Pucon

Well, here we are in Pucon in the Chilean Lake district which is a tourist Mecca. It is the hub for adventure sports in the area as well as blue rinse coach tours. Not sure the two are compatible.

I have had a couple of really good days biking now, and am beginning to get the hang off road stuff. I have managed either not to be last, or to be within sight of the penultimate rider if I am last which makes me feel safer.

Yesterday we cycled over the border from Argentina back in to Chile....it was gratifying at passport control to fill in "bike" as our means of transport. I managed to do around 45km, some tarmac and some gravel and grit before I hopped on the bus when the terrain changed for the worst. Five front runners managed 90km, of which the last 45 were really horrible (to my way of thinking) steep gravel slopes.

Anyway, here is a picture from yesterday...its in Argentina at Mamuil Malal looking towards Volcano Lanin on our way to the border with Chile. The landscape was amazing and there was very little traffic which made cycling on the road just perfect. I was also at the middle of the pack which left me with a little more confidence and time to enjoy it (not that I could see anyone in either direction).

As we moved on through the border we got to the Aruncaria woodland - entire forests of Monkey Puzzle trees which was incredible (see left hand side -2 big trees plus loads of little ones). They were absolutley massive compared to the ones we plant in our gardens in the UK. We also saw loads of lizards and butterflies in the forest.

Today the rest of the group are climbing the 9,000ft Volcano Villarrica which is a 10 our trek in crampons. When you get to top you can see and smell the molten lava. To get down you sit on your rubber tyre and use your ice axes as brakes which sounds great fun. I was really looking forward to this bit in the trip, but I think bacteria of the "Holidayous ruinous" strain to which I am under the control of had other plans. The penicillin is working as I don{t rattle anymore when I breathe out, or worse, in. But the 6am start and the cough etc would probably impact on my ability to go biking tomorrow so I opted out, with regret. Amazingly Codine is a prescription drug here but penicillin isnt. Codine supresses coughs and fever and it really works, but its also addictive - I think its closely related to morphine. I won´t bother myself to see a GP and since I am on the mend and definately through the worst I will manage without.

Tonight I think we go to thermal spas to relax, as there are loads round here. Perfect temperature and conditions for bacteria to breed, so perhaps I ought to give it a miss. I would hate to leave the hospitable Chileans in Pucon a leaving present of bronchial bacteria.

So the cycling part of my trip is nearly over, and none of us can belive quite how much ground we{ve covered. Dinner and drinks never seem to finish before about midnight or 1am, and we are out the door by 8.30 each morning so its been pretty active, and I have made some good friends. If I{d had the skills I have now acquired from the start the first few days would have been much better, but I have them now! Dinner seems to last from about 8.30 or 9pm when we first start looking out restaurants, to late oclock when we finish. It takes almost as long as a french dinner, but unfortunately most of it is down to waiting for the food. Makes for very sociable dinners though.

Chile is very different from Argentina - a lot less affluent. Towns we{ve been through in Chile have been geared up for tourism, and this town, Pucon, would put Britain in Bloom to shame. But outwith the towns its a different story- housing is very poor quality and farming appears to be subsistence. Yet people are really well dressed from top to toe. Chileans seem a bit more serious and reserved than the Argentines. Mind you if I saw a bunch of filthy sweaty cyclists heading in my direction I might be a little cautious too!

I fly with the group to Santiago on Friday, and from there I{ll head to the language school after a weekend recovering.

So, Chao from Pucon.