Patagonia - 2006-2007 - Diary and pictures
Unfortunally the full diary we wrote is still only available in Dutch. In English you find here a short impression and the pictures.
After having rolled on the African continent earlier this year, the winter of 2006/2007 is dedicated to our first longer trip. Six weeks in South America, which is also the first time we visit this part of the world. Patagonia was a simple decision, wide and wild, just as we like it.
So we're settled in our hotel in Santiago, after we arrived just 3 hours before. Time to start with the national sport here in Chile, eating an ice cream. But what's that rumour on the street? The former dictator Pinochet has died. What a start of this holiday! After looking around in Santiago we fly to Balmaceda to paddle down to the South by the Carretera Austral. We pass the most remote areas of the carretera after Cochrane on to Villa O'Higgins. The crossing from Villa O'Higgins to Argentina over the two lakes almost ends in disaster, when the second boat is not running. But on christmas evening all 7 bikers are warm and save again in El Chalten, Argentina, after a few exciting days.
The road continues further South to El Calafate. Perito Moreno may be touristic, but remains very impressive. We're lucky on our 1 day visit to Torres del Paine. The Torres are revealed to us on our full day walk. On to Punta Arenas, did I mentioned the rain already?
We cross the Magalenas to Tierra del Fuego. In 1/2 day we cross the island from west to east, 167 km. This is the most special day of our holiday. Friendship is born. Oli teaches us hw to think positive. We'll meet again! In Rio Grande we deliver our best wishes and a present to an acquaintance with a new born baby. A very nice view into the rough life on the island. We cross the mountains to Ushuaia. We arrive in the most southern city in the world. You cannot miss that by the way. Everything here is mas austral. From the butcher to the icecreams to the shipwrecks. After spending few relaxed days in this easy going town we fly back to the 7 lagos area to enjoy summer
Yeah, summer rules. After 4 weeks of wind, lots of winds and rain, we enjoy the sunshine at the foot of the Osorno volcano. But summer means bugs. In this case, terror bugs called coliquaches. Cycling is no fun anymore, so after 4 days we decide that 200 dead killer bees is enough, anyway the pain in our arms caused by the continuous hitting is getting to much. The last days we cruise through the area in our rental car and go back to Santiago.
Patagonia is everything you expect it to be. Beautiful, annoying (ever rode 100 km with headwind?), impressive, wet, wild, wet, relaxed, did I mention wet already? But in one word challenging.
After having rolled on the African continent earlier this year, the winter of 2006/2007 is dedicated to our first longer trip. Six weeks in South America, which is also the first time we visit this part of the world. Patagonia was a simple decision, wide and wild, just as we like it.
So we're settled in our hotel in Santiago, after we arrived just 3 hours before. Time to start with the national sport here in Chile, eating an ice cream. But what's that rumour on the street? The former dictator Pinochet has died. What a start of this holiday! After looking around in Santiago we fly to Balmaceda to paddle down to the South by the Carretera Austral. We pass the most remote areas of the carretera after Cochrane on to Villa O'Higgins. The crossing from Villa O'Higgins to Argentina over the two lakes almost ends in disaster, when the second boat is not running. But on christmas evening all 7 bikers are warm and save again in El Chalten, Argentina, after a few exciting days.
The road continues further South to El Calafate. Perito Moreno may be touristic, but remains very impressive. We're lucky on our 1 day visit to Torres del Paine. The Torres are revealed to us on our full day walk. On to Punta Arenas, did I mentioned the rain already?
We cross the Magalenas to Tierra del Fuego. In 1/2 day we cross the island from west to east, 167 km. This is the most special day of our holiday. Friendship is born. Oli teaches us hw to think positive. We'll meet again! In Rio Grande we deliver our best wishes and a present to an acquaintance with a new born baby. A very nice view into the rough life on the island. We cross the mountains to Ushuaia. We arrive in the most southern city in the world. You cannot miss that by the way. Everything here is mas austral. From the butcher to the icecreams to the shipwrecks. After spending few relaxed days in this easy going town we fly back to the 7 lagos area to enjoy summer
Yeah, summer rules. After 4 weeks of wind, lots of winds and rain, we enjoy the sunshine at the foot of the Osorno volcano. But summer means bugs. In this case, terror bugs called coliquaches. Cycling is no fun anymore, so after 4 days we decide that 200 dead killer bees is enough, anyway the pain in our arms caused by the continuous hitting is getting to much. The last days we cruise through the area in our rental car and go back to Santiago.
Patagonia is everything you expect it to be. Beautiful, annoying (ever rode 100 km with headwind?), impressive, wet, wild, wet, relaxed, did I mention wet already? But in one word challenging.
