Travel Troubles

Travel Troubles

Wednesday, Jan. 18, Mendoza, Argentina

Well, after leaving the internet cafe yesterday, life became quite a hassle. I got to the bus station at 1:30 for my 2:30 bus. It didn´t come. We got word it had broken down and would be there at 4:00. At 4:45, they were saying it would be there at 5:25. Most people were continuing to wait rather than pay 2 pesos more (67 cents) for another company. I decided to cash in and move over to the other company. Their bus arrived just 10 minutes late, but I didn´t get to Mendoza until 9:10 p.m. due to the delays and taking the later bus.

The next hassle was with the taxi driver. The tourist office at the bus station said it wasn´t safe for me to walk to where I was going at night and that I should take a taxi. Well, I got in line and took one. The bus driver didn´t recognize the name of the hotel I wanted. Then when I told him the intersection near it, he didn´t seem to understand where that was. I made him stop and let me out. I walked back to the bus station to get another taxi. Of course he was there, too, and yelled that I was loco as he drove past. The next taxi driver knew exactly where I wanted to go and took me directly there.

The biggest problem, however, came next. Mendoza is full of tourists. Although my guidebook says that there are plenty of hotel rooms other than during their wine festival in March, every hotel was booked solid. I slowly worked my way out from the center of town going from hotel to hotel to hospetaje, to residential, etc. Some of them were real dumps, and all were full. What is strange is that I found 2-3 places with a double room free, but they wouldn´t let me have them although I was willing to pay the double rate. Could there be a city rule to assure that room capacity is used more completely to justify their actions? Anyway, at midnight, I walked into the police station on Mitre Street. Sergio, the man on duty did not speak English, but I spoke enough Spanish to get him to understand where I had been and what had been happening. He sent me to two more hotels near there that I hadn´t tried. Of course, they were full, too, and I returned. Apparently his shift was ending; I heard him say something to someone in side. Then he put me into his car and started driving. Many places we passed, I had already been and told him so. At 1:00 a.m., he was talking about sleeping in the dormitorio. I never understood whether he meant that he needed to stop helping me and go to the police dormitory where he sleeps or whether he was also indicating that I could go there, too. Anyway, we tried one more street with 3 hotels, and the third hotel had a room. I couldn´t believe it. I thanked Sergio profusely, and then he left for the police dormitory.

I was groggy this morning from not sleeping long enough or well enough during the night. The hotel is plain, but it is fine. The walls are clean and bright, the sheets are crispy white, the bathroom has plenty of warm water, etc. There is a ceiling fan, and breakfast is included at a cost of $13.33 per night for the room. I´ve decided to stay at least 4 nights rather than try to find something with more amenities.

This morning, I went to the tourist office and received great help from Mariana there. She spoke English well. She called to find a clinic where I can go tomorrow. I have to have my stitches removed and a new hard cast put on my hand. She found two places, and I have decided to go to the one where the doctor specializes in hand surgery only. He should know exactly what to do just by looking. But just in case, I have a translation of what has happened and what needs to be done that I will print and carry with me to his office tomorrow.

I´m glad I had already decided not to come to South America in January and February again. It is just too difficult to try to travel here then, since everyone is taking vacations. The economy here has bounced back to where people feel comfortable spending, I guess. There are FAR more tourists this year than I encountered at this time last year. I´m worried about the rest of my travel plans. I may have to change them to try to go where local tourists don´t want to go. I´ll try the next stage or two to see if the problems with buses and accommodations continue, then I´ll make a decision about what to do.

Mendoza is a beautiful city. It reminds me somewhat of Toronto. It´s very European in feel, yet modern in looks. The air is fresh. Everything is very clean. If someone were dropped off here, he would never guess he was in South America except for the language. There are sidewalk cafes everywhere, and there are nice parks scattered all over the city. Mountain water is rushing down cobblestone gutters throughout the city.

I will go visit some wineries on Friday, I think. The tourist office showed me where to go by bus to get to a road that has a winery every 1-2 km along it. I can walk and visit each. In the meantime, I must spend some time doing some advance travel planning to assure I can get a bus out of here and have a place to stay at my next stop!