Orsono, Chile to Villa La Angostura, Argentina

It's with a degree of trepidation that I set out this morning.

It wasn't particularly warm and the weather forecast for the next two or three days didn't look particularly appealing. Rain!

Unfortunately as this trip unfolds it becomes more acutely obvious to me, just how poorly I'd prepared. Ah well, it is my first go at doing a self-supported ride and it was put together somewhat at the last minute and in a foreign environment.

As I'd discovered on Tuesday not having enough warm clothes, my tent & sleeping bag, along with detailed maps or a GPX route that I could upload into my Garmin bike computer, (a bike computer incidentally which is now so out of date that it doesn't have the live mapping or course correction option found in more recent and more expensive versions) was making things a little tougher than they needed be, albeit my panniers (which I subsequently discovered weren't waterproof) being lighter as a consequence.

I just wish today i could have ridden at my own pace, as opposed to having that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that if I wasn't careful I wouldn't be able to negotiate my way through both the Chilean & Argentinan customs.

Essentially, I needed / wanted to get back to Bariloche as soon as possible, so as to give myself time to pack my bike up, etc! If I'd had more time however, I would have paid a visit to the small car museum I passed along the way, as well as allowing me time to lock my bike up and join in / watch the fun and games of the rodeo that I only temporarily stopped at....

At any rate, arriving into the little town of Entre Lagos around one o'clock, I decided to grab a bite to eat, though there wasn't much on offer as far as cafés and restaurants was concerned. I did however manage to track down a street vendor who was selling large sized Empanadas and cups of Milo but you know, I think I'd got off the tourist trail there somewhere, despite being on the main (well most direct road between Osorno, Chile and Bariloche, Argentina given the lack of eateries / hotels and so on!

Lunch consumed, I headed on, with unfortunately only a rough idea as to the distance and profile, and as it dawned on me, as I continued turning the pedals that I didn't know the hours that the Chilean and Argentinian Customs offices were open! 

The idea of having to turn back, or sleep rough in the cold with the rain coming down, frightening the daylights out of me!

What I particularly didn't count on when I got to the Chilean Customs Office at around five o'clock is that it was still some twenty kilometres (all of it uphill) till I'd get to the border and a further ten kilometres before I'd reach the Argentinian Customs Office.

As the time ticked by, the rain came down and I become enveloped in fog (or a cloud) that making me even more anxious to reach the customs office, before it closed. I sort of figured after that it didn't matter too greatly how long it would take to get to Villa La Angostura. I knew I'd be able to do it and would ultimately end up in a hostel / hotel somewhere in town. Even if that meant waking up the reception desk!

I contemplated stopping a car / truck for a lift to the border, how I was going to negotiate it given my lack of Spanish I don't know, but nonetheless, something inside me said - Keep going, whilst there is still traffic, there's a likelihood that the customs office will be open! As proved to be the case! Paperwork completed, I then headed on to Villa La Angostura just hoping to get there in time to find a restaurant still open and a centrally located hotel with a room available. Sure enough I did, but it did take a few kilometres and a bit of time to find a hostal with a bed available, there obviously being something on in town! Phew!

A quick bite to eat was found to eat, followed by a very long and relaxing shower.