Feb 24 2015

Chile’s Lake District

We are finally “back on the road again”, something Anne sings from time to time when she is happy to be back on the motorbike. We spend two half days riding down ‘Route 5’ which is the main dual highway road spine of Chile. Easy riding, but the tolls every 50km or so are a pain to pay the 1400 pesos for two bikes – fumbling with notes and coins in gloves is not the easiest. I have resorted to small envelopes pre-packed with one 1000 peso note and four 100 peso coins. Apart from this minor irritant, weather is good, not too hot, traffic is light and follows road rules, something we have not been used to for quite a while. Our first destination is Talca, a town some 250km south of Santiago, we overnight and then push on to Temuco, our jumping off point for the Chilean Lake District, our first area to explore in our southward meander. Temuco has an unusual statue in the town’s main square which is dedicated to all the peoples, including indigenous Mapuche, who contributed to the area’s development.

Monumento a la Araucania, Plaza de Armas, Temuco

We are slowly adjusting to the the local timings, such as late breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here this pizza restaurant was open at 7pm, with one member of staff when we arrived, we were the only customers. I think we had finished dinner before all the staff arrived!

The backdrop to the main counter at Lola restaurant, Temuco, Chile

Thinking of the Cab Sav we are about to enjoy.

In Temuco, we visit the railway museum, which while they have retained some impressive buildings such as the coaling tower and roundhouse for locomotives, the level of carriage and engine maintenance is non existent with rusty coaches and deteriorating steam engines, a pity really as it could be a wonderful historic tourist attraction. We travelled parallel to a railway line down route 5 and while bridges and other infastructure appeared intact the track, catenary and signalling had a disused air about it, plus we saw no trains running. It appears some sections are no longer in use, probably due to the highway running parallel to the railway offering faster transportation options for people and goods.

Steam crane and coaling station at the railway museum, Temuco

Museo Nacional Ferroviario at Temuco, Engine Roundhouse

We turn west heading for lago or lake Villarrica, traffic is heavy coming back as it is the end of the school holidays, every property we pass seems to offer Cabañas or camping of various quality. As we start to skirt the lake, we get our first glimpse of Mt Villarrica as we head towards Pucón.

Our first glimpse of Villarrica volcano, Chile

Mt Villarrica dominates that landscape at 2,840m with a wisp of smoke coming from the top, we understand that the last volcanic activity started in December 2014 and has not finished yet! Each day at 12:00 they test the emergency alarm, which covers volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis on the coast. Warning signs give evacuation routes for the volcanic activity, we will be happy to avoid such potential excitement.

This sign was found in many places we went to in Chile

Pucón is a charming, if somewhat touristy, village at the eastern edge of Lake Villarrica under the watchful gaze of Mt Villarrica, seems everything is named after the volcano. We spend a relaxing afternoon and enjoy the long summer twilight, which lasts till about 9:30pm even at this time of the year.

In Pucón with Villarrica volcano in the background

South brings us to lake Calafquen in search of hot springs, mentionned in other travel blogs which can be a good source of current information. Our chosen hot springs destination is Termas Geometricas some 20 kilometers towards the Villarrica volcano, which I presume is the source of the warming waters. This beautifully developed hot springs is laid out above the stream that cuts through a verdant green gorge. We spend a relaxing afternoon testing various pools, which range between 36 and 45 degrees (and make us wonder how hot a couple of pools closed for being too hot were) and take a walk in the forest above the hot springs before returning to our campground in Coñaripe, on the edge of Calafquen lake.

Termas Geometricas, Coñaripe

Wildlife spotted at Termas Geometricas, Coñaripe, Chile

Enjoying a soak in one of the many pools at Termas Geometricas, Coñaripe, Chile

Small lizard spotted during our forest walk

Termas Geometricas viewed from our forest walk

Anne is excited at camping again.

Anthony

Feb 20 2015

Breaking out of the bubble…..

As we descended into Santiago last week, I gazed out of the window contemplating how being in an aeroplane seeing the world laid out below me, but not feeling part of it, is a little like being in a bubble. Since we left Streak and Storm in Kuala Lumpur at the end of 2014, it has seemed we have been separated from our world of Adventure Riding, enjoyable as that has been both back in Australia and here in Santiago, we are only half way around the world and the desire to complete the journey and keep our loyal followers sated with new and interesting blog entries, we are keen start travelling again.

Anne has provided an excellent and detailed blog on our stay in Santiago and the surrounds, plus the generosity of Carlos and Jessica, and I can only say I concur wholeheartedly with her views and wish to add my appreciation of the city and its people. As the following photo shows, last night we have been well insulated in our bubble from the rigours of motorcycle travel.

Adventure riding in Santiago!

As we are packing the bikes to depart Santiago, a well dressed elderly couple sit watching us, what are they discussing? Something they would like to have done in their youth or reflecting on a trip they once did like us, we will never know, but it makes me think that we all have memories and dreams and I believe we should try as far as possible in our lives to turn the latter into the former.

We are packed and ready to leave Santiago

We set off, out of Santiago heading south, “Al Sur” the signs say. The weather is fine and the road dual highway, within a hour or so, they skies become dark grey, jagged lightening slashes across the sky, thunder rumbles and rain pelts down soaking our dry weather gloves, so we slow to 100km per hour, Yes the bubble has broken, and we are loving it!

– Anthony

Feb 19 2015

A week in Santiago

After our record breaking bike clearance time at the airport, we have the rest of the week end before we can go to BMW. Sunday is spent walking and walking. First around Bellavista to see some interesting street art. Not all streets in that area feel quite safe, so it was good Anthony came with me. He has been feeling very dizzy and we are not sure why – we suspect it’s his ears as he has had a blocked nose. So we wonder the streets together before he heads back for a snooze.

Bellavista street art, Santiago, Chile

Wealthy people and businesses pay for street art, Bellavista,, Santiago, Chile

Then I wonder off to other areas and find the most exquisite square.

Plaza Libertad de Prenza, Santiago

Time to head back into the centre of Santiago.

Barrio Brasil, Santiago, Chile

Palacio de la Moneda, Santiago, Chile

Basilica de la Merced, Santiago, Chile

We have been eating sandwiches for lunch and dinner for the last few days, we decide to go out to dinner tonight and find a great lively area with all sorts of restaurants. Great spot for people watching.

Jose Victorino Lastarria street, Santiago

Monday morning, we head off to BMW. We meet the guy I emailed but as I suspected, his English is no better than my Spanish, ie non-existent, but he gets someone who speaks English for us and promptly disappears. Ricardo, who was a flight attendant for 15 years, speaks perfect English and understands customer service. He is lovely. So over our 5 hours waiting to hear anything from the service guys, we ask him to give us an update, passes my not-so-subtle suggestions such as try the bike first, then use either Anthony’s DME or the one belonging to the brand new F700GS in their show room, so we can be out of their hair as soon as possible. While we wait, we enjoy the outrageous cafe service they provide customers. We go out to the local mall for lunch, come back for another coffee and cakes.

BMW Santiago waiting area

BMW Santiago cafe

Free cakes at BMW Santiago!

Streak waiting to be fixed at BMW Motorrad Santiago, Chile

After 5 hours we leave after Ricardo promises to call us back with news the next day. The next morning, Ricardo calls, they have identified the problem and the bike will be ready at the end of the day! Really, so quick? I keep asking whether they actually took the bike for a test ride before reprogramming the DME but I never really get a satisfactory answer. Despite usually being positive, I am a little dubious that they have actually fixed my throttle problem with a simple DME software calibration. We’ll find out tomorrow, because today, Tuesday, we are being taken out.

We take the metro to meet Carlos and his family after having a morning coffee at one of the “coffee with legs” places, as they are called here…

Coffee with legs, Santiago, Chile

For $2.50, I get a coffee, pastry and glass of sparkling water and Anthony a great view…

We stumbled upon D’Angelo Botas – making crocodile skin boots, Santiago

We love these types of creative businesses – fresh juice on the go – Santiago

Carlos and Jessica have taken the day off to take us to one of the wine growing areas called Casablanca, just over an hour out of Santiago. We are treated to a fantastic lunch with superb red wine, at the Indómita winery, overlooking the valley. What a wonderful way to spend a few hours.

With Carlos, Jessica and Sebastian

Casablanca valley from Indómita winery, Chile

Then they take us to Valparaiso harbour which is buzzing with life, small colourful wooden boats, a few ex Royal Navy ships in the distance, and people simply enjoying their afternoon in the great sunshine we are having here. We see the various hills around Valparaiso dotted with quaint colourful houses. It will be fun to explore this town again when we return on our own. Because now, it is time to drive to Viña del Mar, the next town up the coast, for ice cream. It is interesting how two little towns so close to each other can have such different feels. Viña del Mar is obviously more affluent, with lovely promenades, lush gardens and great white buildings. It is very pleasant, but we both love the feel of working ports, so Valparaiso is where we will return. What a great day, with our new friends.

Valparaiso port, Chile

Sebastian, Carlos and Jessica at Valparaiso, Chile

Wednesday after doing a spot of repacking, getting our next 6 months’ worth of medication into our kitchen/bathroom pannier, we head off to BMW. I take Streak for a test ride with Anthony following to give me directions or I would get lost!! It doesn’t take long to notice the sluggish accelaration. I want to be quite sure, so we take the freeway so that I can give it a good go. No good. Back to BMW. Ricardo is on leave but we meet Michel from France who is waiting to get his bike fixed and he translates for us. Once again, I insist that someone goes out on my bike and opens the throttle up as if they were overtaking or going accelerating out of a bend. We are told to come back in 3 hours. While they work on both our bikes, we go to the mall and have lunch together. It is the first time we have met a fellow rider going in the opposite ditection who can give us a few tips on some roads to avoid. We return to find out that they did test Streak, felt the problem and found two software upgrades. Time for another tests ride. Instant difference! It feels like I have a brand new bike. So Santiago were right, we didn’t need a new DME after all, simply software upgrades. So after another 6.5 hours today at BMW, we are finally good to go!!!!!!!!!

Back at the apartment, it is time to pack. What do we do, do we head north, do we head south first as we have an extra couple of weeks we thought would be required for my bike, do we have another look for tickets to Easter Island? There are a few seats available to Easter Island over the next few days but the first available flight back from Easter Island is the 9th March!!! That’s too late says Anthony. But I have another idea: we could spend a couple of weeks to explore the Lake District south of Santiago, which also means time to make sure Streak is fully recovered, come back on the 3rd March, if we have bike issues, we can take the bikes back to BMW while we are on Easter Island, and head to Rapa Nui on the 4th, back on the 9th. Knowing how much I have always wanted to go there, Anthony couldn’t resist the look of excitement on my face. An hour or so later, I have booked flights and accommodation!!!!

So much to do and plan, we decide we’ll stay another day tomorrow and head off Friday 21st Feb. Time today for some shopping and more coffee with legs 🙂

Our free glasses of sparkling water to go with Anne’s coffee

We loved Santiago when we first came here and we love it even more. Still so much to see but the roads beckon. Next news will be from somewhere south of here.

Anne

Feb 14 2015

The bikes’ arrival into Santiago

Our bikes’ crating in Singapore and shipping to South America certainly tested our resolve!! We wanted to deal with an airline directly but all the ones we contacted were non-responsive, so we found agents. We haven’t mentioned that Anthony booked a return flight to Singapore in January to sort out the crating of the bikes. While the agent we dealt with in Singapore at Penanshin Air Express was extremely effecicient and kept us informed every step of the way, the people they used to crate the bikes had no concept of air freighting costs and minimising crate size, even though we’d sent them photos and dimensions of our crates from Dubai to Delhi and despite several phone calls. Yes, it was going to be cheaper to fly to Singapore and back and pay for accommodation there than go with the crate they built originally. It was only on the actual day of Anthony’s flight, after our agent went to the airport to see the bikes and crates for herself and finally came back with acceptable measurements of a new crate, that we cancelled the tickets.

The agents in Chile, from The SeaFair Group, were also very responsive and helpful. But they too dealt with another 3rd party – this time the air freighters and because there were no direct cargo flights from Singapore to Santiago, we had the added bonus of airline change enroute. Yes, that means more trouble – more handling, more charges and especially more potential for missing connections. Anyway, we were given so many arrival dates: the day of our own arrival, that changed to Friday, then to Saturday night, then to Monday because the bikes had missed a connection supposedly, then suddenly this morning, we get a call to say that the bikes had arrived overnight!!!! And we can come today to get them out. Being Saturday, will there be any additional costs?! We are told not. So off we head to the airport.

We are prepared for anything after our Delhi experience… Remember, it took us 3 full days of daily visits to the airport and outrageous fees to clear customs and get the bikes out of the warehouse. Well here, from arrival at the cargo area at 11.30am, to clearing customs, to getting the crates taken out of the warehouse, unpacking the bikes from their very solid crates, to reassembling the bikes and riding out of the Cargo terminal area: 3.5 hours!!!!!!!! The agent here was fantastic, he had all the paperwork required and it was a breeze. No special overtime, holiday or whatever extra payments, just a warehouse fee, which turned out to be cheaper than what we had been quoted. And no mad swarms of people and trucks as it was Saturday.

So yes, we have our bikes back!!!!!!

Cargo warehouse – Santiago

Hans sorting out the warehouse paperwork (and fee!) – Santiago Cargo warehouse

The crates they built for us were solid!!! Lucky the guys at the terminal had massive crow bars and hammers to lend us and our agent had brought some over with him too, so the 3 of us set about dismantling the crate. Looking at the state of boxes on the truck in the background, we are grateful our crates were that solid!!

Here comes Storm – Santiago Cargo warehouse

Anthony does the hard work to loosen the many nails – Santiago

Anne pulls the loosened nails out – Santiago

The crates are solid

Streak is well packaged

Anne reassembling her Rox risers and handlebars – Santiago

With the dismantled crates carefully pilled up in the corner and the bikes reassembled, we are ready to leave the Cargo area.

We are reassembled and ready to leave Santiago Cargo warehouse in record time!!

Santiago here we come!

We would definitely recommend both Penanshin Air Express and The SeaFair Group.

For some reason, Storm had just under half a tank of fuel still while Streak was empty (as Storm should have been) so first stop at the Shell petrol station at the airport then time to head into Santiago city centre where we are staying for 4 nights. The Saturday traffic is light and easy.

The security guy at the apartment block we are staying at agrees to let us park the bikes in the underground car park, for a made up fee of course, but not too outragious and so much more convenient and safer than going to a public car park. Had this been India or anywhere in Asia, the lovely great porch area of the apartment block would have been jammed with at least 20 bikes!! Not here though.

Going back in time a little, we were invited out for dinner Friday to a friend of a friend’s. We had actually met in Brisbane at a friend’s place a couple of years ago but didn’t know him very well. Anyway, we were treated to a fabulous barbecue and family dinner at their home. Such lovely people. And great for us to get a taste of local life.

Our wonderful hosts Carlos, Jessica and Sebastian – Santiago, Chile

Monday, we go to the Santiago BMW dealer. Let’s hope that they are more helpful than their lack of email response seem to indicate….

In the meantime, time for some Santiago exploring.

Anne

Feb 11 2015

The Great Gig in the Sky

Here I am, 8 hours into our 12 hour flight to Santiago, listening to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album, right now The Great Gig in the Sky track while Anthony sleeps soundly beside me. Flying has always brought such extreme emotions for me: I can’t excited about any upcoming trip because I dread flying so much. Then once up there, emotions get even more raw – I have often wondered whether the depleted oxygen is the cause… My deep love for Anthony, my admiration for nature’s sheer beauty as I look out of the window once we are up at cruising altitude, my aching heart for my beloved brother whom I miss every single day. Movies can make me laugh out loud or make me sob, right now it’s the latter as I listen to this great album which my brother and I used to listen to and which Anthony and I often listen to with a good friend of ours on his fabulous stereo system. What a fabulous sunrise – somewhat psychedelic I think!!

On our way to Santiago on a direct flight from Sydney

The midnight sky over Antarctica

Sunrise as we head towards Santiago

After 6 weeks of luxury at home, I am really looking forward to being out in the elements again. I had worried a little when we first got home on Boxing Day at how I would feel about being on the road again after being home, surrounded by familiar luxuries, good food and good friends. Will I still feel like packing our bags every morning, hand washing every other day?! It feels right though. Being surrounded by nature, meeting people on the road, experiencing different cultures, camping in the middle of nowhere, all our senses alive – that’s what we both love. I won’t lie, the hand washing does get tedious!!! And I’ll no doubt wish I had more off-road riding skills at times. But ever since we first flew over the Andes in 1988 when we visited Santiago on our way to Australia, we’ve both wanted to return and spend time in that part of the world and get a closer look at this mountain range. And here we are!! Nearly. As soon as Streak is fixed… I am so looking forward to exploring roads less travelled, enjoying the deafening silence of the open spaces and seeing all these mountains. I find mountains so awe inspiring…

Here’s hoping we don’t have a repeat of our Happy Delhi Days getting our bikes out of Santiago airport… Fingers crossed!!!

6 hours later… Our bikes have been delayed! Not arriving until Saturday now. Could be Happy Santiago Days!! Oh well, change of plans. Stay tuned 🙂

Anne

2slowspeeds

Loving life – Turning Dreams into Memories

Chile’s Lake District

Breaking out of the bubble…..

A week in Santiago

The bikes’ arrival into Santiago

The Great Gig in the Sky

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