On the road again – arriving in Chile Chico (Little Chile)

Back on the road again, I am impressed by how the old Toyota is holding up – it shakes and rattles but draws benefit of having big wheels and good suspension. It really handles the rough terrain it was built for with style……

I realize, however, that the design of the extra-tank’s attachment-mechanism simply does not support the weight of the 20-liter diesel fuel tank over extended periods of corrugated roads. It’s simply too much strain and we need to find a way to strengthen the tank or its attachment-mechanism. Eventually, we got this fixed again in Puerto Montt and I believe we now have sorted this out.

The road-conditions, however, also help explain why there is relatively so few people and cars visiting these southern areas of Chile and Argentina. Being remote and in addition having narrow and corrugated roads with max 40 km/hour speed limits, means you need lots of time to arrive. This certainly functions as a physical barrier – it simply require a lot of effort (and a sturdy vehicle) to reach these areas by road.   

The following photo is from Chile Chico (which has a number of apricot trees around the central plaza of the village) – plums that was a continuous temptation for the fruit-lover of the team.