You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 22, 2006 07:00 PM The end of the Americas - Ushuaia...
If the sun is shining it is unforgetable place - with the landscape reminding the best of the Alps... I am lucky! Strong sun is shining till 9 pm, the air is crystal-clear and I am enjoying the beauty of the nature. It is my third time in Ushuaia... I stay in the Yakush Hostel - nice and clean place - like a timber mountain logde with a panoramic view to the main street from the dining room. They charge just 28 pesos per night in the 6-bed dorm and breakfast. You can even have your free tea, coffee any time and sip any amount of yerba mate - national drink of Argentina.
The nature is the main attraction of Ushuaia - there is a National Park to visit just few kilometers from the town. They offer old steam train route to get there. You have a choice of different boat excursions alond the picturesque Beagle channel - 70 pesos for 3 hours and up. I plan to take the chair lift up to the mountain for the view - hope to show you the photos... Lets take a sip of yerba now!
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Feb 21, 2006 07:00 PM Santiago by night...
I visited Santiago twice already so this in only transit stay now. Close to Los Heroes bus terminal they opened new hostel - Che Lagarto. They charge 12 USD per bed in the dormitory and the light breafast is included. The problem appeares if you need to leave early - no bread today said old lady at 7 am - the supermarket will be open later... Hostel is located just 50 m from Alameda - the main street and 200 m from the airport bus stop. They charge 1100 pesos for the ride to the airport. The highlights of Santiago; San Francisco Church, La Moneda Palace and Plaza de Armas are within the walking distance... In the night they are nicely iluminated. But do not walk in the middle of the night - the safety level seems to be lower then in the past...
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Feb 20, 2006 07:00 PM A bottle of coca cola or bottle of wine?
Mendoza province is famous for its wineries. They say it is about 800 of them. Many of them are open for visit and tasting their wines. Tour agencies organize half-day trips to the wineries (the cost is 30 pesos pp). And if you are going to the supermarket (Carrefour is close to my Alamo hostel) you have difficult choice: the bottle of red wine and coke cost almost the same...
Mendoza has not colonial architecture but a lot of shaddy plazas and big San Martin park (as wide as the city centre).
In the heat of 31 deg Celsius it is difficult to walk the park - but just after the ornate gate they have info pont and offer sightseen in the microbus - round trip cost just 1,50 USD. They will take you up to the Cerro de la Gloria with nice war memorial monument and the nice view of the Precordiliera...
In the evening I an heading to Santiago de Chile. They have also good and inexpensive wines there...
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Feb 19, 2006 07:00 PM Happy day in the Andes...
Mendoza acts like a gateway for the tours to the highest mountains of South America. It is easy to get there and to enjoy the scenery. Several tour agencies offer day tours to the main range of the Andes - the program is more or less the same and they chorge 70 pesos pp for full day, no meals included. I started at 7.30 am after an hour drive we began to climb the international road heading to Santiago. The mountains here are beautiful: a lot of colors, snows on the summits, rapid rivers... One of the attractions was the view point where I saw for the first time Aconcagua - the highest peak of the Americas. Then we climbed from Las Cuevas by gravel road to the monument of the Christ on the frontier range. It stands on the altitude of 4200 m above sea level. You can imagine how nice panoramic views I saw from this point!...
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Feb 18, 2006 07:00 PM 12 hours on the bus to Mendoza...
To get from colonial Cordoba to the wineries of Mendoza you have two ways: morning bus and evening one. I made a choice of morning one. I wanted to see scenery... TAC company departs at 7 am and it cost 41 pesos. I came to the terminal on time, but the bus appeared at 7.30... TAC does not look very reliable - the bus was old, the service does not exist.
They do not stop for the refreshments. A/c was working only at the begining of the trip. The scenery: green fields of corn, sunflower... flat landscape... Hot, hot... Now I know - so you will also know. After 12 hours on the bus I landed in Mendoza - nice prowincial city. It was writen in the guide book that it is the city of sun and wine... It is raining here olny 5 days each year. I was lucky to arrive on one of this five days - it was storm when I was looking for Alamo Hostel convenienty located in the centre. The staff is helpful and speaks good English. They charge 24 peso for the dorm bed with breakfast and clean towel... Let me have a rest....
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Feb 17, 2006 07:00 PM Cordoba - Argentina
Retiro bus station is one of the biggest I saw. Crowds in the Friday`s evening... Ticket for the overnight bus to Cordoba cost 60 pesos. Quite comfortable double decker but do not expect any service. 10 hour on board. At sunrise long walk from Cordoba bus station to the Youth Hostel. Backpack is heavier now - I put there all my warm clothes... For 17 pesos I got dorm bed and free (but slow) internet. Shower was like a dream after two days on the road! And a big cup of coffee!.
Then I can visit the old town. My route through Argentina is chosen to see unknown places like Cordoba - old colonial town. World Heritage Site... Nice architecture around Plaza San Martin. Pretty ladies... But do not come here to visit just after 12 am! All churches are locked from noon till 4.30 pm. Do they want to say that The Lord is also out for siesta at that time?
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Feb 16, 2006 07:00 PM My Buenos Aires - after years...
Ezeiza airport is well organized, they have very efficient info desk just after the customs (do not bring any fruits - everything is X-rays screened). Then there is a national bank to change your dollars (3,05 peso for 1 USD - no commision! - ask for some coins!). Then the real backpacker goes outside, turn left to Terminal B and left again - you will see he stop of the bus 86. (see my post on the forum) - it cost only 1.35 peso to the central Buenos - less then half a dollar! 35 km!
It is my third time in Buenos... I left the backpack in Retiro bus station (7 pesos) and walked along my old trails again... With great pleasure... I found El Viejo Almacen where some 22 years ago I admired for the first time the real tango! Boca seems to be much more commercial now... Heavy day - in Warsaw it was snowing on departure and here - 32 deg Celsius in the shadow!...
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Feb 15, 2006 07:00 PM One- way ticket via Paris...
I am flying to Argentina for free! It is worth to know that there are very few frequent flyer programs where you can ´'buy`` one-way ticket for half of the points you need for round-trip. The one I know is Flying blue of KLM and Air France. It is very useful for long-range traveller... That´s what I used for my flight to Argentina. Air France Warsaw - Paris was OK. But 777 from Paris to Buenos was cramped, crowded and... do you know why they serve warm water instead of the regular tea? We landed in Buenos after 13 hours on the plane. Uff... Welcome to South America!
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Feb 14, 2006 07:00 PM First day - first adventure...
Yesterday in the evening when my backpack was already locked up I got a telephone call from LOT Polish Airlines. "-Your flight tomorrow morning is cancelled! We can offer you a seat on the next flight - six hours later!" I agreed - no choice... Fortunately I planed overnight stay in Warsaw anyway so I'll not loose my connection... Even in Poland You cannot plan tight connections - especially in the winter! I just landed in snowy Warsaw. Friend was waiting for me... First day - first adventure!
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Feb 13, 2006 07:00 PM New voyage starts tomorrow!
I am packing again my old backpack... New, great voyage starts tomorrow! I am flying to Warsaw and then with free award ticket via Paris to Buenos Aires... Then down - to Tierra del Fuego to embark little expedition ship. Just see the map... There will be a lot of new in this voyage: I'll spend a lot of of time on the ocean - vistiting unknown, distant islands. I hope that king penguins alr already waiting for me on South Georia! Please keep your fingers crossed!
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