It was good to reach Buenos Aires this afternoon after the storm we survived last night camping. We left Puerto Madryn at 7am after seeing the most spectacular sunrise as our group cooked breakfast. The colours were amazing and I don't think I have ever seen anything like it before. We had over 12hrs on the truck, reaching our campsite about 7.30pm. Quickly put up my tent with Nikki before heading over to start cooking. They had decided not to put the cook tent up as it was only one night, but then someone looked at the sky and it was quickly assembled to the right and then put over us as we continued prepping dinner.

The thunder and lightning started and then the wind and then the rain. We had people on each corner of the tent holding it down while they put ropes over the top and hammered them into the ground. The tent was flapping, I was trying to cook steaks on a grill and then the tent started to leak and it would drip water on to the grill which had hot oil on it, which then splashed up on us. Then due to so much rain, the tent started to flood and I was standing in a couple of centimetres of water. Not fun. Majority of everyone else got on the truck and when dinner was finally ready, ran down a few at a time, got their food and then back to the truck. Crazy conditions. A couple of tents ended up flooded but luckily there was a room we could sleep in if we wanted. I decided to take no chance and went and set up my sleeping gear in there and spent the night.

We put our tents away this morning nice and damp. Not looking forward to getting them out after 4 nights of not being used. Mould, here we come.....

So, before all this, we were at Puerto Madryn. We arrived mid afternoon and had a couple of hours in town. The next day we were driven out to the Valdez Peninsular which is spectacular. Had a fantastic local guide, Maria, who told us some great facts about the animals we saw. First stop was at a Visitors Centre with some interesting facts to read up on and then we headed to see the Magellanic Penguins. Majority of them are moulting at the moment and most young are around 2-3 months.

Then off to see the elephant seals. I was hoping to see some big fat males with big trunks, but unfortunately there was none as they are still out fishing and won't come ashore for a few more weeks. They spend 80% of their life in the water. I found out that these animals only have a 50% chance of making it to the age of 1 (most drown their first time swimming) and if they survive that, only have a slight chance of making it to the age of 8. From birth, they have a 10% chance of surviving to 8. They usually only live to around the age of 18. Females are pregnant for 360 days but the embryo stays dormant for the first 3 months. Once they come ashore and give birth, the male does not let them back in the water until she is pregnant again. This is the same for all seals and sea lions (as I understood). Anyway, I thought it was interesting.

We then headed to another spot to see some sea lions. Didn't get that close, especially considering the Galapagos Islands but you could still here and smell them. This peninsular is one of the few places in the world where you can see Orcas surf ashore and take penguins, seals & sea lions off the beach but you only have a 3% chance of seeing them. No such luck for us and no orca sightings either.

So, as I said earlier, now in BA. Here for 4 nights in a hotel with a real bed and a nice shower and toilet. Oh, the luxuries. We have now officially left Patagonia along with the cold weather (I hope). I have all intentions of packing all my thermals and winter woolies away now.