Thursday 28 April 2011

CYCLE TOURING BRAZIL (1) - Uruguay to Rio



Photo by Tauari Formiga 


BRAZIL (1) - Uruguay to Rio

2 337 Kilometres – 49 Days

10 March 2011 – 27 April 2011




MAP

 PHOTOS - Part One

E-BOOK


  

10-11 March 2011 – Chuy, Uruguay – Santa Vitoria Do Palmar, Brazil – 25 km

Brazil was one of the more relaxed border crossings, and a simple stamp in the passport allowed entry into this new and very large country. Our first day of cycling in Brazil came with bucketing rain, and Santa Vitoria Do Palmar made a perfect spot to get out of the weather.

Amazingly enough, the town boasted a large lighthouse at the entrance. The lighthouse was no more than a welcome gate as Santa Vitoria was located 16 kilometres inland from the coast. The ATM spat out a few Brazilian reals, granting a comfortable night at Hotel Brasil, sporting an en-suite bathroom, decent breakfast and Brazilian TV. The TV wasn’t very useful as the little Spanish picked up biking through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay was replaced by Portuguese - our next challenge. Still, it was evident it wasn’t merely raining in Santa Victoria but that the entire area further north was flooded. TV further showed the earthquake and tsunami in Japan - how horrific and there I was complaining about a spot of rain.

Ernest wanted to update his blog, and one more day was spent in Santa Victoria.

 

12 March - Santa Vitoria Do Palmar – Curral Alto – 90 km

Getting Ernest going in the morning was like preventing Uruguayans from drinking mate. I felt he did this deliberately to annoy me, and it was midday before we finally biked out of Santa Vitoria. Our late departure meant bearing the full brunt of the headwind, as well as the heat, and I thought it a pretty stupid thing to do, but there’s no cure for stupidity.

Brazil’s coastal southern part was flat, hot, humid and wet, perfect for growing rice. Once again, the road led past pastures and rice paddies, and one could easily imagine being in Vietnam.

Finally, the tiny settlement of Curral Alto was reached shortly past 5 o’clock. Taking its location on Lake Mirim, the fish factory was an excellent place to pitch a tent. Factory staff offered us an empty storeroom, and albeit a tad smelly (it was a fish factory, after all) one could close the door and keep the bugs at bay, which seemingly grew to monstrous proportions in Brazil. (At least I learned the Portuguese word for fish).

 

13-14 March - Curral Alto – Pelotas – 157 km

Ernest must’ve read my thoughts, or the fishy smell got him going, and before ten a.m. we closed the door and thanked the staff. A tailwind pushed us past vast areas of wetlands, rich in birdlife with storks, herons, sacred ibises, raptors, and numerous other water birds. I didn’t particularly care for the many snakes and kept a beady eye on the road.

The wind drove us right past the turn-off to Rio Grande and onto remarkable Pelotas. The town featured an ensemble of old buildings and cobbled streets and, thus, had a considerable amount to discover.

By morning, the long overdue laundry was handed in, and we took to the streets to investigate the historic city centre.

 

15 March – Pelotas

I planned to depart on this day, but I discovered our unwashed laundry behind the reception counter. Maybe the staff considered it old clothes no longer needed. And there I imagined I’d picked up a few Portuguese words!

We took the washing to the laundry ourselves and the rest of the day was spent meandering the historic areas. In the nineteenth century, Pelotas was Brazil’s primary area for producing dried meat, a staple made by slaves to feed other slaves working on sugarcane, coffee and cocoa plantations.

 

16 March - Pelotas – Camaqua – 133 km

With clean laundry we continued to Porto Allegre. Expecting a headwind, it came as a pleasant surprise to find the wind slight and the way gently undulating.

The area was very much Gaucho country, and farmers on horseback rounded up cattle aided by their working dogs. I watched in fascination as they commanded the dogs by whistling, a task they made look easy. In my mind, there’s nothing more beautiful than watching skilled people at work.

At the Camaqua turnoff, a petrol station made it a convenient place to pitch the tents. However, it turned out to be a popular truck stop resulting in a noisy night.

 

17 March - Camaqua – Guaíba – 104 km

Even in Brazil, mate drinking remained prevalent, meaning hot water was readily available. Morning coffee was, thus, made easy as one could fill your mug from the hot water dispenser.

Due to our noisy night, we were on our way remarkably early. The weather was hot and humid, and the route became hillier and more forested while crossing a multitude of rivers. At Guaíba, Ernest spotted a bicycle shop and bought a new rear tyre. A conveniently located hotel sporting air-con, cable TV and a shower made it a natural choice.

 

18 March - Guaíba – Osorio – 125 km

We emerged to a drizzle, which continued throughout the day. Nevertheless, it wasn’t altogether unpleasant once we were on the bikes as sometimes cycling in the rain can be pretty enjoyable.

Soaked and covered in road muck, Osoria came after 125 kilometres of biking. A hotel provided a warm shower and a place to rinse away the day’s drizzle-fuelled road dirt and hang our wet clothes.

 

19 March - Osorio – Capao Da Canoa – 47 km

The following day, the sun was out and the wind in our backs as the road followed the coastal route north. The way was dotted by small villages, all relatively quiet as the carnival was over. Kids had returned to school following a three-month summer holiday, and just a few holidaymakers remained.

So quiet was it, on finding a campsite at Capao Da Canoa, the owners offered us one of the chalets at no extra charge. How nice of them.

 

20 March - Capao Da Canoa – Torres – 62 km

The South Coast of Brazil was scenic, and a pure pleasure to pedal. En route, a man and his dog on a horse-buggy caught our attention. He had a flat tyre but, at first, I didn’t notice the problem as he addressed us in Portuguese. But, once we passed, he made a big enough noise for us to realise he had a problem. Fortunately, his wheel size was similar to ours, and Ernest could give him a tube to see him on his way.

In general, Brazilians were amazed at our lack of Portuguese. “Nao Portuguesa?” was usually uttered in total astonishment. The fact that we hailed from South Africa was equally surprising to them. “What, Africa?” they repeated, looking at us like we’d dropped from Mars. If you further explained that it took four years of cycling to get there, they laughed, shook their heads, and it appeared something they couldn’t comprehend.

 

21 March - Torres – Ararangua – 60 km

The campsite where we’d spent the night was so peaceful, I was reluctant to leave and it was, therefore, late morning before we departed.

The wind picked up and the pleasant road surface deteriorated, with roadworks and narrow sections. Ararangua turned out significantly more extensive than anticipated and, in no mood to battle the wind, the town made a perfect place to find a hotel and get out of the wind.

Accommodation in Brazil was generally pricier than in Argentina, Chile or Uruguay. Still, this one had cable TV, air-con, an en-suite bathroom, sparkling white linen, and a sumptuous buffet breakfast, and I thought it was money well spent.

 

22 March - Ararangua - Tubarao – 62 km

Being rice harvest time in the South of Brazil, farmers were feverishly bringing in the crop. Flocks of birds were hanging about, waiting for an easy meal. The day turned out a grind into a gusty breeze and, being slightly hilly, I called it a day at Tubarao.

As Tubarao was a sizable town, finding lodging was effortless and a conveniently located supermarket provided ingredients which became a massive potato salad.

 

23-24 March - Tubarao – Imbituba – 55 km

Breakfast was included in the room rate - a good thing, as once on the road, a strong headwind made us work hard up the hills. At least the new road was completed along that stretch, making cycling more comfortable. It was, however, heads down, grinding into the wind for the best part of the morning. The beach and harbour town of Imbituba came as a welcome surprise, as it sported a decent sheltered campsite, Wi-Fi, and a lovely lawn.

The relentless wind never abated, not even at night, and we stayed an extra day, which was perfect for doing laundry, restocking our dwindling food supply, oiling our bikes and airing the sleeping bags.

 

25 March - Imbituba – Tijuca – 129 km

Luckily, we packed up before the rain came and a tailwind drove us north. It became a delightful ride past small communities still using the horse and cart and past lush green hillsides until the turn-off to Florianopolis.

Florianopolis and Sao Jose were high-rise cities with Florianopolis on Isla de Catarina and Sao Jose on the mainland. They were sprawling cities and skyscrapers spread as far as the eye could see. Giving them a wide berth, we followed the coastal route with beautiful ocean views and nearby islands.

It drizzled all day, but we were tailwind-assisted and continued biking until Tijucas, a small settlement with both a supermarket and a hotel. Afterwards, Ernest cycled to the market and returned with the ingredients to make one of his favourite pasta dishes.

 

26 March - Tijucas – Barra Velha – 85 km

From Tijucas the route ran north, over hills, down valleys, through tunnels, past large resort cities revealing upmarket condos, and past humble timber homes next to rubbish dumps. A Brazilian couple, out in a camper van for the weekend, stopped us at a sugarcane juice shop and literally “topped us up”. Sadly, the conversation was limited due to no one speaking the other one’s language. But, amazingly enough, we understood each other well enough to have a simple conversation.

In Barra Velha, and with the villagers’ help, an unofficial camping site was located alongside the river. The tents were barely up and food prepared when it started raining. Soon, a full-blown storm hit the area, and I discovered my tent not as waterproof as it used to be. It soon turned into a small swimming pool. Mercifully, the weather passed quickly and I could clear most of the water.

 

27/28 March - Barra Velha – Joinville – 58 km

The next morning dawned bright and sunny making it a peaceful Sunday morning. The previous night’s storm was forgotten, apart from large pools of water. In the company of birds that came out to dry their feathers, we sat in the sun waiting for our tents to dry. It turned out a beautiful morning, and people came equipped with boats and fishing gear to try their luck in the river. Eventually, the tents were dry and bags repacked. Day campers waved us goodbye and, following a photo session with the estate agent across the road, we biked out of Barra Velha.

A slight tailwind made for pleasant cycling as the road turned away from the coast and headed inland, over wooded hills. A strong forest smell filled the air, making it pleasurable riding. But, spotting a sign to Joinville, our curiosity got the better of us and we turned off to see what was in a town featuring such an English name.

On closer inspection, Joinville turned out an unusual place. History had it that Joinville was established on land given as a dowry by Emperor Dom Pedro to his sister, who had married the Prince of Joinville, the son of Louis-Philippe of France. A deal with Hamburg timber merchants meant that, in 1851, 191 Germans, Swiss and Norwegians arrived to harvest wood from the forest area. During our visit, I noticed many blond and blue-eyed residents, which I understood were of German, Swiss, Norwegian, and Italian descent.

 

29 March - Joinville – Garuva – 41 km

Like the previous day, our route veered away from the coast and headed inland over the mountains. Unfortunately, it continued raining, and on biking into Garuva, the weather over the forward pass to Curitiba looked even worse.

Instead of keeping it going, I persuaded Ernest to settle for digs in the small settlement of Garuva and hoped the weather would improve by morning. Hotel Recanto-Eliza at the edge of town was a wonderfully comfortable choice in a lush forest setting with a river running right past it. Feeding the fish was a pleasant way to while away the time, and they came out in hoards to snatch it away. Unfortunately, it rained hard throughout the night, and there seemed no end to the rainy weather.

 

30 March - 1 April - Garuva – Curitiba – 95 km

After breakfast, while the mist hung low over the mountains, the road led out of Garuva en route to Curitiba. It rained the entire day as our path climbed over hills, leading us up a 25-kilometre-long climb and through a beautifully lush green setting. However, all uphills eventually ended, and the rest of the day was pleasantly undulating. Finally, Curitiba rolled into view, and we were wet, cold and tired. The Formula 1 hotel in the historic centre, provided a hot shower and space to dry wet clothes.

Curitiba was one of the world’s best urban planning models. I loved the story of its mayor, Jaime Lerner, who transformed a six-block stretch of street into a pedestrian zone in the ’70s. This move was solely the start, and later express-bus avenues featuring tubular boarding platforms were added. Add to that recycling and planting trees and parks on an enormous scale, and you get what Curitiba is today.

The tourist bus was a novel way of exploring the town and one could (in one fell swoop) see all Curitiba had to offer. From the lovely and peaceful botanical garden to the 110-metre-high telephone tower with a 360-degree city view.

The next morning dawned overcast and rainy, making it a no-brainer to stay the following day. The day was spent eating cake and drinking Brazilian coffee, a pleasant way to spend a rainy day.

 

2 April - Curitiba – Parana/Sao Paulo State Border – 111 km

Thank goodness the weather cleared, and even though drizzling occasionally, it wasn’t bucketing down like the previous night. The route remained hilly, but felt mainly downhill (it must’ve been the two rest days). Unfortunately, Ernest had two flats from truck tyre debris and discovered his rear rim cracked. Luckily, the road was in perfect condition, making it easy pedalling until the light faded. The overcast and rainy conditions made for a short day’s cycling before pitching the tents on a grassy patch on a hill behind a petrol station. Unfortunately, when the tents were up, it started raining again. Mercifully, the petrol station shop provided a convenient supper.

 

3-5 April - State Border - Registro – 110 km

Following the usual breakfast of coffee and biscuits, our route took us through a national park, which meant stunning scenery and big hills. The road continued across numerous tropical-looking rivers and through forests overgrown by ferns, moss and creepers, revealing only the odd wooden home peeking through dense bushes. Finally, a 20-kilometre descent led to lower ground. The weather was more tropical and humid and home to vast banana plantations. Registro provided a comfortable hotel - so large was the room one could dry clothes and tents.

Interestingly enough, Registro was named so as in its heyday it was the port where early settlers had to register the gold they shipped from Brazil to Portugal. I love these little snippets of history.

In the morning, Ernest washed the bikes at the car wash around the corner. Nevertheless, there was a method to his madness as he needed a new rim. He spent the rest of the day spoking the wheel, a lengthy process that he was good at by then. The rim was slightly different from his previous one, which required shorter spokes. Ernest returned to the bike shop the next day and we spent an additional day in Registro.

 

6-7 April - Registro – Peruibe – 109 km

More than happy to get on the bike, the day turned out superb biking as the way mainly led downhill, the scenery was sublime and a slight tailwind made it easy biking. We ate fruit from roadside stalls and filled our bottles at mountain streams.

After about sixty kilometres, I persuaded Ernest to turn off the crazy trucking highway and head southeast towards the coast. Ultimately, a route ran over the mountains, reaching the shore at Peruibe (meaning ‘shark’ in the Tupi language). Out of season, camping was available on the beach, where one could fall asleep listening to the sound of the waves.

Ernest wanted to straighten his new wheel and fix punctured tubes, and an extra day was spent kicking back in, what felt like, my private little paradise.

A day at leisure allowed for sniffing around and discovering all the exciting sights and attractions. In the process, I found the Abarebebê Ruins. In the sixteenth century, the story was that Portuguese settlers enslaved the Tupiniquim Indians to work in sugarcane plantations. Father Leonardo Nunes (Abarebebe, as the indigenous people called him) was against this practice. The first church in the region was built on the rock of Abarebebe, where he was often seen walking.

 

8 April - Peruibe – Guaruja – 122 km

The further north we proceeded, the lusher the landscape and the more vicious the mosquitos. The coastline was picture pretty revealing white sandy beaches; this was, after all, Brazil’s Costa Verde. After missing the shortcut to Guaruja, the alternative road turned out hilly but stunning and ran around the port of Santos.

Guaruja was, in fact, an island as the area was surrounded by water. Being a touristy beach town, it provided plenty of hotels but no camping. Instead, people strolled the beachfront and sat at sidewalk cafes; the balmy weather made it perfect to be out. At first, I thought of climbing to the viewpoint, but I had no energy.

 

9 April - Guaruja – Bertioga – 37 km

A scenic road led to the ferry port and ran beside white sandy beaches and idyllic palm trees. Unfortunately, the path reached the ferry to the mainland far too soon.

Once off the boat, the weather took a turn for the worse and came with thunder and lightning. Our route into Bertioga led past the Forte Sao Joao de Bertioga, constructed in 1532 by Portuguese settlers, making it Brazil’s oldest fortress. Construction started in 1532, but the fort was only completed in 1702. Today, it’s a prominent landmark in town. Still, we didn’t explore as the weather was terrible and we thought it best to find shelter. Luckily a budget room appeared just as it started bucketing down.

 

10 April - Bertioga – Boicucanga Beach – 70 km

Ernest and I weren’t getting along, making life an absolute misery. Though the route featured picturesque beaches, al fresco oyster bars, and lush forests, I was in a foul mood and unable to enjoy it. Then, towards the end of the day, I spotted a pousada opposite a beautiful beach. I thought it would make a more pleasant evening. It was, however, not the case and money wasted.

 

11 April - Boicucanga Beach – Sao Sebastiao – 41 km

I left early, leaving Ernest to his own devices. The Serra characterised Brazil’s Costa Verde do Mar, a 1,500-kilometre-long mountain range, making it not simply an immensely scenic ride but also a hilly one. I felt mentally and physically tired, and struggled up hills usually easily scaled, even pushing my bike up a few. Nevertheless, it was gorgeous, and I wish I were in a better frame of mind to enjoy it all.

Ernest later caught up as he always did. I was unsure why he did that - maybe his actions were purely to annoy me. I, again, discovered a lovely guesthouse overlooking the Canal of Sao Sebastiao and Ilhabela Island and thought a pizza would improve my mood. Unfortunately, my order of a large vegetarian pizza from the pizzeria across the road came with tuna. This was obviously not my day!

 

12 April - Sao Sebastiao – Maranduba – 52 km

My knees were sore from the countless hills the previous day. Fortunately, it dawned a bright and sunny morning. I still felt fatigued but, once underway, felt a great deal better. Gone were the sore knees and it became a beautiful day past waterfalls and caves. Nevertheless, a small campsite on the beach stopped me in my tracks and I couldn’t bring myself to cycle past such a lovely spot. Its white beach and tiny islands off the coast resembled a small paradise.

 

13 April - Maranduba - Ubatumirim – 61 km

There was no rushing that stretch of coastline, and I ambled on (Ernest in tow) from one beach to the next and crossed the tropic of Capricorn. It was, in fact, the third time I had crossed this line by bicycle. I found it quite ironic that between Brazil’s two largest cities was a beautiful coastline featuring some of (I’m sure) Brazil’s finest beaches, and mostly unknown to foreign tourists. Moreover, the beaches seemed even prettier the closer one got to Rio. The ocean was a bright blue-green and at least 25˚C. Wonderfully comfortable, to say the least.

Towards the end of the day, I turned off the road via a sandy path and came upon a rustic beach offering all the necessary facilities. Camping was on a small grassy patch overlooking a long stretch of beach, and it felt like I could sit there forever, watching the small waves roll in.

 

14-15 April - Ubatumirim – Paraty – 49 km

Paraty turned out a lovely surprise after nearly missing the turnoff. The town was blessed by a beautiful beach and a historic old town, still revealing cobblestone roads so rough I had to walk the bike. The local campground was across the street from the beach. Food and drink carts were right on the water’s edge, making it a perfect place to watch the calm, warm water of the Atlantic.

Paraty was picture pretty and a great place to spend an additional day doing laundry and lounging about. So pleasant was it, I could easily have stayed one more day.

 

16 April - Paraty – Tarituba – 37 km

We waited until our clothes had dried before heading out. Scarcely on our way, an interesting-looking turn-off lured me off our route. The detour revealed an idyllic beach and a cottage in a jungle setting on the water’s edge.

We offloaded the bikes and sat on the beach eating our “pastel” (a fried pastry with a filling). I thought it was one of the most idyllic settings in Brazil. By evening, a sweet aroma filled the air, crickets chirped, and the moon shone brightly. Sadly, mosquitos came out, and one had to retreat indoors.

This was what cycle touring was all about. Regrettably, my cycling partner preferred to do distance, primarily by following the highway - a dreadfully monotonous task. Each tour in their own way and I liked discovering new things without a destination in mind. Ernest was out to “cycle around the world” and wasn’t interested in exploring. Our different views of cycle touring, and life in general, didn’t make for harmonious cycling, and I thought it best to go my own way.

 

17 April - Tarituba – Angra Dos Reis – 66 km

Breakfast was served under the trees outside our cottage. A full spread of bread rolls, ham, cheese, salami, coffee, juice, fruit and biscuits was served, and I felt like a royal family member. But, all good things came to an end. I thanked the owner and we continued our journey.

The road was slightly hilly but offered unique views of the Costa Verde. Even the nuclear power plant looked idyllic amongst the lush forests. Being entirely different from the rest of the coast, Angra Dos Reis was quite a surprise. Houses clung to the wooded mountainside overlooking the picturesque bay, and narrow cobblestone streets weaved through the old part of town.

 

18 April - Angra Dos Reis – Mangaratiba – 66 km

Albeit a scenic coast, the road was all but flat. I churned my way hill after hill, and sweated buckets in the hot and humid conditions. Nevertheless, the hills provided stunning views. One could see colossal oil tankers anchored in the sheltered bay, waiting their turn at the off-shore oil rigs.

At the turnoff to Mangaratiba, our route headed up one more large hill and I thought it best to head into town. After a few kilometres, the small, picturesque village of Mangaratiba, spread out along a steep peninsula, rolled into view. Unfortunately, Mangaratiba didn’t offer budget accommodation or a place to pitch the tents as the town was one of the jumping-off points to the touristy Isla Grande. Returning to the highway, a more suitable option was located on the outskirts of town.

 

19 April - Mangaratiba – Barra Do Tijuca – 93 km

The route to Rio was hilly, but later flattened out somewhat. At Santa Cruz, a minor road turned off the highway and followed the coast. Following one last hill and dodging roadworks and heavy traffic, our path eventually spat us out at the beach. Barra Do Tijuca was near Rio and, contrary to where we came from, the entire area was built up. Remarkably, Tijuca had a campsite.

 

20 April - Barra Do Tijuca – Rio De Janeiro – 55 km

Barra Do Tijuca was located on the southwestern outskirts of Rio, and what a relief to find a twenty-kilometre-long cycle path running next to the beach in the direction of the city.

At the spectacular Jao bluff, no bicycles were allowed onto the bridge which ran through two tunnels connected by an elevated highway over the ocean. We pedalled across the bridge anyhow. Our illegal route spat us out close to the famous Ipanema and Copacabana beaches where another bicycle path was situated. After snapping a few pics of these famous beaches, the hunt to find accommodation was on.

To our surprise we found it at the start of Easter Weekend in one of the world’s most prominent holiday destinations. All budget accommodation was choc-a-block full, but a room/flatlet was eventually uncovered only a few blocks from Copacabana Beach. Our digs came at quite a cost, and the condition was that it had to be taken the entire weekend, allowing for plenty of time to discover the city.

 

21-24 April - Easter Weekend - Rio De Janeiro

Rio was spectacular, with abundant natural beauty and many interesting people. I still claim it’s one of the world’s most beautiful cities. I walked the beach, swam in the ocean and took a bus to all the touristy places. But, of course, the beaches were crowded, and one could hardly move. Still, it remained a beautiful city.

Soon the time came to move along. Personal problems between Ernest and I forced me to make a long-overdue decision. It wasn’t an easy choice as I enjoyed myself in South America. Still, I felt I had to put distance between Ernest and myself.

 

25 April – Rio

I moved to a cheaper hostel while deciding what to do next. After much deliberation, a flight was booked to South Africa. However, they needed a cash payment. Unfortunately, I could only draw half the money at a time and had to wait until the following morning to draw the remainder.

The rest of the day was spent chatting with people at the hostel. What a remarkable place a hostel can be. People from all over the world gathered there and had fascinating stories and reasons to travel.

 

26 April – Rio

It felt like I wasn’t meant to leave, as all sorts of difficulties arose as I tried to organise my “escape”. Firstly, I discovered one of my fellow travellers had dipped into my wallet and helped themselves to my money. How and when it happened, I wasn’t sure. I thought it all quite weird as not all the money was taken, only about half. There wasn’t anything I could do but return to the ATM and draw the necessary funds to pay for the ticket.

The travel agent booked the flights, and I was told to collect the tickets later. On my return, I learned they couldn’t reserve an Air Malaysia flight in Brazil and refunded the money. The trip from Rio to Buenos Ayres was scheduled but to the wrong airport and the booking was cancelled and a new ticket issued. The Air Malaysia ticket (Buenos Ayres to Cape Town) could be bought online. Still, my visa card had a security setting that prohibited online purchases. I decided to go out on a limb and buy a ticket at the airport once in Buenos Ayres.

With that, I left the Americas, and it would be four months before I returned to Rio.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

CYCLE TOURING URUGUAY


URUGUAY
596 Kilometres - 11 Days
27 February – 9 March 2011




MAP

PHOTOS 

E-BOOK

  

27 February - Buenos Aires, Argentina – Colonia De Sacramento, Uruguay - By ferry

Colonia dated to 1680 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Colonia thus came with a lively touristy trade. However, it’s primarily known for its Barrio Histórico, lined by buildings from its time as a Portuguese settlement.

We followed the narrow cobblestone path in the sweltering heat, which led through the city gate and down to the harbour featuring its historic lighthouse. At the campsite, the price and the quality of the facilities came as an unpleasant surprise. A decision was made to wild-camp from then on.

 

28 February - Colonia De Sacramento – Colonia Valdense – 58 km

Our first day of cycling in Uruguay turned out a pleasant one. The countryside seemed more lush, green, and the weather more humid than in Argentina. Stopping at an ATM to get Uruguayan peso, we met Jo, who lived with her South African daughter and son-in-law. We were invited to tea and ended up having supper as well as camping in their garden. Jo, Abigail and Andrew, together with their small child, Lucy, sailed the South American coast a good few years. As Abigail was pregnant, they came ashore in Uruguay. During our visit, their three-month-old baby, Sarah, was the picture of health and looked quite pleased being Uruguayan.

 

1 March - Colonia Valdense – Playa Pascual – 93 km

Reluctantly, we left our kind hosts and headed east towards Montevideo. Unfortunately, a headwind picked up, and it took churning our way into the wind the rest of the day, stopping ever so often to have a drink and a bite to eat – including the snacks Jo packed the previous evening.

In the late afternoon, about 33 kilometres before Montevideo, a petrol station sporting lawns outback, a shop and toilets made good camping that night.

 

2-3 March - Playa Pascual – Montevideo – 37 km

A service road made a comfortable ride into the capital. Montevideo was a relatively small city with barely over one million inhabitance. It was thus easy to find our way around. We headed straight to the old part of town, where locating accommodation was effortless. With its location on the Rio de la Plata, Montevideo didn’t only have a holiday feel but was beautiful, friendly and culturally rich. Like in Argentina, Mate remained the drink of choice. One seldom saw an Uruguayan without a flask clutched under their arm and cup in hand.

Strolling the historic Cuidad Viejo was pleasant and relaxing. Nearly all the old buildings had been renovated, and in a way, reminded me of Eastern Europe. The many pedestrian malls, street cafes and bustling squares with craft markets and statues, made lingering easy.

 

4-5 March - Montevideo – Piriapolis – 110 km

Montevideo had a 20-kilometre long beachfront and leaving, we shared the path with joggers and other cyclists. Our route led past plenty of beaches and small villages which made enjoyable cycling. Unfortunately, the wind picked up, making pedalling hard to reach Piriapolis. Andrew, from Colonia Valdense, arranged for us to stay at Laurence and Elisa’s place, where we pitched our tents in their garden.

The following day, rumours of an evening barbeque did the rounds, and we stayed one more day. What a delightful mixture of people; four South Africans, two Canadians, two Americans, one English, one Spaniard, two Swedes, an Irish and one lone Uruguayan. The asado was an authentic Uruguayan asado with more meat than anyone could eat. The Uruguayans sure knew how to party.

 

6 March - Piriapolis – La Barra – 52 km

Due to our late night, our leisurely departure came as no surprise and, after scoffing the leftover food, we reluctantly waved our very generous hosts goodbye and cycled out of town.

First up was Punta del Este, one of South America’s most famous and expensive coastal resort towns. Here the River Plate meets the Atlantic Ocean. Four colossal cruise ships anchored in the bay, and the rich and famous were doing their thing on the many beaches around the city.

A safe 10-kilometre distance from Punta’s glitz and glamour, a campsite provided more affordable overnighting. We presumed the weekend camping crowd, who filled the grounds, would soon be packing up. Unfortunately, that assumption was a mistake. The following week was Carnival week and campers were settling in for the weeklong holiday. Surrounded by mate-drinking campers, continually tending to their Asado fires, we were the odd ones out. Watching the Uruguayans enjoying themselves was fascinating, and sometimes amusing.

 

7 March - La Barra – Rocha – 91 km

The Uruguayan lifestyle of going to bed late and rising late was very suitable to Ernest’s lifestyle. So the time was around 12h00 before he was finally ready to leave. But, unfortunately, our late start meant Rocha was reached into a stiff headwind.

Rocha’s smallish town came as a pleasant surprise. Established in 1793, the settlement had cobblestone streets and rows of old, semi-detached houses where people still used horse carts. Apparently, not a considerable amount had changed since 1793. We were offered accommodation in one of these old semi’s (at quite a steep price – it was a carnival holiday, after all). The tiny, low-ceiling cottage had two bedrooms, a lounge, bathroom and kitchen, as well as a courtyard for stashing the bikes. The quaint setup made me want to read “The House of Paper”, a novel by Carlos Maria Dominquez. By the time we’d finished our beer and scoffed the pasta Ernest cooked, the time was 01h30 and way past my bedtime.

 

8 March - Rocha – La Esmeralda – 75 km

Coffee washed down the leftover pasta, and the time was passed midday by the time Mr Markwood was ready to hand in the key. The wind was even more intense than the previous day, and I’d no intention of going far. Nevertheless, the road remained undulating, and it took grinding into the wind the best part of the day. Finally, a friendly Uruguayan stopped and offered us a ride to the border - he looked perplexed when we thanked him but declined his offer.

The day turned out a picturesque ride past farmland and the ever-present pampas grass until spotting a road sign indicating camping four kilometres off the main drag. The sign promised a restaurant, pizzas, and so forth. We left the tarmac and biked down a dirt road, which I didn’t mind as I visualised a luxury room and pizza. However, on reaching the promised land, the setup was somewhat rustic amongst dunes that looked positively Saharan. It took walking the bikes over the dunes to a suitable camping spot. Following the initial disappointment and once settled in, the place wasn’t all bad.

 

9 March - La Esmeralda – Chuy – 80 km

The Next morning involved the same procedure of dragging the bikes through the thick sand to reach more or less solid ground, and onto the Brazilian border. Although still windy, the route flattened out, and cycling was past vast fields of grazing and wetlands. En route, I was surprised and impressed to meet Jorge, from Spain, who drove his little vintage Citroen from Spain via Asia, Australia and South America - very nearly the way we cycled.

Chuy was quite a remarkable town. The Uruguayan border was one kilometre south of the town and the Brazilian border one kilometre north, making Chuy a bit of a no man’s land. Moreover, the town itself was divided in half, one part being Brazilian (Chui) and half Uruguayan (Chuy). One side of the main road was, therefore, Brazilian and the other side Uruguayan.

Our search revealed a budget ground floor room in one of the side streets and, with that, we reached the end of our short visit to Uruguay. A country that felt more like a large farm than a country.

Monday 28 February 2011

CYCLE TOURING ARGENTINA

 




37 ARGENTINA
1 334 Kilometres - 31 Days
27 January 2011 – 27 February 2011



PHOTOS

E-BOOK 

 

27 January - Roadside camp, Chile - Puente Del Inca, Argentina – 40 km

This was the day the route headed over the Andes to Argentina. The road zig-zagged up the pass, and though the gradient was acceptable, it remained a steep and dreadfully slow 22-kilometre climb from where we’d spent the night. Roadworks caused lengthy delays and created much-needed time to take breathers. Finally, after wheezing my way to the top, I could look down at the winding road and hardly believe I had made it up the pass. Once at the top and after yet another ride by the authorities through a tunnel, 18 kilometres remained to the customs office.

The border crossing was uneventful and immigration staff simultaneously stamped people out of Chile and into Argentina. From the immigration office, the path descended past the small settlement of Las Cuevas with no more than a few timber restaurants and a strong smell of lentil soup. Upon crossing the border, Ernest and I reached the end of Patagonia and Chile. After my disastrous start in the Americas, Chile was a welcome change and a relaxing and rewarding ride. To this day, I claim Patagonia will never see me again.

Our first stop in Argentina was at the small touristy village of Puente Del Inca, which came with a basic campground and a view of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas (6 960m).

Puente Del Inca, surrounded by high mountains, enjoyed spectacular vistas that turned all colours of the rainbow by sunset. The village was further home to a natural bridge over the Vacas River, said to have been formed by glaciers and hot springs. The water from the hot springs was rich in sulphur and had, through the years, turned the bridge a lovely orange colour. An old spa’s remains were visible under the bridge and slowly became the same colour.

The amusing part was that children (ages 7-10) came to chat with us. On discovering I didn’t speak Spanish, they addressed me incredibly slowly and deliberately, how one would talk to a small child. On the positive side, I picked up a few words from them. Ernest cooked supper, and it became an early evening.

 

28 January - Puente Del Inca - Uspallata – 70 km

Ernest had work to do on his bike and it was midday by the time we got underway. The road led past Cementerio Andinista, a small cemetery dedicated to climbers who died on the climb of Aconcagua. Then past Los Penitentes, a well-known ski resort, all boarded up as it was summer. The pinnacles around Puente Del Inca were supposed to resemble a line of monks. I looked but couldn’t see anything resembling a line of monks.

Route 7 followed the Rio Mendoza, a mostly downhill run to Uspallata. Unfortunately, a headwind made pedalling difficult, even on the descents. We passed abandoned railway stations along the old Trans-Andes Railway line, constructed in the late 1800s. It ran from Mendoza, in Argentina, to Los Andes, in Chile. One couldn’t help being in awe of the task of building a railway over the Andes in the 1800s.

The landscape was highly unusual, barren but simultaneously colourful, and said to be the film location of “Seven Years in Tibet”. This made it a stunning ride, but I failed dismally to capture its beauty.

A truck and trailer having a blowout while overtaking us on the descent scared the living daylights out of me. Pieces of tyre flew all over the place, nearly hitting Ernest, and the truck swerved wildly from side to side. However, the skilful driver managed to keep his vehicle under control and averted a near disaster.

Our destination was oasis-like Uspallata with its poplar trees situated in a barren mountain landscape. Uspallata was a small community with a campsite and all the necessary facilities.

 

29 January - Uspallata - Potrerillos – 58 km

The party next to the campground in Uspallata carried on through the night, and little sleep was had. With Ernest as slow as ever, the time was 12h30 before riding out of Uspallata. Again, the route followed Rio Mendoza, and the scenery was as spectacular as the previous day. While mostly downhill, there were plenty of hills with picturesque narrow tunnels. The Rio Mendoza was perfect for rafting, with water gushing down from the snowy peaks. Several tour operators carted people to the drop-off for a fun day on the river. Unfortunately, a headwind picked up, and I was peeved off by Ernest’s slow start.

Our late start and the headwind made it a short day of cycling. Our next stop was Potrerillos, which had beautiful camping spots amongst shady poplars adjacent to a dam. Ernest was dead set on having a barbeque in Argentina, and he bought a large chunk of beef as well as wood and spent the rest of the evening tending the fire and cooking his meat.

Potrerillos Dam was located on the Mendoza River and is referred to as a “new” dam built between 1999 and 2003. The dam aimed to provide flood control, hydroelectricity, and irrigation. The interesting part was the dam was shrinking due to the high silt content of the Mendoza River.

In later years, the dam would be in the news again due to an accident filming an MTV reality show, The Challenge, when a helicopter crashed, killing both the pilot and technician.

 

30-31 January - Potrerillos - Mendoza – 72 km

From Potrerillos a short bike ride led to touristy Mendoza, but only after crossing a few hills. Then, it became smooth riding into the beautiful Mendoza Valley. On reaching Route 40, the motorway widened which didn’t merely sport a shoulder but also breath-taking views of vineyards, with the Andes making a perfect backdrop in the distance. The Mendoza Valley is Argentina’s most important wine region, featuring countless wine farms and tasting rooms to sample the mighty Malbec and various other varieties.

Even though Mendoza was reasonably large, a stress-free cycle took us into the city. Mendoza, popular amongst people travelling the country, was also a frequent stopover for climbers en route to Aconcagua and, hence, immensely touristy. The result was costly lodging. Still, we settled for digs in a hostel in the touristy part of town. The weather was perfect with blue skies and temperatures in the upper 20s.

The hefty room rate included bed bugs, which, together with the disco next door, kept me up for the best part of the night. Luckily, the hostel had a leafy garden and a swimming pool to bask in the sun during the day.

 

1 February 2011 – Mendoza

Mendoza was a laid-back city that made a perfect day of rest, an easy thing to do in Mendoza, maybe due to the many wineries (more than 1,500). The town was further used as a base to tour the vineyards. As a result, generally, people were in a relaxed mood. At the time, Mendoza was famous for its Malbec wines which grew at high altitude at the foothills of the Andes. This alone was enough to make me stay an extra day. Ernest booked the barbeque night, an “eat-all-you-can” affair. I watched the spectacle through the bottom of a wine glass as I hadn’t changed my vegetarian status quite yet.

 

2 February - Mendoza – Las Catitas – 106 km

After two days, Ernest and I left our bedbug-ridden accommodation and headed east on Route 7 towards Buenos Aires, more than 1,000 kilometres across the Pampas. The road was pancake flat and the temperature (I guessed) in the low 30s, making it a perfect day for biking.

Pitching the tents was reasonably early at a petrol station with a grassy patch and showers. A Japanese cyclist, Nobu, who had been travelling for the past year and a half, arrived from the opposite direction and joined us behind the petrol station.

 

3 February - Las Catitas – Alto Pencoso – 99 km

We awoke to a reasonably strong wind, maybe sounding worse due to the Poplar trees camped under. The Pampas of South America is a vast, flat, fertile, grassland plain covering roughly 777,000 square kilometres, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes Mountains. It’s, thus, an area entirely exposed to the elements. Consequently, the countryside offered few exciting sights, simply low shrubs and sandy soil and, of course, the pampas grass; a tall grass which grew in dense clumps. At home, my mom used them in large flower arrangements. The wind was from the front all day, but mercifully nothing close to the wind in Patagonia.

A new country brings countless new and exciting things to discover. In Argentina, road fatalities weren’t only indicated by a humble cross but by little shrines and sometimes quite elaborate ones. The collection of empty plastic bottles at some memorials baffled me. I, subsequently, discovered the shrines surrounded by red flags had a fascinating history and understood paid homage to Antonio Gil.

Still, others were to honour Difunta Correa. According to legend, in the 1830s or 40s (no one is quite sure), a young woman with her baby set off to find her husband recruited into Argentina’s Civil War. Sadly, she died of thirst along the way. However, when found days later, her baby was miraculously alive, and still suckling from her breast. As a result, roadside shrines were constructed across the region. To this day, travellers leave bottles of water as an offering and to quench their eternal thirst.

In the small settlement of Alto Pencoso pitching the tents was possible at the municipal grounds. People went out of their way to accommodate us, even unlocking the community hall’s toilets. I thought people were generally surprised by two foreigners on bicycles arriving in their tiny village.

 

4-5 February - Alto Pencoso – San Luis – 22 km

Twenty kilometres into the ride Ernest’s hub eventually packed up entirely. He tried doing makeshift repairs, but the hub was too severely damaged. Thank goodness, a kind Argentinian offered us a ride into San Luis where Ernest could buy a new hub. Spoking and straightening the wheel was a time-consuming activity. The following morning, Ernest was still not happy with his work. After moving to a cheaper hostel, an additional day was spent in San Luis.

San Luis wasn’t a bad little town; and came with a lively town centre and a leafy central square, known as Plaza Pringles. Around the square were a few historic buildings, including a 19th-century cathedral featuring a neoclassical facade and twin bell towers.

Not surprisingly, only a few people spoke English. Regrettably, my Spanish was nearly non-existing, making locating food equally problematic. Furthermore, Argentina was a beef country where vegetarianism was practically unheard of. Argentineans were, at the time, the biggest consumers of beef per capita in the world and, God forbid, one should be vegetarian. That said, plenty of good wine and pasta were available, and I wasn’t complaining as I hardly ever ate anything but bread and pasta.

 

6 February - San Luis – Picnic area (close to Villa Mercedes) – 85 km

It became an excellent day’s riding with the wind slight and the weather overcast. Towards the end of the day, we weakened at the sight of a picnic area along a river. People were swimming and barbecuing on the lawn under trees. The staff had no problem with us pitching our tents. Smoke from asadas (barbecues) hung thick in the air, and curious looks were cast as we entered. The fun part was many came requesting to be photographed with us.

Even before unpacking, our neighbours presented us with a plate of barbequed meat. Not wanting to be outdone, other neighbours came with even bigger plates. True to Argentinean asadas, they didn’t bother much with salads or other food, only a massive plate of meat. Even I tried a piece of meat, as I felt too embarrassed to turn them down after they so generously shared their food.

Shortly afterwards, people started packing up, and soon we were the sole ones left. It could’ve been that the spot was a day-picnic area or they saw the weather come in.

 

7 February - Picnic area – Old petrol station (Washington) – 96 km

By evening, a massive storm rolled in. Upon waking at around 8h00 the following morning, with rain dripping on the tent, I crawled back into the sleeping bag. Eventually, the rain abated, and goats and sheep came wandering past. It must’ve been 12h00 before our tents had dried and we could resume our ride, and what a lonely stretch of road it turned out.

Little life was seen along the way, and there were fewer places to fill up with water. By day’s end, I was entirely out of fluids, and happy when a disused petrol station with a still-functioning tyre repair workshop came into view. As they had water it made an excellent place to pitch the tents. However, I realised one would have to be more careful conserving water on such a desolate stretch of road.

 

8-9 February - Disused petrol station – Laboulaye – 128 km

The next day, and after thanking the staff, we pointed our bikes in Buenos Aires’ direction. Not a great deal happened apart from cycling past massive cattle ranches, known as Estancias in Argentina. This was indeed a world-famous cattle country. With enough rain and fertile soil, grazing was nutritious, and I understood the beef was excellent. It’s said the good taste is due to the cattle’s organic and free-range roaming. Not only was it a cattle country, but vast areas were planted under corn and soybeans.

Route 7 became narrow with heavy truck traffic, and care had to be taken to avoid disasters. A steady headwind slowed us to a crawl, and it became late enough to get concerned the last stretch to Laboulaye would be cycled in darkness. Seven kilometres from Laboulaye, Ernest came to an unexpected and sudden halt. The front hub on his bike had seized up and with a fast-setting sun, he quickly did an emergency repair job, allowing us to reach Laboulaye, albeit in the dark.

Laboulaye was much bigger than anticipated and it was easy to locate a reasonably priced hotel until Ernest repaired his bike. Fortunately, Argentineans were a sporting nation, and one could find decent bike shops in practically all sizable towns. Laboulaye was big enough to sport a bicycle shop where Ernest bought the necessities to fix his bike.

 

10 February - Laboulaye – Rufino – 71 km

The route between Laboulaye and Rufino came with a headwind and heavy traffic. The narrow road left virtually no space to ride and the grassy verge was too rocky and uneven even to attempt riding off-road. On reaching Rufino, I pulled in to purchase a mirror that would at least allow me to see what was coming up behind me, but Rufino was like a ghost town due to siesta. After enquiring, we were police-escorted to the central park.

Argentinians took their siesta seriously and only emerged around 17h00. However, no sooner had they woken from their nap than the entire village was at the park which doubled as a sports ground. People were out playing football and hockey. Others were jogging and even the marching band was out practising. What a delight to observe a small Argentinean country town in full swing!

 

11 February - Rufino – Vedia – 119 km

The following day was marred by wind and 18-wheelers roaring past, causing diving off the road now and then. The mirror bought the previous day at least helped spot them in advance.

This was the Pampas and home to Gauchos and vast cattle ranches. To me, the Gauchos of Argentina conjured up romantic images of horsemen freely roaming the vast plains of Argentina. I wasn’t far off as I witnessed riders herding cattle, looking amazingly comfortable on horseback. Watching these Gauchos on a horse, sipping mate from a gourd through a silver straw, and with at least four dogs at their heels, was indeed an iconic sight.

With Argentineans being the world’s biggest meat-eaters, no decent petrol station came without a grassy area and a few barbeque pits, making it a convenient place to pitch the tents. Route 7 was a major transport route and, generally, petrol stations doubled as truck stops. These places mostly came with clean toilets as well as showers. The majority had hot water on tap as it was inconceivable to go without a flask of mate. All this made camping trouble-free along the Pampas.

 

12 February - Vedia – Junin – 58 km

The wind picked up during the night. Luckily, it wasn’t as bad as expected. Instead, traffic was a much bigger problem. My legs felt tired and we ended the day’s ride in Junin. I seemed hungry all the time, and following a visit to the supermarket, I had my fill of bread and cheese as there appeared little else around except meat, meat and more meat.

 

13 February - Junin – Carmen de Areco – 126 km

The next day, a tailwind made it effortless cycling. Not wanting to waste a tailwind, we proceeded to Carmen de Areco. With it being Sunday, traffic was much reduced, and biking was a pleasure.

Carmen de Areco had three petrol stations. The best was the YPF with a substantial picnic area at the rear, a children’s play park and plenty of barbeque areas. Perfect. Ernest cooked the usual pasta, and after a beer and a hefty serving of pasta, I was off to bed.

 

14 February - Carmen de Areco – San Antonio de Areco – 66 km

It appeared a further day of grinding into a headwind, and I was pleased we’d pushed on the day before. After eating the leftover bread with cheese and drinking our coffee (as I hadn’t yet acquired a taste for mate), we rode the short distance to San Antonio.

Traffic was horrendous, as usual, but slightly less so once off Route 7. A beautiful ride through the countryside brought us to San Antonio. Dating from the 18th century, the town was loaded with history and romantically considered home to the Gauchos. Mercifully, San Antonio had a campground where one could pitch a tent and relax in the shade.

 

15 February - San Antonio – Buenos Aires – 118 km

Route 8 ran east in the direction of Buenos Aires and, although it turned into a highway, it remained easier than biking on the narrower roads. However, closer to Buenos Aires, traffic became hectic and barely 10 kilometres from the city centre traffic police eventually kicked us off the freeway.

Battling rush-hour traffic on one of the regular arterial roads, was no fun, but it spat us out right in the city centre shortly before dark. The way was littered with traffic lights, and reaching Ave 9 de Julio (the main road) took forever. It must’ve been 21h00 before a hotel was found, and even if expensive, the place was comfortable and right in the city centre.

What a lively city Buenos Aires was. Street cafes abounded, and people were out and about until the wee hours of the morning.

 

16 February - Buenos Aires

The following day was spent sauntering around town, down Avenue Florida - a pedestrian mall jam-packed with people and street vendors. Then on to Plaza de Mayo with its pink palace (or presidential office), past lovely old colonial-style buildings and around the famous obelisk right in the middle of Ave 9 de Julio. With its eight lanes in either direction, I was sure this was the widest main road in the world.

Eventually, we sat down at a sidewalk restaurant. While looking at the menu, an incredibly skilled thief nicked my bag (which I’d placed on the ground between my feet). So good was the thief, neither Ernest nor I noticed anything. This was quite a disaster as the bag contained my wallet with cash and bank cards, as well as my camera, reading glasses and, even more disastrous, memory cards with all my photos of South America since arriving in Ushuaia. The best part of the day was thus spent cancelling cards and ordering new ones.

 

17-21 February - Buenos Aires

The bank’s early morning phone call revealed new bank cards could be delivered, but it would take seven working days. The day was spent investigating the city streets, including a stroll to Puerto Madero (a waterfront area with many modern skyscrapers) and then south to the San Telmo district with its narrow cobblestoned streets, old buildings and antique markets. Next, we proceeded to the La Boca district with its colourful houses and home of the Boca Juniors football team. Eventually, we took the bus to the city centre, where I scanned the area for a new camera.

 

22-25 February - Buenos Aires

As shopping malls go, I thought Galerias Pacifico, with its vaulted ceilings and painted dome, a most stunning shopping mall. Constructed in 1889 and restored in 1992, the mall was upmarket. Equally beautiful was Teatro Colon, a Buenos Aires icon, which was stunning and considered one of the best opera houses for acoustic. Built between 1880 and 1908, I understood it romantically opened with Aida. So, I trundled through the city, feasting my eyes upon these magnificent buildings.

I also came upon Palacio Barolo, a magnificent building with a crazy story. Luis Barolo, a European immigrant, apparently arrived in Argentina in 1890. At the time, he believed wars in Europe would destroy Europe. However, Luis was determined to save a part of it and built Palacio Barolo. I understood from a brochure the building was inspired by the Italian poet, Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Even more bizarre was the fabulous Palacio de Aguas Corrientes (literally ‘The Palace of Running Water’) built in the late 1800s. The building was covered in (I was told) 300,000 glazed, multi-coloured terracotta tiles. It was constructed as a water pumping station. Imagine that!

Counting my last pennies, there remained enough to take the train to Tigre, a popular day excursion from Buenos Aires. Situated no more than 35 kilometres north of the capital on the Parana Delta, the third-largest river delta in the world. The day was spent wandering around this peaceful settlement. Tigre offered a glimpse into how people lived along the canals, with boats as their sole transportation. I thought it amazing how much one could do with little money, and I couldn’t think of a better place to wait until the card arrived.

Still, there were loads to see and do in Buenos Aires. The Recoleta Cemetorio came with loads of statues and crypts, for the rich and famous of their time. The most-visited grave was undoubtedly that of Evita, and one could hardly catch a glimpse of it due to the hordes of tourists.

Food-wise I was in seventh heaven; right next door to our hotel was a superb vegetarian restaurant. Chinese-owned, it served the most delicious food I’ve eaten since China. In case that wasn’t enough, there was Ugi’s on the corner, selling the cheapest pizzas in town. They simply made one type of pizza - Mozzarella pizza - and a takeaway box was a further 50 cents.

In the meantime, I scanned the shops in search of a camera. I ordered new reading glasses, but could only collect those items once I got my sweaty paws on my money.

The bank card was eventually delivered but still needed activation. I contacted the bank once more, who would return the call the following day. To our horror, we discovered the guest in the room next door had passed away and police were in and out the entire day. I didn’t ask any questions but felt they could at least have closed the door or covered the body.

 

26 February - Buenos Aires

The bank returned the phone call in the early morning to inform the card had been unlocked. I scarcely had time to eat breakfast as I was super keen to pick up my new reading glasses. We headed straight to the ferry ticket office to purchase the following day’s ticket to Uruguay. Sadly, at the camera shop, none of the latest models was available and, in the end, I bought a Lumix.

 

27 February - Buenos Aires, Argentina – Colonia, Uruguay - By ferry

I was up amazingly early as this was the day we could finally leave Argentina. A short ride led through Buenos Aires to the harbour where one checked out of Argentina and boarded a ferry to Uruguay.

The slow boat took three hours, and came with smooth sailing across the vast Rio de la Plata estuary, arriving in Uruguay in the heat of the day. Colonia, our first stop in Uruguay, dated to 1680 and was a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A few hours were spent exploring the old town. A cobblestone road led through the ancient city gate, onto the city’s historical part and down to the harbour. Eventually, we headed to the campsite where the fees were shocking and the facilities dismal. There and then, a decision was made to wild-camp from then on.