Through the Andes

After 6 days in Chile, we booked tickets to take us from Santiago to Mendoza in Argentina, through the Andes. We were fortunate to be able to reserve the front seats of the bus so had an unobstructed view of the incredible scenery.




















It took us about an hour or so to reach the foothills and from there we wound our way through the valleys climbing constantly.

















Just before the Argentinian border we zigzaged up about 15 hairpin bends. It was at this point we were glad of an excellent driver - on more than a few occasions the drop seemed a little too close!















The formalities at the border only took about 45 minutes,which according to the locals was extremely quick. Apparently it can take hours, especially during holiday times when all the Argentinians head to the beaches in Chile. The valleys seem wider and more open in Argentina, but definately desert and semi desert. Although the 7 hour trip was long, it was worth every penny - good value at $30!
Arriving in Mendoza it seemed like we were driving into a large oasis, with tree lined streets and totally crazy drivers! We are more than glad not to be driving here - it took a local to explain the rules of the intersections as it looked to us as if there were none! Oh, and pedestrians - they definately don't have right of way even in the crosswalk! More about Mendoza in the next blog!