Empanadas, Haircuts, and Last-Minute Tasks in Ushuaia

After disembarking in Ushuaia, we squeezed into yet another tiny taxi and checked in at the Las Hayas Hotel, one of two hotels used by Aurora Expeditions for pre-voyage accommodation. This year our room had a better view, but still felt a bit like grandma’s attic with its dated decor.

I really need to get better at taking photos of accommodations BEFORE we mess them up – keepin’ it real though.

Ushuaia is a charming town at the end of the world, but we had already done the touristy bits. After two weeks of traveling, we had four tasks on our to-do list: get Andy a shave and haircut, indulge in some empanadas and churros, pick up last-minute supplies, and take care of our laundry. Laundry was easy with same-day service at Las Hayas. The rest of our tasks, however, required a trip into town.

We stuck to our usual habit of paying for taxis with $5 USD and headed straight to Dona Lupita, a spot we discovered last year and couldn’t stop thinking about. We ordered five empanadas and two drinks for a grand total of $16—and to our delight, they even take credit cards!

Afterward, we wandered through town, walking all the way to the museum in search of a barber for Andy. We finally found one on a side street, where Andy got a haircut and shave for just $13—and generously tipped $5. The haircut was the best one he’s had since pre-Covid.

Next, we hit the pharmacy for some supplies before rewarding ourselves with a quick stop at Dody Bakery for a churro filled with dulce de leche.

We returned to a basket of freshly laundered clothes, noticing that the hotel was starting to fill up. We couldn’t help but wonder which of the new arrivals would be joining us on our upcoming 23-day expedition.

Dinner that night was at La Martial, the hotel restaurant which is also top rated on TripAdvisor. While they were out of the T-bone steak, we settled for rack of lamb and mushrooms—a delicious alternative.

After breakfast, we headed back into town with a list in hand. We grabbed new sunglasses for Andy, a buff for me, and restocked on body wash and hair clips. I had grand plans to mail my mom’s birthday card from Ushuaia, thinking it would have plenty of time to arrive before her birthday next month. We stopped by the post office, but they didn’t accept credit cards, and I didn’t have enough Argentine pesos to send it.

For lunch, we returned to Dona Lupita—this time for pizza. It was extremely cheesy with a great crust. We couldn’t finish it, so we brought the leftovers back for the valets at the hotel.

Around 4 p.m., we checked in with Aurora Expeditions for our expedition. Surprisingly, there was no line or complicated paperwork or Covid tests —just a quick form about symptoms, and we were set. We opted for a simple dinner in the hotel bar. One more sleep.