Our first morning in Purmamarca was clear and sunny as usual and we got to see the mountains and the valley in all its glory. Purmamarca is a small tourist village but people come here mainly to see the Cerro de Siete Colores (mountain of seven colours). The region has many rock formations, composed of sedimentary layers containing different minerals which give them their distinct colour but in this valley, you could see all the colours lined up next to each other (see Tammy I do know this stuff)! We would only spend one day here and decided to do a bit of a walk around the surrounding valley. The tourist information centre gave us a small map which showed an easy path at the base of one of the mountains but we couldn't find this so after wandering round the other side and side stepping some diseased dogs, we made our own route behind the mountain that twisted and turned for about an hour or so. It wasn't a proper path, rather a rocky ravine but we followed it all the way until we could reach one of the ridges easily. The hard work paid off with amazing views once again but we did wonder at one point how far we should go before heading back. From a closer viewing point back in the village however, we spent some time trying to count all the colours. As picturesque as it was, we both struggled to make out seven distinct colours but i guess 7 has a nice ring to it! An hour later we were on the bus to Tilcara.

Tilcara seemed like another typical small South American town but it did have a bit more charm to it than Purmamarca. After checking into our hostel, we relaxed with a beer and immediately got the feeling we could spend a couple of days here at least if we had to. There were several things to do around Tilcara but we were both keen to do some sandboarding but unfortunately circumstances were against us and this didn't work out. At the same time we were happy to chill in Tilcara if need be and just enjoy our last few days in Argentina. We did visit some local ruins but this was boring to be honest and the local cafe nearby provided more amusement for its hippy vibe.

Heading north to Bolivia from Argentina I think provided an ideal introduction to Bolivia as you saw the landscape, people, atmosphere and services gradually change as you went further north, so arriving in Bolivia would not be a complete shock. When I first planned this trip I gave myself 6 weeks to explore Argentina and maybe Bolivia but circumstances and decisions had managed to make me stay in Argentina for the whole 6 weeks. It was probably more time than I needed to spend in the country to get the experience desired but in hindsight I'm almost glad the way things worked out. I got to see places I wasn't planning to go to and also spent much of the journey with some familiar faces and met some very nice people as well. In general I was very happy with the reception I got from the Argentinians and was on many occasions pleasantly surprised. Particularly the places I stayed in Buenos Aires and Bariloche really felt like home. It is a shame that the current political and economic situation plays heavily in peoples daily lives and makes it very difficult for some, as this is such a rich country in terms of culture, tradition and natural beauty. Not many countries can boast such diverse landscapes and regions from glaciers, to tropical regions, deserts to lush green countryside.

The only regret I have about leaving Argentina is that I did not get to experience a football game as this was something I would have loved to do when I was planning this trip. However due to certain circumstances, when the decision had to be made, I decided that sacrificing a football game to experience another country altogether would be worth it.

Entonces, adios Argentina, gracias por las memorias!