(The Spaniards were travelling for Shandy CruzCampo TV. Apparently, this is an internet TV show promoting a beer+lemonade product made by Spain´s largest beer company. The pair (Marcos has the shaved head, the other - Pedro - is the analytical talent) won a competition to go on this trip, paid for by the company. They had their skateboards at the airport, on which they´re collecting stickers from every country they visit.)
We finally boarded the plane around midnight. I was given a seat with extra legroom - in fact I could fully stretch out my legs under the next seat (just)! My seating companion was Uruguayan (?) but lives in Australia. I slept surprisingly well. Because we flew east, the night-day cycle went extremely quickly, completing a full cycle during the approx. 10 hour flight. We had crossed the International Date Line, the first time for me, and so it was still "Tuesday" locally. We disembarked to a slow queue, I paid my US$100 (a "reciprocity fee" because that´s what Australia charges Argentines and they kindly return the favour). I took a private bus to the city centre, which was pricey by local standards. Because of the language barrier I didn´t know what was happening when we disembarked unexpectedly at their terminal, but then they efficiently organised complimentary lifts to our individual destinations. I checked in to my hostel near the city centre at around 10pm I recall. I had made it! I went for a walk outside, and randomly ended up at the 67m Obelisk in the city centre. The streets were busy with people. The back streets felt somewhat dodgy, and while I was well aware I was in a new and uncertain environment, I wasn´t worried.
Wednesday 16th: I woke up at 6am, which is early for me, but normal enough, and was stoked with my lack of jetlag! I had a very productive morning answering emails and planning, while others slept. I met my Australian friend Cristina at the Obelisk in town in the afternoon. It was an amazing coincidence that we had independently booked flights to Buenos Aires for the same time! She arrived before me, and has 3 weeks here visiting relatives with her mum. What makes it even more unlikely is a fluke that I ran into her unexpectedly just two weeks earlier, and we discovered each-other´s travel plans! I had visited Melbourne, a long way from my home in Brisbane, and saw her at Revive church! It was great to have a friend here, particularly one who speaks Spanish and is good company.
We walked to the San Telmo area, which has beautiful buildings. ("With its elegant architecture and fashion-conscious inhabitants, Buenos Aires is often seen as more European than South American", according to my guidebook, the South American Handbook. Published since 1921, my copy is the 87th edition! A classic, it claims a more "alternate" travel experience. Future quotations will usually be from this book.) I describe the city as "ruggedly beautiful". The European-style buildings are beautiful, many with the charm of a weathered facade, but there are many unappealing buildings also, with blockish air conditioners protruding from every room of a high rise, which drip water onto the footpaths below. My first impression when I arrived was the frequency of mid- to high-rise apartment buildings, very unlike Australia where these are concentrated in the city centres, and also of rubbish in the streets. There is wide variation; overall though, I love the city!)
We hung out with Cristina´s acquaintance Antonio, who was selling his wares on the footpath by the Plaza Dorrego. He was a fun and outgoing person, who said he loved his work and the streets. He sold, like many others, cheap jewellery he made from semi-precious stones and nice twisted wire, as well as those braided wrist bands, etc. I initially assumed this was a lie, that the goods were really cheap imports from China, but it is true. The three of us sat on the footpath by his wares, and chatted and shared a few bottles of Quilmes, a popular local beer. He spoke a little English, more than most. After a few hours, we visited his apartment, a tiny single room and attached bathroom. It was messy and poor, but a fantastic local experience because we lived the life of a street vendor for a few hours! He is Peruvian, and looks (South American) Indian. He also introduced us to "Maria" and another. I was separated from them for a while, found them again, and went home later.
Thursday 17th: My hostel was booked out, so I had to change. I chose one near San Telmo. It was a hot and tiring walk with my pack. I didn´t find it at first, and some random people I asked didn´t understand me, but eventually I found an internet cafe to search for answers, then found the hostel. Though I knew things would work out fine, I had felt stressed and tired. The entrance is pretty obscure, and a strong metal door stays locked and is only opened by the receptionist. They want to look after their guests, which is also in their best interest to receive favourable reviews.
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