...I fly to Punta Arenas and even though Camilo, Micha, Ingrid and I are supposed to be on the same plane, they go on a big one and I fly 1 hour later and get a small 14-seater with an open cockpit and excellent photo opportunities (glaciers!!!)
...I hang around the town enjoying the sun, fast internet and ample dining choices
...all the people I meet think I'm from Argentina on account of my looks and accent (which is involuntary but supposedly Argentine)
...I rediscover the charms of collective taxis, which can take you all around town for just 0.5€ providing their fixed itinerary agrees with yours
...I visit the town's giant cemetery with monumental tombs of local Rockefellers and marvel at how most tombstones seem to bear either of the two names only: Menendez or Braun; oh and there's also a sizable Croatian diaspora in town, reflected in the cemetery's population as well;
...I saunter down the memory lane once again relishing Patagonia's best Italian style pizza at Mesita Grande (and Toblerone mousse is exquisite too!)
...To my companions' dismay I once again pass on the seafood delights many people come especially to Punta Arenas to taste
...I fly back to Santiago, we make a stop in Punta Arenas and like before I get two meals on that occasion, for each of the two legs of the trip! I also get seat 1A, for the first time in my life,; I have to share the leg space with flight attendants across from me but still it's impressive!
...I take a bus to Mendoza only to find out no onward connections to Buenos Aires anymore on that day, so I choose to join two American tourists and spend the night in a dirty hostel with a supremely filthy bathroom, no A/C and probably tons of roaches. Ueeeww...
...I go back to Buenos Aires, have my last Argentine steak, enjoy the last few hours in the city, buy some alfajores to give to friends on the way back (I later forget and leave them on the plane to Atlanta - shame...) and fly to the US (almost missing my flight, as usual)!