Well a week has gone by and this is my first chance to get to a pc.   And what a week it has been. 

After arriving in Buenos Aries I was taken to the home of Martin and Carolina.  Martin is an avid tennis player and Carolina is a mom with three little ones.  It was decided that we would have a Braai..Wine flowed and martins father told me all about life in the old days in Argentina compared to where it is now . He does not seem to be a fan of the current political system .  I ate some really tasty Argentine Steak and also had a thing that could have been an intestine . they insisted I try it , it was not so tasty .

It rained that night , and rained and rained and rained . At 6 am the same guy who dropped me arrived to fetch me to take me back to the airport so I could fly to Ushuaia .

Trafiic in Buenos Aries rain chaos 

The trip started fairly well, not too much traffic at all until we hit a section of the high way y that was flooded. We inched along and time was ticking.  I knew we had problems when motor cycles started coming back on the high way head against the traffic. The next thing chaos erupted and cars were making U turns on the high way and you had cars traveling in both directions in the same lanes.  Jose, the driver, was determined to get me to the airport. With a nifty u-turn and then a short cut across the island we were moving again. Even when we were rear ended it did not slow him done.

Eventually at 8:10 we got to the airport. Not that it helped, we took off at 14-.00.

Rob, a chap I had connected with via the internet found me at the airport in Ushuaia.

Ahhhhhhh……….panic, they lost my pram, I don’t speak Spanish. I should have learned even a few words.  Rob asked a couple of questions and then wahooooooooooo…… they found it, who needs Spanish J .

We head to Robs home , which is also his base for his YWAM operation .  Rob was a star and between him and his wife Silvina and there friend Cecilia they help will everything I needed. I went shopping , got food , and benzene for my cooker . I then went down to the local Scandinavian outdoor store  to meet Marcos the manager . Columbia Clothing  in Argentina had said the would help me with some gear .

I traded in my + 5  degree sleeping bag or a – 5 degree one  as well as getting some good gloves and a Columbia Titanium Omni heat jacket .

At the Scandinavin outdoor store 

 Rob and I in Ushuaia

Next day at 6 am I was off , it was quite coincidental that I started my last run with a Rob  ( Rob Korb) and here I was again starting this one with a Rob ( Rob Thiesfield ) .

Rob stuck with me and took some great pics un till we were well out of town , We stopped at the mountain of idols ( lots of shines to the saints ) and said our good byes .

I got to 38 km quite comfortably and was met by a young fellow who offered me ……yes …who would have guessed …. A coca cola  J .  He said I had to make a decision and camp now or do the 14 km over the pass as I did not want to be caught on the pass that night .

I decided to go for it .  eventually I got over the pass muttering and grumbling all the way but thrilled that it was now done . I  took an abandoned track down to the lake and set up camp ..

cold road 

Awesome … I nearly froze to death !

 Next day I headed to Tolhuin , also a 52km day , I must be stupid to start out like this .

I managed to get lucky on  route and was met by Mabel and Julio who had a house in Tolhuin and said I can stay .

mabel ; Richard and Julio 

Later Rob showed up and gave me some Wedgewood Race food nougat that I had forgotten behind .  I love this stuff . I think I may live on it .because dry bread is not so nice , however dry bread with nougat on it is awesome .

 The next day was a good day , I put a nice 40 km under my belt and came upon an abandoned camp ground just as the rain started to come down . I set up behind the bushes out of sit of the road and settled in for a nap . cooked some pasta and soup and really enjoyed the afternoon .

cosy as can be

Then  I had a solid sleep until 5:30 am.

I packed up and set off. No runnining , only walking , my legs are tired . eventually I got to 20 km and thought I would push on to make 40 km . HA . I cam around a bend and some one hit the wind switch that stopped me dead in my tracks . the next 7 km to 2 hours and was really hard . even on the downhill’s I had to push with all my heart to keep the pram going .  I eventually got to a farm and went in to ask for assistance . I had my translator ready on my phone so that I could communicate however they farmer , Thomas Ayerta , a bask fellow with a sloping beret , took me to the workers abandoned hut and said I could stay there . he also told me I could eat with the farm hands  in the mess hall  .

me and cook on the farm - estancia 

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Head to Rio grande the following day and stayed Nancy Perez and her magician son . They had  pile of friends come over who were all wanting to learn English so the evening was filled ith lots of slow well pronounced conversation , well that was with the exception of Fernando who can speak English fluently and at the speed of lightning .

The rest , Matin , Jessica , Natalie , and David were all great company

So here I am in rio grande  ona rst day and willhead for San Sebastian  tomorrow .