Welcome to Buenos Aires!

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Well, it seems so soon to update yet again, but I feel like I have a lot to write so here goes!

We just completed our 20 hour long flight to BA. Flew from Sydney to Auckland, stopped over for an hour, flew to Chile, stopped over for 2 hours, then flew to BA. Let me just make a few comments on air travel and airports in general.

For starters - my pet peeve - why is it that they take off all our sharp implements like nail clippers, and then give us METAL forks on the plane? I mean, if I had plans to take the plane hostage with my smuggled in plastic nail clippers (to avoid the metal detectors you see) - I would surely abandon this plan and use the metal forks instead 😊

BA looked beautiful from the air. Very green. Flat. But a big city. While flying over SA we got to see the Andes which are absolutely georgeous. Something over flying over ice-covered mountains just does it for me.

So anyway - after all that flying - we land in BA. On the same day!! Crossing the international date line is always confusing, we've gained a day, and I haven't quite worked out how we'll lose that day as we won't cross it again!!

We're now at the point where little things start to go wrong. I should preface all this by telling you that I speak no Spanish, while Catherine has got some ability having done 3 years of it at uni.

Our first mistake was picking our mode of transport into the city. According to our lonely planet, the options were taxi, private shuttle, or public bus, for the sums of $45, $20 or $1.35 respectively. And apparently the first two took an hour while the last took one and a half. And the bus was 'a great way to see outer BA and mingle with common people doing everyday life'

So being the hardened backpackers on a shoestring (we're still operating under that delusion I'm afraid) we decided to take the bus. Got to the terminus, met some other travellers from California who also knew spanish, and told us that we needed coins for the bus. Never fear, says Dave, who then heads off back to the airport with some pesos in hand. So I go to a small newsagent, and try to ask for change. Try being the operative word. When I realise he speaks no english, I start to try to explain what I want, with coins in one hand, and notes in the other, all the while aware of the queue (and glowing resentment) building up behind me. Thankfully after a minute of this, one of the other guys in the queue stepped up and translated, at which point the guy said no. How rude. But hey, I had a backup plan. I had TWO 2-peso notes you see. And we needed $1.35 in coins for each of us. So I had spotted these little chocs that cost $0.50. So I tried to buy them in two lots, thus getting change from both transactions. Nothing doing. He gave me change for the first, then when I tried to buy a second choc with the other 2-peso note, he got really upset and started yelling at me in Spanish. I wish I could at least have understood. Left the place in a quick hurry, rather glad that us dark-skinned folk don't blush easily 😊

Anyway, sent Catherine back, she bought a chocolate with the 2-peso note, and we got our change. So we showed that guy. Hah.

So the bus finally arrives, we get on and head off.
Let me just say that if I ever want to see common people doing everyday life, I will catch public transport in Sydney. Common people doing everyday life look the same everywhere. The bus took FOREVER to get there. And he'd never heard of brakes. Or safety. Or indicating. It was very much a 'do what you want before others do it to you' style of a trip. At one stage, we saw some construction work being done. You know how in Australia we lay out little orange cones (witches hats) and everyone avoids them?? Well in BA they have STYLE. The witches hats had been run over so many times, several of them were flattened!!

So after two hours of watching everyday people do everyday life (I'm still bitter about that phrase - will have to write to Lonely planet) we finally arrived!Thankfully they had our booking, the room was great, and there was hot water. Not exactly the Park Hyatt, but pretty amazing for a whole 20 bucks!! I suspect that we will have to spoil ourselves every now and then and stay in a nice hotel though.

Incidentally, for those of you who asked, my plan to defeat jet lag has seemed to work brilliantly - my control sample (Catherine) is still in bed as I write this.

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Comments

[anonymous]

Dave can talk...
Dave...it's only been one day, and you've written an essay about it! Will this continue for 4 months!! na just kidding, have heaps of fun guys and I think I'm on your notifier twice because I got two emails for your latest report.... - Andy F

[anonymous]

I am SO glad I got on the list. This is going to be Hilarious!! Keep safe!! I can't wait to see the letter to the Lonley Planet! - Carol Simister