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.
Sunsets and Llamas.
Contrasts.
A little isolated salt lake.
You Llama.
I don’t recall where this was.
Just deserts.
Hurt my teeth doing that.
Glowing Llamas.
No fish for the fire.
It’s obligatory.
Up high in Peru.
Just before a grim, wet night in the rainforest.
Fixed it!
Calm.
Emergency Fuel.
Rainforest.
Layers.
Epic landscapes.
Definitely no swimming. This storm collapsed our tent!
Out on my own, Bolivia.
Love riding near a minefield…
Rio Baker Too!
Weather was, as a rule, very good – this looks a little grim.
I hope no train comes…
This was down the Austral,.
Also Baker, I think.
365 sunsets a year…
Hiding in a wind shade.
Very wild-west.
Surprise!
The Holy Llama.
In honour of Ed March.
The classic.
This route over to Argentina was surprisingly exhausting.
I was not expecting TukTuks!
Sail Away.
Down by the “legendary” fishing lake with no fish.
Also Rio Baker.
Volcanoes in the sunset.
The was to the Rainbow Mountain which nearly killed me.
Another European looking view.
…wasn’t supposed to be there!
Hello friend.
Another world.
Macho Pikkachu!
The boys we met on the boat.
😛
Dusty first steps at that.
A little pully operated river crossing.
My companion out on the salt flats.
Washing the sale off.
This was up above Santiago, on my way to find a hot pool. Took all day!
Drowned it!
Ruta 40.
A farm with beautiful skies.
The way back to Santiago was icy cold, but beautiful.
It’s like a giant, unending Alps.
Well, hello there.
The only fuel for hundreds of miles, a logging station.
As rusty as a two year old Himalayan.
Here we did, but it was windy and cold.
Chilly.
Remote places.
Another campsite.
High up and not much there.
Yet another lake!
Ever the ladies man.
The things left behind.
The biggest mirror in the world.
There’s a glacier somewhere around there.
Not a place to break down.
Between Argentina and Chile.
Infinity Mirror.
One colour was flowing into the other, but I don’t recall in which direction.
Windy and cold indeed.
The classic.
I had to go, tourism be damned.
Some waffle about “a land of contrasts”.
On the trail between Chile and Argentina.
Flat boats ferry traffic back and forth at pace, Peru I think.
These guys saved my life in Peru.
A Machu-Picchu resident.
Beautiful lights.
Finally, a proper desert, it has cactus!
Not for swimming…
Camped by this ultra windy lake. Looks like the sea.
One of the most incredible places on earth.
Good for rust…
First steps around Santiago.
A little desert feeling.
I was trying to show a “handy trick” to get out of a hole. Went well!
Cave.
Rio Baker.
Old school transport.
Very cold. No Swimming.
It’s a cloud, not a volcano…
Fire, skies and camping. I miss this traveling solo.
Volcanoes.
The skies…
Could as easily be a field in Germany as on the other side of the world.
Goodnight.
Old Motorbikes.
A national park in Argentina, iirc.
In trouble…
Didn’t catch anythng.
One of the easier crossings, one very nearly did for me…
It’s a mighty dramatic landscape.
Ludicrously, I carried eggs for breakfast up this beach successfully!
The field looks so calm compared to the lake.
Aguas Calientes to Machu Pikkachu.
Almost Scotland.
We had to hide from the wind.
An extremely steep road.
Spent three days on this little thing.
Salty waters.
More contrasting hillsides. Creative, right?
We were happy to get to tarmac, but the roads were long and empty.
Wonderful colours.
Jesus with Halo.
A salty lake.
The only shady tree.
Chilly.
Just off the main road, perfect wild camp.
We did not swim!
A Balkans-Feeliing.
Stayed a few nights at a friend’s farm.
No idea what or where this is!
Where’s Road Runner? Meep Meep!
The Ride. Kreiga OS18 system on the side panels.
Sunset on the salt flat.
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