Mike, the nominated sole driver (to save the pennies and at least attempt to stick to the traveller's budget), got us on the way on the much lauded route 44, South America's answer to Route 66. It definitely lived up to this as we followed crystal clear lakes, in green forests with a backdrop of snow capped mountains. We arrived in El Bolson impressed, after sunset and were promptly chased down the dirt track to the hostel by a pack of stray dogs. Risking our lives was definitely worth it as we were rewarded with nice rooms and an open fire all to ourselves to enjoy some well earned drinks.
The next morning we had a look round the gardens of the hostel which had a stream running through them and the obligatory massive BBQ. Our first wrong turn of the trip (definitely no fault of the navigator) meant we missed a planned stop off to walk to one of the summits and view points. To make amends we decided to take the scenic route through Parque Nacional Los Alerces despite the warnings about unfinished roads and banditos (the tourist information guys clearly did not appreciate the Corsa or our driving/navigating abilities). The pretentious name was definitely justified as the road wound through the park and past blue and emerald lakes and lovely views. We tried to get down to the lake but couldn't because there were so many trees (made a note to feed this back to the park rangers that they should chop some trees down so we could get a decent view). Finally found a place to scramble/fall with style down the scree to the lake side and enjoy the sun and amazing view of the lakes and mountains. Nikki managed to get caught in the landslide and take another slight nick to her shin, although was very brave and barely mentioned it to any of us! Spurred on by the adrenaline 3/4's of the group braved the icy cold water and managed to destroy the serenity of the park making sure everyone knew just how cold it was in a 50km radius! After warming up in the sun we scrambled back up to the car and carried on through the park and onto the unfinished road, which meant a few hundred kilometres of gravel road with plenty of kamikaze wildlife trying to become our first road kill. We made it to our stop for the night with no blood on the bumpers, but not entirely sure where we were. Found the local accommodation Betty Jays (which was as ropey as the name suggests; think Psycho motel) and settled in for a very over priced night. Keen to get some sleep before another long day of navigating, I drew short straw with the stabby bed next to the door and the whole debacle was finished off by having to watch some rom-com on tv!
Next day we said our goodbyes to Betty Jays pleased to have both our respective kidneys intact and set of for Los Antiguous and the marble caves. Won't go on about the scenery but it continued to be amazing (see pics from the camera club). At one point we managed to come across a couple of wild ostriches in the road, one deciding to run off into the wilderness the other deciding to try and outrun the Corsa straight down the road in our direction. Cue 87 bhp of Chevrolet brute force and a few ruffled ostrich feathers, he managed a good few hundred metres and up to about 45 km/hr before following suite of his more intelligent mate and scarpering into the wilderness and again leaving us without a prized road kill scalp! Made it to Los Antiguous and found an amazing hotel with lake side views, sauna massage and tennis courts only to find it fully booked. Fearing another Betty Jays we went into the town and despite being tempted to sleep in what appeared to be a novelly converted mini-potakabin resembling a morgue we found a little Sound of Music-esqe cabin. Managed some late lunch in the sun before retiring for the night.
The next morning we were all excited to be heading over the border into Chile in search of the marble caves (caves you guessed it; made out of marble). This was a big pre trip favourite and something of a big dog in the South American attractions for us. We managed to get a bus over the border (another stamp on the passport) and into the imaginatively named Chile Chico to find a ghost town and to cut a long story short (which involved being in the 'chintziest' caravan ever, speaking to some wide boy american from Miami, ringing and pleading with the car rental company and knocking on random house doors trying to find another car to rent) no chance of getting to the marble caves. We decided to cut our losses and head back to Argentina, console ourselves with another passport stamp and then promptly set off to completely cross Argentina for our first view of the Atlantic in Comodoria Rivadavia. This was no mean feat and Mike was probably starting to regret being the driver although presumably this job was made much easier with flawless navigating. We made it to Comodorio and despite not having booked anywhere managed to find a hostel not before Caz managed to lock out a guy at another hostel after he had got out of bed to let her in (probably didn't help the travel karma). Despite again getting stabby bed I was content to watch American football and drink beer in bed after another long day, I had seriously underestimated this navigating lark! Gutted about not seeing the caves (bet they would have been rubbish anyway) but next stop whale and penguin land!
We seemed to have woken up on national get-money-out-the-bank-day so couldn't get any cash out but set off regardless after coffees and pastries to Puerto Madrin, the penguin and whale capital of the world (not strictly true but need to keep you interested). Broke up the tiresome navigating by playing the old road trip favourite petrol-roulette. For those unfamiliar with this mainstay of road trip amusement it involves driving hundreds of kilometres (preferable on unfamiliar roads) without knowing where the next petrol station (or gas station for our American readers) whilst slowly watching the petrol gauge go down. Our travelling karma was obviously paying off though and we found an ice cream selling petrol (gas) station and a cash machine before reaching the penguins, not before the driver shafted the navigator by getting him to drive the 'last bit' (2 hours on awful roads) while he ate his ice cream! Nevertheless we made it in one piece and got to see all the penguins in the reserve, very cool as we got to walk in and amongst them and see all their nests and eggs and, true to form Nikki got told off by one of the rangers for walking off the path. Last drive for the day took us to Puerto Madrin and a lovely hostel where we promptly headed out for tea and our first real seafood. Cold scallops tested our fish tolerance but the paella and wine eased us in after that. Keen for a few more we headed on to the recommended Margarita bar and in true Brit style managed a good play on the swings and monkey bars in the childrens play area on the way.
Drove onto the peninsula from Puerto Madryn the next day in search of whales. Lots of companies to choose from but all seemed to offer the same thing so settled on one and headed out accompanied by a middle aged Argentinian stag party (cue singing, cigars, man with broken foot and hammered bloke we saw slumped in the bar last night). The tour was a definite highlight though, as we managed to get in the middle of four or five mother and baby pairings of Right Whales and close enough to get splashed by them. Even the stag do was impressed and we stayed out longer than planned as the guide and driver were that engrossed. All the hours in the car and missing the caves were forgotten as we made our way back to shore with grins on our faces, good pictures for the camera club and definitely a little humbled after our whale experience.
The next day we decided to have a stroll around PM before doing the marathon return leg to Bariloche in one stint so we could explore a little further with our last day of the car the next day. Highlights of the day being finding Malibu to keep Nikki happy and driving through volcanic ash clouds, low point being on the road for nearly 11 hours straight.
Next stop Buenos Aires.
Love Rich x
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