Heading back North - Ushuaia to Cameron (Wednesday, December 19 - Ushuaia to Cameron)


After the “Good Morning” post I did earlier today, we loaded up everything and made a quick trip into Ushuaia for a couple more photos and fuel.  We saw a special Christmas version of the Ushuaia sign.


Leaving Ushuaia, we retraced our route back to Rio Grande.  We stopped along the way for photos at locations we had not visited the previous time we traveled this route.

Mirador Paso Garibaldi
We reached Rio Grande around 1:30 p.m. Then it was time to top off fuel and hit the dirt!  We took a dirt road across the continent from Rio Grande on the east coast to Cameron on the west coast (approximately 78 KM or 50 miles).  This road was very well maintained and we were able to make good time.  However, our timing did not match what Wilfredo (our guide) was expecting. The plan was to be at our lunch location at 2:00; we didn’t arrive until about 5:30.  We were very hungry by that time and we each got a salad to hold us over until our evening dinner.  Along the way, we cross the border from Argentina back into Chile at a very remote border crossing.  I have included a couple of photos of the immigration and customs building on both sides of the border.  For Chile, we even had to unpack the luggage from the truck and they quickly searched the luggage.


Argentina Immigration and Customs

Chile Immigration and Customs

Luggage search at Chile border crossing




At two different points, we had animals running beside us for long distances.  The first time it was a guanaco, the second time it was 3 wild horses.  There are fences everywhere along the road to keep the sheep in but when the animals get scared, they just run between the road and fence and they don’t know what to do.  You have to be extra careful because you never know when the animal may decide to cross the road in front of you.  Pradeep recorded both encounters on his Go-Pro.

Tonight we are wilderness camping along the seashore.  Wilfredo is cooking dinner.  He has already set up our tents that we will be sleeping in tonight.  Wilfredo did a great job; he even supplied the wine.  Thanks Wilfredo.  Here are some photos of our camp site.


The way camping should be!
Tomorrow we complete our circle back to Punta Arenas where we started this journey.  I am not sure of our route yet.  Following the night in Punta Arenas, we will then begin working our way further north as the journey continues.  So much more to come!

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