Exploring South. A travel story by John Apps.

After 10 years of Adventure Bike ownership, I thought I owed it to myself and my bike to get out there and discover more about the two countries in South America that have always caught my imagination. 

I used to work in Ushuaia, Argentina, for an adventure cruise company going to Antarctica, and every time I left port to head across the Drake Passage, I used to look at Ruta 3, heading off some 3000km towards Buenos Aires and think, I'd love to ride that road one day. That day is almost here.

My home is in the north of Mallorca. I have lived on this idyllic island for 12 years, but its hasn't driven the bike travelling bug from me. So my lovely GSA1200 is leaving by truck to the UK next week, and is flying out to Buenos Aires, and I will follow it shortly. My work in Mallorca means I have only 6 weeks to fit in as much as I can, and I already know that I will attempt too much and will need to get realistic after my first few days. But for now I comfort myself with the thought I will see and do everything I have written on my wish lists. From the bustle of Buenos Aires, up north to the deserts and salt flats around Salta, then down ruta 40 to Mendoza, the Argentine Lake District, over to Chile for a ride on the Carretera Austral, before back into Argentina for Perito Moreno Glacier, El Chalten, and on to my former stomping ground of Ushuaia, before the last mad dash 3000kms back to BA and home for Christmas..... What can possibly go wrong !!!j