First riding day. Arriving to Gualeguaychú.

Hey
that's it. now we are rolling, me and my unnamed Chinese friend. we are both O.K.
i said goodbye to my uncles, Margarita managed not to cry this time. i will miss them for sure.

getting out from Buenos Aires was really easy, the bike went nice and smooth with the usual Chinese noise of a jigsaw. some thing interesting happened. now, when i drive fully loaded, the bike has less vibrations and it goes much smoother. that was a nice surprise.
i go 80 km/h and we are both happy.

after 70 k"m i suddenly noticed a different, more subdued sound from the motor. i checked the bike and noticed that 2 bolts which holds the left exhaust pipe got loose and fell off. the exhaust pipe was loosened a bit applying a great "Harley Davidson" sound. i found similar bolts on the mud stopper and replaced them on the exhaust pipe. all is fine now, though i discovered a small hole in the pipe. nothing dramatic.

the day was perfect for riding and i kept going for another 90 k"m passing 2 bridges across river Parana till it got late and dark.

i looked for a place to camp and entered a farm on the side of the road. i looked for farm owner while still driving, and when i found him i saw he was a little tense. he asked me who i am and what i want. i told him him i am a tourist from Israel and he was relieved, he explained me that the security in Argentina is on the down-side and i shouldn't enter any place without noticing. he also mentioned two men who got shot two weeks before when entering a farm. i thanked him for his vital information and kept looking for a place.

i found a small farm, this time approaching them by foot, saluting from far and smiling like a stupid Gringo. they were nice and let me camp on their ground. i pitched my new tent, took a night shot and went to sleep. had no fire so i couldn't even make a coffee or maté.

The region where I'm at now is called "La Pampas", a swampy and flat plateau. very humid.
i woke up in the morning in a white and wet atmosphere.


in the morning i headed to a town Called Gualeguaychú. i went to visit a group of environmental protesters from this city who block the international border bridge for over 7 months now, trying to prevent the building of a paper factory in neighbouring Uruguay. they claim that factory will pollute the air and the river

and destroy their quiet touristy town. the Argentinian government support the people and therefore does not kick them away.

i had a look around town and saw a lot of houses and businesses for sell. what a shame.

i told them I'm a photographer from Israel and they greeted me with a warm lunch and we had good laughs. then they allowed me to visit the bridge and see the plant. i rode 10 k"m on the empty road and arrived to the abandoned border crossing. it was very strange as i could pass the sleepy guards with no problem. i promised the lady i will come back, and so i did.

i wish them good luck, but as things look now (the plant is already running), they don't stand a chance.

tomorrow i will visit them again and will head to a small town which was supposed to be the land of Israel, just before the declaration of our Independence. the town used to be 80% Jewish and was sponsored by the baron Hirsh.

some more info will come later( as i have more..)

bye now

E