Oct. 29, 2016.  Hostal al Fin del Mundo, Punta Arenas, Chile.

• Took a day long tour to see a colony of King penguins (second in size, the largest being Emperor penguins, which are only found on Antarctica).  Two ferries and several hours of bus, with flat uninteresting scenery - Tierra del Fuego.  Now I know I don't have to make any special effort to see more of that island.

• The penguins were terrific.  Only discovered a few years ago, they are establishing a colony slowly but surely.  Last year only one chick survived; this year so far there are ten.  They are all brown, and fluffed out so much they seem even bigger than their elegant parents.  Very funny looking, sort of like Bigfoot, just standing around, or following the adults (looking for food?), who would snap at them if they got too close.  By the way, the Colonia de Pinguinos Rey is on Bahia Inútil (Useless Bay).

• Stopped at a museum with amazing photos of a local people, since wiped out, with full body decorations.  Must learn more about them!

• Lots of guanacos beside the road.

• Went back to the same restaurant for more king crab: this time in a lasagna.  Yum.  The crab tastes just as good as Dungeness, but with bigger pieces of meat.  

Oct. 30, 2016.  Hostal Nancy, Puerto Natales, Southern Patagonia, Chile.

• Plan is to take a bus to Puerto Natales, then take a few day trips to see the mountains - this at the advice of a fellow hostellite, who just came from there.  Backing off from the plan of a long hike with overnights in refuges - too much organization required; day tours are just fine.  This will perhaps leave me with time to see Easter Island.

• OK: found a bus.  Three hours, nine bucks.  Window seat.  Weather overcast & cold.  Time to move on!  Traveling along the Ruta del Fin del Mundo.

• Lots of sheep, the ground like putting greens where they grazed.

• In general, Chile so far looks a lot more prosperous than the other countries I've been through.

• Not very special scenery between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, but as we neared the end of the three hour ride, the mountains to the north began to loom - very exciting.  Quite cloudy and windy, and can only hope the weather holds for the next few days.

• Checked into Hostal Nancy, a very nice place - and Nancy is a very nice hostess - got a room with three beds for about $20.  The town is sort of flat, with wide streets, little clapboard houses, very little traffic - Pacific Grove again comes to mind, although it's flatter here.  

• Found the closest restaurant and had fish chowder, grilled salmon, salad, and Chilean red wine, all very good.  

• Lots of hiking supplies and tour companies.  Immediately signed up for the one day tour of the area (at the suggestion of my Australian roommate of the last two nights), and then, for the next day, the boat tour to the Serrano Glacier.  Each costs about $100, but otherwise it's a real pain to see this stuff.  

• Hope I'm hungry later tonight: there are a lot of great restaurants here, and I want to hit a few before I leave.  Still no real plans on what else to do here, and where to head next.  Making it up as I go along...

• Found a great restaurant!  Afrigonia.  Had salmon ceviche, followed by mint roasted lamb.  Absolutely terrific, a classy restaurant.