Argentina to Chile across the Andes 18th March 2017

Saturday 18^th March 2017

Mum and Dad’s Wedding Anniversary.  Argentina – Chile Border.

Very odd transfer day.  Luggage taken from extremely posh LLao Llao Hotel, Patagonia, down to catamaran at bottom of hill, where we crammed in with every seat taken. Very picturesque trip from Puerto Panuelo, across Lago Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest, then out onto another bus, 20 minute transfer through rain forest, to another lake, Lago Frias.  Another boat trip – green lake which caused more reflections with the alpine-like mountain backdrop. Bit weird that we are in March, yet they have nearly started autumn and glaciers still on the highest mountains. 

Then through Argentinian customs/emigration which took about an hour of hanging around in the heat, getting bitten by mossies.  Finally took off in a coach through the rainforest and then had a weird photo-stop at the ‘Argentinian/Chilean’ border half-way through the Andean forest. Further half hour of bone-jarring unmade road through the forest to get to Peulla in Chile.  Stayed at the only hotel in town (Hotel Natura Patagonia), as the population was only 120x and all of the work is surrounding tourism. But a really lovely hotel with wooden furniture on an enormous scale a la Fred Flintstone.  We were very late, but they kept lunch open for us, washed down with Pisco Sours and served by a Ben Elton lookalike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walked along the reed beds to ‘town’ where found a very tiny chalet-like café with coffees advertised. The man was clearing up and said the place was closed. When asked, when did it re-open he said ‘in three months’ time!’. Think we are definitely at the end of season, but the weather still beautifully warm and no rain – unusual as Chile has about 220 days rain per year and we haven’t seen any of it. Many of the plants similar to UK – geraniums, lilies, blackberries.  Also many unlike – almonds, hazlenuts and loads of monkey-puzzle trees.