That´s right, we´re looking at just 13 days left of this Latin America Adventure before both Trishy and I get on our respective flights out of South America back to our home countries. By this point I think we are both ready and our minds are definitely not here anymore. I know this comes across sounding like we are homesick but it´s far from that---we are fed up with ROBBERIES.
Just when we were beginning to feel safe again (thank you Chile) we have run into some bad luck once again. This time the robbery took place inside our hostel, inside the lockers where our valuables were supposedly locked away safely. No such luck. However, I will say that the ¨Martin¨ character that checked into our room posing as a backpacker did not have any luck opening my locker. So we are still in possession of one camera. Now my camera is the sole photographic proof we will have of the last few weeks of our journey. Unfortunately Trish´s and our new American friend Meagan´s lockers were opened. Cash, an mp3 player and Trish´s brand new camera are gone.
First of all, we are staying in a very lovely hostel in Mendoza, Argentina. Despite recent events we are staying here since it´s fantastically organized, clean and has the best showers we´ve seen in a good month or so. Anyway...after an unplanned, yet very enjoyable week in Chile we crossed the snowy Andes at last. We arrived in Mendoza yesterday evening and spent today exploring the city while the rest of the residents were on their afternoon siesta. The day was going well and we had stopped by the hostel to drop some things off to then head to the supermarket (We can´t go out at 10pm like the rest of Argentina for dinner so we prepare our meals in the hostel). During this pit stop we met our new dorm-mate Martin, an Argentine businessman in town for a few days. Seemed like a fairly friendly yet odd guy so we thought nothing of it when we left minutes later. Upon our return that all changed. I noticed my backpack was unzipped a bit more than how I left it and suddenly my key was unable to open my locker. Plus I hadn´t noticed the key scuff marks before that were next to the lock....it all seemed suspicious but I thought it must have been old marks. The guy at the reception desk called the locksmith to open it. All my valuables were inside so I needed access...That´s when Meagan and Trish opened their lockers to discover our new roommate had gone through all their bags and removed the items he wanted. He must have had difficulty with the final locker (mine) or had to run quickly since he didn´t finish the job.
We are completely fed up now with theft. Trishy is understandably ready for the trip to end since this is her third robbery on this trip. It seems that no matter where we put our belongings (physically on us or locked away in a room) thieves find a way to get to them. But in one last attempt to salvage what is left of our collective belongings we have decided not to stay in any more dorm rooms. For the last week in Buenos Aires we are going to get a private room. It´s the only thing I can think of at this point to make us feel the slightest bit of safety.
However, I´m still hopeful that the rest of our time in Mendoza and Buenos Aires will be pleasant. We have a wine tour tomorrow, horseback riding on Sunday and then a week to relax and shop in Buenos Aires. I might even make a quick hop, skip and a jump over to Uruguay if there´s time. Apparently there´s a good day trip to Montevideo, Uruguay since it´s not too far from BA. I wouldn´t mind stopping by Uruguay for a day!
Alright, it´s time to log out.. make my bread & cheese sandwich and complete it with our first Argentine wine we purchased tonight. I think the 3 of us will especially enjoy it now.
