South America!!

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So the day has arrived to go to South America! Sam and I first travelled around Thailand for 3 lovely weeks in August 4 years ago. We had such an adventure, and always said we'd love to travel again. Two years after that we were lucky to get on the same adventure training in Bavaria, where we had a glorious week of activities in the sun. Now two years on, here we are again, seeking out something new. I'd always had it in my head that I would like to travel in the time off I was to have between leaving the RAF and starting a new job. Sam was of the same mindset, but as she had already left 6 months before me and started work already, we had some negotiating to do with regards to places and times. She had really wanted to go to India and Nepal, but as this time of year is the start of the monsoon season, we decided on South America, and I would go to India and Nepal earlier in the year, which Sam unfortunately couldn't get time off for.

Lucky how things pan out as in the mix of our dates and plans, we so could have easily decided to be in Nepal that bit earlier, and maybe I wouldn't be writing this now if we had. 2 weeks after the earthquake have passed and still the situation remains desperate.



We had a nice lay in today and awoke to the news that it was almost certain that David Cameron was to remain our Prime Minister for another 5 years. Ironic really given that it was this government who had carried out a defence review resulting in the redundancies that Sam and I were in, further resulting in this trip taking place to celebrate our friendship and mark the end of our RAF careers with one last adventure before having to settle back into the real world. (I some how don't think this will be the last one knowing our natures, but the intention was there)



We got to the airport in plenty of time, surprising given that it involved a Friday afternoon / evening on the M25. I haven't seen Sam in about 8 months, I know 8 months! Where does the time go! So it was really great to have a good old catch up, over some food before we boarded the flight.

We were so lucky that the plane didn't even seem half full, so even before we took off, we switched seats and had a row of 3 to ourselves. As soon as the seatbelt sign went off, we laid out and fell asleep. There was a bit of turbulence now and again, so I kept adjusting the seatbelt, but managed to get back to sleep. After a while I got a bit fidgety and sat up. Sam was awake and watching a film. I felt a bit sorry for her not getting any sleep.

'Ten hours!' She beamed, 'I can't believe we slept for nearly ten hours!' I couldn't believe it either, it only felt like I'd been laying there for a couple of hours. Still, we both felt much better for it. I got up for a leg stretch and got some drinks from the galley. We still had about 3.5 hours to go, so I thought I'd watch a film. Given the amount of flying I've done recently, it's safe to say, I've pretty much exhausted all of the inflight entertainment, and watched most of what was on offer. I decided to watch The theory of Everything again, as although I'd seen most of it on the flight back from Nepal, had fallen asleep and missed a big chunk in the middle. After the film had finished, breakfast was served-sausage and scrambled egg and a nice cup of tea. With only an hour until we landed in Buenos Aires, I sat back for the remaining 50 minutes, and felt excited about visiting my 4th continent in 2 months.

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