south for winter: On the road again

It's been a whirlwind week or two. Travel plans changed by the day as we prepared to leave the lovely South, tried to figure out a route north through the earthquake zone, and lamented that we don't have more time to stay put and explore before making massive northward progress. This last bit has been more time in bus seats than vacation bliss, but while we don't have heaps of great stories to report, we did manage to put the camera to good use.

Patagonia was a difficult region to leave, but with several thousand miles to cover and mere inches of progress made on the map, we figured we'd better get started. We made a winding route to northern Chile, covering 8 degrees of latitude in less than a week. Here's hoping for a more leisurely pace from here on out...

How I spent my summer vacation, Border crossing at Volcán Lanin

We stretched our time in the lakes district as long as possible, adding a few days in the earthquake-ready city of Valdivia, Chile. Seeking some easy accommodations, we let an old lady fishing for tourists pick us up at the bus station and take us to her hospedaje. Things got interesting when she opened her trunk to reveal a pile of empties from that week's drinking binge. We exchanged skeptical glances, then shrugged, shoved our packs on top of the rubbish and climbed in for a short ride to the flophouse. It was okay for a night.

The nearby beach town of Niebla became our home for the next couple days, the perfect blend of comfy, ramshackle, and funky.

Our Niebla cabaña, complete with good mattress and bad TV

Playa Grande, Niebla, Chile

It was an easy place to settle in and enjoy seafood empanadas while rambling around the coast. The local gang of rock-fetching dogs provided hours of entertainment.

Roxie and Dingus teach us to play rock-fetch. Curiously, driftwood was of no interest.

This means she's waiting for the next toss. After the last stone was thrown, Roxie joined us at the barbecue and followed us home.

Ralph went a little overboard with the game

We were welcomed to Niebla with Chilean hospitality when Oriana stumbled upon an end of summer party and got herself invited for a dance, a drink, and a plato of mystery meat from the Q. ¿Donde está la policía?, they asked, so she went to fetch Devin from his rock game the beach.

D & O find Chilean party hosts

Cheap red wine mixed with Coke turned the rest of the evening into a blur. Especially for Devin, poor thing. The ladies really got a kick out of spinning him around on the dance floor.

When we tried to leave for the fourth time, Angela sat on D's sweater until he agreed to more dancing. Ok, una más, he said. No, mil más, she laughed. Another series of nausea-inducing spins ensued.

Our drunkest evening soon turned to our earliest morning, and we dreaded our 6am alarm for the bus to Argentina. It was the beginning of 26 long hours on the road to Mendoza, a route chosen in the interest of avoiding a 24-hour earthquake detour to Santiago. Duh.

The many flavors of jamón y queso, on the road to Mendoza

We took advantage of our layover in Mendoza with an afternoon in wine country. The dry, rainshadowed landscape beneath the Andes relies entirely on irrigation from mountain snow melt, and while picturesque at times, it evoked thoughts of Kern County more than Sonoma.

Luján wine country, Argentina

D on a girls' bike. When the backpack is already full of wine bottles, use the water bottle holder, Mendoza, Argentina

After a self-guided tour with a couple of cruiser bikes, a few family wineries, and some of the best Malbec we've tasted, we geared up for our next overnight bus. After the earthquake, we thought it might be better to travel north through Argentina. But Chile beckoned us back with its relaxed atmosphere, friendly locals, plentiful produce, and access to peanut butter. Eventually, one needs a break from the Argentine parilla and the wonky accent they use pa' ah-SHA.

Jamón y queso, dinner format. Still on the bus.

Upon our return to Chile, we posted up at the beach in Las Peñuelas, outside La Serena, for four nights of rest and recovery. We cooked up some fantastic homemade meals despite the limitations of our tiny studio cabaña kitchen.

Cooking by headlamp, Peñuelas, Chile

Today's catch, Peñuelas

Another stellar breakfast, Peñuelas

We are now in Valle Elqui, where clear desert skies make stargazing quite amazing and hiking inadvisable. Four liters of water in as many hours and we're still dehydrated.

Local flora, Pisco Elqui, Chile

Desert death hike, Pisco Elqui, Chile

At the Mamalluca Observatory we got a lesson on the Southern Cross, and had a chance to see nebulas, the Alpha Centauri cluster, and Saturn with its rings aglow. So far, the desert landscape isn't quite so compelling as the Patagonian peaks, but there should be a good deal of adventure and wild scenery ahead in the Atacama desert and salt flats as we make our way to Bolivia. Stay tuned...