Ushuaia - End of the World, beginning of Everything

Having 1 week off is more than enough to go on a vacation, pretty much anywhere. As flying is in my DNA, I meet and interact with hundreds of people daily, so whenever I fly as a passenger, I like to travel alone, enjoying silence and myself (okay, call me selfish) :)

This time I wanted to go the extra mile, uhm, thousands of miles I could say.

Inspired by a brave Romanian friend who has almost completed 100 days hitchhike-ing up and down South America, and constantly posting amazing pictures (https://www.instagram.com/getlostwithb/), I started to look for tickets, connections and how to get 

to...Ushuaia - Fin del Mundo, the capital of Tierra del Fuego - commonly known as the southernmost city in the world. From here, only 4000 km to The South Pole.

Distance is not a problem nowadays. What matters most is Time. Each and every second of our life counts and might make the difference. This is a lesson to learn and acknowledge, especially when you are up in the air.

My leave started few hours after operating a flight, and without wasting any seconds, on 12th March, after a power nap, here I am, going... back to the airport, the one from Dubai this morning. Longest flight so far, approximately 22 hours flying, first stop in Sao Paulo and then Buenos Aires, to finally get to Ushuaia. Once in Argentina, there are a decent number of domestic flights per day, lots of tourists and small aircrafts so I felt lucky to get on the first flight to my final destination.

Ushuaia, 13th March. 

There's a lot to do and see, but if you ask me for a Top 5 things to do in Ushuaia, I would say:

1. Laguna Esmeralda - located aproximately 15 km away from the city center. How to get there? you can take a bus, taxi or simply hitchhike (as we did, best way to interact with the locals and to find out precious information). From Route 3, it takes around 2 walking hours to reach the Laguna. It's a beautiful trekking mix of woods and open land & rivers, it might get muddy so you need to make sure you wear water-proof hiking boots and have plenty of water to drink.

2. For those who love history, art and indoor culture there is End of the World Museum (Museo del Fin del Mundo), Maritime Museum and Predisio (old jail!) located on the edge of town. Later in the evening, you can rest in Bar Ideal- the oldest bar in town, or you can experience the Irish taste of Ushuaia, in Dublin Pub- the famous pub from the heart of the city ( St. Patrick was exactly on time).

3. Boat trip to Valle de Lobos, Faro Les Eclaireurs and Isla Martillo(Pinguinera) - as soon as you step in the tourism agencies area, they will tell you all you need to know! The most popular trips include cruising through the Beagle Channel and Atlantic Ocean, seeing the Islands and even the cute, friendly Penguins on Martillo Island.  It is up to you if you want to rent a small or a big boat, to have 2 h or 6 h trip, they have everything! :) this one is a bit expensive, but definitely worth it to do while you are there.

4. National Park Tierra del Fuego - for this, it takes up to 40 minutes from the city center, you can book the tour or, they also have mini-vans if you want to "do it yourself", which cost 400 pesos/person and drop you at the entrance of the park where you need to pay the fee (350 pesos/person) and then hop on and off wherever you want. We wanted to see especially Bahia Lapataia (Lapataia Bay) the fjord in the extreme south of Argentina which is connected to the Beagle Channel and considered the very last point of land. Once you are there, you can also get the train, "Tren del Fin del Mundo" which takes you through the park, and heading North you can see the beautiful Laguna Verde and Laguna Negra and also the Lake Acigami (Roca).

5. Get your passport stamped and even a Diploma! While you are asking for information and maps, make sure you handle your passport to the Tourist Information Center, where you will be congratulated for your trip to the End of The World and get 4 brand new stamps on your passport :) 

5*. Last but not least, the sky is amazing out here. You can just go for a walk and take stunning pictures.

Wherever you are heading to, wishing you clear skies and sun in your eyes and soul! :)