THe overnight bus from Salta was a small improvement from the one we took to get there due to blankets and a pillow and seats which seemed a bit more comfortable. However, H had been snoring for some time and I had disappeared into my eyemask with the Archers by 11.15pm when they came round trying to serve dinner - I declined on behalf of both of us! And luckily we had set an alarm as we were getting off at La Rioja, before the final destination and nobody bothered to wake us! So, a little bleary we stumbled into the [View Full Entry]

---

---

A few pics from La Rioja [View Full Entry]

---

---

Here we are back in Argentina haveing experienced the magnificant San Francisco Pass as it just unfolded in a spectacular dusting of colour and texture, terminating in the pit of Fiambala.... We have two entries for the blog, one from Mike and one from Keith, thanks guys. We left Fiambala, as did everyone else, but with Gerardo, Lance, Zane and me riding North to Santa Maria to retreive Alec's moto. We slept overnight in Santa Maria, as it is just under 1,000km return for us to get back to La Rioja to catch up with everyone else that rode direct from [View Full Entry]

---

---

From San Jose de Jachal we headed north-east initially over a rough mountain road as far as Huaco and then onto paved R40 complete with fords (mainly dry) which took us up to Villa Union which is where we got to back in mid December. The only change is that the scrubby desert is a bit greener after the summer rains but it is still empty and hot! Felt some sort of mixed emotion about realising that we had gone all the way round Argentina - means that going home must be happening sometime too soon! Worked out later that we [View Full Entry]

---

---

We left Villa Union to head south and east to La Rioja city. Having had a full day of natural wonders the day before at Laguna Brava we passed by the Talampaya National Park - thinking that we might well be back in this part of the world, or nearby (Argentinian nearby is within a couple of hundred kilometres) in March. We arrived in La Rioja to find that it is not very touristy but the people are friendly are there a few things to see. The plaza is very pleasant with lots of trees for shade and some cafes for [View Full Entry]

---

---

After a really good drive from Chilecito over the Cuesta Miranda, unmade Ruta 40 with hundreds of bends and some big drops, but fabulous views we arrived in the small town of Villa Union. Our reason for coming this far off the beaten track was to get to Laguna Brava park, about another 200km north west. It´s not in Lonely Planet for some reason. We managed to find a man who knew a man who has a 4WD and also does this trip regularly. So we met up with Gardi, his advice to us was to have a decent dinner, some [View Full Entry]

---

---

La Rioja hat ein ganz neues Busterminal, das ist aber auch schon alles was an andere Reisende erinnert. Diese Stadt ist touristisch wirklich kaum erschlossen. Zusammen mit zwei sehr netten Damen haben wir eine Reisegruppe gebildet und sind in die Stadt gefahren. Dort eine Unterkunft zu bekommen war gar nicht so einfach. Es war Siesta und da ist einfach rein gar nichts los hier. Kein Laden hat auf, geschweige denn eine Touristeninformation. Ich bin also mit meinem schweren Rucksack von einer teuren Pension zur anderen gewandert. Ich hatte gelesen, dass man sich auch bei Familien unterbri [View Full Entry]

---

---

Kind of understadable why Argentina doesn't advertise much in UK.. Football and that other F word in the 1980's.. but really it is an amazing country and I totally reccomend it! Out of all the places I have visited on this trip.. if you are looking for just a 2 week holiday come to BA and the surrounding areas!! Also not may tourists here really, so you feel very special and priviledged. People are the friendliest I have ever met.. they cope very well with my poor Spanish! Also is very safe!!! No different really to UK the places I [View Full Entry]

---

---

Uitgerust na een fantastische nachtrit komen we toe in La Rioja waar we worden opgewacht door Gonzalo, onze gids voor de komende dagen. Met onze daypacks vertrekken we dan in de flashy rode 4x4, naar het westen, richting Cordillera van de Andes! Dit gebied is niet voor de comfortseekers... je mag je neus niet ophalen voor stof in je haar en grind in je ogen! Gelegen op 1300 m hoogte, is deze regio de uitdrukking van de natuur in zijn meest ruwe, ongetemde staat... Het is één van de meest regenarme gebieden van het land, met slechts 100mm regen per [View Full Entry]

---

---

WEEK 13 - LA RIOJA & TUCUMAN After visiting Chilecito it was only after viewing my photographs on the computer that I realised that the llama which had spit at me while I was taking its photgraph - had aimed perfectly at my camera lense and almost a week's photographs are rather spotty! So apologies for the rather poor quality of some of the pictures! La Rioja bus station was very run down but the locals were friendly and helpful and their cafe con leche and papas fritas were irresistible! A plate of chips is an ideal way to start a [View Full Entry]

---

---