South America : Day Five : Punta Arenas ...

It was a fairly bump-free flight down over the Andes and we arrived safe and relatively sound in the south Chilean port of Punta Arenas mid-afternoon. 

We then transferred to a local hotel where we had our luggage weighed (a strict 15kg limit allowed each) and were treated to a flight briefing, a Zodiac briefing (the orange motorised rubber boats, not the star signs), and a mandatory IAATO Antarctic guidelines briefing. 

We were then issued with thermal boots and a bright yellow insulation jacket. It gets cold in Antarctica apparently!

We finished the day with a “last supper” to meet our vessel’s crew. 

All being well and weather permitting (a big if in this neck of the woods) we should be making our trip across Drake Passage tomorrow onto the White Continent. 

And then a radio silence for 9 days. You’ll be pleased to know!