Day 29…Cruise to South America…One Buenos Aires task accomplished aboard ship…Scary email about upcoming Antarctica cruise…

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The end of this small island off the coast of Punta Del Este, Uruguay, looked unusual with the tall trees.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

View from the veranda of the town of Ushuaia, our favorite port of call on this cruise.

The time has flown quickly, which is typical while cruising. Seemingly, suddenly, it’s coming to an end. In a mere 48 hours, we’ll be off the ship and on our way to our hotel in Buenos Aires.

We’ve hardly noticed that it’s Christmas time, although the ship is decorated in many areas. It’s time to get ourselves into the holiday spirit, but over these past five years of travel, it seems to have alluded us to a degree with no home, no tree, no gifts, and no family, with whom to celebrate in person. 

Instead, we focus on the spiritual meaning of this time of the year and find our own unique ways to make it memorable for both of us. Magically, as is the nature of the holiday season, opportunities present themselves, and somehow we find our hearts filled with the merriment of the season in one way or another. This year will be no exception.

Punta del Este is a popular summer holiday location.

Of course, there Tom’s birthday on the 23rd. Although we don’t exchange gifts, we each find a way to make our birthdays memorable for one another. This year will be no different as we settle into our boutique hotel in the Palermo area of Buenos Aires on the day of his birthday.

Last night, we eliminated one task we had planned for Buenos Aires when we used the balance of our cabin credit of US $210 to purchase another duty-free camera. Yes, I’d have liked to upgrade to a higher quality camera, but with the 21% VAT tax imposed on all purchases in Buenos Aires, we felt buying it duty-free on the ship made more sense economically.

A small uninhabited island off the coast of Punta del Este.

We purchased an identical camera to our current camera, a Canon Power Shot SX60 HS, for several reasons:
1.  We’re both comfortable using it
2.  It takes excellent photos.
3.  We already have four batteries (the new purchase makes it five batteries). We have three battery chargers.  (We easily recall running out of batteries while on safari in the Masai Mara over four years ago.  This will never happen again)!
4.  The price online at Amazon was the same price we paid last night on the ship at US $429, but we avoided US sales tax, shipping costs, customs fees, and VAT tax. It was a no-brainer.
5.  With the remaining non-refundable cabin credit of US $210  to use toward the camera, we are left with a balance of US $229 on our cruise bill for this second leg.  This made sense to us.

With this task out of the way, we’re greatly relieved. Once the holidays end, we’ll tackle the remaining tasks; travel clinic for vaccination updates, new epi-pens, and malaria pills; dentist for my tooth; and purchase a few toiletries for the Antarctica cruise.

View from the ship of yesterday’s port of call, Punta del Esta, Uruguay.

Speaking of the Antarctica cruise, yesterday we were shaken when we received an email from our rep at Vacations-to-Go, stating she received an email from Ponant stating they never received any of our vital documents (including passport copies, ID info, and medical documents), which we’d sent by email on November 3, 2017.

In searching through my “sent” email, I found the original message we’d sent that included everything they’d requested well within the range of their required dates. 

How did this happen?  Most assuredly, it was lost on their end. I ran into trouble trying to resend the 19 PDF pages with the ship’s poor Wi-Fi signal. After several attempts, I decided to send them in five small batches.  After patiently waiting for each one to “go,” we finally received confirmation from Ponant that they’d received everything. Whew! That could have been a nightmare!

Christmas display on deck 10.

Here again, we could kick ourselves for not confirming they received the documents once we sent them. We should have learned our lesson when a few months ago, the same thing happened when Railroad Retirement (for Medicare) said they hadn’t received Tom’s waiver of Part B. At that time, we also had confirmation the document had been sent as required. Again, we had to resend the document.

Oh, well.  I guess we live in a world where one must check and recheck, never making assumptions about the efficiency of a variety of systems within our realm. So it goes.

Today, our ship is docked in Montevideo, Uruguay, and once we’ve uploaded today’s post, we’ll be disembarking the ship to check out the big city. Tomorrow, we write about our experiences and share many photos we’ll take during our visit.

Christmas display on deck four outside the Trellis restaurant.

Tomorrow, we’ll pack and begin sharing favorite photos from this cruise and prepare the “final expenses” to share on the 23rd. If you’d like to see where we’ve traveled thus far in South America and throughout the world, please click on the link under the map on the right side of our main page, under the photo of us in Petra, Jordan. 

It even shocks us when we see where we’ve been.  And, it scares us even more, when we realize how much more there is yet to see. The world is a vast place, and we’re happy all of you, our dear and loyal readers, are with us along the way.

Continue to enjoy your holiday festivities if you celebrate this occasion and if you do not, enjoy your every day as if it was a holiday!

Photo from one year ago today, December 21, 2016:

The wind causes a rippled pattern on the white sand beach in Binalong Bay in Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

Day 28…Cruise to South America…Stats on the cruise…Engine room tour and photos…

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The two officers were clear and concise in explaining the functions and safety systems in the ship’s engine room.
“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”
Another exquisite view of Ushuaia from the veranda.

We’re often curious about several passengers on our cruises. With this back-to-back cruise as our 20th and 21st since January 3, 2013, we were especially interested in the fact we observed passengers from all over the world.

Multiple monitors are on display for the management of the ship’s engines.

Most passengers spoke English on our past cruises, consisting primarily of Americans, citizens of the UK, and Canadians. While sailing in the South Pacific from 2015 to 2017, the passengers included Australians, Americans, citizens of the UK, Canadians, and a mix of other countries and languages.

It was interesting to hear about the many systems in place for the operation of the ship.

Based on the fact that this cruise would primarily be sailing in South America, except for the embarkation from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, it’s been an exciting mix of passengers from all over the world, more than we’ve seen on any past cruises.

This monitor shows the status of the ship’s stabilizers.

Based on these numbers we’re sharing today, over half the passengers have been English-speaking on each leg of the cruise. Why is this significant or worthy of mention? Indeed, from our perspective, by no means a result of any prejudice of any ethnicity.

There were dozens of pieces of equipment for the staff to monitor 24-hours a day.

However, many passengers choose to cruise for socialization as well as being able to visit many countries in one fell swoop. The more culturally diverse cruises may limit some of the social engagement.

On several occasions, we were seated at shared dining tables where we could not communicate with our table-mates, making it difficult for all of us. We feel bad that we don’t know their language and are unable to speak. 

Emergency buttons available had yet to be used by either officer.

Here are some stats provided to us by the Captain’s Club Hostess as to the breakdown of the languages spoken by passengers on both legs of this back-to-back cruise:

Cruise #1 – November 23, 2017 – Fort Lauderdale, FL to San Antonio, Chile:

  • Arabic – 2
  • Chinese – 4
  • Croatian – 2
  • Czech – 3
  • Danish – 29
  • Dutch – 89
  • English – 1514
  • Finish – 6
  • French – 44
  • German – 121
  • Greek – 3
  • Hebrew -13
  • Hungarian – 6
  • Italian – 5
  • Latvia – 2
  • Malay -1
  • Norwegian – 34
  • Portuguese – 45
  • Russian – 1
  • Slovene – 2
  • Spanish – 175
  • Sweden – 4
  • Turkish -1
  • Ukrainian -4
  • TOTAL – 2109

Cruise #2 – December 8, 2017 – San Antonio, Chile: to Buenos Aires, AR

  • Arabic – 2
  • Chinese – 11
  • Croatian – 2
  • Czech – 2
  • Danish – 1
  • Dutch – 33
  • English – 1257
  • Finish – 3
  • French – 54
  • German – 103
  • Greek – 3
  • Hebrew -82
  • Hungarian – 6
  • Italian – 3
  • Japanese – 10
  • Korean – 4
  • Malay – 4
  • Norwegian – 17
  • Portuguese – 139
  • Romanian – 2
  • Russian – 14
  • Slovene – 4
  • Spanish – 368
  • Sweden – 4
  • Turkish – 22
  • Unknown – 1
  • TOTAL – 2193

Last week we were invited to participate in a tour of the ship’s engine room. Various tours are offered at no charge for Captain’s Club members, while other tours, such as the galley, require a payment. Without a needed expense, we decided we’d be happy to attend.

Although we anticipate the engine room staff may be tired of doing such tours, their courteous and knowledgeable manner made it appear that this was their first time.

Another workstation.

They eagerly answered questions and allowed photos of the equipment and computer monitors as they explained how it all works. Overall, it proved to be attractive to both of us, and thus, we wanted to share some of these photos here today.

Me and one of the two officers who conducted the presentation.

Today, the ship is anchored in the bay at Punta Del Este, Uruguay, with the lifeboats being used as tenders to take passengers ashore. With only a small population and few sites to see, we’ve decided to stay on board. 

In researching this small town, the highlights include shopping for local handicrafts and a few photo ops, a lighthouse, and a hand sculpture on the beach. Tomorrow, we’ll be arriving in Montevideo, Uruguay, where we’ll be heading ashore and sharing photos on Friday.
Tom and the second officer in command.

On Saturday, we’ll post our final expenses (including cruise fare) for this back-to-back cruise, including our total bills for both legs in the journey.

Have a lovely day and be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 20, 2016:

Entrance statue to Binalong Bay in Tasmania.  Click here for details.  For more photos from the year-ago post, please click here.

Day 27…Cruise to South America…Another port of call…Puerto Madryn…Four days and counting…

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Abandoned seafaring boat on the beach in Puerto Madryn.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

Scene of Ushuaia from our veranda.

In a mere four days, this 30-night cruise will end in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where we’ll stay for another 30 nights while we await the upcoming Antarctica cruise sailing on January 23rd from Ushuaia, Argentina.

 Are we excited about the upcoming 30-nights in Buenos Aires?  Most certainly! If we were only traveling for a vacation/holiday for 30-nights and could spend a month in the vibrant city, we’d be thrilled.

This could have been a street in any beach town.

During this period, we’ll be able to accomplish a few objectives we have in mind to include:
1.  Visit a travel clinic to update our vaccinations and get a prescription for malaria pills (for Africa).
2.  Visit a dentist to have a problematic crown reseated, which is bothering me while eating.
3.  Purchase any last-minute supplies for the Antarctica cruise.
4.  Do laundry and dry cleaning for the cold weather Antarctica clothes we ended up wearing during the cold days of this cruise. (Thank goodness we had the warm clothes with us!)
5.  Purchase a second camera.

Statue at Puerto Madryn Beach.

In the interim, we have a challenge finding restaurants for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Buenos Aires. Either the restaurants are closed during the holiday season or charge as much as US $150 per person for either of the holiday night’s meals.

Our hotelier has been working on finding options available other than the US $300 per day required for each of these two meals. So far, he hasn’t been successful in locating some possibilities suitable for our needs.

Whale carving at the beach.

On top of it, Tom’s birthday is on the day the cruise ends on December 23rd, and we’ll have to find somewhere for dinner that night. Trying to find options online has been cumbersome and time-consuming with the slow Wi-Fi signal on this ship.

We’d recently given up trying to book dinner reservations for these three nights instead of taking our chances once we arrive in Buenos Aires.  In the worst case, we’ll have the included breakfasts at the hotel, which is available each day, and then find a market where we can buy something for the tiny refrigerator in our hotel room.

Typical apartment building in Puerto Madryn.

We aren’t particularly concerned. Somehow, it will all work out. If we have to have nuts and cheese for dinner, we’ll be fine. Although, it would be fun to spend all three evenings celebrating the three memorable occasions.
Yesterday, we toured the town of Puerto Madryn, Argentina. Here is some information about this coastal town from this site:

“Puerto Madryn (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweɾto ˈmaðɾin]; Welsh: Porth Madryn) is a city in the province of Chubut in Argentina, Patagonia. It is the capital of the Biedma Department and has about 93,995 inhabitants, according to the last census in 2010.
Puerto Madryn is protected by the Golfo Nuevo, which is formed by the Península Valdés and the Punta Ninfas. It is an important center for tourists visiting the natural attractions of the Península Valdés and the coast.
A new shopping mall in the city center has significantly helped tourism, making Puerto Madryn a more attractive place for international and domestic tourists visiting Patagonia. It is twinned with Nefyn, a small town on the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales, due to its enduring link with Welsh culture since the Welsh settlement in Argentina. The first of a two-Test tour to Argentina by the Wales national rugby union team was played in 2006 in Puerto Madryn, a 27–25 win over Argentina. Puerto Madryn is home to two football clubs; Club Social y Atlético Guillermo Brown, who plays in Nacional B and Deportivo Madryn that currently play in Torneo Argentino B.
A basketball team, Deportivo Puerto Madryn, plays in the Liga Nacional de Básquetbol (LNB). Their home arena is known as the Deportivo Puerto Madryn Arena.

El Tehuelche Airport is located 10 km northwest of the city center. Commercial flights from Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, and other Argentinian cities are available. Most tourists fly into Trelew Airport as flights into Puerto Madryn are restricted due to environmental concerns.

The town was founded on 28 July 1865, when 150 Welsh immigrants arriving aboard the clipper Mimosa named the natural port Porth Madryn in honor of Sir Love Jones-Parry, whose estate in Wales was named “Madryn.” Conditions were difficult, and the settlers had to dig irrigation ditches for their first crops.

The settlement grew due to the building of the Central Chubut Railway by Welsh, Spanish, and Italian immigrants. This line, opened in 1889, linked the town to Trelew via the lower Chubut River valley.”

Pair of shipwrecked boats in the bay.

By noon, after uploading the day’s post, we made our way to the awaiting shuttle buses for the 25-minute ride into the city. Along the way, we spotted several shipwrecks on the otherwise pristine beaches, which we’ll share as soon as we’re able to upload photos.

After being dropped off in the center of town, we walked for a while, checking out the sights and sounds of the busy village, which included a lengthy and noisy parade of protestors over the government, followed up by several police officers and military personnel.

We always try to imagine what may have happened to such a boat long ago…

Considering our lack of interest in shopping and dining in restaurants, after a few hours, we decided to head back to the shuttle to return to the ship. The afternoon was wearing on, and we both hoped for a short rest before showering again and dressing for the 5:00 pm Captain’s Club happy hour in the Constellation Lounge.

By 7:15 pm, we were seated at a shared table in the Trellis Restaurant, where a lively conversation ensued among the like-minded group of eight. The time flew quickly, and suddenly it was 10:30 pm. An early night was in order, and by midnight we were both asleep.
Protesters were marching on the beach boulevard.

On Friday, we’ll begin packing, leaving our sealed bags outside our cabin door by Friday at 10:00 pm, where they’ll be transported to the port area in Buenos Aires. We’ll collect the bags upon arrival at the port in the morning.  

Generally, this process is relatively easy when the bags are stored in the numbered areas for which we’ll have tickets. Each cabin is assigned a disembarking number, and we can depart the ship when our number is called.  Numbers are assigned based on a few factors; requests and priority status based on Captain’s Club membership.  

A shipwreck ship was lying on the beach in Puerto Madryn.

We’ve requested a low number in this particular case, hoping to disembark the ship by 7:30 am or so.  We’ll take a taxi to our hotel in Palermo, expecting to check-in no later than 10:00 am. Most likely, all of this will work out well, leaving us plenty of time to work on dinner reservations for the upcoming three nights while many venues will still be open for business.

That’s it for today, folks. We hope you’re enjoying holiday festivities as we rapidly wind down to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Photo from one year ago today, December 19, 2016:

We visited the General Penguin Cemetery overlooking the Bass Straits in Tasmania with thoughts of those we’ve lost. For more photos, please click here.

Day 26…Cruise to South America…A night to remember…An exceptional dining experience aboard ship…

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Tom dined on one of these “Lava Crab” dishes I avoided due to the flour content. He described it as outstanding.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

Stunning view of Ushuaia from the veranda.

As an avid and enthusiastic foodie from both the perspective of a passionate cook and hostess, I’ve had the opportunity to experience many types of cuisine, especially now as we travel the world.

Tom was holding his menu tablet while deciding what to order at the Qsine specialty restaurant while at sea on Celebrity Infinity. Nine Celebrity ships are offering this exceptional dining experience.

Although my restrictive way of eating keeps us from dining out as much as we’d like in our worldwide travels, it doesn’t diminish the desire to partake in exceptional dining opportunities along the way.

From the “Sushi ” choice were these “lollipops.”  Although we didn’t order this option, we reveled in the gorgeous presentation.

Last night’s foray into an outstanding international hours-long epicurean adventure resulted from a night at Celebrity Infinity’s Qsine specialty restaurant neatly tucked away on deck 11 in a fashionable orange, black, and white themed venue wouldn’t imagine from such a color scheme. 

Many items from the “Soup & Souffle” menu were served “tapas” style, small servings such as these two souffles Chef Chantal prepared for me.

Nothing was spared in presenting a divine dining encounter at Qsine; from Chef Chantal’s dedication in ensuring the many food offerings would meticulously adhere to my dietary restrictions; to the dramatic presentation of each of the many unique and varied options; to the service befitting royalty by our attentive and gracious server, Tabby and; Alson who coordinated our reservation with expert ease.

This delicious seafood ceviche from the “Trescviche” option was atop sparkling lighted ice cubes.

Our entire experience was overseen by the restaurant manager, Jowett, who quietly and unobtrusively stopped by on a few suitable occasions adding one more layer of attention to perfection and detail one rarely finds in even the most upscale of dining establishments.

Tom was impressed with the “Lobster Escargot” exquisitely presented with two baked-in-parchment rolls.  Tom wasn’t able to finish his garlic olive oil pull-apart loaf as shown, but he kept it close at hand until the end of the meal, hoping he’d have room to no avail.

Chef Chantal stopped by toward the end of our meal, hoping for the good news she most undoubtedly expected by the finite adjustments she’d made to my varied items.  Her confidence and evident joy in serving her clients with expertise and devotion, from her years of accumulated skills, were readily evidenced by the warm smile on her face.

The “Taco Royale” presentation could easily have been a full meal for me with its make-your-own guacamole and beef taco salad.

Please see this link for Qsine’s world-inspired menu.

As for the food? I find myself at a loss for words describing the degree of creativity required in the expansive and fascinating menu offered on an iPad-type device where one only needs to click to choose their preferred plethora of courses.

This window box type display was a part of the “M Favorites” choice on the menu.

Course after course of exceptionally prepared items was presented at a perfectly timed pace leaving us curious and excited as we anticipated what was next to arrive. As the evening progressed and our satiety level was gradually waning merely from being complete, we had little will to resist the next course, especially when our eyes beheld the next in the sequence.

Although Tom was able to dine on items forbidden in my diet, including starch, sugars, and grains, I never felt denied as I stared in awe of what lies before me; presentation and flavor one can only dream possible. 

Tom’s taste buds were soaring when he began to sample the elaborate “Chinese Martini” option on the menu.

Tom found it irresistible to resist as each course was served.  His picky taste buds partook in many foods he’d previously refused to try finding the flavors and seasonings much to his liking. 

Tom’s delicious basket of “Beignets, Doughnuts, and Fritters.”

We entered the restaurant by 7:10 pm and didn’t leave until 9:30 pm. Dining at Qsine was as much of an entertaining event as it was a dining event. Watching the delighted faces of other diners as they were served the high quality and picturesque cuisine was another source of pleasure during our own experience. 

Tom’s “Surprise Dessert” consisted of a puff pastry wrapped baked apple was equally enticing.

I must admit that next time we book a Celebrity cruise, most certainly, we’ll be checking to see if a Qsine specialty restaurant is “on board,” which, without question, will add another layer of pleasure to our dining prospects while at sea.

With heartfelt consideration, we offer our sincere thanks to all of the staff who made this memorable evening a part of our repertoire of extraordinary experiences in our worldwide travels.

This Rubix cube-type dessert menu was presented at the end of our meal, from which Tom selected “Beignets – Doughnuts – Fritters,” a basket filled with fluffy baked goods. 

Today, our ship is docked in the city of Puerto Madryn, Argentina. After uploading today’s post, we’ll head out for the shuttle bus ride into the town, returning tomorrow with photos of yet another city in our journey.

Happy dining to all of our readers, and thank you for staying in touch with us as we wind down this enriching 30-night South America cruise. 

Photo from one year ago today, December 18, 2016:
Our fabulous vacation home in Penguin, Tasmania. (House with reddish roof). Click here for the link to the rental listing.  For more details, please click here.

Day 25…Cruise to South America…Ushuaia…”End of the world, beginning of everything”…

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Ushuaia is a seaport and resort town.
We were bundled up in Ushuaia in the cold air. 
The sign reads, “fin del mundo,” the end of the world.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

In Ushuaia, this was the first loon we’d seen since our old lives in Minnesota.

In 37 days, we’ll be returning to Ushuaia to board Ponant’s Le Soleil to begin our 17-day journey to Antarctica.  As we perused the colorful and unusual city known as the “end of the world” we found ourselves particularly interested in the seaport community.

An expedition ship preparing to set sail to Antarctica.  Soon, we’ll be on such a ship.

We couldn’t stop smiling as we wandered through the town, entranced by its unique beauty and charm. At times, I found myself squealing with delight while Tom reveled along with me in a more sedate manner. Guys don’t usually squeal. But, I found doing so irresistible.

It’s almost summer in Ushuaia but it was cold and the mountains are still snow-capped.

We didn’t need a specific ship’s tour to get the flavor of the port city as we walked the level and hilly streets of the town, stopping to peer inside unique shops, restaurants, and businesses.

“Construction of the national penitentiary in Ushuaia began in 1902 when there were already a dozen prisoners living in wood and tin huts. The convicts sentenced to the penitentiary in Ushuaia were dangerous repeat offenders and political prisoners sent down from jails in Buenos Aires province.”

The local people are friendly, never failing to nod and smile when passing us on the street. The workers at the port were equally friendly and accommodating while passengers walked past, often interrupting their work in loading and unloading food and supplies for various seafaring ships preparing to set sail.

Mountains surround the town.

With both of us possessing an affinity for the sea, this outing was of the utmost interest. For a moment, I fantasized about staying in this town for a period of time but the winters are bitterly cold and snowy.  Even now, with their summer looming in a few days, it was outrageously cold. I guess this type of weather isn’t for us for the long haul.

Most of the town is centered around seaport enterprises.

Here is information about Ushuaia from this site:

“Ushuaia (/uːˈʃwaɪ.ə/; Spanish pronunciation: [uˈswaʝa]) is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. Ushuaia is located in a wide bay on the southern coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, bounded on the north by the Martial mountain range, and on the south by the Beagle Channel. It is the only municipality in the Department of Ushuaia, which has an area of 9,390 km2 (3,625 sq mi). It was founded October 12 of 1884 by Augusto Lasserre and is located on the shores of the Beagle Channel surrounded by the mountain range of the Martial Glacier, in the Bay of Ushuaia. Besides being an administrative center, it is a light industrial port and tourist hub.

Country  Argentina
Province  Tierra del Fuego
Department Ushuaia
Founded 12 October 1884
Founded by Commodore Lasserre ARA
Government
 • Type Municipality
 • Mayor Federico Sciurano
Area
 • Total 23 km2 (9 sq mi)
Elevation 23 m (75 ft)
Population (2010 Census[1])
 • Total 56,956
 • Density 2,500/km2 (6,400/sq mi)
Time zone ART (UTC−3)
CPA Base V 9410
Area code(s) +54 2901
Climate ET

The word Ushuaia comes from the Yaghan language: ush and waia (“bay” or “cove”) and means “deep bay” or “bay to background”. The act creating the subprefecture in 1884 cites the name “Oshovia”, one of the many orthographic variations of the word.[4] Its demonym is “Ushuaiense”.

Another ship, preparing to head to Antarctica.

The name is often pronounced “u-sua-ia” (Spanish pronunciation: [uˈswaʝa]), an exception to the orthographic rules of Spanish, since the ‘s’ forms a syllable with the following ‘u’ despite the intervening ‘h’.The pronunciation”Usuaía” (accented on the ‘i’) is erroneous: the prosodic accent is on the first ‘a’, which is why the word is written without an accent mark.”

Ushuaia’s motto reads: “Ushuaia, end of the world, beginning of everything.”

An exquisite albatross sculpture.  We especially enjoyed seeing many albatrosses in the port.

The above-listed website has considerably more information should you desire to learn more than we’ve listed here.

A totem pole depicting distances to various cities in the world.

What’s on the agenda for today? With only six days remaining until the end of the cruise, today, we’ll continue to socialize with people we’ve already met and others we’re yet to meet. As always, the cruise has been an ideal venue for us to make new friends.

Lupine flowers are commonly seen in springtime in Ushuaia. Soon, on December 21st, summer will begin in this part of the world.

Of course, our new friends Lisa and Barry with whom we spent the first 15 days on the cruise are staying in touch as we’re all anticipating being together again in the near future.

The bust statue of Argentina’s beloved Evita.

Tonight, we’re dining in Qsine, an upscale specialty restaurant for which we’ll be writing a review and sharing photos tomorrow. After meeting with Chef Chantal a few days ago, I have no doubt the meal will exquisitely perfect for my way of eating.

The long walk from the ship to the town was highlighted by the many sights and sounds of the bustling port.

See you tomorrow, dear readers, and our heartfelt thanks for you continuing with us through yet another 30-night cruise.  

Photo from one year ago today, December 17, 2016:

Wildflowers blooming along a country road in Tasmania. For more details, please click here.

Day 24…Cruise to South America…Cape Horn…The End of the World…How exciting!…Ushuaia…

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This rock formation connotes where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet at Cape Horn.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

Evening photo last night. The sun didn’t fully set until almost 11:00 pm.

It was only around 6:00 am that we were situated in Cafe al Bacio. The ship is humming with announcements over the loudspeaker, with the passengers’ enthusiasm palpable as we sail from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean via Cape Horn, South America.

Tom said he was nearly blown away by high winds when he took this photo early this morning as we approached Cape Horn.

It’s hard to believe we are currently in Cape Horn that explorers discovered long ago, uninhabited weather-dominated acclaimed “end of the world,” known as the last visible landmass, before reaching Antarctica.

Rock formations at Cape Horn.

This is of particular interest to us based on the fact that we’ll be heading to Antarctica in a mere 38 days. Taking this specific cruise before the upcoming cruise has proven highly beneficial to our understanding and appreciation for this remote part of the world.

Here is a map of this area from this site:

Map of the most southerly tip of South America, Cape Horn, where we’re currently sailing.

 From this site, more on Cape Horn:

“Cape Horn (Spanish: Cabo de Hornos) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramírez Islands), Cape Horn marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage and marks where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.

Cape Horn was discovered and first rounded by the Dutchman Willem Schouten, who named it Kaap Hoorn after the city of Hoorn in the Netherlands. For decades, Cape Horn was a significant milestone on the clipper route, by which sailing ships carried trade around the world. The waters around Cape Horn are particularly hazardous, owing to strong winds, large waves, strong currents, and icebergs; these dangers have made it notorious as a sailors’ graveyard.

Sailing around the Horn is widely regarded as one of the significant challenges in yachting. The need for ships to round Cape Horn was significantly reduced by the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. Thus a few recreational sailors continue to sail this route, sometimes as part of a circumnavigation of the globe. Almost all of these choose routes through the channels to the north of the Cape. (Many take a detour through the islands and anchor to wait for fair weather to visit Horn Island or sail around it to replicate a rounding of this historic point). Several major ocean yacht races, notably the Volvo Ocean Race, the VELUX 5 Oceans, and the Vendée Globe, sail around the world via the Horn. Speed records for round-the-world sailing are recognized for following this route.

Many rock formations are named, but with the slow Wi-Fi right now, we’re unable to do much research.

Cape Horn is located on Isla Hornos in the Hermite Islands group, at the southern end of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.  It marks the north edge of the Drake Passage, the strait between South America and Antarctica. It is located in Cabo de Hornos National Park.

Cape Horn is the southern limit of the range of the Magellanic penguin. The cape lies within Chilean territorial waters, and the Chilean Navy maintains a station on Hoorn Island, consisting of a residence, utility building, chapel, and lighthouse.  A short distance from the central station is a memorial, including a large sculpture made by Chilean sculptor José Balcells featuring the silhouette of an albatross, in remembrance of the sailors who died while attempting to “round the Horn.” It was erected in 1992 through the initiative of the Chilean Section of the Cape Horn Captains Brotherhood.[ The terrain is entirely treeless, although quite lush owing to frequent precipitation.
Two lighthouses are located near or in Cape Horn. The one located in the Chilean Navy Station is the more accessible and visited and is commonly referred to as the Cape Horn lighthouse. However, the Chilean Navy station, including the lighthouse (ARLS CHI-030, 55°57′48.5″S 67°13′14.2″W) and the memorial, are not located on Cape Horn (which is difficult to access either by land or sea), but on another land point about one-mile east-northeast.
Views of Cape Horn from the ship’s bow.
On Cape Horn proper is a smaller 4-meter (13-foot) fiberglass light tower, with a focal plane of 40 meters (130 feet) and a range of about 21 kilometers (13 miles). This is the authentic Cape Horn lighthouse (ARLS CHI-006, 55°58′38.3″S 67°15′45.5″W), and as such the world’s southernmost traditional lighthouse.  A few minor aids to navigation are located farther south, including one in the Diego Ramírez Islands and several in Antarctica.
The climate in the region is generally cool, owing to the southern latitude. There are no weather stations in the islands, including Cape Horn, but a study in 1882–1883 found an annual rainfall of 1,357 millimeters (53.4 inches), with an average annual temperature of 5.2 °C (41.4 °F). Winds were reported to average 30 kilometers per hour (8.33 m/s; 18.64 mph), (5 Bf), with squalls of over 100 kilometers per hour (27.78 m/s; 62.14 mph), (10 Bf) occurring in all seasons. There are 278 days of rainfall (70 days snow) and 2,000 millimeters (79 inches) of annual rainfall.

Cloud coverage is generally extensive, with averages from 5.2 eighths in May and July to 6.4 eighths in December and January.  Precipitation is high throughout the year: the weather station on the nearby Diego Ramirez Islands, 109 kilometers (68 mi) south-west in the Drake Passage, shows the greatest rainfall in March, averaging 137.4 millimeters (5.41 in); while October, which has the least rainfall, still averages 93.7 millimeters (3.69 in). Wind conditions are generally severe, particularly in winter. In summer, the wind at Cape Horn is gale force up to 5% of the time, with generally good visibility; however, in winter, gale-force winds occur up to 30% of the time, often with poor visibility.

Ship in the area heading further south to Antarctica.

Many stories are told of hazardous journeys “around the Horn,” most describing fierce storms. Charles Darwin wrote: “One sight of such a coast is enough to make a landsman dream for a week about shipwrecks, peril, and death.”

We had planned to post the story of yesterday’s visit to Ushuaia but based on today’s sailing to Cape Horn. We decided to postpone it until tomorrow, which will be a sea day. We’re excited to share the photos from Ushuaia as well.

Cape Horn is not one single spot.  It’s a series of islands and rock formations.

Last night, at the Captain’s Club party from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, we thoroughly enjoyed the company of another new couple. We continue to enjoy meeting travelers from all over the world on this cruise, especially during the relaxed and easy environment of the Captain’s Club.

I took a break from the group at around 6:30. At the same time, management staff from the specialty restaurants stopped by to ask me to meet the chef from two of the specialty restaurants where we’ll be dining over the next few days, subsequently preparing stories here with photos of the memorable dining experiences.

Albatross statue at the top of a hill in Cape Horn by Jose Balcells as a memorial to sailors who lost their lives at Cabo de Homes, Cape Horn Chili.

At dinner, we sat at a round table for 10, again meeting more passengers we’d yet to meet. Later, several of us danced at the silent disco party in the area of the solarium pool.  It was cold in that area, and we both had to bundle up to stay warm, even with our rambunctious dancing to the music.

Today, we’ll need a nap. We’re both a bit sluggish after getting to bed at midnight and arising by 5:00 am. Tomorrow, we’ll be back with our fabulous photos of Ushuaia, one of the most exciting towns we’ve visited during this 30-night cruise, which ends one week from today.

Lighthouse in Cape Horn.  For this Cape Horn lighthouse fable, please click here.

May those of you who celebrate enjoy holiday festivities safely and with much merriment.

  Photo from one year ago today, December 16, 2016:

Fran and Terry hosted our evening ou at a local cafe. During our evening, we met other locals in Penguin Tasmania. For more details, please click here.

Day 23…Cruise to South America…Pantagonia…The Straits!!!…Today, we’re officially at the city known as the “End of the World,” Ushuaia, Argentina.

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Map of where we’ve traveled over these past many days in the Chilean and Magellan Straits.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

Note the snow-covered pointed peak

Of course, we were disappointed to be unable to post the stunning photos we’ve taken in this remote part of the world. Since we’re far from satellites, the signal is so weak. We can barely write the post, let alone post photos.

Snow-covered mountains left us all in awe of the scenes before our eyes.

After considering several “workarounds,” we’re now able to post with photos and have since gone back to yesterday’s post, adding the images we’d earmarked for that post.

Now, at almost 1:00 pm Friday, December 15th, we’re back in business and able to post correctly. It’s a huge relief! We were both concerned and frustrated being unable to complete the posts, not only for the disappointment in being unable to stay in touch with all of our readers but also for the fact we’d get behind with backlogged photos and stories.

We imagined how exciting it would be to be on a small boat maneuvering through the fiords.

As of today, we’ll be caught up. Early this morning, we disembarked the ship to visit one of the most exciting ports of call during this cruise, Ushuaia, Argentina. Knowing we’ll be returning to Ushuaia in 39 days to board the Antarctica cruise made being here today all the more exciting.

The fiords create their own weather system, which was constantly changing.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the Ushuaia photos. Still, today, we feel it’s important to share the pictures and story of the great passage we made through the Chilean and Magellan Straits, one of the most memorable scenery experiences in our five years of world travel.

With the utmost awe and wonder, for days, our eyes were constantly peeled out the windows and decks (albeit in bitter cold), taking in every fantastic scene of the remote and untarnished area of the world, Patagonia, as shown in the above map.

A patch of blue sky at a distance.

There was no port of call stops. There were no shops, no restaurants, and no trinkets to buy. There was only the finite remoteness of a land we can only imagine, as neither of us had ever witnessed anywhere in the world.

Many of the rock formations have a grayish cast.

I feel breathless in attempting to describe this lonely place near the “end of the world” where one snow-covered mountain and glacier after another caught or attention, leaving us in a state of utter wonder over the magic of the world around us.

We sailed over hundreds of miles (KM) through the Chilean Fiords and The Strait(s) of Magellan.  The views are breathtaking!

Our photos cannot do it justice. How does one take a fascinating image of a glacier or mountain when “up close and personal” as we were hour after hour? We sailed through it all morning until dark which didn’t come until almost 11:00 pm each night.

Each snow-covered mountain is more beautiful than the next.  Photos don’t do it justice.

A few photos we previously posted of the two of us were indeed taken outdoors around 10:00 pm. The air is cold and fresh. We saw no evidence of human intervention, no trash, no debris, no remnants of human life in any form.  

Gorgeous glaciers.

We observed a variety of seabirds, but there was little visible wildlife. However, we anticipated hidden within the rugged terrain, therein may live a vast array of wildlife we may never see.

We’d heard snippets of the Chilean Fiords and the Strait of Magellan. Also, we’ve seen similar settings in other parts of the world, for example, the “sounds” in New Zealand. We’ve anticipated the Norwegian fiords and others. But, no way can we conceive of those being more shocked than that which our eye beheld over these past days at sea.

A glacier in the straits.

Thus, dear readers, with a bit of trepidation, we share today’s photos, knowing full well that there’s no way our amateur photos can depict what our eyes beheld. Know that…within our heartfelt words expressed here…it was astounding. We’ll never forget.

This photo was taken through the glass window in the dining room resulting in the blue tint.

In a mere eight days, we’ll disembark this ship, the Celebrity Infinity, for a month in Buenos Aires, a vast difference from our time aboard the ship, but surely we’ll enjoy it in an entirely different manner.

Be well.  Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, December 15, 2016:

This pretty horse caught our attention as we drove through the countryside in Penguin, Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

Day 22…Cruise to South America…Punta Arenas, Chile, port of call has been cancelled due to rough seas…

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Punta Arenas would have been a great port of call to visit, but bad weather prevented the necessary use of the tenders. We sailed away.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

Tom captured this rainbow when we were in Punta Arenas, Chile.

A few frustrations popped up this morning. One is due to rough seas; we won’t be able to visit today’s port of call, Punta Arenas, Chile, one we’d very much looked forward to seeing during this cruise.

Secondly, the Wi-Fi signal aboard the ship this morning is prolonged, making it impossible at the moment to upload our awaiting photos for today’s post.
Another view of Tom’s rainbow capture.

Well, missing the port isn’t so crucial for us when we plan to return to South America for an extended stay in 2019-2020. Thus, we take that in our stride. However, being unable to upload photos is an entirely different scenario altogether.  

 I’ll continue to try, but if I can’t get them uploaded, we’ll have to post our story for today, adding the photos as soon as we receive a better signal. Since all passengers are staying on board today, they are busy on cellphones, tablets, and computers. 

A cruise ship, a freighter, and a fishing boat in the harbor in Punta Arenas.

Plus, many passengers had booked private tours for Punta Arenas and are busy attempting to cancel them to receive refunds for monies they may have paid in advance. That must be frustrating.

 In these circumstances, the cruise line automatically reverses all charges for ship-sponsored booked tours without the necessity of passengers heading to the guest relations desk. But, they do not reimburse passengers for any lost funds they cannot recover from private tours.

What a pretty city view.

Hopefully, the tour company operators understand the weather conditions and will refund all monies paid in advance. Nonetheless, it’s quite an inconvenience for those passengers working on that today. Luckily, we hadn’t planned anything specific when we grabbed a taxi for a few-hour tour of the area.

 Instead, we’re now leaving Chile to be on our way to Ushuaia, Argentina, for tomorrow’s port of call. Oddly, we’ll be back in Ushuaia on January 23rd, when we fly from Buenos Aires to board the Ponant Antarctica Cruise.

View of Punta Arenas from the bow of the ship.

When we arrive on January 23rd, we won’t have much time in the most southerly city in the world, so we hope to disembark the ship tomorrow and explore on our own.

 We’re so fortunate to have this upcoming Antarctica cruise since we’ve been wearing several items we purchased for that cruise to stay warm, especially during these high winds rough seas in the area.  

A ferry making its way to the port.

The ship keeps the indoor temperature very cool to control the spread of germs. As a result, most passengers, including us, are bundled up in warm clothing, with many wearing heavy jackets. We haven’t needed to wear our jackets but take advantage of sweaters and nice sweatshirts we have on hand—Safari luck.

 Last night, again, we stayed up very late having too much fun!  I don’t think I slept for four hours. Tom’s slept a few hours more than I did and is feeling well after his pesky cold subsided. 

 On the other hand, I may have dodged a bullet by not catching Tom’s cold but today. I feel a bit raggedy.  Perhaps a short nap will be on today’s agenda later in the day.

As we sailed away from Punta Arenas…

At the moment, we’re in the Cafe al Bacio doing the usual, writing to all of our worldwide readers while enjoying the delightful conversation that periodically ensues with passengers stopping by to chat.

 May you have a great day engaged in delightful conversation!

Photo from one year ago today, December 14, 2016:

Last year at this time, we called Pyengana Dairy Company in Tasmania to order ten packages to be shipped to us in Penguin, Tasmania, as a holiday time treat since we don’t eat traditional Christmas baked goods and candies. For more details, please click here.

Day 21…Cruise to South America…Whoa!…Videos of rough seas as we approach the Strait of Magellan!

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This morning’s video of the water splashing out of the pool
during the rough seas as we approach the Strait of Magellan.


 “Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

This is just the beginning of what is yet to come as we approach Cape Horn in the next few days. one of the windiest spots on the planet.
We traded photo-taking with another couple while on the deck last night around 9:00 pm. 

Whew! What a start to the day! Around 5:00 am this morning, while awake as usual, I felt the familiar rolling of rough seas. As soon as it became light, I opened the drapes to find some rough seas.

It was a “smart casual” night so we didn’t have to figure out what to wear for a dressy night. 

Tom was still sleeping and I didn’t awaken him knowing he needed every moment of sleep as he’s quickly recovering from his six-day cold, now almost completely gone.

Snow-capped mountain.

How I didn’t catch the cold baffles me but I won’t “look a gift horse in the mouth.” I’ll take whatever good health comes our way as we continue on our journey.

Most often, it is foggy and cloudy when sailing through the Chilean Fiords.  We were fortunate to see some blue skies.

On at least half of our 21 prior cruises, I’ve fallen prey to the “cruise cough,” a sore throat, and cold or flu. I’m hoping that with all the care I’ve taken these past few years with the gastrointestinal illness that perhaps my immune system has recovered and I’ll be less prone to coughs, colds, and flu. My fingers stay crossed for this one.

The scenery is breathtaking through the fiords.

This morning, after taking the two above videos, we’re comfortably situated in Cafe al Bacio with cruise-mate Don, with whom we’ve shared many delightful conversations over these many past mornings while I busily prepared the day’s post, all the while listening to the conversations between Tom and Don.

Snow-capped mountains in the Chilean Fiords.

The ship captain continues to keep us informed as to the development of the storm we’re currently experiencing. However, we have no doubt the seas will worsen over the next several days.  With our past cruising experience, we aren’t intimidated by rough seas.

We took this photo last night, close to 10:00 pm.

Instead, we’re fascinated with where we’ve been these past many days and anticipating what is yet to come over the remaining 10 days until the cruise ends. This has been a fantastic cruise thus far.

There wasn’t much vegetation on the islands in the cold-weather climate.

For a bit of information about the Chilean Fiords where we’ve been sailing over these last many days:

“Fjords and channels of Chile

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The southern coast of Chile presents a large number of fjords and fjord-like channels from the latitudes of Cape Horn (55° S) to Reloncaví Estuary (42° S). Some fjords and channels are critical navigable channels providing access to ports like Punta Arenas, Puerto Chacabuco, and Puerto Natales.

History

During colonial times, the fjords and channels of Patagonia were first explored by the Spaniards. There were many motivations for their explorations, including a desire to Christianize indigenous peoples, prevent intrusions of any foreign power into territory claimed by Spain, increase geographic knowledge of the zone, and finally, to search for a mythical city called the City of the Caesars. In 1792, the viceroy of Peru ordered the exploration of the Patagonian channels to find an entrance to the interior of Patagonia. The said order was carried off by José de Moraleda who led an expedition that visited many of the main channels of the zone. In the early to mid 19th century, explorations by hydrographers like Robert FitzRoy and Francisco Hudson increased knowledge on the channels. The channels south of the Isthmus of Ofqui were explored in detail by Chilean government agent Hans Steffen in the late 19th century.

Climate and geography

This route is mostly used by vessels desiring to avoid the heavy seas and bad weather so often experienced on passing into the Pacific Ocean from the western end of the Strait of Magellan. The large full-powered mail steamers generally at once gain the open sea at Cape Pillar (at the west entrance of the Strait of Magellan), as experience has shown that time is thus saved to them. Still, vessels of less engine power, to which punctuality and dispatch is not so much an object as avoiding possible danger, will find the Patagonian Channels the best route.
The general features of these channels are high, abrupt shores, with numerous peaks and headlands remarkably alike in character, their bold, rugged heads giving an appearance of gloomy grandeur rarely seen elsewhere. The shores are generally steep-to and the channels, for the most part, open and free, while the few dangers that exist are usually marked by kelp. The tides are regular and not strong, except in the English Narrows.
In the case of the two above mentioned and some other fjords, these waterways proved of value as transport lanes when western Patagonia was settled and incorporated into Chile. On the other hand, the fjords have served as a natural barrier preventing north-south land travel in Chilean Patagonia.”
Overview of Channels in South Chile: North to right and South to left side
Map of the Chilean Fiords.

By 2:00 pm, less than three hours from now, we’ll be entering the Magellan Strait (aka, the Magellan Straits or the Straits of Magellan).  In tomorrow’s post, we’ll be posting information, videos, and photos of this majestic part of the world.

The rough seas didn’t start until the middle of the night. 

Please stay tuned for more as we make our way through this stormy part of the world filled with excitement and adventure on this fascinating journey to the southern end of South America.

A ferry was moving through the Chilean Straits.

Have a great day, dear readers!

Photo from one year ago today, December 13, 2016:

Gerard and his High on Penguin holiday home in Penguin, Tasmania, overlooking the town and the sea.  For more details on this rock and roll memorabilia-themed property, please click here.

Day 20…Cruise to South America…Part 2, Puerto Montt, Chile…What’s going on at sea these days?

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The giant Sentados Frente del Mar statue is often criticized for its unattractiveness. We found it to be humorous and charming. Note the size of the statue by comparing me standing at her feet.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

A snow-covered mountain view from the veranda while in Puerto Montt.

With only 11 days remaining until the cruise ends on December 23rd, Tom’s birthday, we continue to find ourselves with stories and photos backed up. Of all of our 21 past cruises in our over five years of world travel, we’ve yet to have so much to share.

Santuario Santa Maria del Mar.

In part, it may be due to the fact that we’ve taken an even greater interest in ports of call with an increased passion for learning more and more as time marches on.

Side view of the tiny church.

Many of the ports of call and areas we’re seeing on this cruise are new to us and although we’ll definitely plan to return to South American no later than 2020, we’re fascinated with this complex continent. 

The tiny church appeared to be able to seat about 16 parishioners.

As we mentioned in the past, spending part of a day in a port of call by no means provides us with any degree of knowledge compared to our experiences of “living” in a country for two to three months.

Stained glass window.
But, for many travelers, these one-day experiences give them somewhat of the flavor of the country as they scramble to see as much as possible in a four or five-hour tour, whether “ship sponsored” or on their own.
The mysterious “all-seeing eye” is often found in churches throughout the world.
There are certain hazards in visiting ports of call, especially for seniors (or others) with medical conditions. In rough seas, a few days ago in Puerto Montt, we heard that three seniors suffered heart attacks while on the tenders. 
“Osorno Volcano is a 2,652-metre (8,701 ft) tall conical stratovolcano lying between Osorno Province and Llanquihue Province, in Los Lagos Region of Chile. It stands on the southeastern shore of Llanquihue Lake and also towers over Todos Los Santos Lake. Osorno is known worldwide as a symbol of the local landscape, and is noted for its similar appearance to Mount Fuji.”
Another was injured when seats on the lifeboat in which they were riding, broke loose during rough seas slamming against a passenger’s legs. Of course, this is hearsay since the ship’s staff doesn’t share information about illness and injury to passengers. 
A Black-faced Ibis.
Sometimes, what we may “hear” is fact and at other times may purely be based on the human phenomenon to embellish a story when it’s passed on from one person to another. 
Harbor view.
We know how dangerous rough seas can be and for the less experienced passenger, being in a lifeboat in outrageously choppy seas could easily elicit sufficient stress to exacerbate an already existing medical condition.
View of our ship, Celebrity Infinity, in the harbor in Puerto Montt.
As we’ve navigated through the Chilean Fiords over these past few days, (photos coming tomorrow) the seas have been rough at times, swaying our ship to and fro. 
Flowers blooming on the grounds of the church.
The Chilean Fiords are used by ships when attempting to avoid the rough seas and bad weather often experienced when passing from the Pacific Ocean from the western end of the Strait of Magellan. Tomorrow, we’ll be writing more on this part of our itinerary including photos and a map of our location.
Today, another day at sea we’ll continue as we have over the past several days, enjoying the pleasant company of many other travelers, reveling in their stories, as well as sharing our own.
Pretty flowers at the tiny church.
Yesterday, we met a fabulous couple, Vicki and Ray, with whom we spent the entire afternoon in Cafe al Bacio.  We shared many hilarious and entertaining stories of our mutual experiences in awe of how diverse their adventures were as well.
At dinner with shared a table with two couples, one from Germany, who is on a one-year world travel adventure. Much younger than us, it was exciting to hear of their often frightening and risk-taking treks in many areas of the world.
Views of Puerto Montt from atop a hill.
Another couple at the table, Linda and Leo, are now living in Florida, also have had extensive travel experience and it was fun to hear their stories. The two hours at the dinner table passed quickly and by 9:30 pm we headed back to our cabin. 
The lighted cross atop Tenglo Island as our ship sailed away after dusk.
Tom’s cold was still present and an early night’s rest was definitely on the agenda. So far, I’m yet to suffer any symptoms that he’s passed it on to me.  My fingers remain crossed that miraculously I’ve been spared. But, Tom doesn’t complain and without a fever or a cough, he’s been able to continue to participate in our usual routine.
We’ll be back tomorrow with more. May you have an outstanding day!
Photo from one year ago today, December 12, 2016:
We run outside each time we see the Tas Rail train coming, hoping it’s the one with the Christmas lights. For more photos, please click here.