Neuquen, Chubut, Santa Cruz: 06. – 17.03.2010

We can hardly believe it ourselves, since already one year we are cruising towards the horizon, so we think it’s about time to have a little technical review;  In our first 365 days we made 10 Countries insecure and drove for it 59’801,8 Kilometer  (37’167.06 Miles). To do so we burned 8’152.013 Liters (2156.617 Galons) Diesel, that cost us on average 78 Rappen (76 Cent US).

Besides that we drove 1.5 sets of tires to slicks. By the way, the only flat we fixed ourselves is still rolling. The regular Oil changes we are not even counting anymore. New Mexico, USA, didn’t mean it all too good with us; there we had to solve two problems. Our ‘only’ luxury, the aircon, quit working and had to be repaired. Also our roof showed some weakness. But with a few screws and some goodwill talking we could convince it to stay with us for another wile. Once we had to get the fire extinguisher out for a burning car that was passing us, but in the end it wasn’t used. Dents and scratches we gathered four, two from suddenly it our way jumping trees and one from a wooden telephone pole which we just could not convince to move aside. It all happened while driving backwards. Number four was all of a sudden there and most likely will be a mystery forever. To round it up, our windshield got decorated with four stone chips. All together a successful year, with lots of experiences and adventures not just about the car, we stored in our treasure box that we now take on in our second year.

But now to the beginning of our second year, which began as our first one finished; with swimming and relaxing at different lakes along the route from San Martin de los Andes towards Bariloche, until the National Park Los Alerces. This Park is known for its trees the Alerces, one of the longest living species on Earth (up tp 4’000 Years). They grow real slow, just about one centimeter (half and inch) in 20 years. Here we took our hiking boots for a walk. But it seems that in Argentina Hiking trails do not know turns, no matter how steep, it goes straight up or downhill, our knees were ‘real’ grateful, but the wonderful views let us forget the pain and made up for the effort.

After a few sunny days at the lakes we had to put in a driving day and after about 500 Kilometer (312 Miles)we reached Lago Buenos Aires, where again we set up camp right at the lakeshore, with great views. But here we decided against a swim since it was just a bit too cold.

Our next destination was the Parque Nacional Perrito Moreno, the map showed that it was an easy day trip, and only a short part was supposed to be under construction, what the past showed to be correct. This time it proved to be wrong, we barely managed to cover the 260 Kilometer (160 Miles) in one day. Since only the first few Kilometers where paved and the rest was real bad gravel road mostly along the almost finished brand new asphalt highway. Everything was shaking and rattling and our biggest concern was; does Elise II make it? Besides that we got our first feeling of the famous Patagonian wind. And on stops the doors wouldn’t open at all or the passenger got pulled out of the car all together with the door. But the landscape was a treat and also the animals tried to keep up in mood. As we were running after the first Guanacos up in Mendoza, here we saw them everywhere along the road. We didn’t manage it all the way into the park and it is needless to say that we could not use our Poptop to sleep that night, even though we found a nice ditch to park in.

The next day we explored the 1.15 square Kilometer large park. All by ourselves we could enjoy the mountain scenery with its snow covered tops and lakes in between, that is of course only if you leave the countless Guanacos, Nandues, Rabbits and Flamingos (Yes Flamingos, even at these latitudes, we were astonished) aside, because only about 1’200 visitors make it to this unique park per year. After a short hike, of course straight up, we set up camp at Lago Burrmeister, where we got to feel the strongest winds we have ever experienced. But with a great day having passed we let him shake us into sleep.

Suddenly, the sun wasn’t even up, there was a knock at our door. Hmm, what’s that, again, but this time we recognized the voice that was yelling: “Get up, we are leaving without breakfast, it is snowing!” Indeed, a look out of the window showed a thin layer of white powder on the grass. About ten minutes later we’ve been driving away through a landscape we hardly recognized. It was like in a fairytale land and the rising sun did the rest. It was wonderful. After we managed the for Elise II ‘difficult’ passages without problem, we stopped for breakfast just at the Laguna where the Flamingos had the same.

After our experiences about the road condition the last few days, we expected worse. But before we could look around, we arrived in El Chaltén a little village just at the bottom of the famous granite peaks of the Fitz Roy Mountains.

The next morning of course the mountains where calling, we wanted to the very bottom of the Fitz Roy. While about ¾ of the way where only comfortable walking, the last bit hat to catch it up and so we had to almost climb 400 meter of altitude, in about, what felt like, only 100 meter distance. But also here the views of the strange looking mountain made up for all the effort. Here the wind that is supposed to be dangerous was just nonexistent and we saw the mountains mirrored in a lagoon.

But the Fitz Roy is not the only thing the Parque National Los Glaciers has to offer. A bit further south lays the largest Glacier of the southern hemisphere outside of the Antarctic, the Upsala Glacier, as well as the most dynamic Glacier of the world, the Perrito Moreno Glacier. Since the first one can only be seen by boat, we set foot on a giant Catamaran to cruise Lago Argentino. But also here climate change leaves its traces, because of large ice bergs we could not get close to the Glacier, but great visibility provided us with an extraordinary impression of the 595 square Kilometer large ice field in the distance.

In the evening of a wonderful day on the boat we visited the Perrito Moreno Glacier from its landside. This 30 Kilometer long, about 5 Kilometer wide and sometimes up to 60 Meter high Ice Cube belongs to the few still growing Glaciers in the world (about 2 Meters a day). Since we did not have a sleeping place that day we decided that the parking lot with imposing views onto the ice field is our campground. The whole night we heard the cracking and calving of the Glacier. What an impressive experience.

The next morning we have been on the boardwalk with the first sunbeams and had the whole scenery all to ourselves. The ice masses are simply overwhelming. All the time we just stopped to let the gentle like cake icing acting masses, that are bursting of energy and shimmering in all different kinds of white and blue, overwhelm us. But as the masses of tourist started to arrive we left them the field with an unbeatable feeling and headed for the gorgeous campground at Lago Roca, for a last night in Argentina before we left for Chile.

Regards from the cold and wind defying

Sonja and Markus

Here it goes to the Pictures...