A Lazy Day in Puerto Natales.

PUERTO NATALES, CHILE, 4 March, 2023.

Breakfast at 9:30 consists of oatmeal plus fruit plus a strange filo pastry which was empty and a dried fruit filled biscuit. We set of walking through the town looking for possible trips. The hostel owner's friend runs 365 travel but turns out to be useless. Even to the degree that he said that he knew nothing about horse-riding despite having a brochure on his desk. The next agent is far more helpful. He speaks good English and uses the weather forecast to suggest which trips are best suited. 45 minutes later, we are £500 poorer but booked on three trips; a boat to a glacier, a hike in the forest and a horse riding adventure. The latter, PG will travel but walk instead of riding. The agent needed to see our passports to confirm the booking. When RJ opened hers, PG's immigration papers fell out, she had his all the time!

We find a supermarket for water but trying to use the express till to buy 12 bottles, we're expected to pass each bottle through separately. We give up and find an old fashioned corner shop. Coffee and a sandwich in a clothing store and souvenir shop. An American offers to share his table. He's a retired forest ranger from Ohio doing volunteer work building trails in the Paine. We talk for a good hour until he has to catch his taxi to the airport.

We walk down to the harbour for some fresh air. It's overcast with a strong wind but at least it's dry. There are a lot of black-necked swans on the water along with cormorants.

We spend the afternoon lazing in the room until it's time to go to mass for 7pm. Afterwards, we visit a restaurant called Afrigonia, recommended to us by the agent this morning. Some interesting curries but we stick to more basic food, hake and rice and beef and vegetables. An accordionist plays whilst we eat.