south for winter: March 2010

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...

New fisherman hats, Playa Rosada, Chile

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And an empanada too! Niebla Fish Market, Chile

Mariscos aren't the only things on offer, Niebla Fish Market

Playa Rosada, Chile

Photoshop unnecessary. Playa Grande, Niebla, Chile

Playa Grande, Niebla, Chile

Oriana takes a shot at product placement. Tasty $3 sauvignon blanc. Suck it, Chuck.

Starting the party off with a big slab of funky beef

Somewhere into the 4th liter of boxed wine

Oriana goes straight to the source

High and tight, but 6 bucks is still a smokin' good deal for a beard trim and haircut, La Serena

Just a few minutes too late for the last elevator to the top, La Cruz del Tercer Milenio, Coquimbo, Chile

View of Coquimbo and La Serena, Chile

Chilean driving tips, Coquimbo Fish Market

Moai body double, La Serena Anthropology Museum

Coquimbo fish market

Coquimbo fish market

Playa Peñuelas, Chile

Coquimbo sunset

Looks like Palm Springs, no? Pisco Elqui, Chile

Rugged in a crew cut sort of way, Pisco Elqui

O tries to hide from the midday sun, Pisco Elqui

Hey y'all

We've gotten a lot of emails seeking updates, so thought it best to post one now that we've come across a stable internet connection. With cnn.com at your fingertips, you are probably better informed about the situation in Chile than we are. DandO are still safe and happy, just trying to re-configure our travel plans around the broken highways and keep our spirits up in spite of the awful news.

Devin doesn't feel the aftershocks as much on his swing, Villarrica, Chile

We were in Villarrica, Chile at the time of the quake, about 150 miles southeast of the epicentro. We were very fortunate to be in an area that suffered little damage other than buckled asphalt, broken shop windows, and rattled nerves.

This was the worst of it in Villarrica

We hoped that the rest of Chile had fared so well, but it looks like the aftermath may have been worse than the quake itself. We had planned to be at the Pacific coast by this time, and as we hear that many beach towns were destroyed by the tsunami, we feel lucky to have spent extra time in Bariloche. We've been counting our blessings these past several days, as we enjoyed consistent access to clean water, food, and shelter. Electricity and occasional internet are bonus.

Full moon and Volcán Villarrica

Villarrica and the surrounding areas turned to ghost towns after the quake, as vacationing Chileans ended their summer a bit early and made a mass exodus for Santiago. The ensuing fuel shortage left most transportation stranded. Without much to do, we rented bikes and panniers from our hostal and set out on an overnight trip to Lago Calafquén.

Dorks on bikes - this is what we mean by matching outfits, Villarrica

We set up our tent lakeside in a campground that was both eerily and pleasantly deserted, and soon one night turned into three. There was enough activity at the roadside stands to keep us well fed--families sell surplus produce from their gardens, along with fresh eggs, homemade jam, and smoked salmon. The aftershocks began to wane, and as long as we avoided the news, life was pretty normal.

Lago Calafquén, Chile

Plush camping outside Lican Ray, Chile. Also included: sink, electricity, and the best shower head since Steve and Linda's place.

While the bike frames were a bit ill-fitting and uncomfortable, we got the idea and have begun dreaming up future destinations for a multi-day bici-tur adventure. A return trip to Chile may be in the works... (Spain, France, Quebec, Cuba, California, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Switzerland are other ideas. Cyclists, please advise.)

Taking a breather before the final ascent, Lican Ray, Chile

Chile is a strange place to be at the moment, as people are still reeling from the shock, and still receiving bad news from around the country. But we have enjoyed the Chileans (and their abundant avocados), and would like to spend a bit more time here before going back to Argentina.

mmmmAvoooo!

So we'll be in Valdivia, Chile for the next few days, then crossing our fingers for a bus to Junin de los Andes, Argentina. We have quite a bit of ground to cover, north through wine country, high desert, salt flats, and mountains. We're hoping for some more trekking adventures (and pictures!) soon, and will post updates as we go.

Thank you all for your thoughts and emails. Please stay in touch.