Estancia and horse riding and Happy New Year

We left Cafayate and headed back to wards Salta but pulled off the road to visit an estancia. It was a major tobacco growing farm but also had horses...and we were going riding...not quite riding through the pampas but that is yet to come. But first we had a welcome breakfast.

Then we got our horses and we were away. The only shot of me on my horse.

 Christina was happy enough but Shannon looks most unhappy but actually she is a good rider and enjoyed the ride.

 A few photos of the scenery around the estancia.

 Riding through the local village.

 We forded a river then followed it upstream before turning around and heading home through the shade of some trees.

 We moved on to our bush cap for the evening,,,only to be moved on by the local police and eventually set up camp in a truck park for the rest of the night.

 We drove on to another major wine producing region around Mendoza. It is very arid with water from the mountains used for irrigation. And no its not Madagascar but there are bilobab trees here.

 Yet another great sunset. We couldn't find a good bush camp and after asking the local police, we ended up camping next to a police check point near the main road.

 And finally we were in Mendoza for New Years Eve. We had a BBQ plus loads of wine...in fact so much that I allegedly went skinny dipping but there is no photographic evidence so I can deny it!

 Every corner in Mendoza seems to have a Christmas tree...and here are a selection just for fun...ans Happy New Year to everyone!