Salta, Argentina

We wake up in Salta and it is Inka’s last day before flying back early tomorrow to Buenos Aires. I am staying in the city for a few more days, so I’ve suggested Inka sets the day out with what she is keen to see. First stop is the tourist office to see if there is a walking tour we can join. It is Sunday, so the city is very relaxed and quiet, there is also no tour today. We grab a few maps and when I ask for a tour with English, I mispronounce and request a tour with churches. Turns out they have a map of such a tour and as Salta is famed for its churches it doesn’t seem a bad idea. Inka manages to find a bus tour leaving at 4pm, which should enable her to see a few more sights including a market! We set off on our church tour and visit San Francisco church first. This is one of the most ornate structures, with even curtains part of the concrete facade. Inka gets chatting to the caretaker and he kindly offers to show us around. This is fantastic as he shows us the private prep chambers and even takes us behind the altar to reveal a hidden passage way that was used in the war of Independence smuggling people to the Cathedral. We resume our tour after viewing these back of house areas and visit several other churches. They are all different and some are ornately decorated in pastel colours. Each seem to have a service in progress, so I think I went to four different ones in one day. I particularly liked the one who broadcast the words through outdoor speakers and you could sit in the pretty garden to listen. We stop at the Plaza for a disappointing lunch before heading to the Museum of high altitude archaeology. The name does not give away the subjects of this interesting museum. It is the home of 3 inca children found in 1999 on mount Llullaillaco 6,700 metre high up. The children continue to be cryopreserved at -20degrees as they were found in a uniquely natural preserved condition. You can only view one as they rotate the exposure time. The turn today was of ‘The lightning girl’, a 6 year old married and sacrificed probably to bless in harmonious tribes. The girl had a conical shaped head which indicates nobility, a sun virgin brought up in house of chosen women. Once selected and married to a opposing tribe leaders sun she was given a maize drink to put her to sleep and then buried with offerings. The other children are a 15yr old girl and a 7yr old boy. The viewing of the body was a little bit creepy, and she was so lifelike I felt like she would open her eyes at any moment. I kept looking away to avoid staring too much. Too soon Inka’s tour is due to start and we dash to the hotel for her to grab her things. I read for the few hours she is away and then we have a cheeky farewell beer to celebrate our adventures. Poem to the children: Plegaria a Los ninos del Llullailloco

Tumbaya, Argentina

Our last night in our lovely hotel, I eat my fill at breakfast and savour the coffee. So far the coffee has been awful in Argentina, but this place brews a good pot. We pack up and head down the hill towards the bus station. Our plan is to catch a bus to Purmamarca and then a taxi out to the Salinas Grandes (Salt flats) as it will be cheaper than a taxi from Tilcara. On the way a taxi stops and offers to take us, looking at time versus money this looks like a better option if we are to make our bus at 3pm. The road winds up for about an hour to 4170metres and then drops down to the salt flats. The scenery is spectacular, with lots of different types of rock and every turn seems to warrant another picture. The salt flats are as expected, but mesmerising as a bright white carpet to the mountains. The texture is interesting as crusty and solid, where I was thinking salt like sand. They have built structures with sections, using it like bricks which is amazing. We spend about 30mins jumping for photos before having to get back on the road. We can sense as we leave that the car is struggling, the gearbox is the issue and we get to Purmamarca in 2nd gear, him pumping the clutch and praying. Once we are there we get into his friends car to get back to Tilcara, where we grab our bags from the hotel and drive down to town. We have 30mins to spare, so Inka manages to buy more llama socks from the market whilst I caretake bags at the bus station. I needn’t have worried the bus is over an hour late, but once again it is not full so we can stretch out for the 4 hours to Salta. Once we have collected my big bag from the previous hotel and checked into our new pad we can relax with a well earned steak and beer!

Humahuaca, Argentina

We have a fabulous breakfast this morning with a really friendly lady who makes a few suggestions as to what we can do today. She completely sells the town of Humahuaca (pronounced more like ‘mawaka’) showing us a picture of a series of rocks with awesome zigzag colours, 14 apparently. Once sold we cannot find a tour to join that will take us that way, but she suggests we could do it ourselves via a bus and then there are guys with pickup trucks who will take us up to the view. This sounds a little dodgy but we merrily set off to the bus station to get on a local bus. This is easy and super cheap, depositing us into the centre of Humahuaca. We know the road to the jeeps but a friendly guy called Carlos is happy to show us the way. The jeep is a good model and they obviously only go once they have 4 passengers to fill the ride. Luckily for us there are a Argentinian couple already waiting so once introductions are done we set off. It is actually further than I imagined, ascending a windy gravel path to 4350metres. We pass a herd of Llamas on the way up and as we move higher the Argentinian girl offers coco leaves. These are traditional used by locals to ward off the effects of altitude sickness. You fold a pinch of leaves into a parcel and wedge it into your top gum. I didn’t realise Inka hadn’t used before and so it was a few minutes until we spotted her chewing on them. This would be disgusting as they are like bitter tea leaves, she happily spits them out and tries again. We reach the stop and get out, the view is jaw dropping and I genuinely can’t believe it is this spectacular. There is a short walk down to the Mirador del Hornocal where you can take in the full panorama. I didn’t count the colours but it was impressive seeing the craggy rocks weave colour through the valley in front. The walk back up to the jeep is actually harder, probably due to the altitude but we make it and descend back to Humahuaca. This is a lovely town, a little bigger than Tilcara but the same Adobe houses lining the streets. The first stop is coffee and Humita, which is a traditional snack of creamed corn in a steamed parcel. There is a pretty little square and lots of people selling stuff to keep Inka happy! With the sun out it is too hot for me and I regularly have to just sit in shade. We climb up the monument to independence and look round the cemetery before setting off back to Tilcara on a faster bus this time. The buses and jeep ride cost us around £15 each which was a bargain compared to the tours and very easy to do. We still have time to walk around Tilcara when we get back and visit the church before the sun sets and it starts getting cold. Of the 3 places in the are we have visited I like Tilcara the best, feels a good size with a warm welcome. Dinner tonight is Locro at La Piladita, a traditional meal of maize, meat and beans a bit soup or stew like. This is nice and warming on a 6 degree evening, which seems crazy after the 24degree heat of the day.

Tilcara, Argentina

We head down to our 4 star breakfast, which includes yogurt and fruit. This is rare and a change from just sweet stuff, which I eat anyway! I leave my big bag at the hotel, we are heading to Tilcara about 4 hours north of Salta for 2 nights so just taking my day pack. Our return bus fare is around £20 and the bus leaves promptly at 10.30. We manage to stretch out into spare seats and time passes easily, I must be getting used to these drives. About an hour from Tilcara we start climbing up, out of fairly green vegetation and into a more rugged desert like landscape. This is quite dramatic, and the rock colours change periodically. There are also lots of cactus, which look great and lend us to nickname the region as the ‘Wild West’. Our bus drops us at a small terminal and we walk about 15mins up to our hotel, Villa del Cielo. This place is magical, lovely plush cabana rooms that look down on the town and across to the valley. We think we have about 4 hours of sunlight left and so figure a taxi to Pumamarca will be a good trip. Our driver takes us 30minutes down the road for £10 which seems a lot but it turns out about right. Pumamarca is a pretty town with a central square – 9 de Julio, which has a artisanal market around the edges. I see Inka’s face light up, and I start to see her passion for shopping as she excitedly chatted to traders. We opt to walk first and then shop, the sun is fading and it is actually getting cold. Pumamarca is famous for the Cerro de Los Siete Colores (hill of seven colours), which it transpires is best seen in the morning. We trek the Paseo de Los Colorados, it’s a path that winds behind the Cerro for 1hr and there are many types of rock. We even feel like textures of the rock change as well as colours, with some looking like wet mud or clay. It is a really nice walk but it is very cold in the shade, so we walk at pace and take a few short cuts. We finish on the other side of the town, passing the cemetery before hitting the plaza. Inka is going home soon and therefore buy a few things. It is all lovely stuff and I am sad that I have no space, but we enjoy chatting to the people as she buys a fluffy sweater and socks. (Llama patterns). We taxi back to Tilcara and we are relieved to enjoy piping hot showers to warm us up. Dinner in town is Llama fillet and Salta beer. Llama is tasty, light flavour, like pork I think and not the strong meat I was expecting.

Salta, Argentina

I was merrily faffing as I got ready today, went for breakfast and checked out before walking to the bus station. I had not really left enough time, on paper perhaps but when you factor in people walking slowly and not looking where they are going, I was almost at a run by the time I got to the bus station. The bus is late but quite smart, I am next to a middle aged Argentinan who seems friendly but doesn’t speak English so our conversation is limited. At one point he prepares his maté and I nervously pray I am not invited to share this bitter drink. Thankfully I am spared the politeness dictated that you graciously accept as he doesn’t offer, well it is a 4 hour journey and he only has one thermos. It is a smooth ride until the host asks me a question as he picks up my blanket, I don’t really understand and am fairly relaxed when we pull up next to another bus. My companion is getting off, he is transferring to the other bus as he is going to Salta…..what? Me too! I barely make it onto the bus and we set off. Forget to check that my main luggage has joined me but needn’t have fretted as it is there when we get to Salta. I have a quick look round the bus station trying to check out companies that will take me to the Atacama desert, Chile next week. There are about 5 companies which is good as the Internet only found 2, so I have plenty of options. I catch a taxi this time to the hotel, I am purposely here mid afternoon as it has a indoor pool and jacuzzi I can relax in! Lovely swim and chill this afternoon, waiting for me friend Inka to arrive on a flight from Buenos Aires. Inka is a lovely German lady I met at Spanish school, who was keen to see the North West. Our plan is to spend 5 days in the region, including 2 night north of Salta in Tilcara. Inka arrived at 9pm (so great to see her) and we head out for steak and Salta beer to celebrate the start of our adventure.

San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina

I am up early again to catch a 8am but to Tucumán. I am going with Flechabus this time, and hope the bus might be a bit better. I enjoy this 8 hours more, although the smell puts me off braving the toilet. The scenery is really beautiful and we follow the Andes, keeping them on our left most of the way. The bus arrives early and as I get off mid afternoon it is blazing hot, but a 15minute walk seems manageable. I think this was a mistake as I am a big sweaty mess by the time I get to the location. This is more a budget hotel for tonight rather than a hostel and I am excited about having a bathroom to myself! The guy tries to charge me another £5 to push twin beds into a double, the air conditioning is rubbish and the wifi keeps dropping out. I am now a fairly grumpy, sweaty mess. After a quick shower, I take myself out to explore the place. First stop is the house of independence. It was a local house where, in 1816 the Argentinian papers of independence from the Spanish were signed. It has been restored and is a nice simple building to view. Onto the Plaza Independencia (yes, it seems every city has one) and there is a huge concentration of old buildings. I think the Casa de Gobierno and the cathedral are my favourite, the statue in the centre looks like a kickass woman rather than a traditional soldier commemoration. Spying an Heladeria, I order 3 scoops and get 2 spoons with the tub. I think perhaps this size is meant to be shared? Ah well, I enjoy it whilst people watching in the plaza. I go out later on the search of dinner and love the way the buildings are lit up at night, everyone is out in the plaza on this warm evening enjoying music and dancing. I think Tucumán feels a nice friendly little city based on my short whizz through.

La Rioja, Argentina

Early start today. I manage to sell my bus ticket to a guy who is going with the girls, bonus money! I eat another sweet breakfast, washed down with coffee before our pickup at 7am. The first park is Ischigualasto park which is famous for its dinosaur skeletons of the Jurassic period 4.6million years ago. This park is also called ‘Valley of the moon’ due to its surface structure. We arrive in time to join the first convoy into the park (you have to be escorted by a guide) and drive down into the valley. The landscape is very cool with lots of different mineral deposits causing stripy rounded domes across the park. We stop at several places on our 2 hour excursion, getting great panoramas of the valley as well as seeing unique rock structures. The ‘mushroom’ is probably the most famous but I also liked a section that was like a bowling area with perfect rock spheres sat waiting for play. We went to the museum to learn a little about the dinosaur finds before racing out of the park to make good time to Talampaya NP. Talampaya NP is only about an hour down the road but the landscape is totally different. We book onto a tour for this park and spot the girls waiting for a hiking tour. They arrived okay but missed the tour they wanted to do, so they decided to wait for the next one….four hours later! In this 30degree heat I think they are crazy and am pleased I wasn’t sat waiting with them, hope it is worth it. We join our minibus and are taken into the main area where huge red stone cliffs suddenly raise up. This was caused by tectonic plate movement at the same point in time as the Andes range was created around 250 million years ago. First stop was in front of towering red cliffs, where we were shown several Petroglyphs from 500bc. The next was a canyon over 150metres high, with it seems like cored chimneys. We shout and you can hear three echoes off it. The tour stops another 3 times allowing us to see huge structures and those that have formed familiar objects through natural erosion and wind. It is beautiful, showing off different redness according to age. The tour is over too quickly and we drive back to the start. We now have a long drive back, taking over 2 hours of which I sleep for at least half of it. We arrive at the hostel by 6pm which I think is pretty good time. I enjoy a long cold beer whilst I quickly pack and make tuna pasta. We spend the evening chatting about next adventures and wondering what time the girls will be back. They made it home but not before I went to bed at 11pm, so relieved I took the tour!

La Rioja, Argentina

Wake up for breakfast, a typical Argentinian offering of fracturas which are sweet Danish pastries type things and coffee. I meet Pauline and Anna who are heading to Talampaya National park on the local bus tomorrow, so I am going to join them. It is mum’s birthday today so I give her a call. She is pleased with the flask I bought her, although it sounds a bit big for her walks. I think I sounded a little down, hopefully I haven’t worried her, seem to be a bit up and down lately as I find my rhythm as a solo traveller. Around midday I head out, first to the bus station to get my ticket for tomorrow and also Tuesdays transfer to Tucuman. It is about a 30minute walk but I have seriously not prepared for this heat. I left Mendoza in about 22c or 24c degrees and La Rioja is warmer around 28c. I manage to buy both tickets without issues, the park one is only £7 and the 8 hours to Tucuman is £28. I go back to the hostel via a ice cream shop to cool down. At the hostel I get chatting to a English couple, really interesting people, say late 40s who travel permanently now. This year for them is about weight loss as they are about 6 stone overweight. Slimming world is their chosen diet and they try to stay in places where they can exercise, they are well on track with a couple of stone already gone. I am quite amazed that this is possible travelling in these countries as my food choices are definitely not healthy….perhaps I should pay more attention to food options. They are eating a cabbage salad when Tabitha gives me a great quote…’ you know you are eating something healthy when your jaw hurts at the end of it!’ Tabitha and Nick are also going to Talampaya tomorrow, but also Ischigualasto park and are going with a local agency. This gets me thinking, a tour would be easier and I could see both parks but it is 10 times the price. As I go out late afternoon post midday heat, I think about the two options. Whilst the bus feels like the backpacker cheaper choice, I reckon the tour will be better and much less hassle. I figure that as I have come here to try and see the parks then I should just do the one I want and go for the tour. La Rioja itself is a pretty little town, with lots of statues it seems. I walk around the main area and view the Cathedral which is beautiful. The issue with today is that it is Sunday, as part of the long holiday weekend and everything feels shut down which is a shame. I head back via a Carrefour which I am amazed is open, buying lots of fruit and veg as part of my new health kick. I tell the girls I am taking the tour option, they are not offended but are shocked that I am wasting my £7 bus ticket.

La Rioja, Argentina

Packing doesn’t get any easier, I don’t know why I expect it to when I have the same amount of stuff. The bag is holding ok though and it all goes into it and my day bag. I have seen people travelling with more… I have gotten up early so I can cycle down to San Martin parque. The gates there were made in England supposedly originally for the Sultan of Brunei. I take the house Brompton bike and start pedalling, this is harder than I would like due to the seat being lower than I need and the route being uphill. I make it though, bit sweaty but manage to find the gates first time and then to route around the lake. It is a beautiful morning of a long weekend and people are walking through the willow trees or rowing on the lake. I wish I was staying longer as it is a long weekend and there looks to be a few music events on in the parque. I head home to have a early lunch and say goodbye to Javier, before hopping into a taxi for the bus station. My bus is with Andesmar and it was the best time for me. This trip to La Rioja is 8.30hrs so I paid an extra £5 for Cami class. This gives me much more legroom and more recline. There is where the good points end, as I get crisps and an Alfajore for food. The temperature hits 31degrees in the coach and the central movie sound varies from silence to killing my eardrums. There is subtitles though so I figure Independence Day is helping me practice my Spanish. The scenery is largely flat with the Andes is the far distance. I do spot about 6 gauchos on horseback riding along with the Argentinian flag which seems surreal. I finally get in at 9pm and catch a taxi to the hostel before crashing for the night.

Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

Pick up for my trip is at 7.30am and after a few more pickups the minibus is full and heads into the mountains. The sun is shining with clear blue sky, and it’s not as cold as I expected. We stop for a quick coffee in Upsallata which has long lines of autumn yellow coloured Popular trees that look stunning against the blue sky. These trees are used to protect crops from winds and Andes weather. We keep driving into the Pre Andes range. This area is one of the few points where you can drive through 3 lines of mountains as part of the Andes. 1. Pre Andes 2. Main range 3. Dividing range We drive through stopping for beautiful scenery and taking pictures. We see Tupungato the 2nd highest mountain and then catch a glimpse of Aconcagua. The highest peak at 6,961 metres outside of Asia. Our final stop is near the dividing range where you meet the Chilean border. We have a hearty beef stew and grilled chicken lunch here before taking the long drive back. I enjoy the mountains but it’s a lot of driving and after Patagonia I would have liked to have hiked a little to see more. I manage to get dropped at the bus station to get my ticket for tomorrow and then catch a taxi back to the house. Two girls have moved in and are heading for the hot springs tomorrow then wine tasting which sounds like fun, but time to move on!