CROSSING THE ANDES

I notice as we travel on to Pucon that the roads are significantly better than Twenty Years ago. Sure enough upon arrival we discover a chaotic Pucon which is hosting the Chile Iron man competition. I guess the overcast weather favours them but we do not even see Pucon in it’s full glory with Volcan Villurica shrouded in cloud.

I am always uncertain as to whether you should return to a place that you remember with great fondness in case it has change and will never be the same. Here is a prime example of a place that we had enjoyed as a small village with maybe one outdoor livery but now reminded me of a ski resort like Whistler with about 20 liveries, restaurants as far as the eye could see and tourist gift shops selling overpriced crap.

We now took the road up a beautiful valley towards our Andean crossing and Argentina. The sun came out and we were treated to lakes, waterfalls, unique trees and snow capped volcanoes. The border crossing was prolonged, not surprising I suppose with three buses clogging up the outpost on a Sunday afternoon. After crossing a grey melt water stream, cascading off the volcano, the landscape changed dramatically. We encountered a rolling plateau with Hereford cattle, sheep and the occasional poncho clad horseman. It becomes drier the further we progress and the sun sets behind us, outlining one final dramatic outline of the volcano.