Pan-American Journey

An American odissey... A journey for the soul... Or an attempt to cross overland from southern Argentina to Halifax (Canada) in 10 month... Whatever you call it, this journey remains an adventure for a lifetime... Read more

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Trip start
October 23, 2024
Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Departure from Zürich
October 23, 2024 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
Dear real and virtual friends,

The contdown to a fantastic adventure has begun!

Convinced that life is far to short in order to spend it either in a hamster wheel or as products of any form of behavioral conditioning, we decided to undertake something exceptional. And since the adventure travel is one of our main hobbies...

So... we have taken leave for the next 10 month, we are sending our Nemo the Blue Bus on a cargo ship to Montevideo (Uruguay) where we will start a great driving and exploring adventure: the Pan-American highway, the longest road in the world! Our plan involves crossing the two Americas from South to North, from Tierra del Fuego (Southern Argentina) to Halifax (Canada). If everything went according to the initial plan, we would have to cross 15 countries and drive ca. 45-50.000 km.

Of course, many unforeseen events, pandemics, local or global conflicts, etc. can happen along the way, which can deviate us from the original route. In order to reduce the effects of unforeseen events, we worked intensively in the last year, setting up logistical and technical aspects. But of course, despite all preparations we've already made, this journey remains a once in a lifetime adventure.

And now.... we are ready to fly (via Madrid) to Buenos Aires.Read more
Florin Paun Some people are constantly running in circles, deluding themself that everything they do is either well thought out or inevitable. We will never be able to be truly happy if we do not define higher goals than the daily routine, but above all the concrete ways to achieve them.
10/10/24Reply
Florin Paun There are some places where you just feel good and safe, for example in the garden of the house where we lived for the last seven years. However... Unfortunately, this cherry will be uprooted. A not particulary nice neighbour fieled a complaint and since we don't live here anymore...
10/10/24Reply
Florin Paun These photos were taken three weeks ago, when I took the camper to Hamburg (Germany) to embark it on a cargo ship to Montevideo (Uruguay). The photos before boarding must be taken as proof that there were no damages before bording.
10/12/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
Arrival in Buenos Aires
October 24, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Landed!

Despite the fatigue from the long flight, setting foot in South America for the first time feels absolutely extraordinary. After months of planning and dreaming about this journey, we’re finally here!

We arrived by plane in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 24th, while Nemo, our trusty blue bus, is still on his way. He’s crossing the Atlantic aboard the cargo ship Grande Nigeria, scheduled to reach Montevideo, Uruguay, on November 9th. We check www.marinetraffic.com almost daily to see where the ship is—each update feels like a little glimpse of our adventure moving closer. Shipping a vehicle, of course, isn’t quite like a weekend trip; you never really know the exact date you’ll be able to pick it up.

While waiting for Nemo to arrive, we’ll spend a few days exploring Buenos Aires—including meeting up with a few former colleagues—and then head to Uruguay. Our plan is to spend a few days in Montevideo, then enjoy some time in Punta del Este, the country’s most famous seaside resort, before returning to Montevideo to reunite with our bus and officially start the road trip.Read more
Traveler😘
10/30/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Buenos Aires: first impressions
October 26, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
At first glance, I find Buenos Aires a fascinating city, a mix of monumental architecture and facades bearing the scars of time. For this reason, the city reminds me of Palermo. On the other hand, the cafe culture is present in the central areas, resembling a Parisian atmosphere.
Despite the major economic crisis facing Argentina, the city is full of life, restaurants and cafes have local clientele in abundance.Read more
Florin Paun This was the first Spanish administration building in Buenos Aires. It was used as a city council during the colonial era. I spent an hour hier learning about South-american struggle against the Spanish rule & colonial wars... Interessting aspects: links between Napoleonian wars in Europe and South-american fight for independence.
10/26/24Reply
Florin Paun This museum hosts an impressive colection of presidential artifacts.
10/26/24Reply
TravelerThanks a lot that l' m aloud reading your coments and watching your fotos. Have a great journey! All the best Marianne
10/26/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Walking in La Boca and San Telmo
October 27, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
A beautiful sunny spring day in Buenos Aires. We spent the day visiting two famous neighborhoods of the city: La Boca and San Telmo. La Boca can be considered the temple of Argentinian football. San Telmo is famous for its antique shops, souvenirs and last but not least for its fantastic food markets.Read more
Traveler Muy colorado, coches extraordinarios 😂😎
10/27/24ReplyTranslate
Traveler Súper! Me gusta 👍
10/27/24ReplyTranslate
Florin PaunGracias!
10/27/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Discovering the city
October 28, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
We've spent five beautiful & sunny days here im Buenos Aires... We will fly soon to Montevideo (Uruguay).

After five days spent in Buenos Aires and many kilometers on foot through the city, we gradually got a picture of this interesting metropolis. What attracts us to this city: 1) the atmosphere with fulIl restaurants and cafes despite the crisis Argentina is facing 2) the food! Asado is not only a food experience, but also a cultural one.

On the negative side: 1) the economic crisis affects many aspects of everyday life. From a tourist point of view, the purchase of local currency and other payments are too expensive if made at the official rate. 2) pollution! Some local buses seem to use low grade diesel without a particle filter. Other drivers seem to train for Paris-Dakar rally.

English is very rarely spoken (mama mia! and that's just Argentina...). If they see you know more than ten words in Spanish, no one bothers to speak English. It's good that Rahel speaks B1 Spanish. Thanks to the basics I hastily learned in the months befor we left, I made substantial progress after a few days... My current problem is that I confuse Italian words with Spanish ones... :)Read more
Traveler Mhhh me gusta, muy rico 🤤
10/29/24ReplyTranslate
Traveler 😂👍👍👍
10/29/24Reply
TravelerLg an Rahel und dich! Geniesst eure Ferien und habt Spass!
10/29/24ReplyTranslate
Florin PaunHerzlichen Dank, Eva! Aber das sind keine Ferien, sonder eine Expedition! 🙂
10/29/24ReplyTranslate
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Montevideo: first impressions
October 30, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
On October 29, after starting our Pan-American journey with a few days spent in the capital of Argentina, we flew on to Montevideo. We took an Uber from the airport to our hotel in Punta Carretas (a modern suburb, close to the beach). The very nice driver knew English relatively well, during the 30 minutes of driving he gave us a lot of information about the current developments of Uruguay.

First impressions are very good, people seem polite, relaxed and kind. The percentage of the population that knows English is obviously higher than in Argentina. Montevideo is clean, relaxed and much smaller compared to Buenos Aires (in a long day of walking around the city you can reach all the tourist attractions without having to use public transport). The old town contrasts sharply with the new neighborhoods. Although many once-fabulous buildings are in dire need of repair, the old town remains an absolutely fascinating place.

If all goes according to plan, Nemo the Blue Bus will arrive in Montevideo on November 9. But customs/port formalities are generally done 2-3 days later. That is why we are going to stay in Montevideo for four days, after which we will leave for Punta del Este, a well-known seaside resort.Read more
Florin Paun The old part of the city is located on the peninsula that can be seen in the photo. The cargo port is also there and it is much smaller compared to Hamburg or Buenos Aires for example.
10/31/24Reply
Florin Paun An example of one of the beautiful buildings with historical character that were once and now is, unfortunately, uninhabited and in a deplorable state.
10/31/24Reply
Florin Paun This fascinating museum is located in the Heber Jackson Palace, a Rococo mansion built in the 19th century. Here you can find numerous objects from the daily life of gauchos (a type of South American cowboy, a skilled horseman reputed to be brave and unruly) as well as numerous historical information about their involvement in society. The museum also offers a glimpse into the financial history of Uruguay.
10/31/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Walking in Montevideo
November 2, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We spent the last few days in Montevideo exploring the city on foot. The impatience with which we await the arrival of the cargo ship that will bring us Nemo, the Blue Bus is growing. Now the ship "Grande Nigeria" is near the port of Rio de Janeiro, where it will probably stay for a few more days before leaving for Uruguay.

By South American standards, Montevideo is a fairly small city. It has "only" 1.3 mil. inhabitants, and the whole county has 3.5 mil. The few days we spent here left a very pleasant impression on us. Uruguay, country called by some authors the "Switzerland of South America", is a much less known and touristic country compared to its much larger neighbors (Argentina and Brazil), but without doubt a country worth visiting. In Montevideo we especially liked the relaxed atmosphere, the kind and polite people. The city is safe, progressive and culturally sophisticated. The food is also very good, the beef is excellent and at prices that can only be dreamed of in Switzerland... In addition, the fruits and vegetables are also of very good quality, tasty (probably being a country with a large agricultural area reported to the number of inhabitants, chemicals are not used in excess to increase production). On the other hand, all products imported from Europe or elsewhere are even more expensive than in Switzerland.

We will leave soon for Punta del Este, a well-known South American seaside resort. We have rented a hotel room and will stay there for a week until Nemo comes...Read more
Florin Paun Visiting this beautiful historical building was without doubt one of our highlights in Montevideo. The building was designed by architect Mario Palanti, an italian emigrant living in Buenos Aires and was finished in 1928. With a height of 100m Palace Salvo was for a brief period the highest building in South America.Initially, it was designed to function as a hotel, but after the economic crisis of 1929, it gradually lost its purpose, being reduced to a few rooms in the 60s. Now it functions as an office and apartment building.
11/2/24Reply
Florin Paun A famous tango written in 1916 by Gerardo Matos Rodrigues. It was first played in a coffe house situated on the actual site of Palacio Salvo. A link (Wikipedia) to listen the music: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_Cumpars…
11/2/24Reply
TravelerAhhh den Tango kennen alle…
11/3/24ReplyTranslate
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Punta del Este
November 5, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
On November 3, we left Montevideo and went by bus to Punta del Este. The trip (170 km/2 hours/10 USD pp) is made in a comfortable, modern bus with fast wifi. I remembered the long bus trips in Southeast Asia and India 20 years ago, when I met Rahel and we started traveling the world... Those buses were frequently overcrowded with passengers, huge pieces of luggage, oversized cardboard boxes or even animals. Earplugs were a sad necessity, trying to compensate for the noise caused by crazy karaoke beats. O tempora!

Almost certainly the "Grande Nigeria" cargo ship will be delayed for at least a few days, so we have to be patient and find an alternative and attractive schedule. At least for the beginning, we stay at a small 3-star hotel, with friendly staff, very good coffee and breakfast. The hotel has even a large jacuzzi.

Punta del Este is a modern resort with many high-rise buildings, a beautiful harbor, attractive restaurants and wide beaches covered with fine sand. Although recognized for intense parties, the resort looks quiet since the summer season will start on December 1. Due to the mild climate but also being a quiet and safe location, the town also attracts a lot of expats who spend here their retirement.Read more
Florin Paun The first naval battle of World War II took place off these coasts in December 1939. The German heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee engaged three British ships in the battle. Being damaged, the German ship retreated to Montevideo harbor and was sunk a few days later by her own crew to avoid being captured by the British.
11/6/24Reply
TravelerNu stiam ce se ascunde in spatele acestei poze. Multumesc
11/8/24ReplyTranslate
Florin Paun Sea lions come here because fishermen throw away fish scraps.
11/6/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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In Punta del Este & around
November 7, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 20 °C
We don't know exactly when our bus will be delivered to Montevideo, but Punta del Este is definitely not the worst place to wait... Apparently the cargo ship with Nemo on board is anchored near the port of Paranagua (Brazil) waiting for operations to begin in this port before leaving (finally!) for Montevideo. I take advantage of the free time before the actual start of the expedition to learn Spanish; at the moment I can manage well in the supermarket, ask for directions, etc. Because of the involuntary mixing of words in Italian, I am sometimes asked if I am not Italian... :)

We like very much the hotel we are currently staying in. Sometimes we rent the hotel's bikes (it's free, but ok, the bikes aren't the latest in cycling) and explore the surroundings (in today's story a lot about Casapueblo, a beautiful tourist attraction in the area). And after a long day of cycling it's wonderful to relax in the jacuzzi.

What I find very attractive in Uruguay is the lack of masses of people in motion, which is combined with the vastness of open spaces. The agglomeration of European cities (not to mention the big Asian ones) is completely missing. Overcrowding is not a concern. In the grandeur of the maritime landscapes here, I have the impression that one can move and breathe freely...Read more
Florin Paun Casapueblo (meaning “village house” in Spanish) was the home of Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. The house includes a museum with art gallery, a hotel and a restaurant. The building complex is designed in the style of Greek island villages and is somewhat reminiscent of Mykonos or Santorini. It is located in Punta Ballena.
11/6/24Reply
Florin Paun La Mano (The Hand, 1982) is a sculpture by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal in Punta del Este. The work of art is a landmark not only of Punta del Este, but also of Uruguay. The artist later made other copies of his works, the most famous of which is in the Atacama Desert in Chile. If everything goes according to the plan, we are going to see "the desert hand" as well.
11/6/24Reply
Florin Paun The museum contains many works, but this one caught my attention through the Brancusian note that the text under the phone has: "Hello, operator! I would like to talk to the love of the earth". If I'm not mistaken, Brancusi once said (describing the sound produced by the first pouring of wine into a new clay vessel): "it's the voice of the earth and it's the voice of love".
11/6/24Reply
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Punta del Este, last days
November 11, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Good news! Yesterday we found out (finally!) that the cargo ship Grande Nigeria will arrive in Montevideo on 11.11.2024 at night. That's why we're leaving for Montevideo tomorrow. Probably on 14-15th we will be able to pick up our bus. We hope everything was ok during the transport. I confess that I've heard a lot of very unpleasant stories about what can happen to your car during this extended trip. We have hope... and in addition, the bus is fully insured.

Today is a rainy day. But considering that in all the 10 days spent in Punta del Este it was at least partially sunny, we can't complain about bad weather. And the weather forecast predicts here and in Montevideo sun again tomorrow for at least the next five days... :)

Punta del Este was an excellent location to relax before starting the actual journey. Although beach vacations are something I've never done more than three days in a row, now I could really take advantage of it. In addition, we practically... never stayed at the beach, but went on daily hikes, rode bicycles, started seriously learning Spanish, made plans about future routes/objectives, etc.Read more
Florin Paun Next to the curio shop is also a small cannabis museum. Uruguay was the first country in South America to legalize the consumption of cannabis. Interestingly, although I spent two weeks here, I rarely saw the consumption of cannabis in public spaces. I have not seen anyone intoxicated or stoned on the street (because THC, alcohol or anything else; in Western Europe it is sad to say a familiar landscape). People seem very "normal", down to earth, well educated, polite. This is probably one of the reasons why many retirees with a good financial situation choose to live as expats in Uruguay.
11/10/24Reply
Florin Paun Mate is a traditional herbal drink, rich in caffeine. It is prepared by soaking dried leaves of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in hot water. The infusion is traditionally drunk with a metal straw (bombilla - like this word!) from a container that was traditionally made from a calabash gourd (pictured in the middle; now made of metal). The drink is very popular in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Many people go for a walk with a bowl of mate and a thermos in which they carry hot water to renew the consumed drink. Drawing from my imagination, I observed the vessels in the museum and on the street.
11/10/24Reply
Florin Paun I took this panoramic photo while standing on a small sand dune. The vast stretch of almost untouched fine sand (just one person lying on the ground near the lifeguard's hut) left a strong impression on me. Here only the sound of the waves, the gentle wind and the fantastic play of assorted colors in shades of blue and yellow-ochre are present. It's a great privilege to admire this magnificent marine landscape, far from the daily routine and the endless crowds that we are so used to.
11/10/24Reply
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Montevideo: Nemo has arrived!
November 14, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
On November 12th, after no less than ten days spent in sunny Punta del Este, we returned to Montevideo to begin the procedures for repossession of the car. The cargo ship Grande Nigeria carrying our expedition bus to South America had already arrived the evening of the previous day. The procedures for returning the car are complicated and involve interaction with various port and customs authorities. In any case, even after unloading the car from the ship, the car cannot be picked up earlier than three days. There is a lot of paperwork to be done...

We chose to stay at a hotel in the central area of the city, not far from the harbor and only a five-minute walk from the Salvo Palace. The next day, after breakfast at the hotel, we got down to business with the hope that we won't get lost in bureaucracy. We were lucky enough to finish all the procedures in just five hours (some took two days!) so on November 14th we could receive the expedition camper from the port.

Update 14.11, just before posting: Fantastic news! Today, after another four hours spent in the port, we picked up Nemo, the Blue Bus! He endured the trip well, there are no visible damages, nothing was stolen (I had heard/read a lot of horror stories). The Pan American adventure can begin!Read more
TravelerCalatorie frumoasa!
11/14/24ReplyTranslate
Florin PaunMultumesc mult! 👍🙂
11/14/24ReplyTranslate
TravelerYou know what is really true? The fact that through your thoughts and pictures shared here, we can also taste the beauty of this world! I wish you all the good things!
11/14/24Reply
Florin PaunMy dear friend, I hope that after this adventurous trip we can share a bottle of wine and tell many stories... Thank you!
11/15/24Reply
Traveler🙏👌🤘
11/15/24Reply
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Colonia del Sacramento
November 16, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
After we received the camper, we bought some supplies, and we decided to stay one more night in Montevideo. Compared to the draconian European bans, in principle in South America you can do free camping if you don't disturb anyone. So free camping is permited. There are also organized campsites, but they are quite rare and are only in the vicinity of major tourist attractions or important cities. After trying to find an organized campsite (we tried two places, but both were closed for the moment - open only in the summer high season) we decided to spend the night as free campers near a beach in Punta Carretas. In this particular place, safety was not a problem, about other five campers with European registration numbers (the cargo ship unloaded about 30 European cars & campers) were around. In addition, several Volkswagen minibuses with Brazilian or Uruguayan registration numbers, whose passengers had been staying in the beautiful beach location for several weeks, were at "free camping". On top of this the police made several rounds in order to o make sure that everything is in order. In Europe, the police would have come to fine the "bastards" who had dared to stay outside a ridiculously overpriced camping ground. :) Of course, an European problem is overpopulaton, if everyone decided to do free camping...

The next day we drove via Nueva Helvecia to Colonia de Sacramento. The small but extraordinary old town of Colonia is a Unesco site and a place that exceeded our expectations. The history of this town is fascinating and very complicated, being at the intersection of the interests of different colonial or local powers. Over time, the city was owned by the Portuguese, the Spanish and even the Brazilians. Since 1825 it has been an integral part of Uruguay. Losing yourself through the labyrinth of narrow streets of the old town is definitely a highlight here.

On the link below, you can see our intinerary on the map:
https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun I tryed to speak german with two inhabitants, but they didn't understand a word... Maybe they could understand only Swiss german!? :)
11/16/24Reply
Florin Paun Sometimes it's difficult to match the wine with the food when everyone orders something different. However, this rosé Cabernet Franc, served chilled on a warm afternoon, went well with the hamburger but also with the "Sorentinos stuffed with blue cheese, vegetables and almonds". Wonderful!
11/16/24Reply
Florin Paun the Witch (engl.) = la Bruja (sp.).; witches' wine.
11/16/24ReplyTranslate
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Departure from Uruguay
November 18, 2024 in Uruguay ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
On November 17, a rainy day, we left the beautiful city of Colonia del Sacramento after spending two sunny days here. We headed to Fray Bentos, a town located in the west of Uruguay, because the next day we planned to cross the border with Argentina. Road quality is good, some small potholes can be easily avoided. Fray Bentos' most notable tourist attraction is the Museum of the Industrial Revolution, located in the former meat processing plant of "Frigorifico Anglo del Uruguay". During the period of maximum productivity of the company, 4000 employees worked here, processing 2000 cows per day. After its closure (1979; when USA reduced imports from Latin America), a museum of the industrial revolution (recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site) was created here with original machines and socio-cultural artifacts. The museum is absolutely fascinating and exhibits the machinery used in the meat extract process, a canning factory, a laboratory, but also the offices of the employees (director, accountants, secretaries) etc. It is interesting to note that certain processes have not changed significantly in the last hundred years, only the machines used to work have improved (for example a computer instead of a typewriter)...

We were very pleasantly surprised by Uruguay, although we got here more by chance (because it was most convenient to send the car from Hamburg to Montevideo). Probably it was an ideal place to settle into the rhythms of South America before traveling to more "demanding" destinations.

After a night spent in a free campsite (incredible; free showers, toilets and electricity, because now it's still off-season - I love Uruguay!) located on the banks of the Rio Negro (represents the border between Uruguay and Argentina), we crossed the border to Argentina. The border crossing was carried out much faster than we expected, the customs officials did not control the camper. After 20 minutes we had crossed the bridge over the Rio Negro and were driving over the endless Argentine plains...

The itineray through Uruguay can be seen on link bolow: https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
TravelerVielen Dank für die tollen und informativen Beschreibung eurer spannenden Reise. Alles Gute weiterhin.
11/19/24ReplyTranslate
Florin PaunHerzlichen Dank!
11/19/24ReplyTranslate
Traveler Ww1 masterpiece...
11/19/24Reply
Florin PaunThe tank had nickname "Fray Bentos". One of its inventors was also owner of a farm, delivering cows to the factory. It was a joke "meat in a tin can box" - the tank as well! 🙂
11/19/24Reply
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Through the Argentine Pampas
November 21, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
After crossing the Rio Negro and starting to drive across the green plains towards San Antonio de Areco, after a few hours of driving without seeing any particular change in scenery, only the green interrupted by the ocher spots of the Argentine Pampas, I began to feel the colossal size of the South American continent. Although at first glance very monotonous, the landscape is dotted with motifs that interupt the monotony of the long journey: there are herds of thousands of cattle together, the wealth of fauna is obvious and having to overtake heavy trucks is a frequent maneuver. Sometimes I had to brake in order to avoid killing a huge rat (so big that he could eat a cat!) . On top of that, the numerous potholes, from modest in size to real hazards to the vehicle's axles, broke up the monotony of the ride while keeping my senses awake.

In San Antonio de Areco we spent one night. The next day we drove a long way to Carhue, where we stayed for two days. Near Carhue we visited Lago Epecuen, a former famous resort that was completely destroyed in 1985 by a flood caused by a dam system failure. The remains of the town of Lago Epecuen have resurfaced after being covered by very salty (and corrosive!) thermal water for more than twenty years and are now open to visitors. The remains of the much-loved tourist resort have a post-apocalyptic feel. It's the kind of place you visit not to see the ruins, but to feel the special vibe of the location and the scale of the tragedy.

The itineray can be seen below:
https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun The Falklands War (1982) is present in the memory of Argentines. In several places in Buenos Aires and the last time in San Antonio de Areco I saw commemorative monuments.
11/21/24Reply
Florin Paun When you're a traveler, but not a tourist, you have time. You don't have to run from one (overrated) tourist attraction to another. You don't have to run somewhere to get entertrained. You can contemplate the world around you from a park bench...
11/21/24Reply
Florin Paun In the photo, there are some artifacts caused by insects on the windshield. I chose the photo intentionally in order to illustrate a practical point: The Pampas has a lot of insects!!
11/21/24Reply
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Hello Patagonia!
November 23, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 22 °C
Driving further south from Carhue, a town located in the heart of the Pampas, you officially cross the border with Patagonia in the small town of Rio Colorado. When entering this region, you pass through several veterinary control check points, you are not allowed to transport meat or fresh vegetables, etc. We didn't know, but we were lucky. By chance we hadn't stocked up on fresh products yet, so they could't confiscate anything.

If I had to choose one word to define the region, I would say "wind"! Very windy. Gusts of wind that sometimes start out of the blue are a real danger for drivers. However, despite the meteorological aspects that can sometimes be problematic, Patagonia impressed us with the greatness of the landscapes and the huge skies.

Before visiting the Valdez Peninsula, an important point of interest in Patagonia, we visited San Antonio Este as well as Puerto Madryn. San Antonio Este is a not particulary interesting small town, but it has endless beautiful beaches around. As usual, free camping can be done if you don't disturb anyone, and as the population density is low... Argentinians are passionate about camping. Many campers, even sophisticated ones, have Argentine registration numbers. We talked several times with Argentinians on vacation with the camper, they turned out to be very talkative, nice and friendly.

The route between Carhue and Puerto Madryn can be seen on the map by clicking on the link below:
https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun The first sunset in Patagonia. Despite the apparent beauty and tranquility, the weather can create unforeseen problems here. A few hours later, in the middle of the night, we were woken up by a thunderstorm. So we made the decision to move to a less romantic but much safer location.
11/24/24Reply
Florin Paun For those who do not have enough funds to afford a villa by the sea, there are more affordable solutions. These old buses, some of which have not been moved for months or even years, are placed next to the beach and used as temporary or long-term free camping spaces.
11/25/24Reply
Traveler Incredible beauty!
11/25/24Reply
Florin PaunIndeed, and a great privilege to admire this landscape.
11/26/24Reply
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Peninsula Valdez
November 24, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
The Valdez Peninsula is one of the "must to see" attractions of Patagonia, an important nature reserve and a World Heritage Site. The main attractions are represented by the rich aquatic and terrestrial fauna, primarily whales (whale watching is a big industry here!) but also sea lions, orcas, guanacos, penguins, etc. The vegetation of the island belongs to the category of dry steppe.

The only settelment on the peninsula is Puerto Pirámides, here we spent a night at the village's campsite (obvious deficits compared to other campsites in Argentina, but unfortunately there is no competition). Being a nature reserve, the roads on the peninsula are not paved, there are only gravel roads. Unfortunately, the quality of these gravel roads is poor (lot of long streches with big ''waves"), it took us more than four hours to cover about 150 km (between various points of interest)… Although I got annoyed while driving on poorly maintained gravel roads, at the end of the day it was worth it! 😀Read more
Florin Paun We didn't see any whales, but that's not what's important... It's incredible that we got here... The Valdez Peninsula, the greatness of the Atlantic landscapes is overwhelming.
11/27/24Reply
Traveler 🤗
11/27/24Reply
Traveler 🤗
11/27/24Reply
Traveler Foarte frumos!
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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From Atlantic to the Andes
November 28, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
In the last few days, after exploring the Valdez Peninsula on November 24, we went further south west, leaving the south Atlantic coast and heading towards the Andes. Unfortunately, the weather was/is not great in most of Patagonia, so when we arrived in the town of Perito Moreno we decided to wait here for three days (until the rainy front passes - at least according to the weather report) and to exactly plan the route ahead. We would have liked to see Los Glacieros National Park as well as the great Perito Moreno glacier (located to the south, about... 700 km!) but due to the rainy / foggy weather we had to change the plan. And since the weather will probably still be rainy in the south, but will be sunny in the Chilean Andes, we decided to leave Perito Moreno on November 29 and drive along the famous Careetera Austral route. Although the Perito Moreno glacier would have been a highlight of our journey, we had to change the plan. Flexibility is essential in such an adventure. But... you never lose something in life without gaining something else.

Along the way from Comodoro Rivadavia to Perito Moreno, we drove a portion of the road on the legendary Argentine Route 40. It is not only legendary for the greatness of the Patagonian landscapes and isolation, but also legendary for the sections of miserable road...

Certain interactions with local Argentines showed us incredible examples of humanity and hospitality. For example, in Perito Moreno, while we were eating pizzettes in a pastry shop, another customer, noticing that we had nothing to drink, put a bottle of orange juice on our table. After that he greeted us and hurriedly left the store. While we were still wandering, the shopkeeper came promtly with two plastic cups...

The itinerary of this step can be seen by clicking:
https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun The morning of November 25th. We had just spent the night of free camping on Union Beach. Driving along the seafront, we accidentally found this bar, which also served breakfast. The interior decorations, but especially the background music, made me feel, for the first time on this trip, that we are very far from what our home used to be and that we are really on a great journey.
11/28/24Reply
Florin Paun 1952: Young medical student Ernesto Guevara, the future revolutionary Che and his friend Alberto Granado, nicknamed Fuser, embarked on a legendary journey on a 500cc Norton motorcycle across South America. They called their motorcycle "La Poderosa" (trans. "The Mighty One").
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Florin Paun This bus is a means of transport, hotel and camp kitchen at the same time. I spoke with two German tourists on a five-week tour of Chile and Argentina. They complained about the quality of the food. Dinner served by the field kitchen consisted of sauerkraut and canned sausage. Not particularly "Argentinian".
11/28/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Bienvenidos a Chile!
November 30, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
On November 29, after three rainy days spent in Perito Moreno, relying on the weather forecast that announced sunny and stable weather in the Chilean Andes, we crossed the Argentinian-Clinian border through the border point between Perito Moreno and Chile Chico. The forecast had not failed. A cloudless sky accompanied our first contact with the Carretera Austral (in English: Southern Way), one of the most beautiful and wild routes in the Andes. From Chile Chico and up to Puerto Rio Tranquilo, the road is no longer paved, but stretches for about 170 km along the scenic General Carrera Lake. We covered this distance in two days, not only because of the unpaved and narrow road does not allow you to go faster than 40 km/h, but also because of the photo stops.

The wild beauty of Lake Gen. Carerra and the monumentality of the landscape are incredible and can only be partially reproduced by photographs. I have no words!

In South America I discover a feeling of freedom that I have not experienced until now. The lack of rules and regulations of all kinds and at every step... For example, I have not paid a parking fee until now (probably there will be fees only in large, crowded cities), if you want to catch fish, you take a fishing rod and you go to the lake or the sea, if you want to do free camping without disturbing anyone, it's absolutely ok, etc. There are probably several causes for this lack of restrictions from the state or institutions, but low population density as well as a strong sense of community belonging are certainly among them.

The itinerary from Perito Moreno to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun After we parked the camper, I put on my hiking boots and climbed almost to the top of the rocky hill in the second last photo. What a reward! Overwhelming feeling, monumental sight...
11/30/24Reply
Florin Paun The unpaved road is narrow, making it difficult to cross with oncoming traffic.
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Florin Paun This elderly German gentleman has been traveling in South America for several years. Before sending his truck to South America, he traveled to Africa and Europe. He said: "What could I do at home in Germany? Will I look out the window? I will travel the world until either I or the truck can't anymore".
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Along Carretera Austral
Dec 4–6, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
After arriving on November 29th, delighted by the landscapes we had admired so far, in the small town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo, we decided to stay here for two nights. The well known "Marble Caves" are situated near the tiny town, on islands of pitoresque Lake General Carrera. They are extremely interesting geological formations. The next day we took a boat trip to visit these wonders of the nature.

While driving further north on the Carretera Austral we spent another night at the "Los Toros de Simpson" Camping ground, located on the grounds of a small estancia. Here Nacho, the friendly owner, chatted with us about travel and politics and after dinner he played a guitar duet with Rahel. The next day Nacho gave us a "mate lesson", explaining with great humor but also a lot of passion the history and tradition of the drink so important in gaucho culture.

The Carretera Austral exceeded our expectations. Although we knew the landscapes were absolutely fabulous, it was the contacts with special people, be they locals or travelers on the Panamericana, that gave a special touch to our journey

Our itinereray on Carretera Austral: https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Traveler Way to go, Rahel!
12/4/24Reply
Traveler Sehr pittoresk der Baum in der Höhe
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Florin Paun👍
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Pumalin National Park
December 5, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌧 10 °C
The journey along the Carretera Austral ends for us in Chaiten, from where we took a ferry to Puerto Montt. Chaiten is a completely uninteresting town, without any special attractions of its own. But near the town is situated the Pumalin National Park, a good example of Valdivian temperate rainforest. Here we spent an interesting afternoon, walking a well-maintained circuit. Unfortunately, the weather did not allow us to climb the cone of the Chaiten volcano, located in the national park, but reachable only after a route of about eight hours of stenous trekking.

There is a saying in Patagonia, “he who is in a hurry wastes time”. It seems to me to be from the category of “festina lente”. And indeed, here people do not seem to be in a hurry, even in traffic jams no one honks. In Patagonia we realized once again that running from one “tourist attraction” to another makes no sense. We drove relatively slowly and enjoyed the wonders of nature, we had time to talk to interesting people. The journey along the Carrera Austral rewarded us with a fantastic travel experience.Read more
Florin Paun Here we are at the Pacific! But since the Carratera Austral does not have a connection to the north with another road, we have to take a ferryboat. The distance between the mentioned cities can be covered either by a long ferry ride (9 hours) directly or by ca. 200 km gravel road plus changing ferries 3 times for short distances. I chose the first option.
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Florin Paun Abandoned places and especially ghost towns are particularly attractive to me. After I learned from iOverlander that there is an abandoned prison on the outskirts of the city, I put it on my "go-to" list.
12/5/24Reply
Florin Paun It's interesting to note that there is free wifi (fast!!) on board. Of course, on European ferries (at least the ones we went on), where the tourist or traveler is seen as a good cash cow, you have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a limited amount of data.
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Volcanoes, rivers and lakes
December 8, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
After arriving in Puerto Montt late at night, we didn't want to look for a suitable campsite or parking space. But the fantastic IOverlanders App helps us immensely, we identified a parking space for trucks in transit and for the sum of four Euros we were able to sleep peacefully and safely next to the other truckers. The next day, after visiting the fish market in Puerto Montt, we continued through Puerto Varas and Ensenada (camping) to Petrohué.

The landscapes are absolutely fabulous and the grandeur of the Andes Mountains can hardly be captured in photographs. In Chilean Patagonia, as in Argentine Patagonia, you are not suffocated by hordes of snapshooter tourists, who come to take pictures of themselves in front of the "point of interest" because they heard so from a dubious influencer or mainstream media. The lack of mass tourism adds even more value to the beauty and wildness of the Chilean mountain landscapes.

The plan for the next 2-3 weeks includes crossing the border with Argentina again, visiting the mountainous region of Bariloche, and heading north through the Argentine side of the Andes to Mendoza. From there, leaving Argentina for good, we return to Chile, arriving in Santiago de Chile.Read more
Florin Paun In this region, many buildings, whether hotels or private homes, are very similar to those in the European Alps. This is partly due to European immigration from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
12/8/24Reply
Florin Paun Sometimes finding a parking space for Nemo near busy markets is not easy. But with a little patience & luck...
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Florin Paun With so many rivers and mountain lakes, it's no wonder salmon is so popular here. The vendor's gaze is interesting as she waits, holding what we just bought in his hand and smiling at the picture. Rahel was searching for money in her backpack...
12/8/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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From Puyehue NP to Bariloche
December 10, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
After admiring the wonderful waterfalls at Petrohue, we headed to Puyehue National Park, whose abundant vegetation is another example of a temperate rainforest. We spent December 9th hiking in the national park, where we also spent the night in a well-maintained camping site. The dense forest and waterfalls of Puyehue NP are charming and off the beaten track. Spending the night in a rainforest is a unique experience, during the night you can hear a lot of noises made by monkeys, birds or insects, and looking at the starry sky through the porthole in the camper's ceiling deepens the mystery of the jungle even more. The next day we crossed the Chile-Argentina border heading to Bariloche.

Planning our travel itinerary requires analytical work and patience. A problem I frequently encounter is that although the internet provides us with an avalanche of information with every “search” I do, much of this information is either completely useless or advertisements for tour operators... No wonder, in the age of tik-tok, little information is of good quality, especially well-made maps. People are encouraged to take guided tours, not to think of their own personalized routes. Even “Lonely Planet”, a book aimed at solo travelers, with which we undertook our first backpacking trips in South Asia twenty years ago, abounds with information from various tour operators (and even "woke-concepts”!), but there are few accurate maps.

The travel route from Puerto Montt to Bariloche can be seen here: https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun In the border area between Argentina and Chile, in the so-called "no man's land", there is a large area of dead forest. I don't know why the trees died. At the border crossing (here is at Passo Cardenal A. Samore, especially if you are crossing from Argentina to Chile) customs control is very strict. Firewood is on the list of prohibited products. (Wood parasites maybe?).
12/11/24Reply
Florin Paun Bariloche resembles the typical resorts in the European Alps. If I had only seen one picture I could say it was taken in Austria or the Bavarian Alps. Although it is very popular, the city itself is not special, only the location, with lots of national parks and ski slopes around.
12/11/24Reply
Florin Paun As in the Alps, especially in Switzerland, there is a real chocolate culture in Bariloche. I tasted a small sample, very good, although somewhat different from the Swiss one.
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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The long way to Mendoza
December 14, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
After leaving Bariloche, a city that didn't particularly impress us, probably because the cliché "Alps" was familiar to us from Europe, we set off on the well-known route 40 towards Mendoza. The first part of the route is represented by the picturesque "Route of the Seven Lakes", which connects Bariloche to Villa la Angostura and then to Saint Martin de los Andes. Further north, after passing Junin de los Andes, the view becomes more monotonous. Volcanic mountains blunted by erosion and hills covered by a dry steppe seem to stretch endlessly. Several unpaved sections of road, some of them with high "gravel road waves", in particular a strip of about 90 kilometers north of Buta Ranguil, make the journey truly "unforgettable". As you approach Mendoza, the road becomes much more scenic, running parallel to the snow-capped Andes Mountains. In addition, the last 250 kilometers of the road are new, smooth as a feather.

A very important practical aspect... In all three countries we have visited so far (Uruguay, Argentina, Chile) we have passed through police checkpoints countless times. Until now we have never been stopped for "routine checks" or obstructed in any other way. When they see us, they give us the thumbs up and wave. Chapeau!

The route of almost 1400 km from Bariloche to Mendoza can be viewed here:
https://de.mapy.cz/zakladni?planovani-trasy&amp…Read more
Florin Paun This young man, whom we met at the Buta Ranquil campsite, is walking across Argentina from north to south. Before that, he had cycled around South America. His face shows joy and deep happiness. "It's not my legs that move me, it's my mind," he said happily... Meanwhile, a bunch of unhappy idiots are complaining in a five-star hotel that the restaurant buffet doesn't have enough ingredients for their special detox salad. Yes, indeed, happiness is a state of mind...
12/14/24Reply
Traveler👍
12/15/24Reply
Florin Paun Along the floodplains there is much vegetation that contrasts with the dry steppe found on the adjacent hills.
12/14/24Reply
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Finca Garcierena
December 17, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
A visit to Mendoza, the wine capital of Argentina, would not be complete without spending a few days at a "finca," a lodge on a winery. So we decided to spend two nights at the lodge at Finca Garciarena and let Nemo, the Blue Bus, rest in the property's parking lot. This colonial-style property is housed in a renovated 1900 building and offers beautiful rooms overlooking the garden of a Malbec vineyard. There are only four rooms on the property. The two days spent at the finca were very pleasant, a total relaxation, we read and slept by the pool, although it is not our type of vacation. In a way, we had a mini vacation in our big Pan-American journey.Read more
Traveler Sehr schön!
12/17/24ReplyTranslate
Traveler Woww
12/17/24Reply
Traveler Wie war der Wein?
12/17/24ReplyTranslate
Florin PaunSehr gut, aber wir haben nicht viel davon konsumiert. However, die Spirulina detox Getränk war fantastisch! Yoga war auch angesagt... Witz! 🤣
12/18/24ReplyTranslate
TravelerDas sieht sehr komfortabel aus. Hoffentlich habt ihr euch etwas verwöhnen lassen.
12/19/24ReplyTranslate
Florin PaunJa, definitiv!😀
12/20/24ReplyTranslate
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Pan-American Journey Florin Paun
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Mendoza & around
December 18, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
We spent the last few days in Mendoza, the Argentine wine capital (although Argentina has many wine regions, 80% of the wine production comes from here). The city seemed quiet to us, with lots of parks, restaurants and all kinds of bars. We also took an informative and interesting trip with an organized group to two wine producers (of course, tastings included!) and one of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

If you like generous beef steaks paired with classy wines, Argentina will be one of your favorite travel destinations. We liked Argentina a lot, but not only for this reason. The people we came into contact with were always very kind. The street atmosphere is lively, the bars are full despite the economic crisis. People live, enjoy moments spent with family or friends. They laugh a lot. We didn't notice any aggressive behavior, we always felt safe. The traffic is chaotic in places, but at the same time cautious, certain limits are not exceeded. Very interesting (also valid for Uruguay and Chile - at least so far) I did not meet people with woke-ist opinions, quite the opposite. I have the impression that although Argentines live in a country in economic crisis, their stress level is lower than in Western Europe.

After more than three weeks spent cumulatively in Argentina, it's time to continue our Pan-American journey, crossing the Andes to Santiago de Chile and then heading north.Read more
Florin Paun This type of ornamental pottery, but of course on a much larger scale, I saw in Andalusia, and particularly in Seville.
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Florin Paun It is interesting to observe the security guards. They would probably be the first to intervene if they noticed criminal activity in the pedestrian area (pickpockets, scammers, etc.). Begging or other forms of consumer harassment are not accepted in tourist and restaurant areas.
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Florin Paun Interesting to see how many employees (in the picture I counted 12 people from the staff, but not all of them were captured in the photo) were in the restaurant. The service was excellent, the quality was first class, the head waiter personally came to our table twice. Half an hour later all the tables were occupied... And without wanting to compare too much, I remembered a restaurant back home where last time instead of a homemade wiener schnitzel they gave a schnitzel from a freezer bag... Something like that in Argentina would not be possible, because the high competition but also the demands of consumers force high standards.
12/16/24Reply
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