La Hospitalidad Argentina

When we got together in Cartagena to begin this trip, we met Jorge Jovanovics for the first time. We intended to camp most of the time along the way and Jorge was joining us as the team cook. We have camped much less than planned but Jorge has worked miracles in the places anyway – commandeering the kitchens of hostels, setting up a kitchen on freezing Altiplano campsites – to produce astonishing, wholesome meals in the most unlikely places.

More than that, Jorge has thrown himself onto helping in any way that he can and has become a true collaborator in the planning of Expedition65. We cannot function without Jorge.

Last night, we passed by Jorge’s home town and were invited to dinner by his family and to crash in the family houses in Campo Quijano near Salta, Argentina.

Little did we know what was in store for us. Jorge’s father, Jorge, presided over a huge barbecue and his mother, Leonor, prepared dessert for the Expedition65 team and their large extended family.

After a 500 Km day across the high, cold, desolate Andes and Ruta40 that ended with 30Km of roadworks in the dark, we fell on all this food and local wines and went to sleep in a food coma.

Jorge – thanks so much for opening your house to this dusty, dirty group of gringos. We will remember this evening for a long time.

Photos: Jorge Senior at the grill with every animal imaginable sacrificed for our pleasure – Leonor serving us more food than we had any business eating – Jorge Senior, Junior and boys – Jorge’s boys are big fans of Mary Poppins and were thrilled to meet someone who was an extra in that film.