Man, it was great to get a flight to Sao Paulo. Leon and I were more than happy to pass up a 30 hour bus ride for a 2hour flight from Buenos Aires to the 3rd largest city in the world. We touched down in Sao Paulo and were greeted by Leons friend Carol and Rodrigo - Leons Long Bay College (boo!) exhchange student friend. We drove through the rush hour traffic of 20million. Great introduction to the city. We crawled along the laneless main highway. The scenery was forever changing and contrasting the many social classes. This really hit home [View Full Entry]

---

---

Shattered from 24 hours on the bus... dealing with yet another arrogant Argentinean - in the form of a bus conductor we were releived to arrive at Millhouse hostel. I am going to set this entry out slightly differently. Nights out, cultural activities and steaks. This is due to the fact that the massive nights out blurred in to one and really whilst in BA you have no conception of time or days. This place turned even civilised people in to animals. NIGHTS OUT From the moment we set foot in the hostel, it was set up for carnage. An Irish [View Full Entry]

---

---

Leon and I looped back through to Santiago from Mendoza for a weekend with our favourite Chileanas. Aparently you can drive through the Andes back to the West coast in under 4hours. However, with the Friday traffic and sleepy border guards, the bus was delayed Argy-Chile border for 3hours. You useless Latinos. We eventually arrived to Completos and wine a good 3hours behind schedule. Ahhhh! I was a little gutted to find Mache was away on business for the entire time we were visiting Santiago. However, this was short lived as Sandra, along with more of Kathys friends - Marcella and [View Full Entry]

---

---

We left Bariloche in a whirlwind. Leon got up and booked a bus. We ran down to the choco shops in a whirlwind effort to stock up on enough chocolate to last us the week. The bus ride was comfortable until the night time. For some reason the air conditioning broke and we were stuck in a sauna. 20 hours later we arrived highly unimpressed and exhausted in Mendoza. We spent some time chilling out in the hostel and walking around the city. We found it difficult to adapt to the timing of the city. Shops close between 1-5 for a [View Full Entry]

---

---

From Santiago we travelled overnight to Pucon. Content with our last feed of Lasagne at Kathys. Pucon, Chile We spent 2days doing some extreme mountain biking efforts in the surrounding hills. The area was rich with trails and waterfalls. Despite this on the second day we spent 4hours ascending a gruelling hill in search of a waterfall. With the ridiculous directions of several children selling woolen socks we cycled past it and missed our destination. However, the disappointment of not seeing the 70ft waterfall was overcome by the shear exhileration of descending down the g [View Full Entry]

---

---

We proceeded from the beach back to Santiago where Kathy - the girl Leon had met in Vina, lovingly put us up in her apartment. Lucky for me, she had a spare room for me too! It came complete with a giant Sponge Bob, Buzz Lightyear duvet and Mickey Mouse pillows! The nightlife did not slow down at all and i found myself getting the opportunity to practice or should i say begin to learn and speak Spanish. Up until this stage we have been mainly speaking in Spanish for just ordering food and bus stations. To explain further, Leon and [View Full Entry]

---

---

FELIZ ANO NUEVO! Valparaiso proved to be just to our taste. We were fortunate enough to jack up a surf with the owner of the hostel in the chilly Chilean coast. The waves were suprising big and dangerous and my mind is cast back to getting dominated at Piha last summer. The nightlife in Valparaiso and neighbouring Vina Del Mar was sensational. We went out to 5am on the 29th, 9am on 30th and some how i managed to hook up with the only other blonde in Chile. Our body clocks were now set for party mode - perfect for [View Full Entry]

---

---

Leon and i spent Xmas at 4500m on the white salt plains of Bolivia. Homesickness was offset slightly with the knowledge that we were among only a few to experience a WHITE XMAS in the sweltering 35 degree heat of the Bolivian desert. Our special xmas present was a trip to a hotel made of salt, 2 flat tyres and a salt throwing war. Boxing Day the road was not a road in places which made for some gruelling but exhilleratong 4wding. However, the Mars like terrain and colourful swamps in which the only inhabitants were Flamingos made it worth while. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Leon and I have had the most surreal experience. We departed Cusco after the wonderful adventure to Mucchu Picchu on the night of the 22nd. The 930pm overnight bus was destined for La Paz. However even though this looks like a short distance on the map, it took us until 4pm the following day. We arrived in Puno on the coldest bus in history and spent 2hours chillin (literally) in the Bus Station. During our stay in the Puno Bus Station we were visited by a screeching beggar who thought it was appropriate to stand in our personal space and yell. [View Full Entry]

---

---

I am writing on a hectic night in Bolivia. The plazas are full of crazy people selling Xmas stuff and this is fuelled by an even crazier gang of Bolivians thirsty for a bargain. My flight was delayed from Philly. So i ended up catching a flight from Miami to Lima which left 20mins after i landed in Miami. Crazy. I made it but unfortunately my bag did not. So i spent about 3days in the same clothes. I met up with Leon ok in the Lima airport which was a relief as i thought i was going to be more [View Full Entry]

---

---