Montag, 14. November 2016
Iguazu Falls- Argentinian side
Dienstag, 8. November 2016
Salta, Cafayate, Humahuaca,
Once I arrived in salta I went with my host nico for traditional Empanadas.
Then I discovered the city by foot and climbed 1221 stairs uphill to a viewpoint.
I met also another guy from couchsurfing and together with him and his friend we did a day trip to Cafayate. It was a great drive through an amazing landscape. There we've been to a vineyard and tried 4 different wines. Yummy!!
Then i booked a day trip to cachi and humahuaca. But the agency forgot to pick me up :-( I was so pissed. Well nothing helps- they returned money and gave ma a free city tour. Next day I tried my luck again and went to humahuaca. Was very beautiful!!
I spent the last eve at Nicos house with friends, eating/chatting/playing guitar and singing songs! :-)
My final day I spent with my host nico at his parents house. I enjoyed the sunny morning with my book at the Swimmingpool!
Samstag, 5. November 2016
El Calafate
From Ushuaia it took a 12.5h trip by bus to Rio Gallegos. For this we had to cross the border and exit Argentina, enter into Chile, then take the ferry over a lake and return back to Argentina. In Rio Gallegos we had to wait for the next bus. Normally 3h, it turned into 4,5h, because the buses (double decks) were not allowed to drive because of the strong wind or storm. We reached El Calafate at 1:30am. I didn't make a reservation in a hostel, since it is off-season. That was a mistake. After 1 hour taxi ride (which I had initially shared with 2 girls) and all hostels were occupied, I finally found one. The receptionist was super friendly, gave me a Dorm with 4 beds for me alone. However, it was really dirty in the shared bathroom, and so loud that it was not possible to sleep. So I quickly reserved another hostel for the next 2 nights.
The city is super nice / quiet / cozy. Finally I have also found sunglasses (I lost mine during transfer in BA in the plane).
This day I used as an organization-day and kinda "overused" my credit card! ;-)
I have to follow my guiding principle: "plans are there to be changed" and will not be able to visit Bariloche and Mendoza due to lack of time, instead i will traveling directly to Salta. With "only" paying 100US$ more, I take a flight (5h via Córdoba to Salta), instead of taking a 60h bus ride!
In El Calafate I visited Laguna Nimez (where I was almost attacked by some aggressive bird) and made a glacier tour on the Glaciar Perito Moreno in Los Glaciares National Park. This was an unforgettable and very impressive spectacle.
Now it's time to go to Salta Airport!
Adiós beautiful 0-8 • C cold south of Argentina, Beautiful Patagonia, welcome 30 • C warm north :-)
-------------------------------------
Mittwoch, 2. November 2016
Ushuaia
Once arrived in Ushuaia, it feels really different. It was fantastic flying in by plane. surrounded by a beautiful landscape and definitely at the end of the world. ☺️
The plane with which I arrived was probably the last one to land on the day. (= 7:30 PM).
My host was working, so I was picked up by a friend of her.
I was very motivated to wait the 20 minutes outside in the sun (about 7 • C), after exactly 35.5 hours.
Around me began a lively activity ... they started to clean up and gradually the cars rolled on to pick up the workers.
After I was asked twice by the taxi driver, if I need one and I negated, the last taxi drove away. In the meantime it passes 8pm. The wind was cold and i started to get cold. But in Ushuaia for the people it felt almost like summer. You could see men in t-shirt & long trousers or even short pants ??? !!!!
then I've been picked up by Santiago.
He speaks only Spanish and I was tired after the long trip. I have to get used to the language again and especially to the dialect. (since I did not speak Spanish> 1 year). So the conversation started a bit bumpy ... I drank my first Mate tea in Argentina! * Muy rico *
1 hour later my host Ileana came to join us and the conversation kept on going in "spenglisch".
very soon we've been to her home, since we were tired and I urgently needed a shower.
The path to Ileana leads via unprepared very steep and bumpy streets. Quite interesting through neighborhood (~3km outside the city).
You are greeted by numerous stray dogs, inside of Ile's little dog named Simon.
The next day Ile explored with me and another German couchsurfer named Chris the national park "Tierra del Fuego".
The park was really nice ... the weather changing. Sunshine with rain. The wind is cold.
In the afternoon I explored the little town and bought my bus ticket to Rio Gallegos (12h bus ride).
I really underestimated the size of the country. I need more time ;-)
In the evening we went to a pub called "Dublin". There I tasted Fernet Branca (Italian herbal liqueur with cola).
At the next day I've been with Chris on a hike to the Glacier Martial. On the summit was still snow and the view of the Beagle Channel and Ushuaia were beautiful! On the way back, it got somewhat adventurous with a river crossing and abbreviation through the forest, where we scraped into some scrapyard with wild boars and free-barking dogs.
On my last day in Ushuaia I went alone to Laguna Esmeralda. At first I had to hitchhike 20km from Ushuaia (in Argentina absolutely safe, at least in this region they say) and then i walked 10km through mud and snow-rain through a beautiful landscape to the lagoon.