First!

In hindsight getting to Punta Arenas on a red-eye was not a great plan: LAN Express planes have the least legroom of any we can remember, and as a result we arrived at Punta Arena at 5AM sore and on very little sleep; the pick-up from our tour company got us to our hotel at 6AM, a scant SEVEN HOURS before they would have a room available for us.

We killed some time on the lobby wifi then headed out in search of caffeine and food at 7AM. Nothing was open. Nothing. Nada.

We tried again at 9AM but unfortunately the Chileans, like a few cultures we've encountered, don't seem to drink coffee in the morning when you brain needs it most. After passing about a dozen closed coffee shops we finally found one that was open near our hotel. The waiter seemed nervous and confused, and they didn't seem to have any of the food items listed on the menus. We settled for a couple of cappuccinos and a few biscuits to get us through to an early lunch. When the waiter brought the bill he was accompanied by the proprietor who proudly told us that they had just opened, this was their first day, we were their first customers, and thus we were getting ticket #0001:

P

A totally forgettable day for us but a memorable one for them, I suppose.

Tomorrow: Antarctica!