Junin to Buenos Aires (the end of the road)

November 18th Junin to Buenos Aires

Those of you who have followed my journey from beginnng to end will know, that today marks the end of my journey and the end of this blog. You may not be aware, but the odd words of encouragement and knowing that there are so many people following me, has made a huge difference. I set off with no intention of doing a blog, for all of the downsides to making such a commitment; but in retrospect the positives have outweighed the negatives. So thank you to the vocal and non vocal readers. 

It was an emotional experience doing the last 160 miles, I had my hands shaken by two petrol pumps attendants; honked at and thumbs up by so many people today, that I thought word must be out of my arrival. I have discovered though a universal truth, some of you may know this, but I'm slow to catch on. The closer you get to a large city, and especially a capital one, the more agressive and inconsiderate the drivers are. The huge amounts of support was surpasssed by people cutting me up, edging me out and at times playing Russian roulette with my life.

The ride to the outskirts of Buenos Aires went without incident, apart from the petrol attendant who wouldn't fill my tank, while I was sat on the machine - he said he wasn't allowed to. I drove off and found another garage. Of course I told him he was an 'Idiota' first. All went well until with 3 miles to go the traffic stoped and moved at a snails pace. By this time the temperature had risen to 33 degrees. I followed Tinks and Google until I couldn't any longer. The reason for such gridlock was a demostaration against the government for improved social security payments for the poorest 15% of the population. Ironically their route was along the widest street in the City, which just so happened to be where my hotel was located. I could have been blocked from getting to the hotel all day if I had followed my electronic guides - but I used good old fashioned methods -  and came at my intersection from another angle. I just had to wait for a break in the procession and quickly cut across the road to my hotel. The last 3 miles of my journey took 2 hours, lots of steam, physical and metaphorical.

It is strange that there has been a synergy to my trip. I was motivated to undertake my journey after watching a film about Che Guevara, perhaps the 20th Centuries most revolutionary character, (The motorcycle diaries) and I ended my trip with thousands of ordinary people bringing Buenos Aires to a halt, because of their political protest. Che being Argentian would have loved it, as I did. Though you wouldn't have thought so if you'd have heard my expletives. What was very uniquie about this demo, and I've been on lots, was that it was typically Argentinian, lots of music, samba and carnival atmosphere - much better than Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, out , out ,out!

The modern day 'Che's' and no violence in sight

This guy must have been tired of banging his drum, so it became a sun shade!

So thats me done 13000 miles, lots of ups and downs. Three months in the taking. What have I learned - 

The world is only scary viewed from you arm chair

You are more able than you can imagine

Britain isn't such a bad place

Next time I'll take company

Be less cautious

Learn the basics of a language before I go

Believe in myself more

Spend less money

Take less kit

and finally don't commit to a daily blog!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing my journey and here's to the next time!!!!

San Luis to Junin

November 17th San Luis to Junin

The roads are straight for mile after mile

When the land is as flat as this you begin to be aware of the enormous blue sky. Though it looks lovely and warm, the incessant wind keeps the temperature down. Most of today was spent at 23 degrees. It was a long day, 330 miles and though the landscape was very flat, it was not uninteresting. There were many lagoons hugging the road and consequently the birdlife was amazing; buzzards, numerous types of waders, ducks, moor hens,coots, pink flamingoes, herons and storks. The stork really is an unattractive bird, its dinosaur ancestry evident when up close.

 Storks in abundance, but I only caught the one!

There were also lots of catlle with small wind turbines, providing water for their needs.  Horses were also common in the extremely large fields.

I had a couple of stops today, once to fill up the bike and the other to refresh myself at a motorway cafe. I was quite pleased with myself, as at one of my stops I had a conversation with an inquisitive local and was able to answer his questions in Spanish - and be understood. I emptied the jerry can at my second fuel stop, as I need it to be empty before shipping. Tomorrow's ride into Buenos Aires is only 150 miles, so one full tank should be more than sufficient for this side of the Atlantic. 

I passed a number of signs along the road today, which upon each siteing brought me right back down to earth and Argentina. These signs are all over the place and I must get a photo of one before I leave. They read 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' (The Falklands are Argentinas). Made me feel a little uncomfortable with my big GB sticker on the back of my bike!! I have been shown the greatest respect by everyone I have spoken with, so they must clearly be a forgiving nation, even if they have very long memories.

I'm still finding it hard to believe my trip is nearly over and that today was my penultimate ride and penultimate blog. I know some of you will have to find an alternative routine to start or end your day after tomorrow.

Mendoza to San Luis

November 16th Mendoza to San Luis

I am nearing the end of my journey with only two more days of riding before I reach Buenos Aires. I intend to finish my blog when I arrive on Friday, it was always my intention to chart the road trip, the journey, the adventure. Without Bonito (Africa Twin), I will be another tourist and strangely when on my bike I do not feel like one. I do not want this journal to be a record of more mundane activities.

As I left Mendoza I realised that the bike has been the thing that has preoccupied my last 3 months thoughts, actions and at times concerns. Pondering on this thought during my 180 miles of long straight open road, I became nostalgic for the places I'd been through and the experiences I'd had. Though thoughts of home are appealing, they are also surreal, as this place is so far removed from little Cornwall, yet only a 17 hr flight away. Driving through the flatlands of Argentina gave me the opportunity to process the many thoughts racing through my head and begin the process of adjustment to my life back home.

I like Argentina and its people, there is a good feeling about the place. I will return and explore more fully its hidden treasures. When I do, it will be with a better command of Spanish. My experiences would have been even better, if I'd been able to communicate more with the people I have met. It's made me realise that the ability to communicate is important to me, and at times being unable to do so has been a huge frustration. It has also affected my sense of self and over time I have become more introverted - which is not good.

San Luis is a sleepy little town, which could quite easily be twinned with Liskeard. You get the sense that this little place is untouched by the enormous events that happen in the world. Here, I suspect life continues as normal, whatever happens beyond its town limits. On the road so far, I have not seen the squalor and poverty of other South American countries, nor have I seen the affluence. Here there seems a more equal society, at least that is my impression. No petrol attendants have tried to rip me off and today at the toll a few bank notes were taken by the wind and the toll booth operator rushed out and caught them for me. That would definitely not have happened in many of the other places I have visited. With it being so flat there is no hiding place from the easterly wind that was doing its best to slow my progress and knock me off course. My average speed was about 50 mph, which was ok for today, with only 180 miles to do; but tomorrow I have well over 300 so I will pray for a calmer day.

Mendoza

November 15th Mendoza
What is there not to like about a day in the sun, with good company, wine and nibbles. This area is a major wine making and fruit growing centre. The tour began with a pickup from the hotel, where I joined the mainly Argentinian folk on the minibus. When we got to the first vineyard, it become obvious that there were other English speakers, as we subdivided into two groups. I joined a young Swiss trio and we were shown the wine making process by a guide who spoke English, but with the wierdest pronunciation ever - hardly understandable.

Oak Vats from France

The daddy of vats

This was an old vineyard that dates back to the early 1920s and their wine was very good - not that I'm an expert. I bought a bottle to take away, which was reasonaably priced at about £6. 

From there we went to a small unit that pressed olives and sold olive derived products. They also provided us with samples of their different oils with bread - especially liked the lemon flavoured extra virgin oil. I also tried their anti ageing cream, but they didn't sell it in large enough quantities for my needs. Smelt nice though.

Finally we finished up at a more modern vineyard with stainless steel vats and high tec equipment and do you know what, the wine really wasnt as good as the first vineyard. Never thought I'd be able to notice the difference, but I did. The after taste was much harsher.

I enjoyed the day and it was good having a chat to the Swiss, one of whom was a teacher. I also got a kiss today, the Argentinian lady who I sat next to on the bus, spoke a little English and had been to England twice and loved it. Upon saying goodbye, she gave me a peck on the cheek and told me I had lovely blue eyes!!! Too much wine I reckon.

Anyway a nice region and worth visiting. I'm heading east tomorrow and the place I am staying at it is not meant to be a nice place, but it is convenient in terms of breaking up my journey.

*Footnote

When I got back to my hotel and checked my emails I had one from Viator, apologising for the Machu Picchu trip and giving me a 20% refund, so it was worth complaining.

Santiago to Mendoza (Argentina)

November 14th Santiago to Argentina

I awoke at 4.30 am, did my Duolingo and then packed up my messy hotel room - amazing what mess you can make in three days. I was packed and on the road by 7.30am. It was a cold morning, but not by British standards. It felt strange heading north, but this was the quickest route, according to Google. Eventually we started heading east and climbing into the Andes, zig zagging up the valleys.

 The road from Chile to Argentina

 A little bit higher

On the way down- Argentina

Towards the top I reached the Chilean border and was waived through by the border guards. I stopped the bike as I didn't want a repeat of the Mexican fiasco. I was assured that the Argentinian border, 18km away, was where all the paperwork would be completed. As I decended it became warmer and the landscape softer. Sure enough after 18km I arrived at the border control, I entered a building that looked more like a cross between a bus station and an aeroplane hanger- there were quite long queues. I amanged to slip between cars and get nearer to the front. Everything seemed to run like clockwork, I handed my papers, they were stamped, entered onto the system and within the hour I had my temporary import papers and was ready to go.

I slowly walked over to my bike and carefully began putting my paperwork back in my bag. I have learned that if I don't rush and take my time, then things go much more smoothly. So with this mantra in my head,  I double checked my paperwork, as I couldn't believe I had got through in under the hour without complications. Now, if I was to ask you which would be the third most unwelcome nationality on your paperwork, after Syria and Iraq, what would it be? Throughout Latin America, all customs post have huge problems with United Kingdom - is that England? Or is it Britain? England is Britain, yes? This border guard had not bothered to check with me my nationality and had entered on my paperwork - nationality AFGHANISTAN ! I hurriedly walked back to the guard and managed to get it changed.

The ride down was delightful, wonderful scenery and as we left the Andes behind we entered the Mendoza vineyard region, very reminiscent of Marlborough in New Zealand.

 The deepest blue lake, I've seen since New Zealand

Mendoza is an attractive city, not too large nor too small, but just the right size to feel at home in. This evening I walked into the centre to get some money and  see a bit of the sights. The temperature is decidedly warmer and the hotel has no aircon - so who knows how I'll sleep tonight.

 Attractive square in the centre of the town

Santiago

November 13th Santiago

Museum of Pre - Columbian Culture (these bad boys guarded the graves of the dead and also acted as a gravestone)

My morning was spent visiting this museum which charts the Americas history before the arrival of Columbus and the Spanish. It was very interesting  in many respects, though there are only so many pots and tapestries that one can see in one day. Although they were able to fashion gold, silver and copper, until the arrival of the Spanish it was fundamentally a stoneage culture. Tools and weapons were made from stone and the wheel had not been discovered. 

The tapestries and earthenware were simple and their decoration was  either related to nature and had some spiritual or practical significance. Over the centuries, there were many shifts in the balance of power between different tribes along this western seaboard, of which the Incas are probably the best known. However the Incas are quite (15th century) recent in terms of the thousand of years that this land has been populated.

Two interesting facts I learnt, was that the ruling elite were big on the hallucinagenic drugs (not much changed there then) and certain tribes in what is now Peru, were mummifieing their dead long before the Egyptians, though like the Egyptians they believed in the afterlife. If you were good you went to live amonst the volcanoes of the east and if bad you suffered the poor potatoes and seas of the west!!!

In many ways their culture was very sophisticated as they had a concept of the Universe, which they believed consisted of four elements, all of which crossed at points on the earth. Hence the altar stones of their pyramids (as in Teotihuacan) was placed at the centre of a square, sub divided in four. These peoples were predominantely agragrian, though the Incas began to order and structure production in a more modern way. Workers were deployed in the mining of copper and a reasonably large scale by the standards of the day - with the local brew, being fundamental in the payment of the workers - alongside partying!!

Anyway another cultural day and a quiet one. Argentina tomorrow and the other side of the Andes.

Santiago

November 12th Santiago

Whilst in Valparaiso I tried to explain to the hotel receptionist the meaning of 'Serendipity'  - which was quite difficult, but coincidentally I experienced it first hand today. Salvador Allende was from Valparaiso and I fell upon this statue honouring him. The inscription has a direct quote, 'I have faith in Chile.' Though I was heading to the Moneda Palace, I was unaware that it was the residence of the President, nor where Allende met his death. For those ignorant of this period in history, I have included an extract from Wikipedia.

 Salvador Allende

The Moneda Palace

Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens(Spanish: [salβaˈðoɾ aˈʝende ˈɣosens]; 26 June 1908 – 11 September 1973) was a Chilean physician and politician, known as the first Marxist to become president of a Latin American country through open elections.^[1]

Allende's involvement in Chilean political life spanned a period of nearly forty years. As a member of the Socialist Party, he was a senator, deputy and cabinet minister. He unsuccessfully ran for the presidency in the 1952, 1958, and 1964elections. In 1970, he won the presidency in a close three-way race. He was elected in a run-off by Congress as no candidate had gained a majority.

As president, Allende adopted a policy of nationalization of industries and collectivisation; due to these and other factors, increasingly strained relations between him and the legislative and judicial branches of the Chilean government culminated in a declaration by Congress of a "constitutional breakdown". A centre-right majority including the Christian Democrats, whose support had enabled Allende's election, denounced his rule as unconstitutional and called for his overthrow by force.^{[citation needed]} On 11 September 1973, the military moved to oust Allende in a coup d'étatsponsored by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).^[2][3][4] As troops surrounded La Moneda Palace, he gave his last speech vowing not to resign.^[5] Later that day, Allende shot himself with an assault rifle,^[6] according to an investigation conducted by a Chilean court with the assistance of international experts in 2011.^[7]

Following Allende's death, General Augusto Pinochetrefused to return authority to a civilian government, and Chile was ruled by a military junta that was in power up until 1990, ending almost four decades of uninterrupted democratic rule. The military junta that took over dissolved the Congress of Chile, suspended the Constitution, and began a persecution of alleged dissidents, in which thousands of Allende's supporters were kidnapped, tortured, and murdered.

The full article is well worth reading as it exposes the involvement of the USA in the undermining of his government and its subsequent support of the genocide perpetrated under General Pinochet, that lasted for 17 years. Coming back to 'Serendipty', I was on Facebook, responding to Mark Davidson's efforts to do a back to back Cornish marathons, in a fund raising effort for his friend Sam Ward-Jones, (justgiving.com) who needs expensive drugs, not funded by the NHS in Wales. Whilst clicking the appropriate tabs, I spotted a link from Mariya Vancheva (See my Costa Rica pages), entitled  the 'Secret World of US Election: Julian Assange talks to John Pilger.' (Youtube). For those of you who do not know, Julian Assange is the head of Wikileaks and is currently, and has been for some time, seeking political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Do watch this revealing interview, as not only does it give a greater insight into the recent US election, it also exposes the shananigans of Hillary Clinton and the political establishment. The corruption and political interference that takes place in other nation states, done in the name of USA but in reality, merely serves the interest of the ruling elite in both countries. My opinion was changed from watching this clip - whilst Trump is a petty criminal, Hillary is perhaps the real life organised mob gangster.

So enough of politics, though it is an integral part of this historic city. I managed to walk around the compact heart of Santiago. It really is the most European of cities that I have visited in Latin America. It is more polished, less filthy and better organised than most capitals in South America. It has the Victorian covered arcades one finds in Paris, and the street traders and entertainers  found in most major European capitals. Strangely however, at 10am on a Saturday morning, the streets were empty and the shops only just waking up.

 One of the many covered arcades

 Chilean Folk/Rock Band (outside the toilets)

 One of the many beautiful churches

The Municipal Cathedral (At 10 am this was quite full with worshipers)

I visited the museum of Pre Columbian Art, though I didn't go in, as that is for tomorrow. I also visited the more recently built Cultural Centre, which had fantastic displays of ethnic Chilean handicrafts - mainly textiles. This is a great city to visit as the main areas of interested are located within a very compact and walkable area and surprisingly does not seem as busy with traffic as other cities.