Return to Puerto Natales

Back at the visitor centre, I connected to the WiFi for 30 minutes and then bought a beer to take back to the truck for Mark.

We were all on the truck by the time the W trekkers got back. We gave them a suitable welcome. However, immediately the atmosphere changed when the usual suspects got back on the truck with beers and the noise level went through the roof. We were back to the usual loud effing and blinding that we have been spared for the past few days!

Inevitably, the noise level, the offensive comments, the swearing, and the obnoxious behaviour all increased as the journey went on. By the time we arrived back in Puerto Natales at 8pm, there were a lot of angry and upset people. One or two said we should be lenient because they'd just completed the W trek, but the vast majority of us were not so forgiving! After all, there were another 11 people on the truck who had achieved the same thing and they weren't being loud and lairy! Most of them just wanted to sleep, but they didn't get the chance!

In Puerto Natales, we returned to the same hotel we stayed in before the trek started. It was very nice, but I wish they could have told us in advance. We would certainly have packed differently.

Anyway, we checked in and went to our room. Denise had already made Nikki aware of the problems on the truck via a WhatsApp message. Nikki messaged the group chat to say her and Ritchie would take our complaints seriously. We shall see!

Despite the late hour, we needed something to eat, so we went to a creperia around the corner that we had spotted when we were here last. Mark had a crepe with chorizo, mozzarella, and red pepper, and I had one with prosciutto, cream cheese, and walnuts. They were both very nice and were just what we needed, but the bill was US$35!! This is such an expensive part of the world!

Back at the hotel, we showered and went to bed, only to be woken up at 11.30pm by an almighty row between Rich and Greg and Shanda and Kim over the shenanigans earlier in the evening. All I can say is that this has been coming for a number of weeks now!Read more