Colonia and arrival into Buenos Aires.

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Today we take a late(r) bus to a pretty little 17th Century village in Uruguay facing Buenos Aires called Colonia del Sacramento. We walk around the Barrio Historico, the old town, which has lots of leafy squares, cobbled streets and beautiful tropical coloured blooms. After lunch in a cafe with a woman doing quite possibly the worst performance of KT Tunstall that has ever happened the group disperse for the afternoon.

There are mutinous grumblings as we have had to pay not just for the privelege of listening to KT Tunstall although i'm fairly sure most of us would have paid for her to stop, but also for the bread and cutlery as well which has all been added as extras to the bill. Alfresco hasn't enlightened us that this is actually fairly standard in Uruguay and Argentina not just the whim of this specific restaurant.

I walk around the old town, which has been listed a UNESCO world heritage site and pay a few pesos to climb to the top of their lighthouse which gives panaromaic views of the town and the coast. Then I walk down and out to the shore. Its peaceful at twilight and a heron is standing far out on a rock elegantly poised on one leg.

Its a small town and easily doable in a few hours. Unfortunatley the carb only diet continues for supper in the evening. I make a bad ordering choice and Sabrina and I end up sharing chips and deep fried ravioli with soy sauce dip.

"What happened to vegetabless??!!!" screams my body contemplating being struck down with scurvy.

The restaurant seems to be playing death metal so we ask for the music to be turned off and they switch the TV on. Gradually we become conscious of what is being shown...

"Wow" says Hayley, one of the Kiwis.

" I don't think i've ever eaten a meal whilst watching a woman giving birth ..."

Its an unusual viewing choice from the restaurant and one i'd be glad not to have to repeat!

I go to bed feeling ill and tired at 1030.

The next day we set sail for Buenos Aires. Being me...I haven't read the itinerary again and don't realise we are arriving into B.A via a one hour boat ride.

Out of all forms of motion sickness I excel at Sea sickness. The Didinals are land faring creatures, we do not have sealegs.

We have not asked Alfresco what the ride will be like but its reassuring to know that had we done so he would have given us completely the wrong information anyway as he says -

"EEEEHHHHH i never know it so bad, normally its calm!"

As Michelle points out later, if i had asked him and he's misinformed me not only would i have felt sick on the boat i would have also been really angry as well.

Anyway as soon as the boat starts i know its going to be touch and go. The waves are huge and brown and choppy and the boat is slapping down on them like a speedboat. I can feel the three cups of coffee I've had that morning start to move around. The crew walk around and (taking one look at me) hand over a couple of sick bags to the Kiwi to pass over.

I can feel my skin break out into a cold clammy sweat. Later Hayley Kiwi confides

"You just looked.....HORRIBLE!!!"

I tell Sabrina Its about a 50:50 chance I may hurl. Im lying - its more like 80:20 She moves hurriedly to another seat.

I put my ipod in and try and listen to some music. Hayley hands me a hairband to tie my hair back with. And then I begin to throw up. At some point Hayley takes away the sick bag and hands me a clean one. You've gotta love the sisterhood. Women can be incredibly unkind and competitive to each other sometimes, but they can also be the very best too.

And that is how i first see Buenos Aires. Careering in over huge mud brown waves whilst throwing up violently to the jaunty tune of the Jackson 5 singing " I want you back."

I have a feeling things are going to get better.

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