Christmas on the beach

Now we're in December, we have a new addition to our gang from the UK. They just wont stop coming! Ally is now living with us until March teaching English, Kirsty is staying until February, and Francis' cousin Huw is now in the spare room with a return flight in March but no definite plans. After few discussions about where to spend our novelty hot christmas, we decide on the beach south of Buenos Aires. Most city folk flock to the beach for the summer, so we got the map out and searched for an off the map, off the beaten track, no mention in lonely planet, small beach town. After practically hitching all the way from Oxford to Buenos Aires, Francis convinces us that rather than do it easily and expensively by hiring a car or taking a bus straight there, we should town, bus and train hop and group hitch-hike the 750 kms south to a town called Reta. If you click on the map below Reta isn't on it, but it's between Claromecó and Orense, just above where it says Mar Argentino. With map open, if you're interested, this is the route we took on our two day journey: 1 Buenos Aires to Lujan by bus (although it felt wrong to start by going north, it was a tip we picked up to start there) 2 Lujan to Bragado 3 Bragado to 25 de Mayo 4 25 de Mayo to Azul 5 Azul to Tres Arroyos 6 Tres Arroyos to Reta. ... And we're off, five of us (although you can't see Ally or Kirsty's heads) on the back seat of our first bus. Tired after holiday celebratory drinks the night before. First stop Lujan for lunch in the square with front row views of Lujan Cathedral. Sun begins to set at the end of day 1 as we wait for a train to Bragado where we spend the night. An electric storm welcomes us and lights up the clouds. On our way back to the roads the next morning. Heading towards 25 de Mayo. We thought we'd put Kirsty at the front wearing a pointed christmas hat that her mum had sent her in the post. The best moment ever! 25 year old Luciano stops his lorry to give us a lift. The boys managed to flag him down, despite numerous comments about girls having higher chances. He is going all the way to Tres Arroyos, about 400kms i think. Boys sit in the front seat, girls up on the bed. Views of the scenery heading south. ... but our moment of joy, our thoughts of potentially arriving at the beach a lot sooner than expected were soon cut short as on the second routine motorway check of the journey, the policeman decides he wants to see all of our ID's, not just Lucianos...... uh oh, I'm the only one of the five carrying a photocopy of my passport. So we all hop off the lorry, offering Luciano money which he adamantly refuses as he enjoyed the company. We jump into the copper's pick-up truck and off we go to Azul police station where we spend the whole afternoon and evening waiting for the police to verify the passport numbers and entry dates/visas of the others. After losing various games of paper, scissors, stone, we pack Ally off on a 12 hour night bus journey to Buenos Aires and back to collect everyone's passports as the police said it would be illegal for us to go on without them..... we needed a drink when they finally released us.. This wine spewing penguin did the job.

Ally is back with the goods, we jump on a bus to tres Arroyos, then another to Reta and on Christmas eve we arrive at the beautiful, deserted, virgin beach:

Christmas eve meat feast... Luckily we have a chef with us who we can palm off all the cooking on to. 2am Christmas eve walk down the beach brings us to this restaurant where we very kindly invited in to join in on the tail end of this generous, friendly family's festivities! Meanwhile, Santa was doing a bit of a bodge job in our cabin. Christmas morning. This isn't what we asked for ...... Revisiting the scene of the crime, in the background is the restaurant where we gate-crashed for christmas eve. Sleeping on the beach while Francis fishes all night. Waking up to this .... Francis' fishing buddy Jorge. One of the 400 incredibly friendly people who live in Reta.

Fish on the barbie for dinner.

On the way to the only bar one night, we come across this fellow.

There may be a slight over load of sunrise and sunset photos, but this is one of the few places in the world where due to its geographic location the sun rises and sets over the sea. Luckily our partying hours allowed us to enjoy both

A truly relaxing break , lots of chilling out and playing games ... JugglingChessChatting

Football

Sad to say goodbye after 10 days.... to the beach and all of our new friends, who's opening lines were always, Where are you from? How on earth did you end up in Reta? (as very rarely any foreigners go there) and all this was very quickly followed by, Come to my house for tea, I'll take you fishing, anything you need I live there .... we all agreed we would miss them all.

New years eve stop in Tres Arroyos before heading back for New years in Buenos Aires. Glass of wine in the cafe with the very well turned out ladies.