Day one:
we have to cycle to Llao Llao where we have to catch a boat to Victoria Island. When the day did come we awoke early to a gale force 9 wind and lassings of rain. No backing out now as all paid up and don't want to be defeated at the first hurdle. Needless to say it took longer than the allotted 2 hours to get to the only ferry of the day as battling against a hurricane up hill in rain all way. Just made it in time for the crossing, which may I add was all biddys going on a day excursion to the Island, looking at us like we were total lunes for setting of on bikes with camping in mind.
When we got to off the ferry we had to go through a forest to get to the camp site. "oh its a beautiful ride through a beautiful forest"... the man in the bike shop told us. Well, the path in the extremely dense forest was only very narrow and was totally in passable by bikes as enormous routes sticking out of ground. We cycled and scrambled and heaved our bikes over many fallen trees and struggled and struggled. It kept going on and on and then I herd a massive blood curdling roar of a bull some where in the vicinity! Very frightening. I realise it is now 6.30 and about to get dark and we have no idea how close we are to the end of the forest. (All the time its lassing with rain still.) We get round the next corner to be confronted with the biggest bull you ever seen in you life with huge horns stood in our path. I hide behind a tree hoping it would go away but he did not budge. After some time we realise we have to get past this fucker or else we´re stuck there in the dark with it. So I took my bike prayed to the lord and barged passed it. It did nothing! We scurried on finding energy from the fear of god. We accounted other bulls along the way and eventually made it soaked to the skin covered in mud to the edge of the forest just as the light went all together. "The man in the bike shop`` also said there would be no hostels along the way, hence the tents. We luckily found a hotel and had to stay as we were both completely soaked including the contents of our bags. (A credit card moment if ever there was one) Was a strange older peoples style hotel with dears heads and leopard skins on wall, plus of course many an old person who were bemused at the bedraggled youngens turning up caked in mud with bikes in toe at posh hotel.
Day 2:
Spent the next day cycling frantically through a mixture of dirt track, sand and mud over hills and mountains with breath taking views to get to next camp site before night fall. Needles to say when we arrived there was no one else there. (No one would be that stupid surely!?) The weather here is like October in UK at the moment but doesn't get dark till 8. After many attempts to get a fire going I storm to the tent not be defeated to find something flammable. I got a deodorant can and an old Tshirt which I dowsed it deodorant ant got the fire ablaze.
Day 3:
Beautiful sun shine, missioned it to next camp site which we had to share with cows bulls and sheep. We could see all the stars like you have never seen before! No light pollutions from street lights. We think it might have been the milky way we could see as big band of stars all massed together across the sky.
Day 4: The home straight. We have to cycle 45k to San Martin to get to the other bike shop to get box's for bikes and get bus back to Bariloche. Have to cycle for about 30k up hill in rain which seems to last at eternity. Then cycle the last 15k all down hill, but nearly freeze to death in ice cold rain and wind. Get to San Martin at 5 mins past 1. The bike shop, as with every thing else, closes for siesta at 1! Why oh why, as not a hot part of world! We have to wait till 5 O´clock til shops open again to get box's so can put bikes on bus. Having wasted 5 hours soaking wet in San Martin we find out the bike shop doesn't have any box's so have to chuck bikes on under neath of bus any way hoping for the best, not really caring at this point. Got back half dead to Baroliche at about 12.30. at night.
Well, it was an experience, and certainly and adventure, lets put it that way!
Day 1: Started in the rain
Our saviour in a plight of despair!
Stephys moment of camping genius........ a lighter and an aerosol..... worked a treat!
A very eeery and misty morning on the lake
The burning towers of babel
The final push home.
