Jorge the owner of the Hotel was at the reception when we returned from the Torres tour.
“Would you like to join us for New Years Eve Dinner” he asked..
“It is not anything big or fancy, but just a small group of guests bringing in the New Year. We will start around 9.30”. We decided to join the celebrations.
Jorge and a couple of the hotel staff had set up around 3 tables for dinner, in the restaurant, next to the reception for a three course meal and had decorated the place with balloons and hats etc. Both of us were the first to arrive.
Jorge came and offered us Calafate Sours and sat down. He was the owner and manager of the HD Natales, and spends his time between Santiago and Puerto Natales. His primary job is managing a luxury hotel in Santiago, however he spends his weekends at the HD Hotel in Natales, which he bought several years ago.
Two other couples came along and wished us “Buenos Noches” and sat down nearby. Let us join them Sheila said and then she went across. “We don’t speak Spanish, but can we join you?”
“I speak a little English. You can definitely join us”. The four of them are Andre (the English speaker) and his partner Angel and Sebastian and his partner Gabriella from Santa Caterina in Brazil. They were on holiday travelling in Chile for a week over Christmas and New Year. They were warm and friendly and welcoming and talkative, with Andre interpreting for them. Although they were total strangers, we felt entirely at ease and at home and the evening turned out to be a unique and enjoyable New Year’s Eve.
Just before midnight, Jorge put on the TV for the New Year Countdown
New Years Day was spent unwinding in the hotel. After the three intense weeks of travel and driving we felt we needed a couple of days of not doing anything at all before the final leg on the ferry and the flight back. We had a late breakfast and lounged in the hotel lobby. Jorge came by intermittently and made small talk and brought us some cookies and coffee. The first day of 2026 was a grey cloudy day in Puerto Natales.
Cloudy New Year’s Day 2026, Puerto Natales.
In the evening we attended New Years Day Mass at Parroquia Maria del Carmen Church. The priest came around and wished each one “Felicidad Ano Nuevo” (Happy New Year) with a hug.
Sheila’s take:
Our road trip has come to an end at Puerta Natales.
I want to reflect on three aspects of our trip which were very relevant for me.
The first was the fear and anxiety with which I started the trip and this was present to some extent in the background during the trip. The reason for this was the fact that the two of us were travelling alone in a very isolated part of the world. For long stretches of our journey we did not see anyone and then an occasional camper van would flash by. I worried what if one of us got ill etc. The roads were at least 50% untarred and rubble. So there was also a real risk of a puncture.
Acknowledging these fears I still wanted to do the trip and it turned out to be a truly wonderful experience of a lifetime.
The way I dealt with my fears was through prayers. We prayed in the morning before starting the journey and with gratitude at the end of the day. I believe that prayers were what kept us safe through out the trip and I believe there is a lot of power in prayers. Thank you to all those who prayed for us as well.
It was also interesting to see that through out Chile and Argentina there were small shrines located in the most isolated parts of the roads. But chat GPT says that these shrines were for Gauchito Gil (an outlaw folk hero like Robinhood) and Difunta Correa a legendary woman who died of thirst in the desert whilst her baby suckling at her breast survived. People leave water bottles at her shrine! We saw the water bottles and were puzzled at that time.
My final observation is about how reserved I was at the start of our trip but as we travelled, I became more relaxed and smiled and connected and conversed with people. These encounters were interesting giving us a window into other travellers experiences. I realised that we could make our journey richer by initiating conversations and brief connections with other people. We got better at it as we travelled. and the culmination was a really enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebration!!
There is only one perhaps regret/ guilt that I felt during the trip. We encountered people hitch hiking on 3 separate occasions, but we did not stop. Our back seat was full of luggage and there was no space. Also we were perhaps a little unsure of allowing strangers into our space. Perhaps next time we will make room for that experience!
Siddharth’s Corner
Lil Siddharth wants to play
Meaow Meaow 🐈😽come and lead the way
We will be your baa- baa mates🐑 🐏
Run and join us at the gates,
We will jump 🦙and fly 🦅🐥hover
Neeiigghh 🐎the game -is not over
Till Pachamachi’s 👨🏼🔬🧓🏼blog is done
For their Little grandson!!👶
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