After getting to Santiago on the train (great service, so much better than the already pretty good busses). We trekked aroung looking again for a hostel that didnt exist anymore and eventually went to La Casa Roja which was a great hostel, really busy and in a restored mansion in a great part of Santiago (which doesnt necessarily mean much). Loads of english there cos its run by aussies and although it was probably the most expensive hostal after the skiing one that we'd stayed in, it was still only 7 quid. Next day we went to Valparaiso on a bus [View Full Entry]

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After deciding there was nothing else to do in Pucon we headed out on an early bus to Temuco to catch the train (an apparently very scenic route) to chillan where we would try and do some skiing, though finding a hostal cheap and near the slopes was proving dificult. However, so was the train. It was still not running since a failure in 2007 and this meant going back to the bus station and getting another bus at 4pm to get to Chillan around 8. We pre-occupied ourselves in Temuco, a fairly ordinary small city and then pretty soon were [View Full Entry]

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After a quick stop off in Puerto Montt where i secured a massive soft sheepskin for a tenner, we proceeded to Pucon where a whole host of adventurous activities possibly awaited. Our main objective was to climb villarica Volcano and get down by any means other than walking. On first arrival we were met by a tout from backpackers hostel, but who was very knowledgable and the most experienced guide on Villarica so we stayed at his hostel and booked to go to Villarica with his guides whenever they were next going. The weather was too rough to go the next [View Full Entry]

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After a long bus ride to Rio Gallegos from Puerto Madryn, then after a quick trip to the town, another bus to Punta Arenas. We split from ben so we could do some penguin spotting before seeing some glaciers, and he had plenty of time because he´s taking a boat back up to Puerto Montt. After finding a great hostel (hostel independencia) we headed to the Zona Franca, which is like a massive duty free mall, this port being one of the southernmost in the world so a stopping point for boats not taking the panama canal. Found a great flask [View Full Entry]

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After quickly leaving Buenos Aires in the hope that we have enough time to head down to Patagonia, we arrived in Puerto Madryn. Here you can go on whale watching. After checking in with hostel "Dont Worry" we went looking for tours. They were about 50 quid a go with only 2 hours on a boat so we headed to the front, as soon as we stepped onto the road we saw whales jumping in the waters of the bay and ran to the pier and out about 500m to watch the whales, even though it was raining quite heavily. We [View Full Entry]

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Arrived in Buenos Aires early after the bus from Iguazu in Full Cama. Massive comfy seat 50% bigger than usual, free whiskey and wine with the meal, hot food, blankets and pillows, all very nice! Walked through the outer centre of Beunos Aires to get to San Telmo, where we hoped to find a hostel. Very much like a massive continental European city, but very modern, and a nice change from Bolivia and the rather disappointing Salta. Eventually found a hostel, avoiding the Hostelling International ones after being harassed by a very unhelpful tout at the bus station. San Telmo is [View Full Entry]

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After a few days in disappointing Salta (few nice bars and good steak but not a lot else) we caught a overnight bus to Iguazu Falls and found a pretty empty hostel. We walked into town in the afternoon and bought beers and the best steak you´ve ever had in your life for 3 quid a kilo for filet steak!!!! Butcher man was amazing with massive hands and always gave you a tiny bit extra. chilled by the massive pool (large bath) and had some beers and rays aswell as going to the gym. Good day. got up at 6am and [View Full Entry]

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After a difficult trip south from La Paz we finally arrived at uyuni, after waiting a day in Oruro for the train (which had changed since the book had last been updated). We´ve found almost all train information out of date in south america in all guide books, and the trains actually tend to run better than expected. We booked a tour over the phone from Oruro with the only company speaking english on the phone as my Spanish wasnt quite there yet and the tour operators didnt seem to understand that when i said "speak slower" (in spanish) i actually [View Full Entry]

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After a great flight to rurrenabaque we landed in the sweltering jungle. A quick bus ride and we were in rurrenabaque and found a nice cheap hostel where we based ourselves before going out to find a decent tour operator. Most were offering zoo-like tours to the pampas assuring spots of animals, and a few were working with indigenous groups, but generally overloading them so they were a tourist community, not a local tribe. We finally found one, Flecha Tours where the guy said he hated the usual gringo tours and was running tours through the jungle with local indiginous guides [View Full Entry]

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So we got the most aweful bus ever from cuzco to la Paz. Our "direct bus" involved changing at puno, then again at the border where ben had to pay for only having 15 days stamped in his passport by peruvian immigration. Then we got on a combi which took us to copacabana and we had our first taste of the delights of cheap bolivian food, amazing, loved it at once. We then got on a pretty terrible bus for about an hour when we were told to get off and get a boat accross the water. The bus then got [View Full Entry]

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