Archive for October 2015

Chile’s Inside Passage

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Coyhaique is the biggest town along the Carretera Austral, and we planned to stop there to resupply food, gas and money, since not all of the towns in the region have ATM machines. On the way we found another nice wild camp along the river, and arrived in the town of Coyhaique the next day. It took us our normal few hours to do all of our “town stuff,” and we rewarded ourselves with a pizza and a beer at a local microbrewery.

We stopped that night just out of town at a campsite that was also an organic farm. Nacho, the farm’s Spanish owner, was very helpful, showing us around his greenhouses and giving us a great list of things to do farther north. We stayed for two nights, chatting with Victoria and Cameron, a couple from Florida heading South on the Carretera on their bicycles.

Our first stop after leaving the farm was to do two hikes recommended by Nacho.

Hiking (with coffee in hand) through the Bosque Encantado (Enchanted Forest).

Hiking (with coffee in hand) through the Bosque Encantado (Enchanted Forest).

The Sparks in the valley above the Enchanted Forest.

The Sparks in the valley above the Enchanted Forest.

Continuing North.

Continuing North.

After a couple more hours driving, we arrived at our next stop, a hanging glacier. We were excited that Quinn did the first hike of the day without complaining, and not wanting to push our luck, Jen and Quinn went to the nearby overlook to see the glacier while Witt did a longer hike to get a closer look at it.

A waterfall drains the glacier onto the snowpack below. As the afternoon sun warmed the ice it calved, sending echoes down the valley.

A waterfall drains the glacier onto the snowpack below. As the afternoon sun warmed the ice it calved, sending echoes down the valley.

The area we’re driving through is very remote and rural, with cattle and sheep being the main focus of the farms. Not much can be imported, as transportation in the area is difficult and time consuming. Lots of houses have greenhouses. If you want veggies, you have to grow them yourself.

Happy Cows.

Happy Cows.

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We stopped one evening at an upscale lodge that our camping app (iOverlander) said also had a campground. They weren't quite open for the season yet, but let us stay anyway at a reduced price.

We stopped one evening at an upscale lodge that our camping app (iOverlander) said also had a campground. They weren’t quite open for the season yet, but let us stay anyway at a reduced price.

Quinn tests out the bridge he built in the nearby creek.

Quinn tests out the bridge he built in the nearby creek.

Our route north took us next through the village of Chaitén which was nearly wiped out by the eruption of it’s namesake volcano in 2008. Farther north we entered Parque Pumalin. This private park was created by Douglas Tompkins, an American businessman who co-founded the North Face clothing company. Doug and his wife, Kris (who is the former CEO of the Patagonia clothing company), are leading many conservation efforts in the Patagonia region of Chile, including the creation of this very nice park. We camped in one of the park’s campgrounds on our way through and remarked that it was set up much like campgrounds in US national parks.

Volcan Chaitén, seen from Pumalin National Park.

Volcan Chaitén, seen from Pumalin National Park.

The next morning we arrived at the southern terminus of two ferries that make up part of the Carretera Austral.

The climate here is much like the US pacific northwest. When it's sunny, it's beautiful, but the many overcast days can be dreary. Yellow blossoms add a bit of color to a rainy day.

The climate here is much like the US pacific northwest. When it’s sunny, it’s beautiful, but the many overcast days can be dreary. Yellow blossoms add a bit of color to a rainy day.

On the ferry

On the ferry

The clouds cleared for our second ferry ride and we enjoyed a beautiful trip up the waterway.

The clouds cleared for our second ferry ride and we enjoyed a beautiful trip up the waterway.

The coastlines here are dotted with salmon fisheries. The farms are the main industry in the area and the source of much of the farmed salmon imported into the US. There are typically tanks set up on shore where the salmon spawn in fresh water supplied from a stream. Once they mature they are transferred to nets located just offshore.

A salmon farm floats offshore.

A salmon farm floats offshore.

On the recommendation of a guide we met on the ferry, we decided to take a detour into the Rio Puelo valley. The valley is very remote and just opening up to tourism. Like much of the region we’ve been traveling through it is threatened by a hydroelectric scheme that would flood most of the valley.

Chile has privatized most of its water resources and today they are 80% owned by foreign corporations. In recent years there have been plans to dam rivers in the area and build the world’s longest transmission line (over 2400 kilometers) to supply Santiago and the power-hungry mining operations in the north of the country. This transmission line has been blocked by local conservation efforts, but there are other fights brewing as developers eye lesser known valleys.

Reaching the heart of the Rio Puelo Valley required yet another ferry ride, this time across a lake. We arrived at the terminal after the last ferry of the day had departed, so we made camp on the lake shore.

Enjoying the sunset at our campsite on Lake Tagua Tagua.

Enjoying the sunset at our campsite on Lake Tagua Tagua.

Clear skies the next day allowed us to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

Clear skies the next day allowed us to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

Later that afternoon we hiked to Lago Azul. Like all of the lakes and rivers here it features perfectly clear, blue waters.

Later that afternoon we hiked to Lago Azul. Like all of the lakes and rivers here it features perfectly clear, blue waters.

Since our rustic campsite didn't have showers Jen braved the cold lake water to rinse off.

Since our rustic campsite didn’t have showers Jen braved the cold lake water to rinse off.

Along the Carretera Austral

Just about every traveler who drives the PanAm route from north to south has the ultimate goal of reaching Ushuaia, Argentina. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world, and therefore it often serves as a symbolic southern endpoint for a Pan American trip.

When we started out on our trip that was also our goal, but somewhere along the way we changed our minds. We had the pleasure eight years ago of flying in and spending a whole month exploring the areas of southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. It was wonderful and magical. We trekked extensively in Parque Torres del Paine, saw beautiful glaciers in Chile and Argentina close up and we had a terrific time.

At some point on our current trip we just decided that instead of driving all the way down to Ushuaia that we would rather see places that we haven’t seen before. We would focus on Northern Patagonia and points north. So when we reached Northern Patagonia in Argentina we took a right turn and headed towards Carretera Austral in Chile.

The Carretera Austral is a 1200-mile, mostly dirt road that runs through the countryside of Patagonia. It’s been on our must-see list for some time, and as our time in South America winds down we are working our way north along this beautiful road.

We’re currently staying at an organic farm and campground about midway along this route, and thus far the trip as more than lived up to it’s billing.

From the Atlantic coast of Argentina we turned West, and after a day's drive through the dry brush lands we arrived at the border with Chile.

From the Atlantic coast of Argentina we turned West, and after a day’s drive through the dry brush lands we arrived at the border with Chile.

After crossing the border we arrived in the town of Chile Chico, set on Lago General Carrera with the snow-capped Andes in the background.

After crossing the border we arrived in the town of Chile Chico, set on Lago General Carrera with the snow-capped Andes in the background.

We found the local laundry lady, and while we were parked in front of her house, a Spanish man came out to say hello. We chatted for a bit, and found out that he and his girlfriend were couch surfing at a nearby house. Soon we had been invited to tea, and that led to a dinner invitation.

Enjoying a fun evening with new friends.

Enjoying a fun evening with new friends.

We met some other van travelers at a viewpoint overlooking the lake.

We met some other van travelers at a viewpoint overlooking the lake.

From Chile Chico, a dirt road led us 90km along the lake to the junction with the Carretera Austral.

From Chile Chico, a dirt road led us 90km along the lake to the junction with the Carretera Austral.

Between the rough roads and the nonstop photo opportunities, progress was slow, but it gave us time to enjoy the amazing scenery.

Between the rough roads and the nonstop photo opportunities, progress was slow, but it gave us time to enjoy the amazing scenery.

The lake is the second largest in South America, and we spent several hours following it's coastline.

The lake is the second largest in South America, and we spent several hours following it’s coastline.

We had to keep a lookout for lambs crossing the road.

We had to keep a lookout for lambs crossing the road.

Fortunately there weren't many cars on the road, but there was plenty of wildlife.

Fortunately there weren’t many cars on the road, but there was plenty of wildlife.

Our friends in Chile Chico recommended that we visit the confluence of the Baker and the Neff rivers.

Our friends in Chile Chico recommended that we visit the confluence of the Baker and the Neff rivers.

The confluence marks the southernmost point that we'll reach on our trip. Even though we didn't drive all the way to Ushuaia, we felt like it was a milestone on our journey.

The confluence marks the southernmost point that we’ll reach on our trip. Even though we didn’t drive all the way to Ushuaia, we felt like it was a milestone on our journey.

According to this sign we are closer to Kathmandu, Nepal, than to Carbondale, Colorado.

According to this sign we are closer to Kathmandu, Nepal, than to Carbondale, Colorado.

The sapphire blue Baker River is a world-class fly fishing destination.

The sapphire blue Baker River is a world-class fly fishing destination.

We found a great campsite on the river and enjoyed sitting around the campfire.

We found a great campsite on the river and enjoyed sitting around the campfire.

Sunset from our campsite.

Sunset from our campsite.

The next day we rented kayaks to paddle to a set of marble cave formations.

The next day we rented kayaks to paddle to a set of marble cave formations.

Quinn had a great time helping dad paddle the kayak. Just please don't splash me with the cold water!

Quinn had a great time helping dad paddle the kayak. Just please don’t splash me with the cold water!

We even found a tunnel that we could paddle all the way through and come out the other side. We had to do that twice.

We even found a tunnel that we could paddle all the way through and come out the other side. We had to do that twice.

We hiked to an overlook where we could see a glacier. It wasn't as impressive as some we saw in Alaska, but it was a nice hike.

We hiked to an overlook where we could see a glacier. It wasn’t as impressive as some we saw in Alaska, but it was a nice hike.

A cemetery outside the village of Puerto Rio Tranquilo.

A cemetery outside the village of Puerto Rio Tranquilo.

Whales and Other Wild Creatures

We spent four days on Peninsula Valdez, camping in a remote wild camp with a few other overlanders and lots of whales. We spent our days walking on the beach and watching for whales.

Sunset from our campsite on Peninsula Valdez

Sunset from our campsite on Peninsula Valdez


We saw lots of these little guys running down the roads in front of us. We started calling them roadrunners. meep-meep!

We saw lots of these little guys running down the roads in front of us. We started calling them roadrunners. meep-meep!


Elephant seals were sunning themselves on a beach on the north end of the peninsula.

Elephant seals were sunning themselves on a beach on the north end of the peninsula.


Quinn loves the sleeping bag Grammy and Papa bought him before the trip. He's almost completely grown into it now!

Quinn loves the sleeping bag Grammy and Papa bought him before the trip. He’s almost completely grown into it now!


The coastline is desert scrub land with beautiful blue waters. It's not as barren and lifeless as the parts of the Pacific coast that we've seen.

The coastline is desert scrub land with beautiful blue waters. It’s not as barren and lifeless as the parts of the Pacific coast that we’ve seen.


I found some whale bones on the beach during a walk one day.

I found some whale bones on the beach during a walk one day.


We found a great pebble beach near our campsite that was sheltered from the cold wind. The rocks would get warm in the sun and it made a great place to play.

We found a great pebble beach near our campsite that was sheltered from the cold wind. The rocks would get warm in the sun and it made a great place to play.


Another sunset from our campsite.

Another sunset from our campsite.


One morning we saw a great show including breaching whales.

One morning we saw a great show including breaching whales.

The whales we saw were Southern Right Whales. They come to Peninsula Valdez to give birth, and we saw lots of mother and calf pairs, with the mother demonstrating various behaviors and the calf imitating her. We were basically watching “how to be a whale” school.

After our wild camping, we booked a tour on a whale watching boat and got to see them up close.

After our wild camping, we booked a tour on a whale watching boat and got to see them up close.


We had to take this silly photo.

We had to take this silly photo.


On the lookout

On the lookout


Campgrounds around here tend to have showers available in the mornings and evenings only, so when we rolled in stinky after four nights of wild camping, we decided to use our outdoor shower rather than wait till 7pm. This marks the third time we've used it on the trip!

Campgrounds around here tend to have showers available in the mornings and evenings only, so when we rolled in stinky after four nights of wild camping, we decided to use our outdoor shower rather than wait till 7pm. This marks the third time we’ve used it on the trip!

After leaving Puerto Madryn (the biggest town near Peninsula Valdez) we started on the last southerly leg of our journey. Our first stop was in the towns of Trelew and Germain, settled in the mid-eighteen hundreds by Welsh immigrants. Two years ago there was a major paleontology discovery in the area – the biggest dinosaur yet discovered, the Titanosaurus. There’s a museum in town that has an excellent display of dinosaurs ranging from the size of a chicken all the way up to bones from the locally discovered giant.

The paleontology museum in Trelew was very impressive.

The paleontology museum in Trelew was very impressive.


Trelew and Germain are home to many tea houses that offer high tea in the afternoons. Never having enjoyed that custom in England, we decided to take part in Argentina. Why not?

Trelew and Germain are home to many tea houses that offer high tea in the afternoons. Never having enjoyed that custom in England, we decided to take part in Argentina. Why not?


We took a side trip to another national park to see orcas and penguins. We didn't see any orcas, but the penguins were in abundance.

We took a side trip to another national park to see orcas and penguins. We didn’t see any orcas, but the penguins were in abundance.


Guanacos are related to alpacas and the other camelids that call South America home.

Guanacos are related to alpacas and the other camelids that call South America home.


The area is also home to these giant, strange looking rabbit-like creatures. These two bounded down the road in front of us, veering neither left nor right, for several kilometers. We kind of felt bad for essentially chasing them with the van, but hey, if they're that dumb...

The area is also home to these giant, strange looking rabbit-like creatures. These two bounded down the road in front of us, veering neither left nor right, for several kilometers. We kind of felt bad for essentially chasing them with the van, but hey, if they’re that dumb…


We also saw some cool ostrich-like birds called ñandús. They were at least as fast as the rabbits, and smart enough to leave the road.

We also saw some cool ostrich-like birds called ñandús. They were at least as fast as the rabbits, and smart enough to leave the road.


We took a side road down the coast where we saw big skies, lonely ranches, and, and lots of wildlife. During the three hour, 100km drive we saw one tractor, no cars or trucks,  4 cowboys on horseback, and more sheep than we could count.

We took a side road down the coast where we saw big skies, lonely ranches, and, and lots of wildlife. During the three hour, 100km drive we saw one tractor, no cars or trucks, 4 cowboys on horseback, and more sheep than we could count.

Five Things We Loved About Brazil

Come to Brazil, my son!

Come to Brazil, my son!

It seems like many PanAmerican overland travelers skip Brazil. We get this impression both from reading others’ blogs and by the number of locals there who were very surprised to see a non-South-American registered car in Brazil. (In fact, many people surprisingly guessed that we were from Argentina!)

When we were staying with our friends Rob and Grace in Atibaia (which is just north of São Paulo), we discussed this and wondered why this was the case. Brazil has a reputation for being an expensive country to visit, and while it does charge a reciprocity fee for some nationalities (similar to that charged by Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay), with current exchange rates, day-to-day expenses are similar to the rest of Latin America. The other big reason is probably timing and logistics. For many travelers, Ushuaia is the logical goal for the trip, and with good reason. Being able to see the amazing scenery there in person and making it to the “other end” of the Americas is a worthy goal.

Because our work obligations slowed our pace of travel significantly, we missed our first window to arrive in Patagonia during the summer. Since we had friends in Brazil, we were planning to go there anyway, and the beaches of Brazil seemed a better place to spend the Austral Winter than in the snowy Andean highlands.

In the end we have decided not to visit southern Patagonia on this trip. Had we not seen this area before, I’m sure this would have been a painful decision. But instead we got to see at least some of the amazing country of Brazil. We’re not saying future travelers should skip Patagonia in favor of Brazil – but they should extend their trip and see both!

Here are five things we loved about Brazil.

The Beaches

Trinidade Beach

Trinidade Beach


Brazil is famous for its beaches, and after having sampled a very small number of them we are fortunate to understand why. And, according to our Brazilian friends, the coastline to the North and East of Rio de Janiero are just as spectacular and even less crowded than ones we saw between Rio and São Paulo.

The Culture

Fun at a Beto Carrero World

Fun at a Beto Carrero World


Brazil is culturally very distinct from the rest of Latin America. The language is the most obvious distinction, but the differences go deeper than that. Towns don’t necessarily have a central plaza (though many do) and the churches aren’t all cut from the Spanish-influenced mold. Brazil has a thriving middle class, and for the most part you don’t see the strong class divide separating tourists from locals. You’ll share caipirinhas on the beach with Brazilians, not other foreign travelers.

The Food

Enjoying a typical Brazilian Saturday lunch buffet

Enjoying a typical Brazilian Saturday lunch buffet


While I have to say that Brazilian food still comes in second to Mexican as the favorite of our trip, it is a type of cooking all it’s own. In Brazil the buffet is king, and it’s good. We adopted the habit of having our lunches at the buffets offered at roadside gas stations – no kidding. It might not be fancy cuisine, but the good ones featured a wide selection of tasty salads, veggie side dishes and desserts in addition to the ubiquitous rodizio, with the guy behind the grill serving up delicious meats.

Rio!

Rio at sunset, from the Pão de Açucar

Rio at sunset, from the Pão de Açucar


From its geographical setting on a beautiful bay beneath the jungle-clad coastal mountain range to its amazing beaches and cosmopolitan sophistication, Rio de Janiero should be on every traveler’s must-see list. The vibe in Rio is unique from that of other major world cities and it has to be experienced to truly understand. Where else can you find people in beach attire riding the subway at the same time as well-heeled business people?

So Much to See

One of the roads descending from the highlands through the canyon to the coast

One of the roads descending from the highlands through the canyon to the coast


Brazil is a huge country, and in the six weeks we spent traveling there, we saw the southern third of it, from the wildlife in the Pantanal to a couple of busy days in Rio to the best microbrew beer outside the US in the southern regions made by European immigrants. With another few months, it would be great to explore the wild northern coastline and the Amazon region.

Birdlife in the Pantanal

Birdlife in the Pantanal

Heading Down the Atlantic Coast of South America

Our last stop in Brazil before entering Uruguay was a visit to the wine region near the city of Bento Gonçalves. Oh, and there also happened to be a steam train there, so of course we rode it.

The grape orchards of southern Brazil. The owners of this vineyard generously allowed us to camp in their parking lot, so of course we had to buy some wine from them.

The grape orchards of southern Brazil. The owners of this vineyard generously allowed us to camp in their parking lot, so of course we had to buy some wine from them.

The next day we rode the Maria Fumaça railroad, a tourist train pulled by a real steam engine.

The next day we rode the Maria Fumaça railroad, a tourist train pulled by a real steam engine.

There was a constant parade of singers and performers parading through the coaches during the ride, but Q was only interested in the train.

There was a constant parade of singers and performers parading through the coaches during the ride, but Q was only interested in the train.

Q in his element.

Q in his element.

On the way south toward Uruguay, we passed through a large wetland area. The drive unexpectedly turned into a great bird and wildlife watching opportunity.

On the way south toward Uruguay, we passed through a large wetland area. The drive unexpectedly turned into a great bird and wildlife watching opportunity.

We saw a fox, capybaras, and lots of beautiful birds.

We saw a fox, capybaras, and lots of beautiful birds.

The afternoon's rains resulted in a beautiful rainbow just as we crossed the border leaving Brazil.

The afternoon’s rains resulted in a beautiful rainbow just as we crossed the border leaving Brazil.

After we checked out of Brazil, we drove to the coast to camp for the night. Once again we ended up in a deserted, off-season beach town, so we drove right out onto the beach for a blissful night listening to the waves crash.

On crossing into Uruguay the next day, we were unexpectedly surprised by the amazing smooth roads there. Gasoline in Uruguay is very expensive (something like US$6 per gallon), and so if you don’t have a lot of corrupt officials siphoning off the funds, you can have nice roads! Fortunately Uruguay is a small country, so by topping up with fuel in Brazil we didn’t have buy any gas in Uruguay. There’s our contribution to their great roads!

We stopped to see a Portuguese fort on our way into Uruguay. It was very well kept up and contained a nice little museum.

We stopped to see a Portuguese fort on our way into Uruguay. It was very well kept up and contained a nice little museum.

We spent three nights at a campground on the southern coast of Uruguay run by a Swiss couple. We got some maintenance done on the car and caught up on regular life maintenance stuff like paying bills and writing web updates.

We had the feeling right away on entering Uruguay that the whole country was “muy tranquillo.” When we asked the locals about it, they said, yes, it’s very stable, like an oasis of calm between the sometimes troubled giants of Brazil and Argentina.

We noticed that Uruguay seems to have a large population of vintage cars. No idea why we saw so many here.

We noticed that Uruguay seems to have a large population of vintage cars. No idea why we saw so many here.

Our last stop in Uruguay was the town of Colonia. The city features a historic Portuguese/Spanish historical center, and we spent a day wandering it’s tree-shaded streets.

Our first night in Colonia was spent at a tourist farm just outside of town.

Our first night in Colonia was spent at a tourist farm just outside of town.

The farm is home to the world's largest collection of pencils (as verified by Guinness.)

The farm is home to the world’s largest collection of pencils (as verified by Guinness.)

The cobble stoned streets of Colonia are lined with restaurants, shops, and small museums.

The cobble stoned streets of Colonia are lined with restaurants, shops, and small museums.

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We enjoyed a wonderful lunch including the local Tannat wine varietal at one of the town's restaurants.  (Quinn is drinking the locally-made white grape juice).

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch including the local Tannat wine varietal at one of the town’s restaurants. (Quinn is drinking the locally-made white grape juice).

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From Colonia we caught a ferry across the bay to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentina, like Brazil, has some problems with it’s economy. The government has set a fixed exchange rate between their currency, the Peso, and the US Dollar, and makes it very difficult for locals to obtain dollars. Consequently, there’s a market for the US Dollar, and using it to get cash instead of using credit cards or ATM machines results in everything being about 40% cheaper. It’s kind of a big deal. In addition, the best exchange rates are found at the money changers on Florida Street in Buenos Aires.

In Uruguay, it’s possible to withdraw US Dollars from the ATM machines, so throughout our time there we were madly withdrawing cash, since we need enough to live on for about a month, plus pay for shipping our van home. When we arrived via the ferry in Buenos Aires, we stopped at Florida street to exchange the money.

The problem is that since it’s technically illegal to exchange money this way, if someone rips you off there’s no recourse – you can’t go to the police. So it’s kind of scary, but it’s also very common practice, and we decided the risk was worth it.

It was pretty stressful walking around in Buenos Aires with enough cash to live on for a month. This is it in Argentinian Pesos.

It was pretty stressful walking around in Buenos Aires with enough cash to live on for a month. This is it in Argentinian Pesos.

Trying to find our Argentina SIM card in our vast collection...

Trying to find our Argentina SIM card in our vast collection…

With the cash safely stowed in our safe, we began our departure from the Buenos Aires metro area. Unfortunately we had a mishap at one of the many toll stops on the way. When passing through a very narrow toll booth lane we accidentally drove our right front tire into a cement block which succeeded in knocking our steering column off-center by quite a bit. The van still drives fine — it’s just that the wheel doesn’t sit in a straight position when the wheels are pointed straight ahead. We’ll have to get that sorted out at some point.

We are headed south down the Atlantic Coast to Peninsula Valdez, which reputedly has some great whale watching, and our timing is such that we’ll be there during peak whale season. The trip took about three days’ driving, and we really became aware of how big Argentina really is.

In the process we have discovered that we are nearing the outer limits of the range of our Spot Tracker. The Globalstar satellite network unfortunately doesn’t have good coverage in this part of South America, and unless they launch a bunch more satellites in the near future this will not change any time soon. Many thanks to Sir Todd Arbetter, Loyal and Resourceful Friend of the When Sparks Fly Expedition, who helped us verify this for us. We will continue to set up the Spot device to do daily check-ins but it is likely that the broadcast message that our parents are used to receiving regularly will not go through in most cases. We will check-in via email when we can to attempt to make up for this service gap.

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One of the stops on our way south was to see a set of cliffs that is home to the world's largest colony of burrowing parrots. Who knew there was such a thing as a burrowing parrot?

One of the stops on our way south was to see a set of cliffs that is home to the world’s largest colony of burrowing parrots. Who knew there was such a thing as a burrowing parrot?

We've had a lot of rain and overcast skies over the past couple of weeks, and it was nice to enter the drier southern part of Argentina.

We’ve had a lot of rain and overcast skies over the past couple of weeks, and it was nice to enter the drier southern part of Argentina.