When first coming to Chile, I was perturbed to find the western culture so predominant there, and cycling felt like cycling in a South American version of Switzerland. But in fact, it is not. Soon, I learnt to see the shades: people and their relaxed mentality made all the difference. And then came the Southern part, Carretera Austral and tierra del fuego, and I loved cycling in the rain forest, under glaciars, in wide open land, and in the remote little villages the rough spirit of true pioneers at the last frontier of civilization. It was still the adventure I’ve been enjoying for so long.
I hope that people is proud and aware enough to resist the temptation to destroy these precious and pure natural reserves in the last corner of our planet for the shortsighted commercial interest of particular companies (see the threat of HydroAysen and the campaigns against).
In this somehow last stage of my journey, I often felt that circles closed back to the beginning: words I’ve last heard in Colombia popped up again, and people were just as welcoming: I thank the lovely family of Pino-Burgues who gave me a home in Santiago, the three girls and Ricardo with whom I spent such a jaunty time in the lake region and not least the warm farewell at the frontier with Judith, Alejandro and Claudio.
These people and many others made my stay so intense and fortunate – actually the longest time I’ve spent in a single country on the whole trip.
I cycled in Chile for three months, 2.409km and 23.600 altitude meters.