Argentina baby!

[simser]

I just booked my vaction to Argentina. 2 weeks, as a graduation present to myself in early November. I'm giving myself $4000 after the flight there.

Anyone been to Argentina? Any ideas on what I should do? I'm thinking Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and penguins in Patagonia.

Any advice? I'll be a single female traveler, and this is my first international trip by myself (I've been to England, Italy, Thailand and Japan before). I also speak almost fluent Mexican Spanish.

[wodehouse]

Awesome! Congratulations! Lucky you (though I am sure you work hard for these trips, it's not just "luck"!).

I wish this sub-board had more activity!

I'm sure you'll have great fun on your trip. Speaking from my age as much older than you, I think it's great that you are doing this now. You are very smart.

[tcu2003]

No advice, but I wanted to say have fun! That's on my list of places to visit!

[thatchica]

Where are you flying into? I went to Argentina in 2011 and it was great. I flew into Cordoba and took a bus to Buenos Aires. Patagonia is quite the distance from Buenos Aires. Let me know where your flying into and I can recommend some stuff!

[Deleted]

Ahhh congrats simser! I am so jealous!

[simser]

Flying in and out of Buenos Aires. The rest of the trip is currently up in the air! And yes, I'm super excited.

[thatchica]

Buenos Aires is beautiful! Personally I would spend most of the time in Buenos Aires. It is a huge city. I was only there for 4 days and it wasn't enough. Wine is very cheap and very good. So drink lots!!

There are great bus systems there and a tour bus that takes you to every tourist spot and open market around. Playa la plata is nice and in train/bus distance. Patagonia is very very far and so unless you fly there it won't fit in the 10 days. People are beautiful!! There is graphite.. but it is all political. Much different than gang graphite.

In Cordoba the taxi drivers have a protest everyday at noon. They block all the streets downtown. I tried to take photos but the police told me if I did.. he would take my camera. So.. it remains in my memory. Police are known for their violence/brutality. So do what they say.

I went to visit some of my students that were in an exchange program. I flew into Cordoba and took a bus round trip to Buenos Aires. Cordoba is very close to Mendosa where there are a lot of vineyards, so that was one of my day trips. I was only there for 14 days. Busing places is great but it does cut a chunk of your trip for travel. I did the over night buses and slept the whole way.

We stayed in hostels everywhere. It was safe and always an interesting group at each place. The parks are beautiful. Dogs walk free in the streets, cats are in all the parks. Everyone takes care of them.

Make sure when you exchange money that you get coins. No one ever seems to want to give change. So it is always good to have with you. Mate is huge. Everyone goes to parks and brings their mate cups. Convenience stores advertise availability of hot water.

Pack light so that you have suitcase room when you buy stuff. There are laundrymats all over the place that wash n fluff your clothes. There are a lot of leather goods available at good prices.

[simser]

Oh I should also mention that I'm slightly older- this is a PhD graduation present. I plan on buying some tango shoes and a leather jacket Probably some posters as well. So I am leaving room in the suitcase! I stayed in a hostel in England and that was ok, but I really really want a room to myself. Maybe I will do hostels though. I had a ball in England

[thatchica]

Congrats on your graduation!!

I had never done the hostel thing before going to Argentina. I was very very apprehensive about it. All of my students were staying in a hostel close to the university they were going to. Hotel rooms in Cordoba are very very small. Like open the door and scooch around the bed, then shut door.. The first 2 nights I was in my own room and then the students insisted that I go with them. Just having more space was great even though it was shared.

When a couple of us hopped the bus to buenos aires, we stayed in a couple different hostels. All were very colorful with art and way beyond what I could have imagined. I have always been a hilton/marriot type of person, but it was a very fun experience. The big hotels are always in hotel districts surrounded by tourist stuff. It was fun to mix it up and be in not-so-tourist areas.

I don't know how much slightly older works out to be I did it when I was 35. In Buenos Aires it gave me a chance to be in the city centers in good walking distance to cool local stuff. The different people I met in each hostel was also a unique experience. My last night I went back to the tiny hotel just for privacy. I totally get having a room to myself.

I want to travel to China and I am thinking about mixing stays between hotels and hostels. I think when I first land after such a long trip, my own space is needed and then the night of packing before I leave.. but for the time between I will go to hostels. I think the hostels in BA were between 5-8 bucks per night. Worked out great when we were only there to sleep a few hours and shower then back out site seeing again.