Bariloche

Day 490.

After crossing back through the andes mountains on what was likely the most scenic bus ride we'd ever taken we arrived in Bariloche, Northern patagonia and Argentinas answer to lake como of Italy (but better..)

It was time to let our hair down and in a rare change of pace we checked into somewhere a little classier than our usual hostel digs, and just with just slightly more space than we've been afforded by jengibre these past 3 weeks. Wasted no time settling into the vacation lifestyle, jacuzzi baths with a view and champagne room service. After barely catching a shower (excluding the odd lake swims) these past 3 weeks it was well deserved and I quickly lost count the number of baths limbster had ran already.

Knowing we'd be in bariloche well in advance I had the rare opportunity to surprise limbster for once, and it was going well. Not sure how she is taking to being totally clueless on the research front, she hasn't even checked trip advisor for the best places to eat - and is willingly going along with my plans, we will see for how long.

Making the most of the current Argentinian currency debacle we headed out on our first night to a dinner that we most certainly could never afford in England. A 6 course tasting menu with wine (from mendoza of course), we even took a taxi there and back, absolute treat.

We're not sure where it all started, whether it was the gorging on the gourmet cake buffet at breakfast, the previous nights tasting menu, or worse yet the slight illness were still carrying from the cabbage saga, but waking up on the second morning we didn't feel great (putting it mildy). In fact our appetites had all but vanished, not concerning ourselves too much with this we skipped lunch and decided to over compensate with dinner tonight. Not wanting to slack on night two we headed out to try and better the night before - this time at a 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing, most certainly the nicest meal either of us have ever had or will have for the foreseeable future.

So nice in fact it was all a little bit too much, and it was certainly a dinner to remember. I think it was wine no.6 where I lost limbster to total silence, the look on her face one of absolute fear if she was forced to eat or drink anything else - a look I never thought I'd see. For me it was a little later, after seeing off wine number 9 was when it really went downhill. Let's just say it was fortunate the bathroom was close and we had outlasted most of the other customers that evening. One I won't be forgetting in a hurry.

It's fair to say we didn't want to leave, and we certainly did our best, barely leaving the room bar for a dip in the lake or the outside pool. In true style we refused to miss out on any feature and still insisted on having our log fire lit despite the 31 degree temperature outside, but it was well worth it. Everything came crashing back down to reality fairly quick once we checked into a nearby hostel for the following 3 nights - snorers and bag rustlers galore!

Although not ones for usually getting on a bike it didn't take long to persuade us to partake in the 29km circuit in the nearby mountains after learning of the patagonia bar nestled into the hills halfway round. After only 7km of pure up and down (we should have anticipated this given where we are..) we arrived at the bar and quickly indulged in a couple of Patagonian brewed pints overlooking a picture postcard vista.

It's fair to say the cycle got tougher after that, and it didn't take long until us and every other cyclist resorted to walking up the bigger hills and taking every opportunity for a swim and an extended break when possible.

If there was ever a night for us to try our first Argentinian steak then tonight was it, and we'll deserved indeed. We didn't hold back, opting for the mountain of papas fritas, plenty of malbec and some top end rib eye - what a night, and what an end to our time in patagonia!

Tomorrow we board the 19 hour bus north to mendoza, the home of Argentinian wine - let's go see what all the fuss is about!!Read more