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