Day 37, 12.11.2018, Santiago de Chile.
Sonja’s flight arrived from Heathrow an hour and a quarter late but that didn’t count as something going wrong as I was in a hotel just across the street and knew it was delayed. I had to wave a name-card with the hundred’s of other meeters and greeters for a while but it all worked out. The check-in time at the hotel was supposed to be 16:00 which was not so convenient after one of the longest flights on the planet. The plan was for Sonja to crash in my room until her room became available but we got a early check-in anyway so all was well.
After Sonja had had a nap, I got a car with driver Fernando to show us the sights of Santiago. Lunch was a big seafood platter in the Mercado Centrale and then a trek up to the top of the San Cristobal Hill which is a bit like the thing in Rio with a big white statue on top. Massive views over the city and back to the hotel.
Day 38, 13.11.2018, San Antonio, Chile
We picked up the transfer car in the airport and drove the 100 km or so to San Antonio on the coast. The ship was there but Heike wasn’t as she was in Valparaiso dealing with the Italian Consulate there.
She arrived later and we had a short bike ride to see South American sea lions on the beach. They seemed like friendly things but being savaged by a smelly giant fur coat could be unpleasant so we kept a respectful distance.
Day 39, 14.11.2018 , Pacific Ocean west of Chile
Sea day. Heading west towards Robinson Crusoe Island.
Go west
Life is peaceful there
Go west
In the open air
Go west
Baby you and me
Go west
This is our destiny
Go west
Sun in winter time
Go west
We will do just fine
Go west
Where the skies are blue
Go west
This is what we’re gonna do
In the original lyrics by The Village People and the Pet Shop Boys, “west” meant gay San Francisco but former Atlantic and Pacific crew will know that it really means getting to the next island safely. RIP Lori and Colin.
In the evening I got a call to come to the bridge to see a huge number of fish in the water. The “fish” turned out to be a massive pod of Pacific White-sided Dolphin. There were maybe over a hundred of them churning through the water keeping pace with the ship. Not something you see every day.
