Note that the pics for this blog entry go on for 3 pages! Uyuni and the tour of the Salar Deciding on our next Bolivian detsination wasn´t an easy task. We had originally booked bus tickets to Potosi to visit the silver mines but given Donna´s continuing toilet issues we decided that the confined conditions of mining tunnels would not be the best place to be if you suddenly needed the toilet, especially considering there may be so much methane down there already. So for these reasons we changed our bus ticket to go straight to Uyuni instead and had to travel semi-cama (heaven forbid) for twelve hours. The bus journey wasn´t too bad considering this was Bolivia although the seats didn´t recline too far back and as the bus apporached Uyuni the ride got increasingly ... read more

As you have probably noticed we are in deepest darkest Peru with no sign yet of Paddington Bear. This is quite a long blog entry so bear in mind that it has two pages in content. Our flight from Buenos Aires was an experience, Neil, thinking it was a 3 hours flight because Donna had forgotten about the 2 hours time difference, was shocked at the length of the flight (Donna is officially no good with directions, time differences or flight times!). Our flight was with TACA and this airline has the grumpiest, dodgiest cabin crew we have ever come across (who taught them how to do their make up?). Donna in the first couple of minutes on board managed to have them tut-tutting at her for putting a bag in the overhead locker - where ... read more

The bus journey from Rio to Sao Paulo was excellent. A great bus company (Ipatmimim or something). Was very impressed with the reclining seats, free snack pack and really thick Portuguese newspaper (now we know where the Brazilian rainforests are disappearing to). Hanging around in Sao Paulo bus station for the transfer for our flight to Buenos Aires was fun, a little scary but fun nevertheless. Our apartment in BA is located on the edge of San Telmo and is better than most places we have stayed in and for a fraction of the price ($18 a night). One thing we have agreed on is that Donna's sense of direction and map reading skills are very very bad, we discovered this when we arrived and she had us wandering around the rougher part of BA with ... read more

Our flights to Rio did not go according to plan. Manchester to Heathrow was delayed, BA then parked up at the wrong terminal. We had to wait for buses to escort us to the right terminal which took a long time. Making our way between terminals was not easy...Heathrow is not the best labelled/signposted airport in the world! we only just made it to our flight! Our connecting flight from Sao Paulo to Rio was also delayed due to the cleaners having to come onto the plane and dust between the aisles! Luckily when we arrived in Rio we passed through immigration with no mention of a yellow fever vaccination and instead we were greeted by a woman dressed like she was off to a luxury casino (stilletos and flowing black dress) and a saxophonist playing ... read more

Test packing our rucksacks to see if we can fit that extra pair of welly warmers or duds and socks. No Donna...the rucksacks dont have to be 'even'!! Our backs are aching at just the thought of carrying these things. Other backpackers we spoke to say halve whatever you plan on taking and then halve it again....I dont think so! This is the 21st century after all...What would Buck Rogers say??? Packing up the house is one of the worst bits so far...We are convinced that career gappers have a much more difficult time of it than other gappers. We have a list as long as your arm of things to take care of before we go (most are to do with the blooming house)! Both of us are experiencing waves of panic and that bloody ... read more