Heatwave on the Carretera Austral

We are beginning to wonder whether we are in the right hemisphere - it seems to be getting hotter and hotter as we head further south, which is great for the views but makes the cycling a hot and dusty experience. Frequent immersion in glacial streams seems the most effective way of cooling down! As expected, the road is tough going with a very variable surface, a couple of ferries across the fjords, and some steep climbs (meaning we can only average about 9km per hour) but the scenery more than makes up for the hard work - stunning lakes, rivers, glaciers and waterfalls with absolutely nothing and nobody on the long stretches between villages on the way. We are currently in Puyuhuapi, a village of 500 inhabitants founded by German settlers, with limited resources but more good cakes. And we´re slowly but surely making our way towards Coihayque, the only town of any size on the whole route, plus we have a day-trip cruise booked to visit the Laguna San Rafael glacier on the way.
Those of you who have read Bill`s comment on the previous entry, see the last photo above as proof that the whole trip isn´t a hoax and we aren´t blogging from Oxfordshire ...!