ARGENTINA, Iguazu Falls

Thursday   1/13/11

After 17 hrs on bus from Buenos Aires I finally made it to Puerto Iguazu around 8 am. Luckily the hostel was across the street from the bus station. After a quick shower I went to the Brazilian Consulate which was only a block away. I had to complete an application by 10 am if I wanted a visa the next day. I finished with 3 minutes to spare.  With a check in time of 2 pm I decided to go to Iguazu Falls which is 12 miles away. I got there at 11 am and stayed until 6 pm.

ARGENTINA, Buenos, Aires

Sunday   1/9/11

Stayed up till about 3 am chatting with hostel staff and backpackers in the LOUD bar. Still great fun. I , of course, had a top bunk again in the six bed dorm and the rest of the group came in around 5-6 am. Of course, when I got up at 9:30 for the free breakfast, the rest of the group did not move until around 3 pm. About 8 McDonalds and Burger Kings within 3 blocks of the hostel so I am back in my element.

Had planned on City Bus Tour at 2 pm to get the sight seeing out of the way but was later informed the double decker bus was full so will rebook later this week. Instead I walked about 25 city blocks to and back from the Sunday Market which is just Artisans lining the streets with their wares and a few musicians playing. Nice way to spend a breezy, 82 degree day. Warm temperatures of rest of my trip. Even gave my fleece jacket away in Ushuaia because too expensive to ship and takes too much valuable space in my backpack.

Tomorrow I go to Brazilian Consulate to apply for my Brazilian Visa ($150) . OUCH  It usually takes 3-4 days and you have to have an incredible amount of information and flights showing you plan on leaving the country. Spending about 6 days in Buenos Aires and then Paraguay, Uruguay, Igassu Falls and then to Brazil.

Will try and upload more pictures today.

ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires

Saturday  1/8/11

Supposed to catch the 6:40 pm Lan flight to Buenos , Aires but it is delayed an hour. Finally made it to Hostel Obelisco around 1 am. Seems Buenos Aires doesn't think about serious partying until 1 or 2 am. Excited to be in a new place with new experiences.

ARGENTINA, Perito Moreno Glacier

Thursday   12/16/10   (day 32)

It was billed as one of the most beautiful and "must see" things to do in South America.  Today I visited the glacier and it lived up to its reputation. I joined a tour which took us the 50 miles to the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. We left at 8:30 am and spent almost 4 hours viewing the glacier including a boat trip which took us right up next to the glacier. Everyone waited with anticipation hoping that there would be huge hunks of the glacier falling into the water but not this trip. Lots of rumbles however. The glacier is enormous. The glacier is as big as the entire city of Buenos Aires. The glacier is over 200 feet tall, 18 miles long and 3 miles wide.

ARGENTINA, El Chalten to El Calafate

Wednesday   December 15, 2010    (Day 31)

I caught the 7:30 am bus to El Calafate, starting point for most tours to the famous Perito Moreno Glacier. I found my hostel after walking around lost for about 30 minutes. The hostel is a little pricey ($15) for 4 bed dorm but the beds are NOT bunk beds and there is a private bathroom and TV in the room. Bought my tour ticket to see the glacier tomorrow. Hoping for same good weather as we are having today. Still can not get over the wind in Patagonia. There is ALWAYS a constant 50-60 mph wind with some gust actually knocking you down. It never stops. It also seems to come from every angle as I walked around the four sides of the hostel and the wind is just as bad on each side. Strange.

ARGENTINA, El Chalten, Hike to Fitz Roy

I left at 9 am for the 8 hr hike to and back to the Fitz Roy lookout. The trek there was beautiful and mostly flat until the last hour which is straight up. But it was all worthwhile as you have the best view of Fitz Roy and the glacier lake at its foot. The trek back, however, was a different story. The 4 hr hike back to the hostel turned into 7 hours as I took the wrong trail and saw an entire part of the country that I was not expecting. Well marked trail, just the wrong one. lol

DECEMBER 13, 2010