But first coffee – and a Covid Test

Monday 7 November 2022

Up early my AirBnB hostess Gri and I had just confirmed a San Telmo testing location when Yvonne Facebook msg’ed me from Hotel Madero – they are waiting for the Hurtigruten testing to take place at the Hotel this morning.

Communication up to this point indicated that testing would take place the afternoon/early evening, so this was news that changed everthing.

I decided to walk over to the hotel and do the Hurtigruten sanctioned test, then it’s done and out the way. Plus as they arranged it someone on the team would probably speak english, which would help. Also – it is part of shipboard account, so no immediate need for Argentinian Pesos.

At the hotel there was a boardroom set up with tables, confectionary and coffee/tea/juice. A local tour rep explained the procedure for preparations relating to the transfer to Ushuaia and of course… THE TEST.

Bob and Yvonne I had met via the Facebook Group, so they were ‘familiar faces’ and then also met Anne, Carol x 2 and Nancy that morning. We all passed the Covid Test… Phew!

Elated that hurdle was crossed we celebrated with coffee and went our seperate ways into Buenos Aires – Bob to the Hard Rock Cafe and me to find Buqebus terminal to purchase my tickets for Colonia De Sacremento Day Trip when I return.

I actually passed Hard Rock Cafe en-route to the terminal… took a few pictures – Messi Burger looked like it could be a messy experience.. kinda like eating a Steers burger – loads of napkins requried. Cute cat t-shirts.

I walked back past the Plaza de Mayo and tried in vain to withdraw Pesos. Somehow I got the PIN to my CashPassport messed up and the card got locked. I ended up exchanging some USD at the hotel – desperate times… desperate measures.

Went back to the AirBnB and re-arranged the luggage – suitcases out at 10pm and me having an evening tour meant I would not see my case again after 18:00 until I reach Ushuaia the next day. Final weight – 22.95kg – juuuuuust short of the 23kg max allowance – Phew (again!)

Severly underestimated the distance to the hotel and the heat. I looked a mess when I reached Hotel Madero for check-in – having dragged my luggage accross the cobble stones from San-Telmo. Just in time to put backpack in room, suitcase out before being collected for my evening tour.

Evening tour combined visits to Plaza de Mayo, Recoleta – the little church next to the cemetary and a drive through Palermo. We stopped at a food market for some empanadas. It was beautiful and very informative. Tour included two fellow Hurtigruten Antarctica passagers – due to board the sister ship a few days later and another lady that was due to board a different Antarctica cruise later that week. They were still wearing masks – not taking any chances with their upcoming Covid tests.

I got back from the tour around 22:00 and decided to get an ice-cream from the Burger-king like place close to the hotel. Learned my big lesson re Argentinian Ice-cream there.. although I did not realise it until much later. It does not set – I ended up with the entire ice-cream on my jacket. When I lifted the cone it just imploded onto my hand. Luckily I had some tissues and water with me and could attempt to kind of clean up before I entered the foyer of Hotel Madero looking like a 3 year old who had an ice-cream tragedy.

Later I would learn that even the tub of ice-cream I purchased at the supermarket did not set in the freezer, despite the ice cubes right next to it freezing up. Weird, but don’t say you weren’t warned.

Kind of cleaned up (some further effort in the bathroom) and devices charging – two alarms set – I managed to get some sleep before early transfer to Ushuaia.