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Red Shoe Diary

Trip: Chile

There are [11] stories from my trip: Chile


Villa O'Higgins, the last stop

CHILE | Friday, 13 Jan 2012 | Views [1580]

We have reached the end of the road in Patagonia, literally. The road, never paved, does not even exist in gravel form from here, so its boat or horse or foot to get across to Argentina!  Villa O'Higgins, named after the general that defended Chile to ... Read more >


The Landlady

CHILE | Saturday, 7 Jan 2012 | Views [812]

I guess that if you have lived your entire life in a town with a population of 550 you have talked through most matters with all your neighbours, so it must be good to get hold of a tourist to chat to, or certainly that seemed to be our landlady's thought ... Read more >


Caleta Tortel

CHILE | Saturday, 7 Jan 2012 | Views [1283]

Caleta Tortel has no roads; it is an old port town situated in an inlet protecting it from the worst storms of the Pacific, all 550 inhabitants surviving through fishing and these days, tourism from December to February. They have constructed their single ... Read more >


Laguna San Rafael Glacier & Rio Tranquilo:

CHILE | Saturday, 7 Jan 2012 | Views [895]

We took a 2 day trip out of Rio Tranquilo to see the San Rafael Glacier. Although the trip ran out of Tranquilo transport is needed to the km 75 marker where you will come across a tiny farm where the guide lives! A short boat ride across the river, ... Read more >


Walking Glaciers -Rio Tranquilo Glacier Exploradores.

CHILE | Tuesday, 27 Dec 2011 | Views [2164]

We spent Christmas day 2011 hiking across a glacier! We had a car journey of some 90 minutes from the miniscule town of Rio Tranquillo to get to base camp, based in a wood. Then we walked a round trip of 6 hours, the first 45 minutes up through woodland ... Read more >


The Carretera Austral, northern Patagonia, Chile

CHILE | Tuesday, 27 Dec 2011 | Views [1408]

The Carretera Austral, this unpaved pebble stone main road that goes from 2 lanes to 1 somewhere just past Coyhaique is the spine road, the only road, that links the towns of northern Patagonia. It was instigated by Pinoche,t with places like Puyuhuapi ... Read more >


The Man From C.H.A.I.T.E.N.

CHILE | Tuesday, 20 Dec 2011 | Views [760]

This is a 2 pipe tale so if you don't smoke a pipe, maybe make a cup of tea! Chaiten was a town of over 4,000 people and a central hub for all transport: ferries from the west and all buses north, south and east. But, in May 2008, the volcano that ... Read more >


Puerto Montt to Chaiten

CHILE | Monday, 19 Dec 2011 | Views [567]

Our 9 hour bus trip south consisted of 3 ferry crossings, as they have no roads in some areas, and during those crossings we saw dolphins, otters, sea lions and penguins!  Sure beats the P&O route Dover Calais.


The Lakes District

CHILE | Monday, 19 Dec 2011 | Views [720]

The lakes district is too far south to get hot; protected by the volcanoes around from too much wind and cold so never too cold and the same volcanic hills ensure that the rain deluges down all year around, so its a very lush, fertile, green area. Many ... Read more >


Valparaiso, Chile

CHILE | Monday, 19 Dec 2011 | Views [823]

This is listed as an UNESCO town so just one question, Why?!  Is it the promenade along the seafront which you can not walk along as it is used to store the giant containers for long haul industrial shipping? Or is it the huge security fences which ... Read more >


Santiago

CHILE | Friday, 16 Dec 2011 | Views [456]

Brilliant, helped by the fact that we arrived to a warm, summertime city. Santiago is obviously huge, but seems logically laid out with many, many parks, fountains, statues, green areas to shade, sit and chill for a while and tree lined roads. It has ... Read more >