"I´ve left my book of quotes in Rothera" -- Ross

So they´ve let me out into the big wide world. Instead of free lodgings in return for work, I now have to find a place to sleep and decide what to do every day. Instead of regimented meal times, I now have to choose when, where and what to eat. Instead of a rudimentary grunting, I now have to use spoken language. I´m not quite sure it´s me yet.

Four ex-Rothera winterers left on the Dash 7 flight, along with a number of V.I.Ps, including Rt. Hon. David Willets, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Overseas Territories Director, Colin Roberts, who were down to look at the Antarctic science operations both at Rothera, and the surrounding local areas, and specifically to be shown the importance of the work that is done there, in looking at the effects of climate change. After landing at the military Mount Pleasant Airport on the Falkland Islands, the VIPs were taken to their accomodation, while we were taken to the settlement of Darwin.

Darwin Lodge is a fantastic place, run by some good people, and in a remote spot, where it was quite pleasant to get out and see some different wildlife, and of course, some green stuff! I had honestly expècted to be shocked by wading through grass after so long wading through snow, but it felt totally normal again. Using money, crossing the road, and other things that I expected to find a challenge just became second nature, as they had been before going South. I suppose the Falkland Islands is a nice bridge into the real world, as the population is so low, and is concentrated in the capital of Stanley. There are a lot of remnants from the conflict between UK and Argentina 30 years ago -- some mental ones, in the attidudes of the Islanders, and some physical ones, such as that below.

It seemed a shame that some of the beaches were off limits, due to suspected mine presence there -- beaches such as the ones of Gypsy Cove, home to a colony of Magellenic penguins.

Gypsy Cove is a good walk away from Stanley. Other sites of wildlife interest include Volunteer Point, but this would have been a three hour journey, most of which would have been off road, and would have worked out pretty expensive. Instead a couple of us satisfied ourselves with the mysterious Gnome Colony at Kay´s B&B in Stanley.

Every time I got my camera out, they stopped moving, I swear!

The Rockhopper penguin colony, just outside Stanley, was a shorter off road journey (around 1 hour), and the farmer who owned the land gave us a bit of the history of the land, and local points of interest, while he drove us to the coast and to the colony.

This was a beautiful spot, despite me ignoring the advice that the rocks are pretty slippy, and falling flat on my arse.

After a week in the Falklands, I flew to Lima, Peru, via Punta Arenas and Santiago, Chile (where I missed my connection!).

Lima is right on the coast, looking out west over the Pacific Ocean. It´s an enormous place, but I´ve focussed most of my wanderings in the very gringo area of Miraflores, while I work up the tourist spirit to get down to Nazca. I will leave tomorrow!