Finally in Argie Baby Yeah
Trip Start
Aug 06, 2007
1
21
36
Trip End
Ongoing
Salta,
Argentina
Monday, September 10, 2007
We got up in the freezing Bolivian night (2.30am) and got the train to Villazon - arriving at 12noon. It was a very refreshing change from bumpy buses - we got full reclining seats - and blanket and pillow and the carriages were fully heated - so a pretty decent sleep. We were woken for a basic breakfast in the saloon and then had movies and nice scenery until we arrived at Villazon. Happy with that.
What was to come was a lot crapper.....after being grabbing a bus ticket to Salta (should have thought about this) on the bolivian side - whilst some small bolivian man grabbed our packs and stuck them on his wheely carrier thing - we were whisked down to the border to go through immigration......which was enough to drive you to tears.....it was seriously hot, we were very tired and hungry - and arrived there right on lunchtime....and who would have thought....they close for 2 hours over lunch - while hundreds of people que up in the heat. Good one. We had 2 hours to make it to our bus on the other side - and our wee bolivian dude had disappeared when he saw the situation.....shit.....how the hell were we going to explain this to the bus company on the other side in our very broken Span-glish? But after 2 hours - we got our stamps - our wee bolivan dude emerged from a shady tree (smart man) - and we were raced to the Argentinean bus - only in the nick of time! Stoked!
Starving and pretty tired...the 7 hour trip was made a little more exciting with an AMAZING lightening storm that lit up the night sky for hours - it was the craziest storm i have ever seen - quite spectacular.
So we are now in Salta - instantly appreciating the more developed South American city. Footpaths, traffic lights, flushing toilets and most importantly.....warmth! It is about 26 degrees here in the daytime - so a huge contrast to the freezing alitiude we have been in for 5 weeks! Yes....
After spending the last few days observing the streets of Salta - we have come to a few general observations:
1. In more developed countries - babies cry and have tantrums....we had not heard a baby cry properly in 5 weeks through Peru and Bolivia - they seem content with what they have and have no idea what they are missing out on - so are happy. Interesting. But in Salta - we have seen heaps of tantrums already..... it seems through being exposed to shops and TV etc - they now have wants rather than just needs. Interesting.
2. I had not seen any obese people until we arrived here - these people are a lot better fed!
3. There is no dog crap on the pavements - the stray dogs of the third world have all disappeared. We can walk a little safer now (thank god cos I have got out my jandles!).
4. Everyone is Salta is pregnant - I had heard other travellers say this....but it is truely ridiculous - there are hundreds of teenagers with kids - everywhere - and often heavily pregnant with the second or third....Paul has made some conclusions on this....but better keep the blog clean.
Anyway Amigo´s - happy and well in sunny Salta - off to Corrientes on the way to the mighty Igaucu Falls next.....looking forward to it!
Adios, xo
