Puerto Madryn

In Argentina, you either have to take a plane or sit on a bus for hours. Since a flight usually costs twice as much and I have time, I take the bus. Puerto Madryn is actually not that pretty and was not really the reason why I took the long journey. One hour from Puerto Madryn is the Valdes Peninsula, where many different animals live. The hostel was really nicely decorated and the owner was incredibly friendly and helpful. Every morning there was freshly baked cake. I could also book tours through the hostel. On the first day, I borrowed a bike and rode 17 km to Punta Loma. The route went right along the coast. I took a break in between and had a whole bay all to myself. Unfortunately, I couldn't take a tour on the island on the first day because I couldn't get money from the ATM the night before and had to pay a part in cash. But the next day it worked out, so I could take a tour with someone I had met at dinner on Saturday on the Valdes Peninsula.

At the beginning, we drove to a small town on the island. From there we got on a boat and went out into the South Atlantic. We could already see several whales from a distance. When the boat rocked on the sea, the whales were actually so close to the boat that theoretically you could have touched them if you had bent down. We saw two babies and three adult Southern Right Whales. Although I had seen whales in Boston before, it was even more impressive this time because we could see the skin of the animals up close and marvel at their full size.

Afterwards, we drove along various stretches of coastline to see sea elephants, sea lions, and penguins. We particularly liked the 4-ton sea elephants because they looked so happy and content. Along the way, many guanacos, wild horses, and cows crossed our path. In the meadows, we saw maras several times. We also saw a pretty lizard, an owl, a hamster, and a Patagonian tarantula. The island is truly a paradise for animals. For me, every cent and every hour on the bus was worth it, as I love seeing animals in their natural habitat.

On Sunday, I continued to Buenos Aires. Another 17 hours on the bus. Again, I realize that South Americans have a really strange taste in movies. By now, I understand the movies pretty well, especially when they also have Spanish subtitles, and every time I wonder who voluntarily watches such nonsense and yet I am also a part of it 😂.