Hedy goes South and North
After 100 hours on bus, 50 pounds on back, 40 empanadas, 6 cities, 5 hostels, 4 weeks and 1 lost camera... I am alive!!
My trip to Patagonia was incredible. I began the travels to Puerto Madryn/Peninsula Valdez (whales, penguins, etc..), then to El Calafate (Glaciers) then to El Chalten (hiking), THEN back to El Calafate beacause I missed the people I met and the hostel I stayed in so i went back for one more night :o)
Notes and Observations:
1) Travelling alone is the best way to go. I highly recommend it. All decisions are yours. You really take control of situations and you leave nothing in someone else's hands. Meet the most amount of people and you feel the most independent. (Only downside is you might end up sitting next to a crazy Chilean guy for 20 hours on a bus showing you his suicide scars ... yeah, that happened!! AHHH!!)
2) El Calafate is an amazing place and if you ever go there, dont be stingy... do the actual trekking/walking on the glaciers... not just the driving tour. Also... if you are staying in hostels, stay at America del Sur. Best hostel i've ever stayed at... actually its better than any cheap hotel. After stayi
ng here I realized I want to open up a hostel JUST like that one.
3) If you are going to be bussin' it (for trips longer than 5/10 hours)... spend the
extra pesos on "Cama (Bed)" or "Suite/Clase Ejecutivo (executive class)". The "Semi-cama (half bed)" are not good for long trips... not comfortable, packed with people (usually) and the food is pretty bad. Unfortunatly, I took semi cama the whole time in Patagonia.. even for my 40 hour trip... awful but I survived by switching my seats alot until I had the only spot on the bus where I had both seats. I'm getting good :oP haha.
4) If you go hiking in El Chalten... try to stay on the path. Obviously I got lost but what else is new? I walked for about 2 hours on the path and then it was just gone and I was alone, wet and up to my knees in snow and slop. I really thought a puma was going to come and eat me (bc there are pumas). Well, I backtracked, found the path and had a 2 hour hike back. Never saw Fitz Roy (the destination of the hike).. OH WELL! It was still awesome :o)
When I got back to Buenos Aires I had the day and night to unpack (my winter clothes), do my laundry and repack (with summer clothes) for my trip up North with Ale. We had a 14 hour bus ride to Tucuman where she is from and her family lives. We spent alot of time with her family and her friends... eating asado's, taking siestas, going out at night and we even had her cousins wedding to go to... so much fun!! After Tucuman took a 5 hour bus ride to Jujuy. Some of the most amazing th
ings I have ever seen are up there. Salt flats, amazing colorful hills (blue, pink, 
green, red), Barrancas (huge rocks and caves), ruins, huge cacti and the cutest little "pueblos" in original form including the people in original indiginous form... awesome. They are poor happy colorful people. There are alot of beggars but also alot of people making crafts for a living and survive just fine. From Jujuy we took a 2 hour trip to Salta. Did a day trip to Cafayate.. amazing sights (rocks, gorges, etc..) along the way and wineries 
once you get there. We went out alot at night with the people from the hostel and slept thru our morning of rafting... oops. We tried to go paragliding instead but there wasnt enough wind (we
waited for hours).. oh well. Cute city, good food... much more touristy than Jujuy! 20 hour trip back to Buenos Aires... in Suite class. AWESOME!
Notes:
1) Tucuman is the strangest place. Its like this bustling little city but in reality a little town feel, meaning that everyone is in everyones business. I loved being in Ale's house and with her family but I could never ever live in Tucuman.
2) Jujuy is amazing but the hostel (Club House Hostel) was kind of boring. I think the city is just boring in general. Thru the hostel we had the most amazing tour (Noroeste Tours). Tour guide was Walter and knew everything about everything... of course I had a crush on him :o) haha.
3) Salta is nice but less sights to see. We stayed in Backpackers World which was pretty crappy accomodations (terrible showers and just run down in general) but if you want to have fun, stay here! We didnt want to leave!!
Last but not least:
4) Be careful with your camera... boohoo! I still have pictures from Ale's camera which I will send ASAP. If you lose something on your travels, you have to let it go... fast! I was totally depressed one morning but as soon as I got the Saltflats in Jujuy and saw these amazing sights, the sadness was gone. You realize its just material and that these things happen no matter how careful you are. Deep thoughts ;o)
Well, I will be home on November 1st... If anyone can think of any bartending or quick jobs that they can help me get for a little while in NYC, let me know. I could really use some cash before I head back down here to BA.
One more week... AHHH!!
My trip to Patagonia was incredible. I began the travels to Puerto Madryn/Peninsula Valdez (whales, penguins, etc..), then to El Calafate (Glaciers) then to El Chalten (hiking), THEN back to El Calafate beacause I missed the people I met and the hostel I stayed in so i went back for one more night :o)
Notes and Observations:
1) Travelling alone is the best way to go. I highly recommend it. All decisions are yours. You really take control of situations and you leave nothing in someone else's hands. Meet the most amount of people and you feel the most independent. (Only downside is you might end up sitting next to a crazy Chilean guy for 20 hours on a bus showing you his suicide scars ... yeah, that happened!! AHHH!!)
2) El Calafate is an amazing place and if you ever go there, dont be stingy... do the actual trekking/walking on the glaciers... not just the driving tour. Also... if you are staying in hostels, stay at America del Sur. Best hostel i've ever stayed at... actually its better than any cheap hotel. After stayi
ng here I realized I want to open up a hostel JUST like that one.
3) If you are going to be bussin' it (for trips longer than 5/10 hours)... spend the
extra pesos on "Cama (Bed)" or "Suite/Clase Ejecutivo (executive class)". The "Semi-cama (half bed)" are not good for long trips... not comfortable, packed with people (usually) and the food is pretty bad. Unfortunatly, I took semi cama the whole time in Patagonia.. even for my 40 hour trip... awful but I survived by switching my seats alot until I had the only spot on the bus where I had both seats. I'm getting good :oP haha.
4) If you go hiking in El Chalten... try to stay on the path. Obviously I got lost but what else is new? I walked for about 2 hours on the path and then it was just gone and I was alone, wet and up to my knees in snow and slop. I really thought a puma was going to come and eat me (bc there are pumas). Well, I backtracked, found the path and had a 2 hour hike back. Never saw Fitz Roy (the destination of the hike).. OH WELL! It was still awesome :o)
When I got back to Buenos Aires I had the day and night to unpack (my winter clothes), do my laundry and repack (with summer clothes) for my trip up North with Ale. We had a 14 hour bus ride to Tucuman where she is from and her family lives. We spent alot of time with her family and her friends... eating asado's, taking siestas, going out at night and we even had her cousins wedding to go to... so much fun!! After Tucuman took a 5 hour bus ride to Jujuy. Some of the most amazing th
ings I have ever seen are up there. Salt flats, amazing colorful hills (blue, pink, 
green, red), Barrancas (huge rocks and caves), ruins, huge cacti and the cutest little "pueblos" in original form including the people in original indiginous form... awesome. They are poor happy colorful people. There are alot of beggars but also alot of people making crafts for a living and survive just fine. From Jujuy we took a 2 hour trip to Salta. Did a day trip to Cafayate.. amazing sights (rocks, gorges, etc..) along the way and wineries 
once you get there. We went out alot at night with the people from the hostel and slept thru our morning of rafting... oops. We tried to go paragliding instead but there wasnt enough wind (we
waited for hours).. oh well. Cute city, good food... much more touristy than Jujuy! 20 hour trip back to Buenos Aires... in Suite class. AWESOME!
Notes:
1) Tucuman is the strangest place. Its like this bustling little city but in reality a little town feel, meaning that everyone is in everyones business. I loved being in Ale's house and with her family but I could never ever live in Tucuman.
2) Jujuy is amazing but the hostel (Club House Hostel) was kind of boring. I think the city is just boring in general. Thru the hostel we had the most amazing tour (Noroeste Tours). Tour guide was Walter and knew everything about everything... of course I had a crush on him :o) haha.
3) Salta is nice but less sights to see. We stayed in Backpackers World which was pretty crappy accomodations (terrible showers and just run down in general) but if you want to have fun, stay here! We didnt want to leave!!
Last but not least:
4) Be careful with your camera... boohoo! I still have pictures from Ale's camera which I will send ASAP. If you lose something on your travels, you have to let it go... fast! I was totally depressed one morning but as soon as I got the Saltflats in Jujuy and saw these amazing sights, the sadness was gone. You realize its just material and that these things happen no matter how careful you are. Deep thoughts ;o)
Well, I will be home on November 1st... If anyone can think of any bartending or quick jobs that they can help me get for a little while in NYC, let me know. I could really use some cash before I head back down here to BA.
One more week... AHHH!!
posted by TalkingHedy @ 10:12 AM
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