Week 116 & 117 - A Wintery Uruguay

Crossing the border was effortless, with plenty of friendly faces, quick stamps of documents, and suddenly we were in a new country with the same restless urge to explore. The road led us down to Valizas, a sleepy coastal town where summer had long packed up and left.

Kelvin enjoying a beautiful lake. Uruguay is quite flat with loads of farmland / ranches and also seaside hot spots...but absolutely dead in the 'winter' time.

Our map pin betrayed us, sending us in circles for half an hour before we finally found Posada dos Palmas. The lady I’d booked with was called away unexpectedly to care for her sick mother, so her friend welcomed us instead. We were very thankful our stay hadn't been cancelled!

Valizas...serene and inviting...but damn cold this time of year. At least there's no crowds!

A chilly walk on the beach, but very beautiful.

What a sunset! We got to enjoy the colours all the way back to our AirBnB after our little food shop. Just stunning!

The cold was relentless. We walked to the beach, wind biting through layers, the town eerily still like a stage after the play ends. A quick supermarket run, then back to the posada for a hot shower and the sanctuary of warm blankets. Outside, a few dogs and a playful puppy reminded us that life goes on, even in the chill. Morning brought a simple breakfast from a young girl...basic, but the hot coffee felt like luxury.

A tad chilly in our room at Hostel Rocamar, but plenty of cats to keep laps warm!

We set off again, our navigation set to Punta del Este. Hostel Rocamar became home for three nights as it was relatively cheap, quiet, and vibrant with a mix of different people. One girl was grumpy enough to make the walls feel colder, but others warmed the space with conversation and their interesting personalities. The weather didn’t help with wind, rain, and a bitter chill, which kept us indoors more than we liked.

A Trump Tower...not what we were expecting to find in Uruguay, but there it was! Kelvin as usual is great at masking his feelings, ha ha! Sadly, no USA visa for him due to being in Iraq previously (serving alongside North Americans...crazy!), so still a bit peeved maybe?!

The famous Mano de Punta Del Este!

This chap randomly came over to us when we were sat at a cafe in Punta Del Este and we had a good chat, especially about his 4x4 adventures and also about him finding the Eagle (see above) and trying to get it back to Uruguay. An interesting chap!

Playa de los Ingleses in Punta Del Este...to cold even to dip our feet in!

Still, we walked the city, snapped the obligatory photo at 'Mano De Punta del Este' (the famous fingers), and then quickly escaped the more busy area. Lunch was late but satisfying, and fate introduced us to Alfredo Etchegaray, an Uruguayan businessman with stories of his own adventures in a 4x4. Encounters like that remind you: the world is full of kindred spirits, if you’re willing to listen. He was a real interesting man, very enthusiastic to chat, and it was lovely of him to take his time to come over and see what we were doing in his town.

Suzie's made a friend! This kitty was glued to her for most of our stay.

Back at the hostel, cats curled in corners, and we traded a bodyboard for a smile. Sometimes giving feels better than keeping. Three nights passed in a rhythm of chats, wind, and quiet reflection.

Kelvin and Nico enjoying (I hope) the curry I (Suzie) made whilst staying at his place (an AirBnB but also an Alpinestars distributor) in Montevideo.

A lovely walk near to Nico's place

Montevideo was next, where we eneded up with a five-night Airbnb stay with Nico, a biker who owned an Alpinestars shop. Safe bikes, warm fires, and the comfort of good company...you can't want for much more?! Hernan, his flat mate, cooked pasta on our first night, and we returned the favor with curry later in our stay. Tamara, Nico's girlfriend, was warm and welcoming, even if their dog eyed us with suspicion.

These two didn't get along terribly smoothly (the dog and the cat that is).

Kelvin wrapped up warm on another walk from our AirBnB in to town in Montevideo.

A fat white cat ruled the house like royalty. Days blurred into long walks along a bitterly cold beach, supermarket runs for treats (they had soooo much good stuff), and evenings by the fire planning wedding songs and catching up on social media. Nine degrees felt like zero with that wind, but inside, life was cozy.

Arrived at our farm stay and already Cyril is getting all the attention as usual! He was a great asset to our travels I have to say.

Kelvin making a friend. This puppy was just so cute and followed Kelvin around the place for frequent cuddles.

Cowsies

Our last Uruguayan chapter unfolded at a farm stay near Colonia del Sacramento. Three nights of simplicity...just sunny days, crisp air, and the kind of quiet that heals. We played pool and Monopoly by the fire, laughed over 'Monopoly Deal', and chased a puppy and kitten through the yard multiple times! We got fresh milk from a resident cow, eggs from the chickens pecking nearby...life stripped back to its essence.

The milk and eggs factory!

Another friend with four legs!

A failed shop run ended at a petrol station, where we met a guy from NYC swapping stories of his own journey. Workaways drifted in and out, working their way through their adventures, like we'd done a bit early on. Plans for the next border crossing took shape, and we booked a stay in Gualeguaychú, maybe meeting Javier and Sandra along the way, who would be hopefully organising shipping our bikes home.

Everyone enjoying a BBQ together and having a laugh...what travel is all about!

Lessons in the Cold...

Uruguay reminded us that adventure isn’t always sunny days and perfect skies. Sometimes it’s windburned cheeks, grumpy strangers, and long walks in the bitter cold. But on the flip side, it’s also warm fires, shared meals, unexpected friendships, and the quiet joy of slowing down. The road reminds you: beauty isn’t just in the landscapes, it’s in the resilience to keep moving, the kindness of strangers, and the stories you collect along the way.