After a few conversations with fellow hostelers over a few bottles of wine, we decided to make a change in our plans and cross over to the Argentina border town of Mendoza. We hopped onto a double decker bus at 11:00 am and sat ourselves at the very front, top floor.
Driving through the Chilean countryside is incredible! The scenery is very similar to what you might see in Colorado and Arizona. Very dry, scarce brush and plenty of cactus standing taller than us. The sun beat down on the arid landscape as we drove past cattle ranches and small dusty towns. The scenery started to change the closer we got to the mountains, passing through valleys with vineyards and small streams.
Then the scary stuff! Sitting at the front of a double decker with a first hand view of the scenery is incredible, until you hit the switch-backs just before the Argentina border! Then you get a first hand view of the sharp drop-offs at each turn and the sheer gutsiness of the South American bus drivers! (check out the photos)
But once you get over the pass, it’s just amazing mountain scenery, glaciers and old railway tracks by dried river beds. A cowboy’s paradise!
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