With some regret, we moved on from this lovely campground. Actually, it’s the back and front yard of a private house but with plenty of grass and space for campers. Grape vines, olive, apple trees and a soccer field, set the scene. Lovely warm showers and even hot water at the hand basin!!! After saying a brief goodbye to a German couple who were in high spirits after having the sale of their Texas registered, Ford van, camper conversion, sold to another German couple, starting out on their travels. They are now planning their flights home.
First, an oil change.
Our destination tonight, the coast, about 190ks south of Santiago. But first, it’s time to replenish the oil in Poki and fit a new oil filter. I remembered passing a small garage, on our way into the city, yesterday. It didn’t take long to find it and there were no cars being worked on. Great! In no time we had selected the right oil and the owners helper was draining the old oil. We had been using 20w-50 for the hot climate in the north, but we are heading south, into colder weather and a lighter oil would be better. 10w-40 Mobil synthetic. Expensive but it should last us till we get to Montevideo, or similar. We carry several spare filters as they are unlikely to be available here.
That done, the next requirement a supermarket. The garage owner told us there was a Walmart, just up the road. Jen googled it and the result was, 36k’s. We opt for an alternative and find all we need.
It’s a beautiful day and by 1.30pm we need to stop for lunch.
Afterwards, heading south west, we are soon on lesser roads and after huge fields of strawberries, we are into forestry. It looks like Radiata pine? Passing several logging trucks, we are surprised by the young age of their loads. They can’t be much use for other than fence posts!. We could be driving in New Zealand. Narrowish, undulating roads and pine trees both sides with grass berms.
Pichilimu
It’s a reasonably sized town and compared with much of what we have seen of Chilean towns in the north, this is quite civilised, with a good variety of shops.
Our camp though, is par for the course of camps here. Very little maintenance or pretense of sophistication. Rustic, would best describe it. Though it seems there is hot water in the showers. Previous visitors have been quite scathing of the place. We have a sheltered space with a sand base for the caranex, and will deal with rudimentary facilities.
This is rated as a surfers beach. After a walk down to the beachfront to check it out, it’s time for dinner. I think we will both sleep well tonight, after a disturbed one last night. Planes seemed to be flying in and out all night!
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Hi Dennis and Jen
Your description of the forest trees as Radiate; Full marks!
Chile is big on radiate, when we were there we visited one nursery that was producing more radiate seedlings than all New Zealand nurseries combined, and that was just one nursery. Back in the late 1980’s – (early 1990’s ? ) they recruited a nursery man from the Nursery at Forest Research Institute in Rotorua. He set up three nurseries in Chile complete with specialist equipment designed and built in Rotorua. They also have their own breeding programme for improving tree stocks.
You also mention the small diameter, they seemed to be better equiped to retrieve material that is left in the forest in NZ, which probably attributed to the lower labour costs.
Cheers
Bob
Hi! Bob, you mentioned scale. The plantings of not only timber but olives, strawberries, cherries, grapes, citrus and more, is truely staggering. No doubt the long narrow country bordered and fed by the Andes has provided sustenance and vast plains. We have yet to see the pampas. Thanks for your excellent detail. Plenty of club activity, coming up to christmas!
Best to all.
Us 🙂