Graves. Endlessly hidden in the Atacama desert. The memory of lives lost lingering across salty flatlands. The eyes of young children piercing into my soul. This place is called ‘El Cementerio de los Apestados’ or, ‘The Plague Victims’ Cemetery’, better known as the ‘Children’s Cemetery’. Yet, when we arrived, we didn’t know all this. All…
Some say that it doesn’t exist. Others say that it can’t be done. I would say, go to Chile. A country stretching the length of Europe, yet only a mere few hundred kilometres wide at its widest. Nestling its toes in the Southern Ice Fields while its head bathes in everlasting sun, the Atacama Desert…
A tiny cabin. My unexpected home away from home in southern Chile. No bigger than most people’s kitchen, but housing more than just kitchen utensils. Bedroom to the left, kitchen and living room to the right. Bathroom? Straight ahead. Everything painted white with perfect full-bodied red details. Windows facing the front with a terrace looking…
Let me start this tale with honesty: I was wrong. Not completely wrong — but certainly mistaken. After having discovered Caleta Maria in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, I was no longer motivated to reach Ushuaia. I simply didn’t want to leave Caleta Maria, but due to a lack of food, that became non-negotiable. Leaving Caleta…
At night, the wind howls. During the day, the sea roars. Tread lightly, because at this place the earth feels different — drier, humble, and more robust. Every moss is a survivor. Every animal fights to stay alive. Life is harsh. Life is peaceful. Life is for the courageous few who decide to leave the…
Leaving a little part of myself forever lingering along the Carretera Austral, my wheels started turning towards Paso Roballos and into the unknown; our first border crossing of the trip. A tiny, hidden place nestled below the last Chilean mountains, marking the transition into the vast Argentinian plains. Riding out of Cochrane, it took us…
There’s a rhythm on the Carretera Austral. Not a song, but the pulse of rugged beauty and isolation that sinks deep with every turn. We’re miles from Valparaíso where our journey started, and the road feels like it’s calling us closer to the edge. Patagonia stretches endlessly, an expanse that’s as much about braving the…
From far away she lures me in, urging me to follow her curves down south. Leaving Puerto Montt behind, her lush green curls cover the mountain tops. While riding across the coastline, mist dances above the waves as if to warn me about the mysteries of the South. After taking the ferry from La Arena,…
Close your eyes, listen to waves hitting the hull of the ferry, and feel the wind roaring above. Forget the rain for a moment. Try to fathom where in the world you’ve ended up: a tiny dot next to Chile, yet only three times smaller than Belgium. A final stop before the long road to…