TIERRA DEL FUEGO

To get to Tierra del Fuego, we have to briefly leave Argentina. We enter Chile without any problems and cross the Strait of Magellan at Punta Delgada on the car ferry. We spend the night in Cerro Sombrero next to the local tourist information office, where Enrique, an environmental engineer and tourist advisor, provides us with a lot of information. Moreover, there are super clean toilets, hot showers, and WiFi - everything a camper's heart desires. We spend the evening with Ferran, a friendly Spaniard who is traveling alone by bike. He has already cycled through Spain and Portugal, crossed to Morocco, and traveled through Africa. Then he flew from Cape Town to Brazil and is now on his way to Alaska via Tierra del Fuego. He has been on the road for 1.5 years already and still wants to cycle through Russia and China... and we already think we're adventurous. We celebrate his 31st birthday with noodle stew and good Argentinian wine and listen to his exciting travel stories. Buen viaje, Ferran!

After a short rest and cleaning break, we continue heading south. To get to Ushuaia, we have to leave the Chilean part of Tierra del Fuego and re-enter Argentina, which is a somewhat time-consuming undertaking this time. When we arrive at the Chilean border, we see an endless line of people in front of the customs building. We find out that outgoing travelers also have to join the same queue as incoming travelers. Gradually, we learn that Argentinians like to take short trips to Chile during the Carnival holidays and that today in Provenir, the largest barbecue in Tierra del Fuego takes place. So half the island is on the move and we are right in the middle of it. Once again, we appreciate the open borders of Europe and admire the patience with which Argentinians and Chileans endure these hours of waiting. After two hours, we are through migration, and after another hour, we are through customs. 10 km further, the same game at the entrance to Argentina. But the weather is nice, the people are kind, and the customs officers are helpful and friendly. The search of the Dub for prohibited food such as fruit and honey also goes quickly, so we can soon continue our journey in a good mood.

We head to Rio Grande for the night, a big industrial and commercial city off the usual tourist route that surprises us and we like it. We stock up on provisions in the supermarket, as there is said to be little and very expensive things at the end of the world. Here in Tierra del Fuego, to our surprise, we find a well-stocked supermarket with a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grain bread, muesli, ricotta, Nutella, and more. We have to control ourselves not to buy too much. We spend the night at a campsite on the beach and meet a French family again, whom we have already met in Montevideo. We sleep peacefully in such a familiar neighborhood.

The next morning, we continue to Tolhuin, a small municipality on the huge Lake Fagnano. There is a parade going on in the town itself, and we realize that it's Carnival. There is a drumming group and a small mixed dance group. It looks like a mixture of samba and tribal dances, which are duly applauded by the about 200 spectators on the roadside. After this cultural treat, we check into a completely peculiar but magical campsite. The owner has built his own world with a lot of passion, imagination, and old junk, made it into a kind of campsite, and even added a huge colorful and creative playground. There are wooden tepees where tents can be set up protected from wind and weather, many peculiar machines made from scrap, and a whole outdoor fitness area made from recycled materials. In a small museum, we learn about the Selknam people who used to live here, and in the heated community room, you can get creative or just warm up and socialize. We enjoy strolling around the place and discovering something new at every corner. We walk along the lake with its wave-like sea-like waves and watch how this place enchants children and adults alike.