Charlie is now on a long journey to the bottom of the world… well almost. He is travelling as far south as he can on land to the bottom of Argentina. The only land further south than this is the Antarctic and to reach here, Charlie would need a boat, warm clothing and a lot of money.

This part of Argentina is called Tierra del Fuego. About two thirds of these islands belong to Chile, and the rest are in Argentina. The name Tierra del Fuego is Spanish for “land of fire.” The explorer Ferdinand Magellan named this area made up of lots of islands, when he sailed around the tip of South America in the 1500s. He saw many fires built by Indians along the coast and this is where the name came from.

 

Before reaching his end goal of Tierra del Fuego, Charlie must first continue his journey through Patagonia. He first entered Patagonia in Chile and will continue his journey through this area in Argentina. Patagonia is a huge area of dry vegetation but it also has high mountains and huge glaciers such as the world famous Perito Moreno Glacier.

Can you remember what a Glacier is? Charlie first visited a Glacier in Canada. It is a slowly moving river of ice and compact snow. This Glacier is one of the few left in the world that is still advancing (growing). As charlie watched the Glacier he saw huge pieces of ice crack and break off and fall into the water. The sound was incredible. It sounded like thunder echoing through the valley. He enjoyed playing a game of predicting which bit of ice would break off next.

As Charlie travelled further south on our motorbike he noticed that the weather became colder and colder and the scenery began to change. He even spotted a bird on the beach that he had never seen before. It is black and white, can’t fly but is an excellent swimmer can you guess what it is?

Penguins…

These penguins were doing a special job. They are keeping their eggs warm. After the egg has been laid,  both parents will take turns holding the eggs between their legs for warmth. The Penguins will often huddle together as a group for warmth and protection.

Charlie soon reached the end of the road in Patagonia and it was time for him to hop onto a ferry, with the motorbike to cross over to the islands of Tierra del Fuego. Here he travelled to the most southernly city in South America called Ushuaia.

 

But his journey was not over yet. Charle had been invited to travel all the way back towards the north of Argentina to visit the Capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. He had been told that this city was full of cafes and restaurants where he could enjoy some Argentinian traditions. On arrival to the capital he was greeted by a friend who took him out for an Asado. This is a traditional dish of meat cooked over an open flame,  similar to a barbecue at home. Whilst he was enjoying his meat feast some music began to play and two dancers appeared. The started a dance called ‘Tango’. Tango was first created in Buenos Aires, so it is one of the best places in the world to watch a performance.

Charlie loved his time in Argentina, he even had ago at trying to learn some tango.