The Motorists' Diaries
Sarah and Alistair, Machu Picchu
The MS Trust would like to say a HUGE thank you to Alistair Mackenzie and Sarah Hilliam who raised over £3,500 with their road trip around the southern half of South America! Read all about their experience below...
"We have bought a car, Scarlet, she's glorious! We're setting off for the south. We have two spare tyres, a huge drum of petrol, a new jack, tent and stove, and very little Spanish.
"Ruta 7 - the road from hell - graduated from poor, to bad, to terrible, to a series of pot holes, to what may be better described as an inconvenience to the passing rivers and waterfalls. At one point, with water coming over the bonnet, we didn't stop for the man we passed wading clad only in his Y-fronts and holding a tyre.
"When driving in southern Patagonia the following phrase will come in useful: "Tengo un/tres pinchazo(s)" - I've got a/three puncture(s). We had one heading south through Tierra del Fuego, and two in almost the same place on the way back up. We had two spare tyres, so the first two weren't much of an issue. The third scuppered us somewhat.
Sarah and Scarlet, Atacama Desert
"For an exciting day whilst we sorted her out with her seventh tyre, poor Scarlet was neither in Argentina nor Chile, but stuck in an ethereal, nonexistent place between border controls. This was an entertaining quandary for the Chilean officials who could quite clearly see her, but could not possibly acknowledge her legal existence.
"In Patagonia it's illegal to carry spare fuel in the car, so you can imagine our unease at the prospect of traversing more than 400km on one tank. Sure enough the fuel indicator hit empty with civilisation still some way away. Luckily, Scarlet shuddered to a stop just 20 metres away from the long-awaited petrol station. We wheeled her onto the forecourt with the help of the attendant, the look on whose face was a picture of unconcern. This sort of thing happens every day!
"In Taffi we were hit by a motorcycle. The kid driving the bike was ok, and his bike was repairable. With the help of a lovely family who had seen the accident, the insinuations made by the police for some hush-money were batted away and we were told we could go on our way. Apparently "nothing at all had taken place"!
"Flooded roads, punctures, petrol shortages, an accident and vehicular altitude sickness are just a few of the incidents that have combined to make this road trip a serious challenge. We arrived back in Santiago in the dark and at rush-hour. We had completed our loop of the Southern half of South America!" Alistair & Sarah 2009
Alistair, Sarah and Scarlet
Sarah and Scarlet, Salt Flats
Scarlet in Patagonia, Route 40
Make a Difference
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