The Forgotten Continent Expedition

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - WiFi

WiFi is widely available in Chile. Almost every Copec fuel station has free WiFi.

WiFi is more rare in Argentina. Major towns / cities have it, but it's rare elsewhere. Some YPF & Shell stations have free WiFi. Some municipalities have municipal WiFi but it requires a password.

 

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - police lights

The police in Chile and Argentina have their flashing (mars) lights on whenever they are rolling.

Don't get excited if you see one behind you or approaching you.

 

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - fire extenguishers

Fire extenguishers are required for vehicles in Argentina. Make sure you've got one along and available.

 

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - provincial checkpoints

There are police checkpoints at the provincial borders in Argentina.

Their rules do not allow transport of fruit, vegetables, meat, alcohol, etc. across some provincial borders.

These checkpoints are an excellent time to know zero Spanish. Smile a lot, repeat "United States" and "Ushuaia" or "Buenos Aires" and they will eventually wave you through.

 

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - English

English is common among city dwellers and educated people in Chile. There is no English street signage, but you will see some English used on commercial signs.

English is more widespread in Argentina. There is some use on street signage and English speakers of a minimal ability can be found just about everywhere except in the most rural places.

 

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - fuel payment

We have paid for all fuel in 2,800 miles of travel with credit cards except for one station in southern Patagonia.

 

[dhackney]

Scouting Report - Southern Argentina parts / repair

In southern Patagonia, Argentina we found two good welding / repair / parts / resources cities: Rio Gallegos & Comodoro Rivadavia.

Ushuaia is a port city, so some capabilities can be found there as well.

 

[dhackney]

Days of Many Moods

14 February 2008

Lago Fagnano, Tierra del Fuego, Southern Patagonia, Argentina
S54.53362 W67.22849

We found a nice campsite along Lake Fagnano a couple of days ago.

The view was beautiful, but like the rest of our trip down Patagonia, the wind was blowing very hard.

Photo by Stephanie Hackney

We don’t have a wind gauge, so I can’t give you a precise wind speed, but I can tell you it was strong enough in the gusts to blow the tops off the waves.

For the rest of this story, click here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/argentina/docs/daysofmanymoods.pdf

 

[dhackney]

Sure Signs

16 February 2008

Many times when you see a highway warning sign you never know if they are worth heeding or not.

For instance, down here in Patagonia, if you see a guanaco warning sign, you might, or might not see one.

For the rest of the story click here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/argentina/docs/suresigns.pdf

 

[dhackney]

Narrow Passages

 

[dhackney]

The Gas Man

10 February 2008

One of the challenges of world travel is procuring fuel.

Generally gasoline and diesel are not a problem unless you are in an area of spot shortages such as Patagonia, where we are now.

Propane, however, can be a problem. Because different countries use different physical couplings for dispensing the fuel and have different processes for doing so, some precluding direct contact with the fueling source, buying propane can quickly escalate into a Holy Grail worthy quest.

For the rest of the story click here: http://hackneys.com/travel/argentina/docs/thegasman.pdf

 

[p1michaud]

Super stories

Just caught up on this thread. What a powerful writing style!
Thanks for sharing and taking the time to help people in need.

Safe and happy travels!

Cheers :beer:,
P

 

[dhackney]

The Road to Ushuaia

Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world, is more than a place on the map, it is a symbolic destination that becomes a Life List goal for many people. Young backpackers flock here to punch their ticket, retirees use it as a jumping off point for their dream trip to Antarctica, sailboat circumnavigators stop in on their way to or from Cape Horn, European overlanders have turned it into a must-attend Christmas and New Year’s gathering and motorcyclists hold a Pan American Highway run in very high regard. In short, world travelers’ journeys are not complete without a “been there” Ushuaia pin, sticker, patch, or for some, tattoo.

To get here, people often do extraordinary things. Men, women and families scrimp, save and sacrifice for years to enable their grand journey down the Americas to Ushuaia.

And to get here, people come by extraordinary means. When the goal is to get to Ushuaia, whatever it takes is the rule of the day.


For the rest of the story click here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/argentina/docs/roadtoushuaia.pdf

 

[Carlyle]

Great shots of all the unique campers on the road. Awesome write up, please keep it coming.

 

[Ursidae69]

I really enjoyed the gasman and Ushuaia stories, thank you for continuing your updates. :suning: