IHANA.COM big trip - diary - December 2002

Eight in the morning and Alberto arrives in his rusted through Peugeot 504 pick up to take us to his dads farm where the horses are. The track is fairly smooth but the old car is falling apart and we trundle along at a little over walking pace. Fortunately its not too far and we pull into a ramshackle farm, take some bridles that are hanging in a barn and go into the horses field. Alberto sets about cooing at four impressive looking horses and a young foal but they're not having any of it and run away to the other side of the field. Some others that are a bit more dozy are not so lucky and soon have their bridles on. Back at the barn we saddle up and jump on.

For B its the first time he's ridden such an animal but soon gets the hang of it. We take a slow walk through the fields, Ts horse trying to make it a run instead. It makes a nice change from the landy, very peaceful and relaxing and after a couple of hours we get back to the farm without having fallen off.

On the way back we pass a field with ostriches in it and stop the car. One of the big grey birds is sitting on its nest and we walk over towards it. All of the other birds run off at lightning speed but the one with the nest sat it out until the last second, leaving two big warm eggs. Alberto said they'd be good with the 'asado' (bbq lamb) lunch and we trundle back in the Peugeot to meet his family. After hours in the sun we're thirsty as hell and pleased to be offered a drink, but not whisky, and then plenty of wine with the dinner starts to induce a serious lunchtime hangover.

Full maté kit

Ford Model A...

...with some eggs on the seat

Skins curing in the garage

Part of a plane which crashed nearby

Faaamily

After a few more hours talking and checking out their old Ford Model A from 1931 the guys all walk with us to the landy, still where we left it with the tent up. We gulp down some water from the cab and demonstrate the various idiosyncrasies of the landy before leaving, heads aching but bellies full.