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Published: October 8th 2008
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And so commences the proper ´travelling´! We strap on our backpacks and board the bus for the 20 hour journey to Salta. The journey begins well - a very nice attendant serves us little snacks and puts on a very loud action film to keep us entertained. The drinks served with dinner help us sleep and we curl up under our blankets and manage to get some sleep. By the time we stop at services at 2 in the morning the novelty has worn off slightly but surprisingly the journey passes quickly and we arrive in Salta on a beautifully sunny morning.
We stay at a youth hostel and get lots of information to help us plan our ´road-trip´. We spend the afternoon wandering around the town and sitting in the sun in the main square. Very quickly decide that the best way to travel is to rent a car and at 7 the next morning we are up and ready to go.
Road Trip
Day 1 - Salta to Cachi
The day starts well - we navigate our way out of the town and enter the Valles Calchaquies. The first stage is along the RP-33. There are beautiful views of looming mountains covered in greenery, with little streams tumbling down. We stop at a small cafe for a ´rudimentary´snack and then begin the real climb up the part of the road known as the Cuesta del Obispo. It is 20km of hairpin bends with the most amazing mountain views. The road is a mixture of tarmac and gravel, interspersed with narrow bridges. The road signs are also very entertaining! No wheelies is the one that upsets Tom the most, whereas the signs that forbid the use of guns frighten me! We stop at least every 5 minutes to take photos and cannot believe how amazing the scenery is. The guide book suggest a small diversion in to Valle Encanatdo. It is so peaceful and we enjoy lying in the sun. I panic and run for the car when I hear wild dogs howling and then see them looking down at us from a cliff!
When we return to the road, even though it is hard to believe, the scenery becomes even more spectacular. We descend in to the Parque Nacional Los Cardones, a reserve set up to protect the arid mountains and cacti that grow here. It feels like we are in the wild west! The road stretches for miles in front of us and we stop to do some daft poses in front of a big cactus! At the end of the day we hit Ruta 40 - it is very bumpy, slightly concerning as the next day we have got 180km to drive on this road!
We spend the night in Cachi - a peaceful little town nestled in the mountains.
Day 2 - Cachi to Cafayate
We make an early start and head up to the cemetery above Cachi for more views of Navado del Cachi. We are struggling to imagine how the scenery today can possibly compare with yesterday, but as soon as we set off we realise that we are not going to be disappointed. The road is unbelievable. In most places it is little more than a single gravel track. We bump along and there are some heart-thumping moments when a huge trucks thunder towards us. The trucks use their advantage of size and strength and do not slow down at all - it is up to us to get out of the way and then wait for the dust to clear. We drive through mountains and a gorge called El Canon. We stop to eat our sandwiches. Pleasant at the time but regrettable the day after!
As we head in to Cafayate, our stop for that night, the landscape changes again. We are still surrounded by mountains but the valley is filled with vineyards. We stay in a lovely little hotel and sample the local wine.
Day 3 - In bed, very sick.
We have given ourselves food poisoning. I don´t think details are necessary, suffice to say we have learnt a lesson. It is not a good idea to eat ham sandwiches that have been left in the boot of your car all day. Especially when you have been driving through the desert and they have got ridiculously hot.
Day 4 - Cafayate to Salta
We get to the car that morning to find we have a parking ticket. As we don´t understand what it says we decide it means we can ignore it! (I think we parked in a bus stop) Back on tarmac - We drive through the Quebrada de Cafayate, at first the road is lined by sand dunes and the it passes through amazing rock formations. (Ted - I´m sure you would be able to give a much more detailed commentary on the exact rock types, erosion processes etc!) But I can tell you what they look like - There is one shaped like a toad, a monk, a castle. We stop at a ravine in the mountainside, El Anfiteatro. We look around us and realise that the Argentines love to do stupid poses. ´The aeroplane´is my favourite! Back to Salta tired but happy!
2 more days in Salta to organise ourselves and make plans. We go in a cable car, Tom has a haircut and we get our clothes washed. Some of my washing comes back considerably smaller.
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