Joe y Jenn sin Sixto en Argentina

 

 

Within a couple hours of securing Sixto at the hotel we had crossed into Argentina on the first of a long line of buses for the past month. It took a bit of adjusting, travelling in the rain was more enjoyable but working around timetables, waiting at bus shelters and missing the wind and open views and not being able to stop at curious small towns for lunch wasn't so much fun. We headed into Salta, staying at a hostel in the countryside where I was hopeful of getting an MRI scan at one of the hospitals. It all happened quickly and I had the expected results and consultation within a week - keep the sling on for a further couple of weeks and don't ride for an additional week. The consulting doctor didn't seem too concerned and was more interesting in telling cross country bike tales from his glory years. 

 

Not for the first time, it was a real breath of fresh air making the border crossing. As Bolivia proved to be a testing place getting the better of me at times, arriving in developed Argentina felt overdue and very much welcomed. Within a few hours the contrast felt more obvious than the crossing from the U.S. into Mexico. 

 

 

                               

 

The four most celebrated Argentinians - a tango singer, a revolutionist, an active first lady and perhaps the greatest footballer the world has ever seen. 

 

We happened to arrive at a convenient time, the current economic situation meant arriving with U.S. dollars in hand put us in a very favourable position where we could exchange currencies on the black market for up to 60% higher than the official rate. Argentina is going through a tough time, inflation has increased by around 25% in the past year, something not seen since it's previous crisis of 2002. Since that time, Argentinians have kept savings in the more reliable and less volatile U.S. dollar. As restrictions have been put on obtaining foreign currency, the demand for such has had a dramatic increase recently which has driven the illegally sourced value upwards, suiting foreigners entering the country with dollars. It's made Argentina probably the cheapest country on the continent for me.

 

There's no real panic with the way things are heading, volatility and unpredictablity is just part of life here. Within its borders lies that casual Southern European way of living and thinking, understandable when you realise the vast majority of Argentinians have either Spanish or Italian descent.

 

With it comes an eventful few centuries. Buenos Aires declared independence from Spain in 1816 through it's revered General, Jose de San Martin. From the late 19th century Argentina became one of the world's wealthiest states by introducing modern agricultural techniques and immense infrastructure investment flowing in from Europe along with mass immigration to fuel development. As the growing urban working class created a strong labour movement the political landscape evolved during the world war era and made room for a military coup led by army colonel Juan Peron. Peron gained a strong following by empowering the working class and was actively supported by his then wife, Eva Peron, a symbol of Argentina's fight for equal rights until he was sent into exile in 1955 . He returned to power a couple of decades later during a volatile period until his death in 1974. His then third wife Maria Estela succeeded him but was ousted by a military coup who exercised power through a junta for the following seven years, a period known as the Dirty War. Basic order was restored during this era but tens of thousands with opposing views disappeared, corruption was rife, the economy further weakened and the Falkland Islands were bitterly lost to Thatcher's UK which finally brought the military regime to an end. Democracy was reinstated and continues to this day yet economic problems, hyperinflation, social unrest and corruption seem to be the ongoing issues surrounding Argentinian governance.  

 

From Salta, Jenn headed to Cordoba while I waited for my scan results and we met up in Buenos Aires, that most European of non-European cities a few days later. We share our time between an apartment in modern Palermo and a hostel nearby the charming streets of San Telmo. Our attempts at vegetarianism in Bolivia quickly faded away as we chewed on a lot of Argentinian beef. Here the rib eye can be cut with a spoon. The butcher becomes our friend as does the small grills tucked away in narrow streets where a steak sandwich and glass of wine costs around $4. So why is the beef so good here? Argentina has a vast area of open flat plains, the Pampas. It's a humid area with a perfect amount of rainfall where free roaming cows feed on grass not grain in confined feedlots or with antibiotics or growth hormones. Quality beed is just part of the food culture here.

 

     

 

Our hostel buddies on a fun night out seeing some live African inspired music.

 

Getting involved at a tango show, the sling didn't stop my partner from moving me around

 

 

 

In Mendoza for a few days, the country's wine capital we take a winery tour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last stop in Argentina together was staying on a fruit farm for a week. I met a motorcycling couple from the States, Chris and Erin a few months back on the road in Ecuador and we got chatting about where I was heading. They mentioned some English biker friends they had in San Rafael who had set up their own farm that I should get in contact with when passing through the west of Argentina. They offer bikers coming through to stay with them in exchange for working on the farm. Jenn was up for the idea so we got in contact with John and Annette and eventually made it to their farm. It was a worthwhile experience, a long week as the rain didn't stop for the final four days, preventing us from doing much active work. The 15 hectares they kept was an idyllic little spot near the Andes. The working farm includes acres of plum trees which were nearly ready for harvest, many rows of grapes, walnuts trees and other fruit trees. We helped out a little - cooked dinner, baked bread in the clay oven, picked pears, cracked walnuts and pine nuts, made jam preserves, sanded and varnished tables and fed the chickens, ducks and geese daily. We sat back drinking wine from Jose's small bodega up the street and listened to John's interesting discussions on day to day operations of the farm, the set-up, being resourceful with water, the volatile economics of making a living from it and the natural risks like frost which had damaged much of his plum trees this year. There was also much bike talk to take on especially when a biker couple arrived in the final days, Mark and Sanne who had some interesting tips for me as they were coming from the south.

We were happy to move on after a week and head into Chile where Jenn was leaving from Santiago on a long return back home to Melbourne. We said our farewells after a fun and eventful couple of months together which got better as time went on. Now without Jenn or Sixto I felt a bit lost and lonely. It wasn't for long however as waiting at the metro station that afternoon after seeing Jenn off at the airport I bumped into nobody other that Chris, the ex-colleague of mine who I ran into oblivious of his travel plans back in Mexico. The first time was a coincidence but fate had us this time so we met that night for a beer to catch up and will likely cross paths in Chile in the coming months. I stayed on in Santiago for a further couple of days to get some parts at the Triumph dealership and to head to the port town of Valparaiso to have a quick look around and speak to a shipping agent there. My shoulder feeling stronger every day, from here I make the long way back to southern Bolivia in the hope that Sixto is waiting patiently for me and ready to continue the good times. I'm itching to get on the road again.