seven

back in ushuaia. computers are terrible here so no pics or vid until I get back to buenos.

On my birthday. We landed at hanna bay. Off the boat, after 2 days (yes I get sea sick and was miserable but better by this time) I dont remember ever being in a zodiac, so i was nervous. The boat bounced and rocked over the water. Cold but not life threatening like I was preparing myself for.
We got closer to the beach and first it was land, then land with spots then penguins. Hundreds of them. Everywhere.
I swung my legs over the side of the zodiac, into the water and up the rocks.

And I sat. On a hill, with the penguins.

You might think they would be curious about us but they could care less and we were instructed not to block them or agitate them. Let them come to you.

They were calm, gentle and very easy going. Hopping. Wadling. Thudding along around me.

We spent a few hours here. I walked down the beach and saw three kinds of penguins. A herd of elephant seals laying on the beach and fur seals playing on the beach.

It was amazing.

The next day. The sixteenth we landed at paradise bay on the continent. I carried my camera in my mouth out of the boat. About six of us were completing the continents on this trip.

I know I didnt cure cancer or beat the time in the mile but I did feel a sense of accomplishment. Ive seen parts of the world not a lot of people do and its changed me. I travelled with people that can share what its like to take an over night train where you dont speak the language, to haggle for nickels in an alley for a statue.

I wrote and drew and drank in as much as I could.

The boat was terrific and terrible. The last few days we had relatively bad weather and a woman became ill.

Im used to access to communication anywhere but on the ship I was cut off. I didnt anticipate how important being connected is to me. Now I know.

anyway. Im back. Off the ship and in ushuaia for a day then buenos.

Im hungry.
more later.