Puente del Inca

Trip Start Sep 22, 2010

Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of Argentina Puente del Inca, Mendoza, Argentina
Saturday, November 6, 2010

I went to Puente del Inca, a natural bridge built by Nature over the centuries by an accumulation of ice and dirt, unique in the world. But the main attraction of this place is definitely the national park Aconcagua. Since the staff was on strike, I entered for free and went to the first base, confluencia (3500m). The landscape are a bit desolated, no trees and very few vegetation, but the place is nice and the Aconcagua impressive. Once I passed the last view point, I didn't see anyone until the end and had the whole mountain for me.

On the way back, I suddenly heard a noise 50m on my left, like something walking in the grass. I took a look and saw nothing. 10 second later I heard the same noise on my right, turn my head and saw this enormous 3 meters wide column of brown dust rising up into the air at 30 m over the ground (at least) ! It was a small but scaring twister. The first I saw in my life, and it was going towards me. So I ran as fast as I could to the perpendicular direction and let it pass its way where it disappeared as quick as it was born.

I asked local people about it and they told me that was very common in the area and not that dangerous, apparently it couldn't even lift me, but on the moment I literally ran for my life ! a very strange sensation...I felt so small !

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