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