Traveling Zen

It’s hard to summarize a trip in which we did and saw something new and exciting every day. It is impossible to relay the feeling we had of moving from destination to destination as if driven and guided by an inexplicable force. We were like the wind, hurrying, or lingering, as we felt comfortable doing. Going where we wanted, and when, with effort, but without much resistance. Traveling Zen is how I felt. I’ve put up photos from the beginning and the end on Flickr. I will fill in the middle and add some blog entries pretty soon. Done Oct. 10, 2006. Click here to go to my Flickr sets and see any part of the trip!

Click Here to view the first two days of our trip north from Argentina to Bolivia. These pictures show the Difunta Correa shrine as well as the Ischigualasto (Valle de la Luna/Valley of the Moon) and Talampaya National Parks in the San Juan and La Rioja provinces respectively.

Click Here to view the slideshow of the snowboarding trip we took to Argentina’s Lake District in the beginning of August.

Los Penitentes

I’ve never been so bored on my snowboard. Not only is the quality of this place sub par to say the least, they have attitudes to match. It’ wouldn’t be so bad if it was cheap as hell, but it is not. They try to charge Bariloche prices, and for what? Old hard packed snow? Two lifts? One of which only opened for a few hours or the other which started late and shut down early? At least transportation was cheap. Round trip from Mendoza 167km away (334km round trip) was only 27.30 pesos. Compare that with San Martin de los Andes which was 14 pesos, half the prices, but only 19 km away. Sadly, the trip to Las Leñas looks like it is not to be as the ski bus only runs in the high season.

San Martín de los Andes

What a great snowboarding trip it has been; mountains of snow, forests of trees, everything Mendoza is not. We snowboarded every-other day on three different mountains in tons of fresh powder. It’s 6am. Not many are up and about here in La Grieta Hostel. Wendy is still in bed and I’m in the kitchen snacking on pizza leftover from last night’s pizza and empanada party. I’m good and sore. My body has been pounded. I even knocked my head pretty good yesterday. That wasn’t fun. Last night Wendy & I went out to dinner; our first meal out in 9 or 10 days of traveling. We went to a pasta place called Pulgarcitos on San Martin (of course). We had trout (trucha) raviolis and deer (cieva) with vegetables in a wine sauce with raspberries; absolutely gourmet, unique, and delicious; regional cuisine at its finest.

I went for a walk around San Martín de los Andes as the sun came up. I withdrew some money, bought bus tickets, and picked up doughnuts and a cream puff to take to Wendy back at the hostel. We are splurging on the cama (bed) seats on this bus. For 6 pesos more for a midnight to 6am bus after a full day running around town, and prior to another all day (7am – 6pm, 11 hr) bus to Mendoza, it seems like the right thing to do. Today at midnight, we end our 2nd trip to Patagonia and get on a bus headed for Neuquén. We probably have two, maybe three snowboard trips yet to do before we sell our boards to shed their weight and fatten our pocketbooks. I will be incredibly sad to see mine go. (Lessened by the bounty I hope it brings) It has been a wonderful board and I would like to replace it some day with one just like it.

During the day, we went for a walk to Mirador Bandurrias and a beach in front of an islita. Very picturesque, very relaxing. We went out to dinner at the cheapest place we could find after watching a movie at the hostel. Had a good burger, choripan, fries, and a liter of Heineken. Got on the Cono Sur cama bus at midnight and had the best bus ride our our lives. We woke up at our destination in what seemed like minutes, having slept like babies in our comfy cama bus seats.

San Carlos de Bariloche

San Carlos de Bariloche is a beautiful winter playground with peaks, lakes, and glaciers. It offers sunshine, snow, wind, rain, and calm skys all within 10 minutes. This is our 3rd night here. Tomorrow, we go snowboarding for real. Serious fun it will be. People from the hostel told us that yesterday was great but today was epic. And the snow just keeps on falling. We might just have to go two days in a row. The perfect conditions don’t present themselves everyday. And when they finally do, how often are you there to take advantage? Well, we were there today, but there’s always the issue of money. We didn’t get up early because we were partying at our penthouse hostel “1004”. Fun! Everyone cleared the floor when Wendy & I danced the salsa. After a while, I elbowed her in the eye, hard. Then we left the floor, embarrassed and hurt; me and her.

The first nights hostel “Patagonia Andino” was not bad at all for 22 pesos/person/night, but for 56 pesos, a double in this place is incredible. The view is jaw dropping. The first morning here (arriving early from the other hostel) the sun lit up the snow covered peaks behind Lago Nahuel Huapi. The sight was fantastic. Out on the balcony the air was brisk but calm. The peaceful dawn blossomed into a beautiful day. We had a hot drink and enjoyed the view for a while before heading off on a bus to hike to a waterfall and then up through the snow to a beautiful mirador (lookout) of lake, snow, Trees! condors and more. We even had the good fortune of being accompanied by a real good dog of a caliber which is near impossible to find in these parts.