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Around the world on a Vespa scooter
INDEX (newer on top)
⚫SOLO travel RECORD times & EXPLOSIVE tires (video) ⚫Buenos Aires (+video) ⚫Carretera Austral (Chile) ⚫Parks, rivers, lakes and a sudden u-turn (Argentina) ⚫The most surreal day of our journey! (Chile) ⚫Ruta 40: Going south again (Argentina) ⚫This is how much it cost us to travel around South America for 1024 days ⚫Uruguay (+video) So I think I finally found the time I needed to start sharing my story in the HUBB too. I've been an Horizons Unlimited member for 8 years now (wow time flies!) reading, being inspired and getting all those info I was searching for my travels in Europe, Africa and South America! To be honest I once starter a thread while I was planning the trip but then I gradually stopped sharing for some reason. I think the quarantine in Argentina (the lockdown continues here) will give me the opportunity to make a comeback :mchappy: So here's the story, at last: - The route - https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten.../our_route.jpg - Our story - We are Alexandra & Stergios, a couple from Greece traveling around the world on a Vespa PX200. Our story started in Greece in 2013. At that time, we didn’t know each other. Different reasons made us leave the country, but we had something in common: the socioeconomic crisis which affected our lives and suffocated us. We first met by coincidence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and soon after that, we started a “test-ride” two-up in South Africa and Lesotho. The Vespa made it and we discovered that we make a good team. So from that day back in December 2014, we’ve been traveling together. Our RTW journey is a lifetime project and we promised not to stop until we’ve been to every corner of our planet. - The vehicle - Our vehicle is a 2003 Vespa PX200, 2 stroke, one cylinder, air-cooled, 200 cc’s. Simple engine, simple to maintain, simple to fix. https://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider-ph...psvh7m7ckw.jpg Kitsos our Vespa - The plan - The plan is as simple as it gets: A journey all around the world! In October 2013, I (Stergios) started from Greece, traveled to Italy and from there to Morocco (by boat). From November 2013 to January 2015, I crossed through Africa going to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Lesotho. After a “test ride”, 2-up with Alexandra through South Africa and Lesotho, we continued together to South America. From January 2015 to March 2016, we traveled in South America. We crossed through Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Brazil. Our next goal is to continue traveling in South America and in Central America and from there, to the United States and Canada. Alaska will be the finishing point for the trip in the Americas. Asia and Oceania will be next and maybe one day we’ll be back to Africa, from where everything started… - Budget / Funding the trip - When I decided to leave Greece and set off for my RTW trip, I was almost broke. So what I did was to work for one summer as a seasonal waiter in a Greek island and sell everything that could be sold from the stuff I had (my bicycle, my other motorbike, my extra motorcycle gear, some clothes, my mobile phone etc). I was lucky because when I started counting my budget, I found out that a scholarship I had been granted from my school was finally credited to my account, as well as the severance pay owed to me when I was made redundant. So, I had managed to start my trip with less than 10,000€ in my pocket. When Alexandra joined me, her main source of funding the trip was the savings she had for her PhD. During the preparation of the trip, some people (through the businesses they run) who liked my idea of traveling RTW, supported it by providing me with useful gear: spare-parts, cameras, helmet. More supporters came along the way, who provided us with camping gear and a tent when ours had started to fall apart. Moreover, we should mention the donations made by people who appreciated the work on our blog and our videos, or simply the concept of our trip. The part of our trip that started on the 2nd of January 2019 is also self-funded – we worked hard the last two years – but we also have the support of some brands/companies that provided us with new gear and of course, all our friends from around the world who support us by making donations. Initially, the only “work” on the road was to update the blog with new stories and publish videos and pictures on our social media accounts. Gradually, we realized that traveling, shooting videos / pictures and writing are the things we love most, so we decided to dedicate ourselves to all the above and take things more seriously. Being able to make a living from what you love is for us one of the most important things to be happy. It is a difficult road we chose, but hasn’t every road its difficulties? - These are some of our favourite photos - https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-1-w.jpg Traditional means of transport (Sahara Desert, Morocco) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-2-w.jpg Flat tyre on the road to Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-3-w.jpg Petrol station (Burkina Faso) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-5-w.jpg Lome Beach (Togo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-6-w.jpg “Love attack” on the road to Abuja (Nigeria) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-7-w.jpg In the jungle of Cameroon https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-8-w.jpg Children looking at the Vespa (Congo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...vorite-9-w.jpg Traveling by “taxi” (Congo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-10-w.jpg On the highway from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi (D.R.Congo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-11-w.jpg On the highway from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi (D.R.Congo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-12-w.jpg River-crossing with “Congolese Lines” (D.R.Congo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-13-w.jpg Locals helping push the Vespa (D.R.Congo) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-14-w.jpg Morning coffee (Namibia) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-15-w.jpg Enjoying the view (Lesotho) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-20-w.jpg 5,000 meters above sea level (Bolivia) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-21-w.jpg View to the volcanoes (Bolivia) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-22-w.jpg Lost in Uyuni Salar (Bolivia) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-23-w.jpg Million star hotel (Uyuni Salar, Bolivia) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-25-w.jpg Making new friends (Peru) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-29-w.jpg Freezing cold, strong winds and lack of oxygen (Andes, Peru) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-31-w.jpg Mano del Desierto (Atacama Desert, Chile) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-33-w.jpg Family photo (Chile) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-35-w.jpg Drinking and chatting in the woods (Chile) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-36-w.jpg Peaceful moments in Patagonia (Chile) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-37-w.jpg Carretera Austral (Chile) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-38-w.jpg Mount Fitz Roy (Argentina) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...orite-39-w.jpg Ruta 40 (Argentina) - And some of our favourite videos - So these are just few of our best moments on the road. I will start unfolding our story asap and maybe add an index in the begging so that you can read the thread easier. Cheers, Stergios |
Our new Q&A video after 46 months on the road!
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Hi you two.
We met on the road in Chile camped out together. Well done for continuing and adding your stories here. See you again somewhere out there.:D |
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Thank you much for sharing! Very amazing that you manage that with that less stuff you was able to carry - what an adventure!
I had a good flashback of my travel memorys out of the transafrica and south america trip :D Surfy |
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Amazing what you were able to fit on that little Vespa! Very humbling imo when I'm debating way bigger bike and thinking they're too small. You put everything in perspective :).
All the best to you two! Nico |
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The best to you too!! |
Absolutely fantastic photos ! The Vespas were a great choice too. Thanks for sharing !
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PS We're traveling on one Vespa :cool4: :laugh: |
I might have said I'll start sharing my story from the beginning, but I haven't managed to find some free time yet :helpsmilie:
Anyway, I'll start in reverse and hopefully I'll reach the beginning :laugh: Here's the latest ride tale from Uruguay: A ride around Uruguay When we did our research about Uruguay, among the information on the interesting places, the endless beaches and the colorful towns, there was another kind of information, that worried us a bit: the high cost of living. We try to keep our daily budget low, which means that we don’t want to spend more than 20€ (that includes the costs for both of us and for Kitsos) so, we had to plan everything very carefully. Traveling in a country that seems more expensive than our home country, Greece, could easily drain our wallets. The procedure at the border wasn’t difficult at all, but due to a mistake the person in charge at the customs office made in Kitsos’ TIP (temporary import permit), we spent more time there than we had estimated. So, when we finally left the building it was already late and the sun would be soon setting. Just before it got dark, we made it to a gas station and asked permission to camp at their backyard for the night, as we used to do in other countries of South America. But to our surprise, the answer was “no”. We respected the new reality and headed towards the nearest town. When we asked the price for a night at the campsite, we almost cried with despair. We hadn’t paid that much in months – actually it was in Brazil, some time ago. So, we chose to continue on the NR3 going south. To where? No idea! The drivers in Uruguay were fast and they had their own “close shave” style in overtaking, so we had to find a place to stop soon. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uruguay-12.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uruguay-10.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-2.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uruguay-11.jpg It was almost 22:00 when we arrived at the “Termas de Guaviyú”, a municipal spa complex with campsite and rooms, next to some hot springs. It was our only option but luckily, the price was very reasonable AND it included unlimited access to the pools! Two days later, fresh and rejuvenated we left the Termas and continued south. The cold was almost unbearable and despite we had put on all our clothes, we kept on freezing. Our initial plan was to go towards the ocean, but according to the weather forecast, the next ten days or so would be the coldest of the year. And not only this, but the fuel, groceries and accommodation costs were higher than we expected. After one more night of wild camping at a random riverbank and many kilometers among endless “tidy” pastures and cultivated land – result of the industrialized stock-farming and agriculture, we were somehow tired. Maybe it wasn’t the ideal time of the year to visit Uruguay, so it didn’t take long before we made up our minds: we’d ride directly to Montevideo, spend some days there and then ride back to Argentina. Montevideo was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise! Uruguay’s capital had a certain je ne sais quoi that immediately caught our attention. Since the prices for accommodation were beyond our budget and we are not fans of 16-bed hostel dormitories, we tried our luck and rented an Airbnb room in a local’s apartment. And that’s how we ended up with the best memories from Uruguay! (well, from Montevideo in particular). Our host Sandino and his lovely family, welcomed us as if we were old friends. They introduced us to the unique cultural life of the city, we had interesting conversations about the history of Montevideo, about Uruguay and Greece; we laughed and shared some drinks and Sandino’s delicious pizza. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-5.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-3.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-9.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-4.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-6.jpg The week we spent in Uruguay’s capital was full of endless walks around the city center and the bohemian neighborhoods. We strolled along the Rambla (the esplanade), we took pictures of every corner of the casco antiguo (the oldest part of the city) and we spent hours wandering around at the famous street market “Tristán Narvaja” contemplating the old books, searching for used clothes, looking at the various artifacts and the thousands of antiques. One of the top moments of our stay in Montevideo was the luck we had to attend one of the famous llamadas (dance parade) taking place in front of Sandino’s apartment. The uplifting rhythm of the candombe and the whole dance performance is one of the most prominent parts of the Afro-Uruguayan heritage, and it’s difficult to describe the contagious, euphoric feeling spreading from the participants to the audience, making it part of the whole thing! https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-7.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uruguay-13.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...-uruguay-8.jpg The time to leave Montevideo came and our next destination was the famous Colonia del Sacramento, the old town with the colorful historic quarter, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When we arrived at the town, we realized that the historic quarter was indeed a very beautiful place, but in our eyes it was too touristic. So, we just rode around its narrow streets for a while and off we went towards the border (Fray Bentos). We spent one last night in our tent, next to a small village on the shore of River Plate, looking at the lights of Buenos Aires in the distance. The next day we would be in Argentina again. To be continued… PS Here's the video I made for Uruguay. It might be all Greek to you :laugh: but fortunately there are English subtitles available. Don't forget to turn them on! Hope you like it chug beer |
This is how much it cost us to travel around South America for 1024 days
(though I created a new topic, I thought it was a good idea to share it here too, so that those who are following this thread won't miss it)
Are you wondering how much it’s going to cost you to travel around South America with your own vehicle? Here’s what we paid… As we've told many times in the past, our lifestyle is not a luxury but a choice. Of course, some preparation is needed – if you want – and some money too – at least in the beginning – but there's no need to be a millionaire or a pensioner(!) in order to ride your scooter around the world. The most important part is to make the decision. Then, it's good to have the will to continue and not give up at the first hardship – and when I talk about hardship, I mean hard hardship...such as eating rice and legumes for days in order to keep the budget low. Oh, and you'll be pleased to know that if there's two of you in the equation, not only will you be able to share the unique experience of the trip, but also the expenses! After 1024 days of everyday, meticulous record keeping, we patiently gathered all our expenses and made some very detailed charts and pies. You'll see information about the scooter's fuel consumption as well as its 2T-oil consumption and the costs (psychological ones, too) we paid at various technicians. You'll find out how many kilometers we rode on paved and on dirt roads, how many nights we spent wild camping, couchsurfing etc. You'll also see how much we spent on tolls, insurances, food, medicines... Everything! I hope you'll find this post interesting and useful. And most importantly, I hope that it will give you one good motive to make the decision yourselves and take the first step towards a simple and beautiful life on the road. Or at least, to take the leap and set off on a big ride around the world. If reading is not your thing, you can watch the video I made just for you: Days on the road¹: 1024 Days spent at one place (not riding): 821 (80.2%) Days on the road (riding): 203 (19.8%) Countries visited: 7 (Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile) Number of days in each country https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ch_country.png Argentina: 528 (51.6%) Paraguay: 210 (20.5%) Chile: 102 (10%) Bolivia: 72 (7%) Brazil: 54 (5.3%) Peru: 41 (4%) Uruguay: 13 (1.3%) Airports / Airplanes: 4 (0.4%) Total distance traveled² : 45,099 km (28,023 mi) 2,600 km (5.8%) on friends' cars or taxis (1,615 mi) 390 km (0.9%) on friends' motorcycles (242 mi) 42,109 km (93.4%) on the Vespa (26,165 mi), from which: 37,871 km (89.9%) on paved roads (23,531 mi) 4,238 km (10.1%) on dirt roads (2,633 mi) Average distance per day: 41 km (25.4 mi) Average distance per day counting only the days we were actually traveling: 207 km (128.6 mi) Average fuel consumption: 4,9 l/100km (48 mpg) Petrol: 2,059 litres (543.9 gal) 2T Oil: 43 litres (11.3 gal) Type of accommodation https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ommodation.png Apartments, hostels, hotels etc: 688 nights (67.2%) Campsites: 133 nights (13%) Wild camping: 100 nights (9.8%) Staying at friends' houses: 83 nights (8.1%) Couchsurfing: 16 nights (1.6%) Airplanes: 4 nights (0.4%) Average accommodation cost 2.94€ ($3.46) per person per night Average campsite cost: 3.65€ ($4.30) per person per night Average hostel/hotel/apartment cost: 3.60€ ($4.24) per person per night The total of our expenses per category per person https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...r_category.png Accommodation: 3,005.50€ ($3,546) (30.8%) Supermarket³ : 2,510.10€ ($2,961) (25.8%) Eat out (street food, restaurants etc)⁴ : 1,362.50€ ($1,607) (14%) Maintenance, spare parts etc⁵ : 1,154.25€ ($1,362) (11.9%) Petrol: 763.35€ ($900) (7.8%) Tolls, insurances, paperwork etc⁶ : 242.75€ ($286) (2.5%) Sightseeing & transportation⁷ : 227.25€ ($268) (2.3%) Misc⁸ : 121.75€ ($143) (1.3%) Meds & doctors: 98.25€ ($115) (1%) 2T Oil: 96.75€ ($114) (1%) Internet / Telephony⁹ : 91.25€ ($107) (0.9%) Clothing¹º : 69.25€ ($81) (0.7%) Daily expenses per country per person https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...er_country.jpg Uruguay: 17.12€ ($20.20) Chile: 14.59€ ($17.21) Brazil: 14.45€ ($17.05) Peru: 9.85€ ($11.62) Argentina: 8.57€ ($10.11) Bolivia: 8.45€ ($9.97) Paraguay: 7.29€ ($8.60) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...avel_costs.jpg Expenses per country per person Argentina: 4,525€ ($5,339) Paraguay: 1,530€ ($1,805) Chile: 1,488.5€ ($1,756) Brazil: 780.5€ ($920) Bolivia: 608.5€ ($718) Peru: 403.9€ ($476) Uruguay: 222.5€ ($262) Grand total¹¹ So, the total amount after 1024 days on the roads of South America (from which the 180 “trapped” in Argentina under the covid-19 lockdown) is 9,742.9€ ($11,496) per person or 9.51€ ($11.22) per person per day or 19,485.9€ ($22,993) for the two of us or 19€ ($22) for the two of us per day! Not that much, huh? Keep in mind that these numbers are based on our needs and habits. The text you just read is not a guide and its purpose is not to teach or give any advice – but now you know how little money it can cost. Maybe it gives you the “push” you need to start preparing your own trip and stop using the “but I'm not as rich as they are” excuse! Notes ¹ This is the sum of our travels in South America from January 2015 to August 2020. ² Airplanes not included :P ³ “Supermarket” category includes everything we buy from supermarkets, convenience stores, grocery stores etc. Food in general, that we don't intent to consume right away. If for example we stop by at a supermarket and share a sandwich, this cost will fall into the “Eat out” category. ⁴ “Eat out” category includes the money we spend in street food, restaurants, food in general that we consume but not prepare ourselves. ⁵ “Maintenance, spare parts etc” category includes the money we spend for maintaining our Vespa scooter in good shape. ⁶ “Tolls, insurances, paperwork etc” category includes the money we spend in toll roads, insurance for our vehicle, plus any costs related to bureaucratic procedures, like extending our visas or our Vespa's TIP or our own passports. In this category we've even included 351.1€ for the obligatory insurance and the road / registration taxes in order to have a Greek license plate. ⁷ “Sightseeing & transportation” category includes the money we spend on visiting national parks, museums etc. as well as on excursions, taxis, buses and all kinds of transportation without our Vespa. ⁸ “Misc” category includes the money we spend on anything that doesn't fall into any of the other categories. Few examples: haircuts, parking lots, gifts etc. ⁹ “Internet / Telephony” category includes the money we spend on buying local SIM cards and credit. The total amount in this category is relatively high, because we had to upload huge videos and many photos on our social media and keep our blog updated. Under “normal” internet use, we don't think we'd need more than ¼ of what we've spent. ¹º “Clothing” category includes the money we spend for buying or repairing clothes. ¹¹ The grand total differs from the total of the “Cost per country per person” because here we've included 351.1€ for the obligatory insurance and the road / registration taxes we pay in Greece in order to have our Greek license plate. The grand total doesn't include the Vespa's shipping costs from Africa to South America, our airplane tickets, nor any costs related to our blog (maintaining our website, buying hard drives, cameras, laptops etc). |
Great photos and amazing journey. You need to be hardcore to travel two-up on any small bike. I know because I’ve done it - Istanbul to London on a CB175 Honda in winter. You have my total respect.
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Your trip sounds amazing mate! Thanks for the comment bier Safe travels! |
When you make it to Lombok, Indonesia look us up in Kuta, Lombok. We have a bed for you two as long as you're prepared to share some highlights of your trip with us. In the meantime enjoy the life you have made for yourselves and may good luck always sit on your shoulders.
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I just watched your Uraguay video and five seconds in got a great belly laugh from the comment about " looking for the malaka" - priceless! The video was great. Really skilled editing, great composition and eye for detail, fast moving, educational, funny, entertaining and you have a great style of delivery. Thanks for the great production.
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I bet the Greek language didn't make your life easy while watching the video and that's why I tried to improve the editing a bit [emoji28] I'm glad you liked it! Cheers, Stergios |
This is just so good, you both work really well together and have a fantastic sense of humour.
No one could fail to be entertained by this :) Love from Scotland. |
I really love the hubb,
came here for a coffee break to check for new posts and then I found this gem of travel documentary made by Stergios & Alexandra with a lot of love, humor, knownledge, an outstanding sensitive mind and with awesome eyes. I have only watched 2 of your videos yet but wow, your way of traveling and seeing the world is really inspiring and thrilling! Thanks for the laugher and wisdom! I definitely needed it today! (I am now completely out of my schedule but I won`t regret... :) ) Safe rides, Cheers R. |
you guys look great :D
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Sending our love from Argentina. |
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Wish you to make this kind of trip again! |
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Safe rides and a happy 2022! |
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires – A city that has everything (we want)
Here's the video for BsAs. It might be all Greek to you but fortunately there are English subtitles available. Don't forget to turn them on! https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...atured_new.jpg Buenos Aires is definitely our favorite city! It's a city that has everything we want. And during our second visit there, we had enough time to discover more of its amazing life! We said goodbye to Uruguay with mixed feelings and crossed the border to Argentina. From there, we went directly to a familiar place: it was the campsite of Gualeguaychú (or better, one of the campsites) where we had stayed exactly 4 years ago. It was back in 2015 when we spent the first night of the previous leg of our trip in that campsite, leaving from Buenos Aires headed north towards Iguazú. The place was exactly as we had left it. After two quiet days, we rode the approximately 300kms to Buenos Aires and we were finally there! The city we loved was waiting for us to discover it again. Buenos Aires is our favorite city! Many people who visit it say that it's “too European” and that it lacks the “exotic” Latin American atmosphere they were looking for. Well, I have to disagree with them for many reasons. Mainly because I believe that whoever says this, hasn't scratched beneath the surface to discover the heart of this unique city. Sure, Buenos Aires' architecture is characterized by its eclectic nature, with elements resembling Paris and Madrid and this is the interesting result of the European immigration. Above all, Buenos Aires is a metropolis, a multicultural city that is home to multiple ethnic and religious groups. And this is because it has been a major recipient of millions of immigrants from all over the world. Buenos Aires is a melting pot, where several ethnic groups live together and what's more, it's being considered one of the most diverse cities of the Americas. Oh, and for those who say that the Porteños – the people of Buenos Aires (derives from the word puerto, which means port) – are a bit cocky... Well, they live in one of the best cities in the world, give them a break! If you're not convinced yet, maybe I need to add two or three more facts about this wonderful city:
There are many more interesting facts about life in Buenos Aires, but those were the first ones to grab our attention. The first time in Buenos Aires (back in 2015) we stayed in San Telmo, but this time we found a place in one of the less touristic neighborhoods, Colegiales. We preferred to get to know other parts of this amazing city than staying somewhere we already knew. And guess what? It was a great idea! According to a 2009 study by the University of La Plata, Colegiales is the neighborhood with the best quality of life in the city of Buenos Aires. It has numerous restaurants and bars, it's safe, peaceful and there are numerous parks and plazas to fulfill the people's “outdoorsy” lifestyle). But, in our case, our extraordinary luck was to spend a whole month hosted by a wonderful person, Gabriela, with whom we had endless conversations about life in Buenos Aires, its history, its culture etc. Gabriela also took us to a peña – a gathering with folkloric music and dances from the inland as well as traditional recipes – where we even tried to dance the traditional chacarera and zamba. She also introduced us to Río Abiierto, an expressive movement / dance therapy (check out rioabiierto.org.ar) invented in Argentina years ago. Nope, tango is not the only Argentinian dance... https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-3.jpg Feria de San Telmo https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-1.jpg Kitsos poses in Puerto Madero https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...pa_bsas-13.jpg Puente de la mujer (Spanish for "Woman's Bridge") in Puerto Madero https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...pa_bsas-12.jpg Torre Monumental https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...pa_bsas-11.jpg The Obelisk https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...pa_bsas-10.jpg Villa 31 This time in Buenos Aires, our cultural “wanderings” went far more deeply into the history of the city and they were far more interesting than the last time there. The aforementioned peña took place in a historic building, important in the people's collective memory: the Escuela Superior de Mecánica de la Armada (Higher School of Mechanics of the Navy) which was originally an educational facility. However, during the military dictatorship it was used as an illegal detention center, where about 5,000 abducted people were held between 1976-1983; all except 150 were killed during or after interrogation and torture... Nowadays, part of the place has become a cultural center, that manages to keep the memories alive but at the same time, it transforms the nightmare into a lesson for the next generations. And this was only the beginning! The two months we stayed in the area of Buenos Aires, we attended various events and as the day of the national elections was approaching, it was a great opportunity to be around Porteños, who passionately discuss about politics. Buenos Aires also has a deep love for what is “classic”. The old restaurants, pizzerias, bars etc remain until today exactly as they used to be in the 20th century. This love for “classic” though, has managed to embrace the modern, with new bars in every neighborhood, selling cerveza artesanal – beer from microbreweries. What else? I can write endless pages about that Thursday, when we walked with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, the women who are a living part of the Argentine History. The mothers who never stopped looking for their disappeared children, those children who were tortured during the cruel military dictatorship. We saw them and most importantly we heard them talking about human rights, about persistence and the endless fight for justice. I can also fill pages with the colors of the rainbow, writing about the day when we danced with the LGBTIQ+ community at Buenos Aires' Marcha del Orgullo (Pride). As we learned later, the first march in Argentina took place in 1992 and it is usually held at the start of November to commemorate the founding of Nuestro Mundo, Argentina's first gay association, which was founded in 1967. The space is not enough to describe our feelings and our gratefulness for being there. Both experiences were unique, each one for what it is and for what it brings to the people who have the luck to attend them. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-4.jpg Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-5.jpg Madres de Plaza de Mayo https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-8.jpg Marcha del Orgullo (Pride) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-7.jpg Marcha del Orgullo (Pride) https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-6.jpg Marcha del Orgullo (Pride) I've already written a lot, but I couldn't leave outside our visit(s) to the Feria de Mataderos. The famous open-air market takes place every Sunday opposite the old Mercado Nacional de Hacienda (National Livestock Market, where cattle arrived from the Pampas to be checked and sold for consumption), and attracts thousands of people who come not only for shopping, but also for the folkloric music and dances. And of course, for the tasty traditional dishes, such as the locro (a meat and corn stew), the tamales (corn and meat steamed in a corn husk) and the empanadas (baked or fried pasties). Until today, it remains far less touristic and far more original than the Feria de San Telmo. I think I already mentioned that we spent two months in Buenos Aires. This happened for two main reasons. First, because we had to take Kitsos to the garage for some engine repairs (which proved to be a really bad idea, as you can see in this video) and second, because...who wants to leave from Buenos Aires?! So, after one month at Gabriela's peaceful home in Colegiales, we went downtown and stayed at the famous neighborhood “Once” for 10 days. The apartment this time was in a big building on the noisy Pueyrredón av., just one block from the even noisier Corrientes av. that leads directly to the famous 9 de Julio av. and the even more famous Obelisk. Everyday we had to thrust our way through street vendors, pickpockets and literally thousands of people from all around the world going up and down the main avenues. Maybe it wasn't the most relaxing time we could have in Buenos Aires, but it was a new experience which we didn't regret at all. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-2.jpg In Plaza de Mayo https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...spa_bsas-9.jpg Dinner with our friends Silvina & Cefe And while we were thinking which could be our next destination (always around our favorite city), an invitation came from our friends Silvina and Cefe, whom we had first met in 2015. They live in Quilmes, a city in Greater Buenos Aires (Gran Buenos Aires), about 20 kilometers away from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA). Quilmes is a place that has everything, including its own beeer (Cerveza Quilmes). It has its own center, cultural activity, social and political life, but at the same time it still has neighborhoods with unpaved roads, gardens and a semiurban lifestyle. Silvina, Cefe and Sofia (Silvina's mother) showed us once more the true, warm and unforgettable hospitality of the Argentinians. Around mid-November, we realized that it was time for us to go. Summer was just around the corner and we didn't want to be “trapped” in Patagonia during the high season, when everything is packed with tourists and the prices are high. To be continued... |
Argentina, Ruta 40: Going south again
Argentina, Ruta 40: Going south again
https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-22.jpg From Buenos Aires we rode across the pampa towards Mendoza and from there, we took the famous Ruta 40 with the intention to go south and see the parts of Argentina that we had missed the first time there. Argentina is big! We know it, but we need to keep it in mind every time we hit the road, because distance is relative. What do I mean? We are from Greece, a country that is about 21 times smaller than Argentina. To make it even more precise: the cumulative area of Greece is 131,957 km2 (50,949 sq mi) while that of Argentina is 2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi). So, now you can imagine how an Argentinian's short trip for the weekend looks like to two poor Greeks on a small scooter! From Buenos Aires, we took the RN7 and at that same day we rode for almost 300 boring kilometers (186mi) to the town of Junin (Buenos Aires Province). The monotonous infinity from one place to another, crossing the endless Argentinian pampas was not new to us. We knew it well, so we were prepared for straight lines and plain fields. The second day was as dull as the first one: 260kms (161mi) to Bernardo Larroudé (La Pampa Province), a very small town with a very big municipal campsite, where we spent two days resting. Then, 220 more kilometers (136mi) to Unión (San Luis Province), a small village and a rather creepy night at the backyard of a fuel station. The place was on a dusty field outside the village, next to a small swampy lake – hotspot for all the mosquitoes of the area – with no protection from the wind. And apparently, it was not only the mosquitoes that frequented it, but also some youngsters from the village, with a noisy clunker that had a surprisingly loud stereo! Happy that we survived the mosquito attacks but exhausted from our sleepless night, the next day we rode the last 250kms (155 mi) to San Rafael (Mendoza Province). We arrived relatively late at what seemed like a decent campsite in the dark, some 25km (15 mi) south of San Rafael, on the RP173. From what we could see on the map and from what we could hear around us, we knew that we were in the heart of the Atuel Canyon, just next to the Atuel River. Only when we woke up the next morning did we realize that the place was in fact amazing! We had pitched our tent in the shade of a tree and the river was only some meters away. Our neighbors Jo and Susie, a lovely couple from the UK, were waiting to have breakfast together and we couldn't be happier that after some absolutely boring days on the road, we were at such a beautiful place. The Atuel Canyon is a famous tourist destination within Valle Grande. It's a popular location for adventure sports such as rafting, hiking, climbing etc. For us, it was the ideal destination for relaxation and of course, a short ride to the nearby reservoir, where the view was breathtaking! The high season hadn't arrived yet, so there were only a few people around and the place was really quiet. After two days there, we said goodbye to the condors (yes, we saw a couple of them!) and continued southwards to Malargüe. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-1.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-2.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-3.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-4.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...0_featured.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-6.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-7.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-8.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...uta_40_2-9.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-10.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-11.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-12.jpg At last, the route had become more interesting and in about 90kms (55 mi) on the RN144, exactly after passing the “Salinas del Diamante”, we reached the famous RN40. RN40 is the longest route in Argentina and one of the longest in the world. It's famous for its amazing views and at the same it's notorious for its endless straight lines of nothingness and the unbelievably strong gusty winds. Before we reached our destination, the town of Malargüe, we passed from El Sosneado, a very small village with a story known all around the world: the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 plane crash in 1972, that happened in the mountains of the area. Malargüe was another small town with a big municipal campsite. We spent 3-4 days there for two reasons: first, because we could feel a tremble coming from our scooter's front wheel and we needed to see what was going on and, second, because shortly after we got to the campsite, Jo and Susie, the couple we had met earlier in San Rafael, also arrived. What I didn't mention earlier is that they were traveling by bicycle all the way south from Peru! We admired their strength, their courage, their resilience and their great sense of humor. And, since spending time with travelers who combine all the above with an appetite for good food and wine (or beeer) is something that doesn't happen very often, we decided to make the most of this rare opportunity. We shared countless stories about our travels, our lives and most importantly, we laughed a lot! Almost three months had passed from the day we crossed the border and entered Argentina and our tourist visas (90 days) were about to expire. The easiest way to renew them was to cross the border, go to Chile for some hours (or a day) and re-enter Argentina with 90 more days' permit stamped on our passports. So, from Malargüe we followed the RN40 and in Bardas Blancas we turned west on the RN145. Our initial concern when we realized that the fuel station in Bardas Blancas was closed, faded away soon. The feeling of remoteness and helplessness at these vast areas is often exaggerated and in cases like that, we try to keep in mind that since there are vehicles, then there is fuel! So, we enjoyed the ride to Las Loicas (to the border checkpoint of the Argentinian side) and filled our tank – and jerrycan – at the nearby despensa (convenience store). https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-14.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-16.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-15.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-13.jpg The Chilean checkpoint is about 65kms (40 mi) away and it's strictly forbidden to spent the night in the “no man's land” between the two checkpoints. So, we went on climbing the steep mountains towards the Pehuenche Pass which, as we were climbing higher and higher, became covered with frozen snow. The headwind became stronger and small rocks and gravel kept sliding from the hillsides next to the road, hitting us. The ascend proved to be way steeper than we had calculated and we couldn't wait to get to the immigration office! Fortunately, the building was at the highest point (2,500m – 8,200ft) and from there we started descending towards the place we were planning to spend the night. The procedure at the border checkpoints of Chile was something we had done many times in the past. The rules for importing goods are very strict and no one gets away with their luggage intact. So, when we were finally ready to go, the sun had almost set. We spent that night wild camping by the Maule River, not far from the thermal springs of the Campanario River. The view was amazing, but as we were resting next to the tent looking the scenery around us, we realized that the climb back to the border checkpoint, was a really steep one and we weren't at all sure about the quantity of fuel left in our tank. We opened the map and found out that the next pass (Pichachén Pass) was only a few kilometers south and the elevation was only 2,000m (6,560ft) – that means 500m (1,640ft) less than the Pehuenche Pass we had just crossed. It was a good idea and this way we would see regions we hadn't seen before. Improvisation is our thing, so we seized the opportunity for a short trip in Chile. What could go wrong? To be continued... https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-22.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-21.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-17.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-19.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-20.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ta_40_2-18.jpg |
Awesome photos, thank you for posting them up! :)
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Brilliant RR! Gracias
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The most surreal day of our journey! (Chile)
The most surreal day of our journey! (Chile)
https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-14.jpg The day we started our short trip to Chile, we could not imagine that we'd soon climb a volcano and that we'd accidentally live the most surreal adventure of our journey! We woke up early the next morning, packed our stuff and started our short trip in Chile! The distance from where we were to the Pichachén Pass was about 311mi (500km) and we were planning to do them in 2-3 days, depending on what we'd find ahead of us. The weather as we were moving away from the mountains was warmer and the spring had done its miracle: everything around was unbelievably green and colorful flowers were in absolute blossom. The traditional wooden cabins, typical in Chile's southern parts, were painted in various colors making the scenery even more pleasant. It felt as if we were on holiday, a short holiday away from the vastness of Argentina's arid landscape. The road that was parallel to Maule river, led us to Linares and from there, we followed the RN5 (the Panamerican highway), riding south towards Los Angeles. We had forgotten how much we dislike riding on highways and Chile's highways are fast, noisy and with expensive tolls – the style we really hate! So, after buying some of the most delicious strawberries in the world(!) from a roadside stall (If you ever find yourselves in Chile during strawberry season, eat as many as you can because they are the best!) we decided to abandon the highway. From Chillán, we took N59Q, a significantly quieter road and continued southwards. This route was way better and fortunately, from the moment we took it we felt relaxed again, riding across the green Chilean landscape. That night we slept by the lake of Trupán, next to the tiny village that we chose randomly, just by calculating the distance we had ridden that day and the time of the sunset. It was a calm night and as always happens when we camp at random places, two stray dogs kept us company throughout the night, sleeping in our tent's porch. We were confident about the next day. There were only 87mi (140km) left until the border, so the only thing we had to do was to stop at the next fuel station we had spotted on the map, fill our tank and continue towards the Pichachén Pass. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-1.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...hachen-3-2.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...hachen-2-2.jpg To our surprise, when we reached Antuco, the last village in Chile, we found out that the fuel station was closed and that we had to wait one week for it to reopen – under a new name. The “one week” soon became “10 minutes” because one of the two guys working at the fuel station was selling petrol at his backyard. Diego and Carlos were happy to have a chat with us, asking about our trip and soon after having filled up Kitsos' tank in Carlos' yard, the invitation came from Diego: he had a house available for us in case we wanted to rest for one day and have the opportunity to see Antuco – which by the way, was a very beautiful village. In fact, when he asked we described it as a “little paradise” which happens to be Antuco's nickname! Not only did they offer us a house to spend the night, but they also took us to the nearby river (Río Rucue), a place of serene beauty with such transparent water! We couldn't believe that we had found this hidden treasure by chance. That night, we slept in a proper bed, had a proper shower and ate a properly cooked meal, so the next morning we were ready to go. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-5.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-24.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-4.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-25.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-6.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-7.jpg The sun was already shining when we loaded our stuff on the scooter. One last thing to do was to give an interview to the local radio, which – as it proved later on that day – was only the beginning to what we now call “the most surreal day of our lives”! The interview was a great experience, but the time was passing and we were now anxious to go. It was almost noon and we had about 62mi (100km) off road to Argentina's border. When our new friend from the local radio warned us about the condition of the road to the mountain pass that had recently opened, we reassured ourselves telling each other that it was the usual exaggerations. We left Antuco and for the first few kilometers the scenery was beautiful and serene: green trees, colorful flowers and in the background the snowy peaks and the volcano... However, when we entered the Laguna del Laja National Park things changed a bit. The scenery was equally amazing but now it was pure wilderness. All the trees and flowers disappeared and the road was as if it would lead us to Mordor: black volcanic sand, rocks and the turquoise water of the lake Laja. We had to stop for a moment just to give ourselves the time to realize where we were. We were about to climb a volcano! https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-8.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...ichachen-9.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-10.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-12.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-11.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-13.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-17.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-16.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-15.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-18.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-19.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-26.jpg As we were climbing towards the Pichachén Pass, it became clear why the people of Antuco tried to warn us. The altitude was not that high, but the sandy road and the steep incline soon made our engine overheat... The icing on the cake was the strong wind that started blowing! In cases like this, the first thing to do is to get rid of some weight. And the easiest way to do it is to get rid of one passenger. Long story short, I did what I always do: got off the scooter and started pushing until it had enough power to continue the climb. I can only imagine the surprise of the two passengers of the passing by truck, when they saw me walking with my helmet still on. They agreed to take me to the top of the pass. When we met again with Stergios, we couldn't stop laughing: what started as a short trip to Chile had now become an unbelievable adventure! The officers at the Chilean border checkpoint (after several questions about how we had climbed all the way up on “that thing”) were clear: we needed to reach the Argentinian checkpoint before 19:00 and stamp our entry that same day. Luckily, we had finished with the climb, so we already were at the highest point, but the 18.6mi (30km) to the checkpoint weren't that easy either. When we arrived (at 18:30!), the Argentinian officer told us that they were about to close the office and go look for us – the two checkpoints are in contact about the number of vehicles and people crossing the border, in case of an emergency. Until we were told, we hadn't realized that it had taken us more than 6 hours to ride the 62mi (100km) to Argentina! We were in a hurry. We needed to find a place to pitch our tent for the night, but the man who came running towards us, made us stop. What did he want? Almost in panic, he explained that he was all alone, unable to put his approximately 300 goats into the pen. He was afraid of the predators lurking around. He needed our help, but we had no idea how to do it. Following his instructions (and admiring his stamina) we started running around the goats – trying to do what a shepherd dog does. I don't know how, but we made it! We managed to help the poor guy, who would now use his lasso to catch the last few goats, and went on to find a place to sleep before it went completely dark. When we put the last peg of our tent in the ground, we looked towards the starry sky and realized we had found a small piece of heaven on earth. We had camped next to a stream, a tributary of Neuquén river and we were all alone. I'm not sure, but that day we just ate some lentil soup and went to bed exhausted, but just moments before we slept we remembered what day it was: it was the 20th of November, our anniversary! To be continued... https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-20.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-22.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-21.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...chachen-23.jpg |
Argentina: Parks, rivers, lakes and a sudden u-turn
Argentina: Parks, rivers, lakes and a sudden u-turn
https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-23.jpg We were about to ride across a stunningly beautiful area, among National Parks, ancient forests, fast flowing rivers and transparent lakes... We were still under the influence of our previous – unbelievable – day when we packed our stuff and started to ride towards the RN40. Someone on the border had given us a priceless piece of information regarding which route to take. Apparently, the obvious one was in bad condition and it was way better to turn on the RP6 and ride towards a village called Andacollo. From there, the road (RP43) was all paved. (*NOTE - to the person who gave us this tip: if you're reading this piece, we owe you a beer!) The “smooth” ride lasted only a few miles, until we left the RN40 and turned on the RP27 towards two small but interesting villages: Caviahue and Copahue. However, before arriving at the villages, we made another turn just to see a waterfall (Salto del Agrio) that, according to what we had been told: it was worth visiting. When we saw the waterfall we realized that “worth visiting” was an understatement. It was springtime and nature was at its best. The snow-capped peaks were in stark contrast to the green grass carpet that stretched across the plain, with orange and yellow patches of flowers scattered on its surface. The sound of the waterfall was like a thunder in the distance and as we were getting closer it became louder and louder. When we rode to the end of the narrow dirt road the view was amazing! We didn't care about the strong freezing wind anymore. We just spent the night in our tent next to the waterfall and when we woke up the next morning we were rewarded with a rainbow emerging from the water. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-8.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-7.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-6.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-5.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-4.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-3.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-2.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-1.jpg We were riding towards Copahue (the most secluded of the two villages) and the area was gradually turning into a weird otherworldly scenery: black volcanic rocks, wavy turquoise lakes, lazy geysers letting out little clouds of steam and the smell of sulfur around. When we took the last turn to the village, the scooter's brakes screeched. We had to stop for a moment and take our time to realize where we were. The spring had completely forgotten this place. Huge rocks of frozen snow that had fallen from the sloping roofs, were blocking most of the houses' entrances and only few signs of life (mostly smoke coming from two or three chimneys) were apparent. The most weird sight though, were the two pools – one with steaming water coming from the hot springs and the other filled with clay mud – in the middle of the village. The whole place owes its existence to the thermal waters of the area, but it was too early and everything was still closed. The visitors would start coming in two months, when the cold wouldn't be that unbearable (high season starts late December – early January). There wasn't any place to stay and with that cold, the tent wasn't an option, so after a short walk in the village we hopped on the scooter and headed towards the other village. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-13.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-15.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-14.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-12.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-10.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-11.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...a_40_sec-9.jpg Caviahue was beautiful, but with a more conventional kind of beauty. So, we continued to the next destination, Las Lajas. We avoided the RN40 because we had been told that that part was painfully dull, so we rode on the RP21 and we went directly to the municipal campsite of the town. Not long after we had set up our tent, we saw Joe and Susie, the two British cyclists we had met some days ago coming towards us. Our pace is more in line with that of a cyclist than that of a motorcyclist. We spent 2-3 more days together doing barbecues, drinking local wine, sharing our stories from the road and laughing – a lot! One option was to continue on the RN40, but – guess what – we didn't. We took a turn and went to see another beautiful village: Villa Pehuenia. When we got there, it wasn't the place itself that made our jaws drop, but the stunning nature around it. So, instead of heading directly back to the main road and continue south, we got deeper into the ancient forest of araucarias (araucaria araucana), found a secluded spot next to a transparent (and icy cold) stream, set up our tent and spent another magic night in the absolute peace of the forest. We would happily agree to erase the following day from our memory, if this was possible! Starting a few miles from where we were and all the way to Junin de los Andes, the road was an endless construction site. Our trip had became a nightmare of trucks, dust, traffic jam and all kinds of heavy machinery. And the icing on this disgusting cake was that we arrived late at an overpriced campsite where we had to stay for two days in order to wait for the shops to open and buy a new battery for Kitsos. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-19.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-24.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-20.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-16.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-17.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-18.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-22.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-21.jpg Fortunately, the RN40 was not dull anymore. We headed towards San Martin de los Andes, a tourist town by the lake Lacar. This is where the famous Road of the Seven Lakes (Camino de los 7 Lagos) begins. As its name implies, it is a scenic road – part of the RN40 – that crosses among 7 main lakes, some rivers, lagoons and various streams. The end of this route is the town Villa la Angostura, but there are a lot of options for other, shorter routes along the main one. It was one of those routes we chose: the RP63 towards Paso Cordoba, a mountain pass in an almost untouched natural landscape and from there (after one night in our tent, at the confluence of the Limay and Traful rivers) back to the RN40 via RP65. The next part of our trip had a completely predictable course, which resulted in a unpredictable decision – which was not that unpredictable though, but we didn't know that back then. It seems a bit confusing but I'll try to make things more clear: the places we had seen all the previous days were stunningly beautiful, but our trip at some point started repeating itself. Each day was the same as the previous one. We needed to check on our maps to be sure whether we were next to the right lake and refer to our calendars all the time in order to see what day it was. Our cameras were full of nice pictures, but our journals were empty of stories and soon, we realized why. We were traveling across one of Argentina's most touristic areas. Seeing travelers from all over the world was not interesting for the locals anymore. They were all polite, but our conversations were short and the subjects the same: How much does it cost to camp here? What's on the menu? This side of Patagonia may be ideal for holidays, for an escape from the everyday life of the cities, but after a short while it could contribute very little to our kind of travel. We didn't even enter the famous city of Bariloche, Argentina's Switzerland as some tourist guides call it. Kitsos carried on covering as many miles per day as possible, with us traveling in silence, lost in our thoughts. Another night in our tent under the starry sky, next to a river with crystal water (river Villegas) and from there, directly to the small town of Trevelin. Our crossing through the National Park Los Alerces was a really fast one – camping there for one night would cost us the total budget of a whole day. Fortunately, it was still low season, so the park rangers just let us cross it without paying the entrance fee (under the condition that we would exit the park on the same day). Our initial plan was to continue on the RN40 until Los Antiguos and from there, cross into Chile (Chile Chico). In 2015, we had done the same but following the opposite direction. This time we were thinking of riding across the southern part of Carretera Austral until Villa O'Higgins – the end of the road. However, the days we spent at the peaceful campsite in Trevelin helped us relax, clear our heads, talk and finally make up our minds. We were now sure that we didn't need more lakes, more rivers and forests. What we needed was more people, more stories to remember, more unpredictable situations. So, four days later, when we packed our stuff and started Kitsos' engine, we knew what we had to do. To be continued... https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-33.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-25.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-26.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-27.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._40_sec-29.jpg |
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Back to the famous Carretera Austral, at least for a while
Back to the famous Carretera Austral, at least for a while
https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-7.jpg It was in 2015 when we first rode across the Carretera Austral, the famous scenic road in the south of Chile, and four years later, we couldn't wait to do it again. However, things were a bit different this time... We were full of confidence and really relieved after our decision to change completely our route and instead of going further south, go towards the north. We crossed the border to Chile (Los Cipreses) and immediately after the first turn, we experienced the abrupt change of climate between the two countries. The pleasant Argentinian sunshine turned into a moody Chilean mist and just when we left Futaleufú, the first village after the border, the rain started. We were not at all surprised though, as this part of Chile has the most amazing greenest green and constant rainfall is the price for it. The 47 miles from Futaleufú to Villa Santa Lucia, the place where the small dirt road meets the Carretera Austral (R7) reminded us why we were so excited riding across this area four years ago. The thick forest, the small wooden cabins, the rivers and the lakes... Everything was so beautiful that neither the continuous rainfall nor the cold could spoil our good mood. However, when we finally reached the Carretera Austral, a surprise awaited us. The scenery had changed so much over the last few years that we couldn't recognize it! In 2015, there were roadworks almost everywhere and when they finished, the result was a drastic transformation of the area. A wide tarmac road is way more “invasive” than the narrow dirt road and though we understand why this kind of construction was necessary, the truth is that we were a bit disappointed. We opened the throttle on the black tarmac road and headed directly to Chaitén, a small town by the sea where we had spent a night the previous time we were in the region. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-7.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-6.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-5.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-4.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...austral-13.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-2.jpg The town hadn't changed that much, so we easily found the grocery store and the gas station. What we couldn't find though, was the municipal campsite. The coordinates we had kept the last time led us to a place that was completely different from what we could remember and there was absolutely no space to put a tent. So, we went back to the town and looked for a cheap place to spend the night. The cost of living in Chile is significantly higher than that of the neighboring countries, so we had to be very careful to keep our expenses within our budget limit. It was already late in the evening when a polite but slightly cold man opened the gate of his backyard and showed us the “campsite” – that was his backyard. A place with some basic amenities. A really small business that worked well since tourism had become the main source of income the last few years (and since the municipal – free – campsite wasn't an option anymore). The owner informed us that there are so many tourists that he could now choose his clients. https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...austral-11.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-1.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...austral-10.jpg From the moment we crossed the border, there had been various hiccups slightly messing up the smoothness of our trip, and apparently they had come to stay. First of all, we couldn't get cash from any of the ATMs and the majority of the small businesses in the town wouldn't accept cards. Moreover, the campsite owner seemed very anxious to get paid and he kept coming to our tent and ask when we could pay. Finally, when the bank opened we felt relieved – but only for a short while. Their official reply was “Sorry”, so we had to come up with another plan. I don't remember if it was our idea or if we read it somewhere, but since there was no other way to get some cash, we went to the gas station and with a big smile we approached a car waiting in the queue. We offered to pay with our card, so that they could give us the amount in cash. And it worked! At last, we had enough cash to pay the impatient campsite owner. The other issue was the boat itineraries. What boat? The one that would take us to Chiloé Island. I forgot to mention it: when we saw the changes in the Carretera Austral – one of our favorite routes in South America – we made a decision. We would keep our memories of this place intact and we would take a different route this time, to make new ones. The departures towards the island were not very frequent that time of the year and as if this was not enough, when we arrived at the travel agency to book our tickets, they informed us that the ship had literally just departed. So we had to wait patiently some more days until we finally sail. To be continued... https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-9.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-8.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten..._austral-3.jpg https://www.worldvespa.net/wp-conten...austral-12.jpg |
SOLO travel RECORD times & EXPLOSIVE tires (video)
SOLO travel RECORD times & EXPLOSIVE tires (video)
Don't forget to turn the English subtitles on! In this episode I’m visiting Paraguay to receive a very important package. |
Many thanks to let us travel virtually with you - so comfortable here at hubb!
A lot of work! :thumbup1: Surfy |
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Such a great journey !
Thanks SO much for taking the time to post it. It was a most enjoyable read ...:clap::clap: |
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