23rd March 06 - 29th March 06 Hooked up with James from N. Yorks for the journey across the border into Brazil and up into the Pantanal. This is an area of swampland the size of france with more biodiversity than the Amazon and, aparrently, not that well known. Apart from James, I only met one other traveller that had heard of the region before I got there! Ignorant Gringos!There are over 950 species of birds and over 80 species of mamals. All around you, whether you´re walking, on a jeep or boat safari or from the back of a horse (yes, on a horse, me!), wildlife is outstandingly abundant. We stayed in a camp one night where you sleep in a hammock inside mosquito nets, swaying into the land of nod backed by a jungle ... read more

A month can go so fast, especially when it's the first month you've ever lived outside of your home town and especially when you choose to spend it in Buenos Aires. it takes a while to adjust but, as with everything in life, if you look at the so-called bad things from a certain point of view then you start to realise that they aren't bad, they're just different to what you're used to. All you have to do is remember that it's you that is different from the norm, not that IT is alien to you. So, what did I find to be different. well, Jugglers and not windscreen washers (although they were seen) at traffic lights made a change; Instead of a soapy sponge being slapped on the glass in front of your face ... read more

If this thing has worked properly then everyone should have got an email alert that the site has been updated. If you´re looking at this and you know me but, didn´t get an alert mail, send me a mail at i.carmichael@ekit.com and I´ll add you to the list for future updates. Had a slightly more interesting week this week. I signed up for one more week at school. I´m learnng lots, speaking little more and probably understanding a bit more of the spoken word too- all good. I have spent hours trapesing around book shops trying to find The Lonely Planet´s guide book to South America to help me through my travels over the next few months on this continent. When I finally found a copy (the Holy Grail as it is now known) they wanted ... read more

The weather broke on Wednesday night and went from boiling hot to chucking it down and breezy (a bit like summer at home really) although, it has started to get brighter and warmer again today. I´m also still not so hot at the Spanish. Perhaps it was a bit ambitious or maybe I just expected to have learnt more by now. Still, it´s a good experience and I´m sure I´ll learn more while I travel through south America. I am contemplating doing an extra week (giving a grand total of four) but, I´m not sure if it is worth it. The crowd at school are a good bunch if, generally, much younger than me. We had a good night out on Friday but, by god did I pay for it when I eventually got up on ... read more

Completed my first week at school and it´s all gone pretty well. I´m not exactly fluent yet but, I am starting to understand a lot more of what people are saying to me. Did a walking tour of the city on Thursday, it´s a beautiful place. But, more importantly, the guide offered to take me to see Boca juniors (Argentina´s biggest football club) play on Sunday. Waiting for a mail at the mo to confirm the arrangements- I hope it comes off. I had my first real night out last night and am paying for it today. Everything starts so late here, it´s difficult to get used to. I finished my dinner in a restaurent at 11 and got to the bar I was heading for around 12, it was empty!! People started arriving between 2 ... read more

First real entry and I don´t know where to start! Not done much so far. The days I had in Toronto were great but, it all went a bit quick. Arrived in BA yesterday after a pretty mammoth journey and have done a wee bit of exploring today although that got interrupted by having to stop in a tv shop to watch Chelsea lose to Boro!! What´s all that about?? The digs I´m in are small but, decent enough. The Landlady is elderley but cool and speaks very little English. But, I´m supposed to be here to learn her language so, it´s not a bother. The other resident student is a ukrainian American that´s been here a month already doing Spanish at the school I´m going to and she´s conversing well. If I can pick it ... read more

On the contrary, three weeks to departure and it's all got a bit manic! The next entry will probably be from Toronto and then the real stuff starts in Argentina! Hasta luego amigos!... read more