Never heard of the place, Sam.... but I will dig a little and see what I can find out.

Thanks Alex, also just came across this "Cristina en el Campo" it is pretty funny.
http://cristinaenelcampo.blogspot.com/

Also just heard about this hotel very near EZE..looks decent...
http://www.posadadelasaguilas.com.ar/

suerte
SAM

The Posada de las Aguilas that Sam mentions above has been around for a while.... Ive also heard decent reviews of the place. FWIW, some of the regional airlines are known to use the facilities, Ive seen TAM crews get picked up by the shuttle service the this Posada has.

An appliance-specific question: Mrs BamaVol and BamaVol Jr #3 travel everywhere with a hair straightener. We've had difficulty making it work outside the US despite whatever adapters we carry. Last year, we ended up purchasing one in Europe (Vienna I think). Is either likely to work in BsAs or should we plan on searching for one locally upon arrival?

Please note that you may be facing more than one problem.... its not only getting an adapter that will make you able to plug in the darned thing... there is also the matter of voltage. Is this hair straightener thingie 110-240v compatible...? If you are using a 110v unit in Vienna, where current is 220v then you have a problem.....

If your hair thingie is multi voltage, then I suggest you shop online for one of those world adapters that have just about all the plug and outlet configurations possible... its a sound investment.

Is that what they are calling a fire, or blowing out all the circuits, these days?

OK. I think we'll add to our collection of international hair straighteners.

We have adapters. The problem seems to be that the appliance is a wee more powerful than the wattage the adapter likes - 1750 vs 1600 max. Please don't crucify me for my lack of electrical understanding - I'm a good accountant but no engineer.

I'm based in the USA and have Verizon service with an LG Chocolate. Will my phone be useable in BA/the surrounding areas?

No.

I have not had any luck with getting any Argentine service to connect to my Verizon Blackberry. However, I was able to make connections with Brazilian carriers when I visited Iguazu Falls.

Im no carpenter but Im ordering some lumber on the phone and found some nice blue-prints on the internet that will allow me to build a nice big fat cross...

An adapter is what allows you to plug stuff in.... a transformer is what will allow you to operate a 110V appliance on 220V power when you are away from home. Some travel transformers come with adapters as part of the package... you should be able to find a decent sized auto-transformer that can handle up to 1500W. Even though your thingie likes 1700W, a 1500W auto-transformer will allow you to operate it for a good 10-12 minutes..... but it will create a lot of heat!!! I suggest you tell the ladies to take turns using it, with a 10-15 minute pause to let the transformer cool off...

Just in case, have a phone of the local fire department handy!!!!

Voltage regulators are the best way to go when you want to use 110v devices on 220v systems and vice versa (http://www.nipponamerica.com/catalogue/jpg_NA-305.htm). They are more robust than transformers and protect the devices against power surges and dips. Also, transformers usually don't adjust the frequency, which is a big problem for motorized devices but normally not for hair flatteners. Unfortunately regulators are too heavy for traveling, I have a few 1000 watt regulators that weigth 12 to 15 kg each.

Argentina has a 220v, 50 hertz system. That's the same as most of Europe, the US is 110v 60 hertz. Read the labels on the one you bought in Vienna, I bet its 220 or 230 volts, 50 hertz, if that's the case all you need is a sturdy adapter not a transformer.

Here's a good URL for travelers to help them figure out what sockets and voltage they'll be facing on the road: http://www.voltagevalet.com/country/all.html.

Well... Im also not an engineer....but unless we are arguing semantics.... Ive always thought that an "adapter" does not switch voltages... or are you saying that there are special adapters that not only allow you to plug in stuff but also modify voltage...?????

Maybe we mean different things by transformer or converter.....? Again, I may be getting the English names wrong...

I'm not an electrician or electrical engineer, I'll do my best to explain my understanding. There are 3 kinds of differences: different sockets, different voltages, and different frequencies. Basically, there are 4 options for dealing with the different electrical systems around the world:

1. Buy new stuff
2. Buy an adapter, it allows you to connect a device into a different kind of socket but it doesn't change the voltage or frequency.
3. Buy a converter or transformer, it allows you to connect a device into a different kind of socket and it adjusts the voltage but it doesn't change frequency.
4. Buy a voltage regulator, it takes care of everything.

Lots of companies market adapters and transformers to travelers, but they rarely explain that transformers do nothing about frequency. This can cause problems with any class of device but its especially bad for motorized items because the motors are designed to operate at a specific frequency and giving them electricity at a different frequency forces them to operate in a way they were not designed, this tends to wear them out more quickly. Another big issue with transformers is they don't do anything to protect against brownouts or power spikes, which means you risk damaging sensitive electronics.

There are all kinds of voltage regulators, they tend to do the best job but they are heavy becuase they include motors or other components that are bulky.