Before departing the camp this morning I had to put a couple more wire stitches in the drivers side front mudflap. It was hanging on the former two stitches. Also, after all the dusty driving of the last few days, changed the air filter element. I’ll wash the dirty one out, when we get to the next camp. The tyres too needed to be pumped up to 35psi front and 45psi rear. Once off the gravel at the lower pressures, it feels like driving a big blancmange.
It’s a leisurely departure today. Last night, when using the hand basin in the men’s facilities, I wondered why I was paddling in water. Looking down, water was pouring from the ceramic shroud around the downpipe. Prizing the shroud aside, the connecting elbow was misaligned. Leaving the door open in the hope the floor would dry overnight. It hadn’t so I showered in the ladies, all alone..:)
That’s about the most entertaining thing for the rest of the day. The driving was boring. The countryside relatively featureless and traffic very light. After an hour, struggling to stay awake. I got Jen behind the wheel, kicking and screaming..:) “I can’t change gears”. “The clutch is too heavy” The Mini is so much easier to drive”…..:) After 15min she wanted to know if her hour was up!!..:). Encountering a rough patch in the seal and only 30 min in, she threw her toys out of the cot and resigned…:) By then I was wide awake again!
Road damage
The flooding and road damage from 3 days ago is evident. Some patches of seal have gone. Low lying plains are still flooded. Despite the rain and ponding, the country is dry with little greenery. Pulling off the seal at lunch time, onto a dry wide dirt strip, the wheels sank down nearly 25mm. It would have turned to mush in the wet.
There are no towns at any point along the 300+ k’s to Perito Moreno. We took on a full tank of diesel at El Chalten and with 79k’s to go to our destination, the red fuel warning light came on, giving us, in theory, 80’s range. We still had 40+ litres of fuel in Jerry cans. We made it with 2.4L left in the tank.
We pass up the option of visiting some caves, featured on road signs. It’s not till reading Lonely Plant afterwards that we learned they are of World Heritage status. Oh well!
Park Patagonia
The most colourful scene all day. Jen called into the information centre, a shed. The young lady receptionist, wanted me leave Poki and come in give my passport number, sign my signature in a registration book, then she wanted the vehicle registration number. I’m afraid I decided that was way over the top and wanted no further part in this interrogation. Much to Jen’s dismay.
The only thing we passed all day
Perito Moreno
Tonight we are camped in a Municipal camp in Perito Moreno. The cost 7100peseos. As opposed to 20,000p last night, and 36,000p the night before!!! The facilities here exceed the previous two nights.
We have a youngish Brazilian couple camping next to us. Mauricio tells me he is a geography teacher at a university, but he could not name our country when asked what country it was!! I chided him mercilessly…) He’ll never forget it. The last two nights we have had Brazilians camped nearby. Both have been lovely, warm and friendly people. We’ll be able to report more on that in the not too distant future. I’m looking forward to Brazil.
It’s 9pm and the sun, for the first appearance all day, is streaming in the drivers window but 180degres to the left, the sky is as black as ink. Could we be in for a night of rain?
Reflecting on our 130 days on the road. We have settled into a comfortable rhythm of life. Not too many miles driven each day and with wifi, are able to keep up with home and world affairs. On the latter subject, Jen has just read me a story of China financing and building a massive new airport and freight handling facility, in Luanda, Angola. With a passenger potential throughput massively exceeding current numbers. Now, this is a quiz. Who is going to benefit from this…’investment’? Forgive my cynicism…:)
Tomorrow, further north.
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Now if you had been in an Isuzu, you would have had to prise Jen out of the drivers seat. Just saying. Watched the Landrover trip through back country Spain. Couldn’t help but note the use of the diesel heater. Worth consideration?
Magnificent abandoned towns in Spain!! Glad you enjoyed.
Now, what’s this nonsense about Isuzu’s…:) Great boat anchors. Unless it’s got a Mini badge on it, she won’t drive it.
Diesel heaters. Brilliant in cold climates. Still have it in the UK. Like the concept. We going the other way now Bro If you have any tip’s on aircon, I’m all ears..:)
How’s the dieting going?