The South American-Traveller are like a big family. You meet someone, who know that person, which you have met earlier in the month. Very often, you meet again on another spot, even if the distances here are quiet big. At the entrance to the National park of El Chaiten we see already from a distance an orange coloured VW-Bully with the old black licence plate of Austria. The driver, white beard, suspenders – that must be Sepp from Upper-Austria! The 72 year old guy travels with his 20 year old car on his own through South-America. We know him already from a campground in Usuhaia. He told us, that he have been many time travelling through South-America but this year it will be he’s very last tour.

Sepp did work as well as a mountain guide as he was young and climbed up to some really difficult mountain peaks all over the world. He tells us, which hiking tours here in this region are the most wonderful ones and which we should definitely do. Next day we go on our way. But today the sun is quite strong and the heat is not the best weather for a hiking tour, so we need longer than we would normally need.

But nevertheless we have a terrific view from up there and nature is just marvellous. We will sleep tonight very good after this hike. In that moment we want to close our door from the bus to leave everything behind us, after this great but strenuous day, there is Sepp standing in front of our bus. He have his binoculars with him, which is suitable for darkness and he want to show us the mysteries of the galaxy. We are very thankful that he tells us all about the stars and then we really fall into star-dreams. After four days here in El Chaiten with lots of hiking tours and getting to know a lot more about the stars in the sky we leave and go back to the street “Cuarrenta” (Route National No. 40).

In Tres Lagos we take some more petrol. As well we take a break and eat a sandwich (kind of at least) with cheese and ham. In front of us till the village Perito Moreno are now 500 km just dusty gravel roads. Between Tres Lagos and Perito Moreno is nothing then a few Estancias. This are more or less big farms, most of them are living from breeding cows and sheep’s but nowadays you can as well overnight there. Most of the Estancias in Patagonia are a few kilometres away from the main route in the so called Mesetas in the Canyons. Here they are hidden from the strong Patagonian wind. We are in our bus, it is hot and we decide, to go to one of the Estancias for a night, to cool ourselves down and get a shower after nearly one week without. „Estancia La Angostura“ is written on a piece of wood. We follow the sign. After a few kilometres we don’t see anything just the Meseta. We have the feeling the road leads us to nowhere. Then the street leads downwards and ends in a canyon. This is like paradise. A River winds up through green fields. Lot´s of cows and horses and the Estancia La Angostura. From the main road we could not imagine to find such a piece of land since the Meseta gives you the imagination, there is just land till the horizon. We are not the only overnight guests, there are two small groups, each 6 persons from France and Germany. The owner of the Estancia ask us, if we would like to join the today’s lamb Asado. Well, after this long and dusty day we don´t really have to think that over, especially since we are not anymore in the mood of cooking. The Gautchos prepare the two half’s of the lamb on a kind of cross and put them over the wooden fire. Together with different kind of salads we eat this wonderful lamb which is so tender one can just find it here in Patagonia. After dinner we still sit together with the other guests and the workers of the Estancia. After the generator is switched off, we enjoy the silence and the stars, while sitting in our chairs in the total darkness.

Next day we still don’t reach the village of Perito Moreno and so we overnight again on an Estancia. Peggy, the 70 years old owner, tells us, that about 100 years ago her father came from the village Gairloch in Scotland (which we surely know) all the way to Argentina to settle down here. Till 1991 they had about 12 000 sheep’s, but as the volcano named Hudson erupted, they lost over 7000 of them. That was the idea of finding another way of earning money – Tourism. In there garden is now a place where one can overnight with tents but as well they have more and more guests hosting in a few cabanas (guest-houses).Next day we don’t stay to long in the nearby village Perito Moreno. We go further west and drive the south part along the lake Buenos Aires, which leads us then to Chile and the Chilenian Carretera Austral (street of the south). In Chile Chico we cross the border. The second biggest lake of South-America, which is located in Argentinia as well in Chile, has two different names. On the Argentinian side it is called Lagos Buenos Aires, on the Chilenian side it is called Lago General Carrera. Now on the Chilenian side we will have 120 km of highly dramatic but as well fascinating stretch. The road is becoming a steep slope and goes along the cliffs. We can do this stretch just on a extreme slowly base. The street is part of the rock and now and then we find rocks which have the size of a football and bigger. On the right side the street goes vertical into the lake. Michaela shut her eyes and pray one Lord´s prayer after the other

At the height of Paso de Los Llaves , they had to blow up 30 km out of the rock. We have a terrific view over the lake and the Anden. Shortly before sunset, we reach the village Puerto Guadal, where we overnight in the garden of a Chilenian family. We have lake view and all over poultries and goose and three dogs from which we don´t know if they protect us or if we should protect ourselves against them. Next day we drive onto the Carretera Austral, which is the only street leading to the cold Southern part of Chile. The road leads through dark forests and passes volcano’s and glaciers. Chile started to construct this road in the year 1981 and it ends shortly in front of the Patagonian inland ice field. A few cyclists which we met along the road, told us, they started in El Chailten/ Argentina, crossed there the border and went via Villa O`Higgins northbound the Carretera Austral. We do not go the whole stretch southbound, shortly before Cochrane we end. The road was getting really bad, wholes bigger and bigger and lots of big rocks on the road. The shock absorber gets into a bad condition. We don´t want to bother our bus anymore with that and return northbound.

We drive direction Coihaique to the north and then westwards till Puerto Aisen. There we overnight at a wild romantic lake and drive next day the long distance back to Argentina and then further on the Cuarrenta till the village of Esquel. At the border the costumes officer of Argentina check our bus totally through. Five officer try to find something, which I guess they even don´t know by themselves. In the end they tell us, they search for drugs and bring a “Drug-dog”, which even after five times telling the dog he should enter the bus, he won’t do. After this we both are really mad and for the rest of the stretch we are angry like a hell. In the evening Michaela comes to the point, that they might have checked us through, because my outlook is a bit wired. (Not shaved for the last 14 days). I decide, I will not shave anymore for the rest of my life!!

It seems that nearly whole Bavaria is on it´s way through South-America. On the campground in Esquel we meet Judith and Uwe from Hof an der Saale which lies in the north part of Bavaria. Two of many Bavarians, which we have seen since we are here in South-America. The two are travelling with a yellow bus (librarybus of the administrative district of Hof). They already have been to India and Pakistan but they like it a lot as well travelling through the Franconian Swiss. Uwe, studied teacher, twice he already skipped working at school, tells us that the beer here in Argentina is quiet good, but the best beer you get in Upper Franconia. Dear Uwe, we know that you have a profound knowledge, but this is not quiet right. We will invite you one time to Upper Palatinate and then you will see! After a barbeque together, we sit around the fire and speak about the world; and if the wood would not have been finished, I guess we still would sit there together. Uwe loves cooking as well then Michaela. Both are telling each other what kind of delicious food is to be found around the world. So we decide to stay one more day here with them and tomorrow both will cook some specialities.

Uwe prepares a wonderful Tom Yam. This is a spicy Thai soup with different vegetables and special herbs. Michaela surprises us with Ghana Chili (for recipe, see witch corner, goodies). This is an African dish with chicken cooked in tomatoes, onion, ginger and garlic. With that you serve rice. Later in the evening, John from Seattle is coming and get´s us drunken with his Caipirinas. It have been two wonderful days together with Judith and Uwe and we are looking already forward to meet them again somewhere in South-America.

Next day Judith and Uwe drive northbound. We want to visit the National park of Los Alerces with it´s dark forests and unspoiled lakes and rivers. The peculiarity of the national park are the Anden-larchs and the south-beech’s with an age up to 5000 years old. Lot´s of plants which we at home actually just know from the balcony or in flower-tins are growing wild, like orchids or lilies.

We drive onward to visit Klaus and Claudia. They have been settling down with their two girls about four years ago in the near of El Bolson. A few years ago we did read their book “In 16 years around the world” (See under links). As well we visited a slide show done by Klaus. Once their, Klaus hand me over a bush knife. The paths are full with bushes of rosehip. This bushes have been brought over to Argentina from the first settlers of Europe and are now a real plague. We try to find our way through this jungle to search for the spring water on his land. After all we find it, the water tastes fresh and clear. Meanwhile, there are some friends in the house of Claudia and Klaus and we sit together with speaking and singing. Juan, gets into raptures about his self-made Empanadas (filled dough pockets) , a delicacy of Argentina and Chile and invites us for the next day lunchtime.

We go for lunch next day together with Anna and Mona, the kids of Klaus and Claudia, which are as well friends with Maria Paz, the daughter of Juan. The Empanadas of Juan have been delicious. In the afternoon, Juan show us more about his native city El Bolson and the surrounding. In the evening we drive back to Claudia and Klaus.

Four wonderful days have been gone by with Claudia and Klaus. We wish them, that whenever “South-American-Travellers” will stop by at their house, that they will be just nice ones. People which appreciate hospitality and not take advantage of Claudia and Klaus. We did enjoy the interesting conversations and went with a tear in our eyes. We are crossing now once more the border from Argentina to Chile. We are on our way to the island of Chiloe. On the way to that island we stop for two days at Herberts and Isabels place, which we met already in Tierra del Fuego.

About 80 km south of Osorno is the city of Llanquihue. Isabel is from Llanquihue and Herbert, born in Germany lives since 34 years in Chile. They have been build a wonderful house at the lake of Llanquihue on a dreamlike spot with a terrific view up to the volcano Osorno.

The world is really small. We meet Petra and Frank from the Eifel, Germany, at Herberts house. They are travelling with their motorbike through South-America and we met them already three weeks ago in El Chaiten. Herbert prepares a barbeque with steaks and sausages and we sit quiet a while together in this night of full moon.

After two days we say good bye. Herbert and Isabel, thank you once more for this wonderful time in your house. Today is our first raining day, since we started our tour in South-America two month ago. We drive over Puerto Montt to Pargua, where we have to go with a ferry to the biggest island of Chile, Chiloe. The ferry just takes 20 minutes for this small stretch, but due to the mist we can´nt see anything of the island. It rains on top of it. Just in the evening the rain stops, the mist disappears and we see the sun for a short while.

Chiloe is just 10 km far away from the main land and still it is like an own world. The people live here like about a hundred years ago. The washing is still done by hand, an oven in the houses gives warmness and is the only way of cooking. Just the TV , as the only modernisation, is to be found in most of the houses, that one can tell due to the lots of Satellite’s. The small and colourful houses, the vegetation, the smell of fish in the village along the coast line, reminds to villages in the Caribbean.

Our mission on this island is to find the family, where I got hospitality 16 years ago, as I travelled with my bike through Chile. We do not have an address, nor a name. The only thing which we have is a picture, which I took 16 years ago from the family.

I did remember as well that the father of the family worked as a police officer and that the house was on the left side of the island. This means we have to search an area from about 80 km length and about 20 km width. There are lots of paths to the coast. I go with my feeling and do not go every single road. We ask ourselves lots of times, if they are still living here, what about the kids and and and. We drive through villages and ask the people living there, showing them the picture of the passed. The kids in the villages try to peak through the windows into our bus. We as well ask at police stations, just to hear: No we don´t know the family. Now the last police station. After that we give up. Michaela comes back from the office and smiles from one ear to the other. Well I know the meaning of this smile, we found them. The police officer who we showed the picture, laughed his head off and repeats one after the other time: “Yes, this is Patricio.” Now I remember the name as well. The officer calls to the house of Patricio and just five minutes later we look into each others eyes. He remember me as well as he see the picture which I show him, from 16 years ago on my bike. We have not changed a lot, just our tummies grew bigger. We hug each other and then we go together with him to their house. Now I remember again. On their land I immediately find the spot, where in those time my tent was placed and even an old tyre of a lorry is still on the same spot. Just the dog, which 16 years ago emptied my bags full with groceries, is not alive any more. But there is certainly already a substitute and lots of small pigs, which are luckily behind a fence. Michaela gets some old bread and feed them.

Now Patricia arrives (picked up the kids from school), which is the wife of Patricio. Unfortunately Patricio have to go back to work, but Patricia invites us in their house for lemonade and goodies. In the middle of the room is an old wooden stove and right there is a small case, where noise is coming from. Small chickens are in there. Patricia fetches a big loaf of homemade cheese and grandma slices it into small pieces. She puts them on a plate and we all sit around the table, eating the cheese with bread and try to have a conversation with hands and feet’s and our knowledge of Spanish which is getting better day by day.

The second person from right on the picture is Christina. On the family picture from 1991 is Christina, the baby which Patricia holds in her arms (blue trouser) The other kids have not been born to that time.
Here time really stands still. No High-Tec, no internet, nothing.
Back from the passed times you will hear more from us.
Greetings and Salute
Michaela und Raimund