Up at 5 am, shower, pack and catch a taxi to Retiro bus station. Neither Christi nor I are sad to leave the Garden House Hostel. It’s only saving grace is that it’s cheap. The staff is useless. Buenos Aires is another matter, though. The culture, the people, and the architecture are all fabulous. There is definitely more to see in Buenos Aires and Argentina generally. Perhaps we’ll come back one day.
Mercedes in the far north-east of Argentina is not a common destination for backpackers. Most fly from Buenos Aires directly to Iguacu Falls, but Christi and I dare to be different. Mercedes is the gateway to a gem of a wildlife area called the Esteros del Ibera (Ibera wetlands). These wetlands are the Argentine equivalent of Brazil’s more famous and more visited Pantanal. From a logistical perspective, it is cheaper and easier for us to visit Laguna Ibera than the Pantanal. I only hope our Lonely Planet guide is accurate in its positive reviews.
The 10-hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to Mercedes is smooth and relaxing. There’s time to think, take a nap, edit the archos, watch some cheesy movies (in English), and watch the green pampas seemingly float by. In fact, Christi and I could have easily stayed aboard longer because when we alight it’s back to the chores of finding accommodation, finding food, and planning onward transportation. This time, though, a guardian angel (or fixer) named Graciela scoops us off the arrival platform and deluges us with information. She quickly seduces us with promises to organize every aspect of our onward travel to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini (the hamlet lying on the shores of Laguna Ibera) and our exploration of the wetlands themselves. In return we agree to stay at her hostel – slightly over-priced at A$120 (with private bathroom), but we’re really paying for her services as a fixer. Fingers crossed it all pans out.
Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching, heart-wrenching, laugh-wrenching ride.
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