This is going to be a real quick 'catch-up' on my last days in South America

Partly written Thursday 24 June 2004 Buenos Aries Airport - Argentina

Well I think its been ages since I've updated so I thought while I'm still in the country I better write down what I've been upto over the last few days.

First & foremost I've been relaxing & enjoying been able to chill out. Its been great eating proper meals, sleeping in, been lazy & watching TV :o)

I think that I needed the break before embarking on the next part of my trip. I figured that for the next 3 or 4 months its going to be pretty full on traveling.

Anyway the last week or so, I can't remember when I last updated... They've just called boarding for my flight so have to go...

Ok, Thursday 17/06 - I went shopping which was a pretty useless endeavor. I didn't buy anything... Oh, except for a lip gloss cause I couldn't find anything else. In one of the first shops I went in to I met Sophia. She was shopping too & also happened to speak English so we ended up spending the day together shopping. It was really nice to have some company & its really good when you just kinda click with someone straight away. In the shop we met in the shop assistant thought we were strange & I was telling her it was the first time we me & she's like no, you've been friends for a while, quite funny really.

Friday 18/06 - Honestly during the day I don't remember what I did. I didn't write anything in my pocket diary so I probably didn't get up to much. That night though Mora took me to one of her friends places in the suburbs. The house was huge & really awesome, it was a good night but a really late one.

Saturday 19/06 - I spent most of the day in front of the TV then Saturday night Mora, Nico (her brother) & I went to a live Argentinean hip-hop concert. It was awesome.

Sunday 20/06 - I met Mora's dad, & Mora, Nico & I went out for lunch to a really nice restaurant. Then that night Mora's mum had gotten us tickets to a awesome show called De La Guarda. It was amazing, the most unusual 'kind' of theater that I've been to, it's pretty much all going on around & above you as opposed to traditional theater which is in front of you. They use harnesses to swing form the ceiling (or where ever) & lighting to create the most awesome effects, very emotive music including drums, stages that wheel out into the audience which the actors dance on & there's also a liberal use of water :) I was soaked by the end of it. At one stage the actors roam through the audience & pick people up to be hooked up to another actor & taken for a flight. I got picked up but unfortunately didn't get to go up. I don't know if I've described it correctly but it was FANTASTIC!!!! At the end I was so wet & it just happened to be raining out side so I decided it would be a good idea to jump around in the puddles, that was fun too :) It took my sneakers 2 days to dry but I think it was worth it.

Monday 21/06 - I slept in & once again went shopping, this time on Florida (a more tourist type area) & managed to find some cords (pants), no jeans though. They're Levis and were quite reasonably priced, $119pessos ($60au) which isn't to bad. I also did a bit of the tourist thing & went to Plaza de Mayo & saw La Ccasa Rosardo, the main government building I believe & a few other awesome looking buildings. That night Sonia, who I'd met on Thursday was back form Igazu & called me & we arranged to meet up the next day to do some more sight seeing.

Tuesday 22/06 - I had such a great day, it was so full on but just FANTASTIC. I actually got out of bed at a decent time & met Sonia at 9.30. We caught the 152 bus to La Boca. La Boca is a suburb in Buenos Aries that has heaps of different coloured houses. I read why it was famous but at this point in time can't remember. The houses are cool though. After that we jumped back on the bus & got off at the main train station to catch a train to Tigre so that we could go & see the Delta. The Delta is quite different & really pretty & peaceful. Basically there are lots of rivers (Delta...) but people actually live on the little islands in between so the ferry goes form house to house as needed & picks people up form their private jetty's. There's also restaurants & parks & things, its pretty cool. We got off the ferry & had lunch at one of the restaurants then went for a bit of a walk & caught a ferry back. I can't even remember how long the train took now... I think at least a hour or maybe only 40min... When we got back to Santa Fe (street near Moras house) we had ice-cream. Sonia had mentioned earlier in the day that the ice-cream in Argentina was supposed to be one of the best in the world. I tell you, their Dulce de Lechie is to DIE for!!!! It's the best thing I think I've ever eaten & I'm glad I only tired it the day before I was due to leave or otherwise I think I'd be the size of a balloon. I no longer have any will power... After ice-cream, we'd both been saying that we'd like to try the tango, we went to a place where I saw a banner that said, of all things, 'TANGO' & thought we'd see if we could do a lesson. They had one starting at 8pm I think it was (once again brain not working & I can't remember & it has nothing to do with me getting a 'little'... tipsy last night. Honest!...) anyway, the whole thing was that we had 30min to get home shower & change. Plus I wanted to check my email to see if any of you actually love me enough to write to me ;) (I believe that's called a guilt trip, hehehehe). So all said & done we made it back to the tango lesson on time. I'd forgotten how much I LOVE to dance, like proper dancing (in this post I've noticed I'm quite fond of the whole CAPITAL letter thing... hmmm, interesting...). I had such a great time. The lesson was for 2 hours & tango is rather hard but I managed to pick up a bit & have a great time. After tango we went for dinner. In Argentina the eat really late so turning up at a restaurant on a Tuesday night at 10.30, 11pm isn't that unusual. We went to Grants buffet, the food was really good. After eating we decided that we had to top the day/night off with a drink. All in all it was a wonderful day, we both had such a good time & managed to fit so much in - god knows how we did it! :o)

Wednesday 23/06 - I had heaps of bits & pieces that I needed to do so I met Sonia about 11 & then set out to get the things I needed & also try & find a) a bed roll for me to sleep in on Africa & b) a marte cup. Of course me been me I didn't want a normal bed roll, one of the foam mats that's like 1 cm thick (I am going to be sleeping on it for like 4 or 5 weeks) I want a proper thermerst. None of the out door shops had one, so I didn't end up buying one. I also had this great idea to send stuff I didn't need at home. A little forethought here would have come in handy. I basically had to run round like a mad cow (not that I've seen a mad cow running round but you know what I mean) to try & find the things I needed then get moving to the post office before it shut. Plus cause I hadn't put any thought in to sending things home I didn't have time to get any presents for anyone... Anyway, I managed to get to the post office & it cost me $159pessos ($80au) to send 3kgs home. Its strange, at the local post office they won't take anything over 2kg's so I had to make a trip to the main post office. After the post office I stopped off at Moras mums gallery. It was really cool & they have some great pieces. I went home got changed then took Mora, Nico & their mum out to dinner. Then of course afterwards we went & had ice-cream. Dulce de Lechie for me of course.

Thursday 24/06 - my flight was at 13.20 so I had to be at the airport just after 11am so Mora drove me down to the airport bus & I caught the 10am shuttle. The flight was ok, nothing to exciting, saw a few good movies, tried to sleep but that didn't happen. I got maybe 2hours if that. I think I've been spoilt by the semi carma buses in South America :)

Friday 25/06 - It was so cool to get off the plane at heath row & get on the airport bus & read all the signs in English. I actually can't wait to be back in a English speaking country. Anyway I transferring to a different terminal & caught my flight to Lisbon, where I think I've already updated.

This was suppose to be a quick post but its taken me 3 different internet sessions to write it! :o) It's all good.

Lisbon - Portugal, Tuesday 29th June 2004, 12.40pm