Calingasta, Argentina

Jan 27, 2006

I cant believe these guys are doctors and I hope I don^t get sick.These are the two thoughts that cross my mind after going on an outing with them and the tv executive.

We rode about 120 miles through the desert, with constant breaks so they could smoke and argue, and ended up in Calingasta. We stopped on the road to smoke, and they saw cars approaching, so they jumped on their bikes and raced off, so the cars wouldn{t pass them.

The first thing they did when we found a store that sold meat was head for the cooler, open a quart of beer, after removing about six and finding the coldest one in the cooler, and share it while bickering with the butcher about the meat. He was taking slabs of beef out of a refrigerator and showing them to the Doctors. I don{t think he washed his hands,and beside the cash register were two plates covered with dead and dying flies.

They finally settled on one, raced off to buy wood, and off we went, with 5 pounds of meat for 4 people, and a loaf of bread.

The houses here are adobe, and we made a párilla, which is like a barbeque, and roasted the beef, while drinking many bottles of wine.Mixing red wine with ice and seltzer still bothers me, so I just drink water and look on in amazement, doing my best to stay healthy enough that I don{t require medical attention.

It is hot and dry here. They bicker constantly and one will get mad and leave for awhile, then all is forgotten and they fight about something else.Unfortunately there is good cellular reception, so I have talked to everyone they know who claims to speak english.The doctors are constantly getting lost, and asking people where they are and how to get where they are going. Tonight one drove past the hotel, and the other almost wrecked getting here.

Last night, in the desert, with only one road crossing it, we got lost about four times, and at one point they stopped the bikes and one of them walked back about a quarter mile to ask someone for directions. I was tempted to offer him a ride.

Something I forgot to mention about the ride through the desert lastnight is that the road was straight for miles and miles, and in the distance I would see lights approach, and when they got closer I realized it was one guy tailgating another with his brights on. Theydo this for miles. On straight roads. With plenty of opportunities to pass. It is the middle of the desert and there is nobody else out there. They also like to hit you with their brights at the last instant, when you can{t do anything about it.

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