Mendoza-Santiago de Chile na le ndzhaku

Next destination was Santiago de Chile. For that, we crossed the Andes for the first time.

Everything went well, the border control to Chile was very meticulous, as expected. They took away our delicious vacuum-packed air-dried ham and a clove of garlic, but the border officer had no interest in the opened milk and mozzarella. We suspect a lactose intolerance on the part of the border officer. The pass climbs to 3,200 meters and after 32 curves downhill, you arrive in Chile. Before heading to downtown Santiago, we made a detour to the Termas Colina. Here, you can rent private small bathrooms, which actually resemble a basement cell, including an XXL bathtub, for 40 minutes. We didn't expect this kind of hot springs, but it was still quite enjoyable. After that, we dove into the smog of Santiago de Chile. Lars's girlfriend (we met Lars at customs in Montevideo) arrived here, and she had the spare parts for Maggi in her luggage. In Santiago, we discovered the Parque Metropolitano. A huge park with a cable car and an amazing view.

Lars told us that his Ford Transit is parked in the Argentine border town of Uspallata and won't start anymore, and the local mechanic doesn't know what to do. So, we decided to change our plans again. Instead of taking the Pan-American Highway in Chile, we will take Route 40 in Argentina and head north. Once the pass was reopened, the four of us returned to the Paso Cristo Redentor.

Arriving in Uspallata, Kai unfortunately couldn't get the blue Transit to start, so we decided to tow it to the nearest larger city. Specifically, 120 km down from the Andes to Mendoza. Quite an experience. Smoking brakes, friendly honking trucks, shaking anglers, and amused police officers. Photos will be provided as soon as possible.

After a two-day stay in Mendoza, we finally continued. As expected, Lar's distribution injection pump, called BOMBA in Spanish, was broken. The two of them are waiting in Mendoza for a replacement while we headed north. On the way on Route 40, Maggi's new shoes smelled again... We were afraid he would get rid of them. But it turned out that the problem was a stuck piston in the compressed air cylinder.

After this incident, we treated ourselves to a nice piece of Lomo (filet mignon). The next setback, we take it with humor, didn't take long to happen. After a routine police check, Maggi refused to start. Kai's attempt to fix it by hitting the starter with a hammer was unsuccessful. So, Silke and the police officers had to push the car to get it started. This kind of starting is common in Argentina, so the officers were not surprised at all. After finding a downhill sleeping spot, we started to dismantle the starter. Leah and Austin from Denver, USA, kept us company. They are on their way to Ushuaia with their Toyota. The starting technique worked excellently, so we kept using it for now. The next day, Kai disassembled the starter and finally found the problem. We need a new helical nut or a complete clutch freewheel.

In the meantime, we have arrived in Chilecito, a small mining town. Despite the low chances of success, Silke went searching after the siesta (after 4:00 pm). Kai and Maggi waited with the engine running. First, she tried her luck at the Bosch service center. Unsuccessful, but she received a promising tip. The accompanying directions were very South American. The next two stops went the same way. Silke didn't want to continue, but Kai managed to convince her to make a final attempt - jackpot! The mechanic knew immediately what to do and said dryly: solo completo. Which was even better. The whole thing was done within five minutes. And we drove off with a completely new clutch freewheel. In the evening, we put the starter back together. Llamas and donkeys cheered us on. For safety, our sleeping spot is once again located downhill next to a petting zoo. Very relaxing.