Wednesday, March 4 and Thurs Mar 5. Moraira to Santiago via Valencia, Majorca and Barcelona.
We left home at 1:30 pm and boarded an Air Europa plane to Barcelona, which involved a change at Malaga. We took off at 5 pm from Valencia and then around 8:30 pm from Malaga and eventually took off from Barcelona at 11:30 pm. This was all quite tiring as we had an extra soft suitcase that could not be checked in. The Level flight from Barcelona was in premium economy and this was good value for money as the seating was very satisfactory. The plane was not very full and we were probably have been okay in ordinary economy as the layout there were groups of two with four in the middle whereas in premium economy we had slightly wider seats and more legroom with seats of two and just three in the centre. The food was very basic and contained high levels of MSG to keep David awake. But we both managed to get a reasonable amount of sleep and next morning even the roll at breakfast was edible.
We landed in Santiago at 9:30 am and then had a short wait to get through passport control and a longer wait for our suitcases, but eventually we were cleared by 11:30 am and took a taxi in to the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago. Here there was chaos. Before we even got into reception, a doorman told us the room would not be ready. We eventually found a Silversea check-in on the first floor and went through that. However, once done with Silversea, we had to go to another room to register with the Mandarin. They said it was unlikely the room would be ready before 3 pm, the agreed time of their arrivals, but they would email us if it were to be ready earlier. We also had a fight with them as they would not take a debit card as security (insisting on a credit card) Eventually David paid the duty manager $200 in cash as a deposit.
We then went out to search for the mall which we eventually found in the opposite direction to that in which the Silversea lady had pointed us. We indulged in an almond and chocolate ice cream in the mall. These ice creams seemed to last forever. I also bought myself a little white top which I’ve been searching for for many a year in Zara. Back at the hotel at 3 pm, the room still was not ready and I told the Silversea staff that their management should tell the Mandarin management that Mandrin were a bunch of monkeys. Eventually we got a very nice room, 810, at about 15.15 and I got changed and went down for a swim and one of the most gorgeous pools we have ever seen. David had a Caipirianha while waiting at the pool, and this was not quite up to scratch. This later proved to cause a problem, as he signed for it and later on we got a call in the room to say he should not have signed for it as he had not left a deposit. Wow!, Fireworks. Apparently a human error on their part. We enjoyed a cup of coffee in the room and went down later for more cocktails and a light snack.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbprint below
 |
 |
 |
 |
| We get settled in | A room with a view | The boys did not rate their Caipierana highly | But Chris rated the pool as one of the best |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| It was very scenic | We relax in the late afternoon with a cocktail | David enjoying and snack | A trip to a local mall while waiting for our room plus ice creams |
Friday, March 6. Santiago de Puerto Williams.
We both got a reasonable amount of sleep during the night but we were awake from about 6 am onwards. We went down to breakfast before 8 am and were pleasantly surprised: it was a windowless room but fairly well lit and the food provided was a good quality. We enjoyed the fruit and a croissant and then went back to the room and made ourselves a coffee there with the pleasant views over Santiago. We had checked out before breakfast as we feared this might be a lengthy process if we left it till the end. So at 10 am we assembled for the second of the Silversea charter flights of the day to Puerto Williams.
This was managed well and after a 30 minute drive to the airport we were quickly on board the roughly 70 seater jet and we were in the first row. It was a four hour flight and the time passed quite quickly. We enjoyed a very good pisco sour and then a pleasant meal, probably the same menu as we had had several years previously from Buenos Aires to Punta Uranus, followed by a Baileys liqueur. The boys had a trip to the flight deck where they helped the pilot fly the plane. All went well until we landed. Just before landing the stewardess had removed a bag with the boys into a locker just ahead of us, as in the first row one is not allowed anything loose. However, I forgot to ask for them back when we landed and only realised that they were missing after we had been on the bus to the ship for about 10 minutes. I explained the problem to the guide on the bus and was hopeful that we would be able to recover them before the aircraft took off again, but David felt there was little hope. Once the bus arrived at the ship about 10 minutes from the airport, I explained the problem again to a member of Silversea staff , by which time we had missed the opportunity to be the first passengers from the flight onto the ship, but that was a little consequence.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbprint below
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Breakfast for 200 in the hotel | Then we board the charter to Puerto Williams | The boys give the pilot a few tips on flying the aircraft | And Somerville says he is doing the landing |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The boys relax with a Pisco Sour | We fly past Usuaia | And land at Puerto Williams | The sun was shining, but it was cold |
Once aboard, the usual practices of registering and having our photos taken and then to our cabin, 720. We were lucky that we were on the second flight as the third flight only arrived at 18.00 and would’ve had little chance to unpack properly before dinner. The only members of the crew that we recognised in the first few hours were Martin, the cruise entertainment manager and Lee who we had known for many years (but a few more old faces emeged later). After working very hard at doing all the unpacking, I went down to reception and found the boys had in fact being delivered there but the reception had made no effort to reunite them with their owners. I had to describe exactly what was in their little black bag to be allowed to take them away to safety and more cuddling in the future.
By this time it was about 6 pm and the sun was still shining, although it was very cold outside. So I decided to go and test the pool as the water was obviously non-choppy while were tied up alongside. I had a very pleasant swim and a Jacuzzi before getting changed and going up to the bar for another Pisco sour and have a chat to Martin about the possibilities of playing bridge aboard. Then we went back down to the room and found an invitation to dine tomorrow with the captain, Freddie. He was the South African captain who we had encountered before and who had been the captain of the ship which had found the Endevour a few years ago. We then wrapped up well and went up to dine in the open air grill, knowing that this would be very cold but would be the best opportunity to sample the grill whilst the ship was almost stationary, departure time being set for 8 pm.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbprint below
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The ship from the airport | Moored near the Naval Base | Straight in for a swim | And straight in for a Pisco Sour |
Saturday, March 7. At sea from Puerto Williams.
We had a good breakfast in the dining room. Which was followed at 9:30 am by a welcome from the expedition leader, Claudia or Clouds, a South African who we had not encountered before, as far as we know. She was very clear in all her instructions and we look forward to a good voyage with her. After this at 10:30 am Chris went and played Trivia whilst David attended a wine briefing by the head sommelier who was trying to up sell wines. Just seven other people attended this. A new twist on upselligs also emerged with Silversea trying to sell single glasses of wine for upwards of $30 each.
At 11 am there was a mandatory zodiac briefing. We had a healthy lunch in the dining room at noon and then a quick siesta before a Bridge rendezvous at 1:30 pm. Only one person turned up for this and lo and behold, what a surprise that was Adrian, who we had sailed with in 2019 aboard the Explorer. Neither of us really recognised each other even though we had corresponded with each other intermittently in between. At 3 pm it was a lecture by Matt on the Falklands, followed by afternoon tea at 4 pm and then a briefing on Sundays activities at 5 pm by Clouds. Also a recap by Jess, Lee and Dimitri. We had sailed before with Jess (Saudi to Dublin) and discovered that she had now married her fellow lecturer, Matt. Other old faces were Babsi (sailed with her from Florida to Peru in 2019) and Dimitri, a Russian historian who lived in Cyprus.(sailed with him on Explorer in 2023)
At 6:30 pm there was a captains reception and then we dined with the captain. Here there were just two other guests, Mr. and Mrs Fleischer, who were friends of Donald Trump’s: the first so-called friends of Trump that I have ever encountered, so an interesting evening with them and captain Freddie who we had met beforehand (sailing up the Western Coast of Chie on the Explorer in 2023and who was a delight to chat to. Also a very good red wine, Italian, and eventually a second bottle of this too, which I think were donated by Mr Fleisher. Then to bed and to plan an early start on what we should wear in the morrow at Westpoint in the Falklands.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbprint below
 |
 |
 |
| The captain's welcome | Dinner with the captain | Well with the Captains and the Fleishers |