Around the World with Hardy(T)

Argentina

Not really too much to say about Argentina, since I only went to Buenos Aires, and that was only for a day, and I was sleeping off my jet-lag for most of it! Sad really, as I missed out on an invite to a Tango club because I was asleep! Ho hum.

What I will say about Buenos Aires is that they know how to cook a damn good steak there. I went to a place called La Estancia (as recommended by Lonely Planet) and a guy in a gaucho outfit cooked me a huge slab of meat on a barbeque which, served up with a bowl of chillies and washed down with a couple of beers, only came to about $10. They also gave me a free World Cup guide - unfortunately it was in Spanish.

I also stopped over in Buenos Aires on the way home - seven hours of torture in the transit lounge. If you've never flown Aerolinas Argentinas, be warned. Their planes are how I imagine a flying brothel to be: leather seats, smoking is compulsary and the hosties wear about 2 inches of make-up and skirts the size of belts!

I thought I was going to banged up (ooer) in an Argie slammer during my stopover. There's no money exchange in the transit lounge at Buenos Aires so, having no pesos or US dollars, I couldn't get myself any food or, more importantly, beer. I eventually pleaded my case to one of the hosties and she finally agreed to escort me through immigration to a money exchange on land-side. A fat, greasy haired bloke eventually got off his lard arse to serve me and took my traveller's cheques and passport. On seeing my British passport he angrily shouted "Islas Malvinas" and then laughed "Maradona. Hand of God. Ha ha ha". Obviously because he had my passport and money I didn't say a word - but as soon as I got them back I rather churlishly informed the chap that we won the Falklands war and that his man Diego was a cheating drug addict. I then thanked him for his trouble and made a sharp exit...

Next stop Peru...