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