Week 27, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile
5/12
Rose at 6.00, packed and (we all) took a taxi to the parking spot of the truck. A long day of driving began... great views though...
Ok, as far to the border as we could. Found a beautifull spot to wild camp... but forgot to take a picture... sorry!
We setup camp, made a camp fire and ... i slept like a baby!
6/12
Rose at 4.45. Took out the tarpolines for the tents and sleeping gear, breakfasted and toiletted with the bears.
Ready for a long drive towards the border. Got there around 8.00. Then the waiting started.... first 2 hours in a queue and .. when we reached the end of the line ... it turned out that we didn't have to be there ... 1st frustration...
Jono had to get the truck, then not, then again yes.... we had to stand in line again and... yes, we got our stamp in our pasports. Yay!
Then unpacked our luguage (all of it, and some have a hell of a lot), have it scanned and we could go... all took about 5 hours or so...
We were in Argentina! Onwards to Salto. Short stops in between, and at 18.00 stoped, 70 K before Salto, to get some food, ATM-ed, and onwards.
Found the camp ground around 20.00. The biggest swimming pool i have ever seen. Look ....
We set up our tents, sat down for a beer or 2, discussed some topics going on in the group (Jono, Nienke, Richard, Norm and I), and slept again like a baby.
7/12
Rose at 7.15, too late to help Nienke with breakfast. Sorry!
At 9.00 we we picked up to do a horse back ride.
Arrived there around 10.15, had a second breakfast and on the horse we got for a 3 hour ride...
It was beautiful , but after 1.5 hours we rested, i got off my horse and my knee refused to go on.
I car came to pick me up, i sat down at the garden of the ranch to wait for the rest (over a nice glas of wine) ...
Then a fantastic dinner : great wine, beautiful steak, Kerry and I made music... all in all a great time...
We got pretty pissed, but hey... a good time it was!
Round 18.00 we returned to the campsite, singing early 90-ies songs (pearl jam, nirvana, sound garden). Loud!
Arrived at the campsite at 20.00, showered, updated blog and now.... last beer and an episode of Torchwood... see you tomorow.
8/12
Rose at 7.30, breakfasted, toiletted, updated blog. Waiting now to check out the town of Salto. Going there by cap, with Bob and Linda. Laterz...
10.20 we left for Salta, by cap. Richard joint us as well.
Salta is a great city ...
First we had a coffee (met Ally there as well, who stays in a hotel up there), then i strolled through town for a couple of hours.
Returned at the central plaza, bought a nice sandwich, met Hugo and shared a beer with him. Shared? Yes, shared. They only sell 1 Liter bottles up here, so for a post lunch drink you'd beter share.
Walked back to the campground at 15.00. Did some wifi in the office area of the campground and walked down to the truck. Sitting here in the shade with Richard now. Laterz...
Dinner was nice (hutspot, German made).
Slept really good, but short, since we leave early.
9/12, half a year on the road, 2 months to go.
Rose at 4.45. Put out the tarp for the sleeping gear, showered, breakfastd and a long, long day started.
On our way to the border... nice scenes ...
and a lunch at more than 4 K altitude (beer exploded).
Arrived at the border round 16.30. Crossed in 2 hours, but had to unpack everything to have it scanned. Our fresh food and vegetables were confiscated.
Then on the road to San Pedro de Atacama (yes we decided to go there at once instead of a bushcamp in between)...
The scenery changed. Look ...
Ascending and desending steeply! We even had to have the breaks to cool down.
Arrived at the campsite of San Pedro at 9.15 or so. Poor cookgroup still had to cook, but managed! Sipped a beer and... was to tired to hit town.
Slept like a baby!
10/12
Slept in till 8.15, packed laundry and daypack, breakfasted.
Off to the ATM now. Laterz....
Richard and I found an ATM and a lavenderia (cloth washing facility) after a while, returned to the campsite to pay for the stargazing activity of tomorrow, went back to the central plaza, drank a cup of coffee and met Ally up there.
The 3 of us rented a bike and went off for a trip to the moon valley. Long bike ride (25 K), though roads and not that much to see, but hey... here's some picctures ...
Back at 16.30 or so. Tired, so... a cold beer at the plaza it was. Actually 2 cold beers (6 euros each, damned!).
Back at the campsite i ate, took a shower and a shave, updated my blog and going to sleep early. So tired! Laterz...
It took an episode of Torchwood to fall asleep... like a baby again.
11/12
Rose at 8.00, breakfasted , wifi at the plaza's free wifi, chat with Mariya. Strolled around. Now having a caffee con leche in a local restaurant. Trying to pre-publish week 27...
That took some effort ... wifi is crapy here. Bluetoothed the pictures from phone to tablet and so on....
Well, no plans for today, except the stargazing... but that's at 10.30 PM, so... relax dude! Laterz...
Stroked around some more, drank a soda at the bus terminal, helped Jono taking the shoppings to the truck, ate an expensive, but very nice burger. Siesta now ...
Laterz ...
After siesta, i tried to find my glasses... nowhere to be found. Panic! Went to the coffee estaurant, the pkace where i drank a soda, no glasses. Shit!
Back to the truck... looked for the 3rd time in the spot where i always put them... guess what .... there they were. God is playing tricks on me! Well, relieved that i found them.
Jono made diner. We ate at 8.00. Waiting for 2 more hours now, then leave for the desert to watch the stars. Laterz....
Star watching was nice, but not that spectacular. I mean... looking up at the southern hemisphere was the best part. That could have been done at any dark place huh! Back late ... 2.00 AM or so, so... a short night of sleep, since we leave tomorrow early.
See you all next week.
Rose at 6.00, packed and (we all) took a taxi to the parking spot of the truck. A long day of driving began... great views though...
Ok, as far to the border as we could. Found a beautifull spot to wild camp... but forgot to take a picture... sorry!
We setup camp, made a camp fire and ... i slept like a baby!
6/12
Rose at 4.45. Took out the tarpolines for the tents and sleeping gear, breakfasted and toiletted with the bears.
Ready for a long drive towards the border. Got there around 8.00. Then the waiting started.... first 2 hours in a queue and .. when we reached the end of the line ... it turned out that we didn't have to be there ... 1st frustration...
Jono had to get the truck, then not, then again yes.... we had to stand in line again and... yes, we got our stamp in our pasports. Yay!
Then unpacked our luguage (all of it, and some have a hell of a lot), have it scanned and we could go... all took about 5 hours or so...
We were in Argentina! Onwards to Salto. Short stops in between, and at 18.00 stoped, 70 K before Salto, to get some food, ATM-ed, and onwards.
Found the camp ground around 20.00. The biggest swimming pool i have ever seen. Look ....
We set up our tents, sat down for a beer or 2, discussed some topics going on in the group (Jono, Nienke, Richard, Norm and I), and slept again like a baby.
7/12
Rose at 7.15, too late to help Nienke with breakfast. Sorry!
At 9.00 we we picked up to do a horse back ride.
Arrived there around 10.15, had a second breakfast and on the horse we got for a 3 hour ride...
It was beautiful , but after 1.5 hours we rested, i got off my horse and my knee refused to go on.
I car came to pick me up, i sat down at the garden of the ranch to wait for the rest (over a nice glas of wine) ...
Then a fantastic dinner : great wine, beautiful steak, Kerry and I made music... all in all a great time...
We got pretty pissed, but hey... a good time it was!
Round 18.00 we returned to the campsite, singing early 90-ies songs (pearl jam, nirvana, sound garden). Loud!
Arrived at the campsite at 20.00, showered, updated blog and now.... last beer and an episode of Torchwood... see you tomorow.
8/12
Rose at 7.30, breakfasted, toiletted, updated blog. Waiting now to check out the town of Salto. Going there by cap, with Bob and Linda. Laterz...
10.20 we left for Salta, by cap. Richard joint us as well.
Salta is a great city ...
First we had a coffee (met Ally there as well, who stays in a hotel up there), then i strolled through town for a couple of hours.
Returned at the central plaza, bought a nice sandwich, met Hugo and shared a beer with him. Shared? Yes, shared. They only sell 1 Liter bottles up here, so for a post lunch drink you'd beter share.
Walked back to the campground at 15.00. Did some wifi in the office area of the campground and walked down to the truck. Sitting here in the shade with Richard now. Laterz...
Dinner was nice (hutspot, German made).
Slept really good, but short, since we leave early.
9/12, half a year on the road, 2 months to go.
Rose at 4.45. Put out the tarp for the sleeping gear, showered, breakfastd and a long, long day started.
On our way to the border... nice scenes ...
and a lunch at more than 4 K altitude (beer exploded).
Arrived at the border round 16.30. Crossed in 2 hours, but had to unpack everything to have it scanned. Our fresh food and vegetables were confiscated.
Then on the road to San Pedro de Atacama (yes we decided to go there at once instead of a bushcamp in between)...
The scenery changed. Look ...
Ascending and desending steeply! We even had to have the breaks to cool down.
Arrived at the campsite of San Pedro at 9.15 or so. Poor cookgroup still had to cook, but managed! Sipped a beer and... was to tired to hit town.
Slept like a baby!
10/12
Slept in till 8.15, packed laundry and daypack, breakfasted.
Off to the ATM now. Laterz....
Richard and I found an ATM and a lavenderia (cloth washing facility) after a while, returned to the campsite to pay for the stargazing activity of tomorrow, went back to the central plaza, drank a cup of coffee and met Ally up there.
The 3 of us rented a bike and went off for a trip to the moon valley. Long bike ride (25 K), though roads and not that much to see, but hey... here's some picctures ...
Back at 16.30 or so. Tired, so... a cold beer at the plaza it was. Actually 2 cold beers (6 euros each, damned!).
Back at the campsite i ate, took a shower and a shave, updated my blog and going to sleep early. So tired! Laterz...
It took an episode of Torchwood to fall asleep... like a baby again.
Rose at 8.00, breakfasted , wifi at the plaza's free wifi, chat with Mariya. Strolled around. Now having a caffee con leche in a local restaurant. Trying to pre-publish week 27...
That took some effort ... wifi is crapy here. Bluetoothed the pictures from phone to tablet and so on....
Well, no plans for today, except the stargazing... but that's at 10.30 PM, so... relax dude! Laterz...
Stroked around some more, drank a soda at the bus terminal, helped Jono taking the shoppings to the truck, ate an expensive, but very nice burger. Siesta now ...
Laterz ...
After siesta, i tried to find my glasses... nowhere to be found. Panic! Went to the coffee estaurant, the pkace where i drank a soda, no glasses. Shit!
Back to the truck... looked for the 3rd time in the spot where i always put them... guess what .... there they were. God is playing tricks on me! Well, relieved that i found them.
Jono made diner. We ate at 8.00. Waiting for 2 more hours now, then leave for the desert to watch the stars. Laterz....
Star watching was nice, but not that spectacular. I mean... looking up at the southern hemisphere was the best part. That could have been done at any dark place huh! Back late ... 2.00 AM or so, so... a short night of sleep, since we leave tomorrow early.
See you all next week.
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