Quote of the day

Don´t forget:

A friend to a friend is organizing a trip, and I found his promotion video both inspiring and very well done!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFaQxsxlF5A&feature=youtu.be

A rough idea of my trip to La Patagonia

I have been sitting down with my Chilean friend to look discuss a preliminary route down to the Lake District (fr. Temuco to Puerto Montt in Chile) and San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina), and Chiloé (Chile). From there I have a vague idea of how I want to continue south through Chile, possibly all the way down to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine. The big question mark right now is how weather and winds will change and affect me when summer turns to fall in March...

From Valparaiso where I am temporarily stationed at the moment, I hope to make fast progress down to Villarrica, just south of Temuco, with a few planned stops along the route. Also Pucón to the east, is highlighted as a must-see destination. To not back-track, I have decided to continue across to Argentina and San Martin de Los Andes and forward to Bariloche.

After a few days in this area, I want to return to Chile via the lake Todos Los Santos with ferry, and later to Puerto Varas. Chiloé is a the island just to the south, and is often described as magically beautiful, hence I plan to cross the island to return to mainland by ferry through Quellón. From here on, I will join the Carretera Austral, which will lead me farther south through wast and more isolated terrain.

From O´Higgins in Argentina, I would like to visit Calafate, with Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas just within reach. - What do you think??

Some reads:
To prepare for a motorbike trip to La Patagonia
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/country/chile/patagonia
Fuel on Carretera Austral
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/south-america/carretera-austral-futaleufu-going-south-60260
What to see in Chile
http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/chile/

Valparaiso - A break in beautiful Valpo before going South

I am stoked to be back in the beautiful Valparaiso, although I struggled to navigate the maze of narrow and jumbled streets to find my friends house. We went out last night for some beers, and even though it was Monday, I saw lots of people out. Might be because all students are on summer holidays. The plan for the day, enjoy the stellar weather on the beach!

"Vamos a la playa" - Lets go to the beach!

My friends house is located in the midst of the house-covered hills, with all sort of improvised architecture that gives Valparaiso its unique charm. It is mind blowing to walk through the streets and marvel at all the graffiti, houses in all colors and forms, impressively packed so tightly together in the steep hills surrounding Valparaiso. No need to say that the pace of life is more relaxed and down-to-earth here, but it is also a city of many universities, hence lots of students and a good atmosphere for drinks and beers. (See article, link below)

I am also given some first class advice on my trip south, and I will post the preliminary itinerary shortly. 

Also see:

Beautiful valparaiso: http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.com/2013/09/beautiful-valparaiso.html

Santiago - A week of preparation, reunions and summer

So after a week in Santiago (a little longer than I had hoped) I am on the road again. I had a blast seeing some of my friends again, stopping by Manuel Montt and Bellavista for good beers and party, and enjoying both the beer and the Jazz festival. During the days, I have also been able to get up to date with equipment for the South (cold / rainy / windy weather) and some extra compartments on the bike! ;)

Back on Lira I was out hunting for extra bags to put on my bike. It looked like it would take up to a week to get it done, but once I actually got to talk to the mechanic, he told me: "That will take me 2 hours!" I also added winter gloves to my inventory.

On the weekend, it was time to enjoy the beer festival. There was a good selection to choose from, although they charged a quite a bit. But with live-music, good company, and good beers, we really enjoyed the event. I found one favorite beers from Belgium, Delerium and Gulden Draak, which naturally had the longest line-ups! Also, there were quite a few new styles of beers I hadn´t seen before, Coco-nut, Pineapple, strawberry etc. Not bad, but "not my glass of beer". 

Something different

Belgium first class beer

To fit everything possible into as few days as possible, we went to see the outdoor Jazz concert by the river in a park down town. The hot days pay off at night with very a comfortable temperature. We found a spot across from the river and could from a distance perfectly savour the excellent Jazz notes and rhythm. The concert was a great end on a busy but rewarding week back in Santiago.  I´ll be back soon enough!

Ready to hit the road again! 

See also:

Buying a motorbike in Chile http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.com/2013/09/on-topic-of-buying-bike-in-chile.html
Bellavista & Manuel Montt in Santiago http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-must-see-nightlife-and-culinary_10.html

Back in Santiago

The new year has begun, the book of 2014 is still in its introductory phase and the vast pages of adventures yet to come. After a wonderful Christmas holiday with my family back in Sweden, I am back in Santiago to prepare for my trip down to La Patagonia. Although it is very exciting to be back, there are a few things I´m already struggling with.

Very much like Buenos Aires (Argentina), there is an enourmous heat wave that stays in this city for the better part of the summer. Unlike Montevideo (Uruguay), there is no beach or water to cool off. I think at this point, I´d prefer the cold weather in Sweden.

The beautiful Chilean police

I learned from a friend that there is a beer festival in Santiago starting in a few days. As if that would not be enough, there is also a Jazz event that will be open for a few days. My original plan was to touch down, get my things ready, and get the #$%& out of dodge. But...

..it looks like I can take a few days to deal with my troubled back, make the needed purchases, and enjoy some of the summer festivities here in Santiago before I head south! I will keep you posted on my ideas for the trip.

http://www.bierfest-santiago.cl/

A solemn traveller

Have you ever selfishly thought of going on an adventure all by yourself? Some may wonder what good that would do, and others be deterred from the fear of being alone. - Many of my friends and family have been surprised to learn that I am travelling on my motorbike alone, but I see some real merits in it. This article highlights some of them.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/yara-coelho/2013/12/7-reasons-why-you-should-travel-alone-at-least-once-in-your-life/

You shouldn´d be afraid to take on the world! But keep in mind to be prepared, do your research, and always think ahead. I find these challenges to be both rewarding and inspiring, and a trip with some difficulties is always a more memorable one! Not to mention all the amazing people you end up meeting.

Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions (leave comments below)

It is a New Year, take on roads you have never ventured before in 2014!

& Good Luck!

How to turn a beer can into a camping stove

They say that you always learn something new each day, and undoubtedly some things are more useful than others. Some are things that you will actually find useful in the future, others ... I guess for the curious one. But, I think there is a real merit in sharing the things that may prove to be real useful. Here is a little neat something that I stumbled upon. 

http://vimeo.com/64726512

Now there is always hope for a warm cup of coffee after a long night of drinking beers (if you bring medical liquor with you)! :)

Enjoy

Also see: What equipment you need to travel on a motorbike 

http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.com/2013/10/advice-from-truckdriver-useful.html

Winter break in Sweden - I brief summary of the trip so far

I planned from the beginning to spend a few weeks in Sweden over Christmas & New Year, and this time has allowed me to let the last three months properly sink in, to regain some lost weight with all the delicious Christmas food, and to plan ahead for my trip to La Patagonia.

So far:
After spending the winter in Santiago 2013, I bought my bike in early September and begun my trip shortly thereafter. I first visited the beautiful Valparaiso before heading north toward the popular beach resort La Serena.

From Santiago to Valparaiso:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/09/from-santiago-to-valparaiso.html
Valparaiso:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/09/beautiful-valparaiso.html


Mostly because the summer vacation was far away, there was really no one around, so I spent most of the time out in the beautiful mountains. To rent a car is recommended but not necessary. But Valley de Elqui is a must!

Valley de Elqui:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/10/la-serena-valle-de-elqui.html
Observatory at Andacollo:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/10/andacollo-and-starwatching.html

Punta de Choros is an awarding stop along the coast, where you can see everything from penguins to dolphins on a good day! 

http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/10/la-punta-de-choros.html


The next big stop was San Pedro de Atacama where I spent about a week, and I still have plenty to see. It showcases some of the most amazing nature in Chile.

Northern Chile

San Pedro de Atacama:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/10/san-pedro-de-atacama.html
The Moon Valley:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/10/the-moon-valley-la-valle-de-la-luna.html
The Geysers:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/10/the-geysers.html

National Park Lauca, is not only stunningly beautiful and a must-see, but also a backdoor to Bolivia. Although, if you are not travelling by motorbike, you may have to wait a loooong time to cross the boarder along with all the trailers. 

http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/11/lauca-park.html


La Paz is a craazy city to drive in, and I would recommend to avoid this, unless you are an experienced driver and already have booked accommodation. Even if I got very sick in Bolivia, I was very excited to see and experience some of the strong Bolivian culture.

La Paz

Bolivia:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/11/bolivia-1st-day.html
La Paz:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/11/la-paz.html







I flew up to Lima, primarily because I got sick in Bolivia, but also because I had been warned by several people that driving alone in Peru, especially Lima is dangerous. - I spent about two weeks with a Swedish friend to my family, searching for orchids in the Peruvian mountains. He is an orchid researcher.

Orchids:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/12/peru-thing-or-two-about-orchids.html
My adventure in the Peruvian mountains:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/12/my-experience-in-peruvian-mountains.html
A rememberable day-trip:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/12/the-trip-to-lake-in-mountains.html

Upon my return to La Paz, and recovering again from food poisoning, I began my route southbound, through the stunningly beautiful countryside of Bolivia, toward the famous salt flats of Uyuni. After a day-tour in the vast salt flats, I continued south to the Argentinian border.  

The Salt Flats of Uyuni:
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/12/the-salt-flats-of-uyuni-bolivia.html
The beautiful Bolivian countryside: 
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2013/12/the-salt-flats-of-uyuni-bolivia.html

Northern Argentina was a treat! I arrived to Salta the next day, and later had problems leaving this lovely city. I finally had to depart from my friends in Salta, and followed Ruta40 toward Mendoza. The road was in good condition and I very much enjoyed the ride. (Watch out for long thorns on the road, they will get you a puncture!)

Northern Argentina & Salta 
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2014/01/northern-argentina.html
Ruta40
http://motorbiketoursa.blogspot.se/2014/01/ruta40-from-salta-to-mendoza.html

Crossing the Andes to Chile was a great ride from Mendoza. The border is at 3,500 m, hence a little bit chilly. After crossing the border, you can enjoy some snakey downward-sloped roads and then an easy ride toward Santiago!

I did make my flight back to Sweden, and soon I will be back in Chile again to continue my journey southward from Santiago! 

Ruta40 from Salta to Mendoza

Ruta9 and the famous Ruta40 have showcased amazing nature and natural sights! Only occasionally has the road condition been less then average. When I departed from Salta, I realized I had very little margin to make it over the Andes to Santiago in time for my flight. But I was determined, and the well known and travelled road should not pose little if any obstacles on my way...or that´s what I thought.

I found the road in good condition, the cities I visited small, easily oriented, and the people I met very welcoming and helpful. I ate lunch at restaurants, breakfast and dinner outside my tent. I found it easy to find sheltered and hidden places beside the road, to put up a tent for the night and continue early the following morning. I was stoked to spend some time out in nature to fully enjoy sunsets and sunrises, and no city stress.

But, at one point on the journey, the paved road turned to gravel due to construction. That would not have been an issue, but unfortunately it was not uncommon that nails and other sharp obstacles were not picked up, hence causing punctures. - I have thought many times about getting a puncture, and maybe this was not the worst timing. Although being stuck in the midday sun heat, no shadow, fairly dehydrated, with no previous experience, it was bound to take some time. Also, I thought about all the people passing by without offering to help, until an old man stopped to offer his assistance.

He told me this does happens on more than just rare occasions, "bad luck though!" But, it just so happen to be that he lived not even a 200 m away. After a few hours, some failed attempts to repair the punctured tube, we managed to seal the hole and pump enough air in to allow me to locate the closest repair shop. The old man left me with the lesson: "Never leave a motorcyclist stranded!" - I wont!





I did find a repair shop shortly afterwards and for a mere US$ 20 I was back on the road again
!

But, nothing really counts after just one time. The following day, I was about to put up the camp when I noticed there was a thorn stuck in my back tire. Odd I thought to myself, and before I knew better I was investigating how far in it was stuck and I heard the dreaded "shhhhhhhhhhh" - Now being very far from any town (30km) I very soon came to realize that I had but one option, I had to run for it. 

So back on the road, I raced the last few min of air that I had left in the back tire to find help. Just 8km away, I found a village of four families that were amazingly helpful and caring. Thanks to their support, I managed to get the bike to a repair shop, get the tube replaced, the old one patched up before too late that day. After spending the night in a camping area (alone), I was back on the road the following morning (now with no margin of error).

But I was told that the rest of the way down to Mendoza was paved, and in good condition. I made excellent progress, and could put some of my stress and worries at rest. 

 It was quite a delight to see the Andes again.

They gave me little trouble at the border, and I was soon thereafter on the last stretch toward Santiago, luckily without any further incidences.

Happy New Year & Safe Travels to all you fellow travellers!

Northern Argentina

..and also upon my departure from Bolivia, I was accompanied by a dark cloud of rain, nor this time did things move on smoothly. It was early on revealed to me that I did not have been given a permission to drive in Bolivia, nor had my bike been properly registered in the country. Thus, after ~three hours of explanations and waiting in line, I was granted permission to enter the country, with my bike (and a permission to drive in Arg.) and commenced my journey toward Ushuaia!

From La Quiaca, I noticed I had to choose between two routes to Salta, and per chance, I was well rewarded with a narrow road that snaked through what was nothing-short-of-a-jungle covering a few mountain tops (I took the right turn-off). - I had to ask as I entered what seemed to be a park, to see if I was on the right track, but could relax and enjoy the next 50 km of stunning views and stellar curves that lead me through and over the mountains. Moreover, remember to google and visit some of the famous sights along Ruta9 (I was unfortunately short on time : / )

Salta renders a calm and fairly small town wibe despite its +500,000 population. When I was working in a hostel in Uruguay, Salta was one of the main attractions for people visiting Argentina. I fully enjoyed the slow pace and the almost cozy atmosphere. But I think the real beauty is to be found outside the city. I can´t really recommend anything in particular because I remained in the city, but there is plenty to be read about it. Some friends rented a car to more easily access the natural beauty of the area.

I eventually found accommodation and checked in at a Alquimia Hostel (Vicente López 386) for $US 10 / night with breakfast included and great staff! I happened to run into part of the Korean Crew at the hostel, and we shared some pizza and Argentinian red wine to celebrate the reunion.

The next day, I went to the artesenal market (next to Plaza Gral. Gümes) with an Italian guay I met during breakfast. What had some hours before been the main district of pubs and dance clubs, was occupied with vendors and artesenal craft men, and I found some pretty unique x-mas presents for the folks back home!

My Korean friends had this goal of drinking more than 50 different bottles of wine on their trip through South America, and had yet to experience the Argentinian "Asado" (BBQ). I was invited to join them for dinner at this Asado restaurant in town. Although very fancy with professional service, excellent presentation and some sparkling wine for starters, the Asador (person in-charge of the grill) sort of blew a big hole in what would have been a top-notch review. At least we enjoyed some really good company and wines!

The nightlife in Salta has a good reputation, and although I missed the big Saturday night, we went out for drinks on Sunday instead! We were international mix of some Argentinians, Uruguayans, Yankees, a German, Spaniard, French, English, Cuban, and a Viking Swede. After a few beers and dance in the main district, I followed some friends to see Argentinian folklore music live. I really came to like the music, and had a blast with my new company of friends. Not until the early ours of the next day did I find my way back to the hostel. With perhaps one too many Fernet with Cola (that I had been deprived of for too long), the next day was rough, to say the least.

However, I met an awesome Couch Surfing host, thus moved out of the hostel and spent the next two days hanging out with some amazing Salteanos!!

But, all good things come to an end, and eventually I was forced to leave in order to make it back to Santiago / Chile in time for my flight back to Sweden to see my family again. After doing some calculations, I realized there was no way I could possibly pass by to visit Córdoba this time around, but had to cruise along the famous Ruta40 all the way down to Mendoza instead. Nor was I going to have the time to take advantage of the world renowned wines from this area. - But, something´s gotta give (this time around)! :)

Fr Uyuni to the Bolivian border (Villazón)

This might have been one of the most epic days of the trip so far. Expecting similar terrain as the (terrible) very challenging road leading in to Uyuni, I was (for most of the day) pleasantly relieved! But most of all, astounded by the vast and breathtaking landscapes that passed by, and at which rate it suddenly changed altogether. What I had previously seen from my trip through northern Chile, I saw in Bolivia in one day!

A good road with a beautiful view is a good start on the day!

I must admit, that although my food experience may have been somewhat complicated, cruising through the Bolivian country side was but a pure indulgence!

And later, ... more sand

 And more obstacles...

...stuck in the sand

But, I have come to learn that you can never expect that the road will remain in the same condition, but be prepared for anything. At one point I thought I´d be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken gearbox as I was momentarily stuck in the sand. But with some faith and desperation I overcame the various obstacles on the way. 

There is really only one road that leads to Villazón, and my Korean friends that I happened to run into in Salta, could quite not believe that I had travelled this way on the motorbike. Sometimes I had a hard time to believe this was the actual road myself as I continued the road up into the mountains.

What was left of a mining settlement

Colorful mountain sides

Red red mountains

...and later ...

some winding roads

This road lead up to the actual ridge
with an amazing view of both sides

...and again a sudden change of landscape

And the rolling hills....

..and finally heading down from the mountains along a long ridge

And then awarded with asphalt for the last 100 km toward the border! And some epic New scenery.

The road really blew my mind, and I wish I would have had more time to let it all sink in and take some better pictures! But it is something I will keep in mind for next time, and a route I highly recommend, ...maybe not alone! :P