January 11-PENINSULA VALDEZ

Peninsula Valdez is a protected area very popular for sightings of the whales from Puerto Piramides, a place where we are staying to visit the peninsula where we can see lions and elephant seals.

January 9. WITHOUT GASOLINE

6 Kilometres before arriving in Carmen de Patagones, we ran out of gasoline! I did not say I told you!! But, I told Don, fill the tank, when we went through last gas station. But, he said "I am sure that we will reach the next station and almost did missing by 6 Kilometres!!, WE WERE WITHOUT GASOLINE! Fortunately, Tatto and Leandro stopped very soon, because they can see poor Don pushing the motorcycle. Very kindly took me to the nearest station and I returned to where Don was waiting. Also, in this city, Mauro, excellent mechanic helped us with the battery of the motorcycle.

January 7-MONTE HERMOSO

We went to the archaeological site "Pisadero" showing human footprints 7000 years old and we witnessed new discoveries. Additionally visited the Recalada lighthouse, the highest in South America.

MAR DEL PLATA January 2-6. KILOMETRO 1800

From this place we enjoy its port and beaches, We remember Alfonsina Storni… -She committed suicide in this place- "Pude amar esta noche con piedad infinita,
pude amar al primero que acertara a llegar" ...La caricia perdida.
The best thing about this place was that we met Mark and Caro, who gave us conversation and beautiful friendship, which we hope will keep forever. We visited the enchanted forest, in the hitherto unknown energy allows the perfect balance of 2 sticks forming a T. Maybe in this place is good for Gaby practised yoga, balance problems are over!

December 31 WAITING FOR THE NEW YEAR IN TANDIL

At last! After travelling about 800 Kilometres, we stopped in Tandil! Nice place to wait for the New Year. We arrived super tired and almost at 9 o clock. At eleven o clock we leave the hotel to find a place to eat. Surprise: the entire city closed! We walked several streets in the centre and not found a place to eat. In the city there is another couple -Bety and Carlos-who like us, were looking for a place to dine and it turns out they were hosted at the same hotel we are! So we look for a restaurant together and spent nice time! Only a small incident, the spoiled the evening, the dish of Gaby’s, a dead fly was decorating her delicious dinner, and after making the complaint and claims of the case, the wine and champagne were free!!! Was not so serious after all!!

December 29 DRIVING TO SOUTH. KILOMETRO 900

And with our national board (registration and patent Argentina) started the journey to the south, passing through Rio Cuarto, and travelling much of the Argentine pampas, characterized this route, for nothing! Miles and miles driving observed where only grass and cows. Abandoned manufacturing and business products of the crisis of 2001, gave the places visited the look of ghost towns. Very tiring journey, which stopped frequently to take a nap. We wanted to reach a point fun to spend the New Year so driving and driving hundreds of miles without finding a place for fun place for wait and enjoy 2008.

22-27 December. TRAVELLING BY CORDOBA

We arrived in Altagracia, starting point of the trip. We visited the house-museum of Che Guevara, which gave the flag official output. We liked a lot Altagracia, travelled on horseback its quaint streets, and after starting the Traslasierra region, roads most beautiful trails Argentina!
The Christmas Eve spent at Mina Clavero-instead of the most beautiful visited throughout the country- 25 we continue our journey, and we had the first flat tire. Fortunately, we helped Don Juan, which led us to the nearest town, which of course to be December 25 everything was closed! So we had to wait until another day to continue the journey, and our Christmas meal consisted of beer, potatoes and bubble gum!
On December 26 towards San Marcos Mountains, a place characterized by the presence of hippies, organic products, development of alternative therapies and similes. Very fun place, we are staying in one place directed, designed and decorated according to Feng Shui and visited the Museum hippie-heralded as the only world-… its creator, great fun! For an eclectic list of the most important social movements with the hippie movement-passing from Christ until Ghandi and Tolstoi! The like-in short, fun place.

December 14. WE ARRIVED IN CORDOBA. MAFALDA IS RIGHT

Our suspicions are confirmed, it is not easy to buy the motorcycle, or new or used. The people offer us alternatives for obtaining fast. Shops and sellers, and even government offices say that as foreigners can not buy the motorcycle, we need a legal residence in the country, and a number of national identification (ID) How? We just want to buy a motorcycle and travelling in the country. Does not intend or residence or nationality, nor travel with Argentine passport. The people offer us solutions ranging absurdist: Buy on behalf of another person. Mr. We are travellers, we do not know anyone in Argentina and although I know I do not want give any responsibility an other person. Mmm… So, you can not. Mr. We intend to cross into Chile, if the motorcycle is not in our name, how will I be able to cross the border? Mmm… in this case the person, who lends his name, must accompany us to the border and cross with you… How? We just want to buy a motorcycle and travelling in Argentina!
Mr. We are travellers, we haven’t legal residence, we do not live here and we come here as tourists, how can I buy a motorcycle? Mmmm... You must bring proof of legal address of another person; I repeat that I do not live here… Mmm… So, invent one. How? Mr. We do not want to lie, we just want to buy a motorcycle and go travelling in Argentina. Mmmm… Go to the n ext line (300 people waiting) and asked where he could give the information required? How? We must take our turn 320 people ahead in front us (We keep as a souvenir) in the office you are wrong (We were in the ANSES) needs to go to AFIP… arrived at the AFIP, you need to go to another AFIP,… you need to go ask the Registry of Patents …
MAFALDA IS RIGHT! This Argentine bureaucracy, equitable to the turtle Mafalda! Where officials do not know any procedure and is not concerned for knowing…
At last, after 6 offices visited, and talked to the technical departments, legal assistance and similars (and my good qualities as a lawyer ... this is Gaby) got on the identification number and test our residence with the hotel bill … lot, but much easier than a "barrida" of Tango.
With our newly acquired "Argentine official documents" which seems to us very well, gives us legitimacy, but that gives us the sense of the legacy of dictatorships-the desire of the absolute control of citizens… MONITORING AND PUNISH.
At last! We can buy our motorcycle! A week after we bought the motorcycle in place that gives us give it to another day of purchase, although not to believe that our problems bureaucratic ends here, now has to wait for police verification, the registration of patents, the delivery of plate, and so on.
We are tired! The city of Cordoba are so pleased, but we bite the feet to start the tour, we decided to go the December 22 in the motorcycle without plates or paper (not see that the police) tell us sellers are days of Christmas, not believe they have problems, we appeal to us that if a police have feelings of compassion own at the time, and we do not remove our newly acquired motorcycle.


Mafalda is 6 years old and is always worried about the global situation
and plans to be an interpreter at the U.N. when she's older so she can
translate politicians' insults into compliments and bring about world
peace. Strong patriot, wise, progressive, loves the Beatles and hates
soup. Has a turtle named Bureaucracy.

December 10: We arrived in Buenos Aires. VIVA EL TANGO!

We enjoyed the wine and tango, trying to learn, not technical but we enjoy with heart. Also, we enjoy Piazzola, we feel Gardel! We are in the neighbourhood of La Boca, and we enjoy what bohemian site. We started to look for options to buy the motorcycle, brands, prices in order… possibilities, and we began to realize the obstacles that face us later for the purchase of the motorcycle, travelled by train, subway, buses, walked in the sun stabbing of Buenos Aires, exhausted and in order not to lose the goal we travelled to Cordoba.


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WHO IS WHO?

Don and Gaby are an odd couple which share a lot of dreams, the most smallest of these is this trip, where two diaries will be written, two visions, two perceptions, but only one yearning to share stars, mountains, seas and roads. They are a very unusual pair, with very diverse lives, origins and different cultures. The age, the language, nationality… all those things that made them apparently different because they born, lived and raised up in unlike circumstances and ambiences, but the truth is that they are a pair of souls which have been re-cognized, two minds that have found and two hearts that have fallen in love…

THE LIFE DE DON BURNS IN 15 POINTS!!

Ran away to see at 14. Still running at 70!!!!
Learned scuba dive at 13 in Acapulco, Mexico.
Ran guns to Castro at 14.
First time in Polynesia at 15.
Raced a car at Daytona Beach at 19.
Drove the length of Central America at 22.
Was at North Arctic Circle at 23.
Was alone with a mad man in a sailboat for 57 days at 26.
Spent the next 14 years in Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia with his two daughters who were born and raised on his schooner.
Owned his own plane at 42.
Worked on R2D2 for the first Star Wars movie.
Made films for the 3M Company at 50.
Spent the last 20 years living on board and sailing his beloved 95 years old sailboat “Fiona”
Don was in Ecuador and Galapagos islands during the last year and now he is in Panama where he is building a vacation home for his children and grandchildren.

GABY OLGUÍN of 34 years, is mexican lawyer, has been during half of her life some of these things:
From Punk girl, actress of theater, rural teacher, adviser and member of indigenous organizations and Zapatista activist in Mexico; poet, investigator, belly dancer in a Moroccan restaurant, official at a United Nations Agency and at the Organization of American States, but always and mainly have only been a dreamer spirit.
She has worked for the rights of the indigenous peoples, women, union movement and the children in Mexico and Central America, always on the side of the most dispossessed.
Gaby has written 17 books, including one of poems; and numerous articles in magazines of Latin America.
At the moment she is an independent consultant of international organizations, and also she tries to be a disciplined student of yoga and to become to the veganism.

The Route