Date: Friday, 30 September 2022

Trajectory: Ituzaingo – Oberá

Distance covered: 180 km

Left Ituzaingo after early breakfast. Went to YPF to fill up with diesel and found huge queues so left till later, trusting to luck and my jerry cans. Stopped at second YPF along the road and was limited to 40 lts – seems fuel is in short supply in Misiones.

In a last ditch attempt to score a monjita dominicana digressed 1k km down the RP41 towards Pelligrini …

… but nothing doing birdwise, so came back and drove on to  a new province, Misiones. 

… and on to the town of Santa Ana. The weather was vile all morning, torrential rain still, so I chose an indoor activity – a butterfly house … 

… where there were not too many residents owing to the time of the year, but all bright and colourful on this miserable day. 

I rather liked the colouring on this one …

Drove on to Oberá as the rain began to ease off and visited a ‘bird garden there…

… where the steep and uneven walkways would never pass an H&S check. The number of birds was very small and some were in very small cages; not a wonderful collection, though the park was lovely.

One example was this red-breasted toucan … 

But this was not my bird of the day – instead, a campo flicker, shot from the car window in a moment when the rain eased off. 

Found a pleasant looking hotel in Obera, with individual cabins spread across a park. – aptly called the Hotel Cabañas del Parque. A huge complex, it seemed empty other than me. I ate in a large and empty dining hall that reminded me of ‘The Shining’. My cabin was fine though (at the back in the picture below).

A good supper (chicken and salad), and a cold evening. The last two nights have been quite cold – something I don’t associate with Misiones. Tomorrow north, towards Iguazu.

Date: Thursday, 29 September 2022

Trajectory: Resistencia – Ituzaingo

Distance covered: 235 km

After a leisurely breakfast left for Ituzaingo, still a little bemused by the splendour of my hotel.

Stopped for good coffee at an ACA service station which was full of Brazilian bikers. I see quite a few on the road: big, heavy  and expensive bikes, usually in groups of four or five.

 As I drove away the heavens opened and I had torrential rain until just before Ituzaingo, as I approached the Cambyreta Portal to the Esteros de Iberá.

I went a few kilometres down a side road in search of the elusive Monjita Dominicana, once again dipping. I did, however, see a number of birds and chose for my bird of the day: the Black-collared Hawk.

The rain shortly returned, accompanied by cold – the coldest day so far. I’m back at the Casa Bonita, dry and comfortable. Scheduled to meet Alejandra tonight for dinner, and a debriefing on my Tantanacuy experiences.

I’m driving tomorrow to Posadas and possibly on to Obera. Will sleep on it.

Date: Wednesday, 28 September 2022

Trajectory: Presidencial Roque Saenz Peña – Resistencia

Distance covered: 205 km

Left the comfort of my hotel after a leisurely breakfast, feeling slightly discombobulated by the spider in my bathroom as I paid a last visit. I would think about two inches long.

My first objective of the day was to find a replacement cable for my Apple laptop charger which had become unusuable. Couldn’t do that, but with the help of a friendly electrician I was able to invent a replacement (don’t tell Apple!).

Then I took a few detours on country roads near Roque Saenz Peña looking for early morning birds. My bird of the day, a guira cuckoo, comes from these early morning wanderings.

And just as well I went off looking for birds. I arrived at Quilitipi to find they were just ending a three piquete (that’s when citizens block highways). Guess luck was on my side; I could have been stuck on a hot highway for hours.

The short drive to Resistencia was otherwise uneventful. I passed lots of wood sellers on the road …

… and was tempted to buy one or two bits and pieces for my new house. 

Alejandra Boloqui had arranged tonight’s hotel for me and it turned out to be quite palatial, both outside …

.. and inside 

I ate in the hotel, and intend to leave early tomorrow for Itzaingo.

Date: Tuesday, 27 September 2022

Trajectory: Tantanacuy – Presidencial Roque Saenz Peña

Distance covered: 205 km

Still not feeling a hundred per cent. Drove away from the Impenetrable, from the heat, dust and flies, back to relative civilisation. Roque Saenz Peña is the second city in Chaco, and a bustling, modern place.  Found a room at the same hotel as before – a comfortable and comforting space.

So, a short entry again today – but at least a bird of the day from a quick revisit to the zoo as I drove past. A Ñacarutú, known in English as the great horned owl.

Tomorrow back to Resistencia.

Date: Monday, 26 September 2022

Trajectory: Tantanacuy

Distance covered: 300 km

Work up with vomiting and diarrhoea. Spent day in bed, with broth and dry toast for supper. 

No blog today. No bird of the day.

Date: Thursday 22 September 2022

Trajectory: Pampa del Indio – Tantanacuy Ecolodge

Distance covered: 230 km

No breakfast at hotel as owner Carlos had forgotten to buy anything, so off to Shell where I grabbed some coffee, filled two 20 litre jerrycans with diesel and bought some cans of beer for my sojourn in the outback.

Then drove the 130 km to Tantanacuy Ecolodge. Actually, because of misleading instructions and the total absence of signage and people to ask it was more like 230 in total. The only vehicles I saw were logging trucks, deforesting the Chaco.

A consequence of this was that the roads were not only badly cratered and with accumulated sand banks – there were also logs all over the place. Twice I had to stop to clear a way through.

I finally arrived at Tantanacuy ….

… parked up, and went over to the guest house ..

… where a late lunch was waiting for me …

… washed down by a drink made from prickly pears – novel, and very tasty.

Lots of blue-crowned parakeets around the place I’m staying …

… and not very popular with owner Luis as they attack all the cacti for the water content

After lunch we went for a walk through the Impenetrable …

…. leading into a dusk merienda with bonfire … 

… and staying a while to see the sunset.

On the way back to the guest house where I am staying we saw a scissor-tailed nightjar sitting in the road, which is today’s bird of the day.

Not quite sure what tomorrow has in store, but looking forward to it.

Date: Wednesday 21 September 2022

Trajectory:  Roque Saenz Peña – Pampa del Infierno

Distance covered: 260 km

A good breakfast at the hotel … 

….and off to visit a local zoo outside Roque Saenz Peña. Reputed to have dealings with traffickers, but who knows? 

Lots of animals here., including quite a few local species. I dipped on the giant armadillo but did find a smaller one. 

There were lots of birds in the zoo too, but for my bird of the day I chose an elegant crested tinanmou, mainly because s/he was so friendly and made cooing noises at me. 

Before leaving Roque Saenz Peña I found a gomería because I had a slow leak in the rear offside tyre. 

A twig had forced its way between the steel rim and the rubber of the tyre. Easily fixed, and there was a great lunch place next door for tallarines and stewed meat.

It was only eighty kms to Pampa del Infierno, although the road was gradually deteriorating as I arrived. The railway still runs through town, with an old British signal and switching gear still in place.

Hotel Dos Hermanos very friendly and comfortable, with a lovely garden and super-safe parking.

Carlos, perhaps one of the brothers (?), will cook for me tonight. 

There is no wifi, so I’ll get this off when I can. Tomorrow I’m going to Tantanacuy ecolodge – Luis Dellemea messaged that he is unable to meet me here and has apparently sent instructions by whatsapp. I’ll go to a service station tomorrow and download them – and fill a couple of jerrycans with diesel as I’ll be going into the hinterland.