gap year!

I spent the next three days at a different hotel, getting used to doing things on my own I went shooping with Helen, Pam and 2/3rds of triplets! I even went shopping on my own to buy a new camera which peakes Portugese to me.

I visited the Sugar Loaf mountain and behaved like a proper tourist, and met Vivki and Andy on Cpacabana Beach, where I discovered that true Brazilians don't drink coffee. The student waiter was most insistant that I understood this. I expect all the coffee was exported.

Off again on 4th January to Cuba... I had waited 46 years to go there! Panama City airport was amazingly full of duty free shops and only one cafe! I arrived in Havana at the correct time and took a taxi to the hotel. It is the best hotel in Havana; I could have been anywhere in the world.

Next morning at breakfast my friends appeared and later at the meeting with their tour guide, another cllleague I hadn't realised was going to be there appeards...It was beginning to be a very good birthday.

Havana is amazing. We had a meal in a restaurant called La Guardia and it was excellent food and decoration, as well as being on the thrid floor in what appeared to be an old apartment block. Back to the hotel for my birthday Cuba Libre and a cigar.

A tour of the city the next day, to include Hemmingway pubs and his home was worth every convertible Peso. I hope to return one day. I drove to the airport in an open top, pink Cadillac.. well worth the extra fiver!

Back home to Christmas dinner and birthday cake... and a flooded student house.... Back to nearly normal.

After three days of driving and a visit to two hospitals... the leader injured her back, we arrived safely in Paraty... very nice colonial town on the coast. Difficult to reach because of landslide on a road, but we made it in the end.

After cleaning the truck we drove on to Rio de Janeiro. We went to see the statue of Christ yesterday... in the clouds which made it good fun... waiting for the cloud to clear so that we could get photos.

Had lunch in a proper local restaurant... I had the ¨Special¨... mystery meal... excellent choice!

Copacabana Beach was fun... although a bit boring before the fireworks started... we got there too early... not to worry. We even managed to get a taxi back... very expensive but it was worth it to get away fromt the 2,000,000 strong taxi queue!

Cuba on Sunday and then home....

Buenos Aires was good fun. La Boca was the old quarter where the immigrants wouldstay when they artrived.It was very colourful and had been ¨jazzed up¨a bit for the tourists, but well worth the visit.The last day we were there I had an admin day and wandered around on my own. In the evening we went to a tang show in the cellar of one of the oldest cafes in the city. The dancers were very good, probably because the Tango Academy was next door. (This computer is abit difficult and won´t let me create paragraphs, sorry) Wethen drove across Argentina towards the Iguazu Falls. They are very spectacular. The power created by what seems to be slow moving water when you look at the top, is quite stunning. After viewing them from the Argentinian side we went to the Brazilian side. Same water but the different view was wellworth the walking. A birdsancuary in the afternoon was good fun and colourful. Then we drove towards the Pantanel... the edge of the rain forest. Staying on a working farm, which now also caters for tourists. Good food and bar! We saw lots of birds and animals, some even went piranah fisshing. Now we are in Bonito and will be driving across Brazil, starting on 26th. Ihope all who read this have agood Christmas... hope to write more before the New Year!

We arrived here on Sunday evening and then went to watch a Tango demonstration in a small square within walking distance of the hostel. It was excellent... then the locals joined in and we sat in a street cafe and watched the night go by... good food too, including a chocolate Volcano, which reminded me of the one in Baku... many months ago!

Yesterday we went to the harbour to book our tickets for Uraquay. We will be going there on Wednesday.

After lunch on the water-front, we found our way to Evita Peron´s grave... the cemetry was like a small city, full of mausoleums.

A little shopping on the way back and then I spent the evening in... even cooked a mini-meal!

Today I will drink lots of coffee, visit the main post office for its architectural qualities and a few stamps, and then go to "Boca".. a colourful part of the city.

This is where the Welsh landed in 1865... I don´t know why they chose this part of Argentina, because there are miles of semi desert, a few sheep... which they probably brought with them... and the occasional small town.

Travelling overland at least lets you see that, were one to inherit a million acres in Patagonia from a long lost Uncle, one would not need to be too cheerful about it!

It is raining... it hasn´t rained here for 5 months.

Will visit the museum tomorrow. It is near our campsite.

Then there are a couple of days driving before we arrive in Buenos Aires.

I am sure I wrote something yesterday!

We did see the Moreno Glacier and it was very beautiful and big. We went on a boat so that we could get close to it and then viewed it from the top. It was quite spikey and tourquoise

Then we spent three days at Torres del Paine... Very beautiful and we generally had a good time.

Now we have arrived at the most southern part of South America.

Much to my disappointment there is not much snow, however we saw killer whales today. The weather improved and we saw the mountains in sunlight which was good.

More soon, probably once we have left the two free camps behind. There are not many places before we reach Puerto Madryn

Since leaving Pucon, we have been stuck at the border for a couple of hours because the Argentinians thought that the truck insurance wasnt good enough. (cant do apostrophes on this machine!)

We had to spend a night beside Lake Falkner because we had been delayed at the border plus one of the girls had an infection under her skin where she had been sunburnt while climbing the volcano, and she had had to go to the doctor.

On Friday we arrived in Bariloche, which is beside another large lake. We had a good time there. The camp site was good and I was on cook group so I was busy.

We then had two days of driving south to El Chalten. We stopped overnight ina small town, and bought petrol in a petrol station in the middle of nowhere. Having looked at the map I have discovered that we are nearly at the bottom of South America.

The area has many glaciers and stunning scenery. This town is simply for the tourists. There used to be just 36 people living here. It is now quite busy and is in an official National Park.

When we get to the next town of El Clafate I will be going to view a glasier... so full report then.

Arrived here on my second Saturday, 8th November, 2008!

I felt a bit fuzzy after the long flight but all went well at the airport. The hotel was very nice.

As I had a small kitchen, I went out to get some money and find some food. Stopped in a square to have a coffee and cake and watch the world go by and then chilled out.

Sunday I joined a guided tour of Santiago. It was quick and fun. The presidential Palace was interestingly small. We ended up in a nice jewellry shop...

Met my new travelling companions on Sunday evening. I am definitely the oldest this time, but they all seem fine!

The truck is very different from Penelope... no fridge, inward facing seats, but generally seems good, just different. I am using my own tent...nice!

I think this town of Pucon needs to be chilled out in! There is a lake, an active volcano and an excellent campsite. Almost like being in Germany/Austria/Switzerland.

Travelling is good.

Just "done" New Zealand.

Met up with the friends Tomislav stayed with a few years back, and we had a good chat and a proper meal... lots of vegetables!

Did the cultural things yesterday. It was cold, but today is sunny so am feeling more cheerful.

Am all prepared for the journey.