4 Wheel Drives in Neuquèn

The Lonely Planet guide recommends the use of a 4 wheel drive when getting around in northern Neuqèn. This is a misprint. It should read that a tank is needed. However, the locals do not have tanks.... they just think they do. My new best friend, Emillio, took me 35 km up river yesterday to go fishing. He got into the truck, put the gas peddle to the floor and flew over some of the worst roads that I have ever driven on. One lane, dirt, winding death traps. It certainly does not help when all along the road are monuments that have been errected to the people who have died in car accidents along the way. There are hundreds! The hilarious part is when a hairpin turn is approached, the driver toots the horn in a friendly way but does not reduce his speed. The only reason that I can think of for doing this is because all of the local people recognize the sounds of various horns and now they can go into the valley of death knowing who they had the fatal collision with! The scenery was breathtaking, the drive, horrendous. Poor Emillio. He thinks that I should be his wife because I am such a bossy passenger.