Nick Kris

Nick: Well, since our last entry it has been 10 days of good times, not so good times, ridiculous roads and spectacular views, but we are finally back, basking in the hospitaility of Eric and Emily in BA!! We have done over 1000 miles (1600km) since our last post and a lot has happened. Why so long in posting? Well, mainly because we were either busy or out of internet reach. After our last post we set off on the Ruta 237 toward Neuquen. This distance we covered in a day which took us along twisty roads where we had ridden 2 months previously. We had discussed our lack of camping the days previously and realised, quite logically really, that if we set ourselves a town as a destination for a days rise, inevitably we would ... read more

We are writing very little this time and we are going to concentrate on our photos....well that was it...... read more

Pictures to Follow!! Nick: Almost full circle!! We are now back in Argentina after an interesting crossing of the border, and we are a mere 250 km South from Tecka, the small town that played haven to our somewhat tattered nerves 5 weeks ago. Since that time we have, of course, travelled through a significant part of Chile, reaching down as far South as Coyhaique (although not so far South when you look at the map!). Our feelings in our last blog were confirmed and the Carretera Austral, or at least the stretch that we saw, was indeed everything we had hoped it would be, thus salvaging Chile's position in the league table! This more remote part of Chile is truely fantastic, and has confirmed, for me, something I think I already knew: of all the ... read more

Nick: Well. Since we last posted and aired our concerns on the trip things have taken a turn: for the best!! We left the farm house after our last post and headed for Quellon in order to be in situ for the ferry crossing the next day, at midday. We rode into town, found a nice (in fact THE NICEST YET) cabaña and got ready for a meal. Whilst out we met up with a German couple: Dirk and Brita, who like us, had ordered from the restaurant menu and found themselves with a dish piled higher than it was wide. As it turns out they, too, were there for the ferry. We went home, started a fire in the stove and listened to the driving wind and rain before rolling up, cosy and warm, in ... read more

Nick: Its going to be a long one!! We left Santiago at a reasonable hour, the bike now shod with a new rear. Our first days riding in 4 was a gentle re-introduction to 2-wheel travel with a mere 125 mile (200km) jaunt to Curicó, a small but, apparently, pleasant town. We arrived and soon found that virtually all accommodation was being used by migrant workers employed in the vineyards, so we saddled up again for another 40 miles (60km) to reach Talca: a town supposed to benefit from a big city attitude. We rode through and on our second attempt found lodging in a seemingly pleasant hostel, rode the bike down the drive to park it up and settled down to a restful night of snacks, cointreau and cable TV (Channel AXN is the BEST: ... read more

Nick: Well, picture the scene. Two fools hurtling as fast as is possible toward a city 40 miles away, at 7am in order to meet a tour guide. Not strange you might say, but then you notice the first of the two is squinting into the peasoup fog all around him, in the morning twilight, wearing sunglasses…. As it happens said fool had been wearing said sunglasses for 18 hours already, the normal pair had gone missing the previous day…. And how did we reach this stage?...... We leave Valpo via the coastal road and see stunning coastline, atrocious driving, and pelicans. After an hour we reach the autopista (motorway) and head North to La Serena, 270 miles away and then another 40 miles East, inland. The route was long but manageable, and we finally arrived ... read more