After two nights camping in the garden of the El Bolson microbrewery we left El Bolson and headed north again on Ruta 40. Ruta 40 is the Argentinian equivalent of the Carretera Austral but with less rain and more dust. Like the Carretera Austral it is part paved and part ripio and runs the length of Argentina through some amazing scenery. It is affectionately called 'La Cuarenta' (the forty). We will remember it, but maybe not so affectionately, especially the ...

I feel we should start this entry by stating that whilst we have looked with envy at motorhomes and Peter has checked out prices on Ebay we do love Gerty, especially after our recent challenge leaving a camp site. On driving to the exit we were faced with a rather large collapsed cattle grid with deep mud either side. The grid was balanced precariously below the height of the road on some old logs. In an attempt to bring the worst side to the level of the road ...

The Patagonia Steppe is huge!. We drove for 9 hours between two towns on Route 40. Actually the second town was about 5 houses and a petrol station/shop/bar/restaurant and hotel all in one. We intended to camp but the site was shut and it was blowing a gale, so for yet another night we had to retreat to a hotel. The roads in Patagonia are 20% tarmac and 80% gravel or 'Ripio' as they are called here. There are many variations of these gravel roads, which we are s...

Yes, it did get warmer as we drove north! A long day's drive and a border crossing back into Chile followed by another ferry across the Magellan Straight, got us to a small national park called Pali Aike on the border with Argentina. It is very isolated and not often visited and the warden seemed positively surprised to see us. It is in the heart of the Patagonian Steppe with rock formations, the remains of volcanic eruptions. The walks around the old craters wer...

Are we being neurotic? The atmosphere in Ushuaia is strangely chilly in two ways. The icy wind blows continuously and the locals are just as cold. Is it because we are British? We don't know, have we just talked to the wrong people? There is definitely a love for the Las Malvinas. Road signs proclaim them for Argentina, car stickers proclaim Ushuaia as the Capital of Las Malvinas and there are maps everywhere with the Falklands proudly called Las Malvinas and P...