Lomit the Vomit and the New Year Disaster

If you laugh as hard as we are you'll bust a rib so be careful reading this one but its long so make sure you have time!

So the New Year party was a corker here. There were fireworks, street parties, bazookas, air horns and all the boats in the harbour let their sirens off. The party from along the promenade then moved through all the streets of the town. At least we think it did - we woke up at midnight having missed it all and enjoyed the noise for a bit before we fell asleep again. Oh dear, we had the best of intentions. If only New Years celebrations happened at 9pm then we'd make them......

But still, we made it up at 08.30 to go see the Magellanic Penguinos which were ACE. We were the first ones there with our lovely guide Roberto and unbeknownst to us we had booked our own private tour so it was just the three of us all day. LOVELY. We have seen baby penguins and waddling penguins and swimming and snuggling penguins. All penguined out. We had lunch looking out over the Fitzroy Channel and then drove around the water to look for Dolphins which must have all been busy swimming with the penguins. Then we saw three Condor roosting and one swooped right over our heads when we had our lunch. Very cool. When we went to Torres del Paine I bought a little wildlife guide with 52 plants and animals listed. I've ticked most of them off now and a few more not included ones. Brilliant Day.

Got back to hotel at 4.30pm and decided to walk into town. Just like Christmas - all shut. Apart from Lomits which is listed in Lonely Planet as Chiles answer to a roadside diner. It had a big sign outside saying ICE CREAM which Martyn needed by then. He has man-flu but is dealing with it like a trooper and knowing him it will be gone tomorrow and I'll be having it for the next two weeks....Anyway, we went in for the obligatory ice cream which was yummy - although Martyn got himself three scoops and then me three scoops so he's eaten 4.5 scoops but he says his seperate ice cream tummy is still only half full. While we ate our ice cream we watched the chef cook on the griddle in the middle. Well, we watched until we felt ill anyway, the slices of raw beef were stored next to the fresh tomato, the chef wiped his nose on his apron, then he made a fresh raw beef patty by slapping some mince down on a wooden countertop and without washing his hands he picked up a cooked roll and burger and put the salad on it. Lovely. Oh and he dropped his knife on the floor and then carried on using it. Hence we coined the term Lomit the Vomit. Needless to say we ate our ice cream and ran out of there!

Back at hostal we decided it would be a good idea to reconfirm our flight for tomorrow. Good job. Flight had been cancelled. Not sure why - airline cock up - something to do with our first cancellation and rebooking we think - they cancelled the return flight twice instead of once we think. Ho Hum. At least we found out. Orlando on reception was very helpful as our fairly limited Spanish could not cope with all the telephone confusion! Never mind. Snottogram sent to airline for compensation and refund of cancelled flight organised. Extortionate amount of money paid for new flight tomorrow with NON BUDGET airline so we can at least get to Santiago and not lose our hotel there or the rest of our flight legs but we reckon the refund we're going to get will cover it!

Nip to fridge in hostel to get dinner that we bought in supermarket yesterday. Bag not there. Martyn very worried about dinner. Runs to reception. Reception very worried about dinner. Lots of Spanish mutterings. Leave them to it for a bit, phone call, dinner found HURRAH.

Have now given up for the day and I'm afraid we've turned the telly on to sit and have our crackers and meat paste which had been taken out of the fridge so we may well have been better off at Lomit the Vomits but we're hungry and the meat paste still feels cold - can't be any worse than it being in a lunchbox all day right???!

Lets hope we make it to Santiago tomorrow - have just discovered that we seem to have managed to book ourselves in to a 5* hotel for two nights. We got it cheap with some points from something......had no idea it was 5* but after the last flight 'disaster' we're quite looking forward to it - we'll let you know!