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Argentina is a destination that is true to the motto of this blog: living the first class life, at coach prices. And the time to go is now before inflation takes off. The NY Times recently nailed this timing giving good tips for visiting Buenos Aires.

But they didn’t comment on the flight, which is a breeze. When I went on AA#955 from JFK a couple of weeks ago, I left at 10PM and arrived in Buenos Aires at 10AM. With only one hour time difference, it was the easiest adjustment to the local time that I’ve ever had on a long flight. I’m more used to afternoon departures and early arrivals after traversing time zones from east to west. Several airlines run nonstops to BA from Washington Dulles, Miami and Dallas as well as JFK.

The key to this overnight flight is sleep. The best way to feel like you’re in business class–even if you aren’t–is to splurge on a
Tempur-Pedic Eye Mask. Forget those elastic bands, this one has adjustable velcro and “memory foam” for supreme comfort. Pop in some ear plugs (or drop the $300 for a Bose noise canceling headset) and you’ll be ready to tango when you arrive. Buenos dias, Buenos Aires!

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One of the great values on the ground is all the good, cheap wine (you’re certainly not going to be hard pressed to get anything good on the plane). A bottle that costs $9 in the US can cost as little as $3 in Argentina. Try a malbec from Pascual Toso or the aromatic white torrontes from Alta Vista and you’ll be getting a great wine that’s hard to find in the US. See Dr. Vino’s blog for more info on visiting Mendoza, the epicenter of Argentina’s wine country.

You’ll want to get a recent guidebook to keep up with the fast pace of changes on the ground. Food and Drink in Argentina was published last month.

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Finally, this headline from today’s NYT made me laugh:

A Meat Eater Bigger Than T. Rex Is Unearthed

Where else? Why in Argentina of course!

To really get your juices flowing, see my photo stream from Argentina on flickr.

–Dr. Vino

tags: travel | air travel | Argentina