Today we enjoyed our final Dulce de leche-laden breakfast at the hotel in Ushuaia. Several cases of “land-sickness” persisted, with some students still finding themselves confused that juice glasses and plates of food were not sliding rhythmically across the table. Afterwards, many set off into town to soak up as much of Patagonia as possible in our remaining few hours. Many also took the opportunity to buy last-minute souvenirs in Ushuaia’s many gift shops for those not-so-forgotten loved ones.
At last, the group sleepily gathered in the hotel prior to setting off for our afternoon flight to Buenos Aires. Here we also said goodbye to our fantastic Ushuaia-based guides. Those who didn’t promptly fall asleep upon boarding the plane enjoyed some stunning last glimpses of the Andes. However, no marine mammals were spotted this time, raising further suspicions that Lars’ “dolphin sightings” on the flight into Ushuaia may have been a ploy to infuriate the marine mammal enthusiasts of our group.
Soon enough, we touched down in a pleasantly hot Buenos Aires in full holiday mode, it being the middle of the Easter long weekend. Many locals appeared to be taking advantage of the break by fishing the Río de la Plata from the boardwalk. After a much-needed shower or swim in the hotel pool, we headed to La Dorita for a last group meal. Here we were treated to a proper Argentinian feast, being plied with free drinks and copious amounts of food. Rowan, drawing inspiration from the great feats of past Antarctic explorers, set himself the task of consuming everyone’s leftovers. This can only be described as successful, some saying he achieved the legendary “meat sweats”.
Some of us continued the evening with a hunt for Pisco Sours and Caipirinhas in Palermo, also celebrating Ryan’s birthday, where I am told that much Fanta was spilled. Eventually, the last of us staggered back to the hotel, looking for a good night’s rest before the start of our long journey back to Scotland.