Thursday, February 9

We are making a quick stop in Cunco, Chile.  Here on Google Maps:

http://maps.google.cl/maps?hl=es&q=cunco+chile&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=1700l6297l0l6742l16l14l0l0l0l1l2464l6162l7-3.0.1l5l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=677&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl 

A small town but it has fast Internet.  

Tuesday night we were in Puerto Varas (in the Chilean lake district).  We are working our way up into the Andes and plan to be in one of the national parks tonight.  We camped last night and will camp the next three nights.   

It is comfortably warm and fresh fruit including peaches, raspberries and blueberries are plentiful.  In the distance are the conical peaks of stratoform volcanoes (the look like Fujiyama).  I am looking forward to getting up higher.

Postscript: On Thursday we drove to Parque Nacional Conguillo and camped just outside the park.

Volcán Llaima (in Conguillo) from Cunco

Road into Conguillo

Araucaria

Wednesday, February 8

After spending the night in a cabin in Puerto Varas, we set out to explore the volcanic region.  That night we camped near the town of Las Laureles.

Puerto Varas

Tuesday, February 7

We flew from Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt, about 800 miles north, rented a car and drove to Puerto Varas a resort town in the lake region.  We had window seats on the airplane.  It was cloudy the entire flight except for an opening over Torres del Paine.

Monday, February 6

While John was recuperating at the Estancia, Laura and I drove to a forest reserve (Reserva Nacional Laguna Parrillar) southwest of town and walked in the southern beech forest there in the morning.

Walking in the reserve

Wine selection for lunch

  In the afternoon we walked Punta Arenas. 

Punta Arenas Municipal Cemetery

Punta Arenas