Badlanders MCC Website

 

The journey from Tucaman to Salta should have taken two or three days. So why six days? Could it be the legs dying on me? Might I have got lost? Or did I just take the most difficult route to get there, so that I could enjoy the most amazing views? The latter, of course....and was it worth it? You bet! Look at some of the pictures. They were taken without a viewing screen as my fuji finepix viewing screen has finally bitten the dust! The screen cracked presumably as I rattled down some fairly difficult roads however, it was a good decision to take this route. The other great feature was the fantastic little town of Cafayate. Now everyone has told me that I shouldn’t miss this on my route to Salta.The problem is that it wasn’t directly on my route to Salta, whether I took the 38 or the 40. It therefore meant a large detour through the most incredible climbs and difficult roads.

 

Cafayate is a small town which sits at the entrance to the spectacular Cafayate Quebrada at about 1600 metres above sea level, and is surrounded by vineyards, this being the perfect zone to grow the grape that makes the Torrontes, a great white wine, even if you are not a natural white wine drinker! It meant passing through Tafi de Valle, which is another great sight, though for me, not as good as the luscious green hills and forest on the Tucaman side of the mountain range leading to Tafi de Valle. The problem when people say that you can’t miss this, is that they are always doing it in a car or a bus, never a bike. And when I ask what the climbs are like, the standard response is “not bad”! Clearly not bad, if you are being taken up courtesy of an engine!!

 

In Cafayate I found a great little hostel called Nusta with a private room for £9. In it I met some brilliant people. Firstly the delightful Princess Gloria ( as she was nicknamed by a group of Argentinian guys) who was the owner, a lovely couple called Anna and Hjamar from Gothenburg in Sweden and four great guys  from Buenos Aires who were biking up to Salta, though with a jeep and trailer and four bikes! The guys kindly invited me to an asado that they were having in the garden of the hostel that evening. Two of the guys, Santiago and Martin were pilots for Aerolinas Argentinas, Martin being a first captain.

 

I popped out for a bottle of wine as a token contribution to the evening’s alcohol, and en route, met a couple in a resto-bar overlooking the Plaza that came from London. I think they were called Kathryn and Adrian. I offered them most of a beer I had ordered to quench my thirst and after a brief chat, dashed off having forgotten to pay for it! I dashed back once I realised what I’d done and paid for the drink. They were still there and thought this was a classic jock trick! Offering them the leftovers ( well half a litre) of beer  and then dash off without paying, leaving them to pick up the bill!

 

When I got back to the Hostel the asado was well underway, with fernet being drunk in large quantities. Not surprisingly, most thought I was “loco” for what I was doing, but all were completely respectful! The chance meeting with Martin the Pilot was a great opportunity to learn about Argentina. I learned a great deal about both the social problems and opportunities facing Argentina. He had a real understanding of the challenges in rural Argentina in particular and corrected a number of misconceptions I had about how rural Argentina functions. I naturally assumed, having seen school upon school in rural areas of Argentina, that education was a top priority. In fact, whilst the schools are provided, many young people living in relatively poor rural areas don’t go to school because parents don’t see the need. There is of course no penalty, which means if the child does not go to school the parents aren’t prosecuted or fined as they are in the UK. Martin also gave me a proper lesson on the finer art of preparing mate’!

 

We got onto films and discussed our all time best films! We were nearly unianimous on “Oh brother where art thou” as one of the greats. But Trainspotting came close in the ratings as an all time great.

 

The next day I joined Hjamar and Anna on a tour of the vineyards. Hjamar and Anna had hired bikes, Hjamar managing to get one with a dodgy pedal which eventually became too loose to cycle. So we all walked with our bikes up 2000 metres to Yacochuya vineyard, only to find that they wouldn’t serve wine! Talk of depressing! We rolled down the hill and went back into Cafayate to have lunch before proceeding with our quest for an ideal Torrontes!

 

 As the internet hadn’t been working in the hostel, I decided that evening to go hunting, but to no avail! Getting access to the internet is becoming increasingly difficult the further north I go! Doesn’t bode well for Bolivia!!!

 

The next morning after cleaning and servicing the bike, I was off towards Salta, which I knew would take a couple of days. What I didn’t expect was to be slaughtered by the most impossible winds, resulting in me doing a meagre 100km to La Vina where I stayed the night.

 

However the trip through the Qeubrada was an experience to behold. Even the screaming winds couldn’t dampen my appreciation of some of the best mountain ranges I have ever seen. Hope you enjoy some of the pics, if I can get somewhere with an internet connection long enough to upload them!

 

After a night in La Vina, where I was very lucky to get a room and a shower for £3, I arrived in Salta last night and immediately headed for the Goblin, an Irish bar, (or rather the laundry first!!)... and then the  Goblin for something to eat and a beer. I was sitting talking to this guy called Bruno from Portugal, but lives between London and Argentina, working in Real Estate, when in walked Hjamar and Anna. They were off to Atacama the next morning, so we had a bite to eat and retired to our respective accommodations. I have treated myself to a hotel, again hoping for WiFI in the room (but not getting it!). BUT I HAVE A BATH!!!!!! So I suppose, once again, I should be thankful for small mercies!