La Rioja, Argentina

Early start today. I manage to sell my bus ticket to a guy who is going with the girls, bonus money! I eat another sweet breakfast, washed down with coffee before our pickup at 7am. The first park is Ischigualasto park which is famous for its dinosaur skeletons of the Jurassic period 4.6million years ago. This park is also called ‘Valley of the moon’ due to its surface structure. We arrive in time to join the first convoy into the park (you have to be escorted by a guide) and drive down into the valley. The landscape is very cool with lots of different mineral deposits causing stripy rounded domes across the park. We stop at several places on our 2 hour excursion, getting great panoramas of the valley as well as seeing unique rock structures. The ‘mushroom’ is probably the most famous but I also liked a section that was like a bowling area with perfect rock spheres sat waiting for play. We went to the museum to learn a little about the dinosaur finds before racing out of the park to make good time to Talampaya NP. Talampaya NP is only about an hour down the road but the landscape is totally different. We book onto a tour for this park and spot the girls waiting for a hiking tour. They arrived okay but missed the tour they wanted to do, so they decided to wait for the next one….four hours later! In this 30degree heat I think they are crazy and am pleased I wasn’t sat waiting with them, hope it is worth it. We join our minibus and are taken into the main area where huge red stone cliffs suddenly raise up. This was caused by tectonic plate movement at the same point in time as the Andes range was created around 250 million years ago. First stop was in front of towering red cliffs, where we were shown several Petroglyphs from 500bc. The next was a canyon over 150metres high, with it seems like cored chimneys. We shout and you can hear three echoes off it. The tour stops another 3 times allowing us to see huge structures and those that have formed familiar objects through natural erosion and wind. It is beautiful, showing off different redness according to age. The tour is over too quickly and we drive back to the start. We now have a long drive back, taking over 2 hours of which I sleep for at least half of it. We arrive at the hostel by 6pm which I think is pretty good time. I enjoy a long cold beer whilst I quickly pack and make tuna pasta. We spend the evening chatting about next adventures and wondering what time the girls will be back. They made it home but not before I went to bed at 11pm, so relieved I took the tour!

La Rioja, Argentina

Wake up for breakfast, a typical Argentinian offering of fracturas which are sweet Danish pastries type things and coffee. I meet Pauline and Anna who are heading to Talampaya National park on the local bus tomorrow, so I am going to join them. It is mum’s birthday today so I give her a call. She is pleased with the flask I bought her, although it sounds a bit big for her walks. I think I sounded a little down, hopefully I haven’t worried her, seem to be a bit up and down lately as I find my rhythm as a solo traveller. Around midday I head out, first to the bus station to get my ticket for tomorrow and also Tuesdays transfer to Tucuman. It is about a 30minute walk but I have seriously not prepared for this heat. I left Mendoza in about 22c or 24c degrees and La Rioja is warmer around 28c. I manage to buy both tickets without issues, the park one is only £7 and the 8 hours to Tucuman is £28. I go back to the hostel via a ice cream shop to cool down. At the hostel I get chatting to a English couple, really interesting people, say late 40s who travel permanently now. This year for them is about weight loss as they are about 6 stone overweight. Slimming world is their chosen diet and they try to stay in places where they can exercise, they are well on track with a couple of stone already gone. I am quite amazed that this is possible travelling in these countries as my food choices are definitely not healthy….perhaps I should pay more attention to food options. They are eating a cabbage salad when Tabitha gives me a great quote…’ you know you are eating something healthy when your jaw hurts at the end of it!’ Tabitha and Nick are also going to Talampaya tomorrow, but also Ischigualasto park and are going with a local agency. This gets me thinking, a tour would be easier and I could see both parks but it is 10 times the price. As I go out late afternoon post midday heat, I think about the two options. Whilst the bus feels like the backpacker cheaper choice, I reckon the tour will be better and much less hassle. I figure that as I have come here to try and see the parks then I should just do the one I want and go for the tour. La Rioja itself is a pretty little town, with lots of statues it seems. I walk around the main area and view the Cathedral which is beautiful. The issue with today is that it is Sunday, as part of the long holiday weekend and everything feels shut down which is a shame. I head back via a Carrefour which I am amazed is open, buying lots of fruit and veg as part of my new health kick. I tell the girls I am taking the tour option, they are not offended but are shocked that I am wasting my £7 bus ticket.

La Rioja, Argentina

Packing doesn’t get any easier, I don’t know why I expect it to when I have the same amount of stuff. The bag is holding ok though and it all goes into it and my day bag. I have seen people travelling with more… I have gotten up early so I can cycle down to San Martin parque. The gates there were made in England supposedly originally for the Sultan of Brunei. I take the house Brompton bike and start pedalling, this is harder than I would like due to the seat being lower than I need and the route being uphill. I make it though, bit sweaty but manage to find the gates first time and then to route around the lake. It is a beautiful morning of a long weekend and people are walking through the willow trees or rowing on the lake. I wish I was staying longer as it is a long weekend and there looks to be a few music events on in the parque. I head home to have a early lunch and say goodbye to Javier, before hopping into a taxi for the bus station. My bus is with Andesmar and it was the best time for me. This trip to La Rioja is 8.30hrs so I paid an extra £5 for Cami class. This gives me much more legroom and more recline. There is where the good points end, as I get crisps and an Alfajore for food. The temperature hits 31degrees in the coach and the central movie sound varies from silence to killing my eardrums. There is subtitles though so I figure Independence Day is helping me practice my Spanish. The scenery is largely flat with the Andes is the far distance. I do spot about 6 gauchos on horseback riding along with the Argentinian flag which seems surreal. I finally get in at 9pm and catch a taxi to the hostel before crashing for the night.

Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

Pick up for my trip is at 7.30am and after a few more pickups the minibus is full and heads into the mountains. The sun is shining with clear blue sky, and it’s not as cold as I expected. We stop for a quick coffee in Upsallata which has long lines of autumn yellow coloured Popular trees that look stunning against the blue sky. These trees are used to protect crops from winds and Andes weather. We keep driving into the Pre Andes range. This area is one of the few points where you can drive through 3 lines of mountains as part of the Andes. 1. Pre Andes 2. Main range 3. Dividing range We drive through stopping for beautiful scenery and taking pictures. We see Tupungato the 2nd highest mountain and then catch a glimpse of Aconcagua. The highest peak at 6,961 metres outside of Asia. Our final stop is near the dividing range where you meet the Chilean border. We have a hearty beef stew and grilled chicken lunch here before taking the long drive back. I enjoy the mountains but it’s a lot of driving and after Patagonia I would have liked to have hiked a little to see more. I manage to get dropped at the bus station to get my ticket for tomorrow and then catch a taxi back to the house. Two girls have moved in and are heading for the hot springs tomorrow then wine tasting which sounds like fun, but time to move on!

Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

Last night I was thinking about today and plans. I was reflecting on my wine tasting experience and how it wasn’t quite how I had imagined my experience in Mendoza would be. I had looked forward to this destination from the start, so I resolved that I would try an find a day tour even if it broke the budget. I woke up about 8am and messaged a bike tour I had read about last night. Martin’s bike tours could fit me on the full day tour if I could get to the starting point. It felt like fate so I dressed and ate quickly before getting a taxi to Luján de cuyo. I made it, 20minutes late but it wasn’t a issue. Martin was leading the tour and I was joined by 2 friendly Americans. With the sun shining as we set off on our bikes, I was already feeling great about my impulsive decision. Our first winery was actually one I visited on Tuesday, Weinart, but I had a completely different experience. This time we tried 4 wines, all different from the first visit. Apparently the winemaker tastes a few each day and only a little, so once open they are left for the visitors to sample as part of tastings. It is pot luck as to what you try. They were all tasty but I preferred the Cabernet Sauvignon. The final taste came from a fifth bottle that the lady pulled from underneath the bar, now I don’t know if it was that pot luck helping, she liked us or I am now viewed as a regular but she poured us a taste of the Malbec 1977. The first production, one of the 300 remaining, such an honour. It tasted great, a little strange to someone who is used to newer wines but I was buzzing from the experience. Our next vineyard was about 6km away, and cycling was a little harder! Scenery was fabulous though, with vines on one side and mountains behind. This was a smaller producer, Carmelo Patti, who believes in ageing more in the bottle than the cask and did a lot of the bottle finishing process by hand. We tasted a Malbec 2013, which has won numerous commendations and they have sold out of the production (it was my favourite). Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and then a blend called Gran assemblage 2008 which is 47%cab sav, 25% malbec, 19% merlot & 9% cab franc. I have also noted that their Cabernet franc 2013 has just won a top award so will be looking out for that on my travels. I really loved all their wines and felt it was a shame I couldn’t buy any but they have given me a UK importers details for when I am home and have some money. We continued on our journey to our final winery and lunch stop, Nieto Senetiner. I hadn’t realised a top lunch was included, and our mini empanadas followed by Asado Lomo (steak fillet) was out of this world. Oh yes, unlimited wine as well. We had a white semillion with the empanadas followed by a Malbec and then a Bonarda. I had never heard of this heavier wine but it was delicious. Our dessert of plums stewed in…..yes, Malbec! was accompanied by a port type Malbec called Last Harvest as it is made with mature fruit. This is going on the list as well of ones to find when I get home. We then had the tasting….it is all a little blurry now, we had a C******nay 2015, a Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 & a Malbec 2013 and all I can say is they were nice but I preferred the lunch choices I’ve mentioned. We are all a little wobbly as we cycle back towards the bike shop. Our last stop is at a family store who make chutneys,jams, liquors and after a few samples we finished the day on a shot of absinthe!!! We all got back safely and Martin kindly dropped me back at the house. It was a truly memorable day that epitomised everything I hoped to experience in Mendoza.

Mendoza, Argentina

Today is a bit of a lazy start as I get chatting to Javier over breakfast. He is suggesting a trip to the Andes on Thursday or Friday would be good. It sounds like a worthwhile trip, as I am not taking the route on the bus like most do to Santiago. As for today though, I am going to explore more of the city. I genuinely have lost my sense of direction, it seems to be taking me 4 or 5 attempts to find places which is frustrating given the simple grid system the city is structured in. I eventually manage to walk through each of the 4 Plazas that surround Plaza Independencia – Espana, Chile, Italia and of course San Martin which is unfortunately under construction hoarding. San Martin used Mendoza as his strategic base for his Andes Army which after winning Argentina its independence went on to march over the Andes to support Chille in their victory. The flag of the army is kept in Mendoza but for some reason the memorial is closed despite the sign stating it should be open. I walk to the information office in a nearby building that has a roof terrace where to can see panoramic views of the city and the Andes, great view. Definitely decide to do the trip into the Andes as the mountains look amazing. I continue to Bernard O Higgins park and around a few architectural sites, including the home of San Martin. I feel I have walked my feet off today, mainly going the wrong way but I manage to get back to the house with a few groceries for dinner. I spent a nice evening with two Israeli girls watching old Friends episodes, still make me laugh.

Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

I woke late this morning to rain and hailstones outside. Javier was in the kitchen and keen to help me figure out what I could do during my stay. With this weather I figured wine tasting would be perfect and booked on a late afternoon tour. I used the time before to orient myself with the city despite a grey and drizzly sky. The city was completely rebuilt post an earthquake in 1927 and has largely low rise structures either side of wide roads. It is a really green and has a large Plaza Independencia in the heart of the city. Tour picked up at 2.30pm and drove a little way out to Lujàn de Cuyo. First stop was Weinert winery and as I was one of only three English speakers (a South African couple) we got our own tour guide. We learnt about how both red and white grapes are crushed and then fermented in large concrete vats before being aged in oak barrels. They have a amazing old cellar that dates back to 1890. The time in the cask varies by grape variety and also how long they expect the wine to be stored in the bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon is aged for longer than Malbec. Weinert are particularly proud of their first production, a 1977 Malbec with only 300 still stored in the private cellar. The 1994 Malbec was also a good year for them and it is still in the barrels improving. We tasted a Carrascal Malbec 2012 and a 2007 Merlot. Both were good, not anything outstanding and surprisingly I preferred the Merlot, which is unlike me! The next stop was Pasrai, who make olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, raisins and skin care. I hadn’t appreciated how much more farming industry there was here. Whilst they make 70% of the country’s wine they also produce lots of soft fruit. It is all pretty tasty and I buy some tomato paste and chocolate covered raisins. Our final stop is Don Arturo winery, which is a much smaller family run operation. The machinery is smaller and there are more manual processes so the whole lifecycle from harvest to saleable bottle will take around a year rather than a potential 4 months by a larger operation. Here we tried a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Malbec, before then trying their premium Malbec Roble which I obviously preferred. By now it is dark but as we head back to the city we stop at the church of Santa Marie who the farmers worship and thank for their crops. The church also has part of the original building within it that survived the earthquake. The South African couple, Tessa and Rod invite me to join them for dinner so I get off with them at their hotel and we enjoy a lovely Italian restaurant. They wouldn’t let me pay, saying they had both travelled and wanted to treat me which I thought was really lovely of them. It is late by the time I get home and with the boozy afternoon I sleep well.

Mendoza, Argentina

After the excitement of yesterday, I woke up feeling a little less in love with BA. I had a random FaceTime call from Amber and her school friend that made me laugh. Turns out she called a bunch of Louise’s friends including her boss. I had negotiated a late checkout at the hotel so I caught up on some Spanish and changed my passwords on my key apps. After checkout I decided to head towards Santa Fae to see if it was worth buying a new SIM card. It was only 30pesos so for less than £2 I figured it would be useful the guy even loaded it for me so there was no hassle. I walked towards Recoleta where I heard my favourite empanadas from La Cocina calling my name, once I had demolished two it seemed rude not to follow with my favourite ice cream. At Rapa Nui I tried a few flavours but the best was one called Marquis which was a caramel/brownie dense chocolate one. It was amazing! Once back at the hotel I grabbed my bags and got a taxi to the airport. On check in I had 17.5kg, and after all my stressing the attendant didn’t even flinch just put the ticket on it and sent it on its way. Meanwhile I am lugging all my shoes and heavy stuff in my carry on round the airport. The flight is progressively getting more and more delayed, with me now hoping it just leaves regardless of time. I get talking to a German guy called Roman who suggests exiting the airport to get some food. This turns out to be a great idea due to the continuing delay until we finally leave 3 hours late. Well, I did book with the budget airline. I arrive late to my hostel but get a really warm welcome from Javier. My room is huge, there are only 5 in the whole place and it is well laid out. We do all share one bathroom though which could be interesting. I pretty much just crash out as soon as my head hits the pillow, definitely been a long day.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Today felt a bit like a **** sandwich, you know where there is good either side of a bad bit. It started well, packed up the flat into the case again which takes as long as you allow it! I tried to be ruthless as the airline limit tomorrow is 15kg and I arrived with 20kg. I am not sure I have cleared 5kg, so I think wearing heavy clothes will be needed. I tidy up the apartment and leave the keys, shutting the door for the last time. Definitely ready to travel again but have enjoyed my life in Buenos Aires. I wheel my case for about 15minutes and check into Epicorecoleta hotel. Nice hotel and my room has a bath, such a treat I shall look forward to a good soak later. This afternoon I am meeting Sarah and Inka to look round San Telmo and El Zanjons, which is a old house. Quickest route is via the subte line to Independencia, this is where Justin and I stayed so it is nice to be back in the old neighbourhood. Now for the bad part, I exit the tube and I am on the wrong side of 9 de Julio so I check my phone and wait to cross the street. Whilst I can remember it clearly it was probably pretty fast, a person on a motorbike sped past, snatching the phone as he went. I managed to shout but then watched him go in disbelief, you just don’t expect it and I was really angry, gutted all at the same time. It’s hard to know what to do after it happens, I figured the Police would just log it and I couldn’t magic it back. I went on to meet the girls, ranting to myself all the way. I wasn’t hurt, all the info would be on the iCloud and as long as the phone locked it would be pretty useless to them. Sarah and Inka were lovely, but I figured it shouldn’t stop our day and we entered El Zanjons. El Zanjons is a really unusual house. The street it’s on was once a small river—the zanjón, or gorge, of the property’s name—where the first, unsuccessful attempt to found Buenos Aires took place in 1536. When the property’s current owner decided to develop what was then a run-down conventillo, he began to discover all sorts of things beneath it: pottery and cutlery, the foundations of past constructions, and a 500-foot network of tunnels that has taken over 20 years to excavate. These were once used to channel water, but like the street itself, they were sealed after San Telmo’s yellow-fever outbreaks. The original affluent owner who built this house in 1830 constructed it over the river like his neighbours so the river became enclosed creating the tunnels. The owner sold it only 20 years later as they became afraid of the yellow fever and moved to Recoleta. It was interesting to see the restored house and explore the tunnels beneath the streets of San Telmo. We wandered through the market as we left, pausing to feast on choripan and visit the Illuminated block which is another old building in the area. It was dark by the time I caught the Subte home but lovely to see some of the historic buildings lit up at night. Ended the day with that lovely soak in the bath I had promised myself!

Buenos Aires, Argentina

I had pre booked a ticket to go inside the Casa Rosada. This is the pink coloured building where the President of Argentina has his government. This building has seen many famous speeches from its balcony, to the crowds in the Plaza de Mayo. I was keen to get inside and have a look. The building was apparently a fort that then had the palace next to it, until they decided to bring it together. It was also by the river when the fort was built, now the river is a good 2km away. We had a good tour, seeing several plush rooms and also more simple ones that are offices. There is even a elevator for the single floor which features a comfy velvet seat in case the ride is too strenuous. We even got to stand on one of the balconies to see what addressing the masses would feel like! The tour was about an hour and after, I popped into the museum Casa Rosada. The museum wasn’t very interesting but for one piece. They have the first mural painted in Argentina. A mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros. He was a Mexican communist in the 1930s who was exiled and then started annoying the Argentinian Politicians. The house he stayed in belonged to a wealthy man who asked him to paint a non political mural in his basement in lieu of rent. The resulting mural has since been cut out of the basement and is now housed in this museum. It is meant to be viewed laying on the floor, where you view a s celebration of woman. It is as if you are in a tunnel with women of different ages swimming past or standing on the tunnel. Really great work, very interesting. This evening I caught up with a German friend from school, Inka. We found a great little steak place in Palermo and enjoyed an evening of griddled cheese, steak and of course Malbec!