Aoibh and Si

Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls and back again (and then home...) I can´t believe I'm writing the last blog of this amazing trip. In fact, by the time you are reading it, I´ll probably be back in recession-ridden Ireland, crying into a very expensive beer that I cannot afford. All good things blah, blah, blah - my arse! So, our last two weeks have been spent in Buenos Aires, interrupted by a visit to see the legendary Iguazu Falls. B.A. is a very cool city - very European, with fabulous architecture, lots of green parks, 'beautiful people', great graffiti, yummy restaurants and of course go-all-night bars and clubs. On our first night we met up with traveller friend Darran and had a big night out in the club to go to on a Saturday night, Pacha. ... read more

I know its been quite a while since the last blog entry but we've been pretty much non-stop since we got to Argentina, and its been quite difficult to find the time to write my diary, let alone this blog. But here we go, hopefully I can remember it all! The border crossing into Argentina was PAINFULL to say the least, queues to beat the band and Bolivian border control who didnt know their arses from their elbows, or perhaps they enjoyed sending gringos in the wrong direction, I dont know. We had heard that Argentinian buses were a dream, but we ended up on Flecha Bus, which is basically a creche on wheels - you know how I love those kiddies! We eventually made it to our first Argentinian desintation, the city of Salta and ... read more

After getting over the Cusco Christmas hangover, we got on a bus bound for Puno on the Peru side of Lake Titikaka, where we stayed two days, visited the floating reed islands, and then crossed the border for Copacabana on the Bolivian side of the lake, where we stayed another two days and hiked the Isla del Sol. To be perfectly honest, Lake Titikaka and both towns were a little underwhelming. I think I was suffering from Post Machu Pichu Magnificence Syndrome. Its not to say they were not interesting, but you can only find alpaca and llama products, and women in big skirts and comedy bowler hats entertaining for so long. The reed islands were interesting enough in how they are constructed and how the people live, but they are heavily touristed (but then again, ... read more

Andean Ecuador - From Cotopaxi down to Vilcabamba Sometimes I wonder if Im actually in Scotland and not in Ecuador at all. The scenery here is gorgeous - dramatic isolation and quite spookily barren in places, very Scottish, and some parts of would even remind you a bit of Ireland. That is, apart from the fact that every time you try to climb a few steps or a go up a wee hill your lungs fail to work properly and your heart feels like its about to burst through your ribcage. Altitude and me are not friends! The further south you go, the more beautiful it becomes and the more 'South American' it feels - the jungle aside, of course. After Sani Lodge, we headed to Cotopaxi, an active volcano about 1.5 hours south of Quito. ... read more

I cant believe its come to an end in NZ! We´ve had the most amazing time and really, really dont want to leave! I was heart broken leaving Ruby back to the depot. Id grown quite fond of the old girl... Anyway, we spent our last fews days in Tutukaka, gateway to the Poor Knights Islands, and Paihia in the Bay of Islands, before heading back to Auckland for our last two days. Our time was seriously limited here and I really feel that we didnt do North Island justice at all. Three weeks is just not enough time here. But sure it just gives me a very good reason to go back! Tutukaka is a good 7 hour drive (in a camper) from Rotorua, but the driving here is so easy it was no bother. ... read more