Boxng day is another lazy one by the pool. Later in day we have some cocktails then sit in the cover of our roofed terrace at the hotel to watch the ferocious tropical downpour with accompanying thunder and lightening. Fortunately it stops early evening so we take a short trip on the local bus to El Avion restaurant a couple of km out of town. This place is built around the body of an "unofficial" American military aircraft which was the sister plane of the ...

Christmas day starts with a late (late by our normal standards) breakfast on the hotel terrace. Lots of fresh fruit as usual then we sit out by the pool with our tablets. Unfortunately several of our Christmas emails with attached "personal" video clip have gone out, but not been received by some of our friends. If you want ton us two idiots abroad, click on the video tab.

We have chosen to have a lazy time in the small touristy town of Manuel Antonio. We stayed here eight years ago and are back at the same hotel now under new ownership. It is set one street back from the sea front and with a swimming pool and terraced restaurant, a wee bit classier than we are used to. Our waiter over charges us by nearly 50% on our first breakfast bill. We correct the "error" but make sure we closely scrutinise all future bills in this place....

Our bus leaves Santa Elena at 06:00 so we are up bright and early. We have been told that the bus picks up just outside our hostel but as we leave with 10 minutes to spare, the receptionist tells us that we need to get a ticket at the bus station. We hurry up the hill to bus station, quickly purchase two tickets to Punta Arenas and hop aboard with minutes to spare as the bus leaves two minutes early. We have opted to use the local bus thereby saving $50 each...