I have fantasized about this place for many years.  When I moved to Los Angeles in the spring of 2005, I met a fair lass, Sabrina, from Argentina and was introduced to bits and pieces of the culture.  Mate in the morning, empanadas in the afternoon and dancing, among other things, until late at night.  She was confident and bold and didn’t mind telling me what she thought, despite being about 5’3″ and 110lbs.  I was mesmerized.  I began to research the city.  I read the wikipedia and blogs and lonely planet to learn about this “Paris of South America”, where warm air and warm embrace were equal.  I would hear and later find out first hand that everyone kisses on the cheek..even men.  Our affair did not endure, but my desire to visit this land sure did.

Two friends and I planned a trip to Brazil and Argentina for 2006, however my income would prove to me that it was unrealistic to go.  I had been laid off from my job with Dreyfuss Construction months prior and my real estate business had not grown to support my efforts in world travel, thus I sadly explained that I could not make it.  They, my buddies, went without me.  I stewed!  I was so jealous!!! I did however, live vicariously through their exploits and adventures 🙂

Another year passed and the dream remained.

I was playing pretty good footy (rugby) at the time and was invited to be a part of the Maccabi Pan Am games in Buenos Aires over new year in 2007 to play rugby 7′s.  Ha!  I was going to go!!!  But then wallstreet happened.  With the beginning of the decline in world financial markets, rugby was dropped from the games, due to finances, so the organizers said.  The trip vaporized just as quickly as it had appeared.

Another year would pass.  I did quite a bit of traveling along the west coast of the US and Canada during 2008, but always lingering was BsAs (as they abbreviate).

2009 would have me taking a break from real estate, given the overall condition of the markets, and going back to school to become an EMT and really working hard on what had become quite a lucrative business online, InternetCE.com.

I knew that the time would never be right if I didnt make it so..So I bought my ticket on the cheap and on a whim nearly 3 months before the date of departure and told myself I’d simply figure it out.  I knew I’d need a break from the studies of being an EMT anyway.

I called my mate, Simon Jones, neighbor and owner of Azzurro Travel, and he sorted me out in less than a day for cheaper than I could find anywhere online.  All told, I spent $861.40 (taxes accounted for nearly 20%) for my ticket, round trip.  On December 13th, 2009, I would leave Raleigh to Miami to Mexico City to Buenos Aires…stay for 1 month and come home the same way. My budget for the duration for the experience would not be much that the price of the ticket, including housing, food, entertainment, et al.

Would I have ever even dreamed that it is what is it is..