almost a lap of South America

Then it was off to Antarctica. As you do. I still have to remind myself that I actually got there.
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We got to tip about in ribs in a few iceberg graveyards (where they park the broken ones).
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I found I need to put another rib into the frame to show the size of these monsters.
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And after peninsula Valdez, I wanted a closer view of a whale. Tick.
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The penguins here have to make their nests from stones, and they swipe stones from each other nests. It's quite funny to watch.
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We were blessed with the weather.
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These may well be my fav photos from the trip. Overland travel shows us the differences yet similarities between all peoples, countries, cultures and religions on this planet. Largely we all have the same goals, we take care of our families and we enjoy the company of friends. As you travel, the houses may be finer or poorer, the clothes like your own or different. But everywhere you can make a comparison or reference to your own life.

Antarctica though looks so different, it's the most unique place I have ever been. You cannot compare it to anywhere.

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No problems with the popcorn. Words are overrated, but come in handy every now and then. :)
 
So, After buggering about in the cold, the only way was North, and would be for over a year. It took us almost 6 months to get to the top of Chile, it's that good!
We started off by heading for Torres del Paine national park. Great spot for seeing wild stuff.

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This time, we explored on foot.
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And this is what we hiked to see, the sunrise light on the Torres.
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The torres from the other side of the park, again, at sunrise.
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This was very early in the new year, which is summer down there. Great time to travel.
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After 12 days in the Torres national park, we started to move a bit more. We travelled the careterra Austral which is the worst road we had yet, but stunning.
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We started off at a town called Tortel, which has no roads just walkways as the town is at the side of a lake on a mountain side.
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It's a small wee road with lightweight bridges. Grand for bikes, but we had to be careful.
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We even spotted an old unimog that was used to operating a mine conveyor.
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Think it's fun wild camping by bike? Try hiding 2 trucks - not so simple. Still, we mainly wild camped.
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When we couldn't get steaks, we managed a bit of fishing.
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The views from the road were just fantastic.
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There are some marble caves out in a lake just off the Caraterra Austral. Well worth a look.
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These caves are large enough to canoe through.
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Almost spooky looking.
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One town we were going through was advertising a Rodeo. We stuck around for the weekend to take a look, and we were glad we did.
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A few real characters there.
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It was serious concentration riding the horses, and they were none to gentle about it either.
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And we were getting to see "better looking" volcanos. This is Osorno.
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And the view from the top. It took hours to climb up.
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You can see the smoke / steam from the crater.
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to climb up, you have to trek through snow. The good news it meant that it was way quicker on the way down.
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Once we got down, it was time for a slap up bbq lunch. As it was St. Patricks day, it was time to relax with a couple of beers anyway.
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We had a night sunset that night.
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The next morning on the way down the mountain, we spotted a few humming birds.
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We stayed heading north, and the scenery in that very dry part of Chile is spectacular.

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We did our best to stay on small tracks and trails.
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Once we got just north of Santiago, We took a months break. Sarah headed home to see her folks, and to go to the Tennis is Roland Garros, and I did some house sitting. I had to mind a few dogs along with the house, but that was great.
This is where I was for a month.
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This was right on the coast.
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Not every day was calm.
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Still, the night views were even better.
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After a month, I was getting ichy feet again, and it was time to roll. Off we went to northern Argentina, and on into Bolivia.
 
We went into Bolivia from Argentina. We explored there a bit, and then went back to to chile. We really loved Bolivia, and would have stayed there more. We used about 88 days of our 90 day visa which says a lot. We really liked that Boliva felt a little bit simpler, less european than anywhere else in South America.

road to Tajhira, a really nice town in the South.
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Silver mines in Potosi. We did a trip down the mine, it was brilliant to see, but must have been a terrible place to work.
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its pretty dark down there.
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Our guide helped sarah stick a fuse into a stick of dynamite, like it was perfectly normal.
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How could you find a perfect little church without a lonely planet.....
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Nothing like a well farkled car...
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Surcra at night.
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We stopped off in Sucra for a week for Spanish lessons. We already had a few words, but were getting frustrated not being able to talk to people.

We stopped at a railway museum to see the train Butch Cassidy and the sundance kit were supposed to have been on.
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The town of Uyuni, the gateway to the huge salt flats.
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Salar de Uyuni
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Nighttime on the Salar.
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As usual, the Salar is a spot for a bit of fun. We stayed out on it for 2 nights while we travelled across it on our way towards Chile. It's the start of what is called the

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Not sure what we were thinking, but this was a hell of a long walk!
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As you go on down the laguna route, you get to see loads of Flamingos.
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But, it's cold on the salar. We had to park with the truck facing east to get some sun on the engine to be able to start it in the mornings.
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The border between the Salar and Chile is pretty lightweight.
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Great pics, keep them coming. What's funny that first B&W down the Potosi mine makes it look like massive tunnels. I was crippled for a few days after that and the poor old hard hat got clouted a million times. Maybe I got given the short persons tour? :blast
 
Great pics, keep them coming. What's funny that first B&W down the Potosi mine makes it look like massive tunnels. I was crippled for a few days after that and the poor old hard hat got clouted a million times. Maybe I got given the short persons tour? :blast
You are right, they are flipping tight. and the ladders are nuts! Where the tunnels were too tight, I wasn't able to operate the camera!
 
It might have been asked ... I might have missed it ...

What camera you using ... you're getting some great shots for sure :thumb2

:beerjug:
 
This is just great!

I've been to Salta, BA, and Patagonia....and ridden a gaucho horse with a wooden saddle and stirrups....(gulp)....but your photos and write up are special!

Thanks!

Come on JohnRTW! You've gone very quiet recently! Are you over again soon or are you still robbing the RN pension fund!
 


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