Saturday Dec. 15th 2012
I get to Puerto Madryn at 2pm, so 19 hours of bus in the end. I go to the hostel ''La Casa de Tounens'' for 70 pesos (14.16$ Can.) a night. Like I always usually do, I leave my stuff and go take a walk into town to discover the place a bit. Back at the hostel in the beginning of the evening where I meet a couple of Scottish that I had meet a few time before in the last month. They tell me that they rented a car for the next day and that they are going to the penguin colony. I asked if it would be possible to join and they gladly accept, Very cool. Thanks Graham & Julie.
Puerto Madryn
Sunday Dec. 16th 2012
We leave at 8h30 to go to Punta Tombo where there is the biggest penguin colony in South America. The entrance fee is of 60 pesos (12.14$ Can.) and we have seen thousands of penguins, there are even some with babies. Incredible to see such a quantity of penguins all in one spot. Then we leave and go north a bit to ''Isla Escondida'', we were told that we could see sea lions and sea elephants. There were a few but not as many as we though. Today we will have seen penguins, sea lions and sea elephants, an armadillo, Emus ans somekind of stupid bird that resemble a lot to a partridge. We leave there for the travel back to Puerto Madryn and are back in town at 6pm. I must go to another hostel ''Hostel Cheapatagonia'', because there was no beds available at ''Casa de Tounens'', this new hostel cost 75 pesos (15.17$ Can.). I will stay here for the next two nights.
Punta Tombo
Penguin nest
Magellanic Penguin
Fatherly love
Sea elephants
Monday Dec. 17th 2012
A few other people that I had met at "Casa de Tounens" invited me to go with them around the "Peninsula Valdès". The yalso rented a car and we leave at around 9am. The entrance fees to the Peninsula reserve is of 100 pesos (20.23$ Can.). We first went to the eastern shore to "Calete Valdès" to see some animals, then we left and went to "Punta Cantor" and "Punta Norte". We did not have any chance of seeing whales or orcas, but the season for the whales is over now and I knew that my chances were slim, but I had to go see anyways. I can add Guanacos to the list of animals seen around Puerto Madryn. The landscapes seen in the Peninsula are awesome. We get back into town at 8h30 pm. A very nice and interesting day, and I'm very happy because the last two days have cost me a lot less than if I would have had to do tours. I only had to pay for my share of the rental and gas :-)
Sea elephants
A sign I am absolutely not used to seeing
Guanaco
Armadillo
Sea Lion
A small lizard on the beach
There are even sand dunes on Peninsula Valdès
Tuesday Dec. 18th 2012
I leave Puerto Madryn today but only at 9h30 pm. So I spend the day getting up to date on many little things with the blog and more, and it rained all day, so there is not much more to do. The bus leaves at 10pm (321 pesos = 64.94$ Can.).
The coast on the southern part of the Peninsula
Atlantic Ocean
Click on image to see the full album for ''Puerto Madryn & Bahia Blanca''
Wednesday Dec. 19th 2012
I get to Bahia Blanca at 8am. First impression, don't go to Bahia Blanca :) I go to the Hostel Bahia Blanca for 60 pesos a night and it is not luxury at all, but still pretty good. I will see later if I can change my first impression of the town when I will go in the city center. It rains all day, but I decide in the afternoon to take a walk anyway because I need to find a supermarket anyway. I have to say that I take back my words for my first impression, the city center is much nicer than what I have seen earlier. here is not much to do, but it is quite nice, but only one or two days max here.
Bahia Blanca
Thursday Dec. 20th 2012
I change my plans, I was supposed to stay here for two nights, but after speaking with a French couple met at the Hostel, I learn that there is a train that goes from here to Buenos Aires and much more cheaper. So I will be taking the train in the evening at 7h30 pm and should get there in the morning. On top of saving over 300 pesos for the same road. I save a night at the hostel, so in the end my ticket is almost like it was for free. The bus ticket would have been 360 pesos (72.83$ Can.) and the train only costs 75 pesos (15.38$ Can.). I leave the hostel in the morning at 10am and go wander around town. Happily it is much nicer outside today. I take the train in the evening at 7h30pm. In the night it is a bit cold and not very comfortable, but for an almost free travel I absolutely cannot complain.
Bahia Blanca train station just before I left
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