Today we are travelling from Mendoza to Salta which is around 1,300km and takes around 18 hours. Previously we have travelled via what is called cama and cama ejuctivo classes. These two classes of travel have basically involved either lying completely flat or reclining to a 45 degree angle and have been very comfortable with hot meals and drinks. Today, due to budget constraints and the fact that it was £30 cheaper each to do so, we are travelling semi-cama. We thought it looked alright from the photos but after being on the bus for approximately 5 minutes, we have noted several significant differences. Firstly, the bus smells and is quite old and tatty. Secondly, we have already been served lunch which consisted of a starter of a ham and cheese sandwich without crusts and a main of a ham and cheese sandwich with crusts. Both were without butter and are still stuck to the top of our mouths!!! Thirdly, the film is in Spanish with Spanish subtitles so there is very little to do but look out the window. Finally, when I did look out the window I've managed to see quite a few dead things including a dog and what looked like a small horse / donkey within the space of 5 minutes.

We left Mendoza bus station at 1pm and are going to update the blog as a sort of diary until we get to Salta at approximately 7am. Should be fun!!!

1.49pm - Beth has taken to smelling the curtains as she can smell something really bad to her right. I think she may have found the source of the bad odour. The picture says it all. In a road kill update we have also just seen a cat at the side of the road. Might go for a hat trick of domesticated animals but it will be hard to spot a rabbit from up here.

2.23pm - Beth is asleep already. We have been on the road for just over an hour and she has somehow managed to get to sleep. The eye mask has probably helped. I think she could sleep anywhere!!

3.01pm - For some unknown reason, we have been diverted off the main road by some locals and onto dirt roads. Obviously, the bus isn't built like a 4x4 so the rattling is pretty intense. It's even woken the sleepy one up!!

5.00pm - Another horse carcass has been spotted at the side of the road. Beth has banged her head off the tv for the first time on this journey. The current record is twice in the space of 30 seconds on the trip from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. In other developments, we have just discovered that the lid on the only liquids we have will not come off. Dehydration awaits!!!

8.06pm - We had been promised that we would get tea as part of the package we've paid for. We are both starving and still to receive anything resembling an evening meal. After dinner that might be a good thing!!! Beth's away back to sleep again. I reckon this could be her for the night unless we get another ham and cheese sandwich combo!!

8.56pm - Unfortunately Beth has awoken and is severely thirsty due to the Pepsi max not opening. We think this may be because we are at altitude but are not sure. Whatever the reason I now have a really grouchy companion for the rest of the journey.

9.39pm - We have stopped at the bus station in the small town of La Rioja where we have been able to replenish our thirst at the shop. I think Beth was under the impression that we may actually die if we had not have been able to have any more drinks. I don't think the salty crisps have helped as well as the servings of food from the bus company.

9.42pm - Dinner has finally been served at La Rioja bus station. To our utter relief, the meal consists of ........................ A ham and cheese sandwich without crusts for starters and a ham and cheese sandwich with crusts for main. Some guys are hysterically laughing on the bus - I think the guy serving the meals was slightly taken aback when we both laughed at him when he served us!!!

9.55pm - Think we must just have passed through the red light district in La Rioja. This is based on the fact that there were several women at the side of the road dressed skimpily and touching their toes as motorbikes were going past. It didn't look like they were having much of a successful night but the night is young.

12.15am - We have pulled into a garage of some sort in Catamarca (not sure about the spelling) where it sounds as though they are doing some work to the bus. Not sure what the crack is but it seems like a typical bus ride in South America. I don't think you would get this with National Express!!

8.10am - We have finally made it to Salta about an hour late. That's fine as we aren't able to check into our hostel till 11. The journey was interesting to say the least and the food is definitely the worst we have had so far in South America and probably our lives. Anyway, we live and learn and the lesson today is that if we are travelling semi-cama with Via Tac we should definitely take our own food or at least some butter!!