We are on an Estancia – this is where the adventure really begins. We become a gaucho, a gringo and a gentlewoman. Ant is first off the block - his riding and farming experience means he is to go out and help the gaucho’s in their daily work. He is mounted on a gaucho horse, and followed by his new faithful friend the estancia dog, Negrito, is off to La Pampa to help round up some cattle to be brought into the “corello” and la manga (and I always thought that was just a posh golf hotel in Spain…) for them to be sprayed against a vicious mozzie. This was the real macoy – Ant rounding up Angus beef on the dusty plains of the Pampas for 3 hours solid. The endless vistas, the maize, grass, alfalfa, wheat, owls, hawks was the mind’s eye Argentinian Pampas for us all. In the meantime, Derek and I take a leisurely breakfast, again served by the maid in the Estancia dining room. Then having been assessed for our individual skills, Derek is mounted on a quiet horse to take a gentle “gringo” (foreigner) ride, and Gill is ensconced in the back of a horse drawn buggy just like a gentlewoman from a Jane Austen novel. We all plan to up the ante over the next 2 days – Ant has asked for a horse with even more spirit for his mornings at work in the fields, Derek is planning to get his horse up to a canter at the least, and Gill is planning to perhaps sit on a stationary horse! By 11.30am all work for the day is finished, and Ant walks gingerly back to the house having desaddled and watered and cooled down his steed. Lunch is served (yes, those maids again) out on the verandah – again presided over by Diana. Parma ham and melon to start, the tenderest fillet of beef and Papas fritas, and jelly and cream to finish. All (apart from the jelly – not sure they produce that themselves, but perhaps they boil up the beef bones to produce the gelatine, who knows…) is grown, harvested and cooked on the Estancia. 2pm to start the real part of the day – La Siesta. The sun beds are laid out for us on the verandah, and the estancia goes quiet as it starts to sleep…. A masseuse is expected for Ant at 5pm – after tea (those maids again) at 4.30. This is the life!
