This trip was one for the books—big milestones, new birds, and a few heart-pounding moments that pushed me way out of my comfort zone. Alan added some incredible bird species to our life list, we did some things that made me seriously question my sanity – facing some fears head-on. From breathtaking wildlife encounters to wild adventures, this journey has been everything I hoped for—and then some!
January 10, 2025
Buenos Aires: A Smooth Landing and a Nap
From our previous travels we learned to arrive early for all international travel, so we arrived in Buenos Aires a day early – on purpose. Landing at Ministro Pistarini International Airport at an ungodly hour, we cleared customs (no passport stamp, sadly) and grabbed our bags. Thankfully, Alan had pre-arranged a taxi, so all it took was a quick confirmation number at the service desk, and we were whisked away to the Alvear Icon Hotel.
The Alvear is a swanky spot just outside the city center, and to our delight, they had our room ready at 10:30 AM. (A small miracle in the world of hotel check-ins.) Exhausted from travel, we let the bellman handle our bags and promptly crashed.
By the afternoon, hunger dragged us out of hibernation, leading us to Central Market, just a short walk away. Nothing fancy—just some small deli sandwiches and sodas to tide us over.
Dinner was a bit more adventurous. We wandered until we found Al Porto Ristorante, a lovely Italian place on Rio Dársena Sur. It didn’t take long to notice Buenos Aires’ abundance of Italian restaurants—thanks to a massive wave of immigration between the late 19th and mid-20th century. Turns out, pasta and pizza are practically local cuisine here.
After dinner, we strolled along the river and checked out the Puente de la Mujer, a sleek pedestrian bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava. The perfect way to end our first day—fed, rested, and already falling for the city’s charm.
January 11
A Day in the “Paris of the South” – With a Side of Beef
Today’s agenda: birds, history, taxis, and steak.
We started by making dinner reservations across the river, then checked in with Lindblad/National Geographic to let them know we were indeed in Buenos Aires and not lost in a tango club somewhere.
Late in the morning we grabbed our cameras and went birding in a park Alan had scouted the day before, Reserva Ecologica Costanera Sur. Before we entered the park, we saw some fantastic sculptures and statues. More birds, more photos, more steps logged—win, win, win.
Then came my walking time miscalculation. We had to be back at the hotel by 1:00 for a city tour, and let’s just say I wildly underestimated how long that would take. With minutes to spare, we flagged down a taxi for the final stretch, arriving just in time to waltz onto the bus like we had it totally under control.
The tour took us underground to El Zanjón de Granados, an intricate network of tunnels and cisterns dating back to the 1700s, which took 25 years to excavate. (I suddenly feel better about my own unfinished projects.)
Next up: La Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Perón rests in the Duarte family mausoleum. The entire cemetery is mausoleums—no open plots—and keeping a family tomb requires paying a tax. If you stop paying? The remains get evicted, and the tomb goes up for sale. Ruthless real estate market, even in death.
After a whirlwind drive past city landmarks, we ended the day at La Cabaña Restaurant, where we did the only logical thing in Argentina—ate beef. Delicious, perfectly cooked, worth-the-trip beef.
The night ended with a walk along the river, where buskers, photographers, and fellow sightseers were out in full force. Then, luggage out for Lindblad to haul to the airport, because tomorrow, the adventure really begins!
January 12
Ushuaia and Boarding our Ship
Early in the morning all of us intrepid adventurers gathered in the hotel lobby to check out and then board the bus to the airport.
The flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia was short and uneventful. At the airport we grabbed our bags, then handed them over to Lindblad’s agents to take to the ship. A bus took us from the airport to the port where we could see our ship anchored near the end of the dock. The plan was for a catamaran cruise, with lunch, around the Beagle Channel, but the seas were too rough, so we boarded the catamaran to simply hang out and have lunch.
Afterward the bus took us to our ship, Lindblad’s Endurance, an arctic X class icebreaker launched in 2000. This ship is the top of their class, and shows it. The layout is as perfect as you could imagine, with cabins and suites well appointed. It all screamed “lux”, with some practicality built in.
We found our cabin – a comfortable mini-suite (see that balcony – we spent a lot of time out there) – with our luggage already in. On each bed were our Lindblad/NatGeo supplied parkas. Knowing we’d lost weight since ordering them months ago, we tried them on and found we needed a smaller size. We took them down to Base Camp on the third floor and tried on the smaller sizes, which fit perfectly. Back in the cabin, as this will be a 21 day cruise/expedition, we unpacked everything and settled in.
In the evening, before setting sail, there was the mandatory safety drill, and afterward we met the key players on our expedition; Captain Aaron Wood, hotel director Petula Clarke, ship’s doctor Jerry Withrow, and expedition leader Jamie Coleman.
