Bariloche

It wasn't exactly comfortable but we managed to get in a few hours of uneasy sleep. For much of the time the street conditions were pretty bad and the drive was very bumpy. And when we woke up it was just a few hours until we get to Bariloche where we're going to stay for the next few days (how long exactly is yet to decide). About four hours before arrival the landscape changed to a mountains with low grass and only scattered trees. The scenic seats in the front of the upper level were empty so we enjoyed the scenery from there but we were glad when the town of Bariloche came into sight after 21 hours of bus ride. We arrived an hour later but still had half the day left to plan and explore.
First up we needed to check for buses to continue our travels further South. We had checked that before online but it turned out there's only one company going once each day. There were only three sleeping seats left for Saturday but we didn't have enough cash left and paying by card would cost us double the price. Therefore we took a taxi to town and our hostel, then Julia went to the nearby Western Union where you can send yourself cash and has a good exchange rate. Meanwhile I checked us in, paid the first night, extended for two more days and dropped the luggage off in the room. I joined Julia in line (about 25 persons were waiting earlier) who was almost in front then. She mentioned that a smaller exchange amount is better in case they run out of money you'd still get it. As my card limit had been reset today I could also make a quick transaction with half the amount. When it was our turn we were able to get both, so we'll be safe for the next week or so. Next up we took a taxi back to the bus terminal and were lucky to get the last two beds 🤩 Especially because that'll be a 27 hour bus 😁

Relieved that everything worked out so fine, we relaxed with a sandwich in the sun in front of beautiful train station next to the bus terminal. To stretch our legs we decided to walk back the 5km into town. Especially around the center the Malecón is very well made to enjoy the scenic views over the lake and the impressive mountain ranges. The town center is a big plaza with massive rock and wood combination buildings. The general view has a lot of resemblance with the small town in the European Alps. We continued through the main street, went window shopping and booked a tour for tomorrow. We had some small bread and cheese balls as a quick snack because the restaurant we're planning to go (a recommendation from the tour agency) opens at 20:00.
We refreshed in the hostel, put on more layers (It's a little cold, especially with the wind) and dropped off our laundry. Shortly before 20:00 we arrived at the restaurant and were surprised by a loooong queue of at least 60 persons 😱 We overheard people talking that they start waiting there already at 7 and sometimes you won't even get in... We had nothing really to do at the moment and if that many people are waiting, it seems to be worth it. So after about 45 minutes we made it to the front and left our names there. We were told that it'll be around 1.5 hours until we could get in, so we walked to a nearby supermarket to get some supplies for the tour.

After about 2.5 hours we finally got a spot in the busy, crowded restaurant. The menu offers just a few options: Empanadas, grilled cheese, meat, mashed potatoes, french fries and salads. But each piece was super delicious! Especially the steak was probably the best I've ever had 🤤 The desserts were okay but fell behind the main courses. By 11:30 we walked back to the hostel at almost minus degrees with the wind chill. Tired from the lack of sleep in the bus and the busy day we fell asleep exhausted 💤Read more