Cafayete, Argentina

In the style of 999...

Our story today follows the adventures of Glenn Cumming. A 27 year old accountant from England we join Glenn around 6 weeks into his 7 month jaunt around the world.

Tired from the travelling undertaken thus far Glenn decided to rest and recuperate for a few days in the quiet Argentinean mountain town of Cafayete - how in the days to come he would wish to have followed that original intention...

Bedding down early after securing accommodation Glenn went to bed intending to spend the next day meandering slowly by bike around Cafayete and its beautiful surroundings.

Awaking early after an uncharacteristically good night’s sleep Glenn decided to set off early - the morning sun encouraging his, as it would transpire, hasty and ill prepared departure...

Travelling by bike Glenn made his way without too much trouble or bother to the ever shifting sand dunes whose presence in an Andean landscape is truly a sight to behold. Already feeling the heat of the slowly climbing sun it was becoming apparent that Glenn had failed to foresee the severity of conditions to which he would be exposed and that he was not ready for even a mild day of adventure. Attired in flimsy plimsolls, shorts, t-shirt and still carrying an injury sustained some weeks earlier whilst snowboarding Glenn’s progress was slow indeed. His faltering pace was compounded by the affects of altitude and further exposed him to the full extent of the sun’s energy sapping glare...

Journeying to the base of a nearby mountain in order to sample the reputedly fine vista Glenn did not heed the warning of his fading condition which several wrong turns, slips and stumbles should have provided...

Stopping briefly for a wholly inadequate lunch Glenn was forced to move on rather rapidly by the attentions of the local insects. Realising he had set off too soon Glenn stopped again to cool down and digest his lunch - a lunch which would prove to provide little in the way of the energy needed to cope with the dramas yet to unfold...

Tricked by the relaxing cycle down the hill he had earlier climbed and taken in by a vista of Inca irrigation channels and vineyards stretching as far as the eye could see Glenn’s resolve to return home faltered, wilted and ultimately collapsed...

Buoyed by a drink of water Glenn decided to head out of Cafayete with the intention of visiting the forceful waterfalls of the Rio Colorado. Only hindsight can truly expose the folly of that decision...

Dehydrated, burnt, tired and with little or nothing left in the way of energy reserves Glenn wound his way up hill to the start of the waterfall trail. Deciding not to entrust his bike to the attentions of several entrepreneurial young local children his progress did not halt to provide the rest he needed. Rather, onwards he pressed...

Obtaining the start of the walk Glenn ignored the advancing hour, the waning sun and his aching body and instead pressed on further...

In his increasingly delirious state borne of exposure and fatigue Glenn proceeded to secure his lock to a nearby tree but alas not his bike - a mistake thankfully pointed out by a local guide who only wanted small change for the favour provided...

Making relatively easy progress on the upwards leg of the journey Glenn stopped frequently to admire the views and take in all that surrounded him in this green and fertile valley. Arid landscapes and water caressed foliage nestled in close proximity tempting the eye to look every which way. Having lost all the others with whom he begun the ascent Glenn ignored his solitary state and kept pushing on with each step taken and each corner turned promising more visual delights...

Stopping ultimately at a particularly picturesque spot Glenn decided to kneel down and take several photos for the sake of posterity...

In rising from his crouched position the culmination of the day’s excess hit Glenn with full force. Almost collapsing he grasped the nearest rock for support hoping the light headed feeling would pass. Struggling to focus and newly aware of his predicament and fatigue several moments passed in determined concentration as he tried to cling desperately to consciousness.

As the sun fell behind the valley Glenn was aware that the once friendly surroundings now seemed to be a prison and far from the picture postcard they had been but moments earlier. Glenn felt a shiver as shadows descended all around and the path to safety became increasingly obscured...

Deciding to linger not a moment longer Glenn bid a hasty retreat back down the track - or what he thought was the track - from whence he had came...

In his light headed state the route became ever more blurred - stumbling from rock to rock, cut to ribbons by the foliage he had earlier admired the world and nature in its every manifestation seemed to mock the sorry figure Glenn now presented...

Taking wrong turn after wrong turn the journey of descent represented double the time needed earlier for that of the ascent.

Eventually spying his bike tethered to a tree some 50 metres below Glenn threw himself bodily down a scree slope desperate to escape the drama that enveloped and threatened to consume him...

Riding home guided only by instinct and need Glenn wobbled from side to side over tree root and rock but eventually found his way back.

Collapsing in a heap the only fortuitous moment of the day found Glens resting spot to be outside Mirandas Heladaria (Ice Cream Parlour). The sugar and indeed the taste of one scoop of lemon and one scoop of Torrentes (white wine) ice cream provided the boost Glenn needed to conquer the further 50 metres home...

Semi comatose he could only be roused by the promise of Salta´s finest cerveza negra (black beer) and an Asado (barbeque) cooked by chef of 6 years Alex...

The combination of the two and a warm bed provided a far more pleasant end to the day than had seemed possible but hours earlier.

We caught up with Glenn sometime later recuperating in Cafayete aided by a plate endowed with a selection of local cuisine and a glass of the local red:

- When I look back it scares me - so many signs said turn back but I ignored them all. For all that I went through I feel lucky to have made it home in one piece.

A sober tale indeed.