Lolomiina: 20.10.2017
The main reason why Isla Mocha has hardly been visited by tourists so far is that it is not easy to get to this island. The boat only sails in calm seas and little wind, and the pilot only flies in good weather and when it is profitable for him. Our advantage: Marcelo knows the pilot, he just had to call him and he told us when we could fly. Said and done, we packed Marcelo's modified Beatle (now only a one-seater with a lot of cargo space) full of plants, tools, food, and much more. He set off with his car and we drove from Santiago with a super comfortable night bus (you almost have a flat bed as a seat - cost: €20 for an 800 km bus ride) to Tirua. Tirua is a very small and very poor city, but with extremely friendly helpful inhabitants. In a small restaurant, we could leave our backpacks, warm up, play cards, and enjoy breakfast while we waited for Marcelo. There was also time to explore the beach, and when we arrived there for the first time, we were speechless: huge grassy areas, black sand, and a breathtaking view of the coast with a sensational cloud formation. Only the cold wind bothered us. We also made friends with the stray dogs in Tirua, we were constantly accompanied by 3-5 stray dogs throughout Tirua. After a few hours, we met up with Marcelo and made our way to a small airport above the city, and then took a small 3-person plane to Isla Mocha. (Flight cost: €25) The view from the plane increased the anticipation of the island, an endlessly long flat beach, followed by a land area that reminds of alpine pastures in Austria, and in the background, a gigantic jungle. Isla Mocha - we're here!