Had an early breakfast and got on the road to see the Caves of the Painted Hands. Good light, good road (mostly) and got there by 09.40. Nice to be on fast flat roads instead of twisty mountain gravel.

Very different scenery to Chile: dry, and more desert-like.

I did well to leave early, as there was no one else there and I got the guide all to myself. She was excellent, and the whole tour was fascinating. As we finished I saw the next tour assembling – there must have been at least twenty-five people waiting.

The wall paintings are in a long cañadon (canyon) providing some protection from the elements.

As expected there were many painted hands, in a variety of natural pigments from different periods. dating back as early as 7350 BC. This figure has been arrived at through radio carbon dating, and is challenging earlier theories of migration times and patterns.

But more than hands: there were scenes of hunting guanaco and other animals. The guanaco provided the nomadic peoples with food, protective clothing, sinews and tendons, bones and grease. They also ate tuco-tuco, choique (lesser rhea), puma and other small animals.

And there are glyphs and artwork whose meaning we can only guess at.

I saw a lot of birds on the road: ducks, geese and swans in the many creeks the road crossed. But I had decided not to include wild life this time, so I’ll limit this to a couple of elegant black-necked swans.

And the road was littered with guanaco, hundreds of them.

Then back to Perito Moreno, where I stopped for Lunch. Then I watched the big football game (in Brazil, Boca against Fluminense). Sadly Boca lost 1-2, in extra time.

Tomorrow I drive back northwards, towards Esquel, breaking the journey in Gobernador Costa.