Take it with a pinch of Salta

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Leaving Asuncion in Paraguay we are headed for Salta in northern Argentina. A midmorning bus from Asuncion and another lengthy border crossing (made worse by immigration officials trying to get me off the bus and alone to coerce me into paying them a tip for stamping our passports, us being the only gringos on the bus and Paraguay being bribe hungry), followed by another luggage search five miles into Argentina, gets us to Resistencia, where Claire runs to get us onto the bus to Salta that should have left 5 minutes before. This she does and we get straight onto the overnight bus, pleased with ourselves at having made the connection and not having to stay in Resistencia, but realizing another night bus lies ahead without a gap to wash our faces or eat dinner.

In the night it starts raining. We know this because the water starts pouring in through bad seals in the windows and roof vents, until we are eventually swimming in an inch of water on the bus. We can see great lightening out of the windows and try to get some sleep - its like sleeping outdoors in drizzle. Damp but intact we arrive in Salta and check in at the Hotel Antiguo Convento, a snip at $100aps a night and a great place, very friendly and great rooms, but beware they don’t take credit cards despite asking for your cards details to confirm the booking...

Recommendations on tours and operators led us to MoviTruck, which provide an all day tour on their large open air truck. Unfortunately now the Tren de las Nubes (train to the clouds) is shut this is supposedly until April but don’t hold your breath as there are political shenanigans going on. Unsuprisingly the alernative land tour is therefore very popular and unfortunately we couldn’t get onto the tour we wanted so we booked another similar one which was available and went to bed in anticipation of the 6am start the next day.

Morning comes and we drag ourselves out of bed and to the office where the Movitruk staff wait for all of us to arrive before announcing that a landslide had blocked the road and we could either have our money back or try again tomorrow if the road was clear.

By this stage the big Movitruck vehicle we were supposed to go in was parked outside waiting for us, but there was no talk of alternative options or anything. To cut a long story short (during which time we got increasing ‘displeased’ with movitruck as a company) we ended up teaming up with Margit from Austria, who had the number of a local guide who would take us out for the day instead. The guide was a guy called Gary Pekarek (see www.alternativasalta.com) was great, friendly, speaks German, English and Spanish as a result of having an Austrian Dad and an Argentinian Mum who went to an English school and knew loads about the area as he grew up there.

This ended up being a great day out for the four of us, we reversed the route Movitruk takes to give the blockage time to be cleared and got to see loads of things…

We head up the Quebrada de Humahuaca to Purmamarca and see the Cerro de 7 colores, a mountain with stripes of seven colours as a result of different minerals in the rocks. Here we stop for a drink and empanada and make a quick phone call and discover the road has been reopened so we could have done the original tour after all, but it all happens for a reason and we have no regrets) so we can do the full circuit rather than have to back track to Salta. Margit is especially pleased as she has flown to Salta especially for this trip and only has one day to do it in.

We take the scenic route to the Salinas Grandes (salt flats) a large sea of white salt which is mined for industrial use and carved into figures for the tourists by guys completely covered in balaclavas and sunglasses. Whilst effective in protecting them from the very strong sun and resulting glare it makes them look like a bunch of bandits. We buy a couple of things - they are very cheap (ooops dont say that Simon they are presents for the folks back home! C).

We drive for endless miles along Ruta 40 across the altiplano to San Antonio de los Cobres nothing to do with snakes for lunch, and then down the Quebrada del Toro alongside the train tracks. Along the valley we pass the point where ‘yesterday's’ landslide occurred, clearly one of many in this area. The road and train tracks have been taken out.

Halfway along the valley we get to one of the main railway bridges along the route and stop for a photo. Just then we notice a train coming down the valley, amazing as the track has been shut by the authorities since November last year when it broke down (a regular occurrence apparently) and 400 tourists were left to freeze with food or blankets for several hours while they got help. But yes this is a train, we look at each other, not believing our luck and take positions by the track to take great pictures of the train going over the bridge back towards Salta. The train comes around the last corner and I lift my camera, only to notice a blinking red light in the corner of the screen. Yes you guessed it reader, the battery ran out at the crucial moment. Still you cant be angry, I wasn’t expecting it anyway. So I just watch the train going over the bridge, it is carrying the diggers they have used to clear the road, and we get back in the car for the final leg to Salta.

We get there exhausted and have a couple of beers and empanadas with Gary the guide before retreating to bed, happy campers.

The other day we had booked with Movitruck was their visit to Cafayate. This is one of the main sights to be seen, but I cant tell you anything about it because we didn’t make it. Despite making another 6am start, Claire felt ill and we had to get off the bus and try to get back. So we asked the Movitruck rep how to get back. Her first response was, if you get off you’ll have to sign a disclaimer so that if anything happens to you it isn’t our fault - charming! This company was real getting up our noses. Then they made a few miserable efforts to try and organize a horrendously expensive taxi back to Salta “which you will have to pay for, and sign this too” and wait for an hour before it can get here to pick you up. We gave up on them and managed to hitchhike back with a really nice chap by the name of Fabritzio who cleans wine making equipment in his little van. Juanes (Columbian pop star) came on the radio and Claire sang the the 3 lines she knows in Spanish resulting in a little parting gift of the Juanes CD from Fabritzio, something she has wanted for ages - it all happens for a reason.

So we got back to Salta and I comforted Claire while we sat in bed and watched movies all afternoon!

After that we gave up on tour companies and went on our own to Cachi. Another early start (I’m not too popular by now!) and a four hour bus ride each way the downside but a spectacular view traveling Cuesta del Obispo and through eh PN los Cardones (make sure you sit on the left going up) got us to Cachi with a few hours to visit the local cemetery for the views, play with the local dogs, and sample the local food and drink before getting the bus back. Well worth it and a lot cheaper than doing exactly the same thing with a tour company.

And that was it, next day off to Tilcara for a bit of country living.

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