Proper Rally news...
The border formalities between Argentina and Chile were fairly straightforward. The main concern the authorities had was taking fruit across. Most cars had a labrador doing a thorough search inside and out, we only had a cursory check though, must have been our Chilean plates. Adrian declared our ham and cheese sandwiches on the form as meat and cheese are prohibited, but they didn't have to be blown up or anything and the dog didn't eat them. We're so law abiding!
We came across massive road works and were held up for ages just across the border. They are widening a very impressive road a practically vertical drop with around 30 hairpin bends. Some of the lorries in the queue with us are probably still there. The rest of the journey was uneventful until, as we were coming in Santiago, the driver made a unilateral navigational decision, against advice and got us lost. Luckily, the navigator was able to get us to the hotel, eventually. Actually, most crews got a little lost as big cities are always tricky.
My guide to Chile has a section on 'Santiago in two days' and one 'Santiago in five days'. There isn't ' Santiago in one and a half hours' though - strange. We leapt in a taxi and went to the quite lovely Mercado Central, admired the fish stalls, squeezed in quick bit of crab, ran down to the Plaza des Armas, past the 'Lady Di' hairdresser and jumped in a cab back. Maybe I should submit a section to Lonely Planet.
Mark and Chris in the 'A' had problems with their alternator just outside Mendoza, luckily the spare from #7, in its old incarnation, was in one of the support vehicles and so they were soon on their way. Also, they were a bit wobbly and discovered that one of the wheels was cracked in no less than 5 places. It was replaced by the spare but they need to try to get it welded today as it will do in an emergency, but only for a very short distance.
Mark and Victor had a dramatic day in the Plymouth - a fire. Amazingly, they were able to put it out and, with assistance from Max and James who were behind them, were soon fixed and on their way again.
The BMW continues to have various problems and is being very gently nursed. Steve and Jan are back on the road after an heroic overnight effort. The Austin 20 got in very late but made it. The Carrero of Reg and Tony is very poorly and, the last we heard is on a truck. Lots of cars are still having problems with overheating but are bashing steadfastly on.
Sadly, the are fewer and fewer cars actually competing now and more and more tourers. It's tough, this rally.
Today we left Santiago at at 0630 and our journey has been mainly through the fertile Central Valley, centre of the wine area and fruit and vegetable cultivation. We then had to climb up to our out of season ski resort hotel on a nasty gravel section at the end of a long day. Tomorrow, just for fun, we have to negotiate that last bit of road again, only in the dark of the early morning.
We have been through the area that had a dreadful earthquake in 2010 - 8.8 on the Richter Scale. The scale of the devastation was shocking and the effects felt over an unbelievably large part of the world.
The navigator (B) in car #7 did some driving today and was chided by the usual driver (A) for going too fast. When B asked A where we were, at one point, after waking him up, he grabbed the tulip route book and map from the floor, fumbled for his glasses, asked where the road numbers were and looked perplexed. B informed him that tulip books don't have road numbers, just very specific instructions. A: 'how the f*** are you supposed to know where you are then?'
It just goes to show that we should stick to our assigned roles. I wasn't the one driving when a Caraberinero stopped us though.....!
We came across massive road works and were held up for ages just across the border. They are widening a very impressive road a practically vertical drop with around 30 hairpin bends. Some of the lorries in the queue with us are probably still there. The rest of the journey was uneventful until, as we were coming in Santiago, the driver made a unilateral navigational decision, against advice and got us lost. Luckily, the navigator was able to get us to the hotel, eventually. Actually, most crews got a little lost as big cities are always tricky.
My guide to Chile has a section on 'Santiago in two days' and one 'Santiago in five days'. There isn't ' Santiago in one and a half hours' though - strange. We leapt in a taxi and went to the quite lovely Mercado Central, admired the fish stalls, squeezed in quick bit of crab, ran down to the Plaza des Armas, past the 'Lady Di' hairdresser and jumped in a cab back. Maybe I should submit a section to Lonely Planet.
Mark and Chris in the 'A' had problems with their alternator just outside Mendoza, luckily the spare from #7, in its old incarnation, was in one of the support vehicles and so they were soon on their way. Also, they were a bit wobbly and discovered that one of the wheels was cracked in no less than 5 places. It was replaced by the spare but they need to try to get it welded today as it will do in an emergency, but only for a very short distance.
Mark and Victor had a dramatic day in the Plymouth - a fire. Amazingly, they were able to put it out and, with assistance from Max and James who were behind them, were soon fixed and on their way again.
The BMW continues to have various problems and is being very gently nursed. Steve and Jan are back on the road after an heroic overnight effort. The Austin 20 got in very late but made it. The Carrero of Reg and Tony is very poorly and, the last we heard is on a truck. Lots of cars are still having problems with overheating but are bashing steadfastly on.
Sadly, the are fewer and fewer cars actually competing now and more and more tourers. It's tough, this rally.
Today we left Santiago at at 0630 and our journey has been mainly through the fertile Central Valley, centre of the wine area and fruit and vegetable cultivation. We then had to climb up to our out of season ski resort hotel on a nasty gravel section at the end of a long day. Tomorrow, just for fun, we have to negotiate that last bit of road again, only in the dark of the early morning.
We have been through the area that had a dreadful earthquake in 2010 - 8.8 on the Richter Scale. The scale of the devastation was shocking and the effects felt over an unbelievably large part of the world.
The navigator (B) in car #7 did some driving today and was chided by the usual driver (A) for going too fast. When B asked A where we were, at one point, after waking him up, he grabbed the tulip route book and map from the floor, fumbled for his glasses, asked where the road numbers were and looked perplexed. B informed him that tulip books don't have road numbers, just very specific instructions. A: 'how the f*** are you supposed to know where you are then?'
It just goes to show that we should stick to our assigned roles. I wasn't the one driving when a Caraberinero stopped us though.....!
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