Uruguay

Uruguayan Asado

An arvo walk with some crew from the hostel

As we crammed my board bag into the taxi the driver seemed confused though none the less jetted to the port in good time. I felt stoked to be returning to Uruguay - where good vibes and mate rule.
The ferry was only an hour and a half from Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires - followed by a four and a half hour bus (with wifi) to the coastal hub of Punta Del Este, pretty good for a $50 ticket...
Punta Del Este is a really popular summer destination for Argentine beach goers so doesn't completely capture the Uruguayan experience - though our northward destination would apparently fulfill our desires. Taking another 2 hour bus ride to the small coastal town of La Pedrera - we were immediately charmed by the sandy streets and hippy stalls lining them. We got talking to a local lad from a hostel and before we knew it we were in his car checking the surf with my board bag plonked on the roof strapped down by gravity and nothing else.

"mate"!

Uruguayan surf mags getting me psyched

The hostel is more like a commune than a business, everyone walks to the beach in the mornings, drinks mate together in the afternoon and eats together around the fire at night. I am the only English speaking person in the hostel - as everyone else is from Uruguay, Argentina and Chile - so my Spanish is improving rapidly. Cata and I are camping in the sand for $11 a night including breaky - though we still haven't been asked for any money or to sign any forms - it's very relaxed.
Almost every night after a few beers, Frenet or Pisco - depending on whether your company is Uruguayan, Argentinian or Chilean - the inevitable drum circle commences. It usually starts with myself and Santiago on our drums - then more and more instruments start to appear out of the woodwork and the whole hostel erupts into an orchestral tribal beat.

Wave wise so far it's been pretty small though clean all day and uncrowded. The locals I have met seem really passionate and stoked on surfing and frothed on giving me the run down of all the spots. Apparently the best waves are in late February and March so I'm really pleading with Huey to send us something with a few tubes.

This is what the point out the front does on a good day...

This is what we've been ridin' - not complaining!