Pampa, I remember

The road from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, is the famous Ruta 3. It's on the Pampa, and the Pampa is, basically flat... with a lot of wind...

When I say flat, I mean flat, without threes or anything to stop the... Wind! And on a motorcycle, there's nothing to protect you from the sand blast effect of the wind. Because, you probably know it by now, there's a lot of sand , so that's why I'm talking of sand blasting effect.

For the first time of my life, I try to drive during a sand storm, and trying I may, but driving I may not.

Ariving in the Valdez Peninsula, I camp on the side of the sea, and we have to anchor ours motorcycles, because it get thrown from the storm.
That was my idea of camping at the remote beautiful seaside view. Yeah! Great! I haven't slept, because the wind, charged of sand got inside my tent and filled my tent all night and in the morning, I see my Querida (motorcycle) with a crust of salt all over...

Not good!

But what a view!

You probably think that I'm not happy about that nit or ridding in the Pampa. It's the contrary. I love it! It's the challenge of ridding in a harsh environment, the breathtaking view of a limitless sky. The subtle change of colors with the caress of the sun. You are alone in this environment, but when you encounter another human being, the contact is there, true and conscious. Drinking the Maté with the Gauchos in the morning while watching the sheeps doing they're business. Those moments are priceless...



That's what I'm going for, priceless, 'cause I emptied my budget for my whole trip when I arrived in Ushuaia. Now, on my way up, I have to camp , no question about it!

So camping on the side of the road, or in an estancia, is mandatory. That give me access to the Gaucho culture.

The Cowboys of Argentina. The live free way of life. The spirit free of constraint and the hard life in a environment that give you an access to it without a secured human environment.

Taking time with them, between a maté, savoring the passing of time, is an space of pure warming joy.

For Argentinians, a stranger enjoying himself with the maté ritual is a sign of the goodness. "You drink maté!?" with a smile of surprise and pure satisfaction. "come! Share with us your story..."

And I tell and share stories...
That's what I keep from Argentina, when you make place for others in you heart, others make place for you in there heart...