Round-the-world rider narrowly avoids Villarrica volcano

Chile nearly got too hot too handle for round-the-world rider Rhys ‘2moroRider’ Lawrey, when the country’s  most active volcano erupted, throwing ash and lava up to 1,000m into the air!

“I’d been camping in the National Park near the Villarrica volcano and chose to leave a day earlier than planned. I woke the next morning to see on the news that the volcano had erupted!”

Before entering Chile, Rhys crossed the Equator in Ecuador; “Seeing a reading of all zeros on the GPS is a weird feeling. I stopped the bike and started jumping from the Northern hemisphere to the Southern and back again – when am I going to get another chance to do that?”

“Once you cross the Equator it becomes much less European and more indigenous, which makes things more exotic and interesting.”

Next came Peru, where he experienced the culinary delight of guinea pig for the first time, along with some of the worst weather of the entire trip.

“Peru’s an amazing country and I really like it – incredible mountains and tunnels. I arrived in Arequipa city to be greeted by torrential rain and the worst floods I’ve even ridden in. Water was coming at me from all directions, running off the roofs and straight onto the road (or you, if you’re riding on it). Water was coming up to my knees and the streets are pebble covered, so it’s treacherous”.   

Now in country number 32, Rhys is 36,000 miles into his record-breaking round-the-world ride;

“Chile keeps changing, from barren desert in the North, through the densely populated central region around Santiago (population 6 million!) and into the lush green mountains and lakes below.”

“I got pretty bored riding through Northern Chile – it’s a straight road through the desert, which is a real drag. It wasn’t so bad in Australia, because it was the first time I’d experienced endless desert riding, but now I’m 10 months into the trip and it’s a struggle.”

From Chile Rhys heads into Patagonia, in Argentina, to visit Ushuaia, the Southernmost city in the world. Rhys is raising money for The Prince’s Trust, asking for a donation of just £6 (one pound for every continent he crosses). You can follow his progress, view his video diaries and make a donation at www.2mororider.com