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I was sad to leave Bolivia as I really enjoyed my time there and loved the place because it was so different to anywhere I had ever been - more the third world country I had been expecting. Stepping over the border into Argentina made me realise just how we had been living for the last six weeks and how much more civilised Argentina is!!!! Seriously it was mad that just 500m over the border there was such a change, such a difference in everything from the cement on the pavements to the way people acted towards one another and especially the way the bus didnt smell of that earthy weird fragrance anymore!!
Just over the border in La Quica was freezing, I dont think I have been that cold...ever!! But it felt so clean and nice! The bus jorney down to Salta was sooo nice - leg room and no smells - bliss!! We arrived in Salta to sunshine and warmth and a really pretty cosmopolitan city with coffee shops everywhere. They even had a pet shop that sold dogs rather than them just roaming around the city as we were used to in Bolivia!! It was so
nice just to chill out for a couple of days in a nice clean and laid back place...could have done with more days chilling but not long left in South America so south we headed on the bus again!!
This time we headed away from the city and into the vineyard country to Cafayate, which was one of the best bus rides I have ever been on in terms of scenery - it was amazing!! I was overwhelmed by the colours of the canyons, mountains and mud fields, it reminded me a little of Gobin Valley in S Utah. there were so many cool rock formations en route, around every corner for 30 miles!
CAFAYATE
As soon as teh bus stopped we were bombarded with people trying to get us to stay at their hostels...we chose the one we liked and headed there...luckily we were stopped by someone on teh way who informed us that our chosen hostel was a rent by the hour type of place!!! So we quickly changed direction and ended up in El Balcon - cramped but nice and busy and sociable and definitely not rent by the hour!!
We hire dosme bikes
and headed to what sounded to be an easy route to the waterfalls but since most things are described as easy on this continent and they never are, it wasnt as easy as we thought!! I really enjoye dthe bike ride but it was along a really dusty road and subsequently Sal´s asthma was pretty bad!
We got to the start of the hike to the waterfalls and werent sure which way after about 20m, so luckily an Argentian guy (Franco) came to the rescue (ir took a shine to two blonde girls) and took us on a free tour of the canyon!! It was an amazing hike (or rock climb...as we did in places!?!?!) with lots of cacti (one was even growing out of a tree), pampa (furry grass stuff!?) grass, parrots, trout and even a cool bright green frog!! we got the top pretty knackered hoping to take a dip in the waterfall but could only manage to wade in to about the height of my shin before I started losing feeling in my feet!!
It was a great day and I even managed to speak to Franco for the whole walk in spanglish!! We arranged
to meet up with him for a beer to thank him for his help (Saturday night out on the town!!)...a few hours later we were rocking up to the bar, slightly tipsey after a couple of bottles of wine, the bar was dead apart from a few locals and teh transvestite caaled Paul behind the bar!! Franco turned up and we proceeded to kick his arse at pool, it was great, I was pulling off some amazing shots (obviously the vino and Rum influence) and then all of a sudden the flukiness stopped...we managed to win the last game, only just and then decided we just wanted to chill at the bar!! Me n Sal rolled home at about 2 whilst the guys went to the diskotek, 2am is quite the lightweight time in Argentina!!
Next day was quite a write off but did manage to make it to watch the sun set with couple of guys from hostel and somehow got lost again trying to avoid a dog and came within a metre of a pretty big looking scary snake!! Lucky for us he just slithered away!!!
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