HelenWe get a bus to Temuco. It takes 8 hours overnight and suddenly we’re in central Chile surrounded by green forests, flowing rivers and glaciated volcanoes! Our other option would have been to weave in and out of built up areas for two weeks to get here, and we’re at the point now where we just want to see Patagonia and enjoy the beauty it has to offer.
It’s 6am when we arrive and we’ve had some sleep but it’s a chilly morning so we put on our gloves and jacket and head off to the nearest petrol station to grab a coffee. After our coffee we realise we both need the toilet, and there’s none at the petrol station so we head back to the bus station! I duly pay my 50p but get handed no toilet paper, it must be in the toilet of course, we’re in Chile. But no it isn’t! But it’s ok, having spent so long in Peru and Bolivia I’m used to stashing unused serviettes in all my pockets just in case this problem arises. I use the clean sink to wash my hands and face, careful to glance in the mirror only briefly, fearful of what my overgrown hair may have done on the bus overnight! The toilet exit has two doors, I go through the first one but can’t get through the second one. I’m stuck between two exit doors it seems! I shove the jammed door with all my might, wondering whether my 50p entrance fee may go towards fixing this problem instead of buying more toilet roll. A man on the other side must have seen my ashen face and starts pulling and shoving too. Now causing a bit of a scene, another man walks over, pushes a button and the door opens! I try to look as un-British as I possibly can, thank the two men and return to my bike.
It’s Sunday morning typically so we have to hang around until 9am until anything opens so we can get supplies for the next few days. Although we’re grateful as had we been in Argentina there’s a good chance nothing would be open!
For the first time in a while we find a market, we’d become accustomed to them until we reached Argentina and supermarkets suddenly became the norm. Chris was very excited and did his usual buy enough food to feed a large family for the next week. Of course there’s not enough room in his bags so the fruit and veg is steered my way! We eventually get going and head out of the city.
The sun soon warms us up as we head out of the urban landscape. Jackets and gloves off, we’re soon cycling through lush green forests, looking up at pyramid shaped volcanoes, shining white against the clear blue sky. Further away in the distance is another conical shaped volcano and this one has smoke coming out of it. Normal, according to the locals! We cycle through small towns, until late afternoon Chris decides he wants to sit and have a beer in the park, as it’s his birthday tomorrow. We ring the bell and a lady comes out of one door and lets us into another. Chris asks for a large bottle of beer. There’s a very quick Spanish reply where all we can gather is he can’t have a large bottle of beer. We have had this issue before, so he asks for a can of beer instead. We’re presented with six! No thank you, Chris explains proudly in his best Spanish, we’re travelling on bikes and have no room for six, is it possible to have one. Another very quick Spanish reply where once again we realise we’re not getting one can of beer, we go back to plan A and try for the large bottle. It turns out (we think) that you can’t in fact buy a large bottle of beer unless you’re bringing an empty bottle of beer to exchange it for! I’m just about to try to explain ‘the chicken and egg theory’ in my best Spanish, when Chris notices a single can of beer and pleads for that one. A beaming smile and an ‘of course, no problem’. No wonder we seem to lose so many hours in the day!
Single can of beer drunk in the sun, we carry on towards Volcan Llaima, and start to notice signs with a red, amber, green system! Apparently it’s an active volcano but it’s ok at the moment, it’s not due to pop any day soon! We eventually find a good place to camp by the side of a river, we pitch our brand new tent with two working doors. We notice lumps of what look like donkeys dung on the grass close by, it’s not donkey dung as it’s solid. Chris thinks it’s barbecue charcoal but it’s not that either, it’s lumps of lava! I go to bed with one ear open.
The next morning its Chris’ birthday. I make him a cup of tea and present him with some stickers for his bike and a pack of biscuits. Not the best birthday presents but he’s happy to be waking up in nature, he says. It’s a cloudy day as we pack up and set off up a hill. The hill winds up through the forest and we arrive at an entrance to the National park as the smooth road changes to track! Two park rangers greet us and politely tell us the park is closed on Mondays! What!! We’ve just cycled 50 miles to get here. Chris does his best to explain that we’re cycling through and don’t plan to stop anywhere. My distraught looking face at the thought of having to retrace our steps must have them feeling sorry for us as they wave us through and go back to their wooden office.
The road is lumpy but we’ve basically ended up with the National park to ourselves for the day. We cycle through what look to me like monkey puzzle trees but in fact are auracania trees. Some are tall and some are tiny, but it’s atmospheric with the low cloud. We stop and make lunch in a small green opening and the sun comes out to warm us up. We have a tiny cup of wine to celebrate Chris’ birthday, before carrying on. We pass the second National park entrance, but this time we’re well prepared with our Spanish, and they quickly wave us on. In the afternoon the road gets even worse, with short steep rocky sections, some impossible to cycle up.
We end the day early having cycled only twenty miles but it’s enough! We find a beautiful camp spot next to the river, surrounded by trees. We bathe in the river, which I thought was going to be freezing cold but turned out to be more like a warm bath! It’s much cooler down here and so for the first time since the Bolivian altiplano I fish my thermal pants and wooly hat out. We drink the last of the wine and warm up in our sleeping bags, listening to the sound of the river outside.
Putting the nice new tent away these past few days, I’ve realised it’s somewhat heavier than the last one! The material in particular, which is unfortunate, since I’m carrying that part of it. The poles and pegs seem lighter! It’s a beautiful still morning as we pack up, I stand with my face in the sun for a few minutes listening to the river in constant flow. The first two miles are ridiculously steep, once section so steep and uneven we’re both pushing after 50 metres. Even a 4×4 struggles past us and then retreats backwards, realising he won’t make it!
However, after that we’re rewarded with stunning views of the Sierra Nevada, white mountains with green forests below and blue still lakes. We cycle through so many beautiful monkey puzzle trees on quiet tracks, enjoying the morning sun. Followed by lava fields and views of Volcán Llaima, which apparently last erupted in 2008. We stop by a river and make lunch and coffee, relaxing for a while, enjoying nature, and the tranquility it brings. We eventually re-join a paved road and it’s easy cycling into the next town, Melipeuco, which has stunning views of the volcano. It must be amazing to wake up to that view everyday! Although I do wonder what it would be like if it erupted again, it’s apparently out of the danger zone, but looking at it erupting you must wonder whether it’s going to reach you!
We get more supplies, my front bags were just about feeling lighter after eating most of our food, and now their full once again. We cycle six or seven miles into a headwind, before we see a campsite sign on the side of the road. We pull in and are greeted with three friendly dogs and an equally friendly owner. It’s 3000 Chilean pesos per person (about £3 each) to camp, which is a bargain as most places in Chile seem to be charging £10 per person. He leads us well away from the road to a field at the back of the house, next to the river with trees for shade. There’s no one else there, it’s perfect.
We set up camp whilst friendly owner gets the log burner going for the hot water for the showers. Eventually Chris says it’s ready and sends me forth. Undressed I turn on the red tap and wait patiently for the water to turn hot. It doesn’t! Undressed and desperate to feel clean I get under anyway and have a bit of brain freeze as I quickly shower. I’m all for a bit of Wim Hoffing but I just felt like a hot shower tonight. Although once out it’s actually quite a nice feeling, I feel quite alive. Chris goes in a while later when he thinks it’s hot enough (again), and comes out having had a lovely hot shower, as he describes it. Apparently I should have turned on the blue tap!
We sit in the sun and watch it setting in the distance, listening to the river, whilst it turns to a crimson red. We have a campfire with wine and fall asleep. We both have a restless night, Chris waking up to chase the squirrels that have climbed onto the picnic bench, eaten our peanuts and have eaten their way into our dried noodles packet! Me because I volunteered to sleep on Chris’ ever deflating airbed, so I had to get up every two hours to re-inflate it!
It’s so nice at the campsite the next morning we decide to have a day off and relax . We cycle back into Melipeuco to pick up some things for lunch and dinner, enjoying a rest in the afternoon sun. We sit having a coffee in the town and I watch the world go by. It seems very relaxed, cars drive by slowly, men cycle slowly by on old bicycles, newspaper in hand, waving to people as they go by. Back at the campsite I collect sticks and wood for a campfire, I love it, it reminds me of family holidays when I was younger. We sit by the fire, watching the sun setting, and Chris makes a hot chocolate, warming the milk in the pan on the fire.
The next few days it feels like we’ve been transported back home and we’re cycling around the Lake District. The landscape is so similar, through forests next to streams, undulating hills dropping down to lakes. At one point we cycle over a hill and descend into what looks like Keswick, with Derwent water beside it! The only thing different was a towering volcano above! It was stunning. Volcán Villarica is also active, like most of the volcanoes around here. We stop by the side of the lake and dip our toes. It’s cool but not freezing. Then into town to get supplies and to have a coffee. The town is bustling, log cabin style shops and cafes leave you feeling like you’re now in Switzerland. There’s a real feeling of wealth here. We sit outside a cafe and get chatting to the Italian owner Fabio. His Venezuelan wife and her daughter are also there. They’re all so friendly, the daughter is really impressed we’ve cycled this far and I hope we’ve inspired her even just a little.
We carry on to the next lake, Lago Conaripe, and find a sheltered place out of the way to camp. It’s Friday night and so there are a few locals around also camping and playing music. The following day we climb hills then drop down steep valleys, past endless forests, waterfalls and lakes. Eventually we turn off the road, cross a river and start to cycle on a dirt road. It’s really peaceful cycling, it winds up and up until we reach a viewpoint, lying behind a cloud is Volcán Macho and in the distance, some other snowy mountains. We drop down and cycle along Lago Neltume. There are hardly any houses around, and less cars. We find an overgrown track that leads down to a small beach beside the lake. There’s loads of sticks for a campfire, and the lake looks so clear to swim in. Chris gets water boiling for tea and I collect sticks for a campfire.
But the clouds that have been lurking all day have different plans. It starts to rain, we get our waterproofs on and cook dinner under the trees, hoping it will pass. But it doesn’t. So we eat dinner in the tent, and that’s where we stay for most of the night as it doesn’t stop raining! The new tent has a small leak on my side so it gets a bit damp, my sleeping mat also deflates so I spend the night tossing and turning uncomfortably, but it’s so nice listening to the rain tap on the tent. It stops raining briefly the next morning. The clouds shifts around the mountains but the lake is so still and warm I go in for a swim. We have coffee and manage to pack up just before the rain comes, and then it’s one of those days where the waterproofs are constantly on and off as it rains, followed by sun etc. We arrive just in time for the 12.30pm ferry crossing from Puerto Fuy which will take us close to the Argentinian border. It’s a great crossing, and reminds me of Scotland, getting the Calmac ferries to the various islands. The rain we’ve had has landed as snow on the hills above us, it’s a chilly air but the sun warms us. The ferry docks and we cycle the final six miles undulating on a beautiful asphalt road, passing waterfalls, birds singing in the trees.
We cross the Chilean border control no problem, they’re probably glad to get rid of us. The barrier opens and the road changes from asphalt to dirt track. We’re met at the Argentinian border control by a surly man that wants to know how long we plan to be in Argentina for and where we plan to stay! We try to explain in our best Spanish that we’re cycling through and don’t really know where we’re staying. He doesn’t seem keen on that idea so we quickly find the name of a nearby campsite to appease him. We carry on and are soon cycling alongside Lago Lacar. We find a small green space beside the river to camp. It’s not as beautiful as last nights spot but it’s dry at least! We make a campfire next to the river to keep warm. It’s ironic really, three weeks ago in Argentina I couldn’t imagine having a campfire to keep warm, it was so hot! Now however the climate is so different. It’s amazing how quickly things can change in the Andes.
The following day we cycle the final twenty miles into San Martin de los Andes, where we’ll stay for a few days. It’s a tough hilly day cycling on the dirt track around Lago Lacar, which we don’t really see that much of as we’re in the forest. But the spring flowers are pretty, the yellow broom is prolific as we cycle through, and that along with the lupin smells like spring. The forest eventually opens up to white mountains with the lake below, as we finally drop downhill and find a small campsite high above the lake. It’s a stunning location, so peaceful surrounded by tall trees, but it’s a steep walk down to the town for food and w as me even steeper walk back up! It makes for a tiring two days ‘rest’, and the day we leave I don’t feel very motivated and energetic!
We meet Marco once again, our German cycling friend we last saw way up in northern Argentina. He’s been cycling south but has family in Argentina he’ll spend Christmas with. It’s good to see him again and catch up on his cycling adventures. He’s heading to Ushuaia also, and we hope to see him again at some point. We head off, back on the nice smooth Ruta 40, our plan is to be in San Carlos de Bariloche for Christmas. It’s a touristy ski town alongside a lake, with supposed stunning views to the mountains. We’ve booked a cabin by the lake, Nahuel Huapi for three nights, and I’m looking forward to a comfy bed and some space, of and a sofa! We did have visions of wild camping on a beach on the lake, but we’re in the National park and it’s getting more difficult to wild camp. I also need to relax I think, I’m getting exhausted with the constant cycling, tent making, cooking, de-camping etc.
It’s summer solstice the day we leave San Martin de los Andes, winter solstice back home. We cycle part way around the lake and then climb up and over, past lakes, rivers, horses in colourful meadows, until we reach a free campsite alongside Lago Villarino. The white snow capped peaks look beautiful in the distance against the blue sky and lake. It’s 9.45pm as I wrote this and it’s still light. It’s funny to think only 6 weeks ago we were in Bolivia and it was dark by 7pm!
Today (Friday 22nd December) has been the best cycling day of this journey so far. We awoke to blue sky and the sun rising over the lake. We slowly packed up in the morning before setting off up a hill. But the route was just stunning, all day! The roads were also quiet as I imagine everybody is getting ready for Christmas. We climbed hills, passing so many beautiful aqua marine coloured lakes, blue glacial rivers, bright yellow broom paved the side of the roads, along with various coloured lupin. The smell was unbelievable. My senses were on fire, trying to take it all in. Patagonia is just stunning. We stopped by a small lake called Laguna Bailey Willis for lunch, sat in the sun and relaxed. There was no one around and the lake was warm(ish!) so we went in for a dip – naked – I’m not cycling down hills all afternoon in wet underwear! The feeling of complete freedom is joyful. We stop at Villa La Angostura for coffee and supplies, you could be in Windemere it’s so similar! From peaceful lakes we’re suddenly in a bustling tourist town getting ready for Christmas and the summer season! We quickly leave, following the road for an hour or so, before finding a perfect wild camping place right next to Lago Nahuel Huapi, one of the biggest lakes. We sit and watch the sun slowly setting in front of us, waves rolling in from the lake. The moon rises behind us, as house martins swoop majestically into the lake to catch their feed. Oh what a perfect day!
Christmas is always a difficult to for both Chris and I, him because he would desperately like to see his kids, me for the bitter sweet memories of family christmases gone by. Hopefully this one will be a more peaceful one. The lake is crystal clear and calm the next morning as I make tea, and look across at the sun casting it’s warming rays on the mountains on the other side. We sit for a while, enjoying the tranquility, before packing up and heading off to San Carlos de Bariloche, for a few days over Christmas. It’s a stunning location, on the side of the lake with snow capped peaks in the distance. I look forward to a few days rest. Happy Christmas!
