I headed to the bus station straight after breakfast to buy my ticket to Cordoba. Thanks to the lovely staff in the hostel my trip to the bus station was a smooth and as I knew the bus times and the tickets that I wanted there were no problems. The only problem is that the bus station has a bad reputation for crime and as usual I was warned by locals to keep my eye on my bags all the time as it is common for thieves to use distraction techniques – often a thief sprays mustard or ketchup on a tourist and then helps to wipe it off whilst his or her accomplice grabs their bag. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard this advice. It is the tenth time I had been told about ... read more

Today we had a news warning that there was a heat wave and that temperatures would stay at 38 degrees all afternoon in Buenos Aires. I had planned to go to Cordoba this morning but I didn’t want to travel in such conditions and I had some unfinished history lessons to attend in Buenos Aires before leaving it. The history lesson took on the form of a walking tour around the famous historical sites – the National Congress, the Palacio, Avenida de Mayo, the Evita mural, Cabildo and Plaza de Mayo. I got a quick glance at Peronismo, Argentina’s dictatorships, Argentina’s political history and the famous economic crisis. After Antonio’s (the hostel owner) thorough demonstration of how to test for fake peso bills and why the blue market exists I now felt confident at changing my ... read more

My flight arrived into BA at around 9am local time. I successfully managed to get my baggage, change some currency at the Banco de la Nacion in the airport, have a cup of coffee and book an official taxi to my hostel. I arrived 2 hours early to my hostel and needed to wait until the room was ready. 15 minutes after I’d put my bags down I was ready to go exploring. I got talking to the owner of the hostel Antonio and he gave me a map and sent me on a tour at 3pm. Unfortunately with the heat, and the enormous size of the neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires I didn’t make the tour on time so I wondered around the neighbourhood and planned tomorrow. Recoleta, my neighbourhood is a safe one and the ... read more

Takashi drove me to the airport this morning after giving me a nice but strange breakfast. He baked something shaped like a fish but with jam in the middle, and boiled the kettle for my cup of tea on the gas stove. On the way there he showed me Mount Fuji which I missed every time when I was taking the bullet train usually because I fell asleep, the weather was too bad to see it or plain and simply I just didn't know where it was. Well why would I? There is no announcement on the bullet train to say 'Anna wake up Mount Fuji awaits you, get out of the train and climb it.' After a seven hour flight I arrived in Kuala Lumpur. I enjoyed the flight by making the most of my ... read more

This morning I had my breakfast in the hostel (tea and toast) whilst watching Japanese cartoons on the TV in Takashi’s living room. He’s 25 and speaks English really well as he has lived in New Zealand. When we watch TV together he tells me about what the Japanese are talking about on discussion programmes and even how cartoons reflect aspects of Japanese life. I’m learning a lot about Japanese culture this way, and whilst staying in his house I am following the ‘Japanese shoe tradition.’ I must take my shoes off when entering a house, put on a pair of slippers, then when I enter the bathroom I must take off my slippers and put on special bathroom shoes. Of all the Japanese ways, taking off my shoes before entering a house is my favourite. ... read more