Day 51 – Puerto Montt, Chile

Yippee!! Land!!

After being tendered ashore at the crack of dawn, we were coached up Mount Osorno (a volcano), in the pelting rain and dense fog, and with the coach screaming and shuddering under the strain, whereupon on reaching the summit we could see absolutely nothing whatsoever. As the rain was coming down in absolute sheets, the assembled hordes (about 5 coach loads) immediately made a run for the modest mountain ‘cafe’ which was apparently being run by four 12 year olds, where we queued grumpily for 30 minutes to purchase a coffee and shelter from the elements. See pics below of our plight!!

After this luckless quest, we were coached to the Petrohue Falls where this time we jostled with approximately 20 coach loads of tourists, on slim rickety walkways, clamouring for a glimpse of the uninspiring brown sludge, whilst trying not to fall out with the queue-swerving Germans! Bridge was physically attacked by an ageing Japanese man who clearly felt she had strayed too close to his wife’s photo opportunity and, back on the coach, folk fell to squabbling about whether or not the air conditioning should be turned on.

Finally we were driven to a small eatery on Lake Llanquihue where we were herded inside and crammed together like sardines until we reached critical mass and the walls threatened to collapse. At this point we were forced to drink a Pisco Sour (which we felt sure someone must have accidentally swapped for some leftover rocket fuel) and to consume our own body weight in fried salmon.

Back on the ship at 5 pm we reflected on the brazen exploitation of hapless tourists who are being fleeced left and right, but more importantly the hopeless overcrowding of these scenic spots and how much they are being spoilt in the process. But at least we got off the ship and the sun did eventually make an appearance AND the sea is calmer!