9am in Argentina, flight landed after taking a delay due to a slow cleaning crew in Atlanta. It’s 3am at home and I’m on my way to the domestic airport. While I write this I’m in the back of a Grey Line car and can appreciate the city a little more. Flying into the international terminal (EZE) you see hundreds and hundreds of acres of spread out farm land. It reminds me a lot of Montana. While lush in product there are huge trees framing each person’s lot. Downtown is a whole different story. If you’ve ever been to Acapulco you’ll instantly feel like you’ve been here. What struck me as odd was going past a 20 story concrete high rise. On the outside it’s really bad. Yes, the roof’s are not finished here either. Rebar extends out of the tops of each building so they won’t have to pay taxes on their dwelling. What made this building stand out was even though the outside was really really run down, cracks through walls, white calk sealing the entries to each point, the front doors were beautiful and new and freshly painted. I’d imagine the insides are also really well done. So far, I’ve never really seen that kind of contrast.
The drive is fun. My driver speaks very little English and I speak an ok amount of Spanish. Now, there is Spanish and there is Argentinean Spanish. I’d best describe Argentinean Spanish like I’d explain New Jersey English to someone. It’s fast, it’s slurred, and you really have to lax your ear to really understand what they’re asking or talking about. Thank goodness I still remember those three semesters of Spanish from high schools and catch a few works here and there to communicate to people at the airport and my driver. Traffic is a bitch here. Toll roads kill any kind of flow. They range in size from 16 lanes to 3 within a few kilometers. Never try to drive this town. For anyone reading this from a web search, the Gray Line driver, in a standard four door car is costing me roughly $45. I’ll give the guy an additional 20pounds (right now that’s approximately $5US. The average person makes $500US a month to give you an idea). OH! Big hint I learned before leaving Atlanta, if you get Argentinean Pesos, sell them before you return home! The country is almost ready to go totally bankrupt and no one in the States will buy your currency. Just a little reminder.
Aerolineas is a crappy airline, in my opinion. Flying Aerolineas (and from what I hear flying in general in S. America) is unlike the States or Europe. It mirrors their way of life here. Service is poor compared to Western standards but is just reflective of the culture here - expect the difference and go with it. The planes are in varying degrees of service conditions. Seat covers are a bit torn. When we were flying and landing a cover fell off the right engine. I had to laugh so as not to cry. However, when we landed in Ushuaia there was a beautiful 747. We're so spoiled in the States.
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| From Pre-Antarctica |
I’ve learned a big lesson today. When you attempt to go standby for an earlier flight, those that run the baggage department just don’t know if you won the lotto and got on an earlier flight. They just figure at some point your bag will get to where you are – and that’s true – as long as you’re expecting a day or two to catch up with you. And that’s exactly what happened to me. I’m going to bed now hoping and praying my two bags both happen to find the first plane out to Ushuaia so I can have gear in Antarctica.
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| From Pre-Antarctica |
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| From Pre-Antarctica |
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