I spent Christmas with a second and successful attempt to climb the vulcano Villarica. The first attempt failed due to a stupid decision of mine. The crater was filled with smoke, and the wind came from an disfavorable direction. Therefore a non-standard approach had to be taken, and the guides said that they will try to get higher, but that it is not sure or not quite likely that we can go up to the top. I, being not quite a brave-heart when it comes to mounteneering, decided that it was not worth it getting a 100 m higher and then not reaching the top. So I went down with 2 Californians and Leo the guide. (After all, it was the first time ever that I used an ice axe and walking sticks to keep the balance.) But, of course, the others did reach the top, and I regretted my decision badly. Leo arranged that I could go for a second attempt at half-price, and this second attempt was on the 24th of December. We made it despite a very strong wind in the morning (quite a storm really, but it changed during the day). So my Christmas present was the vulcano. And as an additional treat, we could go around the crater - there was less poisonous smoke than the day before. Christmas eve was a barbecue at Torre Suiza, together with the hosts and all guests - a very nice and memorable evening.
Et voila, in Curarréhue, just when I was about to try the first accommodation, I was approached by a French woman who arrived just an hour before with her boyfriend or husband who told me that this place was probably not so nice and anyway, we would probably meet tomorrow an then cycle a little bit together. Which was not quite what happened - the way to Argentina was very hard, due to the bad advice of Ostrad, my once favorite cycle shop (gear system and tyres not fit at all for south american gravel roads). I had to push the bike a lot. Only at 7:30 in the evening I reached the Argentinian border, but luckily, shortly afterwards there was a campground by the national park authority (FREE and just opposite the vulcano Lanin), and there - quelle surprise - I met Virginie and Michel, the French couple. Another French couple arrived a bit later, but in a camper van - pensioners who use the time they have after retirement for seeing the world, very nice people.
My Argentina is a bit of France because I travelled the first one and a half days together with Virginie and Michel: from our campsite to Junin de los Andes to San Martin de los Andes. The scenery in Argentina is very different, it gets very dry over here and windy, at least when you leave the core part of the Andes. The way from Junin to San Martin was therefore a hard struggle against the wind. In San Martin, we separated - in the most friendly manner. I for my part really liked the two, but clearly, a menagery à trois is difficult, and we have different ways of travelling, even though we have the same way. Virginie and Michel have spent 7 months in South America and they have more than 3 months to go - they will reach Terra de Fuego, I'll just make it to Puerto Montt. Read there website at mitchetnini.canalblog.com.
After our farewell on the plaza in San Martin: 20 km uphill to a wonderful, very simple campsite, and on the next day (Saturday) 77 km to a place close to Villa La Angostura (45 km gravel road). This was not an official campsite but a site of an association that cares for people with disabilities - but they accepted me for a night. There was even bread and beer for me - i could feed on that, with the addition of rice soup. Today rain - just 12 km to Villa La Angostura. Rain is a friend of towns - hands and Frank freezing, not able to use brakes or gears, which is dangerous in a mountainous area.
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