| 25
February 2001 |
| Visited La
Recolecta cemetery, burial ground for the rich and famous and
final resting place of Eva Perón. Strolling past the imposing
tombs, we felt like we were in a miniature city.
|
| 24
February 2001 |
| Strolled around
the downtown shopping district, packed with people, musicians,
tango dancers and other street artists.
|
| 23
February 2001 |
| Started to arrange
for the Land Rover to be shipped back to England.
|
| 22
February 2001 |
| Arrived in Buenos
Aires. Soon became resigned to the fact that there would be no
point even attempting to keep to a budget here. Also, if we were
to survive here without a scratch on the car the sensible solution
was to leave it in a car park and leave ourselves to the mercy of
the capital’s cab drivers.
|
| 21
February 2001 |
| Wanting to get a
good part of the drive to Buenos Aires out of the way, we spent 14
and a half hours on the road, finally pitching our tent at a YPF
petrol station just outside Azul.
|
| 20
February 2001 |
| Spent the day at
Peninsula Valdés, where we enjoyed the sights and sounds of
seals, sea lions, comorants and more penguins. We also saw
guanacos, rheas (ostrich like), maras, the elegant crested tinamou
and hairy armadillo. Promised ourselves we would return to see the
Orca whales.
|
| 19
February 2001 |
| Now that we were
heading north the climate became noticeably hotter. It was well
worth the long hot drive over gravel roads to reach the penguin
colony at Punta Tombo, the largest colony of Magellanic penguins
in the world.
|
| 18
February 2001 |
| Driving through
patagonian oil country to Comodoro Rivadavia took us past
flamingoes and salt flats.
|
| 17
February 2001 |
| The drive
alongside the rich blue Lago Argentino was breathtaking and the
Perito Moreno Glacier really was the icing on the cake. We will
never forget the first sight of the fresh white peaks that
seemingly go on forever. We heard what sounded like gunfire then a
huge chunk of ice broke free and crashed into the water below.
Thinking that the day couldn’t get any better, we glanced up to
see a condor gliding above the glacier. Returned to El Calafate to
see that a rodeo was well underway.
|
| 16
February 2001 |
Argentina (map) 
Chile (map)
Having enjoyed a hot shower and comfortable bed in Rio Gallegos,
we headed west to Chile with the intention of visiting the famous
Torres del Paine National Park. The gravel road, combined with the
rain made driving conditions difficult. Unfortunately the clouds
were so low that we realised Torres del Paine would not be
visible. So for the final time we crossed from Chile into
Argentina. Driving to El Calafate, we were forced into a
water-logged ditch as another car came hurtling round the corner.
Thanks to the 4 wheel drive we recovered.
|
| 15
February 2001 |
Argentina (map)
Chile (map)
The setting of the national park is beautiful, with the
magnificent Andes to one side and the Beagle Channel on the other.
We retraced our route as we now drove north. Leaving behind Tierra
del Fuego, we boarded the ferry to take us back to the mainland.
Passed a lonely penguin in the channel.
|
| 14
February 2001 |
| This morning we
were awoken by the howling Tierra del Fuego wind as it seemed
determined to carry our tent off. After struggling to put the tent
down whilst being wind battered we treated ourselves to breakfast
in an overpriced but plush hotel café. Having slept at a petrol
station, we didn’t quite blend in with the businessmen and
glamorous holiday makers. We drove through Tierra del Fuego
National Park to reach the very end of the Pan American Highway at
Lapataia Bay.
|
| 13
February 2001 |
Argentina (map)
Chile (map)
Back into Chile we took the ferry across the Magellan Strait to
Tierra del Fuego, passing sheep estancias. Not far south was
another crossing into the Agentinian side of Tierra del Fuego and
a scenic drive south through the Andes brought us into Ushuaia,
situated on the northern shore of the Beagle Channel.
|
| 12
February 2001 |
| Leaving behind the
northern Lake District, the route south via Welsh influenced
Esquel and San Julian took us on a very windy drive past vast
estancias and oil pumps to Rio Gallegos.
|
| 09
February 2001 |
| Could have been
excused for thinking that we were in Switzerland on entering
Bariloche with its chalets, chocolate and St Bernards.
|
| 07
February 2001 |
Argentina (map)
Crossed into Argentina. Enjoyed the magnificent alpine scenery of
the Lake District. Visited Villa La Angostura before camping by
peaceful Lago Nahuel Huapi.
|
| 06
February 2001 |
| After finding out
that taking the ferry south would mean a weeks’ wait on Chiloe
we decided to back-track to Orsono with the view of moving south
in Argentina.
|
| 05
February 2001 |
| In the spectacular
Lake District we stopped in Pucon but swiftly moved on because it
was swarming with tourists. Passing through Chillan and Osorno we
took the ferry to the island of Chiloe, with its striking wooden
chapels built by the Jesuits.
|
| 03
February 2001 |
| A visit to Land
Rover confirmed that the clutch repair in Arica was botched and
that a new clutch would once again be required. Efforts to speak
to the Toyota franchise in Arica amounted to nothing, the man we
dealt with "no longer works there". Made our way south
out of Santiago having decided that our budget would not stretch
to pay for a clutch a second time. Hoping that the clutch will
hold out for the remainder of the expedition.
|
| 01
February 2001 |
Chile (map)
Leaving the greenery of the lowlands the
landscape became more barren as we headed back into Chile via the
Uspallata pass and Redentor tunnel where we went from 2,500 ft to
8,200 ft. We arrived in the bustling capital Santiago. Despondent
at the lack of reasonably priced accommodation, we took advantage
of the roof-top tent and slept in a car park.
|
UK
