31st Dec, Ancud to Chepu (21.1 M)8miles of tarmac and then 13miles of very hilly loose gravel road. Certainly wouldn´t have won any speed competitions today. It was hard work and quite a few times had to get off to push the bikes up the hills as just couldn´t get any traction with the tyres. The tabanos (huge horse flies) were back as well, particularly bothersome when we were cycling at our slowest, ie up the hills. Trying to swat a fly up a steep gravel road was definitely a sure way to loose momentum and come off the bike! Pretty landscape, but it seemed to take a long time before the sea and therefore our destination at a river outlet came into view. The first campsite we tried was full!!! Very surprising, as so far on this trip we're often the only ones at campsites, but we perhaps should have realised that New Years eve was different.
Undeterred we cycled on another 500m across a bridge and were welcomed into a small ´campsite´ (garden) by Juan., an elderly Chilean. There was a sign up for camping, but it didn´t look like anyone had stopped for a while. However Juan was very friendly and chatty and I managed enough with my Spanish to discuss travel, job and the horseflies! No shower at the campsite, but there was a tap for drinking water and use of the toilet in Juans house. I made use of my swimsuit and nearby river for a wash.New years eve was peaceful, Gareth cooked up a lovely rice, and veg concoction and we enjoyed the bottle of Chilean red wine we´d brought in.
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