Chores and admin

There was an optional trip to the Valdes Peninsula today. We decided not to go as it was very expensive and we were unlikely to see anything that we haven't seen before. We also wanted to use the time to repack our bags for 10 days without the truck and to get some admin and post-scheduling done. So, we didn't need to be up early but, inevitably, we were woken before 6am by those who were going on the trip!

We got up, had breakfast, and sat around chatting to other group members who had opted out of the excursion. We then made sure we had showers before they were locked again at 10am! It felt good to be clean after three days on the truck without access to running water!

We then did our washing. It was blowing a gale, but it was a hot wind, so the washing dried quickly - it was just a struggle to keep it on the line until it did! With our clothes clean and dry, we were able to repack so that we only take one case with us to Buenos Aires and beyond. The weather should be warm from here (it was a very pleasant 26 degrees today), so we packed away all of our winter clothing and the extra blankets and ponchos we have bought along the way. Hopefully, we won't be needing them again.

I scheduled a few posts for the next week or so. The campsite WiFi was rubbish, but the Solis worked well.

Later, Mark went to lie down and I went for a walk. I went up to the headland and took a photo of the Tehuelche monument dedicated to the original inhabitants of the area. I was hoping to visit the Eco Centre but it was only 1.45pm and it didn't open until 5. Instead, I explored the Welsh connection with Puerto Madryn. 153 Welsh settlers, fleeing English cultural and economic oppression (so the information board told me), arrived here aboard the Mimosa, a former tea clipper built entirely from wood, in 1865. For the first few weeks, they lived in makeshift wooden huts built into caves in the cliffs. The remains of these dwellings can still be seen. There is a monument that lists the names of everyone who arrived on the Mimosa. I wanted to learn more about the story but, again, the nearby Welsh Museum was closed until 5pm!

I took some photos of the murals painted on the outside of the museum.

I set off to walk to the town centre, but the wind was really strong and I was being sandblasted, so I returned to the campsite where it was a bit more sheltered.Meer informatie