We made it! After 681 days, 43850 km, and $6755 CAD in gas, we arrived at the southernmost city in the world. It was a dream come true…and somewhat of a miracle. We made it the whole way without any show-stopping breakdowns, a rare occurrence for vintage vans like ours. Lucky was definitely living up to her name. (more…)
Battling the Fickle Patagonian Weather
Gregor and I woke up feeling groggy after a bad night’s sleep in the van. Lucky rocked violently in 80-km/hr winds for most of the evening and the wind was still raging when we went out for our morning pee. The inertia was strong, but we managed to muster up enough energy to pack our daypacks and put on our hiking boots. After all, we drove all the way from Canada to see these peaks. (more…)
Gone with the Wind: The Plains of Patagonia
To some people, the word “Patagonia” is just the name of an outdoor clothing company that makes expensive jackets and colourful urban wear. To others, the word conjures images of a mystical, far-off place filled with rock walls, pristine glaciers, and majestic condors. Gregor and I actually didn’t know where Patagonia was before we entered Argentina. All we knew was that if we kept on driving, we’d eventually get there. (more…)
Penguin Love on Argentina’s Atlantic Coast
We left Gaiman and drove south along Argentina’s Atlantic coast to our next wildlife destination: the Magellanic penguin colonies at Punta Tombo and Cabo Dos Bahías. It was the beginning of breeding season (early October) and there were going to be hundreds of thousands of penguins at the rookeries. I could hardly wait to see them. (more…)
Welsh Tea in Gaiman, Argentina
After several glorious days of being off-grid and off-line in Península Valdés, we needed to find a campground with Internet access so that Gregor could work. Our friends, John and Paula (Our Bigger Picture), were travelling with us and they wanted some Internet time, too. Based on traveller reviews in iOverlander, we chose to camp in the quaint Welsh village of Gaiman. (more…)