Day 55: 24/8/12
I couldn't sleep for ages last night. I don't know why. Then I needed to go to the toilet, but I was trying to avoid it because I was on the top bunk and it was a bit of an ordeal!! But eventually I had to dismount and go!! I was quite proud of myself that I spent three nights on the top bunk as there was no ladder, just the planks of wood at the end of he bed. Also there were no bars or anything to keep you in and it was one of the narrowest beds I was ever on! Luckily I don't move much in my sleep! Got some sleep anyway but was still tired when it was time to get up!
The hotel had a shuttle bus service which was about a third of the price of a taxi so that was handy! There was noone in El Calafate airport except the people for our flight! The coffee shop wasn't even open when we got there! Has about an hour to wait around and then we boarded and took off a few minutes ahead of schedule which was great!
I flew from Ushuaia to El Calafate with Aerolineas Argentinas and it was the same as the LAN planes- 3seats on each side, snack during flight, tvs every few rows. Today was Aerolineas Argentinas aswell but the plane was way different! There were only two seats on each sides and they seemed much bigger. Every seat had its own little television so you could watch whatever you wanted and listen on the headphones. I watched 3episodes of how I met your mother and 3 episodes of modern family on the way to buenos Aires. Also listened to lady gaga and Adler. Great service!! They guy beside me attempted to talk to me but I hang a clue what be was saying!! Eventually we both gave up trying to talk!
I had 6 hours to kill in Buenos Aires airport- which is a lot as it's not very big! There's a bigger one somewhere else in the city. Anyway I thought I would be very clever and take out money there and then change it to Chilean money at the exchange place. I had been here four times already so I knew where everything was. I thought it would save me time when I was going to be landing late in Chile, even though I'm sure I'd lose out on the exchange rate. However when I got to the exchange place they wouldn't exchange it because I didn't have a receipt from the ATM- apparently its a new Argentinian law!! So then I had a whole pile of Argentinian money that I didn't need at all!
The time went by okay. I sat at a cafe for a while, went to the Internet cafe, sat at another food court, went back to the Internet cafe! I read a lot on my phone too. I went into the departure area fairly early and spent some time in the duty free. I haven't bought much over here really so I decided I'd buy some beauty products and spend half of that money Id taken out!! That passed an hour, I'd say!!
In this airport they don't have any sign at the gates to tell you what flight will be leaving from there. Its really annoying because he gate number wasn't on the screen either. I had it on my boarding card but that was printed in el Calafate in the morning! It was supposed to be gate 14, but there was no sign of anything happening there! Eventually I went and asked at the counter and they told me it was delayed! A few minutes later it appeared on the screen that it was a different gate (the one right beside us) and that it was delayed. It was only delayed an hour so it wasn't too bad. When it was time to board it was gate 14 anyway, not the one that it said on the screen! So lots of confusion!!
The flight was the same as the earlier one with the little tv screens each. It had all the same programmes though and the only other one in English was the Simpsons so I watche 3 episodes of that and then listened to Adele while reading. The time flew!
When I landed there was barely anyone at immigration. Then the first thing i saw Was a money exchange place to get Rid of the rest of The argentinian money and hen I got to the baggage carousel my rucksack was sitting there waiting for me. I flew through customs and the agency that I was getting he transfer with was right in front of me! So all went well!!
I was told what door to go out to find the car. There were a load of agencies there and I couldn't see mine at first and all these fellows from another agency starting telling me where to go. They seemed to be asking me something aswell but I don't know!! The driver was asking me something else aswell but it turns out he was just confirming where I was going. It was a shuttle bus really and there were other people to be dropped off first. He dropped me straight at the hostel though so can't complain.
The guy at reception was very helpful- showing me maps and tours and things. The hostel is nice enough, a little older than I expected but it's clean! It was 11pm by the time I got to the room so just went straight to bed! I've a room to myself here.
No plans for tomorrow yet but will probably do a city tour.