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 Argentina is a land of contrasts stretching 4000km from the hot dry deserts in the north to the glaciers and icefields of the south. Iruya, a small hamlet near the Bolivian border in the little travelled north-west corner of Argentina (10/2004). |
 From Salta, a bunch of us rented this golf-cart like car and went off on a 1000 km road trip. Argentina's remote northwest is a land of big blue skies and magnificent views of the high Andes. Off-the-beaten track near San Antonio de los Cobres. |
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The car a real mess when we were through with it. Thankfully, Argentina is one of the cheapest, best-value for your money countries to travel in. For just $2.50, we had 3 dudes clean the car with a fine-tooth comb for an hour. Salta, Argentina (10/2004). |
 At 6962m, Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the world outside the Himalayan ranges of Asia. Morning stroll near Puente del Inca. Chilean border, Argentina (10/2004). |
 Magellanic Woodpecker in the lengua forests of Patagonia. El Chalten (11/2004). |
 Patagonia's incredibly strong and incessant winds swirls up crazy and weird cloud formations. The Monte Fitzroy region in Argentina's Patagonia has some of the best trekking in all of the Andes. El Chalten (11/2004). |
 Cerro Torre and the glaciers flowing from the Southern Patagonian Icefield. El Chalten, Patagonia (11/2004). |
 Patagonia is a harsh, cold, windy and rainy place. ie. really lousy weather. But, its unbeatable on a sunny day. A lone iceberg floats down Lago Argentino. El Calafate (11/2004). |
 The 80 km long Perito Moreno glacier is one of dozens of glaciers flowing from the Patagonian Icefield. Its 5km wide face calves thousands of icebergs into Lago Argentino. El Calafate, Patagonia (11/2004). |
 The front face of the Perito Moreno glacier is about 15 stories high. From this viewpoint 300 metres away, I sat there watching pieces of ice break off all day long without ever getting bored. El Calafate (11/2004). |
 The Spegnazzi Glacier has a 80 metre high front face. Boats are not permitted within 1/2 a kilometer of the glaciar face for very good reasons. Boat trip on Lago Argentino, El Calafate (11/2004). |
 Tierra del Fuego is one of the windiest places on earth (12/2004). |
 The southern ocean has some of the roughest seas on earth so there's lots of shipping casualties about. Tierra del Fuego (12/2004). |
 Tierra del Fuego is the cheapest place to eat King Crab. This $30 dish would be over $100 anywhere else. King Crabs live at the bottom of the Beagle Channel (up to 1000m deep). Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego (12/2004). |
 An Arctic Fox stares into my camera lense. High on the slopes of Mt Tronador near Bariloche, Argentina (1/2005). |
Think back about the biggest, most awesome waterfall you have ever seen. Multiply it by 10 and that would be a good description of the Iguazu Falls. The falls is also one of the few places where you can see a circular rainbow (1/2005). |
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Buenos Aires is a fabulous city. There is music and tango in the streets everywhere (1/2004). |
 If I had to pick my favourite country in South America, Argentina would be the easy choice. Argentina has magnificent natural sights, nice villages, towns and cities, is cheap, is hassle-free to travel, is safe and has the absolute most gorgeous girls of anywhere I have ever seen. Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina (1/2004). |
| Subject: Goodbye to the Andes | Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 |
| I heard the weather is quite bad back home
but things are quite different here in Argentina. There is this massive
strong high pressure system just sitting here and its been sunny and hot
for a week straight.
Today was a great day in the mountains. Hiked to this mountain refuge high above the valley bottom. Picture this, a mountain hut on a ridge-top with massive glaciers streaming down both sides above and below you. The peace, quiet, views, sunset and the stars at night were really something special. People just hike-up to this privately run hut and apparently there is always space for everyone. The upstairs area is a big open floor space with mattresses laid-out. It was like a big sleep-over/slumber party. I haven`t done one of those in years !! 30 plus people and only one bad snorer...incredible. This morning on the way down I was just sitting on a rock looking at these 300m high waterfalls streaming off the glaciers and this massive condor swoops over my head. Its totally jet black with a white head and white fluffy neck (like its wearing a scarf). I thought to myself.....only 50 more days left in my trip, I am going to miss this all. Today was my final day tramping about the Andes, a fantastic journey which started in May last year in Ecuador. 8 months in the same mountain range so it was a great goodbye to the Andes. Lee Chai in Bariloche, Argentina. |
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| Subject: Lee Chai is a student at a local uni !!! | Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 |
| Tourist travelling about are always getting
scammed. Even after picking up years of experience, I still get it once in
a while (but very much less others).
Very annoying and the only way to fight back is : 1) not get scammed, but as I mentioned, hard to do. 2) scam them back to try to "net" things out. So, here is my "pet scam" which I have been using to great effect throughout SAmerica. : Entrance Price for stuff like National Parks, museums, tourist sights etc....is usually broken down into Foreigners, Locals, Students (local universities, of course) and kids price being the lowest. Now, I am a good scammer but passing myself off as a kid is a real stretch.... but how about a student at a local institution ?? So, for the past 8 months now I have been an Exchange Student at the University of Buenos Aires/Lima/Santiago/whatever...studying Spanish of course !!! Can you believe that I have gotten away with it all but a few times ! Its been soooooo easy and I have been trying to figure out why. I think it`s because... 1) Nobody really has had the audacity to try it. Its quite original don`t you think and hence, believable. 2) Main reason I think is...an Asian guy who speaks Spanish...HUH....he MUST be an exchange student here because there could be no other reason. Anyhow, I am quite proud of myself especially today cos I saved $10 entrance into Peninsula Valdes National Park...my biggest single "local student price" saving of the dozen or so. And the best part is, even the local/nationals price is more. |
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| Subject: Iguazu Falls, a wet-shirt contest where its easy to kill yourself. | Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 |
| Think back to the biggest, most awesome
waterfall you have ever seen. Multiply it by 10 and that would be a good
way to describe the Iguazu Falls.
The Argentinian parks service has built boardwalks, stairs and viewing platforms closer to the thundering falls and chasms that you ever thought possible....thus, if you (females) showed up to visit wearing normal clothes (as opposed to swimwear), you will be an unwillling participant in a day-long wet t-shirt contest ! Every few years or so, someone jumps over the precariously placed viewpoints` low railings into a zillion tons of thundering water. Argentina doesn`t give a s***....go for it they say ! Unlike back-home whereby they would close off the whole place and build a 10 foot fence in order to protect us from ourselves....my social commentary of today. Its hot here, 33 C with 100% humidity. I dream to be back in Antarctica whereby the ice cold wind was freezing the snot in my nose. Hard to please aren`t I ? Can you believe that the first month of 2005 is almost over already ? Lee Chai in Argentina |
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| Subject: Lee Chai in Buenos Aires = the Tango. | Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 |
| Hello everyone,
For all of you who thought I was this un-cultured dude who just did sports, travel and nothing else....let`s just say that Spanish is not the only classes I have been taking during this trip. 5 days already in Buenos Aires, a really fantastic city which has really grown on me. Its such a vibrant, cultured, happening place. They are dancing in the streets here everyday, all over the place. Its like a warm-hearted easy-going Paris, but at 1/3 the cost. Love this place. Up on schedule is the supposedly the most incredible waterfall ever, Iguazu. Then on Feb 3rd, The Biggest Party In The Planet...CARNIVAL in Salvador de Bahia. I am sooooo excited. Beautiful warm beaches, 24 hour parties, thousands dancing in the streets, girls all over the place.....bring it on !!! OK, better shut up now, don`t want to totally piss everyone off. Lee Chai in Buenos Aires, Argentina. |
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