On our devoted search for field sites, we decided to cross the peninsula and approach the mountains from the other side. We would not be too far away from our other sides, but it would be a long drive on gravel roads to get around them.

Luckily, we had the beauty of the Patagonian nature to save us from a boring trip. I could never imagine that a country could have so many birds of prey packed so close together. Every hundred meters, another one flew up from a pole or showed its marvelous acrobatic tricks in the air. In between, large amounts of majestic geese, beautifully coloured ducks and on the horizon even two pink dots that seemed to be flamingos. The further we got, the better the view…

As soon as we crossed the inland, a splendid view on the bay unfolded before our eyes. In the far north, we could see the snowy peaks of Isla Riesco, the southernmost part of the Chilean Andes. The waves, guided by strong southern winds, crashed on the shore and giant black petrels floated above the shoreline. The cows, horses and sheep that were regularly startled by our passing car warned us that this was no true wild nature, but we won’t easily find any better in Europe.

The very moment we thought to be as far away from civilization as possible, the happy face of another candidate for the upcoming elections smiled at us from the trunk of a dead tree, right before a typical Chilean farmer approached us on his horse, eager to help us on our hunt for accessible mountains. At least the Chilean landscape makes you forget itif the fieldwork brings you bad luck.