Settling In
The past couple of days have been absolutely fantastic. On Friday night Pablo, the observer I'm sharing the house with at the moment, showed me the local pubs. The pubs are more English than English pubs, with union jack flags all over the place. The smoking ban has not been put in place here so they are very smoky but the drink is cheap so I don’t mind that much!
Early in the morning it rained which melted most of the snow. I had a walk around town and saw the mizzenmast from the SS Great Britain!
The Falklands are amazingly beautiful. They are rugged and stark, but are beautiful all the same. The weather has so far been fantastic, but the wind is bitingly cold and very persistent. But as long as you wrap up warm you’re fine. The people have been so friendly and welcoming. I am having a great time. I feel like I’ve been here a lot longer than the couple of days it has been. Tomorrow I start work which I’m excited by, but also a little nervous. Hopefully it will all go well.
Early in the morning it rained which melted most of the snow. I had a walk around town and saw the mizzenmast from the SS Great Britain!
I also saw some very large seabirds which I later identified as southern giant petrels. Apparently they like congregating around the sewage outlets in the harbour! They are huge, grey birds with a wingspan of a couple of metres, according to my bird book.
In the afternoon I went for a walk along the Stanley Bypass, the road behind/above Stanley. There are lots of upland geese around, as well as a species of vulture which is black with a red head. I also these birds. I don’t know what they are (yet) but will try and id them.
In the afternoon I went for a walk along the Stanley Bypass, the road behind/above Stanley. There are lots of upland geese around, as well as a species of vulture which is black with a red head. I also these birds. I don’t know what they are (yet) but will try and id them.
In the evening we went to a birthday party and I met lots of locals. It was a really fun night and I got to try a bit of latin dancing (I was VERY bad!). We left in the early hours and as we were unable to get a taxi we had to walk. Stanley is much bigger than you’d think and we live at the top of a hill. The wind was freezing and we had both been drinking so getting home was, well, interesting! But we got home safe and sound and I slept until late Sunday morning.
I was invited to go for a drive to Gypsy Cove, just around the coast by one of the guys at the department. The weather was crisp and clear and the landscape was beautiful. There is a beach that if off-limits due to mines and there is one part of the road where you cannot leave it because mine-fields surround it on both sides.
I was invited to go for a drive to Gypsy Cove, just around the coast by one of the guys at the department. The weather was crisp and clear and the landscape was beautiful. There is a beach that if off-limits due to mines and there is one part of the road where you cannot leave it because mine-fields surround it on both sides.
The Falklands are amazingly beautiful. They are rugged and stark, but are beautiful all the same. The weather has so far been fantastic, but the wind is bitingly cold and very persistent. But as long as you wrap up warm you’re fine. The people have been so friendly and welcoming. I am having a great time. I feel like I’ve been here a lot longer than the couple of days it has been. Tomorrow I start work which I’m excited by, but also a little nervous. Hopefully it will all go well.
Comments
ANNE