when nell and i got to Bariloche, we looked at different options for getting down into Patagonia and exploring the glaciers. the plan was also to try and get to Ushuaia.
we ended up hiring a car. us girls are rather independent and we like to go our own places in our own time. we got 4500 kms included and took off for 9 days in our Volkswagen Gol (no thats not a typo) who we called Goody. his license plate was GDB - and in memory of our car in England called Bob .. Goody stood for Gooder den Bob.
The Patagonian countryside was both awesome and boring at the same time.
Large flat expanses that were almost desert - large red hills - flamingos ... I could imagine a herd of dinasours running across the long straight (and gravel) roads at any time.
we came across armadillos and horses as well as flamingos .. and sometimes whomever was driving just stopped for some amazing photo opportunities.
we crossed over into Chile just for a night as we knew we were not going to make it to Ushuaia. So Puerto Natales hosted us for just one evening. The next day we drove into the Torres del Paine National Park to have a look at the scenery. There was a lot of mist covering the mountains but we got to see the Milodon Cave. 200 metres deep !! .. thats Nell in the photo on the right at the enterance to the cave.
in our 9 days away, we got to see alot of places and although we didnt make it the entire way south, we still did nearly 4500 km and this is what Goody looked like at the end of that trip ...
3 comments:
Bloody hell, it takes me 9 weeks to cover that sort of ground!
What was the traffic and other drivers like? Asian madness, or empty roads?
Just crossed the border to HK this morning, going to be at least another week here, sorting out visas. Ah well, should give me plenty of time to get my bike sorted, and body rested. I think I've been dehydrated recently, I need to go and consume some more fluids...
it took us longer than we expected !
no one told us that 95% of the roads are not paved at all ... but we made better time coming up the eastern side where most of the roads are tar sealed.
as a result - not a lot of traffic going down to patagonia but yea - they drive like demons !
coming back up to bariloche, it was mostly trucks. and they all seem to be sipping on mate and smoking cigarettes as well as driving. its just crazy !
95% unpaved! Hmmm, guess I better put the fat tyres on if I ever make it down that way on my bike. Across China I've done nearly all of my riding on good roads. And the crap ones are being replaced by brand new expressways.
I fear maybe I have slighted Asian drivers though - I would like to make it clear that they are capable of driving well. I was doing some scary riding around Kowloon, and I keep having to remember to stop at the red lights. Every one stops at all the lights, even if they are turning left. Oh and I've got to remember that I'm on the left now...
Those truck drivers are OK, they're professional, they actually do seem to know what they're doing, although they don't always appear to. When I was in a truck in Turkey, it was a bit scary when the driver and his mate decided to change positions, without slowing down. However, it's the bus drivers that you have to watch out for, those guys have a deathwish.
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