It’s a giant in terms of world cities and so I wanted to stroke it off my list – see Maradona’s home, sample the thriving night life and just see what all the fuss is about when it comes to talking about…BA, Buenos Aires.
Â
It’s by no means my least favourite city, but it doesn’t rank that high with me either. I flew into Buenos Aires from Santiago in Chile. I had a Chilean Cristal beer on the flight.
Â
I had some Argentinian Pesos sorted ahead of my trip.
Â
My arrival immigration card for the Republic of Argentina. Despite all the hallaballoo over the Falklands I used my British passport to enter, as I wanted to finish it, it was almost full. I ended up coming and going from Argentina 8 times (Chile – Argentina – Antarctica – Argentina – Uruguay – Argentina – Brazil – Argentina – Paraguay).
Â
Goodbye Chile at Santiago Airport.
Â
One of few times I had to fill in a mobile phone declaration when entering a country.
Â
The flight was short and sweet and early evening I arrived in Buenos Aires. This was the meeting point location at the airport that I had on email as I had booked a seat on a shuttle bus direct to my hostel – Limehouse Hostel. A hostel I booked because of its name.
Â
When I checked the time of the bus I had booked, it was an hour away so my first experience in Argentina, was having a cup of coffee at the arrivals section of the airport, plus a free water.
Â
Then I got my bus (a comfy mini-bus) and on board met another traveller, Lena Hoffman from Germany, who I ended up going out with that night even though she stayed in a different hostel – Florida Suites in Avenida Florida (15-20 minutes walk from me).
Â
First photo on arrival in Buenos Aires downtown! Taken from the bus.Â
Darkness fell as I was let out on the busy Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest street in the world.
Â
Next task was to find my hostel and at this point on my trip I was seriously overloaded. I had all my Antarctica clothes in my bag so it was heavy! I posted them, and another box after my trip to the southern continent. Walking in the busy Avenida de Julio in rush hour with all my bags was a nice experience and I found my hostel within 5 minutes, situated on the adjacent street Lima. I stayed in the excellent Limehouse Hostel, which was up some stairs after ringing a bell on a corner building. The hostel was green, and I was ready to see the big lights of the Argentinian capital!
Â
Transport Used – Airbus (LAN Airlines), Bus at Airport from Terminal to Plane, Minibus from airport to Avenida 9 de Julio
Â
Strange Currencies – Argentinian Pesos
Â
Beers Tried – Cristal (Chile), Quilmes (Argentina)
Â
Nationalities Met – Chilean, Australian, Argentinian, German, Irish, Polish, Colombian.
Â
Where I Stayed – Limehouse Hostel, Lima, Buenos Aires
Â
HAVING A BEER IN SANTIAGO AIRPORT, CHILE:
Â
ARRIVAL IN BUENOS AIRES – AT LIMEHOUSE HOSTEL BALCONY BY NIGHT:
Â
THE TANGO DANCING IN FLORIDA STREET ON MY FIRST NIGHT IN BUENOS AIRES: