From NYC to Mendoza, by way of Buenos Aires

From NYC to Mendoza, by way of Buenos Aires.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Chau, Buenos Aires

Just finished packing up my room on Vicente Lopez, bidding adieu to the last roommate standing, and about to shut down the computer to keep it safe in Daniel's room while I'm trekking around Patagonia, diving between glacier crevices and tracking down penguinos.

I officially leave tomorrow but the GAP group meets today at a hotel downtown and the last thing I want to bring is my laptop. I'll try to post some updates from internet cafes, but I imagine if/when I find such a thing, I'll be too tired to write much or too busy refueling up on calories. Come on, part of the great part of daily 8-hour hikes are the amount of calories you can consume during and after! Obviously that's why I'm going.

Speaking of 8 hour hikes, I have never done such a thing and bought my first official hiking/waterproof/trail shoes yesterday. North Face, I hope you do me right.

Yesterday I ran around looking at more apartments and hotels for my mom's trip (think I found THE ONE!), finally bought a new watch (a sweet old school Casio from the 80s, only $20), had one last private Spanish class, then met up with Gonzalo for a quick gelato. He gave me 5 or 6 CDs of the top Argentine rock bands that I need to listen to and know. Loaded them up on my iPod this morning for my trip and plan to practice my Spanish via musica.

Had really great dinner last night with Karen, the Californian I met in Mendoza. We went to a fancy pants Peruvian restaurant and splurged since it was her last night here, after 2 months. The ceviche was great, the tacu-tacu just okay. But the conversation was the best part, and something I've missed having, since Jo left and Amy has been traveling in Patagonia and then Mendoza (we just kept missing each other). A real conversation (face to face, not Skype!), in your native language, with someone your age-ish, and no cultural barriers... you take these things for granted. So it turned into a 3 1/2 hour dinner and we closed the place down. Definitely someone I hope to keep in touch with, especially when/if I return to NYC...

Ok, gotta wrap this up. Over and out.

Suerte!

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