Continuing on from the previous blog Leaving Perito Moreno, our first stop was at Rio Mayo, in the Chubut Province, where we had a comfort stop. It is just a sleepy and dusty Patagonian town. I got chatting to Sarah, from Ireland, and we were commenting on how expensive Argentina has become. Still cheaper than the UK, especially with accommodation and transportation, but Argentina is now a lot more expensive compared to when I first started travelling there in 2007. Sarah is traveling around South America for five months and plans to travel to cheaper climbs after her stint in Argentina. I was able to practice my French with a French traveller who was travelling around South America for six months. We then moved on towards Gobernador Costa and we spotted some guancoes in the distance ... read more

I took a short flight, just over an hour, from Ushuaia to El Calafate. Now I am beginning my journey up north through Patagonia and also look forward to slightly cheaper prices after Ushuaia! It was great returning to the Marcopolo Inn, a hostel I highly recommend, and my expectations were met again with its friendly staff and great rooms with my own ensuite bathroom which I got at a reasonable rate (around 35 GBP per room per night). I was in El Calafate last year and I saw the Perito Moreno glacier (See ). I did not feel I need to go again. I was interested in visiting the Upsala glacier but prices were expensive and also the national park entrance fee the tourists have to pay on top was extortionate! The prices were simply ... read more

Continued from Part 1 The Centro I had fun exploring downtown again and saw familar sights from last year such as the Obelisco; Teatro Colon, which has been renovated; Calle Florida; Gallerias Pacifico Shopping Mall; Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada. I had a look inside Catedral Metropolitana, Buenos Aires´s first cathedral with its neo-classical facade, which I presume is an European influence during The Enlightenment in the late 18th Century. One of the highlights of this beautiful cathedral was seeing the tomb of General Jose de San Martin who did so much for Argentina including its liberation during the 19th Century. It was also nice contemplating and taking a break from the heat by sitting in the pews. My tango experience continued on at the Confiteria Ideal after visiting El Ateneo bookstore. The cafe still ... read more

A Winter Wonderland at Home! December 2010 was one the coldest winters I ever experienced and probably the coldest in my life! MSN news commented that December was the 'coldest in 120 years' with temperatures being low as minus 20 in some areas especially in the Scottish Highlands and the severe temperatures that brought most of the country to a stand still. Travelling for pleasure was not on everyone's priority list but I wanted to take the opportunity to enjoy the snow and the pretty scenery locally. Leeds did not escape from the big freeze and snow and this affected commuting to work. On a couple of days, I had to work from home because the buses were affected and I was concerned about being stranded at my office if the weather deteriorated. Fortunately, I did ... read more

I made some weekend trips down to London during October and November. It was mainly to spend time with friends, see musicals and operas and also for visiting places of interest that complimented my university studies. I did not do as much sightseeing compared to when I was in London during the summer but there are some places where I would recommend visits to: St Martin-in-the-Fields I visited this beautiful church a couple of times during my travels. St Martin-in-the-Fields is landmark in its own right and adjacent to Trafalgar Square. On my first visit, I enjoyed exploring the church and admiring its architecture especially the new East Window and having refreshments at the Cafe in the Crypt. The highlight for me was sitting in the chruch and listening to the orchestra practice for one of ... read more