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Leaving Argentina for the last time, we headed back over the Chilean border to Punta Arenas via Puerto Natales. Fortunately there were no problems at the border, apart from a broken bottle of Trapiche, them taking our bread and tomatoes – no lunch and an Argentinian official asking me about the serious problems in my country. The Irish economy is a hot topic in most hostel small talk conversations these days.

We checked into Backpackers Paradise for the night and organised our trip to Isla Magdalena for the morning. Paradise it was not, and we moved out the next morning after the smell of old feet in the teeny tiny dorm room got too much for us. Our room mates, nicknamed Santa Claus and his wife should have left their hiking boots outside. Unfortunately, Barefoot Backpackers up the road was not much of an improvement, however lunch in La Marmita saved our opinion of Punta Arenas. It was really delicious food, with interesting decor and a great atmosphere.

That evening we went to Isla Magdalena, an island about 2 hours off the coast. It was amazing! The whole island is taken over by penguins and they look so happy waddling around in couples. (these penguins only have one mate for life)

As we were in the area, the next day we went to Seno Otway Penguin Colony. Again the penguins were very cute but Isla Magdalena was much more impressive. And so a flight up to Santiago the next day brought us to our final stop before leaving South America.

We had yet more steak this week – Leah was here for two nights before flying home, so we had to have a departure dinner for her. El Establo was the favourite restaurant of the week – really friendly staff and great food. There was also a couple of nights out. Thursday, we went to a great place – Club Araos. When we arrived there was a skate board competition going on followed by some break dancers. Afterwards came the regular DJ and they played some good RnB all night so we did plenty of dancing.

And then came the highlight of the trip – A Jesus theme park. We went to Tierra Santa on Saturday, having heard about the giant mechanical Jesus that resurrects from behind a mountain we were quite curious. The whole place was quite bizarre – loads of tacky installations for everything in the bible – a last supper room, a stations of the cross, a nativity scene and even a wailing wall. All of them involved lifesize plastic models that had moving mouths and limbs – all very bizarre! And so we come to the end of the first part of the trip. Onwards to Salta!

We arrived here on Saturday and went straight to Millhouse hostel. Good first impressions and started off with a good long sleep! Only some of us could sleep on the plane

Yesterday we went to see some markets and visit Cementerio de la Recoleta – famous graveyards. We found an “O Leary” and a “Father Fahy”!  We also went to the markets nearby to stock up on gloves and scarves – colder than you would expect here, glad I have the thermals!

Last night, we went for the first steak dinner at El Desnivel – delicious! They’re will be many more to follow…