Stranded in a small desert town without gasoline

Our mission for the day was to find out exactly when gas was expected to be delivered in Chos Malal so that we could know when we would have a chance to continue our journey. It was Saturday morning and we knew that one of the gas station was not to get any gas before Sunday. We went to the other one and were told that it would be today (great news!) between 9 pm and midnight (less great news!). We checked a little later that day and were told the same thing. It was clear that we would have to stay another night in town and given the little gas we had left, going to check out an attraction in the area was out of the question. Good thing we had internet and were able to catch up on emails and call our families for Ester.
At 9:30 pm, we heard the gad had been delivered but given the long line of cars, we would go later, after watching the West Virginia basketball game that is (sniff, they lost...). At 1:30 am we were in line and at that time, it was pretty short so twenty minutes later we were back in bed, our gas tanks filled and two containers of 5L full of gas in our top case. We were ready to leave the next morning. This was the second time we had to wait in a long line to get gas (the first time was in Malargue, where only one station has gas) but never before were we stuck in a town.

The verdant and beautiful road of the Seven Lakes

The next day, we rode about 450 Kms (300 miles) but it felt much more than that, only because we finished the day in an environment and landscape so different from the one where we started. We left a desert and volcanic area, where plants were rare and rocks abundant. The one or two towns we crossed were all like an oasis in the desert and the ride was pretty boring. When we entered the Lake District through Junin de los Andes, we had almost entered another country. The temperature was a little cooler and out of nowhere, we had a lot of trees along the road. As we continued towards San Martin de los Andes, we saw our first lake, which was also bordering this town where we would stay for the night. It was like being in Switzerland with green fields and forests bordering blue and pristine lakes where the mountains would reflect. The town of San Martin was different too: houses were built in wood with shingles, each one like a cute small chalet and everything was so clean and pretty, like a dream ski resort town in the summer. We enjoyed walking in the streets, especially when we stopped at a local artisanal ice cream shop. So delicious we are still thinking about it!

Since we are in April, it is early fall here in Argentina. The leaves have not turned yet but temperature wise, we are no longer in summer. When we hit the road at 9:30 am the next morning, climbing up through the woods, it was really chilly. We had many layers of clothes and when we were in areas still in the shade, it looked like the road had a little frost on it. Needless to say that we were cold, not a good sign for our descent to Ushuaia... We were starting the day on the famous Ruta de los Siete Lagos which goes through some of the most amazing scenery of the Lake District. The first viewpoint we stopped at gave us an overview of what we were in for today: green and dense forest with both regular trees and pine trees and deep blue lakes here and there. Lake Hermosa was our first stop and since it was mid-morning, the fog had no lifted yet. We could see pieces of the surrounding mountains but most of the water was hiden. We waited around for a while and little by little the fog lifted to reveal the captivating beauty of the lake. It had a mystic touch with the fog, the green plants around and the dark mountains in the distance, all this reflecting in the quiet water. It was such a peaceful place, where the nature had created a captivating landscape, made of shades of blue and green.

We continued on the famous road and every five minute there was something to look at, another stop worthwhile. We first passed a noisy 200 meter-high cascade, followed by three lakes, each one better than the previous one. The air had warmed up a little but not enough to remove our jackets when walking. With the sunshine helping, it was warm enough though to take a small walk around some of the lakes. The blue sky and the quiet waters were creating a perfect setting. We rode some more and after 50 Kms, we said goodbye to the pavement and continued on the dirt road, which slowed us down a little. For lunch, we stopped at a small emerald lake and pulled our sandwiches out. Another perfect spot for a picnic, where we took a walk on the beach to digest the food we had just had. What a magic place this park...We continued on the dirt road, not as bad as we had feared, for another 50 Kms. With so many more lakes, all different colors, we could not get tired of taking pictures. This region had exceeded our expectations so far and it was a complete different environment than before, and not to be expected in Argentina. With such a big country however, they really could have all types of climate and landscapes!

A few kilometers later, we were back on asphalt and driving towards Villa La Angostura, nicknamed the Garden of Patagonia. We were indeed now at the door of big Patagonia and this town was bordering the huge Lago Nahuel Huapi. We had dreamed about this place for a long time as we were about to do something very special here, a treat we had been looking forward to for a while. We had received as a wedding gift a stay in a hotel that belongs to the Relais et Chateaux establishments, a French appellation only given to some of the best hotels in the world. They are many Relais et Chateaux in France but also in some in other countries. Before leaving, we had found that one was in Patagonia, Argentina. We had now almost reached this exception place, the “Las Balsas” estate in Villa La Angostura. It was hard to believe that we had made it that far and that we were about to experience the most luxurious stop of our journey.