We awoke to frigid temperatures however no wind in our not too distant from the lakeshore wild camp. We had been in Chile however we had but to go by means of customs and formally enter the nation. Time to get out Rusty’s border crossing go and put together to be inspected.
Sure that’s ice. A lot of you learn my phrases nonetheless, after 18 years of scripting this web page so I don’t must inform you the one civilized place for ice is in a glass so I took this picture with a telephoto lens and maintained a respectful distance. Ice is chilly unpredictable and might be as harmful as its cousin snow. I counsel you to don’t have anything by any means to do with it.
Confronted with throwing our final banana into the trash at customs I broke off a bit and fed the wildlife. I’ve in all probability created a banana dependency now amongst wild creatures on this lonely place however it appears to me something condemned to dwell right here deserves somewhat sugar. The sheep pen was unoccupied.
So in half a mile we left the ice behind and located pavement. So superb to drive silently, easily and simply. And the surroundings remained different worldly.
It has been a revelation to me how barren these Andes mountains and valleys have been all down Chile and Argentina. I had anticipated some form of pine forest and granite mountain vary at decrease elevations, just like the Sierra Nevada in California. I assume I used to be overdue for a go to to South America.
I hope we’ll get to drive Central Asia earlier than age incapacitates us and from the photographs I’ve seen of Tajikistan it appears to be like reasonably like this. Maybe we don’t have to go there in any case.
I like Chile. I used to be hopping round like a schoolboy celebrating the tip of the varsity 12 months as we walked in to current our papers. No photographs allowed.
They had been as all officers have been this far, pleasant, skilled and as at all times in Chile notably, thorough. They searched the van and checked the fridge after Layne handed over a bag of leftover contraband, a lemon half a banana and a few onions. The drug canine declared us drug free and after half an hour off we went. On a easy fashionable freeway.
Summer season season is over so there aren’t any extra locals out tenting or towing journey trailers or driving pickup truck campers. Overlanders are all making for residence, some are transport their autos, many Europeans are flying residence for the summer time with plans to return within the Fall. Workforce Misplaced is urgent on with plans to maintain driving.
Lastly round 3500 ft we began to see greenery, the vineyards of summer time getting ready to go brown after the harvest.
This highway is a lifeless finish, except you propose to drive to Argentina so there wasn’t a lot site visitors to talk of.
Our first job was yo search for a fruit stand as at all times after crossing into Argentina or Chile. These are the one international locations on all the journey that try this. Each border till you get right here is simply serious about paperwork and the contents of our fridge or pantry have been of no curiosity.
We weren’t removed from La Serena a big seashore city we stayed in for a couple of days final October which round right here is the Spring earlier than the summer time tenting season.
The plan was to drive south eight hours to Santiago to get some stuff finished however as we will see plans change.
Our highly effective all terrain tires, BF Goodrich KO2s are getting worn after driving from Bogotà to Ushuaia and again and had been we staying in Chile I’d drive on them for some time however we’ve plans to go to Bolivia and Amazonia in Brazil, locations the place first rate tires should not available in order a precaution we’re altering them somewhat early. And Layne discovered a vendor in La Serena…A tire store that additionally adjustments transmission fluid.
We have now 30,000 miles since our final transmission fluid change in Ohio and we may go as lengthy once more until the subsequent required change nonetheless a fluid change right here means we refresh the transmission after some extraordinarily exhausting driving and get to have a look to verify all the things bid accurately. If itbudbtvit will likely be simpler to restore right here than earlier than we’re going…
This implies we don’t have to go to Santiago for GANNET2 which is sweet. Then I made a discovery that modified our plans. It seems there’s a US consul in Cusco Perú ( on our path to Brazil) who replied to my electronic mail saying I may definitely renew my passport there and it could take six weeks. Which might give us time to discover the Sacred Valley whereas we wait.
And, get this, there’s a Brazilian consul in Cusco so we will get assist to safe a visa for Brazil. How cool is that?
Layne on the lookout for first rate produce within the mini market.
So it regarded like we didn’t have to go to Santiago in any case. After which we acquired a message that modified all the things. $9 US for 30 eggs. Jealous?
Seaweed. What for? I dread to assume.
Anyway our previous pals Julia and Konstantin whom we final noticed after we had been visiting penguins in southern Argentina requested if we needed to go to Bolivia with them.
I’ll say that we’ve been toying with Bolivia for the longest time. It’s a tricky nation to go to with lengthy traces for gasoline, political protests and a excessive altitude local weather that goes all the way down to freezing each evening. It’s a bit intimidating so to convoy with pals sounded wonderful.
We have now sufficient expertise now that I believe I can cope and I’ve promised to Layne to not lose my shit when (inevitably) I get pissed off. Breaking down in Bolivia will likely be an actual journey however I do know we’ve finished all we will to forestall and put together for that. And with Konstantin and Julia for at the least a part of the go to we won’t be alone. Plus they’re simple to journey with as we don’t have to remain glued to 1 one other as they’re fairly unbiased.
We’re figuring out plans to satisfy in Northern Argentina in two weeks and go north to the land of chaos collectively. Their diesel Sprinter loaded with two cats:
It’s all only a plan do who is aware of if it’ll work out however it could be good to see them earlier than they ship out in a couple of weeks to return to Seattle.
In the meantime we needed to discover a automotive wash after which a campground, a snug place to mud the inside of our residence clear and to relaxation after our excessive altitude exertions. Overlanding might be exhausting.
We discovered a spot for $30 an evening in a grassy space all to ourselves on an out of season midweek cease.
The showers had been chilly so we heated some water and put it in our photo voltaic bathe so princess wouldn’t freeze.
On a whim I went for a swim within the pool which was brisk and bracing and really good after a protracted interval of abstinence.
Rusty patrolled the perimeter.
Up subsequent: Getting Issues Achieved In The Massive Metropolis.