Tyre problems, Welsh Towns and not much else on Ruta 3

'Mike doing the first of his tyre repairs'

After our little excursion around the peninsula, Mike realizes that his rear tyre has a puncture. Or actully, the repair he had in it had failed on the gravel road. So it's off to Puerto Madryn for a new tyre, depsite one already being on the way to Rio Gallegos (Or so we thought) for him. A night there, in a reasonable Municiple Campsite before heading off for Welsh Cream tea. We had been talking to a guy the night before who told us about this 'Artist' in Gaiman who had spent a lifetime decorating his garden with painted plastic bottles. We were also told that there would be the cheapest coffee and cake in town served there.
Next morning off we head. All I could think about was a lovely cream tea....mmmmmmmmmmmm............
We arrive in Gaiman. The young fellow in the tourist centre falls over himself to give us directions to the town's particular highlights. And off we head. The place is like a ghost town. Once again we've arrived before the season, or in mid-siesta. We check out the 'Artist' garden. To be honest, it's all a bit creepy, but you can decide for yourselves when I get around to putting up some photos. And to make matters worse, there is no coffee or no cake. Not only at this guy's place, but we can't find a cream tea anywhere in town. Gutted. Instead it's bland cheese and ham sandwiches from the garage.

'Can you tell what it is yet?'

That night we free camp in the pampas. I'm starting to realise that there really isn't too much to the east coast of Patagonia. It's just flat and windy.
We do find some winding roads into Comodora Rivadavia and some nice coastal scenery on the way down to Puerto San Julian, where we stop for the next night. The statues in this town are a bit strange also. A fighter plane from the Falkands War and a pirate ship. The Falklands is obvioulsy still a big issue on the east coast of Argentina and it's a good thing not to be English.
Rio Gallegos, well what can I say about this place. If you can avoid it, do so. The least friendliest people in Argentina that we have met so far. Expensive bad accommodation and damn it, Mike's tyres aren't here. Oh, and I almost forgot, a hail storm to set the scene as we ride around searching for somewhere to stay the night.
Tomorrow we are off to Tierra del Fuego..........

'Free camp in the pampas'