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