A good day, despite the naysayers in Esquel who tried to convince me the Futaleufú Pass was closed. It wasn’t. But first things first.

Very heavy overnight snow in Esquel had caused the town’s electricity supply to fail, and with it Internet and mobile phone signals. So I waited until 10.00 and went along to Vialidad who told me that there was no problem at all with the road to Chile so I set off with a cheerful wave to the naysayers in the hotel.

And Vialidad were right. Despite the heavy snow in Esquel it was the only falling snow I saw in the day and there was precious little on the roads until I got to Villa Santa Lucia, in Chile and on the ruta 7. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First stop, Trevelin, the mill town. Welsh country here, with a dragon perched precariously on the roof of the information office. I know the town quite well and will be returning later in the trip so drove straight through the town towards the border with Chile. The Tulip festival is getting underway in Trevelin, but the fields are covered in mud and snow with few tulips visible. When I come back next week they should be in full flower.

So, lots of snow around but the road to Chile was clear. Mostly gravel, and very twisty in parts, which made the journey slow but we passed through some beautiful country.

The road from Esquel to Puyuhuapi was the road taken by the Top Gear team back in 2014. They were not especially complimentary about the route, nor my destination, Puyuhuapi. Pearls before swine, I reckon.

So many rivers and bridges ..

Until finally I reached the Ruta 7 (Carretera Austral) at Villa Santa Lucía.

And to prove it …

Filled car with diesel and self with coffee at La Junta, at a COPEC service station, the equivalent of Argentina’s YPF.

And finally arrived in the sleepy little town of Puyuhuapi ….

…. which now has a huge number of hosterías and restaurants to cater for passing tourists ‘doing the Carretera Austral’.

The sun was up now, and it was lovely to walk around a little after being stuck in a snow bound car for so long.

A modest little village really, whose old houses record a life before the tourists arrive.

I arrived a little ahead of schedule and my host was not at home so I went for a welcome beer at Scarlet’s cafe …

…. before checking in for the night. An evening fish supper and a glass of wine, and was ready for bed. Tomorrow, to Coyhaique.