Mendoza

My flight from Toronto to Santiago, Chile was a direct flight and it left on time Sunday the 7th of December around 10:15 pm. I brought earplugs on a flight for the first time and they worked very well, except for the passenger next to me hogging the arm rest. Don't people realize the armrest is analogous to a demilitarized zone and can't be used by either passenger. It's like a little buffer between two people, lets just say, his arm and legs were crossing over so I didn't get as much sleep as I could have. I woke with the sunrise streaming through some open windows and felt energized and well rested. I landed in Santiago with an eight hour stop over before flying to Mendoza, although the wait was long the airport is very nice and comfortable it's very easy to find a quiet spot to sleep or read. The scenery is spectacular, surrounding the airport are small mountains very sparse of trees and grass, brown in colour and very smooth and flowing. They almost invite you to set off and hike up and around them though from the perspective of the airport they fill half the skyline. To the east through the intensifying cloud you can see the peaks of some Andean giants and it immediately got my heart pounding to think I would soon be above them all.

The flight over the mountains to Mendoza is reputed to be very very hazardous by the locals. I'm glad I heard this after I actually flew over them because it was very turbulent and being nervous as well would definitely set the stomach going. The Hotel Park Hyatt - Mendoza is perfect with a casino inside and fabulous outdoor pool and a room which blew me away. There are many fine hotels and hostels in Mendoza which are far better priced but our group was booked in the Hyatt and since I arrived a few days earlier decided to stay there.