The 'A' Factor

Greg and I have been "factored" several times every single week. We thought we had bad luck- and then we realized that everyone gets factored. This makes me happy and sad all at the same time.... perhaps there are no travel gods.....

What exactly is getting factored? Well- it is when something goes wrong- even though the chance of something going wrong is incredibly slim. It is when a trip to the grocery store half a block away to pick up milk takes 4 hours. It is when all of your friends that come to visit you have to go to the hospital the day they arrive due to some strange affliction. (Most recently this was Kiley- who came from Iguazu falls to meet up in Bariloche. He was bitten by a mosquito that made his leg and foot swell up and turn blue. Apparently the little mosquito lays worm eggs when it bites you- only to be cured by staying off your feet, taking antibiotics, and not drinking). It's when there are no speed limits on the highways for your road trip... but the roads are too unmaintained to go more than 60.

We recently were responsible for factoring ourselves. Greg and I have overstayed our 90 day visa by several months. The consequence is paying 300 pesos upon exiting the country. Well- we decided to take a trip to Ushuaia- where you cross into Chile briefly before getting back into Argentina. We had our money. We were ready to pay and get on with it as we approached border patrol. It was a Sunday..... and also a holiday. This should not be a huge problem.....

We go through border patrol- and they look at our passports and start laughing. Never a great sign....they tell us we have overstayed our welcome and we need to either pay a fine or fly to Ushuaia (since we would not be leaving the country if we flew). We considered flying- but we had a problem. We had a rental car... and another person who was not on the papers for the car, as you are only allowed to have two people on the papers and Greg and I are driving back from Ushuaia alone. So- we wanted to pay the fine. Well, the fine has to be paid in a town 75 km from the border at a government office. The government office is only open from 8-12 M-F...and it was Sunday.

So we stayed the night in a dingy oil and wool town. Not exactly a site to see....

We wake up at 7, pack up, and go to the immigration office. We wait for 20 min., and we get the paper we need after another five. This was just way too easy. There was just one catch.... the fine needed to be paid at the "Banco de la Nacion". It is around the corner and opens at 9 am. Then we need to bring back a receipt to this office and they will give us a special paper to cross the border. It's 8:40.... we have 20 min until the bank opens.... we might actually get out sooner than later!

We arrive at the bank 2 min. later and my jaw drops to the floor.... there is a line of about 500 people going around the building. Popular place apparently. We have until 12 to get back to the office or we will be stuck for yet another day in the fabulous Rio Gallegos.

An hour and a half later, I have moved forward less than 10 feet. I fear that this will be an all day event..... and inside the bank, the line looks like Disney World. I tell Greg to see if we can find a person we can pay and then get out of here....

And he does! He walked into the bank, told a guy we had a flight to catch and we were going to miss it if we could not pay the fine now, and moments later a very nice Argentine came over ranting about how the country was a "quilombo" (cluster fuck). He took our money- stamped and signed a paper- and sent us on our way....

BTW- this bank is where the entire city has to pay for anything government related. There are two windows to help people- and they each get a ten minute break every hour in order to have coffee and mate. Efficiency at its best :)