavel. Everyone listened patiently to the presentation and Moscow Sergey’s pressing need to know whether he could take vodka to Antarctica. Indeed it looked as if vodka had had an influence on his complexion. So there were various problems: Sergey can’t fall asleep without vodka and Valeria can’t sleep without having a cigarette. But smoking in Antarctica outdoors is forbidden because of smokers’ unfortunate habit of throwing away cigarette ends. But smoking indoors in Antarctica is permitted, so the exact opposite of Germany.

At the end of the meeting, we were given a warm jacket and large warm boots, which were vital for survival. Kurt and I still had to buy a few things, such as waterproof trousers for Kurt and gloves for me. Now we were very well prepared and at 9 p.m. received the news that the weather the next day would be so poor that we wouldn’t be able to fly – not during the morning anyway. We tossed up whether to get together with trip coordinator Grace the next day to get to know her in person and thank her for being so patient with me over the last two and a half years. Because I’d already booked the Antarctica flight during my first attempt back in 2015 and Grace had kept it for me up until now. We’re still dreaming of Antarctica – see the photo – and how we imagined it to be. We’ll learn tomorrow or the day after tomorrow whether we’ll fulfil our dream.

Bye for now.


06 February 2018, Punta Arenas:

After the flight to Antarctica scheduled for 6 February unfortunately had to be cancelled due to poor weather, we arrange to meet lovely Grace. It was Grace who looked after all of the Antarctica booking for us and also reserved the hotel rooms in Punta Arenas. We were highly delighted to meet her in person. She told us that after marrying her husband in spring this year, she wanted to come to Europe, or more precisely to Switzerland and then make a little excursion to Munich.

However, we didn’t have much time to talk to her because the alternative programme of events organised by DAP was to take place at 1.30. See the travel journal in the next section. In the evening, we had a bottle of champagne in a modern hotel in the highest bar in Punta Arenas with Peter who had sailed around Cape Horn and used the opportunity to take a few photos of the town from the window and say goodnight to Punta Arenas.

Bye.