Currency Devaluation In Argentina and Impact on Travel

MENDOZA, Argentina- In a minor bit of confusion as to how much is a proper tip in this country and how much would be insulting I walked out of the little cafe without leaving one at all. I suppose I need to expect these gaps of understanding when operating in a new culture and using a new currency.

For a long time the Argentine peso was pegged at one to one with the US dollar. But now, due to the recent economic crisis, it has dropped to 3.5 to one. Though, to curb inflation, the prices of most goods and services have remained the same. For the foreign traveler, Argentina now costs three and a half times less to travel in. The entire country has gone on sale.

Argentine peso

Border crossing from Chile to Argentina went without incident. Mountains, snow, a military outpost in the middle of nowhere. I watched it all pass out the window of the bus as though it were all a slideshow.

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