Good bye Argentina, hello Chile! Goodbye Chile, hello Argentina!

I bumped into a Mexican guy in the hotel reception the night before, dressed in motorbiking gear. He has just led a small group from Mexico down to Ushuaia and was sending the bikes north by truck (the clients either didn't have the time or the inclination to ride back). He had some interesting info about where i was heading which is always good.

I had asked many people "how long does the journery through Chilean territory take to get to tierra Del fuego"? Shortest estimate was 7 hours and the longest 12 - all depending on the border officials and queues.
It was important to get there early and avoid the queues.

It was so nice to be on the bike heading South in the sun, a little chilly but with just a breeze! There are lots of extinct and well worn volcanoes to look at as you drive by. I covered the distance to the Border post in no time as it was all paved. I pulled up, got my papers ready and stood in line with the others.

I got to the counter and found that I was in the wrong building - this was for people coming from Chile to Argentina. I got back on my bike and rode on to the next border post! Why they do it that way, I can't tell you.
Take two; got all my papers and walked in. Everyone was filling in a form from a central desk so i grabbed one, did likewise and stood in a pretty short queue.
1) see the Chilean Gendarme - he reads all your papers (none too convincingly)
2) he sends you to the Chilean Passport official, bangs a couple of rubber stamps on things (actually they all do that)
3) who sends you to the Argentinian Customs offical -checks you are taking your bike with you
4) who sends you to get entry papers for your bike from the Chileans.
5) who sends you to another official who wants to make sure you are not bringing any food products in.

Once you have 5 stamps on your pink slip you shout "House!" and go outside to have your bags inspected.

I am being a bit unfair, sure it was bureacratic in the extreme but they were all couteous and it took about 30 mins. The Chilean guys took a cursory glance at my baggage, cracked a joke about "was i off to the Falklands?" and welcomed me to Chile. 

I rode into Chile and towards the Ferry or Balsa (no it is not made of balsa wood). It is a shuttle service that takes about 20 mins to cross the Estrecho De Magallanes and delivers you on to Tierra Del Fuego.

I turned up and the ferry was waiting (clearly THEY do know who I am ).You can just see the bike on the left behind the red Aldridge mobile.

I was a bit concerned that they didnt feel the need to strap the bike down but whatever.
I went upstairs took a couple of snaps, grabbed a coffee & hot dog. We were off before you knew it.
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In about the first 5 minutes - there were seals, penguins and these amazing things! They look like Killer whales but are the size and shape of Dolphins. There were 3 or 4 of them breaking the surface at speed & right next to the Ferry. I promptly dropped my ketchup and mustard coated hot dog on the seat in my rush to get the camera.

This is a picture i really wish I had got right - they are the most fantastic looking creatures. Even the crusty old truck drivers watched them as they swam by saying "muy linda" (very beautiful). I hope I will have another chance to see them when i get the Ferry to Punta Arenas. I explained them to the receptionist at my hotel. She has never seen them!
I have just looked them up, they are called the Commerson Dolphin. Google them, they are fabulous.

We were over the other side in no time & some poor sod has now got ketchup & mustrard on his trousers, wondering where that came from.

You are welcomed by a short stretch of paved road and then 2 gravel options for the route to Rio Grande. I chose the left (against instruction) as it was the least likely to get lost. The gravel is fine and the bike trundles over it at 50 mph without too many "moments". There is virtually no traffic but what there is, is considerate and you get a sense that they will all stop in the case of trouble, lots of flashing lights and waving.

it was about 2-3 hours of gravel riding so i stopped for a drink of water & timed it to get a shot of Guancao for the girls. If someone could call David Attenborough and tell him I dont want to be the photographer on his next BBC wildlife program, I'd appreciate it - frankly he is becoming a pest.

I had better mention it.............there was a bit of roadwork going on. 500 meters of resurfacing the gravel. They had just laid 6" of soft sandy topping & the only tracks through it were from the machine that put it there. At least i was doing about 20 mph when i fell off his time.i am a bit worried i am developing an attraction for construciton workers - yet again one of them helped me get the bike upright!

Give me bad gravel anytime!

i passed a Campervan with "Pole to Pole" written across the back - they must be a few hundred kms from their goal. I wonder how they feel about that?

San Sebastian appears on the map as a town. I got here and was delighted to see a cafe, so stopped for a coffee and sandwich. I was just finsihing up when a coach arrived and disgourged 30 people in to this little place (what a gold mine). It was the coach from my ferry trip so i was pleased that the route i had taken was quicker.

The wing mirrors had vibrated loose across the gravel so I got my adjustable spanner out and fixed them here. I read somewhere that the "corrugations will show you every loose nut on your bike". I will find time for a spanner check before i head too much father.

I put all my clobber back on and headed off, about 500 meters was the border crossing so i had to take it all off again.
I will explain - to get to Argentinan Tiera Del Fuego you have to go through Chile. Then you have to reverse the process.
At this point there was a young American guy called Luke, driving a Bolivian plated trail bike (a few people buy bikes locally to do this sort of thing). We had a chat and he went on to Ushuaia.

It was pretty much the process of the morning in reverse. It certainly is not like travelling across europe where you go across country borders at 90 mph.

That accomplished i was soon back on Tarmac. The story goes that - the Chileans are not prepared to pave the road for the benefit of the Argies - hence the terrible roads on their turf.

Rio Grande is a bit like Rio Gallegos, an out of the way town with little in the way of highlights. It does have a substantial barracks and lots of Malvinas Memorials.

The hotel is fine and the staff brilliant. There is only one more town south of here and that is Ushuaia!