Tierra del Fuego


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Published: March 3rd 2009
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Und denn isch ds Abentuer uf der Faehre nach Tierra del Fuego losgange. D'Sonja, wo mir a daem gliiche Tag im Hostal hei lehre kenne, isch de zu ues ghocket uf der Faehre und mir heis no luschtig gha mit ihre. Sie het de chli afah Gschichte verzeue vo ihrne 14 Moenet reise...am Schluss hei mir ihre denn ahbotae, dass sie scho mit ues choenni mitfahre bis nach Ushuaia. Das het si dankend ahgnoh und ab denn si mir fuer es paar Taeg ds dritte unterwaegs gsi.

D'Landschaft wo mir uf dere Insle ahtroffe hei isch unbeschrieblech schoen gsi. Me het choenne i aui Richtige luege und het gmeit es goengi aendlos witer. Und der Himmel het extrem intensivi Farbe gha und daementspraechend hets ou ae super Sunneuntergang gaeh. Aber bevor d'Sunne abe isch (ca. 22:00), hei mir no muesse ae Unterkunft finde. I uesem Reisefuehrer isch gstande, dass es ae chlini Graenzstadt zwuesche Chile und Argentinie git, wo San Sebastian heisst und dert gaebis ou es paar Unterkuenft. Nach oepe 2.5 Stund fahre si mir de i daem "Ort" ahcho...meh aus 3 Hueser, es Restaurant, es Motel und der Graenzposchte isch es allerdings nid gsi. Aber ds Motel het einigermasse usgseh und ae grossi Wahl hei mer eh nid gha...ussert wieder 2.5 Stund zrugg ds fahre ;-) Denn hei mir ues dert niederglah, hei no es paar Phoeteli gmacht und si de im Restaurant go z'Nacht aesse. Und das isch usgezeichnet guet gsi! Sogar mit Acceto Balsamico und aechtem Oliveoel zum Salat derzue!

Am naechschte Morge bin ig de auerdings fasch nuemme zum Bett us cho. Die tue hie aui d'Heizige vollgas lah loufe bis oepe am 12i z'Nacht und denn waerde si abgschteut und nuemme ahglah bis am naechschte Abe. Das heisst, wenn me am Morge ufwacht, isch es iischaut und ds Gsicht gfruehrt eim fasch ih. Aber wenigschtens hets warms Wasser zum Dusche gha :-)

Nach em z'Morge hei mir ues de uf a Graenzposchte gmacht. Das isch ganz flott gange und zuechem Chilenische und Argentinische Graenzposchte si oepe 10 km Niemandsland gsi.

Und denn isch es uf der Argentinische Site wieter nach Ushuaia gange. Nach em ne churze Zwuechehaut in Rio Grande, wo mer der Usgang vor Stadt fasch nueme gfunde hei (dank der Polizei, dim Fruend und Haeufer, wo ues zwar scho fasch usglachet het, woeu mir so am chruezfautsche Aendi vor Stadt si gsi), si mer de gaege Abe ahcho am Aendi vo der Waeut. Da hets scho wieder meh Baerge gha und natuerlech ds Meer.

Nach em ne Bitzeli sueche hei mir de ou es Hotel gfunde, won ig is Zimmer bi und wieder ae Iisbuetel uf mis Chnoei gleit ha. Der Thomas isch de fuer am naechschte Tag go ae Usflug organisiere. 4x4 ueber Stock und Stei mit BBQ & Wein zum z'Mittag :-))

Am Abe si mir de go die lokali Spezialitaet, Krabbe, aesse....mmmmhhhh!!!!

Und denn isch es am naechschte Morge puenktlech losgange mit em Jeep. Der Fahrer isch no ganz ae junge Typ gsi und het ei Story nach der andere verzeut, wie d'Biber d'Landschaft kaputt gmacht hei und ou suesch jenes Tier "importiert" worde si vo de erschte Siedler und das zu meh Problem aus Loesige gfuehrt het. Ig ha de ou no grad mini Uebersetzigskuenscht vo Spanisch uf Franzoesisch doerfe teschte, woeu zwoei derbi si gsi, wo nume Franzoesisch gred hei. Die si aber ganz lieb gsi und denn macht me das natuerlech gaern. Obwohl ig de am Schluss es mega Puff im Chopf ha gha ;-) Aus Belohnig hets de am Mittag ds groeschte Stueck Steak gaeh :-))) Aber vorhaer natuerlech no ueber ne ganz cooli 4x4 Strecki wo der Fahrer (Walter) der Jeep zum Teil i ne Schieflag bracht het, dass me sech scho fasch am Dach het muesse haebe. Und zwoei Mau isch aer sogar usgschtiege, het der Jeep im Standgas lah witerfahre, isch ueber ds Dach gloffe oder eifach chli naebem Jeep haertrottet. Aes aechts Erlaebnis!! Und immer wenns losgange isch, het der Walter lut "Rock & Roll" gmoeget und Gas gaeh :-)) Als Belohnig hets de am Mittag aes super argentinisches BBQ gaeh mit Chorizo und Steak bis zum abwinke!!!

Am naechschte Tag hei mir denn planet gha, ds zwoeite wieder ufs Feschtland ds fahre. Da aber d'Sonja kei Bus gfunde het, wo uf Rio Gallegos gfahre waer, het si gfragt, oeb si nid nomau mit ues doerfti mitfahre. Isch natuerlech keis Problem gsi und mir hei si no einisch mitgnoh. Oepe am Abe am 5i si mir de bi der andere Faehre gsi, wo eigentlech nueme 20 Minute duuret....aber denn het sech uesi liebi Kolleg Wind wieder mau bemerkbar gmacht! Es het so fescht gwindet, dass d'Faehre bis am 10ni nuemme het choenne fahre. Das het beduetet, dass mir 5 Stund am Aendi vo re Strass feschtghanget si unds langsam immer chaeuter worde isch. Am Schluss han ig de mi Schlafsack uspackt und ha mi uf d'Hinterbank verchroche. D'Sonja het de i der Zwueschezit ou scho die naechschti Mitfahrglaegeheit nach Rio Gallegos gfunde und het scho mau vo uesem Outo is naechschte umgsiedlet. Und denn isch es de zum Glueck doch no witer gange und oepe am 11i si mir de wieder ufem Feschtland gsi. Aber es isch natuerlech scho dunkel gsi und mir hei nume choenne hoffe, dass mer i die richtigi Richtig fahre und dass es i daem Dorf, wo i keim Reisefuehrer ufgfuehrt isch gsi, aber uf uesere super Strassecharte ihzeichnet isch gsi, ae Uebernachtigsmueglechkeit git....mir hei de Glueck gha und hei aes Bett gfunde :-)))

Wieder usgschlafe hei mir am naechschte Tag das Dorf chli gaeuer ahglueget, uf der Suechi nach ere Tankstell...der einzig Bewohner wo mir troffe hei, het de gmeint 60 km witer gaebis eini....da si mir doch es Bitzeli is Schwitze cho, woeu mir nume no eis Strichli bi der Tankahzeig hei gha! Aber es het de glaengt und mit wieder vollem Tank si mir zrugg Richtig Punta Arenas gfahre mit no em ne Zwuechestopp bi de Pinguine.

In Punto Arenas ahcho hei mir ues de ufe Waeg gmacht zum Z'nacht und hei ues gfragt, wieso da so absolut nuet los isch am ne Samschtig Abe....es isch scho ueberall gstande, dass es aes verschlafnigs Staedtli isch....am naeschte Tag hei mir de usefunde, dass gar nid Samschtig, sondern Sunntig isch gsi ;-)

Und denn isch ds Abentuer Busfahrt vo Punta Arenas nach Rio Gallegos los gange. D'Busfahrt an sich het nume oepe 3 Stund duuret, aber da mir wieder ueber d'Graenze hei muesse, hets insgesamt oepe 5.5 Stund duuret. Es hei natuerlech aui Luet muesse usstiige, duer d'Passkontrolle und uf der argentinische Site hei no aui muesse aues Gepaeck muesse uslade und durchluechte lah.

Aber schlussaendlech si mir de in Rio Gallegos ahcho und si parat gsi fuer ae Abflug nach Buenos Aires!!

Da si mir jetz ahcho und es isch wuerklech ae super interessanti und schoeni Stadt!! Das isch de allerdings ae anderi Gschicht....


Here we go again for our English speakers with a short summary:

On the ferry from Punto Arenas to Portovenir we met Sonja - a 50'ish German that had been travelling already for 14 month. As Sonja was lacking a car we offered to take her to Ushuaia.

Tierra del Fuego is owned partly by Chile and partly by Argentinia. Portovenir is Chilenian and its a rough 150k's to the boarder - dirt road with some holes up and on and lots of dust. The view however is incredible - flat land, blue sky - just amazing (check the pic's).
Right before the boarder to Argentinia there we expected to find a small town w/at least 1 hotel to stay - at least according to our travel book. We found a place w/nothing more than 3-4 houses, one of which actually was a hotel where we checked in for the night. So we basically stayed in the mids of the pampa - the food at the restaurant (making part of the hotel) was however excellent, so nothing what we had expected.

After a good night's sleep we woke to a frosty morning which however turned warmer very quickly w/the sun shining from the cloudless blue sky. Breakfast - which wasn't as good at dinner - and further we went (about 200m) to the chilenian boarder. After passing we had to drive for another 14k's before getting the the Argentinian boarder, after which the road was finally paved. My back was already aching - how else could it be than the male driving while the female passengers enjoy themselves..;-).

Getting to Ushuaia were another 300'ish k's - the barren and flat land turned more and more into a mountainious region (much like the Engadin) and the region close to Ushuaia is known is one of Argentinians very popular sky areas.

Got to Ushuaia late afternoon - a small port town, very touristy (much like Banff or one of the expensive Swiss mountain towns). Soon we had ourselves a hotel booked and a 4x4 tour for the next day (Caro's knees were still swollen, so a hiking trip was out of question). For dinner we had crab meet - which tastes delicious and is served as fresh as it comes. There are actually places in town were you can buy a kilo of this stuff for a mere USD 25.

The next day took us to our 4x4 tour which was great fun - down very steep and rocky path, through water holes, out into the lake and back on muddy pathes. Sometimes when there were really deep tracks that kept/steered the car the driver just stepped out of the car for some 30m's, climbed on the roof of the car and waited for the car to drive on its own with passengers in the car. As there was another couple in the car that only spoke french Caro was designated as translater from Spanish to French. From the driver we learned that people in early 1900 had introduced beavers that they brought from Canada - in anticipation of using their thick fur for their clothing. The beavers however acclimatized to the much warmer winters and the lack of any predators by growing a much smaller fur but at the same time getting bigger and bigger due to the availability of food on mass. Nowadays there are beavers that can weigh up to 20kg's and grow up to 1.5m length!
Over all these stories and the rock'n roll in the car lunch time came very fast - BBQ & wine at the beach of one of the lakes - amazing and beautiful. Meat arrived in quantities that were too much to eat it all, even w/all the wine. Soon after we went back to town ... and had some more meat and wine for dinner.

The next day we left Ushuaia early in the morning in order to reach the farthest northern part of Tierra del Fuego and get a ferry back to the mainland. Again some unpaved roads, dust, sunshine and a beautiful nature - with lots of wind.
At the ferry (around 5pm) the wind had increased even more such that the ferry - that was meant to bring us over the 500m of water to the mainland - had stopped running until further notice. The coloumn of cars and trucks increased with every hour, it got dark and still there was lots of wind (and waves). Waiting for better times... We had taken Sonja (the German) with us to the ferry station, where she found another means of transport with another driver - so we said goodby.
Around 10pm the wind and waves had calmed down such that the ferry could run again and bring us to the mainland. Shortly after that we got lucky in running into the only hotel withing the next 100k's from the ferry station.

Next day the first task after breakfast was to find a petrol station - our tank read about almost empty. A guy on the street then informed us that the only and closest petrol station was about 60k's into direction of Punto Arenas - at least the way we wanted to go. With the last digit in the gastank-reader blinking we got to the petrol station - out in the nowwhere, a lonly gas-attendent in the dusty dessert...
With plenty of gas left we then made it back to Punto Arenas - did some little detour on back country roads where we saw a colony of penguins.
Dinner in town and the next morning by bus to Rio Gallegos (ARG). Somehow the boarder crossing takes up much more time when you're riding with a big bus than in a small car - of the 6hours that we spent for the transfer at least half was used at the boarder.

The next day took us to the Airport and from there to Buenos Aires where we expected to find some warmer and hopefully less windy weather.











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