AdventureCPA

Closing up the Trip. It's now been about 2 months since returning from Asia to Colorado.  I realize I didn't really conclude the trip so I will try now. After 7 relaxing days in Hoi An, Vietnam we flew to Ho chi Min City (formerly Saigon).  Today it is a bustling city with worse traffic than I have previously described.  Full of micro Entrepremeurs, tour buses, backpackers, McDonalds etc.  Interesting visit to the former Presidential Palace and the War Rememberance museum. The War Rememberance Museum includes a captured US helicopter, small piper like US plane and a couple US tanks.  Although there is occasional talk of American Imperialists it is not dominated by that attitude.  More an attitude of "we won...lets not brag too much except to thank the present government."   Included was a section of the effect of the war on children, journalists who died during the war and non US press accounts of demonstrations against the "American" war.  ...

Internet Cafes which are basically a storefront with 2 to 40 computers connected to the internet that seems to be a dying industry with one exception.   Usually they charge a small amount to use an old PC with probably unlicensed Windows software based on time of usage.   Full size keyboard!!! But with Internet connected smart phones this use is pretty much limited to travelers like me without a local cell phone (Memo to self...buy used cheap GSM phone) and boys between the ages of 8 and 18. It is now 10AM local time on a Monday and in this Internet Cafe (No coffee is served) there are about 10 boys playing various interactive games.  I guess they are competing against each other as there is constant chatter about something. ( I suspect killing each other's dragon or some such thing.) Haven't seen Excel opened once. By the way, if you want to find one just look for a sidewalk filled with Motos.

I know I've commented on traffic in SE Asia before, but here is a little more explaination. Here are the rules of the road in Viet Nam as I understand them: 1) The dashed white line in the middle of the road is a waste of paint.  Nobody cares about it. 2) The bigger the vehicle, the more it has the right of way. 3) If on a bicycle or moto (motorscooter) you should ride to the right side of your lane except:            A.  You want to ride elsewhere            B.   You are about to make a left turn in which case you move to the opposite side of the street (that would be the left oncoming lane and ride along the curb facing traffic until your turn.            C.  On making the left turn stay in the left lane facing oncoming traffic until you want to return to the right lane.           D.  If you want to make a right turn ignore the traffic l...

Arrived in Somewhere, about 4:30AM but found hostel about 100 meters from where the bus stopped.  For $3 extra got a room immediately and for the night.   Took boat trip thru a big cave (very nicely lit).  Elected to take taxi next morning to Dong Hoi to get Viet Rail to DaNang.  Crossed DMZ (very hilly, scenic along Sea with views much like Big Sur in California.  Train airconditioned, Rail TV.   Nice seats.   It takes 24 hours from Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon) to Hanoi (Han oi here).  Called the Reunification express.   I suspect US bombed a number of the river crossing during the war....and maybe some were bombed South of border by VC.  Lots of river crossings.  In this part of Asia very green even though still not the Rainy season. From DaNang which is now a city of 1,000,000 with a Pizza Hut and KFC went to Hoi An which seems to be a middle class suburb.  Nice "Homestay" which is really small hotel attached to a household. ...

Day bus to Cat Ba.  Well, not quite.  Night Bus to Ha Long then small bus to a different bus station...then different bus to ferry port...then small ferry (but big enough for a couple motorcycles) thru harbor to Cat Ba island...;then bus to Cat Ba town. Cat Ba is a tourist island with National Park.  First day we met another couple and jointly chartered a boat to visit the Karst which are in a nearby bay.  Here's a pic. Stayed in hotel right on main street for about $12.  Nice place. Later visited hospital used during American war built in a cave.   And another cave.  And climbed to high point in the park to see other high points in the park. Also rented a motorbike and explored island including new road under construction.  It appears they are building a bridge to the island.  If so it should explode as a vacation destination site.  Even now lots of building going on. Trip off island was bus.ferry.bus.outgoing bus to ...

Diem Bien Pho is industrial city in North Viet Nam.  Spent only one night here but two days...arriving in afternoon and departing the next day at 5PM on another Night bus to SaPa. Diem Bien Pho had the city center very close to our hotel.  Again, appeared to be brand new but almost empty.  Market with everything from live eels to chickens.  For dinner we simply pointed to a dish a local girl was eating, cold noodles in a salad dressing environment.  Very good but we were then told it is not on menu so can't order it again. The Bus to SaPa was a little different.  Although a sleeper bus  instead of a narrow, short bed for two with a center isle it had two isles and single semi flat seats that were three across.  Not real comfortable.  But the bus got in to SaPa at 2:30 AM.  Taxi to hotel worked out ok but hotel doesn't have 24 hour desk so we walked around town.....sat on steps of hotel until a neighboring one opened at 6AM.   Ev...

Next Day bus in a sleeper took across the border to Northern Viet Nam.  We already had our Viet Nam Visa (not available at the border) so an easy border crossing. Immediate reaction is that as we go North toward China hills turn to mountains.  Several 10 km or more passes to cross.  Viet Nam is busy building infrastructure (roads, buildings etc) much like Laos. Also, people seem a little more friendly.  Fewer Westerners here...let along Americans.  We tend to say we are from Canada when asked.  Many noodle shops, markets that could be in Lima, Peru. Young population who are forward looking.   I am making this post at the public library using computers domated by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.  Less English spoken here but all seem to know "Hello." and smile. Noodle breakfast dish equivalent of $1 US per person.  Pith helmet hat for a little less than $3 US.  22000 of Viet Currency equals $1 so ATM offers 2,000,000 withd...

Or in English, Hway-Sai.   A small town farther North in Laos, still along the Mekong River.  We took the overnight sleeper bus but many travelers take the two day slow boat up the Mekiong with an overnight in a village only accessed via the river. Our first night was in a new hotel, apparently Chinese built and we were about the only customers.  Room with no air, television barely worked with one fan.  But it was $11.00.  I have read Chinese are trying to get their money out of country so are building lots of commercial units nearby.  My bet is this is an example of it.  Nevermind if it is a positive cash flow today....its about preserving wealth with a non-predictable government.   Just my guess.  At any rate we see lots of construction with little demand for more hotel rooms. While in this town Denyse did the "GibbonExperience" which is a "Theme Park" in the forest.  French run under license includes sleeping in tree houses and lo...

Over the years I've seen a lot of waterfalls.   Oregon, Wisconsin, Niagara, Argentina, Chile etc.  But yesterday we saw one of the best. Fifty minutes out of Laung Pabang, Laos is the  Kouangxi Water Fall. It is a 60 or so meter drop with multiple pools.  We climbed to the top and down.  Swimming ok in some areas but didn't do that.  Reports it is cold as Spring for flow is very near top of falls. Next time you are in the neighborhood go see it.  (But don't take taxi, ride your bike as it is only 22 km from town.)

From the Plain of Jars we took a 7 hour Minivan ride to Laung Pabang in northern Laos.  Up and down, around the hill country. Remembering that Laos was once a French colony, this city by the Mekong has a history as a desirable French Colonial outpost.  Guest houses, french pastries and good restaurants has made it an important tourist location as a UNESCO heritage site.  For 5 days we have rested, wi-fi'ed (everywhere) caught a waterfall and relaxed. Here are a few facts about Laung Pabang: At the national museum you can see the Lincoln Continentals the US gave to the king in the 50s and 60s. Every year they build a bamboo bridge across a small river and every year during the rainy season it is washed out. Main street is taken over by vendors at 5PM every evening. Best meal so far is 10000 kips buffet plate (Small plate but all you can pile on)and 2000 kips for small bottled water. 12000 kips is $US1.50.  Rice and about 10 different vegetables. Hotel wi...

From a historical viewpoint, ancient history and recent history crashes headon. Seems that in days of old locals in this remote Laos area had time to carve large conglomerate stones into..well...jars which probably were used for funeral vessals, remains after cremation or other religious  purposes.  Interesting in the way Stonehedge is interesting.  There are several hilltop locations of these in the area.  They all look much the same.  We visited three of the locations. But the other history is more interesting to me. Seems that during the Viet Nam war (or American War or now politically correct term 2nd Southeast Asian War) North Vietnamese solders went thru the porous border from North VN to South VN via Cambodia and Laos.  Since Cambodia was an ally of the US we left it alone until near the end of the war then Nixon released US forces to enter Cambodia. However, Laos was declared neutral during this time (By Geneva Accord signed by US) but bot...

In case you were wondering, Vientiene is the capital of Laos.  It is a big city, hot and busy.  Much less English spoken here, including within the tourist industry.   But very much French influenced with good bread, pastries etc. I put the Lao economy about 10 years ahead of Cambodia due to the 10 years of the Kumar Rouge atrocities in Cambodia during the 80s. Lots of building going on here, both governmental and private/commercial. For the last few days our hotels ($15 to $25) a night have had cable TV with CNN, CNBC, BBC World, and usually several Asian news channels such as China, Japan, Australia and Singapore.  The Brussel airport attack is now on most of the time and from this distance it seems a different world.  Somehow this allows for a more skeptical view of the commentary than usual.  (Maybe because I don't have these outlets at home has some influence too.) I believe I have finished my CFP training course....just waiting for the final g...

Along the backpacker trail is a group of islands (4000 or so) within the Mekong river, just above some non-navigable waterfalls of the Mekong.  So no commercial shipping in the area, only fisherman and tourist transport to the islands.   Just above the Lao-Cambodia border seems to be a peaceful hippy type of vacation place.  One dirt path along the river edge take in pedestrian, bicycle, motorbike and occassional small truck traffic.  No ATM's seem to be on the island. (Business opportunity?) Slow pace, relaxing location.  Popular activities by most of the young backpackers seem to be river trips by renting truck inter tubes, party overnight on an uninhabited nearby island or renting scooter/bike to explore previously mentioned waterfalls.  Swimming on beach also recommended. Now that really big whole body tatoos seem common place.....going to beach to admire the youngsters is a little disappointing.  The artwork just isn't that good. Two da...

From Siem Reap, Cambodia we took a 14 hour daytime bus ride to the Laos border and the town of Paske. Imediately after crossing border Laos (or Lao and locals seem to refer to it) seems slightly more prosperous and prices are higher. Perhaps higher due to stronger currency. Laos is a closer ally to China with considerable joint border and it shows in more Chinese influence.  More Viet Nam banks, more Chinese goods and numerous red flags with a yellow hammer and sickle hung on businesses and homes.  Still less police presence observable by us (compared to USA) but some must be present.  Lots of army uniforms walking around with no noticeable job to do. After the night in Paske, them a small town 30 km away where Denyse visited an unrestored temple/shrine next day was short bus trip to the area known as 4000 island.

With one open day here in Siam Reap, Cambodia I did something different.   But first I shopped for really small padlocks to secure the openings on my small backpack that contains the really important stuff.   Few nights ago after all night bus trip I left keys on the bus for the padlocks I had so I had a neighborhood lock kid open them (by distroying them) in about 2 minutes.  So I needed new ones.   The old ones cost $1 each in Chile. Here in Cambodia I kept running into stores that had nice shiny ones packaged in that clear stuff that is harder than steel.....at $4 each.  But today hardware booth # 6 had them just hanging on a pegboard for the $1 each I was willing to pay. Second different was to go to a Cambodian cooking class at the "Peace Cafe."  Three dishes in 1.5 hours.  All seemed to use same ingredients but each one tasted different.  Of course after class you get to eat the three entres.  Excellent spring rolls, chutney over ...

After Inle lake decided we had seem enough of Myanmar (Burma) so overnight bus (another restaurant stop 1.5 hours into the ride) back to Yangon, taxi in AM to Yangon airport and Flight to Bangkok.  Figured out that we could fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia and grabbed a seat for another flight arriving in Cambodia about 9PM.  Asia now covered by budget airlines so this last minute flying is possible. Siem Reap is town nearest Angor Wat and its Cambodian tribute to the Kumer culture from about 0 to 1500 according to our calendar.  Impressive but not much talk about the culture during the last 50 years.  I've been told they dislike the French colinizers much more than the US bombing.  We do see a few poor fellows with amputations...maybe land mines or traffic. Speaking of traffic in Myanmar and Cambodia I am amazed in watching it the same way I find it amazing that in a flock of birds you seldom see collisions between individuals.    Even the hotel staff s...

From Bagon another overnight bus, this time arriving at 4:30AM at the town near Inle Lake.  Inle Lake is 2nd biggest lake in Myanmar and a major tourist attraction in its own right. Apparently this rowing with your foot ia a big deal here....seems like a new oarlock design would work better.  Lake is very shallow  is transportation is by longboat with propeller half in and half out of water.  We did a full day tour which allowed for lunch at a restaurant on stilts and numerous changes to buy tourist junk.

Bagon, Myanmar is a poor cousin to Ankor Wat in Cambodia.  Large area in which it seems for centuries susceeding kings each tried (and succeeded) to build a bigger and better temple, wat and or pagoda.  Impressive brick structures some of which have been restored....some restored well and some not so well.   But a great place to watch families out for an outing in the country.   Staying at an old style motel/guesthouse.  Something you might find along US 36 in the middle of Kansas in 1952. We used the VIP overnight bus to travel Yangon to Bagon.  Cold Air conditioning, small snack and blankets and those U shaped pillows  for sleeping.  Interesting, there seems so be a huge bus stop for dinner about 1.5 hours out of town that every bus stops at.  Restaurant serving hundreds of people within the 30 minute alowed time limit.

OK, so it was really not on the road and really not to Burma but the country now known as Myanmar.  So we went from one gleaming new airport in Chiang Mai to a gleaming airport in Bangkok to a new gleaming airport in Yandon (Formerly Rangoon.)  Pleasant flights aboard Boeing and Airbus planes. Arriving in Myanmar's Yangon found a busy city of millions of people but compared to Thailand has a much more "Little India" flavor.  Perhaps because it shares a border with India and Bangladesh.   More cars, fewer motorcycles but still bicycle peddled richshaws for short trips.  The sidecar is one passenger wide so if two passengers they sit back to back. Another young country working hard to attract tourism but if you think the USA has a great disparity of wealth you should come here.  Many of the country is poor as in bamboo roofs squatting on railroad land but courtesty seems to be plentiful.  I took the local circle railroad line which makes a cir...

Here in Thailand (and also in South America) dogs are often in the street which makes it difficult to determine which ones belong to a newby house or just live on the street nearest the most recent handout.  Either way, seems like a limp, open sore or torn ear are pretty normal.  They tend to answer to "Lucky." However, outdoor cats seem rare. (Perhaps due to the number of outdoor dogs.)  But now in two different Thai cities we have observed Cat Cafes.  Seems you go in and order tea or coffee, then relax while watching between 5 and 10 cats play, sleep or cuddle up in your lap.  Not my idea of a good time but they both seemed busy enough to stay in business and that is the test...right?

Another bus ride farther North puts us within range of the Golden Triangle...also once know as the Opiun Triangle with Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.  Again slightly small town but still about 200,000 residents.  Many temples and Wats.  The Wat I visited after the 999th one was the KiloWat.  Ha. At the Night Market that springs up every evening where the bus station is during the day we ran into three travelers that Denyse met during her Hiking Trek a few days earlier.  We then traveled around with them the most of the next day until they took off for other towns/countries. Applied for Visa for Myanmar on line, will see if it works.  Earlier got Visa for Viet Nam in which we had to hand over passport for three days while they processed it. So far SE Asia had definately lacked the geologic grandeur of South America but the change in culture from the US is still evident. Next back toward Bangkok and fly to Myanmar if we get the Visa.

Arriving in Chiang Mai, Thailand's second largest city we managed to get to a slightly smaller city and cooler temperatures.  Les public transportation but hotel costs went from $50 a night to $13 a night for the same level of comfort. Demyse used the next few days to do a two day trek and overnight with a "hill village" which included bamboo rafting, hiking and waterfall.  Then a half day Thai cooking lesson. During this time I worked on the CFP assignment, submitted it waiting for the next activity.  Almost done with this part! I spend quite a bit of time just looking at and marveling at the number of low power motorcycles and scooters in use.  Everyone over 12 years old must have one or two. Most are not available in the US but make for economical transportation for short trips. Most hotels have TV with several Thai channels including news, selling pretty much anything, old movies from all over plus channels from India, China, Al Jezzera, Korea, England and a ...

As mentioned in prevous post, Bangkok is a busy, bustling city. Also dirty, hot this time of year and filled with a global assortment of tourist. Lots of conspecuous(?) consumption with Mercedes, BMWs and the occasional Lamborgini.  Construction cranes just about everywhere and new infrastructure.  The high end Malls rival anthing in New York or Chicago's Magnificent Mile.  The Skytrain is a completely new above ground public transportation that makes the Chicago CTA look like a Model T. We slept for 16 hours two days in a row to recooperate from the 40 plus hours of air travel, then ventured out to take the tourist water taxi along the river (dirty) to see a museum, some shrines etc. To escape Bangkok and move on up north to Chiang Mai we when to the bus station...sat on the floor with everyone else  and the bus actually left only 20 minutes late.  Next Morning in Chiang Mai.

Notes on 42 Hours of Flying... All flights went pretty much as planned...two on United and one on Thai Air. All were on newer Boeing or Airbus planes which are really pretty similar.  Great in flight entertainment for binge watching.  Think I saw three James Bond movies.  Food was pretty standard (meal and snack for 10 hour flight) but seating gives a new meaning to crowded.  New planes seem to have the concept that higher class passengers get more room and economy get less.  Although no the Houston to England leg flight was pretty empty and I got to sleep lying down over three empty seats in a row. Early arrival in Bangkok Sunday Morning, two train rides and a walk to our hotel which seems to be in the commercial mall district.  Area could easily be called "The Mall of SE Asia" for all the luxury stores. Bangkok is hot , humid this time of year but people are very courteous, police and guards standing around everywhere.  No real hassles but st...

Long before our Dragoman trip we discovered that Chile has a discount airline so we decided that instead of 12 hours in a bus we would do 1.5 hours in an Airbus plane from Puerto Montt to Santiago. So Monday AM we took the $3 bus to the airport and all went well.  Flight went well.  Arrived at Santiago and planned to take bus to our hostel but a smooth talking, lying  tout convinced me to say ok to a 20,000 per person peso ride ($70 total]) instead of the 1,500 per person peso ride into town.  Kinda spoiled the whole day.   We should all feel sorry for the next 10 touts that try to approach me. In Santiago made use of the free walking tour (donation expected) to the city center and picked up box at grocery store to send cold weather stuff to home in Colorado. Thurday 11PM we start 42 hour journey  to Houston, London and Bangkok.  50,000 miles on United and $102.10 each will take you a long way if you can use their scheduling.  Will be in Hou...

First a note about the ferry ride.   Our three day, four night ferry experience was a welcome break from the get up and travel every day we had done earlier.  Three meals a day but this was not a normal cruise.   No casino, no free wine or soft drinks, just beautiful scenery and a one hour nature talk about the area every other day.  And every once in a while we would go to the back of the ship and check on the cows loaded in trailers.  They got to stand rib eye to steak for the four day ride. With 12 hours in open ocean Denyse spent a few hour seasick but recovered quickly.  We traveled past islands, thru islands within about 20 meters of "the hard" on either side.   Didn{t see another glacier but watched the milky water from one draw a line across the ocean water as they slowly merge.  The ferry stopped at the town of Eden, Chile for the weekly supply run.  No dock so the townspeople come out in their small boats to take on supplies and I...

Here are a couple observations on Patagonia I missed earlier. 1)  Due to the long distances in Patagonia and few people, an electric grid like most of the world is use to does not exist.  Several of the small towns including Chaltan have a town generator which nosily runs on diesel or propane.  Not unusual to turn it off at night so I guess entire town goes to bed at 11PM.    However, without the electric grid cell phone service must still work of some cell towers in the middle of nowhere have wind generators and backup diesel or propane generators to keep them going on their own. 2)  Area is still having disputes between families who have lived on the land for generations and those educated enough to use the eventual land registration system of titles make claim on the land.  Especially if it has mineral or timber assets. 3)  Bicycle Touring and Motorcycle touring in Patagonia is in full swing.  Numerous loaded bikes (Mostly Mountain w...

AFter Ushuaia and the end of the world we did a 14 hour bus ride back up to Puerto Natales where we will catch the Ferry to Porto Montt.  It is delayed a day due to prior bad weather but weather seems pretty good now.  While trying up upload pictures to here facebook page Denyse deleted all her photos of past two weeks... That is why few photos in this section.  Hopefully more to come soon. wbsite for ferry company is  http://www.navimag.com/

January 28 we arrive at Ushuaia, Argentina which bills itself as the Southern Most town in the World on a continent.  End of the World thing.  That of course if you exclude Porto Williams across the Beagle Channel because it is mostly millitary, Antartica doesn't count. etc.   But it is the beginning point for most of the cruises to Antartica. Dragoman cruise ended there and we did a few hour tourist boat trip to see sea lions, rocks with birds on them and a colony of penguins.  Penguins were cute. I haven't really mentioned our fellow tour mates.  I addition to Denyse and me there was another couple 'of age' who were from Australia.  They were a delight a meet and chat with.  Also several late 20..early 30 couples many of which quit jobs to travel the world and this was just one part of it.  And a few singles mostly in the 30 year age group.   All in all a nice group of people to travel with although i suspect they didn{t know what to...

January 17, 18 and 19 in El Chalten then a drive to the other end of the new National Park and El Calafate.  This included a daya trip to the Perito Moreno Glaciar which is one of the few advancing glaciars in the world.  I did a boat trip to the face of the glaciar and we both walked the lookout overlooking it.  Only about 5 KM across the face of the glaciar and hundreds of meters high. Next up was a drive to Torres Del Paine National Park and back into Chile.  This park rivals Yellowstone in size.  During our first day hike got caught in a sudden gale with driving rain, those gale force winds and small hail.  Rain the next day but then cleared up for a later hike to watch Condors fly high above and finally to the base of the Tirres del Paine Spires. January 27 we headed south and crossed the Strait of Magellan via Ferry and another camp at a gas station.  Piebold Dolphins swim with the ferry across this narrowest part of the Strait.

January 15 and we drive all day on thye Carretera Austral.  Seems Chile promotes this route for North South tourist traffic in competition with Argentina's Route 40.  Up one down the other seems like a good idea to me.  Except in Chile the Carretera Astral ends at Puerto Montt which is the north end of our upcoming ferry ride.  Here is a map of Route 40.  Notice Chile is noticibly absent to the West. Beautiful area with mountains, streams, lakes etc. Then back to Argentina to drive the Argentinian Patagonia and camp beside a gas station.  This is one empty place which I can only liken to what the Western US must have been when my father drove it in a model T sometime in the 1920's.  Empty and few services.  Roads may be two lane concrete or 1.5 lane gravel.  Or 1.0 lane Mud puddles. This brought us to El Chalten which is a 15 year old town built to take advantage of the Glaciar National Park and Mount Fitzroy. A new tourist town sit...

Well, we`have been off line lately, busy and limited Internet Cafes to use to make the post.  But now the Dragoman trip is over and we have a little more schedule control.  So, here is more narrative. After Pucon we moved onto Bariloche, Argentina.  Bariloche is a vacation destination with a large lake, good restaurants and overlook hill with a view to rival the best of several continents!  We walked up and down (could have paid to take the ski lift type transport) and found a 360 degree view of all the above.   Also Chocolate and really big slabs of beef.  I ordered the standard size and ate off it for three days. Bought a new camera for Denyse to replace the one stolen in Peru as scenery just too good to totally miss. Heading South from Bariloche (which is on Route 40) we then headed back into Chile and camped along what many consider the best kayaking river in Chile.  Out of the city.  Try feeding 22 campers from a 1950s era limited groce...

Thursday Friday and Saturday, Jan 7, 8 and 9 We met our tour group Thursday Night.  Twenty Three plus a staff of two.  Mostly 25 to 35 year olds but also one retired couple our age who are from Australia. Saturday we did a 12 hour ride in the truck/bus below.  Couple stops and arrived at Pucon, Chile. Here is the vehicle. Saturday we did a hike in a national park up to a nice lake.    The town is busy. I have likened it to Minacqua in Chile.  Vacation town by a lake that fills up on summer weekends.  This summer weekend it featured a one half Ironman competition.   Ive never seen so many expensive bicycles at one place....must have been more than 500. Also plenty of bars, restaurants and chocolate shops. Monday we return to Argentina and the city of Bariloche.

Reflections It has now been about a week since I was assaulted and robbed of camera and wallet.  Ive emotionally recovered from this but it got me thinking... For about a month I was worried about having my wallet stolen.  Now I don{t have to worry about it anymore.     Maybe I will quit carrying around most of that stuff from now on...no more worry. Car alarms all around the world sound the same.   And all around the world everyone ignores them. Is there a solution to this?

Mendoza, Argentina to Santiago, Chile Something we have done before! Took the day bus from Mendoza to Santiago which is about a 5 hour bus ride but interrupted by a one to two hour border crossing with all the line up of getting passport stamped out of Argentina, stamped into Chile, luggage out of bus for scanner inspection and back in bus for rest of way to Santiago. After the border crossing the trip is worthwhile to ride the 20 plus switchbacks that descend down into Chile.   Here is a Google map image.  Each one is seriously down.  https://www.google.cl/maps/@-32.829036,-70.0799275,16z?hl=en Sorry, it was raining so no pictures.  This is one of the great drives/roads in the world. In Santiago we taxied to hostel where we will meet up with our Dragoman tour in a couple days. Here is a link to it...http://www.dragoman.com.  Look for Santiago to Ushuria trip. While a big city Santiago can have the feel of a Chicago or Denver.  Lots of on t...

Out of Tucuman, on to Mendoza After the aforementioned assault, a lengthy and unproductive police report with a young police woman who I could not communicate with I returned to the hotel to find Denyse and learn that the $600 camera went away too. We waited around for awhile then went for a walk  which ended in a good Midwestern (USA) type thunderstorm just as we had to return to the hotel to get our remaining stuff and head for the bus terminal. Plenty of taxis in Tucuman but all busy during a thunderstorm so we made an unexpected loaded walk of about 1 kilometer across ankle deep streets to the bus terminal where electricity was out.  Did I mention this day was an adventure? Finally made it on the bus for a 12 hour ride (roads flooded) so took an additional 2 hours to make it to Mendoza, Argentina and our 5 night hostel. Mendoza is a city centered on the wine industry due to its  dry climate but plenty of water from the Andies just west of town.  Nice ou...