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.