Crossing the Andes. Mendoza, Argentina - Santiago, Chile.

The residents of Mendoza take pride in the appearance of their city. Unlike the chaos of Buenos Aires the streets are free of rubbish and canine land mines. It maintains large public spaces like Park San Martin and the quartet of small plazas surrounding the large central Plaza Independencia. Should the residents have thoughts of defacing these areas the Municipal Police that patrol the Plaza’s, packing enough heat to hold off a small army, would make them have a second thought.

Fountains of Plaza Independencia, Mendoza.

Mendoza endeared itself to me not because it is clean and not because the restaurant attached to the hostel I stayed in served exquisite meals that cost the same as a McDonald’s combo. It endeared itself to me because on the day before I left the sun shone. In the morning I sat in Plaza Independencia and took in everything it offered. Warm and beaming a purchased a pair of running shoes and went to Park San Martin and ran to a stand still. That afternoon, ‘if I was ever going somewhere, I was running!’.

I am now in Santiago De Chile. The bus from Mendoza to here crosses the Andes. I am not a good passenger and this journey tested me. On the Chilean side of the Andes the road has 27, 180 degree turns to take you down the mountains. I was beyond care at this stage and left my future to fate. I made it.

What goes up must come down.