Welcome to mad nomad’s adventurous website! This site is about travelling the way I’ve been dreaming of as a child! When I took the decision to make my dream come true, it seemed remote and totally unfamiliar to me. Finally, after two years of profound research and intense preparation, I hit the road!

   On the 14^th of April 2007, I set off solo from Thessaloniki, Greece by my small motorcycle (Honda XR 250S), on a journey to four countries, for ten months’ time: Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India. During my trip, however, there were many changes in my schedule, and, finally, I ended up returning to Greece after two years and two and a half months, having covered 73,000 km. (45,361 miles), after travelling to 14 Asian countries: Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh! That was my journey known as “greece2india“. You will find my trip reports from that time at moto.gr forum

The black line indicates my route to Asia, while the grey one shows the way back.

   On July 18^th, 2013, we hit the road for an even longer journey! Africa and Middle East were calling us and we were eager to explore those lands! Why do I use the plural form? This time, Christina Pefani, the she-mad nomad, was travelling with me for 10 months. Therefore, we were riding two motorcycles of the same type (Honda XR 250), travelling according to my usual recipe: innumerous detours, in order to visit everything interesting, years on the road, to catch the scent of the local societies we visit, always guided by the love for People and Nature. Since August 2014, I kept traveling solo, as Christina decided to fly from Zambia back to Greece because of personal reasons. I finally completed this three-year adventure on June 29th, 2016 having covered 96,000 km (59,653 miles) in 39 countries. That was the expedition called “mad about Africa“! You can check out our route on LiveTrips and you can enjoy our reports at the Trip diary section.

My route around Africa and the Middle East (short reports at: livetrips.gr)

   On July the 23^rd, 2023, we set off on a different expedition… During the “mad about Americas“, we shall explore the entire American continent, from Patagonia, all the way to Alaska! The composition however will differ this time round. I shall be traveling, as per usual, on my favourite motorbike, the Honda XR 250S that we named Cactakis. Angeliki Doucas though will be traveling in a van, which we reconstructed over a period of three years and turned it into a campervan. This van, Don Rufos, as we call it, will be our home for the following years. We equipped it with all the creature comforts, so we can sleep, cook, bathe, have endless energy and carry all our equipment for the activities that we wanted to include in our journey, in order to implement what we named “Action Traveling”. The activities in question are: enduro motorcycling (off-roading), kayaking in lakes and rivers, sailing (which is my profession), paragliding, horse-riding and trekking in areas that are inaccessible for all other means of transport! Don’t ask us how long this will last… We hope that it will last as long as possible and certainly longer than my previous expedition, more than three years that is! You can follow our journey on LiveTrips and you can enjoy our reports at the Trip diary section.

Check out our reports at: livetrips.gr

mad nomad: Since there were requests for Angeliki to write a little something about our adventures, she penned the following article. Enjoy!

We began our journey in the Atacama Desert with a visit to the European Southern Observatory (ESO) on Mount Paranal. This observatory is funded by European contributions, something that particularly annoyed a German during our tour, who kept complaining about his taxes! We were impressed by the Very Large Telescope (VLT), which consists of four individual telescopes. We learned about its operation, entered the facilities, and even visited the unique building housing the scientists, engineers, and other staff working at the observatory. The building itself is fascinating, both architecturally and otherwise. Ιt was even used as a filming location for the James Bond movie “Quantum of Solace”! On the opposite hill, Cerro Amazones, an Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is under construction and is expected to be completed by 2029.

This is the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory on Mount Paranal, located in a part of the Atacama Desert with ideal conditions for space observation.

After leaving the observatory, we stopped at the famous sculpture “The Hand of the Desert,” which symbolises human rights that were severely violated during Pinochet’s dictatorship. The Atacama Desert was used as a secret burial site for thousands of murdered and missing dissidents during that era, and even today, relatives of the disappeared continue searching for the remains of their loved ones in the vast desert.

The famous “Hand of the Desert” symbolises human rights that were severely violated during Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Our next stop was the coastal city of Antofagasta, known for the Huanchaca smelter, where minerals from nearby mines were processed. It operated only for a decade, but employed around 10% of the city’s population! Antofagasta was also an important railway hub connected to La Paz, Bolivia. The now-abandoned railway facilities are picturesque and the tracks still reach the port. We were thrilled to encounter sea lions again that were lounging on a wooden pier and even strolling along the waterfront promenade! We then visited the seaside city of Iquique, where Elias once again flew on his paraglider and landed right next to the city’s skyscrapers!

Camping under the starry sky of the Atacama Desert!

Diving back into the depths of the Atacama Desert, we stopped to visit the La Palma settlement, which once housed workers from the Humberstone and Santa Laura mines and refineries, where sodium nitrate was extracted. This substance was highly significant in the past, as it was used in fertilizers and explosives and was Chile’s main export product! Everything changed in 1960, however, when Germans found a way to produce synthetic nitrates. The La Palma settlement now operates as an open-air museum and is extremely well-preserved. There was a school, theater, cinema, swimming pool, tennis courts, a large market, and so much more, giving us the impression that even in the desert, the residents’ lives didn’t lack much compared to those of people living in urban centers. However, not everything was rosy, as there were also incidents of bloody suppression of workers’ uprisings, something that was unfortunately common at the time.

In 1872, when these areas still belonged to Peru, sodium nitrate, one of the most important products of that era, was mined in Humberstone.

Next on our exploration were the highlands of the Andes, known as the altiplano. Elias, a fan of high altitudes, was thrilled, while I was worried about the van’s engine and the rugged dirt roads we had to cross. We passed through the Isluga and Lauca National Parks. The landscapes were breathtakingly beautiful and surreal, but the driving was extremely challenging, and the roads weren’t even proper roads, causing the van’s rear to fall into a ravine! Thankfully, our van is equipped with four-wheel drive and low gears! Along this route, we saw our first llamas and alpacas that I instantly fell in love with! We also came across abandoned villages with beautiful churches. The sense of abandonment was evident throughout the region, but considering the harsh living conditions that was understandable. At the end of the route, we reached a mountain lake with hot springs, steam, clay, and stunning views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains and volcanoes, which definitely made up for the challenging journey!

I fell in love at first sight with llamas and alpacas!

We spent the next few days wandering around the Andean highlands, much to Elias’ delight! He enjoyed several motorcycle rides, reaching altitudes above 5,000 metres (16,404 ft) and creating memories that will last a lifetime! I was more conservative, in order to spare the van. However, despite my cautious approach, we had a mishap in the village of Putre, the main settlement of the indigenous Aymara people. There, we were mistakenly given gasoline instead of diesel, and the engine stopped working! Luckily, Elias acted quickly, and Don Rufos was saved without damage.

On his motorcycle, Elias ascended to an altitude of 5,000 metres (16,404 ft) in the Suriplaza area, near the Chile-Bolivia-Peru tri-border!

Having explored a significant part of the Andean highlands, we turned westward toward the Pacific Ocean, heading for Arica, Chile’s northernmost city. We passed by the Lluta Valley, which resembled an oasis. We stopped just before Arica to visit a museum with Chinchorro mummies dating back from 5,000 BC; two thousand years older than the oldest Egyptian mummies that have been discovered! Amazingly, these mummies were so well-preserved that many still had hair! Arica is a major port in the region, serving Bolivia as well, as it lost access to the sea during the War of the Pacific. The city’s cathedral and the former customs building were both designed by the renowned Eiffel.

The Chinchorro mummies date back to 5000 BC, two thousand years older than the oldest Egyptian mummies that have been discovered!

Our next stop was the village of Pisagua, also located on the Pacific coast, in the middle of the desert and far from everything else. Pisagua was once a significant port and flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as a hub for the exportation of sodium nitrate. After this industry collapsed, Pisagua became infamous during Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973–1990), as a concentration camp for dissidents. We visited the cemetery outside the village, where many victims of the regime were secretly buried. The place was eerie… Cemeteries in the sand are not uncommon in Chile, and we saw several during our trip. For a Greek, however, it is a fairly strange sight.

In Pisagua, many victims of Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973–1990) were secretly buried.

After our brief tour of Northern Chile’s coast, we headed inland again, our final destination being the tourist town of San Pedro de Atacama. Along the way, we stopped at the Chuquicamata mine near Calama, one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world! Thanks to this and other mines, which have been nationalised since 1971, Chile is the world’s largest copper producer. We then returned to the Andean highlands, saw geysers, and swam in hot rivers! We spent a few more freezing nights in the highlands before heading to San Pedro de Atacama.

How could I resist a hot river at 4,300 metres (14,108 ft) in the volcanic regions of the Andean highlands?

The descent to San Pedro de Atacama was a relief for me, as I had grown tired of the relentless cold and strong winds of the highlands. At first glance, the town seemed unattractive and somewhat miserable. However, as soon as we reached the centre, everything changed! San Pedro de Atacama is extremely picturesque, with beautiful colors and low buildings that blend perfectly with the surrounding desert. The town’s centre looks like a postcard! It also serves as a base for desert tours, stargazing, and excursions to neighbouring Bolivia. It has many tourists and a somewhat hippie vibe. The last time we saw such a charming town was in Valparaíso. We stayed in San Pedro for two days before heading back into the desert to admire its stunning landscapes and spend a night at the famous Magic Bus, an abandoned bus in the middle of nowhere! This marked the end of our exploration of Chile, as we prepared to cross the border into Argentina, in order to explore the country’s northwest, a piece that was missing from our journey so far.

The center of San Pedro de Atacama is incredibly picturesque, with beautiful colors and low buildings that blend perfectly with the surrounding desert!

This is the fourth episode of our documentary about our adventures in Chile (with English subtitles):

mad nomad: Since there were requests for Angeliki to write a little something about our adventures, she penned the following article. Enjoy!

Our next stop after the Chiloé Archipelago came with a delightful surprise… Valdivia, a city built at the confluence of rivers and shrouded in constant rain, is a unique blend of lush greenery and coastal charm. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean brings a favourite guest – sea lions! These playful creatures have made the city’s fish market their home base, often climbing onto the stalls to steal fish. The daily squabbles between sea lions and fishmongers are a hilarious spectacle. I spent hours watching their antics, but dared not get too close.

Sea lions are the most regular patrons of Valdivia’s fish market—and they dine for free!

As we journeyed northward, we encountered numerous lakes, each more breathtaking than the last. My favourite was Lake Corazón, shaped like a heart and a true testament to Chile’s rain-fed beauty. The verdant landscapes, teeming with water, are a paradise for nature lovers. As an aficionado of thermal springs, I had marked the Termas Geométricas in Panguipulli as a must-visit destination. The ticket isn’t cheap (48 €), but for a true enthusiast, it’s undeniably worth it! Nestled amidst giant ferns, these outdoor baths feature over ten pools with temperatures reaching up to 45°C (113°F). The architecture – redwood walkways and natural stone – perfectly blends with the surroundings. Under a light drizzle, I luxuriated in waters at my ideal temperature of 43°C (109°F), emerging soaked and euphoric. I returned to the van, where Elias was waiting for me, ready to continue our journey.

The Termas Geométricas may be pricey, but for hot spring enthusiasts, they are absolutely worth it!

In the days ahead, we would part ways temporarily. Elias had set his sights on an ambitious trek to the Quetrupillán Volcano, while I opted for a more leisurely retreat in the cosmopolitan resort town of Pucón. Nestled beneath the smoking Villarrica Volcano – its summit glowing red at night – the town offered breathtaking views. Though picturesque, I barely had time to enjoy Pucón; Elias called early the next morning, stranded in a violent windstorm and unable to proceed. He returned to the trailhead, where I picked him up. His rescue was successful, and we celebrated my birthday that evening back in Pucón with plenty of food, as always!

Elias’s brief hiking venture into the Villarrica Volcano area had to end abruptly!

After a few days on the road, we arrived in Santiago, the sprawling capital of Chile. With a long to-do list and numerous landmarks to explore, the city quickly made an impression. Its hills, historic buildings adorned with graffiti, lively squares, and parks provided a captivating introduction as we navigated its streets toward our overnight site in an upscale, tranquil neighbourhood. Using this as our base, we explored Santiago by motorcycle and foot. Elias dedicated his time to hunting down spare parts and mechanics, while I wandered the city to get a better sense of its character. I reunited with Valentina, a friend I’d met in Greece through Couchsurfing, who showed us around her city over meals and conversations. We also met Vasilis, a Greek expat we had first encountered in Patagonia.

Santiago’s charm lay not only in its bustling streets, but also in its dramatic backdrop: the Andes, standing guard over the urban landscape!

Among Santiago’s many cultural gems, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos) stood out profoundly. Chronicling the human rights atrocities committed during Pinochet’s dictatorship, the museum’s exhibits were as shocking as they were impeccably presented. As someone with years of experience in human rights work, I found it deeply impactful – arguably the best museum of its kind I’ve visited. Another unforgettable visit was to La Chascona, the eccentric home of Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda, built as a love nest for his affair with Matilde Urrutia. The house, brimming with eclectic treasures from Neruda’s travels, exuded a chaotic yet enchanting harmony. If Neruda were alive, I’d ask him to design and decorate my home!

It is estimated that nearly forty thousand people were abducted, brutally tortured, executed, or disappeared during Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Santiago’s cosmopolitan flair extended to its food and culture. I discovered Nepalese momos – my favourite dumplings – attended a wine festival, and stumbled upon the quirky “café con piernas”, where scantily clad baristas serve coffee and lend a sympathetic ear to patrons’ woes. After a week of city life, repairs, and restocking supplies, we were ready to head north.

La Chascona, the residence of Chilean Nobel laureate poet Pablo Neruda, was remarkably eccentric yet tastefully designed.

We reconnected with Noel, a French friend Elias had met during his travels in Africa, for a short journey together. First, we stopped in Santa Maria, where I had spotted an Alaskan Malamute kennel. I adore this particular breed, so this visit was a dream come true for me! The dogs showered me with such love and affection, that I felt warm and fuzzy for a long time afterwards! The following day, we arrived in Valparaíso, a colourful port city by the Pacific, where we explored its steep streets on foot.

My favourite Alaskan Malamute dogs showered me with such love and affection, that I felt warm and fuzzy for a long time afterwards!

Valparaíso, perched on steep hills, is a city like no other. Its signature funiculars, some dating back to the Belle Époque era, transport locals and visitors alike, offering panoramic views of the ocean and hills. The city’s vibrant murals cover entire buildings, creating an open-air gallery that one can spend days admiring and photographing. We also visited its historic cemetery and La Sebastiana, another of Neruda’s homes. Unlike La Chascona, this house was designed to resemble a ship, reflecting Neruda’s love for the sea, and its interior bore his unmistakable artistic touch.

The old funiculars, carrying people up and down the hills of Valparaíso, are the city’s iconic feature.

The next day, we followed the coastal route to explore a few seaside villages and resorts we had heard were beautiful. Our first stop was Viña del Mar, famous for its surfing. There, as well as in the nearby small towns, countless high-rise buildings line the coast, where city dwellers keep their vacation apartments. To be honest, they didn’t impress us much. We much preferred the charming Horcón, a traditional fishing village with wooden houses and sea lions lounging on the beach. It had a more authentic and peaceful vibe. That’s where we said goodbye to Noel after enjoying some empanadas, and each of us continued on our own way.

Horcón is a picturesque, traditional fishing village, featuring wooden houses and sea lions lazily wandering along the beach!

Heading inland, we visited Valle del Encanto, a cactus-filled valley adorned with ancient petroglyphs. The indigenous people who once lived here used these carvings and celestial observations in their rituals, connecting the stars to their spiritual practices. After days of travel, we finally arrived at the Atacama Desert – an iconic milestone and the beginning of a profound exploration…

In Valle del Encanto, the landscape transformed, blanketing us with towering cacti!

This is the third episode of our documentary about our adventures in Chile (with English subtitles):

mad nomad: Since there were requests for Angeliki to write a little something about our adventures, she penned the following article. Enjoy!

Re-entering Chile, this time from Tierra del Fuego, we had two missions. The first was to secure a spot on a ferry that transports vehicles and passengers from Puerto Natales to Puerto Yungay. This ferry would save us at least 1,000 kilometers of rugged roads (via Argentina, as there are no roads in that part of Chile)! However, the ferry spots were limited, and online, they all appeared to be booked. Near Puerto Natales lies the famous Torres del Paine National Park, which is perhaps the most popular in all of South America. We had attempted to book tickets online (two months in advance), but they were already sold out. So, we decided to go there and find out if we could visit the park for a day.

When we arrived at the famous Torres del Paine National Park, the weather was not favorable, and tickets were outrageously expensive, while they were already sold out two months earlier!

The second mission was a failure, as when we attempted to enter the park, it was pouring down with rain, and tickets were still excessively priced even for a single day. However, the first mission was a triumph, since we managed to secure spots on the ferry to Puerto Yungay. By mid-March, the temperature had dropped significantly, and the rain accompanied us continuously. Meanwhile, I was suffering from a bad cold that had been bothering me since we were at Tierra del Fuego. Thus, spending the next three days on the ferry, staying in our van with the heater on, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and enjoying three meals a day cooked by others, felt like a vacation in paradise!

Exploring the countless fjords of Southern Patagonia by boat was a unique experience we won’t forget anytime soon.

The route from Puerto Natales to Puerto Yungay passed through the fjords of Southern Patagonia and was truly mesmerizing! The only way to see them is by sea, as these places are almost inaccessible by all other means, so we had no regrets about our choice. Elias was impressed by the crew’s maritime skills, as the conditions were truly challenging—nothing like the Mediterranean we were accustomed to. The ferry made an intermediate stop at Puerto Edén, a small inhabited island connected to the outside world only through this ferry route. Elias visited the settlement and was fascinated by the remote atmosphere and the tough living conditions.

Puerto Edén is a settlement in the middle of the fjords of Southern Patagonia, where one feels completely disconnected from the world!

Upon arriving at Puerto Yungay, we stayed for a few days in the area to explore. Just outside the village of Villa O’Higgins is the southernmost point of the famous Carretera Austral, a significant landmark for travelers. What impressed us most, however, was the village of Caleta Tortel. Built around a fjord, a wooden pedestrian walkway extends over the sea, crafted from local timber, as the region is rich in logging. Although the weather was constantly rainy, the scenery was stunning and lush!

The charming village of Caleta Tortel, with its wooden walkway over the sea, enchanted us!

Heading north, we stopped to see the impressive rock formations of the Cavernas de Mármol, a dream destination for many photographers and one of the most important attractions in Chilean Patagonia. These marble formations within General Carrera Lake date back thousands of years. Since I was still unwell, I opted for a boat tour with an organized group, while Elias explored them on his packraft. The formations were magical, as was the way the sunlight reflected off the water and marble. Even a wedding had been held inside one of these formations, with guests watching the ceremony from boats!

Elias was eager to explore the famous Marble Caves of Patagonia on his packraft, and thankfully, the weather cooperated!

Continuing our journey north, we stopped at the Queulat National Park, where we took a beautiful hike to the park’s stunning waterfalls, which form below a glacier! The next day, we arrived once again in Chaitén, a place we had first seen months earlier by our packraft. From there, we took the ferry to the Chiloé Archipelago, specifically the town of Castro, which is located on the largest island of the archipelago. We arrived in the afternoon, so we didn’t see the bustling market and daily life, but the town was beautiful, with hills, charming colorful houses, one of my favorite churches in the trip so far, and an entire neighborhood built on stilts! I really liked Castro, and I think it was the first time during the trip that I said I could live there.

The Chiloé Archipelago is undoubtedly one of the most unique parts of Patagonia, not only geographically but also culturally.

In the following days, we explored the Chiloé Archipelago by our van and by small ferries that cross the short distances between the islands. Despite it being Easter, there was nothing special happening on the island, contrary to what one might expect. We camped in several beautiful spots, read about local myths, and I bought a fantastic yarn made from the wool of local sheep. The Chiloé Archipelago is famous for the unique architecture of its wooden churches, built using special techniques. In fact, several of those churches have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites! They are certainly worth visiting. Our last day in Chiloé was eventful, as a storm had broken out, with heavy rain, closed roads, and fallen trees. We tried the local specialty, curanto, a dish made with shellfish, meat, sausages, potatoes, rice, and more, all traditionally cooked buried in the earth. It’s an interesting dish but quite peculiar for our tastes!

The Chiloé Archipelago is renowned for its intricate wooden churches, many of which have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage sites!

This is the second episode of our documentary about our adventures in Chile (with English subtitles):