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Published: March 24th 2006
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Scooter Troop
Joey and Becs, Andrew and Denmark, Irish and James Well bought a bus ticket to Montevideo as told to go no way near Punta del Este... While on the bus I thought, stuff it, I´ll give it a try. So on the Uruguan bus found it even better than Brazilian buses. Same great chairs but also waiter service. So he brought me dinner and a drink (only fizzy water, coke or wine so I had to have wine...). Then film in English, which most people complained about but turns out he couldn´t fix it, ha ha! Then he came and woke me at 7am the next day, gave me my passport stamped and breakfast with a cup of tea. Just in time for my stop! Fantastic!!!
Had to wait half an hour to change some money as no cash machines, and still don´t really know what I´m spending.
Went to the recommended 1949 hostel a few blocks away and got ready for the beach! A lot cooler here, only 27 degrees at mid day! I needed a jacket! Walked around the whole peninsular and had a great seafood lunch. By that time was shattered so tried to sleep on the beach in my new bikini (not Brazilian style in
Uruguay!!) As it is nearly winter the wind along the ground was crazy. I awoke to find my sarong burried in the sand. So had to go back to the hostel to sleep. Went for a jog around the peninsular, first exercise since the 10k race in Oct so nearly killed me... As I have no idea what the money is decided to cook dinner as the supermarket was only 1 block away. Then tried the local beer, not bad. By 7 the drinking games had started as almost all of us had arrived that day. Names were an issue so many people just used countries instead of names. There were 4 Canadians (Joey, Jeff, James and Andrew) who were named Team Canada. James and Andrew got there guitars out and the sing alongs began. The night got crazier and crazier, Denmark went missing for a couple of hours and when he came back admitted he had fallen asleep in the petrol station! The party ended around 5ish with a huge mess and a telling off for all of us the next morning.
The next day at 2 we decided to start a scooter gang, so 10 of us
hired 5 scooters for 24hrs. Denmark was banned from driving as he had woken up drunk and had had 2 bottles of beer to clear his head! Slightly scarey start with the one way system and traffic lights proving difficult, but the boys managed to use the horns ok! We drove to Jose Ignacio beach, in the summer used by the rich and famous. It took us about an hour to get there against the wind, so we all had red eyes and a wind swept look. (I still have some blob of blood in my eye from the morning after St Paddy´s!!) The beach was fantastic, not a single person there and the boys immediatelly ran for the water. We tried the restaurant on the beach but far too pricey for backpackers. When we managed to get the gang back together (Andrew had gone missing as he is making a documentary) we asked a passing car where a cheaper place was. He not only directed us, he made us follow him, then led us into the shop and helped with the Spanish! We had a feast of bread, ham, chorizo and cheese (I swapped my cheese of course). A
Scooter
Me and Jeff´s winning scooter few rides around the beach roads and a near accident in the sand for my bike, oh and a dropped it on my leg so am still in agony, then the cruise back to the hostel. Really quick ride back and much more pleasant without the wind. Across the crazy bridge and we were back. Some architect was obviously given too much money to build the bridge into town as it has 2 humps and dips in it, most impractical bridge ever seen!
The girls were dropped off so the boys could cruise around town for a few hours! Finally when they got back we went for dinner, on the scooters of course. Not realising the burger place was one block away. After dinner they were about to get back on the scooters to go to the supermarket, until I pointed out it was next door! Joey still managed to drive it! Tim and I waited for ages for our lift back and then realised our madness and walked!
Along came the drinks and the guitars again, a new lot of Canadians and Swedish had arrived so carnage again. Drunken Mate drinking led to many burnt mouths. Joey snuk off
early in the night for a scooter ride and while waiting for Jeff sat reving the engine, famous last words "I love to rev the engine" the accelerator got stuck and it flew into the parked car in front. Funniest crash ever, the car drivers didn´t seem to care but the scooter was pretty much broken. Later still we needed another trip to the gustaria (new term for shop which sells what you want, similar to smurf), I went on the sober bike but we even drove around for 30mins before realising the only place open at 12 (we thought it was 9) was the petrol station 2 doors down from the hostel. Any excuse for scooter riding, they were too much fun. Joey crashed again this time into the hostel and hurt his toe, but it took an hour for him to notice and Andrew had to take care of him. Scooter fun over and back to the guitars. Ended about 6 and as I have no watch I awoke at 1.30 in a panic as check out had passed.
Luckily she let me check out, but then all I could do was lay on the TV room floor
Hand
Bizarre hand sculpture coming out of the beach... all afternoon. Only got up when Denmark dragged me to Maccy D´s and then all was cured. Got the 18.15 bus to Montevideo with team Canada as they needed to catch a bus to Buenos Aires. Subway for dinner, taxi to hostel and in bed by 10pm.
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