In order to cross the area of the lakes and go from Puerto Montt (Chile) to Bariloche (Argentina), there's no choice but to pass by a tourist office, Cruce de Lagos, which offers in one day, a combination of bus, ferries, snow bus to cross over the border.

To limit expenses, I hitch-hike for the first section to Petrohue where a family puts me up for the night.  After a hearty breakfast, I wait for the tourists to arrive by bus and mix with them to take the first ferry of the day.  A pretty conductor asks for my ticket and welcomes me on board.

 

The weather is atrocious: a thick covering of cloud prevents us from seeing the landscape, which, in theory, must be the only reason to be there… I, therefore, start writing in my logbook…before being joined again by the charming conductor…

 

Eva – that’s her name – takes great care of me (except at mealtimes: I make do with my sandwich while the others enjoy a good restaurant).  The weather doesn’t improve.  We, therefore, spend a large part of the journey talking to one another.  Arrived in the evening at Bariloche, the bus drops the tourists off one by one at their respective hotels.  I’m the last on board…and invite Eva to continue our conversation over a good steak in the evening.  She accepts.

 

Before returning to Puerto Montt, Eva has three days free, which we spend together.  I promise to come back to see her after my trip to the “bottom” of the continent.

 

One month later, I find her again…and stay with her family for an extra month.

 

My world trip nearly stopped there – which, without any doubt would have been an eternal frustration – and one beautiful morning, I decide to continue my journey, the furthest possible: 48 hours non-stop on the bus and second aeroplane of my world trip to New Zealand…

 

I couldn’t forget Eva and she is often mentioned in my private diary.  We regularly kept in contact for two years by mail, telephone and fax.  She accepted my second invitation to come and visit Europe upon my return from travelling.  She came, she saw and she conquered.

 

It was undoubtedly an unshakeable sign of our personal legend (Paulho Coelho, author): our short trip takes us to the Jacques Cousteau oceanographic museum in Monaco.  On top of the facade of the building, are about ten engraved names.  Our gaze falls on those of the main façade: Belgica – Talisman – Valdivia.  Belgium and Valdivia (the city where Eva is from) already protected and joined together by the magic (of love)…

 

We’ve married since then and today have two adorable young children, Oceane and Amadeo.