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