Up and Over

After returning to the mainland we didn´t linger long in Santiago, instead opting to extend our stay in Argentina. The two countries are divided by one of the worlds great mountain ranges. The Andes run the length of South America and form a perfect border between the thin coastal country of Chile and the expansive pampa of Argentina. A long way back in the trip we had a similar mountain crossing over the Atlas mountains. Luckily this one was vomit free and spent in superb luxury. The developed countries of South America are blessed with wonderful buses and transport networks. Most buses that travel any sort of distance are of the airplane business class quality. The seats are very soft and recline a ridiculous amount and usually a little man serves you drinks and food. What more could you want. With this knowledge in hand we boarded the bus in Santiago for the trip up and over to Mendoza and the Argentinian wine district. Very quickly after leaving Santiago we began to climb and at one point it became dizzying with endless switchback roads rising into the sky. Even at this late stage in the southern summer the peaks of the mountains were covered in snow and swirling clouds. The views the entire way were stunning and foreshadow much of the scenery we would see for the weeks to come. Unfortunately for Leighanne she has developed a slight case of motion sickness and the windy roads up the mountain were not for the faint of heart, or stomach. Tablets we had bought in Thailand for some of the longer boat trips came in handy and she was out cold most of the way.

After a lengthy stay at the Chile/Argentina border we headed down toward Mendoza, a very picturesque town, which is bang in the middle of Argentinas wine district. Mendoza is full of wide avenues and outdoor restuarants and we definitely indulged in the famous steaks and vino. After Mendoza it was time to head back towards the mountains and the Lake District of Argentina.