The start of the Christmas blues.....

On Boxing Day all of the other guests left the estancia and so after an early breakfast and much hugging and squeezing of little people Abs and I went out for a ride with Polo up in to the hills - it was so different having just three of us on the ride I'd got quite used to the hustle and bustle of having the children there.

El Puesto completely exceeded my expectations, it's a perfect oasis away from the rest of the world - with no reminders the real world. The estancia operates on solar power, there's no freezer, no wifi and only an occasional mobile phone signal - a real treat.

If you look closely you can see my 'stolen' earrings

We had a lovely final evening, just the two of us and Raul for dinner it wasn't a late one as we'd arranged to go for another ride in the morning before heading back to Mendoza.

Happy days at El Puesto

As with each of the preceding mornings we were greeted by brilliant sunshine and we had another wonderful ride when we got back at midday it was time to pack up and get back to our travels.... I was sad to be leaving and it's one of the first places that I've ever stayed that I would like to think I might return to one day.

Raul drove us back to Mendoza which is a two hour drive, when we were about 10 minutes away he asked us if we would like to join him for lunch at his house in Chacras da Coria, we didn't have any plans and so we were delighted to accept his invitation. Anna his housekeeper made us fresh beef burgers with salad while Raul kept the lunch time drinking tradition going by pouring the wine, finishing off one bottle of chilled red and then ordering me to finish my wine "Lorena, drink your wine" before opening the second bottle.

When Raul eventually dropped us off at Hostel Lao I was sad to say goodbye to him, he'd been such a charming and generous host.

I am however looking forward to eating and drinking a little less and so along with the rest of you I will be detoxing throughout January. 

It's 4:30pm on Saturday as I type and at 8:30pm we will be catching the bus to Bariloche in the Lake District - 800 miles and a 16 hour bus trip away.... Our iPads are fully charged so I fully expect to be watching Downton Abbey or Love Actually by 9pm.

Raine x