We watch a boat lazily meander through the delta. From above the islands look so small, such little pockets of green between the criss-crossing stretches of water. Further out, over the river, there are bizarre formations – islets that are perfectly rounded. We circle them for a closer look.
The beauty of flying in a light aircraft means you don’t fly so high, and things that are just patchworks of colour from a bigger plane are given new meaning and life lower down.
The four-seater we are in is taking us away from solid land and out over the river to Isla Martín Garcia, an island in the Río de la Plata.
The island, which actually sits just off the coast of Uruguay, has changed hands between Uruguay and Argentina numerous times, and was also the location of Argentina’s first prison. Many a president was exiled there, most famously Juan Domingo Perón, and the island also served as a leper colony for a time.
Whilst most people have to arrive by boat, we have the luxury of landing on the little airstrip to stop for a spot of lunch at Isla Martín Garcia’s only restaurant. The landing strip runs the length of the island and I feel unsure if we’re going to actually make it, but Egon (our pilot) knows what he is doing and we land smoothly.
We are following in the footsteps of more famous in accessing the island by air – the solitary bakery gained notoriety during Menem’s reign in the 1990s as he would take the presidential helicopter from his residence in Olivos and head there to buy pan dulce.
We have a wander around the serene hamlet, which feels more like Uruguay than Argentina, perhaps for the laid-back atmosphere and colonial buildings. And the island is going to be laid back – with just 150 inhabitants, it’s about as far from Buenos Aires as you can get in an hour.
Taking off again, we head back towards Buenos Aires, this time flying over Luján for a heavenly view of the magnificent cathedral.
Egon tells us he offers trips to the countryside – if you are more inclined to a steak and a snooze than an island adventure he can fly you to an estancia for lunch and perhaps a little outing on horseback, before bringing you back to reality without a bump.
If you’re looking for a day out with a difference, or a treat for that someone special, it might just be worth giving him a call.
For more information and prices, which depend on the number of people and how far you wish Egon to fly you, call 15 3185 0706 or email flyingbuenosaires@live.com.ar