Sticking around for New Year

On Boxing Day we had planned to do a hike up the hill opposite which was supposed to offer stunning views across the Beagle Channel and over the city too. However, we awoke to a drizzly day where the nearby hill spent all of its time shrouded in cloud and so we waited for the weather to improve. Instead, my hangover and I installed a battery charger into Kate’s van for her. At my advice, she’d brought Mark and Liesbet’s old DC-DC charger. While they were over the other side of the city on the coast doing quieter celebrations, she had managed to pick it up from a mechanic in town where they had left it with some friends. Her battery was basically toast and she had no way of charging it except the currently non-existent solar. With my good deed done, I went back to nursing my large hangover.

The next day, the weather was lovely. It was time to blow away some cobwebs and so with Horst and Christine in tow, we set off from the campsite and hiked up to the top of the hill. Our efforts were truly rewarded with the views up here.

Instead of walking back down the same way, we opted to walk down the other side into the city and then we got a taxi back to the campsite. We may have been a bit tired and out of practice with hiking, but our friends were definitely done for the day. There was a lot of walking to be enjoyed here though and we couldn’t wait to get out and about some more.

After what felt like a rapid descent, we were happy to stay put for a while. As the camping was free, we were happy to stay put for the New Year as well. Here the travellers split. The quick ones were already packed up and gone on Boxing Day. The slow ones were happy to sit and relax here for longer. The Argentinians had told us that they wanted to make choripán (hot dogs) for everyone on New Year’s and we were happy to hang around for it.

Matt had told us of another small walk nearby to a waterfall. Again, Horst and Christine joined us. We promised them this was a smaller hike having thoroughly wiped them out on the last one. We set off in the afternoon sun, walking down the river into the valley. We timed it just right so that we got to see the ‘End of the World’ steam train as it went through the valley alongside us. This train used to serve a prison but is now a tourist attraction and comes with a hefty tourist price tag as you might imagine. It is always full though, despite costing about $100 for a small 8km train ride. The constant cruise ships moored in the bay make sure of that.

Despite the cost, you can walk without any restrictions down the tracks or the river. Many local people also seemed to have the same idea. You can walk a few kilometres to reach the first train station on foot. Here the passengers get off and can walk to a small waterfall. We ducked under the barrier and, as no one objected, went to have a look as well. It was nice enough but I absolutely in no way justified the price. Argentina has really gone crazy.

In that weird limbo that seems to occur between Christmas and New Year, we decided that it was time to finally drive to the end of the road. The Ruta 3 continues on inside the national park with a hefty fee ($45pp) attached to it. We had been told by several people that if you go at 8pm, the gates are open and the ticket booths closed. Once you’re inside the park, no one checks tickets and so you can basically do it for free. We weren’t the only ones going for the freebie. Christine and Horst joined us, as well as Andy. Kate had gone the day before. We drove down to the entrance, Ruby in front. As we got close, I saw the car ahead of us pull up and stop at the ticket booth and a hand reach out of the window. I pulled over just at the side of the road. Now we sat suspiciously just outside the gates, wondering what to do. In the end, after waiting for a while we decided we looked a bit weird just parked there and so we went back to the train station and waited for half an hour. I nominated Ivo to go in front this time and they messaged a few minutes later saying that they were in. We drove down the last part of the road in the orange light of the setting sun and found Kate.

By the time we had done all this it was late. Horst was angry at being stuck behind a rather inconsiderate bus driver for that last few kilometres and spent some time angrily levelling out Ivo for the night. The mosquitoes were also savage. We headed inside for the night.

The following day was a wet one. We went on a small walk down to the end of the road sign, and then on until the small ‘lighthouse’ that signified the end of the path too. We managed to time our walk for the only part of the day that wasn’t actually raining at least.

We had debated staying another night, but the cats weren’t happy. We were already breaking the rules by not paying and then again by bringing in pets. We had not let them outside since we had got here and they were getting a bit crazy.

We decided it wasn’t fair to them and so we packed up and drove Ruby down to the end for a picture with the end-of-the-road sign. Lexi posed in the windows of the camper while we quickly took our picture in the rain, hoping a ranger wouldn’t show up before we beat a hasty retreat back to the train station.

New Year was now upon us. A smaller gathering than before. We spent some time with Matt and Cinta as they had returned from visiting their friends over Christmas. Several other people congregated around their truck. They had finally found another family with children for Gaia to play with.

Here we also met a couple from Uruguay. Matt came over to get me. He said they’ve got a sourdough starter and perhaps I could get some. I had been saying the other day that ours had died in Uruguay when Jessica’s fridge had broken. We had decided that we would perhaps try and make our own here in Ushuaia and then we could have an ‘End of the World’ starter. It was therefore strangely fitting that these guys on their holiday down to Ushuaia had brought their sourdough starter with them. Not only did we get a new one in Ushuaia, but it was from the very place where ours had died—one of those odd ‘full circle moments’.

On the other side of the field, the asado was starting up. Drinks flowed. We mingled, splitting our time between the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking groups. Finally, when everyone had drunk enough to not care anymore, we all ended up around the Argentinians’ van. We had brought a potato salad and espresso martinis as our contribution. The table was loaded with side dishes and the barbecue with sausages. While there’s a lot of meat I’m not a fan of, a nice sausage is something I can enjoy.

Being on an Argentinian time frame, we hadn’t long eaten before it was time to count down to the New Year despite the fact that the sun had barely set. Everyone had a drink in hand, random plates of food were passed around and we counted down to 2025.

“Tres, dos, uno… ¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!”