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Freitag, 11. August 2017

Argentina


17.09. Total: 2043 km.
Susques- Jama: 124 km

Today I got up at 6:45. It was only -3 degrees. I must set off early because after midday the wind blows much more strongly so the till noon I can cycle a lot more and faster. Today for example the first 70 kilometres were easier as opposed to the last 50 which were  very hard.

Although I cycled always over 4000 ASL today, I felt very well- no symptoms of altitude sickness :-). This days, though, I'm really struggling with the wind and low temperatures.










16.09. Total: 1919 km.
Santuario de los Tres Pozos- Susques: 62 km

Last night it was freezing cold. My water bottles froze. For the first time I had breakfast, some nuts and bread,  in my sleeping bag. Luckily I feel very well today- no headache or sickness at all. I hope it stays this way when I reach 4830 metres ASL in the next 4 days. ;-)

That's ice!!!











The church at Susques

The centre of Susques

15.09. Total: 1857 km
Purmamarca- Santuario de Tres Pozos: 90 km

Today I woke up at 5.30 am and set off at 7. It took me 5 hours to reach Santuario de los Tres Pozos in Jujuy and I cycled always uphill but with favourable wind. The landscape was a dream! However, when I was riding downhill, I felt sick and had a headache. I realized I was suffering from altitude sickness so I started chewing coke leaves and calcium carbonate. I had to admit that I felt better but I was not fully recovered. At about 6 pm. looking for a place to camp, I asked a guy if I could camp near his house but he refused to let me and told me to go back to the village (where I had already been) How can somebody be so unhelpful! :-(  On my way back to the village I found a small hostel which was closed and next to it what looked like a garage so I asked for permission to put up my tent there- this time I was luckier ;-). This is where I camped:







Keep safe from the sun and the wind ;-)



Salar Grande, Argentina

4,170 metres above sea level



14.09. Total: 1767 km.
Yala- Purmamarca: 59 km

Today I started to cycle uphill up to 2190 ASL and tomorrow I'm cycling up to 4170 metres. I hope I have tailwind like today.



Getting ready for the altitude I'm going to reach tomorrow, I bought coke leaves and calcium carbonate to chew in case I start having symptoms of altitude sickness. Let's see what happens tomorrow. Fingers crossed.







A market in Purmamarca

I'm camping here tonight. 

13.09. Total: 1707 km
Salta- Yala, Jujuy: 123 km.

Last night a stray dog pissed on my tent 😠😠😠. I got out of my tent and shouted at it to scare it away but it was too late...so I set about washing the tent. The only good thing is that everything gets dry very quickly here. 


Jujuy is greener than Salta. It must rain more here.

Wow This is the first river with water I've seen in days!








Today I met a cyclist from France who is cycling from La Paz, Bolivia to Ushuaia, in the south of Argentina. It looks like most cyclist ride from north to south, probably to make sure they have tailwind...;-) Today I had tailwind too! 🙌😀



12.09. Total: 1584 km
La Viña- Salta: 98 km.

Luckily there was hardly any wind today so I reached my goal quite fast. It was time then to go sightseeing in Salta City. To my surprise I didn't ride alone but with about 10 cyclists from Catamarca who were on their way to celebrate a Catholic festival www.britannica.com/place/Salta-Argentina#ref208731
It was nice to have company for about 50 km.




Centre of Salta

Centre of Salta

The church were the festival took place.


Centre of Salta
11.09 Total: 1486 km
Cafayate- La Viña: 112 km.

Today was a shitday like yesterday. Putting up with strong headwind the whole time was exhausting and at times unbearable. As if that was not enough, I cycled through a mini tornado: there was a lot of dust but also small pebbles in the air and many hit me in the face... :-( 

The only good thing though was the landscape which was AMAZING. I met an Argentinean cyclist who struggled with the headwind just like me and a woman from England who was cycling from Perú to the south of Argentina.



































10.09. Total: 1373 km.
Amaichá del Valle- Cafayate: 71 km.

Today was the hardest day so far. The wind was so strong that it blew me off the road a couple of times. Luckily there was little traffic. I had to cycle through a bad dust storm so by the time I reached the campsite I was covered in dust and sand. I really hope tomorrow will be better than today. 




The dust storm made my photos sepia... :-P



After cycling I looked like a coal miner :-P

Time to do the laundry to get rid of the dust and sand.



09.09 Total: 1302km.                                                                                                                              
El Mollar- Amaichá del Valle: 72 km.

Today was a very hard day. There was a dust storm so cycling downhill was actually as hard as doing it uphill. Not to mention how annoying it was to breathe in dust. There was dust everywhere: on and in my bags as well as in my mouth.  After six and a half hours I was very happy to reach the campsite.



The highest point

En El Mollar











08.09. Total: 1230 km
Termas de Río Hondo- El Mollar: 152 km.

Yesterday I spent the day at Enzo's, my host in Termas de Río Hondo so there was no cycling.

Today was the beginning of the  mountain stage. The first 110 km was flat but the rest I cycled always uphill which allowed me to ride from 200 metres to 1854 metres above sea level in one day. The weather was cloudy for the best part of the day but in the evening the sun came out.










Termas de Río Hondo is similar to Badfuessing  in Germany and they are very popular termal baths among elderly people.











Such a beautiful tree!


06.09. Total: 1078 km.
Santiago del Estero- Río Hondo: 81 km.

Today my Couchsurfing host's sister joined me for about 20 km until we found the best way out of the city.

On the way to Río Hondo

05.09. Total: 997 km.
Fernández- Santiago del Estero: 34 km

Today was a beautiful sunny day. My host from Couchsurfing in Santiago del Estero told me it can be 55 degrees in the summer so I'm relieved it's still winter.





Today was the last day I cycled with Gerardo. We cycled together for 5 days and I really enjoyed his company. From tomorrow on I will be riding alone.


04.09. Total: 963 km
Añatuya- Fernández: 150 km

Today we had tailwind but had to cycle 100 km on a dirt road.

Preparing dinner at the fire station at Fernández
I guess nobody drives on the left lane... shall we plant some trees then? ;-)








03.09. Total: 813 km
Logrono- Añatuya: 181 km

Sleeping in the bus station toilet WAS DEFINITELY NOT a good idea. Late that evening people started gathering, partying and playing loud music near the station. A woman wanted to go to the ladies' toilet but as we were camping there :-D, Gerardo told her she had to go to the men's :-D. Once the party was over  I thought I would be able to sleep but no... dogs started barking 👎

Luckily today was a much better day: we had tailwind for the first time and so were able to cycle a lot!!!

A beautiful sunrise to begin the day

Later today I went to a small corner shop to buy something to eat. In broken Spanish I told the friendly shop owner about my trip round South America. To my surprise, she refused to charge me. "They are for your trip and free", she said. It's incredible how many nice people I've met in Argentina!



02.09. Total: 632 km
San Cristóbal- Logrono: 128 km

Today it was a very hard day as we had to endure headwind and it was very hot.



We decided to sleep at the local bus station as the toilets looked quite clean and decent :-) Good night!






Cycling on a straight road and seeing the same landscape the whole day can be pretty tiring, especially with headwind.

01.09. Total: 504 km
Rafaela- San Cristóbal: 119 km

Today I rode with Gerardo, my host. He's planning to join me for 3 to 5 days, depending on how fit he feels. We had headwind the whole day so it was a hard day. Tonight we are sleeping at the fire station in San Cristóbal, Santa Fé. The people here have all been very nice to us.

I might very soon become a celebrity as a guy from the local radio station came up to us to ask if he could interview us. The interview was obviously carried out in Spanish so Gerardo answered most of the questions as I kept mixing Spanish and English :-D It was so much fun!

At Gerardo's

On my was to San Cristóbal





Being interviewed at San Cristóbal radio station.


31.08. Total: 384 km
Galvez- Rafaela: 121 km

I rode mostly on an asphalted road today except for the last 30 kilometres. At Pilar a driver who was on his way to his farm followed me to offer me something to eat and drink. It was very thoughtful of him! Once in Pilar, I met Gerardo, who is putting me up tonight and is going to join me for the next couple of days. Gerardo only speaks Spanish so he'll be an excellent Spanish teacher. I have already met his family- they're all very nice people.

Today I had a problem with the rack my bags are attached to: I lost a screw so my bags were a bit loose. Luckily, I was near a bike shop as this happened so I had the rack fixed in no time.

Don't panic- that's no me ;-) Just a dead fox

On my way to Rafaela, Santa Fé



A country chapel near Rafaela.


30.08. Total: 262 km

Rosario- Galvez: 128 km

Today I set off from Rosario to Galvez, Santa Fé, Argentina. At first I thought my bike with all bags on would be far too heavy but after some kilometres I got used to it. Juan, a friend from Warmshowers rode with me for about 40 kilometres, which were the most difficult ones because there was a lot of traffic. Luckily, after riding these 40 kilometres,  I took a dirt road which was perfect for riding as there was practically no traffic.  I couldn't help thinking how lucky I was it hadn't rained. Otherwise it would have been impossible to ride there.

Juan and I ready to set off.


A cow farm near Galvez


22.08. 134km:  I have gone on some small bike trips to some neighbouring cities like Funes and San Lorenzo and in Rosario. On Monday 21st August I crossed the Paraná  river to the islands in Entre Ríos where I spent 3 hours hiking. To my surprise getting lost is quite easy and if it hadn't been for the huge bridge, it would have been almost impossible to get back to the place where the motorboat had docked. ;-)

Into the wild... :-)
On the coast of the island you can find some houses and bars

The bridge links the  province of  Santa Fe with Enter Ríos

A lake between the islands

In the background you can see Rosario

15.8.2017:
Some photos from Rosario, the second largest city in Argentina:

The Monumento a la Bandera is the town's landmark.

A boat trip on the Parana river.  Its total length is 3998 km.  It begins in Brazil .

Here you can see Rosario from the Parana River



There are many islands on the river




Hello from Argentina.
It was a really long flight. From Munich to Madrid there was so  much turbulence that I was almost sick.The flight from Madrid to Buenos Aires was a lot better. When I checked my luggage and bike in I had the feeling I would never see my stuff again .But everything went well. I got my bags and my bike was not damaged. Now I am looking forward to starting my bike-trip on 31st. August. I 'm staying in Rosario for about three weeks to improve my Spanish skills and try to get my Spanish better and to learn more about the second largest city in Argentina.



My friend from Argentina advised me never to let my bike alone in Argentina so I took it to  the toilet  so that nobody would   steal my bike again


Here you can see my flight (red plane) from Madrid to Buenos Aires


My bike after flying. I am relieved that nothing was damaged except for the cardboard box.