I was woken about 5am, not knowing why, but was later told that there had been a small earthquake in Buenos Aires so that probably explained it! Any way, it gave me good time to get well organised.
Our accommodation was at the EFE Hotel in Paraguay St, right in the centre of Buenos Aires and we were advised to be careful with out belongings and valuables. Specifically we were to meet downstairs at 08:45 with our bags but NOT to leave them un-attended in the foyer, for Willy to collect and load into our van. As it happened the place was a zoo, with hundreds of people there for the traditional Argentinian breakfast which I am not a great fan of. It normally consists of re-constituted juices, lots of fruit (good), weird liquid yoghurt, large numbers of pastries most of them sweet and sometimes scrambled eggs - which I do enjoy and were offered.
As it happened Willy arrived in perfect time but had to block the single lane street, so we loaded it VERY quickly and he drove off! Then we went to the basement to get the bikes, where I drove off first and made a real hash of the very steep drive and very low concrete beam at the start, then a hard left hand turn. I needed assistance, but we all got out alive in the end!
Leaving Buenos Aires in peak hour was chaotic, and JC lead us a different way to that indicated by our pre-planned GPS routes. He zigged and zagged and at one point on the five lane expressway, suddenly turned right, just as a car pulled between the two of us, so I almost missed the exit. Anyway, care and consideration worked and I did make it ok as did everyone else. After that, we had to go through two Peage's (toll gates) where sometimes we paid and sometimes we knicked around the barrier - I have no idea how he worked out what to do when.
On the last one, everyone headed off before me, but three guys in a Toyota stopped me before the toll gate, and we had a very funny conversation, both of us using our shitty Spanish. It dawned on me and I just said "how about we try English" and they all laughed and launched into an extended conversation in the middle of the expressway! As it happened they had no Pesos to pay, but did have a US $1 note, which I happily exchanged for 350 pesos - a very good rate for me. They were delighted and asked me where I was from - Australia was met with "Austria" from them - wow.
The speed limit on the expressway was generally 120 km/hour, but with a few police stations as usual, and this time they actually stopped me! This is rare as moto's generally get waved through. At high speed we rapidly made the town of Chajari, where our hotel is linked to a group of thermal pools, all eleven of them - so I had a good swim. Although 39 degrees is not that hot, still it was enjoyable none the less.
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