Day 31 - San Miguel de Tucaman - Salta

Distance travelled (by bike): 4075 miles

*the internet is painfully slow

Having opted to take the scenic route rather than the straight motorway, we were more than a little irritated when 30 minutes after leaving Tucaman we were caught in the middle of a storm and serious torrential rain, which continued to engulf us for about 2 hours. We were wet - everything was wet. The amazing views and road really can't be commented on as we just saw water and cloud. Eventually the rain stopped. As promised the scenery and the roads were amazing! Winding through the mountains we stopped at the ruinas indigenous de Quilmes. This was once a settlement for the indigenous people, when Spanish colonialist arrived in south america this became the centre of the territorial defence.

Further along we started to notice a huge number of hippy types trying to hitch hike, sadly we had no room on the bike and drove on. We started to notice the appearance of vineyards along the road marking the approach to Cafayate and what we were told was one of the best wine regions in Argentina - Been siesta time nothing was open! Riding on we stopped at El Anfiteatro a natural sandstone amphitheatre and what turned out to be the breeding ground of the Argentinean hippie/nomad who had set up camp around the outside of the amphitheatre. We were not kindred spirits, we left.

As the sun started to set and the rain set in again we started to search for somewhere to stay, after asking in one town at two hostels, which were full, we were told there was one two blocks back. Been tired and not wanting to turn the bike around i discounted this option, much to shane's disbelieve, believing there would be a hostel just down the road. Not to be, after 50km and a good amount of rain later we eventually found somewhere to sleep on the edge of Salta.

Riding through northern argentina

some of the ruins terracing up the hill

some of the BMW team in tucamon (3rd time lucky)

the only inhabitants of the ruins now

shane surveying the land

approaching the amphitheatre

the ampitheatre