Sorry about the delay.
The 5 days spent in Rio were different. Its a beautiful city in an amazing place. As you can imagine alot of our time was spent walking the beaches, watching foot-volleyball games; (Interesting mix of the two, the players are only allowed to use their head, feet, and knees.) and generally lazing about in the sun. We did visit Sugarloaf for an impressive sunset behind Christ the Redeemer, a Flamengo game at the Macarena (Huge stadium only a third full!, Unless its a huge game check out a Vasco game for a better atmosphere); we did a Flavela tour in the largest ghetto, which we found interesting. It sounds a bit strange doing a tour like this but for us to see the rich strutting about Rio and not to see the other side seemed a bit crass. The feel in the place was good, and although its run by a large armed gang/militia selling drugs the folks living there seemed to respect the gangs for providing services that the state wasn´t prepared to and seemed to tolerate a few gringos strolling around their town surprisingly well. Due to the drugs peddling we couldnt take photos but the place was how you´d imagine it. DIY rooms stuck together, on top of each other, power cables and water pupes zig zagging everywhere; a maze of alleys leading everywhere and nowhere. Services like cafes-bars and restaraunts were inside peoples houses and had little advertising, just open door ways and plastic tables layed out. A real culture shock compared to the beatiful beach side suburbs of Ipanema and Copacabana.
Then it was of to Foz de Iguacu The largest waterfalls (by volume of water) in the world. This involved another extremelly long bus ride of 22 hours. By now we are getting used to this. As well as the waterfalls there is also the largest hydro electric plant in the world just upstream that produces 85% of the power for Paraguay and 30% for Brazil. They offer free tours so we decided to have a look. After a quick video that we missed half of as we were running late, they herded us all into buses for a drive around the dam wall. The thing is huge and photos would not have done it justice. It took 14 years to complete and at present they are adding two new turbines to increase the power by another 1400 megawatts.
That afternoon we jumped on the bus out to the Falls. Again the size was unbeilevable, with spray rising thirty meteres above the falls from all the water. Very hard to get photos as everytime you took the lense cap of it would get covered with spray.
The next day we were off to catch the bus to the Argentina border where we planned to get ourselves on a night bus down to BA.
On this bus we met a right character called Paris. He was from Seattle and had an ice cream truck. He ended up following us to the hostel in BA and certainly provided us all with quite a few laughs during our stay there.
BA was great although we didn't actually get much done in the time we were there. We met up with two English guys named Will and Chris and most of the time was spent going out drinking and eating steak. Both of them are farmers and we had a great time comparing city and rural views. Ian is looking forward to cathcing up with them again as Will´s dad collects WW2 tanks, and has promised him a drive in them. We spent a day at the amusement park, also a day at the casino, only because the amusement park had been closed and we had spent an hour travelling to get to it, the casino was next door so we decided not to waste our trip. We learned how to play craps and came out even after a few hours so that was good.
Got ourselves to a Boca game which was very interesting. Instead of the stadium being empty this was was full to bursting. We ended up in with all the locals which everyone had told us not to do, but due to our being late for the game it seemed these were the only tickets on sale. Had a great time with them and the atmosphere was undescribable. Managed to get out alive which was the main thing. (Apart from seeing this 19 year old wonder kid Carlos something or other, obliterate the opposition)
We put the digital camera in for repairs after the storm in the Pantanal. After 4 days we returned to the repair place to be told it would cost to much to fix. The young technican was very friendly and when we got back to the hostel and tried the camera it worked fine. Its a bit slower than it used to be but it seems we got a free repair. Viva Argentina!!
Had a few good nights out in the bars and clubs. We went to one large club called the BA News, not really our cup of tea, very hard tribal stuff but the kids their were going mad. It seems at the moment the current style is to look like your a member of the Stones or the Who. Again gave us a few giggles ...
Went to a local fair that was really great. The market itself wasn't that interesting but they had demonstrations of groucho horsemanship skills. The ones we saw was a competion to catch a ring the size of a 20 p/cent coin on the end of a pen shaped instrument whilst galloping full pelt down a street in suburban BA which only had sand placed down on it for traction. Certainly something that I would not have attempted.
Paris the yank gave the hostel some laughs as he was heading around the world with a day pack and an Einstein approach to dressing. He had brought with him 2 pairs of chinos; 5 T Shirts; assorted underwear; and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of Boeing fridge magnets and for the chosen few Boeing Pens. To much hilarity he left the hostel heading down to Ushuia, then proceeded to turn up the following day with the announcement it was just like Alaska. Bearing in mind it was a nightflight, he must have spent a good 4 hours awake before heading back up to BA.
Anyway with Paris in mind we finally managed to drag ourselves out of BA (after 2 weeks!) and down to Ushuia. Chris and Will flew off to Singapore on the way to OZ (After leaving us with matching red hoodies that have proved to be a real life saver) so we will be able to continue our fun when they come down to Melbourne.
A full week behind schedule we decided to do a Paris and spend a full day in Ushuia before heading north into Chile and Puerto Arenas. We found a brilliant hostel with a really friendly owner Sebestian who gave us loads of information and decided that we´d to a full day walk around the National Park an hour away. The walk was great, alpine forests; lakes; and Beavers Dams. Although it was bitterly cold it was well worth seeing. That night the hostel emptied out into the bars in town and we got bladdered, pity we were leaving the following day at 5 in the morning. We awoke like zombies crawled onto the bus and did a good impression of death until we got to Puerto Arenas 12 hours later. Puerto Arenas was a windswept, functional place with not alot going for it. We planned to get out as soon as possible but unfortunately we had to stay the night before getting a connection upto Puerto Natales where we planned a 3 day walk in the Torres de Paine National Park. Luckily we where accosted by a nice woman who put us up in her family run hostel and the follwoing morning we headed off to Natales. By mid day we had arrived, but it being Sunday the place was a ghost town. We quickly got ourselves booked on a ferry to Puerto Montt for the following friday and on a bus to the National Park and got our accomodation at the refugios booked in the park then the next day we headed off.
Torres de Paine was excellent. The first day we headed off on a 8 hour return walk upto a lookout overlooking the towers. Three large granite columns on the top of a mountan. The weather was pretty good, though a bit windy. After 4 hours walking we decided to turn around and head back. The weather had turned cloudy so you couldnt see the towers and the last 100m ascent was deep in snow. A good decision after speaking with people who had gone up and bearing in mind we had 2 more days of walking to get through. The first nights accomodation was ok, very expensive, and we had to cook our own food. As dinner would have cost us 10 US each. The second day we headed off on buses and a ferry to skip the middle of the normal 4 day W trek, Not enough time :-(. We had lunch on the ferry then walked 4 hours upto Grey glacier. Today the wind was ferocious and as we were walking straight into it made life very hard for us. But once we got there the Grey glaicer was amazing. It was so large you couldnt see where it began, compared to this the European glaciers seem like babies. That night we had another nights accomodation in a refugio, better than the first night but still left you with that feeling that they would suck your blood if they could.
The following day we headed back to the ferry stop, by this point the weather had changed and for a good hour we got absolutely soaked. With the winds we were so happy to get to the ferry stop and dry our clothes while waiting for our lift back to Puerto Natales.
Once back into Natales we cleaned up after 3 days, got our clothes cleaned and stocked up with supplies for our 3 day trip north.
Unfortunately for us the ferry was running late so instead of boarding thursday night we weren't to board until friday afternoon. Wouldn't have been so bad but we could have spent another day in the National park. Also there wasn't exactly alot to do in Natales. So friday we got ourselves onto the boat and sorted out our beds. We had chosen the cheapest option which was in a 22 bed dorm. It may sound bad but the way the beds were designed it was like being in a four bed cabin just without a door. Straight up to the bar with one of our casks of wine we got chatting to an elderly Australian couple. It appeared that there were more locals than Ian and I had imagined with the split being 70/30 in favour of the locals. Not to worry we managed to find a few like minded travellers and we spent most of the three days playing Cards and drinking. We met up with a few we had seen in the Park. Including the English futures trader that had managed to get so much time off as his company had gone bankrupt. Ian and I found this highly amusing.
Unfortunately being so far south most of the time was spent indoors as the weather was a bit nippy. In true tour style though they would always announce anything exciting coming up so we could all done our coats and get out on deck for a look. Thankfully the seas were good to us and our 10 hours out in open sea wasn't especially bad. Those coming down the week before had had 14 foot seas to contend with. So not to many sea sick people on ours.
The last day was glorious and everyone was out on deck soaking up the sun shine. We managed to move our card table outside and continued playing. Final night was disco and bingo night. Unfortunately I didn't manage to win the beatiful mug or the captains hat. Upstairs to the bar for the party to start and boy did the locals get down to it. They were out dancing and out lasting most of the gringos. I think it was a very poor showing on our behalf. To be fair though the local music left alot to be desired!!!
The views along the coast were great but a bit monotonous, but it was well worth it.
After docking we got straight on a bus upto Bariloche, back on the Argentinian side. It's a beautiful place surrounded by snow capped peaks and looks like it has been transported from switzerland. This afternoon were off to High tea at the world renown hotel here, with some of the others from the boat trip.
Sorry this one is so rushed but wanted to get you all upto date.
Hope you are all well.
Ian and Megs
Message for Martin, tried your hotmail and is no longer working. Don't know what I have done with your work address, send me an email so I can get in contact. Will be home 6th of Dec and want to catch up.