18th Jan 2017: Wild lupins and a friendly dog
Day 32
After a relaxed start, we returned to the Carreterra Austral driving along long straight gravel roads rising and falling through gentle hills. We’d stop to take photos and the gauchos on horseback never minded when we asked to take photos of them. We passed miles and miles of beautiful blue and pink wild lupins interspersed with pretty pink wild roses.
But what puzzled us was the number of dead trees we saw from the tops of mountains to the depths of the valleys. The decaying wood was all about the same age. It was days later that we read that in 1991 a huge volcanic eruption had spread ash covering 500 sq Kms, killing all the vegetation. It coincided with the massive Philippines eruption causing even more devastation so this Patagonian disaster passed unnoticed.
We loved the small town of Coihaique where we stopped for lunch at a pretty coffee shop. It was so pleasant that we stayed for hours enjoying their internet and good music. There were lots of outdoor equipment and camping shops around. It was a hub for adventure seekers and fortunately we were able to get some cash from an ATM.
Argentina has s big cash problem which is difficult to deal with. Because people don’t trust the banks, they keep their money in cash, so there’s not enough cash around for the banks. Many places refuse credit cards too, so we have to extract cash whenever we can.
The evenings were long giving us plenty of time to catch up with the driving. We came off the Carreterra Austral to find another quiet wild camp. We’d always search for water and found the perfect spot at Puerto Murta the edge of a glacial lake Lago General Carrera.
As we started to cook, a friendly and perfectly behaved tri coloured collie came up and befriended Neil who spent hours pulling out burrs from his coat. Then the chickens arrived clucking around our feet fighting over any scraps we dropped. The rain stayed high in the mountains while we enjoyed another lake side supper outside watching the sun set.
19th Jan 2017: Hmmmm
Day 33
At the start of today I wasn’t going to tell you all this, but as the day progressed into “one of those days” I might as well fess up.
We awoke to our little heaven beside the lake. Neil’s new pet dog was lying outside waiting for us to wake. As we left after breakfast, our faithful friend looked forlorn, tail downcast between his legs as he watched us drive away. The chickens scattered in their usual panicky pattern.
But…. I’d had a bad night. After all the driving through potholes, mud and fantastic scenery, I awoke in the night to a deep pain in my side. I barely slept as I couldn’t move without causing pain. After all sorts of diagnoses, we put it down to a torn intercostal muscle between the ribs on my left side. I was fine really but I couldn’t drive these roads today. I couldn’t move much.
It was our last day driving the Carraterra Austral. Our rocky road weaved up and down through hairpin bends discovering more spectacular scenery around every corner with snow capped mountains falling dramatically into deep into lush green valleys and turquoise lakes. It was possibly the best scenic day of all.
We stopped at Puerto Rio Tranquillo but decided not to see the marble caves as we had to move on.
But….. my side hurt. I was useless. The 12 bites on my bottom, from a previously unmentioned mozzie night, itched as we bounced up and down over potholes. Because I couldn’t bend down I banged my head on the door climbing into the campervan every time! I’d want to laugh with Neil but my side really hurt to laugh, or even breath. But still we laughed. Of course, I had to pee! So I did my best but, unable to bend, I weed all over my shoe!! More painful laughter followed.
So, back in the van for the Chile- Argentine border. We smuggled our fresh fruit and veg though successfully again and followed the directions to a place recommended by our Swiss friends from Entre Lagos.
But!! Instead of beautiful scenery, we drove through a flat boring windy desert to a drab poor country town called Perito Moreno. We kept thinking things would improve so we checked into the only campsite as we both really needed showers.
It was AWFUL!!! It had the feeling of being in a municipal dump full of seedy people smoking fags and cooking smelly cauliflower food. Some filthy characters were sleeping rough in a container dumped on the ground. All sorts of smoking smells and other smells pervaded the air.
It was the end of a long day driving, so we had to stay. We found a space at the very end of the desolate ground, desperate for a G&T. A flea ridden dog come up to scratch and beg. More G&Ts were required. Neil’s beer was blown over by the incessant wind which spilt all its contents. More painful laughter. What next???
Next!!! It’s 7pm and the showers don’t open until 8pm. Grrr! And I’ve just accidentally stuck my thumb into one of the eggs we so carefully and successfully transported whole over 500km of bumpy dirt roads.
In the mean time Neil read the guide book. It tells of a beautiful national park called Pertito Moreno, NOT to be confused with the rather down trodden town of the same name. Oops! I think another G&T is in order!!
So…. off we went to discover the town. We shared a pizza in an old restaurant which had been a saloon in the old cowboy days. One could just imagine Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid barging in through the swing doors brandishing guns.
We returned back in time for our 2 hour hot shower window which revived us enormously.
Perito Moreno was OK really. We couldn’t have driven further to the national park anyway as it was getting late.
Perito Moreno was named after a remarkable Argentinian man who was an early conservationist, ecologist and became a fair consultant when negotiating the border between Argentina and Chile in the 1830s. We have found many places and even s glacier named after him.
South America 
18th Jan 2017: Wild lupins and a friendly dog
Day 32
After a relaxed start, we returned to the Carreterra Austral driving along long straight gravel roads rising and falling through gentle hills. We’d stop to take photos and the gauchos on horseback never minded when we asked to take photos of them. We passed miles and miles of beautiful blue and pink wild lupins interspersed with pretty pink wild roses.
But what puzzled us was the number of dead trees we saw from the tops of mountains to the depths of the valleys. The decaying wood was all about the same age. It was days later that we read that in 1991 a huge volcanic eruption had spread ash covering 500 sq Kms, killing all the vegetation. It coincided with the massive Philippines eruption causing even more devastation so this Patagonian disaster passed unnoticed.
We loved the small town of Coihaique where we stopped for lunch at a pretty coffee shop. It was so pleasant that we stayed for hours enjoying their internet and good music. There were lots of outdoor equipment and camping shops around. It was a hub for adventure seekers and fortunately we were able to get some cash from an ATM.
Argentina has s big cash problem which is difficult to deal with. Because people don’t trust the banks, they keep their money in cash, so there’s not enough cash around for the banks. Many places refuse credit cards too, so we have to extract cash whenever we can.
The evenings were long giving us plenty of time to catch up with the driving. We came off the Carreterra Austral to find another quiet wild camp. We’d always search for water and found the perfect spot at Puerto Murta the edge of a glacial lake Lago General Carrera.
As we started to cook, a friendly and perfectly behaved tri coloured collie came up and befriended Neil who spent hours pulling out burrs from his coat. Then the chickens arrived clucking around our feet fighting over any scraps we dropped. The rain stayed high in the mountains while we enjoyed another lake side supper outside watching the sun set.
19th Jan 2017: Hmmmm
Day 33
At the start of today I wasn’t going to tell you all this, but as the day progressed into “one of those days” I might as well fess up.
We awoke to our little heaven beside the lake. Neil’s new pet dog was lying outside waiting for us to wake. As we left after breakfast, our faithful friend looked forlorn, tail downcast between his legs as he watched us drive away. The chickens scattered in their usual panicky pattern.
But…. I’d had a bad night. After all the driving through potholes, mud and fantastic scenery, I awoke in the night to a deep pain in my side. I barely slept as I couldn’t move without causing pain. After all sorts of diagnoses, we put it down to a torn intercostal muscle between the ribs on my left side. I was fine really but I couldn’t drive these roads today. I couldn’t move much.
It was our last day driving the Carraterra Austral. Our rocky road weaved up and down through hairpin bends discovering more spectacular scenery around every corner with snow capped mountains falling dramatically into deep into lush green valleys and turquoise lakes. It was possibly the best scenic day of all.
We stopped at Puerto Rio Tranquillo but decided not to see the marble caves as we had to move on.
But….. my side hurt. I was useless. The 12 bites on my bottom, from a previously unmentioned mozzie night, itched as we bounced up and down over potholes. Because I couldn’t bend down I banged my head on the door climbing into the campervan every time! I’d want to laugh with Neil but my side really hurt to laugh, or even breath. But still we laughed. Of course, I had to pee! So I did my best but, unable to bend, I weed all over my shoe!! More painful laughter followed.
So, back in the van for the Chile- Argentine border. We smuggled our fresh fruit and veg though successfully again and followed the directions to a place recommended by our Swiss friends from Entre Lagos.
But!! Instead of beautiful scenery, we drove through a flat boring windy desert to a drab poor country town called Perito Moreno. We kept thinking things would improve so we checked into the only campsite as we both really needed showers.
It was AWFUL!!! It had the feeling of being in a municipal dump full of seedy people smoking fags and cooking smelly cauliflower food. Some filthy characters were sleeping rough in a container dumped on the ground. All sorts of smoking smells and other smells pervaded the air.
It was the end of a long day driving, so we had to stay. We found a space at the very end of the desolate ground, desperate for a G&T. A flea ridden dog come up to scratch and beg. More G&Ts were required. Neil’s beer was blown over by the incessant wind which spilt all its contents. More painful laughter. What next???
Next!!! It’s 7pm and the showers don’t open until 8pm. Grrr! And I’ve just accidentally stuck my thumb into one of the eggs we so carefully and successfully transported whole over 500km of bumpy dirt roads.
In the mean time Neil read the guide book. It tells of a beautiful national park called Pertito Moreno, NOT to be confused with the rather down trodden town of the same name. Oops! I think another G&T is in order!!
So…. off we went to discover the town. We shared a pizza in an old restaurant which had been a saloon in the old cowboy days. One could just imagine Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid barging in through the swing doors brandishing guns.
We returned back in time for our 2 hour hot shower window which revived us enormously.
Perito Moreno was OK really. We couldn’t have driven further to the national park anyway as it was getting late.
Perito Moreno was named after a remarkable Argentinian man who was an early conservationist, ecologist and became a fair consultant when negotiating the border between Argentina and Chile in the 1830s. We have found many places and even s glacier named after him.
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