a bit of nature and Ruta Quarenta

bird of prey - on the lookout!

Well, the next day we investigated the local nature reserve. There were lots of different bird life including some ibis that we couldn't get close enough to photograph. However, We did manage to get some of them but not always very clearly.

hope it's not looking for me!

First, I'm white and then...

keeping our heads down

....I'm not! Just like that!

fire tree - again!        

In the pink!

Then, it was off on the famous Ruta Quarenta. apparently the stuff of legend, the eternal road movie in real life. We were going to face it in two bursts of 12-hour coach travel and in the first couple of hours we were going to stop at one of Butch & Sundance's stopover points (!!)

our trusty chariot

Anne waits expectantly for Robert Redford

This is as close as she gets

The long and winding road...2,000km of it

the throbbing metropolis that is the town of Perito Moreno provides the overnight stop

It was the longest journey though nothing I have experienced. What you see in the photo above right represents 85% of the journey - it doesn't change!

So we arrived in Bariloche. Home of exciting sports and skiing. Home of suave sophisticates.......