Impressive hospitality

12/23/21 to 2/19/22

In the almost two months in which we traveled through the last unvisited provinces of Argentina at above-average temperatures, we experienced beautiful animal observations, wonderful hospitality, minor technical challenges and further physical decay.

Heat wave

This year South America experienced a heat wave of the century. Our concept is “twelve months of summer per year” because we love warm temperatures. So we believed that this heat wave would suit us. In Corrientes we then experienced temperatures above 50°C for the first time and at night the big drop to around 40°C. The fact that the compressor of our air conditioning is not working supports the intensity of the heat experience. It’s bearable for a day or two, but it stayed that way for the whole 57 days that we traveled in Argentina. On the one hand, this circumstance caused us to change our travel plans as an immediate measure, fleeing to the cool Andes and, on the other hand, to reflect on our travel concept.

Happy moment

Im Nationalpark Esteros del Ibertá bei San Pelligrini leisteten wir uns eine Bootsfahrt. Wir konnten eine Fahrt am frühen Morgen und ein Boot für uns alleine buchen, bonzig halt! Das Erlebnis dieser Bootsfahrt war aber gewaltig, wir sahen die Kaimane und Capybaras zum Anfassen nahe, dazu ganz viele Wasservögel und wunderschöne Blumen. Die Tiere hatten keine Scheu vor uns und wir sehr viel Freude an ihnen. Der Bootsführer war ein einfühlsamer Mensch und ist total auf unsere Wünsche eingegangen. Von hier sind wir glücklich von dannen gezogen.

Encounters

In Reconquista we wanted to withdraw cash through Western Union, but had tremendous problems finding an agency that was open and willing to pay us so much cash. Walking through the city in the heat is not necessarily pleasant and not really motivating if you are unsuccessful. Parking in the truck ban zone we were already quite disillusioned and didn’t know what to do else. Then Eduardo and Sirley showed up. Eduardo has been following us on the internet for a long time and of course he was thrilled to see Globi in real life. He immediately agreed to help us with our money problem. He probably drove me around his city for two hours in search of a suitable agency. Last but not least, he spontaneously invited us for lunch at his home. In the evening we were able to spend the night on his campo and just added two more nights. On the last evening the two also came to their campo and prepared the best goat meat of our lives for us. Excellent! For us rather formal Europeans, it’s just amazing how hospitality works in South America and how far it goes. We are extremely happy that we are able to experience this.

Technology pitfalls

We stopped at the bus terminal in Andalgala to get information about the road conditions and to take a lunch break. Gabi started the water pump and heard a waterfall in the basement. However, no water came from the tap. A hose ruptured. The last device with plastic connections, normally used for camping cars, that was built in by our original builders broke: the pressure expansion tank. I could simply bridge the device with metal hoses, as we can manage without it as well. However, I lacked the arm length and the strength to loosen the connection. Young bus passengers came to help me, and we were able to solve the problem. Now we drive around with one piece less of plastic.

For a smile

Despite knowing better, we drove from Salta, 1,187 meters above sea level, to San Antonio de los Cobres, 3,775 meters above sea level, with a slight cold. Actually, we wanted to spend the night somewhere on the way up, but no place pleased us! Last but not least, we were up all the way in one day. It didn’t go well. My sensitivity for altitude sickness was very noticeable and the couple of Diamox pills I took didn’t reduce the headache, dizziness or nausea. I couldn’t sleep so we decided in the middle of the night to reduce altitude and drive down the pass in the dark to about 2,000 meters above sea level. At night, such a trip is at least very adventurous! And in the middle of the night, we found a place that we couldn’t find during the day! We set up our sanatorium here and nursed ourselves back to health for a little week. It would be hoped that when we got even more older, we would become a tiny little more reasonable.

Unfortunately, the deterioration of my body has further continued during this reporting period. During a cozy dinner, my tooth enamel broke off completely unexpectedly. A 30-year-old inlay was uncovered as a result, there was no toothache, but tongue pain, since the fracture created a very sharp edge and my tongue, although I’ve forbidden it had to constantly explore it. However, the dentist in the next town provisionally patched the fracture within half an hour. So, I’m partially recovered.