Update in Buenos Aires
Trip Start
Dec 26, 2005
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231
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Trip End
Jan 25, 2009
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Friday, October 27, 2006
Something weird is going on and I keep bumping into people that I have met in the past couple of months... In two internet cafes, I have bumped into Adie and partner from the other groupīs Quito to La Paz tour (from England), the tourīs leader on a random street in this huge city (who I also adored as I did Julio), a couple I met in the Puerto Madryn hostel and Gab of course! I canīt believe what a huge coincidence it is to keep bumping into people Iīve met. Itīs great! I also received a random email from Hector whose RTW travelogue I also followed as I was planning my own trip... as it turns out, heīs living here right in Buenos Aires and just happened to have a look at my travelpod this week! Amazing stuff.
I have since checked out of the El Sol Hostel and moved to the joining hotel for the GAP tour to Rio... the Neval Hotel on Ave De Mayo. Smack right in the middle of the city! Great location. El Sol Hostel turned out to be quite horrible actually... I had an attack of bed bugs, the atmosphere was dead and the room was smack right in the middle of a very noisy street. All for US22 a night! Even though it was great to have my own space, it was a terrible place to stay.
I have my own room for the tour. Out of 7 people, and judging from the names, I will be the only male. To top it all off, the leader is female as well but the previous leader I had (canīt pronounce or write her name) informs me that she is also Ecuadorian. I donīt know about being surrounded by all females... a bit of male bonding wouldīve been good! Weīll see how it goes.
As a city, Buenos Aires has a lot to offer but I donīt think the fashion is as good as what it has been made out to be. I was a lot more impressed by the fashion in the likes of European cities... and even Asia had some good fashion. Long hair is also in for the guys (as it was in Europe)... the number 1, 2 and 3 shaves are out. But the food is incredibly cheap... the best steak can be brought for $1 in the supermarkets. Fellow Aussies reading this, I cannot believe how ripped off we are... how can Argentinians be charged $1 when we are charged upto 1000% more at around the $10 a piece? All other food from dairy to bread to fruit is also extremely cheap here. Taxis are also cheap... but not as cheap as those in Bangkok. Most rides cost around the $4 mark. Great value!
Iīm in Buenos Aires till Sunday. For those interested, I am doing the Buenos Aires to Rio tour with GAP Adventures. I couldīve done this part of the trip independently, but Iīve lost the appetite to attend to all the logistics... let someone else do it. The trip is only 17 days... and then I have just under a month in Rio.
