I was not prepared. And embarrassed as a Canadian that I didn't dress properly.
Mendoza switched quickly from HOT to COLD. From thinking I didn’t have enough shorts packed looking around the little shops in Mendoza for something light and flowy. To within literally a week it changing to me then then scouring those same little shops for sock slippers and wool sweaters.
When I travelled to Argentina the first time, I went alone without Emi for a whole month, I knew a few words in Spanish. Argentina is a proud country of Spanish speakers and travelling there alone to stay with his Spanish speaking mom was the best kick in the ass to learn Spanish you could ever imagine. It was Leticia–Emi’s mom, Google Translate and I, all day, everyday. I gotta say, my brain was a pile of mashed potatoes after a full day of learning a new language. So whenever I need to turn my brain off, I have a few favourite podcasts. “The skinny confidential”, Alex coopers “Call her Daddy” and “New music Friday” by NPR. Every morning I move my body, clearly to stay fit but most importantly for clarity of my mind. It helps me relax and focus. And at night I love a nice walk. So that’s what I would do, overnight to wind down. And as the weather got chilly… those walks started getting disappointingly shorter. I was lucky enough that Emi’s mom had a few extra jackets that fit, but for shoes .. I was SOL trying to fit my size 8 into her 7.
There is no amazon in Argentina.
There is no Costco or cheap Department store in Argentina.
It’s basically unfashionable and cheap-ER. or SUPER expensive name brands at the mall. my advice? Pack the essentials and go from there. You want to experience Argentina while being comfortable and stylish. I ended up being pretty warm in the end but I was wearing all of Emi’s families clothes lol.
Wind, Snow, Sun, and puddles. Heres a list of essentials you can get ordered to your house before heading to Argentina whether you’re heading to the vineyards or going for a Hiking adventure in Patagonia They’re light and packable. In the picture above I’m wearing sneakers from “Sketchers” I love them for hot climates because they’re skin coloured and machine washable and breathable, making them super fashionable and easy to travel with. For an Adventurous person like me and Emi, this is super important.That being said I didn’t do my research and packed only these sneakers. When the temperature dropped all that kept my feet warm were these slipper socks. my shoes did nothing. I found some really cool hiking sneakers that emulate a barefoot, keep you warm and are WATERPROOF! I can’t wait to try them ! Definitely will bring them on my next trip to Argentina.
Like always, If you can get anything second hand that is always the best option and at places like goodwill and Salvation Army you can find great quality brands for the fraction of the price and the proceeds go to a great cause.
you can click the button above to shop all the items I find work the best. But regardless where you’re going, I HIGHLY recommend a base layer that is good quality. then you can layer on top of that. I got these Marino wool Base layers and yes, they’re a little pricy, but I’ve had them for a few years and they keep me warm in any climate I take them on every one of my contracts on cruise ships where I travel to hot and cold climates. From Alaska to Australia I’m set. Obviously in Winnipeg where I’m from and other super cold climates you need these base layers plus -40/-50 rated clothing and boots, mits and a hat on top. I’ll write a blog about that too soon. But until now, have an amazing adventure. Create beautiful memories while keeping warm.
Adventure on beautiful People. Stay warm !