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Monday, November 29, 2010

Antarctica, Buenos Aires Arrival

 

American Airlines Flight 943 begins it's descent for Buenos Aires with a promise of an on time arrival. Although I have a few hours to make my connection to Ushuaia this is good news. With my customs and immigration forms complete I am excited to enter Argentina, the process bringing me one step closer to Antarctica.

 

 

Capt Kangaroo An automatic arrival announcement is beginning made when it is halted by, “Ladies and Gentlemen this is your Captain Kangaroo and we have just been given a delay for our arrival into Buenos Aires.”

 

 

Apparently, this is a busy time for arrivals into Buenos Aires (EZE) especially since the downtown domestic airport (AEP) is closed for construction. All of the domestic flights are temporarily operating out of the main airport.

I continue listening to “American Airlines After Dark”, a nice selection of jazz music and it does not seem too long before we smoothly touchdown. Welcome to Argentina!

 

 

SAM 044 As a result of the temporary airport overcrowding we are parked at a remote location.

 

 

 

 

SAM 042 This requires us to be bussed to the main terminal to clear customs and immigration.

 

 

 

In the immigration area the tourist are separated from the locals in order to purchase an Argentina Entry Visa. This visa has varying prices from $100 to $140 depending on your nationality and length of stay in the country. Of course, cash and credit cards are accepted.

 

SAM 003 For US citizens it is $140 but the visa is good for 10 years. Let's see, if I make ten trips here a year it will turn out to be a heck of a bargain!

 

 

The immigration and custom process is quite welcoming and not before long I am headed to Terminal C to make my domestic connection to Ushuaia. Terminal C is to the left outside of International Arrivals and is about a 10 to 15 minute walk.

 

 

SAM 043 Ushuaia Boarding Gate

 

I arrive in time to make an earlier flight on Aerolineas Argentina. However, after several airport pages “Pasejo Senorita Delago” shows up at the last moment and takes away my chance to continue southbound.

 

1 comment:

Erin said...

Glad to hear you arrived in Buenos Aires safe and sound. Now for the next short hop to Ushuaia. That new reciprocity fee/visa is a bummer (they didn't have it in 2006-2007), but at least it's good for 10 years so you can plan a few more trips back to Argentina in the coming years to make the most of the fee you paid.