The Quebrada De Las Conchas (gorge of shells) is so named because of the abundance of shell fossils in the amazing rock formations. It is also the main attraction with the tour agencies in Cafayate, who aggressively compete with each other for a share of the backpacker pie.
Vicki and I get hassled a lot, due [...]
Entries from May 2008
May 31, 2008
Quebrada De Las Conchas
May 30, 2008
A Nephew At Last
Welcome to the newest Mustard; Ryan Keagan who was born on 3 April, to Clinton and Leigh. This is the first nephew, so I can now look forward to shopping for some boy`s toys and not just dolls anymore.
Congratulations guys, I hope you are both getting enough sleep.
Note the powerful right foot kick in the second [...]
May 28, 2008
Blood From a Condor
Almost from the beginning we manage to take the wrong path, and soon end up outside a farmers hut. There is a shout from up in the mountains and we all look up to see Franco – gesticulating at us. We follow his waved he is soon in front of us. Franco only speaks spanish, [...]
May 28, 2008
Blowing Cards in Cafayate
At first I think that the 4×4 by the side of the road has broken down, due to the frantic waving of the (obviously) backpackers; but when the bus finally stops and they all file on, I realise it is just another informal bus stop. At the back of the queue are Helen and Adam. [...]
May 28, 2008
Confluencia
Against our better judgement, we spend two nights in the ´Party Hostel´, being woken ín the early hours by groups of ´party animals´ ´settling in´. Eventually we crack and move to more serene lodgings at the strangely named Confluencia.
Strange Coincidence #67: While paging through the guest book we come across some comments left by a [...]
May 28, 2008
Gauchito Gil
Argentinian roads are littered with informal roadside shrines, with various objects left around them as offerings (usually plastic bottles filled with water). Drivers often stop to pay their respects before continuing their journey and we have heard a few stories about these shrines. My favourite is Gauchito Gil, which I heard about while in Mendoza. [...]
May 28, 2008
Wine Biking
This being Mendoza, we would be foolish not to sample the wines, and being on a budget, we are soon cycling our way amongst the vineyards of nearby Maipu. The reality, of course, is different: we are soon cycling on uncomfortable bikes, along a dusty and very busy main road. Still, after a relaxing couple [...]
May 28, 2008
High Pass to Mendoza
We leave Pucon at 9:30 in the evening of the first of May (a public holiday around the world known as James´s Birthday). We have two seats on the lower Cama deck of the bus. We start our journey by being forced to watch, possibly the worst movie I´ve seen – 52 First Dates.
By the [...]
May 22, 2008
The Monk, The Mushroom and The Tower
The two national parks, near San Augustin Valle Fertil, are known for their amazing rock formations, and Vicki and I arrange a tour. Ischigualasto, or Valley of the Moon, has a barren landscape that seemingly resembles that moon,
while nearby Talampayen has amazing canyons, rock paintings and strange rock formations that all have names like: The Monk [...]
May 22, 2008
Aconcagua
Aconcagua, at 6962 metres, is the highest mountain outside Asia, and is also one of the highest mountains that can be climbed without much technical experience or ability. All you need is to be physically fit and have a few weeks spare in order to acclimatise to the high altitude. Oh, and also luck and patience [...]
