Category: Antarctica to Alaska

Monday, 21 January 2019 Jose Ignacio, Urguguay   450km drive through English countryside again to Jose Ignacio. Takes 6hrs. As I’m driving out of San Jose de Mayo, see a man standing by the roadside with something strange in his hands. Slow down to see what it is. Two disembowelled armadillos. Probably the most bizarre… Read more

Sunday, 20 January 2019 Fray Bentos, Uruguay Think of the most perfect English summer’s day. Lush, rolling countryside, green fields, hedgerows, cows and horses in the fields, trees wafting in the light breeze. That’s Uruguay. I could be driving through Nottinghamshire today. Every so often, on the open roads in the middle of nowhere, you… Read more

Saturday, 19 January 2019 Colonia, Uruguay Grumpy little ogre this morning. There’ll be blood on the walls before the end of the day. Not much sleep. Don’t do mornings. Alarm call at 0600hrs. To the Buquebus ferry terminal. Catamaran to Colonia the other side of the River Plate in Uruguay. Rather surprisingly, have to have… Read more

Friday, 18 January 2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina Walking through Recoleta suburb of Buenos Aires reminds of Paris or Berlin. The quiet leafy residential streets lead towards Recoleta Cemetery. For avid readers of this blog, you will recall I visited Punta Arenas’ cemetery a few weeks ago. That was nothing compared to Recoleta. A large entrance… Read more

Thursday, 17 January 2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina Flight at 1015hrs to Buenos Aires. Arrive airport 0815hrs. There’s just me and about thirty other passengers. None of the check-ins are open yet. Not even security is open yet. My flight is the first of the day. Bariloche airport is small. Very small. Rucksack has gained a… Read more

Wednesday, 16 January 2019 Bariloche, Argentina Quite cold this morning as I drive into Bariloche. Fond farewell to the trusty Toyota Hilux. Grown quite attached to it the past 2,700km. Shall miss its tank like engine rumbling reliably away. Pull into the tiny Hertz compound on Elflein Street, It’s full of shiny new saloons. An… Read more

Tuesday, 15 January 2019 Bariloche, Argentina Scenic drive around the Llao Llao Peninsula recommended by the young girl on reception. Reminds me of my lighting fairy number one. Same mannerisms. Same good looks (see what I did there…). I don’t imagine my light fairies are reading this, but if they are, I know they’ll be… Read more

Monday, 14 January 2019 Bariloche, Argentina Went to sleep last night dreaming of a substantial breakfast. Ham. Cheese. Scrambled Eggs. But no. Instead. You’ll never guess. Jam and bread. Third consecutive jam and bread meal. With a fourth at lunch to look forward to. Route 40 all the way to Bariloche. Another day of fuel… Read more

Sunday, 13 January 2019 Perito Moreno, Argentina Same girl who checked me in, checks me out. Tells me that I’d better get used to the wind in Patagonia. She’s referring to me asking for another room as the silver birch branches were thrashing the roof and making a racket the first night. Tell her it’s… Read more

Saturday, 12 January 2019 El Calafate, Argentina Woken at 0200hrs by the silver birch branches banging on the corrugated iron roof of the hotel, just above my head, due to the high wind. Sounds like being in a tent and the wind buffeting it. 70km to Perito Moreno Glacier National Park. Entrance to National Park… Read more