Day Sixty: Bariloche

The plane descends below the clouds and the landscape comes into view.  Its surreal.  Mountains, green hills, no roads.  A little sun shines through the clouds onto the mountains.  I’ve arrived in Patagonia.

I go to the hertz counter.  The compact car is $200 pesos a day.   A car with an automatic transmission is available for $700 pesos per day.  I need to learn to drive manual.  I hop in a taxi.  We drive a scenic hour along the lake through Bariloche to Llao Llao.

As I am checking in I ask Guadelupe who to talk to about the activities for tomorrow.  She hands me a schedule for the hotels activities and directs me to the concierge’s office to make some plans before it closes.  The man at the desk is getting ready to head home for the day so I apologize and promise to make this quick.  I book horseback riding in the mountains in the morning and canopying for the afternoon.  I consult the hotel’s schedule of activities as well.  I could easily spend the entire day here; tango lessons, windsurfing, golf lessons, hiking and bird watching are on the agenda for tomorrow.  I definitely will need to make some spa time here.

I’m on my own again, but I am completely comfortable with being by myself for the next few days and experiencing this place.  I’m less anxious about being on my own.  I know enough Spanish now to get around.

I settle in and head to the restaurant for dinner.

“Just you?” the hostess asks.

“Just me,” I respond.