Day 7

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Tip for the day: two santis are better than one

I´m finally in salta.
I got back to BA yesterday after a half hour delay and said goodbye to my fellow travellers. My flight to salta wasn´t until 5:10 pm (about a five hours wait), so I decided to check in my luggage and head into buenos aires to scout out the shops for my final splurge of shopping before I head home (priorities). I caught a bus for less than one peso, which was extremely painful given Ben, Ari and myself had paid a taxi 75 pesos to get us to the airport. A lesson learned.
Yesterday was wonderful, in the sense that my faith in human nature was completey reinforced. People seemed to help me at every turn - and go out of their way to do so. From catching the bus into BA, catching hte bus back, and also getting to salta.
Of course my plan was delayed for two hours (just as wel I didn{t hang around the airport all day), but a kind woman instructed a gentleman (whom she didn{t know) who was heading to salta to look after me! He was extremely kind as well. He is actually Spánish, but has lived in Chile for 15 years (he{s a geologist - antonio). Anyway, he saw me to my hostel before heading off to his hotel.
Unfortunately, the hoste was full, so I started wandering the streets with backpack in tow. As it turned out, I met two other backpackers (easily identified by their huge packs). The two guys are from Uruguay, and are both named Santiago (Santi). They told me to come with them, and here we are at the hostel, which is the cheapest in town, but has no water. The poor guys were really disappointed, as they were in desperate need of a shower after their bus trip from Buenos Aires. They told me that hte bus broke down three times, and hte last time they had to swap buses, and ended up in an old bomb which had a leaking toilet. The sewage even made its way up the aisles. Poor chicos!! All the passengers camped outside hte bus company demanding a refund, and apparently police came along expecting a riot. They find out today whether they get their money back. Don{t be misled, though, Argentina has luxury buses also - leather seats and all. These guys probabyl went budget. They{re both students - one in economics, and one in vet science.
they are also heading up to Bolivia, so maybe the first part of our journey will be shared.
Well, ciao for now - it´s pouring with rain, so I guess I might get that shower after all!

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