We were quite the sight as we hobbled down the main street in Puerto Natales, after 6 days hiking in the natural wonder that is Torres del Paine, Chile. Blistered feet, aching bones, and angry intestines were only a few of the ailments on a list of many that had finally caught up with us - but it was a glorious trek that would not soon be forgotten (in body or mind).We were quite the happy campers to be back in civilization by this point however, and looking very forward to the journey ahead. We had realized quite some time before how nice a relaxing boat trip may be after such an arduous trek, so heeding the advice of some fellow travellers we booked our passage on the Navimag tour up the Chilean coast for four days of R&R. Our first night aboard our trusty vessel the Evangelista would also coincide as our last night in Puerto Natales, as we slept on the ship but did not actually depart until early the following morning. Before climbing on board we listened to some more very useful advice and went to purchase a few necessary provisions for the trip - snacks, fruit, and a couple boxes of cheap wine. There were high spirits all around the first night onboard the Evangelista. Like ourselves, many of the 180 other passengers had also just returned from Torres del Paine, hence everyone was ready to wind down and relax. There was a quick lecture on boat safety (no booze on the Bridge!) and a tutorial on how to work the showers. We were also informed of our route for the next four days which would have us arrive in Puerto Montt early Monday morning. Our guides also pointed out the highlights of our route and the precautions we should take before hitting the open ocean our third day. It was a quiet night for the two of us, deciding to pack it in early. So, we passed out in the suprisingly comfortable bunks in the dark depths of ´Cabin C` (also known as the ´Cabin for those who can only afford to drink boxed wine`). As Pat and I had both recently suffered from some ´stomach problems`, it wasn`t all that disappointing to us to be stuck on a boat for four days with what could otherwise be characterized as cafeteria food. It was bland but satisfying and we made sure to get our money`s worth at every meal, because even us poor folk in Cabin C paid far more than we should have to be on board. Breakfast time was especially exciting because they served corn flakes (whether with real milk or not is still debateable) and I had been craving real cereal for quite some time. The weather of our first morning did not turn out in our favour, it being slightly drizzly and dreary outside. We took advantage of this downtime however, lazing about in the lounge for about 4 hours reading our newly acquired books from the exchange we made in Puerto Natales (everyone should read ´A Complicated Kindness` by Miriam Toews, it`s sooo funny and she`s Canadian!). The boat had some on-board entertainment and they tried their best to provide something for everyone. There were presentations or films each day about something historical or significant in the area and every afternoon there were dancers who performed a different national dance, of which Chile has 4 (one for each region). Two uneventful meals and a lot more chillaxin` later we were out like a light once again, almost fully recovered by now from Torres del Paine.

Day two on the Navimag was a day with more than a few ups and downs. The clouds parted and the sun shone and absolutely everyone on the boat was taking advantage of this good fortune, as apparently it is not all that common. The benches and the decks outside were littered with people soaking up the sun (a few of them shirtless older men and women that we could have done without). Apart from this, the view was absolutely spectacular. You could see hundreds of little islands for miles and miles and it was rather hard to fully grasp the geography that we were travelling through. We saw fish and sea otters swimming alongside the boat, passed a few glaciers that looked as if they were about to engulf the channels, and went right by a shipwrecked vessel from decades past. It was quite impressive to be navigating through fjords and channels that once used to be fully covered in huge glaciers- in fact, existing entirely because of them. After taking in the incredible scenery and the suprisingly powerful sun for a couple hours we retired to the lounge to play cards and have a drink from the bar (how convenient, a bar on the boat!). After playing a few pathetic rounds of Speed (the only 2 player card game we could remember at the moment), a couple guys from the table beside us invited us to join them. Brett and Ben were their names, and from the moment we saw their box of wine we knew our new friends were our kinda people (and clearly ´Cabin C` people). With a solid amount of friendly competition and the added fire of a few drinks, the game was on and the time passed before we knew it. Lunch was served, after which we had an information session regarding the route upon which we were about to embark. We were headed through the Golfo de Penas, loosely translated as the Golf of Pain or Sorrow - sounds comforting no? After this we were to head for open water hitting the Pacific ocean for the first time in the trip. The most painful part of the trip our guides warned, and depending on the weather it could take anywhere from 10-12 hours to get through. Mid-afternoon the boat began to sway, and with clearly planned irony they played Pirates of the Carribean for everyone`s viewing pleasure. At one point it felt as if we were actually in the movie, everything on the table sliding from side to side. The movie ended and dinner was served- what a great idea!!! Fill the stomachs of your passengers before heading for rough waters, giving them ample fuel to litter the boat in upchuck! Luckily it was an easy meal of spaghetti and meatballs, however we made sure to tune it down half a notch and only take small portions. By the end of dinner the boat was heaving up and down, and anyone walking with their tray through the cafeteria needed to brace themselves for the upswing on each side. Food seemed to be flying everywhere and chairs were making their way across the room on their own. While not what I would call ´seasick`, Pat and I were definitely starting to notice the queasiness set in. We decided to go lay down in our bunks for a while to relax and let it pass. It was in our bunks where we ended up staying for the next 12 hours as we passed out and fell asleep until our wake-up call the next morning at 8:00am. We had survived the night alive and more rested than we have probably ever been due to the waves that actually served to lull us to sleep like babies in a cradle. A surprising yet welcomed lullaby. As it turns out the waves had been rated only a 4 on a scale of 15, which made everyone on board feel a little wussy (especially those who took the seasickness shot and still ended up being sick all night!).

We emerged on deck to another gorgeous day in the Chilean channels, peaceful, calm and sunny. While one might tire of hearing that we spent another few hours just relaxing and reading, that was the purpose of our trip and I don`t feel one bit guilty about it. It was just after 11 o`clock when Pat and I looked up at one another with a knowing glance that the time was right - after all, it was 5 o`clock somewhere (and the guy next to us had already cracked a Corona first!). We set out to truly enjoy our last beautiful day on the Navimag, reading on the deck and watching two parents with their three little girls (Spud farmers from Lethbridge!) play tag on the massive life-size chess board outside. All at once over the loud speaker we heard the familiar voice of our guide excitedly directing us to the left side of the vessel, in the distance you could see the mist emerging from the blowholes of Blue Whales! While we still had not seen much wildlife, and even this was not up close, it was a magnificent thing to see in the distance against the backdrop of a setting sun.The call for our last supper was made at this point, drawing us all away from the decks to the Corncake Casserole that await! Mmmm. It being our last night on board there was really only one goal for many of the passengers - finish all the alcohol they brought on board. The crew on board is not new to this behaviour, and lucky for us planned a party to coincide with our final night. We had a couple beers with Ben and Brett before being summoned to the dinning room for a few games of Bingo! Now, I was as pessimistic as the next person about playing such a childish game to wrap up our wonderful trip on the Evangelista, but it proved to be quite entertaining. Anytime you get people from all over the world speaking different languages together to play a game it will more than likely be entertaining. It went down much the same as any other bingo game (I will assume), except the added confusion provided by those speaking mostly only Japanese, Dutch, French etc. It was hilarious watching people help those beside them that couldn't understand the numbers being called out. Obviously, there was also a few false BINGOS called out as people thought numbers had been called that had not been. Adding to the excitement were the strange and sometimes vulgar sound effects and commentaries provided by one of the crew. He had us all in stitches as he moaned or mubbled his approval over his trusty microphone while the guide called out the numbers- his favorite being the number 69. I hope that you wouldn't get the impression that this was a lighthearted affair; everyone was taking this game of Bingo quite seriously as the prizes were bottles of wine and whisky. Unfortunately we didn't emmerge victorious though. Our defeat caused Morgan to do something quite drastic, however, as she volunteered us for the final competition of the evening- not even knowing what it was. It ended up being a game in which, competing with another French couple, we had to kneck an orange back and forth as many times as we could in 30 seconds. We started out good, but that quickly ended as the orange ended up in Pat's lower abdomen- providing much comic relief to the other passengers. Somehow we still barely lost the bout though. Being the competitive people that we are, we were very disappoited in our showing and desperately wanted a rematch. It would not become a reality.

Later, the card games began, with our trusty crew of 4 seriously engaged in an intense game of ´s***head`. Names were called, cards were thrown, drinks were poured and before we knew it the real party was beginning. They found some random member of the crew to take on DJ duties for the evening and he started spinning some sick beats. Without wasting any time we were dancing to the likes of the Macarena, Twist `n Shout, and Thriller. Ben really impressed all of us, those older Aussie gentlemen really know how to cut a rug... disco-style. The only interlude was for the presentation of the final national dance of Chile, hailing from Easter Island. This one got everyone excited as the two guys and girls who normally danced something of folklore variety in traditional dress, emerged in hula skirts, seashell bikini tops, and loincloths. We didn`t want to insult their national dance, but we were definitely questioning the logistics of a Hawaiian-themed routine from Easter Island. It was strange to say the least, especially for a people`s group that has entirely disappeared (how exactly did they discover the original dance of an extinct people? Hmm). The dancing went on into the wee hours of the morn and the booze had finally stopped flowing. Like the crazy party animals we all are, the party began to break up at about 2am and we retired to our bunks one last time before our early arrival in Puerto Montt the following morning. One final wake-up call came very early, in a voice we had grown to love and hate at the same time. I can`t quite describe the voice as every morning she woke us up with a hilarious Spanish accent but in a very soothing and hypnotic voice, "Gooood moooorniiiing Señores Pasajeros, and the breakfast is a now being served. We wait for you from this moment. Oh, and a thank you for your attention." We were up about half an hour earlier that morning in order to disembarque on time. We exchanged e-mails with our fellow companions and had one final bowl of corn flakes. It was 8am and in a town with very little to do we decided it best to move on as soon as possible. To the bus terminal we went, where luck would have a bus leaving for Santiago de Chile in 15 minutes. Sleepily climbing aboard we settled into our seats, preparing ourselves for the mere 14 hours on bus that lie ahead.