South America D73_77

http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2009/Salta#

http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2009/Mendoza#

Date 73 10 Jan 2009 San Pedro

It was a rest day as no bus was going to Salta today. There were only two bus campanies providing service from San Pedro to Salta. But their schedules were the same Tue, Fri & Sun at 10:30a.m. I thought if they coordinated and adjusted their schedule, it was easy to provide service everyday. The prices were $28,000 & $38,000. It was crazy to have such a great difference in price.

I waked up at 8:20a.m. and it was the best sleep since in S.A. It was because of poor sleep in previous two days in Bolivar. Breakfast ( coffee + pan + 3 eggs ) cost $1950. I took a stroll in the town in the morning.

I calculated the money spending from the beginning once I was back to my room. It was just a summery. I spent $HK 600 each day on average which met the budget. In fact, I did not have tight budget. I would spend whenever necessary. No extravagant! No tight! It was meaningful & happy to spend as I liked.

Although Hotel Licancabur provided privacy, it was really boring. Every guest stayed in his room as there was no common room for sharing. Moreover, there was no books or any travel information. It might me my personal problem. The reason for such a trip was my unhappy experience. I came out travelling might be a matter of evading the reality. It was different from the previous travel such as in America & Australia when I was young and energetic. But it was completely different especially when I wrote down the age column in the registration book. Although I was travelling, I was still thinking about my future career. I was doubtful about finding a good school.

The previous travel was really三無： 無牽 、無掛 、無累。I would go anywhere I liked. Although the bank account did not have much money, I enjoyed travelling. It was undeniable that I was getting older as my white hair could not be covered.

The independent travel was toward the end as the expedition to Aconcagua started on 15 Jan 2009. It was just several days later. Lunch ($2900) was steak rice. I spent $500 reading HK news after a short sleep. I brought sweet grape $1000 and trout set dinner was $3300. The total expenditure was the slowest ($17800) today. I felt still hungry at 10:00p.m. and ordered a quarter of BBQ chicken ($1000) again.

Date 74 11 Jan 2009 San Pedro ~ Salta

I had nothing to do in the morning and went to carpark at 10:10a.m. waiting for Pullman bus. The bus arrived at 10:20 and left at 10:26a.m. The clearing of Argentina clearing was taken at San Pedro. The bus climbed to the border Paso de Jama. Many people took picture along the altiplano landscape which was not attractive to me. The driver assistant distributed plastic bag when the bus was over 4000m while the highest point was 4700m.

We arrived at Paso de Jama (4200m) at 1:30p.m. It was surprising that a lot of international bus waiting there. Some even went to Lima in Peru. But all came there at the same time. I thought they should do some coordination.

The Argentina Immigration computer could not read the data in my passport. They had to search it from hard copy and checked & input computer data many times. Finally, I was cleared after 1.5 hr and I started again at 3:30p.m. The bus descended to a salt lake and climbed again. The altiplano landscape was not new to me.

The bus did not stop and went forward. I saw a signage 211km from Salta at 5:00p.m. The bus descended from 4200m and it bended one by one( endlessly). Some bends were 180o turn. I also saw a lot of cactus and arrived at the bottom of valley at 1000m within an hour.

The valley had a lot of strange earth pillars but without taking picture. The bus continued to less than 1000m without stop. The vegetation was the topical plant. There was farming activities as well as camp ground. The bus stopped for getting off some passengers 12km from Jujuy. As no passenger dropped off at Jujury, so the bus drove directly to Salta. Finally, I arrived at 8:40p.m.

The information in bus station had only a black photocopy city map. I walked (20 min.) to Cerro Caminos Hostal myself and was allocated upper berth. The dormitory ($30) was the most spacious. I went outside to take dinner after a shower. It was really very hungry as I ate only some biscuit & bread in the past 12 hours.

The night scene on the Plaza 9 de Julio was really impressive. It was busy city centre and a lot of people taking dinner there. I found a small & quiet restaurant for dinner. Pizza $18 + $4 soft drink. I was so hungry that I ate 8 pieces of pizza.

Date 75 12 Jan 2009 Salta

I went to bus station in the morning. Breakfast $5 were 2 breads with hot chocolate. The bus schedule was 14:45, 21:00 (Full)& 22:15 to Mendoza. Afterward, I took cable car ($12) to San Sernado where had panaroma view of Salt. I went back to downtown to find some local tour. Cafayate one day tour cost only $100. Lunch ($32) was taken at Restaurant Cheucet. It was bread + steak + rice + fanta and I was full.

I went back to bus station to buy the ticket of departure at 14:45 and it was cama-class. It was hopefully arrived at 8:00 on 14 Jan to Mendoza. I would not do any sight-seeing tomorrow and wanted to take more rest.

I was back to hostel to take rest and wrote diary. I saw several Argentina girls and thought that they were young (20s). They did not go outside and just chat in the patio. They enjoyed such kind of travel style that Hong Kong people might regard as wasting time.

I went outside walk at 5:00p.m. and this time was local market which was very busy. There was a wide range of goods except camera. I was back to hostel at 7:00p.m. and wanted to go outside for dinner. But it was heavy rain and it was the first time since Ushuaia. I waited until the rain changed smaller to dinner. I choose a decent restaurant in the Plaza de Julio and sat in the window seat. Dinner ($36) was lamb set menu.

Date 76 13 Jan 2009 Salta~ Mendoza

I waked up at 7:30a.m. and took breakfast in the Plaza 9 de Julio. It was $7.5 breakfast & chocolate. The weather was fine and I sat outside. The temperature and breeze were comfortable. I was back to hostel at 10:00a.m. and went outside again at 11:00a.m. after packing up the luggage. Lunch ($20, fried chicken) was taken at 12:00a.m.

I was back to hostel again and left to bus station at 2:00p.m. I arrived at 2:25p.m. to the bus station while the bus turned out at 2:40p.m. My seat number was no. 9 which was the front seat in upper deck. I brought an ice-cream ($3) to eat before the bus started.

The bus left at 3:00p.m. and it drove along wide plain at 700~900m. It was sub-tropical climate and rather hot outside. I could see a lot of farmland but the scenery was boring. The air temperature was cooler when the sun set at 6:30p.m. The bus stopped at Tucuman (6:00p.m. )and La Rioja(1:20a.m.).


Date 77 14 Jan 2009 Salta~ Mendoza

The bus stopped at San Juan (6:50a.m.) and arrived at Mendoza(9:00a.m.). The total driving time was 18 hours. There were a lot of road junctions in small road and I was amazed that the driver could recognize the road at night. Normally I could buy some snack and drink at tea stop. Moreover, hot meal was provided in the bus. Therefore, it was easy to pass the time. The temperature was cool and comfortable at night. I wore a fleece to sleep and I slept very well (9:00p.m ~ 7:00a.m.) in cama-class.

I asked the information about the location of the Itaka Hoste and made a call to book a bed. I took a taxi ($8.3) to the hostel and it was the first time in S.A. I was surprised that the hostel paid the taxi fare. The dormitory cost $50 a night including breakfast. The room was too small to be jammed in 6 beds.

I went to downtown after shower but most shops were closed from 1:00 ~ 5:00p.m. I went to Hotel Huentala to leave a message to Au and hoped to dinner with him tonight. I was back to hostel for rest at 3:20p.m.

I went to downtown again at 6:00p.m. and arrived at Hotel Huentala at 8:30p.m. Au had just finished his check-in. We ordered a pizza as dinner in the plaza. There was full even in 10:00p.m.