Thoughts of a Nomadic One

Written: Sept 16, 2007

I woke up at 2:43 AM to the sound of snoring and occasional shifting. I was on a semi-cama bus going the 14 hour trip from Mendoza to Buenos AIres. I´d left the day before on a Tur semi-cama bus from Santiago to Mendoza, a 7 hour trip including 2.5 hours at the border for customs. That trip was comfortable due to the ample legroom, semi pullout and the fact that the only spare seat in the bus was the one beside me. I was worried that I'd have to spend the night in Mendoza if I arrived too late and the ticket sales agent in Santiago was useless at explaining anything. I immediately went to the Tur bus counter after picking up my bags in Mendoza and got the bad news: No bus to Buenos Aires tonight, I then went to talk to CATA, none tonight as well but a 7 AM. I dejectedly paid $39 USD for it before looking at my map for a hostel since the station would close at 1 AM; disallowing me from camping at the estacion for the night. However, before I left the station, I passed a double decker "El Rapido" bus with the sign "B.Aires". It looked full but I had to ask. The driver saw me approach and a attendant came out.
Thankfull, I knew some basic spanish.

Me: Asto libre?
Him: Si, uno.
Me: A que hora sale el autobus?
Him: A hora!
Me: Cuanto cuesta?
Him: Cien pesos.
Me: Dolares Americano?
Him: Treinta y cinco.
Me: (pause for 3 seconds) Okay.

After taking my bags, he showed me to the only seat available in the whole bus beside a very annoyed looking woman in a white coat. THis bus was drastically different being a double decker, dirtier and a lot noisier with people drinking. I had barged in on a party uninvited and taken someone's joy away; it was a rough start. However, thankfullu I took SPAN 010 because things would change for the better. Although I was kicking myself for paying $39 extra for a common ticket, it was worth getting to Buenos Aires early. Also, as soon as I sat down, I heard "japonais" being whispered an that's when I replied, "No estoy Japonais. Yo estoy Canadiense!" The girl next to me then turned and said, "Ah you speak English?" Within minutes after some conversations about where I was from, I was offered a beer by the gyu in front of me, some pineapple juice by the girl in white coat, chips from the guy across the aisle and an invite to visit someone in northern highland Peru. The girl next to me was a tour guide in Peru and the only one who spoke good English. She explained to me that they were all Peruvians coming from all over Peru going to Buenos Aires as tourists. Now I am not sure what everybody thinks of Peru, but I thought that except for the select few rich people, Peruvians were generally poor and perhaps uncouth. However, sitting there in the early hours of the morning, I realized it was the other way around; it was in fact them who were rich in friends, family and company, food and generosity and I who was poor, with nothing to share except my gratitude and appreciation.

===

After arriving from Easter Island to Santiago, I bought a ticket to Mendoza fom the useless man behind the counter and then checked into a nice hotel/guesthouse where I got agood single for $14. I then walked about before having a $2 USD dinner with the locals; a bottle of coke and 2 completos (hot dogs smothered with avocado sauce and mayo). Eating them were quite tricky as I didn't want to make a mess or leave sauces all over my mouth after everybite, like a milk mustache or worse for those with their minds in the gutter. I observed the locals and settled on just shoveling it horizontally and biting. I then caught up on travel blogs at an internet cafe for $1.25/hr.

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After walking around for half the day, I went to catch my bus to Mendoza. While on the bus, I watched the baggage man, an old balding man wih a blue overcoat, carefully analyze and place passengers' luggages in the 2 small compartments. He was a specialist and did it for our bus as well as the other ones beside ours. I realized that he and I were in fact quite similar. While I use mathematics and engineering to analyze and design, he performs the same tasks with luggages and compartment spaces.
In a way, we both seek to find order in chaos.

===

After checking into the hostel and taking a shoer, i explored Buenos Aires. I visited the Palace of Congress, the Casa Rosa (Presidential Palace where Evita addressed the people) and then walked around Av. Florida to scout potential deals. While I saw some things I liked, the only thing I bought was $0.75 steak sandwich (chorripan) that was heavenly. I also treated myself to a great dinner at La Mejor Parillada de Argentina where I had a lomo de biftek, big bottle of beer and helados mixte (like gelato). It only cost me $15 and was quite a steal!

I will be heading to Lima where I will spend the night in the airport instead of venturing out at 11 PM into the kidnapping capital of the world and then fly to Cuzco at 5:40 AM.

Hopefully the connetion to La Paz won't be too bad and I will stay safe in Peru and Bolivia.

Less than 1 week!