Across the Andes in a bus

We´re getting comfortable with bus travel here ... but still couldn´t do it without Zac.

Caught a bus from San Pedro ... forgot to tell you the bus office was closed when we got back from out sunset desert tour ... but Zac managed to phone the office ... meet the lady AND get the last 6 seats on the bus to Salta leaving 10.30 next morning. So here we were waiting for a bus in the middle of a dusty paddock, that served as the bus stop (he didn´t tell us how long the trip would take ... just that we would be going over 5000m so pack warm clothes for the bus. Certainly was a mystery tour).

From Peru - 2009

Breakfast boxes are handed out - great because we´d had strange Chilean bread and bananas for breakfast ... don´t get too excited, it was juice and a couple of small biscuits. 200m down the road and we stop for the Chilean border control point. Paperwork handed out for the Argentinian border as well. We file out of the bus ... through the control point, passports stamped and back on the bus. Then we wait .... for about an hour ... someone´s documents weren´t right.

On for a couple of hours ... through amazing desert mountain scenery ... barren ... and going up ... up ... up... almost straight up the mountains. Then another stop ... for the Argentinian Border Control point. By now we were very high ... probably around 5000m ... and the wind chill factor was at freezing. And we felt it because the passport check point office was very small and they only allowed groups of 5 into the room at a time. VERY chilly. Then back to the bus ... pick up a lunch box ... biscuit, juice and fruit... and then another long wait. We were there just over 2 hours ... someone else hadn´t done their paperwork properly - more people on the bus than paperwork stamped!!!!

More spectacular scenery - small frozen patches on some peaks, frozen creeks and lakes on the high plains, some vicunas, alpacas --- but so little vegetation. Late afternoon, and we seemed to be going downhill forever and then we passed a sign .... 4100m. We were still way up in the Andes... and the mountains stretched forever before us. We were on TOP of the world.

From Peru - 2009

From Peru - 2009

Sadly were were losing light as we continued the descent down the other side - not that I like being on the window seat and looking down from such great heights - but it was truly spectacular (I was on the aisle seat). The mountains are massive, huge folds of land, deep gorges from thousands (probably millions) of years of erosion. We passed through deep canyons, down long, straight sections and eventually down zig-zag, multi-hairpin bends. Looking up, we had travelled down a long way ... looking forward, we were still above the further peaks.... and still the road wound down .... It was so breath-taking - just wish there were some pictures to so ... but the light was fading. And amazingly, as remote and barren as this area is, we passed the occassional dwelling ... or even a person walking along.

From Peru - 2009

Finally thought we saw the bright lights of a city way off in the distance. Still more than an hour away.... and down, down ,down. I wouldn´t like to be driving this road myself, and was thankful for the skill of our driver as we swerved onto the gravel at a much lower altitude.

Town was Jujuy .... not Salta which was still anout hour and a half away.... and more down. Arrived at Salta ... late, think it was around 10.30pm ... Zac picked out a hotel from the people touting. Good find ... close to the plaza, negotiated the price DOWN ... 100 pesos per room per night (think that´s around $30) including bus transfers (2 taxis and the hotel paid), and breakfast. Not bad.

Checked in and then off to find a restaurant open at 11pm ... for some Argentinian beef. It was good!!!!

From Peru - 2009

More later... have overstretched my free 15 minutes ... and I need to find a power adapter ´cos I didn´t bring the right ones ... the Australian ones for here! Buggar!!