Hot water

We'll have to jump forward a day or two if this blog is ever going to catch up to our current location. Another couple of longish days and spectacular bush campsites under huge skies, through Villa Union, Chileceto, Londres (London!) and Belen, mostly on the amazingly varied Ruta 40.

More flood-damaged roads, unending floodways, an 11km-long section of remote roadside which resembled a tip, innumerable statutes of The Virgin by the roadsides. Another high pass or two (over 3000m),

more stunning red rock gorge country.


More time in our fabric home, more home-cooked meals on our petrol stove, and we loved every minute of it!

Somewhere out in the bush, between river crossings and at the right time of the evening, a sign points to thermal springs 2km off the road. A deepish river crossing later (and a wet foot), and there we are. A nameless and unattended though well-maintained campground with only a pair of campers (or is that three?), and some locals.

We said g'day all around, had to knock back a swig of moonshine from the lads hanging around the old Ford, and introduced ourselves at Kerry, Jochen and Tarmo's camp before setting up ourselves. Far from even the average long-distance bicycle travellers, these three are out on their own, ahead of the pack. Tarmo, you see, is a charming Labrador/Husky cross. On tour, he runs about 30km a day, and retires into his kennel / trailer any time he feels like it, letting Jochen do the legwork. These guys have travelled across Europe and many thousands of kilometres in the vastness of South America together. Check out www.dogonwheels.de.tl - in English too.

Nice, a camp without tent (threatening skies again), under a decent roof. Then a hot shower - as the sign promised, an endless supply of volcanically-heated water was spouting from pipes in the walls of the very clean bathrooms.

It quite did the trick - we had been on the road a good few days without seeing a tap at all, let alone one with hot water in it. Long, long showers both evening and morning were the go. No water restrictions here, no gas bill or carbon signature either.Finally out of the shower (and dressed!), we asked the three Germans over for coffee. Several cups and travel stories later, we all got on the road under a wetting drizzle.