Tuesday 12th of October, 2004
Doing their bit to foil cheese smuggling.
Up at 6:30 again. Body doesn't like this, but I ignore its complaints. Sit, shower, dress, finalise packing, then go downstairs and get coffee, scrambled eggs and medialunas, then check out. The woman at reception tries to raise taxis for me, but, as she explains, it's raining, and when it rains in Mendoza it's impossible to get a taxi. I depart on foot for the bus station at 7:40. On the way I buy a Mate and drinking straw thing from a street vendor.
I get to the bus station, stow the luggage and board the bus.
Uneventful journey apart from the scenery which is, somehow, even more awesome than on the trip here. The attendant puts Alien vs. Predator on the tv. Hmm. Which is more impressive? Schlocky Hollywood action movie on distant 17" screen or THE FLIPPIN' ANDES?
Getting through customs is easy compared to some horror stories I've heard recently. There's a point where the guy asks me for a dos-something, holding up two fingers. I obviously don't understand, so the people around me helpfully repeat the word, holding up two fingers. Eventually someone says "documentos", I hand over my passport and everything's all right. A nun explains to me what's going on. I ask her what the Chileans have against cheese (one of those things one isn't allowed to take into Chile); and she says it's something to do with a disease that some cows are carrying, but "frankly I think the Chileans are just trying to make trouble".
When a nun calls you out for being a troublemaker it might be time to settle down.
Anyway, out of customs in less than an hour. Doing their bit to foil cheese smuggling.
A couple of stops, and VInka gets on at the last one to make sure I'm getting off at the right bus station, then a cab to her flat, then out of her flat to change money and have a coffee at a place owned by probably the most glamourous cafe proprietor I've ever met.
Back at the flat I'm transfixed by Arnaldo's fretless guitar (I must have one); and I discover that Zum must have listened to one of my CDs. I hope they weren't too disappointed. Play guitar for a couple of hours, then Vinka returns and cooks delicious fish for dinner.
Now writing this and soon horizontal and unconscious.
