21st May

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Puyuhapi
Region XI,
Chile.

21st May 1997

Dear Mummy (and everybody else) .

It is your turn again, to get the long letter. We've been away four months and it feels like we've only just started. I sent the last long letter from Coyhaique over a week ago and so I thought it was time to start another as much has happened.

We rode out of Coyhaique on a quiet Sunday morning, the horses were very good but luckily the roads were nearly empty anyway and we found a short cut around the side, so we missed the traffic lights!

It was quite a feeling to be riding north of Coyhaique as it was new territory for us; it seemed quite a landmark to have passed. The countryside changed quite dramatically, to really good arable land with big farms that had lots of crops and large machinery working on them. That lasted for 3 days and then we went into a really damp jungley area - the Cold Jungle is an apt name for it. I didn't like it much, nor did the horses as there wasn't much grazing, unless you were a Panda Bear, as the road just cut through bamboo, really thick. Another downside is the leeches - Yuk!

One night - the first night in this jungle, I said "Oh look, there's a caterpillar in the tent" but dropped it quick when Padraig pointed out that it had a funny head and wasn't a caterpillar. The next morning we were very worried to find blood on Rupert's back legs and looked to find the cut, thinking he had trodden on some glass or sharp bamboo, but then I found a "slug" stuck in his leg and realised what the problem was - it was huge and when we looked we found they'd all been attacked - Yuk Yuk. Even Brown Dog hadn't escaped! We've been camping with them for a few nights now, the land is better, more grass and less bamboo, but still leeches - we haven't been attacked - I don't think - I had a huge one drop on my hand from the tent one night, but I threw it off before it sank its teeth in. I squealed a bit too!

We climbed up and up from Coyhaique and entered Parque Nacional Queulat, a high cold jungle; it pee-ed down every night and day and was pretty miserable; we crossed a pass and it snowed instead. A pretty horrible day that started quite badly and then got worse. Packing up in the pouring rain is a depressing experience. Everything is so slimy and wet, the tethers are awful after being dragged around in the mud all night. They are made of leather - one long piece cut from a single skin, about l5 metres long I think. Luckily we had been warned of the horrible weather, which is normal in this region and had bought large thick plastic ponchos to go over our woven ponchos so when we sit on the horses it covers our knees, saddles and hands so its quite cosy - I won't want to ride in the rain without them; great for keeping warm and dry. Most horses at Cantref would have run a mile if you tried to get on wearing one, but our lot are very mansa or rather manso (tame) and don't mind these things - we have to lift a huge sheet of plastic on to the pack every day and they don't bat an eyelid when we shake it to get the water off. If you walked into the shed at Cantref carrying it most of the horses would leave, quickly, over the walls! Anyway we rode on down the other side of this pass and found a grassy patch so the horses had an early lunch and we stuffed cheese and crackers into us - it did stop raining for a while, but then resumed the drizzle. We stopped fairly early as we came down to the edge of "Senso Ventisquero" a fjord as it turned out but looked like a narrow lake with steep forested sides.

We found an OK patch of grass, well it was the largest area we'd seen all day that wasn't covered in jungle; the grazing was a bit marshy and reedy but the horses liked it; we managed a fire with some wood we'd carried and kept dry an had an early supper; then went into the tent and dozed off - most unusual for us, but we just lay down and fell asleep around 6.30 and only woke up at 8.30 when I turned over and went splosh - yes, can you believe it, the sea came in - we are such idiots for not having realised; it didn't look like a beach and certainly didn't look like it was under water twice a day, but there we were flooded; it was like being in a water bed (I imagine) everything a bobbing about, oh my god - what a panic! We shot out of the tent, it was pretty dark but luckily there was a moon so we could see enough, water everywhere!

We spent the next couple of hours moving everything - we floated the tent up to the shore, it was getting deeper every second and unfortunately another downpour started and so we didn't really stand a chance of keeping anything dry; it was almost funny, wading about in the sea in the dark, but maybe funny isn't quite what it was! Unfortunately we'd put the tack with all our packs and stuff even further out, inside this plastic sheet we have, it keeps the rain out but by the time we got to it it was under water almost and we had to drag it to dry land, well wet land! It was a disaster, everything soaked.

We had to rescue the horses, they were all perched on the highest bit they could find, but luckily followed us through the water, no bother - they are very trusting. The mare had been taken across a stream to another bit of grazing and it took us ages to find a way of getting her out as the stream was now under feet of water. A lot of crashing about through wet bamboo but in the end we were all back together next to the road on a stony patch with no grass. The poor horses had to be tied short with nothing to eat and it rained cats and dogs all night. We crawled into the tent and tried to go to sleep but it was a terrible night. My sleeping bags were wet through and so was I (I have 2 sleeping bags now - we found we weren't keeping warm enough, so I sleep in our old ones and Padraig sleeps in a new one we bought).

Pádraig's sleeping bag wasn't wet right through and we both tried to get into it which worked for a little while but was too cramped for sleep really - I then had the brainwave, that we use the bivvy bag, it's a double one that we always carry in our rucksacks in case of emergency - this was an emergency! We got in it and had the dry-ish sleeping bag over us; it was a bit wet and cold and uncomfortable but we managed. I felt really miserable and snivelly (not sure of spelling) after being brave and coping while we had to do things. Lying in a soggy heap, with the poor horses outside, not being able to move around and eat to keep warm, I felt just poo-ey! I thought we had lost our plastic cups and Brown Dog's red plastic bowl as well, which made me feel worse but in the morning we found everything - it was still horrible weather and the tack was so heavy, full of sea water. They wear sheepskins under the saddle and a thick felt pad, so it was completely drenched and very heavy. Horrible to put it back on them, but we couldn't stay there - no grass for the horses and we had to find somewhere to dry our sleeping bags at least. We set off a miserable group.

A little old man whose house was down the road told us that the next town (Puyuhapi) was 32 kms away - a long day's ride and it was already late - 11 am - but although there were no hotels or places to stay on the way, 2 km off the road there is a Conaf Guardaria and they would put us up in the house there, as there is someone there every day of the year - they live there - phew - this was only a couple of hours' ride, so off we set and reached it eventually.

We'd seen a vehicle turning in just before we got there but when we got to the house, no smoke from the chimney and no vehicle! We found the vehicle up another lane, there were paths everywhere and found that the people were just visiting the viewpoint (a wonderful hanging glacier, with lots of waterfalls) and told us normally the Guarda parque was there but there was a funeral in Coyhaique and he might be back later that night. Oh no it was l.30 now and we really didn't want to ride on - we wouldn't have made the town anyway. We did some exploring and found nice patch of grass in one of the camping areas so the horses were happy - not a very big patch, but enough for the moment - we didn't have a lot of choice anyway.

We found that one of the camping areas had a shelter with a fireplace and dry wood in it, so we lit a fire - it took a while to get going but when it did it was enormous and we went and stole more wood from the shed and kept it roaring all afternoon and evening. It took us all our time hanging things around this shelter and over the fire to dry them. We got the sleeping bags and tent done first and then our clothes. It was bedtime soon enough and we really appreciated warm dry bedding.

We pitched the tent on the platform by the door of the toilets locked for the winter) and it was under cover. The ark Warden got back around l0.30 the next morning just as we were all packed up to go - not everything was dry, but the horses didn't have any more grass so we had to go. He didn't charge us for camping, which was nice. We rode on towards Puyuhuapi but when at 3 pm we found a huge area of lush green grass we didn't have the hearts, so that was home for the night; it was lovely up above a bay of the fjord and while we cooked our supper we watched (and listened to) Dolphins playing in the water just below us. They were beautiful and so close you could hear their breath. Really wonderful, it makes it all worth while!

It only took us another couple of hours in the morning to ride into the town of Puyuhuapi. It is a beautiful little village at the end of the fjord - the sun shone which helped. We stayed at an hospedage for 2 nights to give ourselves a day off - we managed to completely dry out things and almost dry out the horses stuff. It was all hung around in their shed and they very kindly lit a fire for us underneath it which made a great difference - we left yesterday and tomorrow hope to make it to La Junta. Maybe I can post this there.

We think we'll have to buy new sheepskins as these ones are sticky and still gritty from the drowning they got and the mare's tummy has started to get a bit sore from the girth - always being wet doesn't help. Everything got soaked except the bum belt which has the camera in it - phew - and the money belt with the passports etc. The bag with the journals in only got a bit damp but some of the paintings we've done have smudged, a bit. All the tools we bought have rusted, horse shoes and nails, safety pins in bandages in the first aid kit (full of water). Buttons on my coat, needles - everything rusty! It really was quite a disaster - we are coming to realise it, but it could have been worse I suppose; we didn't actually lose anything or ruin anything - we can get new sheepskins soon I hope - we won't be so stupid again! What idiots eh!

We are now camped at the side of the road on a very nice grassy patch, the horses have stuffed themselves. One bonus of this wet region is all the grass. Padraig is getting the fire ready and we will have supper soon - we stopped early today so that is why I've been able to write while it is still light - the days are even shorter now; it's pretty dark by 6 pm and doesn't get light until 7.l5 in the morning.

We now meditate in the morning from 6 - 7, as it's pointless trying to get up any earlier, it's just too dark to pack any-thing; sometimes we get going by 9.l5 but usually not. We've been slow lately with everything wet and dirty. It is quite hard work, sometimes we wonder why we are doing this, but we will keep going. I think we came at the wrong time of year - or rather we left it too late to set off north. The weather is a bit wearing, it would be lovely to have long sunny days, but then it would be too hot and there would be files - never happy are we?

Meditating is helping us cope, I don't think we'd manage without doing so.

Then I look out of the tent at the new crackling fire and my honey putting the pot on to it and Brown Dog curled up nearby snoring and the three horses munching happily and I love them all and wouldn't swoop it for anything.

You'd love Brown Dog, he really is a lovely chap, very faithful and friendly; he has to have a brush every morning when the horses are being done. He has a lovely way of smiling up at you when you talk to him. He usually trots along in front of us, but keeps checking to see that we are all present and correct.

We are pretty sure that the mare isn't in foal which is a relief - we don't need 4 horses! She seemed to come into season a couple of weeks ago.

Alazán's latest bungle was to stand on the saucepan and dent the lid - it was soaking with the porridge outside the tent overnight - he's such a silly horse, but adorable with it. Padraig won't let him be tied near the tent anymore.

I'd better sign off now as it is almost too dark to see what I'm writing.

Hope you are all well and happy. We think of you all often.

We should be in Puerto Montt before mid June - in 3 weeks time, so we hope to be able to get post then! We'll have to buy a new tent as all the zips have stopped working and its not very waterproof and we burnt a hole in it drying it by the fire - these things are sent to try us. Oh well, we'll struggle on. Write again soon.

Lots of love, Kate, Padraig, Alazán, Rupert and the Mare and Brown Dog.

Pto for postscript

POSTSCRIPT
Chaiten - 31st May 1997.

It is now l0 days later and we have reached Chaiten which is the top of this section of road. We must take a boat to Puerto Montt on Monday.

We are terribly upset as our dear old Brown Dog was killed yesterday on the road. We were only a couple of kilometres from here and the day before we had completed l000 kms. We are so sad and will miss him so much, he was the best dog in the world as I used to tell him every day; he looked after us all and we'll be lost without him.

There was a lorry coming ahead which we pulled out of the way but Brown Dog was still in the road; he'd seen the lorry but then a car came very fast behind; I did see it and told Padraig but I feel so guilty that I didn't call Brown Dog so he'd look round and he'd have got out of the way; it was a Police pick-up and they always seem to drive too fast, he looked round but he didn't have time to run out of the way; he didn't know which way to go, it hit him so hard, he didn't go under the wheels but it rolled him over a few times. They didn't even stop, just drove on and our lovely dog tried to stand up and come to us; he was howling and I ran over to him and held him but he lay down; we carried him to the side of the road and lay him on the grass and stroked him but he died about l5 minutes later - there was nothing we could do, we felt so helpless. At least he died quite quickly, there wouldn't be a vet near here and it would have been awful to try and put him down; he was far too injured ; his back leg was broken badly, which could have been plastered, but it had hit his head and the shock killed him. I feel so sad, he was so loyal, such a happy lovely dog, we'd only had him a couple of months but it was so right to have him; we'd already decided ages ago that we couldn't have left him behind and we were going to bring him home with us and could see him travelling around in Earnest with us - he'd have loved it and you'd all have liked him, he really was a lovely dog and the trip won't be the same without him.

We curled him up underneath a dry bush at the side of the road and said goodbye and then rode on in the pouring rain. We didn't have anything to bury him with, but that's how he used to sleep every night and it seemed the right thing to do.

We will take a boat to Puerto Montt as there's no ferries in the winter across the fjords further north - it's 200 kms and possible to ride all the way in the summer but not now. We have to put the horses on a lorry to go on the boat - they won't like that. Don't know our route north of Puerto Montt but hope the weather will be better. We'll miss our little Brown Dog so much, he was a Bueno Companero and we were very lucky that he chose to come with us and look after us all. I wish so much he was still here. He really was a lovely dog.