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Day 45: Puerto Madryn - Bahia Blanca (601km)
Farewell to Patagonia
A long run north today, leaving Patagonia behind us. This was a non-competitive transport day, moving the rally on towards Buenos Aires. At last the flat pampas scrubland gives way to lusher fields - grazing for the cattle that are the heart of the Argentine beef industry.
While there's a quiet moment, here is the story that we've been saving for a while ...
Howard Seymour and Ann Bennett: the 22 missing days
After a while to gather their thoughts since they rejoined us at Ushuaia, here is what happened to Howard and Ann: they have spent days on the road on their own, still plagued by overheating and cylinder head problems.
They were last with the rally proper in La Paz, when they first experienced the troubles that were to stay with them for nearly three weeks. They arranged for the head to be skimmed by a garage there, and a new gasket fitted. They lost a few days while the work was done and while Howard recovered from a bug that struck him down just as they were ready to leave.
On the road again, on their own, they continued to have overheating and water loss problems. They spent a night at Copacabana on Lake Titicaca, then were towed back again to La Paz, crossing Lake Titicaca at night on a specially-arranged ferry. A camshaft that had been ordered for them from Miami took time to get through customs - as ever - and cost them two more days. They finally made it to Cusco, several days behind the rally, and visited Machu Picchu, though they were waiting with bated breath until 5.30am that day to know if they had seats on the train.
En route from Cusco to Arequipa, where they had planned to rejoin us all, they broke down again - in the middle of nowhere. The Peruvian police found them, and towed the Range Rover back to the last tiny town, which quaintly goes by two names: Espinar or Yauri, as you please. The car was parked safely in the police yard, and a hotel found for them: clean but extremely basic.
Next morning, the police found a mechanic. He could repair the damaged water pump, but the head gasket had failed again. The local pastor happened to be from the United States: he was drafted in to help order parts from Lima, to be sent by long-distance coach. The parts took from Thursday to Sunday to arrive, rather than the expected 24 hours, but arrive they did. The mechanic turned out especially as soon as they turned up, and had everything sorted by 1.00pm.
They began making good progress on the road. But near the border, they were delayed again with mechanical problems. By the time they were mobile, riots had broken out in Tacna: they had a police escort to a hotel for the night to ensure their safety.
The following morning, at yet another garage, the problem was quickly fixed. Howard and Ann decided to visit the local railway museum. While they were there, their bags and the car radio were stolen: so they spent two hours at the police station putting in a report.
In a desperate bid to catch us all up at Marbella, they drove non-stop through two nights and two days. But the same overheating problem began yet again, just south of Santiago, and they were towed 120km to the main Land Rover dealership there. This was Saturday: the dealers would not be open again until 8.30am Monday.
At last the problem was identified: the first garage in la Paz had not, in fact, skimmed the head as they claimed. At Santiago, the job was at last done properly ... but it took until Thursday lunchtime for the car to be handed back. But they were back on the rally route now, rather than extemporising for themselves, and covered three days of the Inca Trail route in 24 hours from Temuco to Coyhaique, which they reached at 3.30am.
It wasn't all driving - though at one point they were on the road for 23 hours out of 24. At El Calafate, they allowed themselves the luxury of a day off to visit the glacier and the Torres del Paine. An overnight drive from Puerto Natales saw them waiting for the first ferry to Tierra del Fuego ... and then at last to Ushuaia by 2.00pm. Yes, they really are back this time. Let's hope it's for keeps.
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