My first week in Argentina was a bit of a non-event, which I think means I should write about it…
When I last wrote ‘A Gradult Abroad: South America’, I had just decided to leave Bolivia, head to Argentina and hopefully find a dentist to fix my swollen mouth.
After arriving in Buenos Aires (BA from here on in) at around midnight, I arose the next day to find said dentist. The back of my mouth was now so swollen I couldn’t really eat, and I was struggling to close my mouth at all.
It didn’t take long to find what I was looking for, and I left the ‘German dental hospital’ with a prescription for antibiotics, and information on where I should buy them. Unfortunately the bright sparks at NatWest didn’t think this was a good idea - my card had stopped working. Apparently NatWest weren’t happy that I was trying to withdraw money in Argentina, despite me giving them two months warning that I was going there.
Once I finally caved and agreed to continue banking with NatWest for a couple of years they allowed me to withdraw some cash and I was back in business - on antibiotics and unable to eat very well in a city famous for its steak and partying…
A few hours later I found myself once again on a long bus journey, leaving BA for the time being and heading to Mendoza for a quiet week. This seemed like a good plan; I’d come back to BA when I was fully fit. Unfortunately there was a problem, and I have to blame myself for this mishap, somewhere between BA and Mendoza (a 16 hour bus ride) I’d managed to lose my very expensive prescription drugs. To this day I don’t know where I lost them, they were in the inside pocket of my bag!
I arrived in Mendoza back at square one. After checking in to a superb hostel (Hostel Lao if anyone ever finds themselves in the neighbourhood) I was back on the drug hunt. I ended up in the Argentinean version of BUPA purely by accident. After a confusing conversation with the receptionist, I had to politely decline the offer of Argentinean medical insurance, despite the attractive looking book of forms I would have had to fill in…Luckily, I met an English speaking doctor who directed me to a dentist. There I received a new prescription and even a quick dental check up at mates’ rates!
Most people don’t go to Mendoza to sit in a dentist’s waiting room though, and whilst I was there I managed to sample some incredible wines and all sorts of amazing food (yes, whilst on antibiotics, which were great by the way).
En route back to BA after a week away I stopped in Cordoba for a night, mainly to prove a point after a drunken argument with fellow travellers that Argentina’s 2nd city can’t be as bad as everyone makes out. It was…
Between Cordoba and BA I treated myself to a ‘cama’ (literally bed) bus, it was incredible! So comfy that I spent all 10 hours of the journey back to BA asleep. I even managed to sleep through breakfast which in hindsight was a great shout because shortly after it had been given out, the bus went over a large bump and I woke up to a coach load of people covered in cereal and juice.
Next time: Buenos Aires. I realise not much happened in this episode of ‘A Gradult abroad’, I promise the return to the capitol is livelier.
No comments:
Post a Comment