2018 and 19 were something of a machine gun. In 18 it was Hellas Rally then shortly afterwards I was off to Iceland. Obviously back in my IT days I must have been paid a little more than I am now as a teacher. Hectic as well because one relationship was ending as another was starting. Then while I was in Iceland Lenore failed for the first time. Boom.
Then, snow still on the ground in Germany, and freshly in a new relationship I found myself flying off to Santiago in Chile to buy two XR150s and head out on a four month long trip with a companion who’s total riding experience to date was “a few times around the garden”.
I’ve already written about drowning my bike on the salt flats in Bolivia, and I have written a technical article on buying and registering a motorcycle in Chile. I’ve written nothing else. Here at the end of 2025 I find myself somewhat sad that I don’t even have any notes. It was an epic journey by any measure, the most exotic of my travel career to date. This photo essay is, I hope, a first step in regaining some resolution in my memories of the trip and writing about a few more episodes.
Somehow the dates on the photos have gone wrong, as has my memory of where and when they were taken, so the gallery is intentionally randomised.
Drowned it!
Not for swimming…
We were happy to get to tarmac, but the roads were long and empty.
Rio Baker.
One colour was flowing into the other, but I don’t recall in which direction.
Very cold. No Swimming.
Epic landscapes.
Washing the sale off.
It’s a cloud, not a volcano…
Aguas Calientes to Machu Pikkachu.
Layers.
Out on my own, Bolivia.
I hope no train comes…
Just before a grim, wet night in the rainforest.
Ludicrously, I carried eggs for breakfast up this beach successfully!
An extremely steep road.
A salty lake.
A little pully operated river crossing.
Another European looking view.
In honour of Ed March.
Chilly.
The classic.
Down by the “legendary” fishing lake with no fish.
Weather was, as a rule, very good – this looks a little grim.
As rusty as a two year old Himalayan.
Up high in Peru.
365 sunsets a year…
Glowing Llamas.
More contrasting hillsides. Creative, right?
Old Motorbikes.
The field looks so calm compared to the lake.
It’s like a giant, unending Alps.
Flat boats ferry traffic back and forth at pace, Peru I think.
Love riding near a minefield…
Emergency Fuel.
Chilly.
Rainforest.
Very wild-west.
The only shady tree.
Hello friend.
Where’s Road Runner? Meep Meep!
Wonderful colours.
We did not swim!
Calm.
Rio Baker Too!
It’s a mighty dramatic landscape.
Hurt my teeth doing that.
My companion out on the salt flats.
I was trying to show a “handy trick” to get out of a hole. Went well!
A little isolated salt lake.
Sail Away.
We had to hide from the wind.
It’s obligatory.
A national park in Argentina, iirc.
Could as easily be a field in Germany as on the other side of the world.
Here we did, but it was windy and cold.
Stayed a few nights at a friend’s farm.
Sunsets and Llamas.
Beautiful lights.
Windy and cold indeed.
Definitely no swimming. This storm collapsed our tent!
The way back to Santiago was icy cold, but beautiful.
The Ride. Kreiga OS18 system on the side panels.
Didn’t catch anythng.
Between Argentina and Chile.
The Holy Llama.
The only fuel for hundreds of miles, a logging station.
Cave.
Fire, skies and camping. I miss this traveling solo.
Remote places.
Contrasts.
Some waffle about “a land of contrasts”.
Salty waters.
Camped by this ultra windy lake. Looks like the sea.
Macho Pikkachu!
Another campsite.
Yet another lake!
One of the most incredible places on earth.
This was down the Austral,.
I don’t recall where this was.
The biggest mirror in the world.
These guys saved my life in Peru.
Ever the ladies man.
Sunset on the salt flat.
Well, hello there.
Also Baker, I think.
😛
The was to the Rainbow Mountain which nearly killed me.
The boys we met on the boat.
Fixed it!
A Machu-Picchu resident.
The skies…
…wasn’t supposed to be there!
Hiding in a wind shade.
Not a place to break down.
On the trail between Chile and Argentina.
A farm with beautiful skies.
First steps around Santiago.
You Llama.
Jesus with Halo.
In trouble…
Just off the main road, perfect wild camp.
Surprise!
Dusty first steps at that.
Another world.
There’s a glacier somewhere around there.
Spent three days on this little thing.
Good for rust…
This route over to Argentina was surprisingly exhausting.
Volcanoes in the sunset.
High up and not much there.
No fish for the fire.
Old school transport.
Finally, a proper desert, it has cactus!
I was not expecting TukTuks!
One of the easier crossings, one very nearly did for me…
Also Rio Baker.
A Balkans-Feeliing.
Goodnight.
I had to go, tourism be damned.
No idea what or where this is!
Almost Scotland.
Volcanoes.
Ruta 40.
Infinity Mirror.
This was up above Santiago, on my way to find a hot pool. Took all day!
A little desert feeling.
The classic.
The things left behind.
Just deserts.
Related
