MAR 24 SOUTH & EXCITING CHILE BORDER CROSSING
















MANY THANKS TO JESSICA AT HOTEL IN ESQUEL !!


STAMPED POST CARDS THAT HAVE TO BE MAILED AT A POST OFFICE IN ARGENTINA DURING BUSINESS HOURS 



VIEW FROM MY BED AT HOSTEL IN FUTAEUFÚ CHILE




HERE IS A BASIC ROUTE I AM FOLLOWING  

AND THE ON TO USHUAIA CHILE


REALLY GREAT BUS DRIVER FROM ESQUEL ARGENTINA TO CHILEAN BORDER


THE PAVEMENT ENDED JUST OUTSIDE OF TREVELIN ARGENTINA. CHILEAN BORDER AHEAD







TIME TO PASS THE DODGE PICKUP ...

YOU DON'T REALLY SEE ALL THE DUST!









PASSING THROUGH A LITTLE TOWN BEFORE CHILEAN BORDER WHERE THIS BUS DROPS US OFF. WE THEN PROCESS THROUGH ARGENTINA BORDER OFFICE AND THEN WALK THE BUFFER TO CHILEAN BORDER OFFCE AND MEET ANOTHER BUS. THAT'S THE PLAN! 






 BORDER CROSSING WAS MOST EXCITING SO FAR

WHEN I GO INTO THE ARGENTINA SIDE THEY SAY THE CHILE BORDER IS CLOSED FOR THE DAY. IF YOU COME THROUGH HERE YOU WILL BE IN"LIMBO" WITH NOWHERE TO GO. HA HA " PLEASE STAMP MY PASSPORT AND LET ME BE IN "LIMBO"". I HAD TO RUN TO THE CHILEAN SIDE AND FILL OUT MY PAPERWORK IN THE AFTER DARK OFFICE BY PHONE FLASHLIGHT WITH THE BORDER AGENT AND NEW BUS DRIVER LOOKING ON AND "HELPING" ALL THE WAY. I WAS THE ONLY ONE FROM MY BUS TO GET THROUGH THE BORDER(S) THE OTHERS GOT OFF THE BUS AND CAMPED SOMEWHERE UNTIL THE BORDER OFFICE REOPENED. SAW THEM IN FUTALEUFÚ THE NEXT DAY.

 I WAS THE LAST PERSON ALLOWED ( NOT REALLY ALLOWED JUST SORTED HUSTLED MY WAY) ACROSS THE BORDER. THIS IS ONE OF THE CARS THAT GOT TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK TO ARGENTINA SIDE. WHILE THE RECEIVING BUS DRIVER AND I WAS PLEADING MY CASE. I HAD RUN BEEN PROMPTED BY SOME CHILEAN AGENTS TO RUN THE ENTIRE WAY BETWEEN BORDER OFFICES TO GET THE BORDER AGENTS TO PROCESS ME AFTER THEY HAD 'CLOSED' THE OFFICE. I WAS THE LAST PROSPECT FOR A PASSENGER TO GET THROUGH FOR THE BUS TO FUTALEUFÚ CHILE SO HE WANTED AT LEAST ONE PA$$ENGER.



CLEAN AS A PIN BEDS IN FUTALEUFÚ HOSTEL

SALMON DINNER AT THE LOCAL RESTAURANT 

HOSTEL ROOMATE SAYS "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" I SAY "GREENVILLE SOUTH CAROLINA" SHE SAYS "I AM FROM COLUMBIA" NICE "COLUMBIA SC? NOOOO COLUMBIA!!!!

BIBIANA HAS BEEN RIDING HER BICYCLE IN SA SINCE GRADUATION




FUNNY HOW THINGS HAPPEN