Okay, just one more post...

We've been back now for a few weeks, Den's been back in work for a few weeks and I've been lucky enough to start a new job last Tuesday.  It's amazing how quickly life gets back to 'normal'.

We have some great memories of our amazing trip, and luckily, we don't have to wait too long before we set out on our next cycle adventure.  It's not quite going to rack up as many miles as our trip around the world, but we're back on Bertha, the tandem, riding across the UK for a local cancer care charity, Maggie's Centre.  You can follow our progress on our new blog -

http://www.janesjaunt.blogspot.com/

If you think you like to get involved then get in touch.  Meanwhile, thanks for reading our ramblings over the past 12 months.  We hope it's been useful in keeping you up to date with our journey, we'll see you soon.  Love Den & Rich

In the end......

Looking back we have not posted for a while, sorry about this, to be honest there was nothing much to write home about as the scenery was dull as ditchwater and we had to really crank up the mileage against fierce headwinds which Argentina seems to be famous for (which ever way your cycle!!) to reach Colonia in Uruguay in time for Richards birthday. 

lovely gate and pillars shame about the rest of it.

Frey Bentos. Meat pie anyone?

From leaving Ceres we had 10 days of continuous cycling across the rest of the Santa Fe Provence and in to Entre Rios, this was trickier than we thought as there is a tunnel linking the two major cities of the regions and no cycles are allowed, first unavoidable cheat on the back of a pick up.  Torrential rain that flooded many roads were had on the days riding in to these two cities so short days were decided on, grim cycling in the rain especially when the puddles are so deep you can clean your feet as you pedal and pick-ups send waves of water over your head and down your neck.....yuck!

The sun was hot so took advantage of every stop, some were nicer than others

Entre Rios is a lovely place, as the name may suggest it is surrounded by rivers and seems to be an amazingly friendly place, within the few days we had offers to show us the sights by car, go drinking and act as translators but overwhelmingly everyone was so incredibly friendly and helpful. So from the principle city Parana we made our way roughly following the river to Gualeguaychu, where it all changed. This place is a tourist hotspot for locals and boy do they know how to party, as we left at around 8am, there were still party people drinking Smirnoff Ice and wandering around, not looking too drunk mind!!  

Presentation is everything

Rich and Juan who saved us many miles of cycling!

Leaving Gualeguaychu was no wrench but we had to leave early-ish as we had a border to cross and a Rugby match to watch.  We had read on the internet that there was contentions around this border as there is some pulp factory which locals take exception to on the bank of the river over in Uruguay.  the question of is it open was answered fair early as all and sundry raced past us.  We arrived to find that we could not take cycles across the bridge, grrr!! they were also not going to help like the peeps at the tunnel did, so it was up to us to find a way over.  Luckily as we trawled back through the cars, truck and pick-ups we asked Juan here if he would give us a lift.  The guy was a star, he helped us through immigration and customs and dropped us off the other side, really good, guy, not a word of English and with our dodge Spanish the conversation was not great but so helpful.

How high are those swings???

Like it's neighbour Entre Rios, Uruguay is an amazingly friendly place. The roads are in the main good and traffic is fairly light, the countryside interesting with hills enough to entertain but not to really fatigue and comparatively little wind, the only downside it that it is very expensive.

Idyllic cycling in Uruguay

With wine by the roadside

All good things they say have to come to an end and Colonia was the final destination on bikes for us.  It also happened to be Valentines day so we ended on a high note so to speak, also  it was Rich's birthday on the 15th and we can't cycle on a birthday.  It was very strange finishing, mixed emotions really. You can't believe that you don't have to get up the next morning and cycle, for me the anxiety of cycling in the sun had gone overnight, after so many days of not feeling 100% due to the sun I had acquired a loathing of the very hot heat you can get down here and in Asia.  Also as there is no fanfare or welcoming party it is a little uneventful and where it is momentous for us everyone else was so not interested!!

Rich's birthday was spent in the capital city Montevideo, we had a look around the historical sights and went to the places we were advised not to go after dark!! seems there are a few unsavoury places near the tourist area, lovely!
The city itself is pretty impressive, with very big old building that would not look out of place in London or Manhattan.

tall building and palm trees

 

The important part of the day, birthday drinks!!!

Sorry about the wonky photos, blogger is having a off day.... can´t imagine it was user error.  Whilst Uruguay was lovely and the people were great it was time to move on to Buenos Aires.  Which will have have to wait for the next blog as I am off to bed ready for tomorrow and the flight home.

One pair of sandals that will not be making the journey home, but I may remember for a while yet!!

Hot and dusty, but exfoliated in Argentina

fancy one of these being in Argentina

Boy have we being having fun and games since setting off from Santiago Del Estero. Unbeknown to me Rich wobbled his way out of the garage parking lot of the hotel in Santiago Del Estero, owing to his inner ear infection playing havoc with his balance.  If I had known we would have booked straight back in, but as the receptionist was horrid he valiantly carried on. 

It was a short ride of just 30 miles to the town of Fernandez where nothing opens until 8pm and boy racers screech up and down the high street on their supped up lawnmowers mascarading as motos until the wee hours!!

Amazing bike shop in Santiago Del Estero

We are now on the flattest straightest road since NZ and Aus, the landscape is very similar, featureless farm land with not a tree to be seen! So not too much of interest to report.... unless you are in to farm machinery.

Our ride from Fernandez took us 60 miles to Herrera.  Hotel was a hovel.  It was the worst we have stayed in in Argentina but admittedly palatial compared to places in South East Asia!! Rich was still feeling rough and today suffered with loss of power so I took the rucksack on my bike to give him a break. 60 miles feeling dizzy, weak and trucks going past at 80km is no mean feat and he did amazingly. 

The most interesting things on route 34

It tipped it down over night and we had a lovely walk through the petrol station forecourt puddles and out on to the road.  Now, the road we are on has no hard shoulder to speak of, there is about 3inch's of tarmac the other side of the white line and then a rough dirt track by the side of the road, which is good to head off on to when a truck is bearing down blaring its horn! Unfortunately, after the rain of last night there was a lovely, almost primordial ooze sitting just past the tarmac that was covered in a disguise that rendered it looking like hard ground.  So when the first truck rumbled up behind sounding the signal we both headed for the safety of the verge only to find we had no steering as the wheels dug into the gloop.  The resulting synchronised crash must have been to the great amusement of the trucker.   No major injuries to be report except the odd bruise and a scraped knee, the bikes faired well with just mud splatter everywhere!

fruit and veg seller

After that little escapade the day went well up until 10miles out of Pinto where I heard a twang and developed a rather big wobble in my back wheel! whoops spoke gone again.  Rich having recovered to about 60% took back the rucksack and 1 of my back panniers, lovely for me but can't have been nice for him.  Arriving in Pinto we found a lovely EXPENSIVE hotel and went exploring for spokes.  Rich was dubious that we would find anything, but armed with a phrasebook we can achieve anything, after finding a lady who spoke very basic English we eventually found a place that sold spokes and a shop next door that could fix it.  Here, there was no 'it will be ready tomorrow' it was fixed while we waited, and they did not want anything for it, they were happy with the tip we gave them!!

Rich on the radio

The next morning, the owner of the hotel caught us as we were leaving and asked if we would do a quick radio interview on her brother's show, so after finding out there was a lot more of the town of Pinto than we saw last night we got to the radio station and had a quick interview with the owner of the hotel acting as interpreter, not sure how many people heard this but I hope it was not too many as she asked more questions about our relationship than about the ride!!

very funky teapots at the EXPENSIVE hotel

Heading out of Pinto we now find ourselves in Ceres in Santa Fe province, we are taking a day off as the heat really saps your strength and our legs are feeling it from cycling into a headwind for 4 days, we also need to recover from being sandblasted by all the trucks that trundle past.  There must be a lot of sand on the road as when an articulated lorry goes past we loose a layer of skin in the resulting sand wind combo.  Great for ex foliation, not so great for leaving your sun cream in place!

resting under the trees

For anyone following route 34 there is accommodation at the following places: Fernandez, Garza, Herrara (bit of a dive, but ok), Pinto (2 places which looked lovely form the outside), Ceres (there could have been somewhere at Selva but were too tired to look!)