Tyre fun & Scary Campsites
Monday 20th November
I gave Sandra at Dakar a quick call in the morning and found out my tyres had finally been delivered to our favorite place, the dreary Rio Gallegos. We decided to head there today after a wander around Punta Arenas which seems like a nice place but being in Chile, the prices were much the same as at home so we didn't stick around too long.

Once we got to RG, our plan was pick up the tyres and hopefully get them fitted the same day, some chance! We arrvived at the postal depot where I'd been told to pick up the tyres and in keeping with past experiences of RG, I found it to be an empty warehouse being swept up by a couple of guys, who told me it had moved across town to a different address- magic. Anyway, after a bit of mucking about, we eventually found the right place and lo and behold, I was handed over a pair of Meztler Karoos, naturally after having to pay 80 pesos for postage.

I'd spotted a bike shop, SM Motos on the way into town so we went there in the hopes of getting the tyres fitted, and again, RG being true to form, the guy there was pretty unfriendly and wouldn't do them till 'manana manana'. Bugger that I thought, I'll do them myself at El Crappo Municipal Campsite, so one the tent was up and we'd had dinner, I set to work on my rear tyre armed only with a fuzzy recolection of a DVD I'd seen of Helge Perderson changing GS tyres in the african landscape without so much as breaking into a sweat. And do you know what? The Pirelli I took off had been put on back to front!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, after 1.5hours of blood, sweat and almost tears, I'd actually managed to get the rear tyre off and the new one mostly on but the last bit would just not go on. I thought I was going to wreck what was left of the tyre so finally admitting defeat, it was off to bed to listen to the weird noises and strange voices in this abysmal campsite which was odd as we were the only ones there. The toilet block with its broken windows, peeling paint, unhinged doors and flickering light bulb reminded me of something out of that horror film 'Saw'. Nighty night.