During our drive from Tierra del Fuego along the Atlantic coast to the north, we learn what on the one hand an extreme wind and on the other hand endless flat landscape (one can call it also monotony or – for the insiders – “Shit Forest”) can mean. The extreme ruts on the N3, which is heavily used by many trucks, makes it difficult and tiresome to travel along together with the strong winds: every time a truck comes along, I have to fold out my wing mirror again, so heavily is the back pressure of the wind. Positive is that it gets warmer with every kilometer and the weather is still very nice.
We stop in various national parks (Monte Leon, Cabo dos Bahias), drive to great and secluded beaches (Circuito Costera at Puerto San Julian, Playa Isla Escondida) and visit an impressive over 150 million years old petrified forest. In ancient times, when there were no Andes to keep the humid climate from the Pacific away, there were primeval forests of over 100 meters tall, huge trees, and the largest dinosaurs on earth lived here. Then the tectonic plates shifted, strong winds uprooted the trees and the resulting volcanic activity with their ashes and the minerals contained therein (especially silicon) led to a “petrification” of these trees.
As we did more than 6 weeks ago on our journey to the south, the penguins as well as the seals are once again fascinating us. All animals are very photogenic and not at all camera shy and so we have a lot of fun watching these animals.
In addition, we find the time to change our front tires, so we use them evenly. Luckily, it works like clockwork in the meantime.
