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South & Patagonia

November 22th,2018  The road trip begins! We leave Santiago with a strong coffee in the veins to hit the road.

We travel in an Outlander plenty of stuff; tent, sleeping bags, backpacks, food and dreams!

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Our first stop to take a rest is Los Saltos del Laja, a beautiful waterfalls on the road.

Atfer taking some photos, the road is calling us and we follow it until Valdivia, where cold is taking advantage. South is coming!

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You should take some time to visit this city, You will learn why Valdivia was so important because of its location when colonial-era.

Walk by the river and drink some draft beer 'Kunstmann', You won´t get bored of all its varieties.

My favorite is honey Kunstmann, yummy!

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November 23th, 2018  Puerto Octay, beautiful town plenty of history. A fact that caught my attention was its old houses. They teach you that the Germans colonized this place but they were built with chilotes (natives from Chiloé island) techniques, which makes this place so unique.

I suggest going to the catholic cemetery where colonial- era tombs and the view of Volcán Osorno

will make a perfect combo .

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Frutillar and Puerto Varas are two other places to see German architecture and the Volcano.

By the way, Do you know what a 'completo' is? This is a hog dog with avocado on it!

You must try it! Chileans eat it all the time! I remembered this just now because I tried it at Puerto Varas for first time (you can find it everywhere) and it was weird but then... I kinda liked it! I am a liar actually because I ate a lot of them! 

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November 24th, 2018 On the road again. We must get Hornopirén today because tomorrow we will take a ferry. 

This route is so pretty, driving by the Llanquihue lake you will see lakes, volcanos, and Llamas!

P.s Llamas are so cute but be careful, they are not so friendly, if Llamas get annoyed they will spit on your face!

When we get Hornopirén we visit Rio Blanco, a river where you will see a turquoise water running because of the sediments, simply beautiful.

November 25th,2018 The ferry takes off to Caleta Gonzalo at 9am when the air is as cold as my coffee.

We take this ferry because at this point of the route this is our option to get down to Patagonia, We are closer to Patagonia! The ferry

On our way to Chaitén the landscape is incredible, so lush.

Be careful with this unpaved road, because it is a little bit irregular and many cars get over the road, but enjoy your path!

I try the 'cazuela' a typical chilean soup with meat,corn and potatoes, the perfect lunch for keeping my soul up!

Spend the night at La junta, a quiet town that offers us some rest. 

(I see a small ghost village before get to La junta, later I ask to our camp hoster and He explains this village Santa Lucía was destroyed a year ago by the river because of the strong rains plus a breakage of a glacier)

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November 26th,2018  A quick walk by the Ventisquero colgante at Queulat National Park tells us it could be a great place for treeking but sadly this is closed because of the hard rains days ago. Beautiful anyway.

There is more park waiting for us, great mountains still holding some snow and the colorful flowers growing up around make the place spectacular.

November 28th,2018 After spend the day before driving, We wake up at puerto Rio Tranquilo to discover one of the most interesting places around, The marble cathedral by kayaking.

We choose the companie valle de leones and they are great, teaching us and having fun.

This is a beautiful and unusual geological formation by the action of the waves located in the Carrera lake, the largest lake in Chile that is shared with Argentina. 

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Fun fact: They say if you touch the cathedral you will get marry soon in it. Be careful, this is why I wear gloves!

After 2 hours Kayaking, Chile chico is the next stop.

Drive this road is wonderful! It goes by the lake and the landscape is breathtaking. We stop many times just to enjoy this. The small milky river guiden by white stones and purple flowers known as `chochos´ is a dream, the lake is so calm that we get our feets in and recollect small colored stones.

The landscape is changing as we move forward so I can see dry cliffs and a turquoise lake through the dust. Add a 'Calafate Austral beer' to this and this moment will be perfect!

Have you ever had this feeling that the road is better than the destination? If you agree, road trip over here is a good option.

Chile chico is just a short stop before crossing the border to Argentina, the wind is crazy here.

November 29th, 2018 We cross the board without any problem and suddenly La Pampa Argentina is in front of my eyes, savage, large, wide. 

So many people told us before start the trip that this was bored because there is nothing but I am absolutly desagree. It is true that there is `nothing´ but if you are patient and you like road trips you will get surprised! I see guanacos, wild horses, rheas and even an armadillo! Cool!

November 30th,2018 While driving to El Chaltén the views are amazing already, Mt. Fitz Roy is showing up an there are guanacos everywhere.

The small town has a dinamic life plenty of travellers like us waiting for trekking or maybe tired because of the trekking. We spend the rest of the day walking around, buying crafts and eating. Getting ready to Fitz Roy!

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December 1st,2018 Early wake up at 4 am to see the sunset on the mountains but the good luck is not with us this morning so let's have breaky and walk to the mountains. There are two differents ways to get La laguna de los tres, We choose the less famous one just to see another perpective, it starts at Hostería el Pilar. The walk isn´t hard but long (22km return, the last km is the hardest), if you are in a good physical condition you can do it! you´ll suffer a bit but the prize will be worth it. 

Afer the long, but magical day, We finish it wih a good dinner at La Oveja Negra, where you could eat a really nice lamb and put on the weight you lost this day.

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December 2nd,2018 After the lamb and the beautiful day say goodbye to El chaltén is such a sad feeling but El Calafate is waiting for us. Even though this is a very touristic town there is something about it that give me a good vibe, maybe the craft square or maybe its ice cream stores ( I get crazy about ice cream). 

But let´s be honest, the reason you visit this place is just because of the Perito Moreno glacier, wich can be visited by many ways, if you can walk on the glaciar, do it!

The view from the lookout is great too!

December 3rd,2018 Back to Chile, destination Punta Arenas ... 

December 4th,2018 Punta Arenas is well known by its winds and its free port, We meet both. The free port is a space called 'zona franca', youl´ll find all kind of stores.

Don´t forget visiting The cementery declared National Monument in 2012, it shows you beauty and history.

Cities are not my priority on this trip, that's why after seeing the 'hightlights' We hit the road to Punta delgada to cross El estrecho de magallanes. Ferry

After Crossing this loooong way (20min), just kidding, Tierra del Fuego is finally there!

December 5th,2018 This is so exciting, I am gonna visit the world´s southernmost city Ushuaia but before we make a recommended stop at La Unión bakery, the best around! Eat until you burst!

If you have spare time take the route J, an nontouristic route that guides you through a beautiful trail to Puerto Almanza to see Puerto Williams ,eat spider-crab and why not to swing?

Hi Ushuaia! First mission is getting stamped my passport at the tourism office, this is so cool, just go there and ask for this. Then, walk by the beagle channel and the city before to get some rest for trekking tomorrow.

December 6th,2018 Laguna esmeralda is our first trekking today, the trail is not difficult itself (4,8km) but because of the peat bogs just be careful where you put your feet and get a good pair of boots, just in case you have the same problem than me...   

I got too excited abot trekking so I sank my foot in the peat and the result...                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Despite of my dirty foot the trail is beautiful and fun.

Time to be fools!

When my foot is dry, the foolness has finished and the lunch is eaten... let´s walk to the Glaciar Martial (3h return)

This is an ascending walk plus the strong wind and some snow this is a little bit tired but the view is totally worth it. Ushuaia city and the beagle channel under your feet! 

P.s.We cannot visit the National Park because of the bad weather.

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December 7th,2018 Bye bye Ushuaia, Hello El Porvenir.

We visit this small town because there is a small comunity of King penguins, only seen in the Antartic or in some islands around.

The town itself is so small that there is not a camping area! A friendly couple invite us to camp on their yard.

December 8th, 2018 Music and many Kms to Puerto Natales .Take some rest is our priority today because tomorrow... Torres del Paine will be the protagonist!

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December 9th,2018 early wake up to take advantage of the day, but first the handmade biscuits of yellow plum tent camping are eaten. The Road is ours...while getting in the Park the view is spectacular, this is gonna be awesome.

After pay a lot to get in (If you are not Chilean price is 3 times more expensive) and get stamped my passport we are ready to start!

The most common trail is the famous W or O (Map) , we cannot make any of these because it is needed to book camping a long time before! So We elaborate an alternative route. We camp at Camping Pehoé lake, where the views are stunning, and everyday we make a different trekking.

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First Trekking Base torre

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* intense but you can do it! the last km is the worst because of the inclination

This place is so increible I don´t wanna leave it.... having lunch with this view is such a great gift.

18km and 8h later the pehoé lake is waiting for give us the rest we need.

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December 10th,2018

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Second trekking Mirador lago Toro

*Short trail but hard!

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This is not a common trekking but I like it because there is no one so the trail, the view and the pain is ours.

Third trekking Salto grande

* just a 10min walk through a really strong wind (around 1500000km/h LOL)

December 11th,2018 4:30 am , I think this is the most wonderful sunrise I have ever seen.

All this energy is ready to be used on the next trekking, Grey glacier lookout.

A small ferry take us to Guardería Paine Grande where the trekking starts.

The trail is easy (22km return) only the wind is making it harder but the view makes you forgive this detail, Walking by the lake seeing icebergs and the glacier is amazing.

After these wonderful days in the Park is time to say goodbay although the road is waiting to burst our wheel.

Bye Bye magic place!

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December 12th, 2018 While waiting until tonight to part from Patagonia we enjoy Puerto Natales.

December 13th, 2018 The boat leaves at 5 am to Puerto Yungay, 2 days sailing through islands and fjords.

Besides enjoying the landscape I take advantage of this time to write about my trip.

LOL

`What is the difference between freedom and happiness? any.

I am sitting on a ship that travels places I have read in history books, a place that such a Magallanes traveled. Now I get up, go up to the fresh air and I feel it, it smells like freedom, and at that moment I am happy´

December 14th, 2018 Last night I was sleeping close to the window when I opened my eyes and the sky was there, plenty of stars, plenty of light to remember me how beautiful this place is.

This morning the 'Crux Australis´stops at Puerto Eden, a small town where only 74 people live. 

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December 15th,2018 Caleta Yungay guide us to the next stop, Caleta Tortel, a genuine village

similar to Puerto Eden because of the wooden walkways but way bigger and beautiful.

We follow, open-mouthed, the Baker river, I guess this is the most turquoise river I´ve ever seen, to General carrera lake.

Once We reach the lake we repeat way to Argentina.

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December 16th, 2018 ANDES PATAGÓNICOS. El Bolsón surprises us surrounded by mountains, lakes and rivers.

There is a market today, people eating, drinking, singing and dancing around cheer up the evening.

December 17th, 2018 The road to Bariloche connot be prettier.

Bariloche smells like chocolate and tastes like life.

This city is well known for its ski resorts and trekkings, the downtown is plenty of visitors when I realize there are a lot of chocolate shops and we visit and try almost all of them, yummy!

Havanna alfajores is a 'must eat' if you wanna feel the whole experience at the place, alfajores are a typical sweet made with chocolate, biscuit and dulce de leche.

P.s I buy a bag, the price here is way cheaper than everywhere

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Visit the cerro campanario for getting the best panoramic views and the 'circuito chico' a beautiful route perfect for cycling,

December 18th,2018 going back to Chile by Nahuel Huapi National Park to say goodbye to Argentina.

Once again in Chile the destination is Lago Ranco to get Villarrica tomorrow.

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December 19th, 2018 We cannot get Villarrica, we get involved in a car accident that changes all our plans because the car is not working anymore.

My neck is in pain and I need some rest and physiotherapy. 

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Suggestion* I totally recomment travel with a travel insurance. The car insurance does not cover my injury so I reclaim to my personal insurance.

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I spend some days recovering. 

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December 23th, 2018 Flight to Santiago, just a stop before hitting Ovalle, the Cristian´s home town.

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Later this day on the road to Ovallle... The road is on fire.

Next days pass relaxed, hanging out with family and friends. Very lucky because they show us places out of the routes, special places.

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You must drink wine over here, a land plenty of grapes creates a really good wine.

January 7th, 2019 After spending many days around the same place the beach is calling.

La serena is not only the beach and people looking for sun but the second oldest city in Chile.

PS. if you are as sweet lover as I am buy some ´churros con manjar´ 

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NEXT,  North!

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