Escape UK ©

The Blog Is BACK!

2006-12-02T13:00:00.000Z

Through temporary madness/depression, I took the blog down. I am unclear myself why I did this. I woke up this saturday morning with a clear head trying to remember what I was doing this time last year. It took a while to work it out and caused a mild headache. It was at this point that I realised my insanity.......THE BLOG SHOULD BE SET FREE! FOR EVERYBODY TO READ. There is no point in denying our memories, the blog shouldn't be a myth, a ledgend that happened once. It should be there for the whole world to enjoy, roll around in and smother yourself in its happy memories!

Chris & Sam

The Last Post

2006-11-15T16:34:00.000Z

We were going to write something very profound and emotional, but we just decided to say it has been the best year of our lives. Our heads are full of amazing memories and inside we feel warm and content.

The blog has been a big part of the trip, not only to keep you informed but also for ourselves as a diary. It will be printed, bound and sat on our coffee table forever more.

It wouldn't have been the same without your fantastic comments, it has helped us not miss you so much. This is the final post for Escapeuk but it certainly isn't the end, instead of ticking places off our list it has shown us new places to add.

To wrap it up here are a few stats we worked out in our spare time:

Different Beds Slept In	107
Total Hours on Buses	338
Hours on Aeroplanes	92
Number Of Native Languages	13
Number Of Countries Visited	16
Number Of Marital Arguments	5
Number Of Beaches Set Foot On	98
Kilometers Driven (By Chris)	11,520
Number Of Ski Resorts Ridden	6
Modes Of Transport Used	16
Number Of Timezones Crossed	34
Number Of Near Death Experiences	7
Number Of Different Beers Drank	53
Number Of Days Away	365
Number Of Blog Posts	446

Big love, Sam & Chris

PS Check back from time to time, as we haven't quite escaped the UK yet...

Frisco!

2006-11-15T16:12:00.000Z

Of all the places we have seen in the states there are 2 we could see ourselves living in, one was Santa Barbara and the other, San Francisco. It is a great city with lots of atmosphere, leafy streets, plenty of night life, and hills that get you huffing and puffing harder than a...sorry I can only think of rude stuff now so forget it!

On our last day we hired a tandem and rode over the Golden Gate bridge, we watched the sun set, threw pennies into the water and wished we could start our journey all over again.
In the evening we caught a ferry, ate chinese, rode a tram and got drunk in a Jazz Bar (well, Chris did).
Here is the last photo of our trip, taken from the Golden Gate bridge.

Broke Down Mustang

2006-11-09T18:22:00.000Z

So yesterday the car broke. We were driving through Yosemite and the lights went out, milage counter reset itself, revs, speedo clock, fuel, everything shut down. Luckily the power assisted steering and brakes still worked, so we drive to a resturant/lodge and dug in for the night.
The tow truck was called. There had been a landslide so it would be a 4 hour wait. The guy who was loading our new car onto the truck sliped and broke his wrist, so we would have to wait longer.
We checked into the lodge and finally at 8pm our new HUGE Rolls Royce looking car turned up on the back of the truck. The lady unloaded it, and then locked the keys in the car.
We waited for a while before she was given permission to break into the car. She managed to get in using a coat hanger !!! Very impressive.
Anyway, we got a new car. We felt about 50 driving it!

Who Reads This Blog?

2006-11-09T18:16:00.000Z

We have had some hilarious comments recently, and in the past have been stoked to see that we have some readers who we dont know. Its nice to know its not only our parents that read the blog.
I`m not sure whether you all know, but our trip temporarily comes to a halt for a while on Saturday when we come home. The blog will end.
We have had nearly 10,000 hits over the last year and are curious to know who reads the blog.
So whether you have read it once in a while, weekly, or daily can everybody leave a comment. You can still use anonymous, just give us a holler to say "hi I read it".
No bitching this time eh!

Chris & Sam

P.S Does Gloria Hunniford live in Slough? Yogi Bear lives in Yellow stone park. We have been laughing all day long at your comments on the last entry. Peace out guys!

Yosemite Park and Crazy Election Party

2006-11-08T23:50:00.000Z

We arrived late last night and booked into a cheap hotel in a small town just outside the park. The woman behind the counter told us that there was going to be an earthquake in San Francisco soon. She could tell because everytime it gets that hot in November there is an earthquake. Great.
We popped into the slightly scary small redneckish town to find some food. The only place that was still open was a small bar next called Jade. We nervously stuck our heads through the door only to be met by a MASSIVE guy who drags us in to a Karaoke crazed drunked brawl of a party to celebrate the local supervisor winning election.
As we walk fully into the bar everybody turns to look. After looking us up and down twice they turn back to thier beers. I can hear squeeling pigs and banjos in my head.
The bar is full of men with baseball caps, no teeth, spitting tabaco, and tattoos of the American flags on thier arms.
There is a free buffet which we get 'told' to eat. We relectantly eat some food only to recieve some more deathly looks from mad old haggered ladies at the bar. We later learnt that everybody had made their own food and bought it to the bar.
I ordered a Bud and settled down only for some caos at the Karaoke machine. A rough looking girl jumps up to the mike and shouts "I F##KING HATE YOU JENNA, GET OUT OF MY LIFE" Everybody in the bar starts hollering at her so she runs out the back door. I'm bursting with laughter loving every minute of it. Next the big guy who dragged us in comes and talks to Sam. He tells her to try one of the cookies. Sam politely replies "Thankyou - yes i already had a few, they were lovely" He roars with laughter telling her that he made them himself and stuffed them full of "them magic mushrooms". Sams face drains and she suddenly comes over dizzy. We prop her against the bar and I order another beer. Next an obviosly very popular contry song come on called 'Sroke me'. All the girls in the bar rush to the front to give the best display of line dancing ever witnessed.
This is one of the cool things about travelling, you can suddenly end up in the craziest situations, and because you are so relaxed, you dont care but just get into it and have a wicked laugh.
Next we meet Ron the texan. We have learnt that Texans are the dangerous ones, they are the ones with the guys who only care about how big stuff is. Texas even has a sign at their state border saying "Dont Mess with Texas!". Anyway, Ron staggers up to Sam and starts telling her that Texas is "Abat one 'undred time bigga dan inglaaand", and that its "900 miles lung 'an 900 mile wide a' its narrowest point" and how we would be able to afford a house there, "arr built forty hauses last year".
My sides are splitting still, get me another beer.
Finally the big man himself walks in to cheers. Tom Wheeler an old guy with a moustach, cowboy neck tie and cowboy boots under his pin stripe suit. He has rudely interupted a massive short haired blond girl with boob tube and skin tight jeans from singing Stupid Cupid and dancing to an imaginary pole.
WE finally decide it is best to leave before guns get drawn. We were belly laughing all the way back to the hotel at the surreal experience.
What a night! We love America, and especially the Americans. They ROCK!

Oh yeah then we came to Yosemite. We reckon it would be nice if we could see through the clouds and rain. We did see some giant trees.

P.S We are stranded as the mustang just broke down. However we did manage to break down by a resturant with internet station. We have 4 hours to wait for the tow truck as there has been a landslide (perhaps due to the imminent earthquake)

Santa Barbara

2006-11-08T23:46:00.000Z

This place is stunning. The town is full of small white washed spanish architecture buildings, surronded by palm trees. The resturants are amazing and so are the beaches. Sam used to watch a dodgy soap called Santa Barbara, so she was worried it wouldnt be quite as good as she expected. She was happy to find that it was just as she had imagined.
We had two of the hottest days ever in November, 88 degrees Farenhiet (whatever that is in centigrade).
Thumbs up to Santa Barbara, add this to your list of places to see on your States visit.

Mailbu Beach

2006-11-08T23:42:00.000Z

I had high expectations as driving up Pacific Highway 1 from L.A. It was a baking day and we drove with the top down. Arriving at Malibu was a bit dissapointing. You cant see the beach because of the houses. So we parked up and walked to a beach which was dirty with a sign saying "Do not swim, contact with Sewage can cause fatal disease". Dispite the sign there were about 50 old timers surfing a small 2 foot swell. It was the wackiest surfing I have ever seen. They all ride malibu boards (obviously) but they all drop in on each other. At some points there were about 6 guys on the same wave. Bizarre.
Anyway, not impressed, next please.

Back In Vegas

2006-11-08T23:40:00.000Z

Our gambling addiction dragged us back to Vegas for one more night. We stayed in the 'Tropicana' hotel which had palm tree wallpaper and mirrored walls and ceilings (not sure why ;).
We had another massive night out, and this time actually won some money. GET IN!
VEGAS BABY!

Zion

2006-11-07T22:15:00.000Z

Zion is wicked. Its a national park in Utah, and has the big red sandstone monuments, steep cliffs, gorges etc. Also because its autumn the trees were bright red and yellow. We took a hike to some waterfalls called the 'Emerald Pools'. Defo recommended for anyone going to see the canyon. This is a less touristy prettier place to see.
On a more exciting note we stayed in our first roadside motel called 'The Sun and Sea Motel' It had a disused pool with peeling paint, broken swings and an owner who used to throw darts in Vegas against Bristo and all the other British dart greats.

Navajo Bridge

2006-11-07T22:10:00.000Z

We decided to take a trip around the Grand Canyon to a place called Zion which had been recommended to us by a Calafornian couple in a bar on Venice Beach.
On the way we crossed the Navajo Bridges at the beginning of the Grand Canyon. We arrived at sunset when all the red colours we coming out of the rocks around. The road was deserted and the moon was rising and full in the mirrors of the mustang. We got the feeling we had been expecting when stood on the rim of the deepest part of the canton. It was beautiful.

Grand Canyon

2006-11-07T21:55:00.001Z

This was the big one. Our last wonder of the world. The one people had been telling us was going to be the most breath taking view of all.
We arrived in a seemingly flat landscape and parked our cars amongst the Japanese tour busses. We held our breaths as we approached the first view point.... then WOW, there it was, gouging its way through the Arizonan desert was an 8.6 mile wide Canyon made up of hundreds of different layers, colours and gorges. It was MASSIVE! Apparently the visibility on the day we saw it was excellent, 69 miles.
As we walked along the rim we both started to have a sinking feeling. It wasn't quite as good as we had imagined. It was definatly huge but it wasnt having the same effect as other things we have seen in the last year. We decided that it most probably has something to do with the big build up, and our intense beauty blindness we have developed.

Beauty blindness occurs when you continuosly see amazing things, gradually things need to be bigger, better, and more and more different or amazing to catch your attention. For example, having just done our trip across the Attacama desert and Bolivian salt flats we were on a bus which drove around Lake Titicaca, Sam and I barely lifted our heads from our books to look out of the window. You could spot the other backpackers on the bus because they were either reading or sleeping, but the toursist that had just arrived had their chins on the floor, dribbling at the amazing view out the window.
All the same we did manage to appreciate the Canyon for being utterly stunning, and although we would love to say it was one of the most amazing things we have ever seen, we can't. This is just our opinion on the day though, we both think that anyone visiting America should definatly make it part of their visit as I'm sure everyone will be gob smacked by it.

Hoover Dam

2006-11-07T21:55:00.000Z

Big wall. Nuff said. Next please

Halloween Vegas Style

2006-11-07T21:33:00.000Z

What kind of outfits do you imagine people to wear on Holloween in the states?
I thought Halloween was about wearing scary spooky outfits, dressing up as a witch, a ghost, a mummy, a vampire or at a stretch a pumpkin (which for some reason is considered a scary vegetable).
Well not in VEGAS BABY! In Vegas really anything kinky goes. During the day we started to notice something was up when we repeatedly got invited to rubber and leather parties by lesbians in the street. Wanting to get into the spirit of things we went to a few fancy dress shops. Again we notice something is rotten in Denmark. All the 'fancy dress' shops appear to be 'Sex shops'. The only things you can buy are fake leather or pvc skirts, trousers, vests, whips, handcuffs, lace tights etc etc...
I'm not sure weather it was the Nevada heat that got to us but without having a single drop to drink we walked out of the shop having spent 70 dollars on pvc goods.
After our buffet dinner and show that night we retired to the bedroom for a quick nap before a big night out. We awoke at 11pm and dressed into our 'costumes'.
Our brains had obviously cooled when sleeping and on looking at each other and ourselves in the mirror we both hit the deck in manic laughter.
Chris is dressed in his white trainers, black PVC drain pipe trousers, black t-shirt and bat wings. I'm dressed in knee high boots, black thigh high stockings with white laces ups down the back, a miniscule black PVC skirt and PVC/lace corset. We look like whores, sanity prevails and we both put on our jeans and hit the strip (Chris still has his bat wings, and I my corset). We will never forget the looks on each others faces when we first tried on those costumes.
As it turns out we wouldn't have looked out of place had we not got changed. The Strip was full of girls and boys dressed in the kinkiest of outfits that you would only usually see in porn movies. It turned out to be a great Haloween with Chris winning 30 dollars on the roulette (only then to loose it). We did break even over the night though.

Time on Your Hands

2006-11-07T21:25:00.000Z

Whenb you are backpacking you have no plans, no money, but lots of spare time and would do anything for a free meal. So when a pigtailed lady named Connie approached us in one of the casinos with an offer for free show and dinner we paid attention.
The MArriot chain have gone into timeshares and for a couple of hours of our time they would reward us. They painted a picture of a conference room full of up to 150 people listening to a lecture by a sales professional. We imagined ourselves sitting at the back nodding off for two hours recovering from last nights early morning.
We were picked up, alone, by a massive blacked out van with stereo, wrap around leather sofas, television and drinks cabinet. We were then taken to meet Bill. He would talk to us privatley for no less than 2 hours !! OH HELL! Before we met him we had decided upon a few descreet signals to give to each other to make it more interesting. Example; scratch your chin when you hear some sales bulls**t. We spend the next two hours pulling our ears, rubbing our stomachs and everything else just to entertain ourselevs while Bill bored the hell out of us about timeshares. After 2 hours we politley said no thanks, and picked up our all you can eat buffet tickets, and American Stars concert tickets. We then had great night out in Vegas with full stomachs.

Casinos

2006-11-07T21:18:00.000Z

The strip has the biggest hotels in the world. Its AMAZING, they have a mock up of New York City, Venice, Excalibur Castle, and Paris.

Rollercoasters wind themselves around the hotels and along the strip. Hotels have volcanoes that erupt every 90 minutes, full size pirate ships, lions, sharks, dolphins, crocodiles and Celine Dion. Five story waterfalls and the best of all the Bellagio fountains (1000 of them jet up to about 50 meters high in time to music).

On the top of our hotel, the Stratosphere, they have a ride which throws you off the edge of the 1000 foot high tower. I got given a free ticket by a guy who bottled it at the last minute. It was seriously scary.

How To Be A Winner In Vegas....

2006-11-04T23:46:00.000Z

After watching the old ladies attached to machines endlessly (no joke, we have spotted some actually attached via a wire, we have no idea why but maybe it's in case they fall off their stalls from sleep deprivation!), we decided to have a go ourselves.
First we tried the slot machines. Chris looked a little bewildered so I fed a couple of dollars into the slot of a brightly coloured machine for him, and asked him to press the magic button. After about 3 seconds there was a lot of flashing and beeping the credits screen flashed zero. He turned to me and asked all innocently "What just happenned there then?", so I explanned that he had quickly become a looser!
We decided to extend our fun by playing the five cent machines, and got quite into it. When Chris came back from the rest rooms he found me stooped over the machine, dribbling with a dumb look on my face, with one erect index finger seemingly stuck in a repeptitive loop pressing the spin button.
After loosing a small backpacker fortune we decided to try roulette at the Bellagio. As soon as we joinned the roulette table we instantly had to leave, as we had bet a big backpackers fortune on red...black came up.
Over the night we had lost seventy dollars and were feeling broke and pathetic. But suddenly logic prevailed. For those of you who don't know, drinks in Vegas are FREE! (As long as you are gambling, or in our case very very slowly inserting one cent coins while waiting for the waitress). So we calculated that whilst we had lost seventy dollars, Chris had managed to drink his way through fifty dollars worth of booze! Which meant that we were only down by 20 dollars and had a whole evening of entertainment.
So the moral of the story is: the only way to be a winner in Vegas is to drink more than you gamble. And that's VEGAS LOGIC BABY!

Desert Dreams

2006-11-04T23:43:00.000Z

I pressed the button above our heads and the soft top retracted from our big bright red 4 litre convertible Mustang.

We left LA behind us on Freeway 15, fulfilling one of my dreams...a Vegas Roadtrip.
Along the way we stopped to do all the things you see in the films. We had a bite to eat at Peggy Sues' 50's dinner to start with, and it had all the things you'd imagine; big guys with checkered shirts and baseball caps munching on cherry pie; Elvis playing on the juke box; and oversized burgers and sodas that made us feel so full we were almost sick.

We also stopped to shoot a guy, bundle him into the boot, and drive into the desert to dispose of the body.
After a 4 hour adventure we arrived at Vegas, it was night time and we drove down "The Strip" being dazzled by the lights. Vegas is all we expected and more, a Disney land for adults.
I love the place and I think Sam does too now that I've finally stopped annoying her by shouting "Vegas Baby!".

Crazies

2006-11-04T23:34:00.000Z

Venice Beach is hilarious. The people who hang around it are so extreme it would be difficult for normal people to think up the costumes they wear and things they do. As well as the fancy dress people playing guitars, and the guy who wears only black speedos, walking the streets rolling a big silver ball around his hands, neck and arms, you also get some harmless but crazy regular people.
Take this morning for example. We had just walked along the promenade to have breakfast in one of the cafes. It was 9:30am and we were walking back to the hotel. This guy dressed normally in jeans , t-shirt, and wearing heaphones is just in front of us. Along the promenade are black steel bins every 10 meters. The guy starts kicking each one. At each bin his kicks get more fancy. He is laughing to himself having a great time. After about 20 bins Sam and I start giggling aswell, marvelling at how five minutes dont pass in Venice without seeing something different. We decide he may have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He carrys on kicking. We carry on laughing. After about 30 bins, he turns round and sees us smiling. He ever so politely explains in a very strong American accent "I din used to be able t'do this, I'd hurt ma knee real bad, now it feels bedder I can kick this bins here again. I havent bin able to kick bins for two years! I celebratin'". Sam and I p*ss ourselves laughing, so does he, and we all carry on walkin' and kickin'.
Just another day at Venice beach.

Celebrity Stuff..

2006-11-04T23:30:00.000Z

We are embarrased to admit it, but yesterday we spent the day in a blacked out transit van spying on celebrity homes. We drove through Beverly Hills, and Bel Air to see houses that belonged to Robert Deniro, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Tom Hanks, Nicholas Cage, Tom Cruise, and many many more.
We then went to Rodeo Drive, Farmers Market, Sunset Strip, Hollywood Blvd (the walk of fame, the one with the stars and footprints in the floor). We saw the Hollywood sign, and where the Oscars is held. We also saw the beginning of the premier for Santa Claus 3.
George Clooneys House

We finished the day watching the sunset and drinking beers with two guys at our table. One of which is the brand manager for 24. He is getting his P.A to send us the latest series on DVD. He is personal friends with Kiefer, who apparently is a great guy. Ben has also been to Robert Deniros house to meet him.
Ben is stood next to Sam
It was a very touristy day but a good way to see all the sights without getting lost.

Venice Beach, L.A, Calafornia

2006-11-04T23:27:00.000Z

This is where all the California stereotypes are born. This is the famous beach where red bikin wearing lifegurads stand on beach towers. Rollerblades, skateboarders, and cyclists all wearing tiny tight outfits cruise the promonade.
We sat outside a small beach cafe drinking Bud and eating burgers doing some extreme people watching.

All our dreams came true as we saw; A raster on rollerblades playing Amazing Grace on an electric guitar. A tramp salior carrying a massive USA flag. A Guy wearing a chain mail vest.
Hundreds or bladers and skaters wearing next to nothing, small dogs, big dogs, circus acts and the cherry on the cake... a 50 year old in small shorts, headband with headphones, riding a big wheel scooter carrying a blue parrot on his shoulder.

Just before sunset we hired out own blades and cruised along the famous broadwalk singing ' Everybodys Free' (Tampax advert circa 1993).
The sky turned red and we saw dolphins, seals and pelicans playing in the surf.
We are having a great time and are loving Los Angeles.

Happy In L.A

2006-11-04T23:26:00.000Z

We spent our final hour in Rio sat on Copacabana beach seriously considering cancelling our flight to Los Angeles. Rio has been our favourite city so far and we were leaving with lots of unfinished business. On the other hand we hadnt been able to book anywhere to stay in L.A, we were running out of money and America doesnt look cheap.
We reluctantly boarded American Airlines flight 904 to LAX. The 13 hour flight was like flying with a low cost airline. You had to pay for your food and drinks and the seats were excruciating.
Things took a massive turn for the better when we arrived to 27 degreee heat, and not a cloud in the sky. We easily found a place to stay which looks out directly over famous Venice Beach. The hotel is called the Cadilac Hotel and it was good enough for Charlie Chaplin so it is good enough for us. Venice Beach has also turned out to be as good as we imagined and more.

Dont Be A Gringo..

2006-11-04T23:21:00.000Z

Have you ever heard the word "Favella" before? I hadn't until I got to Brazil, but there are over 600 of them in central Rio alone.
A favella is a slum, make shift wood and brick shacks make up these illegal neighbourhoods. There are no official amenities, you might find a pilon near a favella which is covered in a mangle of cables that siphons off the power to some parts of it, and tubes coming off water mains, but nothing is legally plumbed or wired.
They are all run by one of 3 main rival drug lords in Rio. Who runs each one is evident by the graffitied mark the gang sprays on every filthy wall of their property.

The inhabitants are varied, lawyers and pimps live together in them, and there is always a rich neighbourhood right next to a favella, this is were the rich people come to get their recreational drugs, be it marihuana, cocaine or more recently crack.

The guide books warn that they are dangerous places and to stay out of them. They are patrolled by the drug lords men, including "soldiers" who walk around armed, ready to protect the area from rival flavellas, and "watchers" who shoot flares into the air if they see the police approach the perimeter.

They have their own rules, and any issues must always be resolved within the favella, the key is to draw as little attention to themselves as possible and not to arouse police interest. They are far from invisible, for one they are massive, and secondly there are shoot-outs from time to time, not too subtle!!

So when we heard of Luis who grew up in Rocinha (the biggest favella in Rio), we jumped at the chance of being taken in and learning more about them.
Luis parked his very nice car in a posh neighbourhood that's right next to Rocinha and a short walk took us to the entrance where our chariots awaited, a row of tough looking Brazilians on motorbikes beckonned us to hop on so I did. Chris shouted "Sam for God's sake pick a small bike" but it was too late, I had inadvertedly picked the biggest bike with the biggest dude!
They zoomed up to the very top of the favella and we would walk down with Luis ahead of our little group of gringos.
Within 5 minutes of arriving Luis shouted "No foto!" A gang member holding an ouzie walked right passed Chris, the barrel of the gun pointing directly at Chris' stomach.
The place was amazing, as you got deeper and deeper the conditions got worse and worse. The smell of the sewage got stronger, the floors were soden with rotten water from the split make shift pipes, and kids walked bare footed over piles of rubbish. Every few steps you would see the gangs initials graffitied on walls, ADA Amigos de Amistad, ironically it means Friends of Friendship.
We visited a little art gallery that Luis had helped some graffitti artists set up. Just as he was explaining the project Luis broke down in tears and sobs, one of the artists had been a close friend and died in a motorbike accident only a couple of days before. The young dead mans' family were in the same room and desperately tried to hold it together in front of us, it was really heart wrenching.
But there was something really good and special happening in Rocinha, the daycare center. With Louis' tour which is called "Be a Local" he has set up a center to help neglected children aged 0 to about 6.
The kids were so cute and smiley despite some of them showing signs of malnurtition. They seemed to get a lot of love and fun from the volunteers running it, and they are given 3 square meals a day which they seem to thoroughly enjoy, especially on Mondays as some aren't feed for the entire weekend.

Despite the weapons and the conditions I felt pretty safe in Rocinha for some reason, and the people were really smiley and kind. As Louis pointed out it is a shame that we have it all and often can appear miserable, whilst they have nothing and are happy and friendly, quite embarrassing really.
It was a great experience and I would recommend it to anybody visiting Rio.

Sam and Chris

Footnote to parents: This was an organised trip and we were safe so don't panic we would never have gone alone.

In The Words Of R-Kelly...

2006-11-02T03:10:00.000Z

Do you remember being a kid and dreaming about being able to fly? Being Superman or being taken for a flight with him like Lois Lane?

On our last day in Rio Chris and I realised our childhood dream and flew.
I had been feeling like it had been a little while since I had pushed my comfort zone, and I was running out of time because the trip is almost over, so I booked us in for a tandem hangglide with a company called Superfly.

I thought it was a great idea until I got to the place we would be jumping from. It's a cliff over a thousand meters above Rio called Piedra Bonita which means Pretty Stone, and yes it was pretty but it was also bloody high!!!!
A girl was about to jump when we arrived and I started to feel a little sick as I watched her run down a ramp and off the cliff into nothingness.
It wasn't long before we were strapped inn and we got some instruction...well...all they tell you is that need to run and don't stop until well after you've run out of ramp. Then you practice running alongside your instructor ONCE and try not to get paranoid, I mean it's just running right? WRONG! The most simple things like running and breathing stop being automatic when you are scared and everything has to be conscious. So suddenly your legs feel like lead and running seems like astrophysics, you get paranoid "what if I trip?" "what if I stop at the end of the ramp?" "what if I throw up over the instructor?".

Anyway I went first, I had one hand on the instructors back and the other strapped in. A guy taps his feet hard on the ground to signal to the instructor that the wind is right, and he suddenly shouts "RUN!!!!". I ran with all my might, trying hard to look at the horizon and not the ramp which is running out quickly, I keep running and suddenly I feel a tug and I'm horizontal to the ground, I'M FLYING!!!!!!!

It is the most amazing feeling honestly, it is so peaceful and quiet and all you can feel is the breeze on your face. You feel light and high as a kite (heheheeeee). The instructor tells me that this is why birds sing and I now understand how people get addicted to this, it is increadible guys!
Chris loved it too, I watched him land gracefully shortly after me.

So, if you do remember that childhood dream, remember that it's not too late to make it come true.

Sam

VEGAS BABY

2006-11-01T08:50:00.000Z

STill cant find an internet cafe to upload photos, but we are collecting many hilarious stories about our trip in the US of A. We are riding round in a brand new red convertible mustang having lots of fun.

Happy Birthday Bro!

2006-11-01T08:48:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to my brother Tito. Have fun tomorrow, can't wait to see you a year older when we get back.

Love you millions,

Sam and Chris xxxxxxx

Happy Birthday Amelie

2006-11-01T08:45:00.000Z

A very Happy Birthday to Amelie who was one year old on the 30th of October. Hope you had lots of fun with Sarah, Jon and Chip and we look forward to celebrating with you and a glass of champagne when we get back in a few days.

Lots of love,

Sam and Chris xxxxx

P.S. We were driving in the Mojave Desert on your birthday so couldn't write but thought of you xx

AMERICA

2006-10-29T02:44:00.000Z

Hi guys just a quick one to say that we have loads to tell you about but we are struggling to find an internet place that will let us put photos on. So please bear with us and keep checking, it will be worth it, we've been up to exciting stuff!

Chris and Sam

Happy Birthday Lel

2006-10-26T20:53:00.000+01:00

Thought I´d say happy birthday early as we are flying to L.A tonight. Hope you have a great day, and contrary to our most recent blog entries we are actually looking forward to coming home and celebrating with everyone. We will have a Budwiser and a hot dog to celebrate your B´Day.
Bottoms Up!
Chris & Sam

P.S Our day today was amazing. WE both jumped from a cliff. Photos to follow.

CHRIST !

2006-10-25T23:26:00.000+01:00

Christ the Redeemer statue stands 710 meters above Rio de Janeiro. For me it is one of the most spiritual monuments in the World. Its something about the way he stands over looking every part of such a torn city.

Rio has had a big impression on us, it is the most diverse city we have visited. From violence, guns, gangs, drugs, favelas to extreme richness, beauty, tropical rainforest mixed into urban skyscrapers and pristene white beaches. At night the statue is lit up giving the impression he is just floating. It may also have something to do with the film ´City of God´ which just cant fail to impress upon you what this city is like.

So today we finally get a perfectly clear day when the views are some of the clearest our hostel owner has ever seen. First we visit a lookout where we can see both Sugar Loaf mountain and Christ at the same time.
Then we take the winding road to the top. The statue is massive, and just as impressive. We spend a good hour staring up at it and being stunned by the views of clearly the most beutiful city in the World.

Two Funny Stories

2006-10-25T17:10:00.000+01:00

Story One:
I only ever thought it happened in movies.... one night in Buenos Aires we had all been drinking at the hostel before going out at about 3am. Three Irish girls had been drinking with us, none of our group knew them, but we invited them out to the bar.
As soon as we step into the street they turn into crazed maniacs singing at the top of their voices some wierd gaelic songs. Everybody else is clearly a little embarrased and we start to walk a bit faster putting some distance between us and the girls. The street we are walking down is full of high rise residential blocks. Suddenly, BOOM, SPLASH someone has thrown a bucket of water over Sam and Tony!. Nobody knew whether to laugh. The Irish girls had obviously woken some people up who are well trained in noise disturbance. Sam got the brunt of it dispite the fact she was the only one not to have a drop to drink.
The girls shut up singing and soon after had to go home early to be sick.
We saw the funny side of it as Sam dried off in the bar.

Story Two:
In Buzios we were staying in a very chilled hostel/house, the owner of which was a very spiritual hippy pot smoking old Brazilian lady. The hostel was empty apart from us and after a day on the beach we came home to relax for an hour before going for dinner. When we had showered and changed, I open our bedroom door to leave and I hear a scream from the adjacent room, the lounge. I react by letting out a similar yelp. I´m curious to know what I yelped at and pop my head round the corner, only to see our hostel owner stood naked with a pot of wax in one hand and a waxing strip in the other. She screams, I scream, we are both screaming just staring at each other. I eventually react and dart back into my room. Then burst into laughter.
Next morning she is really cool and comes to talk to us at breakfast and acts like nothing happened, but I cant help but see her naked in my head.

Chris

Sunny in Rio

2006-10-25T16:58:00.000+01:00

Rio is baking hot with clear blue skies. We had a quick look at Copacabana this morning before we go and see Christ. Sam was mega happy on the beach and for some reason she wanted me to take a photo of her. It may have something to do with the 200 firemen, lifeguards and policemen training in tight black speedos on the beach.

We will be back with photos of the big man.
Chris

The Beach

2006-10-23T20:12:00.000+01:00

The weather has improved, and its great to be back on the beach after such a long time (the last time was in July in Tahiti). The sun in Brazil is insanely hot, but the sea water is mega cold, but Sam seems to think it is good for our circulation.
Today we made a trek out to a surf beach with our wetsuits which we have been carrying since Australia. We were going to rent some boards, but the surf was pants.
Its is starting to hit us that we have to come home, and occasionally we get big stirring pains in our stomachs. On Sunday night Sam randomly started crying, I got a photo of it but apparently I am not allowed to put it on the blog.
B.T.W Thanks to all our friends who email us to remind us how long we have left, without you we wouldn´t know when to come home. Seriously THANKS!

Good Riddens Schumacher

2006-10-23T19:59:00.000+01:00

The Brazillians love the Grand Prix. Yesterday we sat in a great outdoor bar to watch the GP. The bar was packed and everybody goes crazy at the start, and at every overtaking manouver. I´ve never been so excited watching a GP on the television. Even the coverage is better. When Massa won they started playing really triumpant music, kind of like the Rocky music.
It was great to see Schumacher fail, I will never forgive him for stealing the world championship from Damon hill in 96. It doesnt matter how good a driver he is, in my eyes he will always be an arrogant cheat.
Alonso winning World Champ was wicked, Sam represented the Spanish well shouting all kinds of encouraging words at the television.
Anyway, glad to have my say on Poomacher.
Laters
Chris

Sorry Miami

2006-10-21T23:44:00.000+01:00

Falling in love with a place isn´t good for travelling around the world. Buzios has us and we are not leaving.....yet. After a few cuba libres we telephoned American Airlines and cancelled our flight to Miami. We are now flying straight over it to L.A on the 26th October. No offence Miami, but we think you will be easy to see sometime later in our life.

Escape Rio

2006-10-21T00:23:00.000+01:00

Woke up this morning...it was raining! So we packed a cloth, attached a stick to it and ran away. Where? I hear you ask. Buzios! It´s not a funny sound effect like Alakazam, Pow or Bang, it´s a beach resort where Rios rich and famous go for the weekend.

It´s absolutely beautiful even in the grey, it feels a bit like a little french fishing village. With cobbled streets winding around a picture postcard bay dotted with colourful little fishing boats.
There are boutiques, sea-front restaurants and designer shops which line the leafy streets. I am in absolute heaven, and so is Chris, because they even have plasma screens on the street to show the Grand Prix.
He may be even happier if it is sunny tomorrow, we have finally seen the itsy bitsy miniscule tiny bikinies in the shop windows.
Could a place get any better? Yes, surrounding it are 22 beaches, some are for surfing and other are calm snorkelling beaches, perfect!
We could quite easily stay here for the remaining 3 weeks, especially as we are staying in a zen hostel all on our own. We might have a go at Tai Chi or meditation if the weather doesn´t clear up.

Anyway it has turned into a hazy summers evening, so we are going to dinner on the beach front for some designer fish.

Kisses from paradise,

Chris and Sam

ENGAGEMENT !

2006-10-19T19:09:00.000+01:00

Everybody knows Harry. Even if you haven´t met him you must know about him from this blog because he is quite a feature. Aswell as being a feature, he is also the coolest guy on earth. He did a sterling job as my best man, and now I get to return the favour. Yes, many of us thought the day would never come, or that there wasn´t a brave enough girl out there to take on the task. But at approximatley 8pm on Saturday 14th October 2006, somewhere near Oxford on the river Thames, Harry proposed to the georgeous Georgie. After asking for a second time because she didnt believe him, she caved in and accepted. Harry apparently hasnt slept for a few days due to excitement, and he sounds like the happiest guy alive. They are a match made in heaven. We have celebrated everynight since and I reckon I have a few more weeks of nights out based on the great news. We are both totally over the moon, and can´t wait to see you when we get back!
Big Up for Harry and Georgie!
Lots of Love
Chris & Sam

Still Raining...

2006-10-19T18:50:00.001+01:00

A new day and Rio is still a wash out. Before I came here I read the guide book which told me I would be able to drink the Brazilian national drink, Caipirinha. It is a refreshing mix of ice, lime, sugar and very strong alchol.
The guide said things like; ¨After a day sunbathing on the worlds most famous beach, you can sit and relax in one of Copacabanas many beach bars watching the sunset while sipping on a Caipirinha¨
So we went to full fill my dream today.
Yes we did get a few funny looks sat in the rain drinking cocktails.

The Bulls Balls

2006-10-19T18:50:00.000+01:00

We felt a bit guilty after eating German sausages yesterday lunchtime, so for dinner we went to a traditional Brazilian Churrascaria.
It´s a great concept, you pay a set price and you have unlimited access to a buffet with anything you could ever want, then they bring you fries, rice, polenta and lots of side orders. But that´s not what it´s all about, it´s really about the meat.
A constant stream of waiters parade succulent lamb, beef, sausages, chicken and pork on giant skewers. They carve big pieces off and you pick it up with little tongs and slop it on your plate, the meat is amazing!!!

You have a token which is green on one side and red on the other. When you have the green part facing up it means serve me, and when you flip it to red it means give me a break.

I had my token on green when the waiter offered me 6 little pieces of meat, which I accepted with a smile. Chris declined and stared at my plate very intently.
I thought they might be liver or something, but anyway I am fairly adventurous when it comes to eating, so I cut one in half and was about to put in my mouth when Chris yelled out ¨That´s a testicle!!!¨.
Startled I moved my head away from the fork with a yerk, and stared down at the flap of meat. I´d heard that eating bulls balls was very common in Brazil, and on close inspection it became very obvious that I had six testicles on my plate!!!!

I screwed up my nose in disgust, but then remembered that I have a responsibility to make the blog interesting for you guys. To the background sound of ¨No Way´s¨from Chris I popped it in my mouth, and chewed it as fast as if it was a fish eye and I was competing in ¨I´m a Celebrity get me out of here¨.

To be honest it tasted awfull, very strong flavour, and it had a horrid texture. But I would still eat half a dozen of them over a sip of Durian juice ANY day.

Sam

P.S. The lamb and that was really nice though.

Birds to Boards

2006-10-19T00:34:00.000+01:00

I got slightly happier when I found the Ipanema surf spot, but then got upset again when I realised my blond wasn´t with me and I couldn´t go for a ride. Oh yeah, it´s still raining.

B.T.W The surf spot here is floodlit at night.

None At Copacabana Either.....

2006-10-19T00:23:00.000+01:00

....so I built my own. It´s still p**sing it down. Still upset.

Rio, Where the Beaches Are Covered in Beautiful Women In Tiny Bikinis...

2006-10-18T18:27:00.000+01:00

...Yeah Right! We arrived in Rio last night, after a very long day, we didnt go to sleep the night before and ended staying up for 38 hours, it was a hellish trip. However, we had a good nights sleep and jumped out of bed this morning ready to bask in Rios beauty. I put my beach shorts on and ran to the window - p**sing it down! It hasn´t stopped all day, the clouds are really low so you can´t see anything. We are both very very upset because the forecast is for it to remain this way the whole time we are here. So far all we have done is go to a european style shopping center and eat German sausage.

Burnt Out

2006-10-16T23:55:00.000+01:00

There has been a group of us in Buenos Aires now for about 10 days. At some point all of us were supposed to leave, but either because we were having so much fun, or never getting up in time to book a bus out of here (we woke up at 5pm yesterday) we have all ended up staying longer than expected.
Finally after 8 days of partying the hardest anyone has ever tried we are all absolutley smashed. Sitting in the hostel lounge last night nobody could even really manage to speak, just looks of pain, then bursts of laughter, with maybe the occasional hilarious story about last night.
In the end we all decided we should go to bed early for once (2:30am). I think even the youngest guys stayed in.
Anyway, I think our Buenos Aires bender has finally come to an end (unless tomorrow nights meal out turns big). You know you have been out too much in one place when they start letting you in to clubs for free. Tomorrow we catch a flight to the quiet retreat of Rio de Janeiro:)
Its been a wicked week and we shall always remember the early mornings with Ben, Tony, Shiv, Kevin, Dan, Darren, Daniel, G, Ethan, Katelin, Andressa, Manuela, and Steve.
Good night.
Chris & Sam

Cafe Tortoni

2006-10-16T04:48:00.000+01:00

Cafe Tortoni is the most historical cafe in Buenos Aires, it was founded in 1858 and is THE place to go and watch Tango shows.
There are plenty of other shows that you can pay hundreds of dollars to go and see, but for 30 pesos you can watch an hour and a half show and have dinner and drinks if you like.
It was hard to take photos because we weren´t allowed to use flash and it was pretty dark, but it was a superb night. A band consisting of piano, accordeon, and cello played deep sexy tango whilst dancers swirled around manically. It was spectacular.

Robbie Williams Concert

2006-10-15T05:13:00.000+01:00

Are the Argentines fanatical about Football? Yes
Are the Argentines fanatical about Robbie Williams? HELL YES!!!!!!!

Rob was coming on stage at 10pm. The doors opened to the stadium at 3pm. We like Robbie Williams, but not enough to wait seven hours for him. We figured he was worth about a 2 hour wait. So we caught a taxi at 8pm. We had bought the cheapest tickets, and expected to be stood at the very back (no seats with the cheap tickets). However, by some crazy stroke of luck we entered the stadium just as they opened a new section right infront of the stage.
When Mr R came on we were about 6 meters away in the crush of thousands of teenage girls holding their camera phones in the air trying to take photos. Girls cried and screamed things like "Rrrrrrobbie casate conmigo!" ("Rrrrrrobbie marry me!"). You could just tell that they thought that if only he would catch their eye, he might fall instantly in love with them and they´d live happily ever after.
It was pretty scary and for the first two songs ,a battle to stay on our feet, Chris protected my ribcage from being crushed by the weight of hundreds of people pushing towards the stage. Moderate panic set in but luckily it chilled out a bit after the first two songs.

It was a great show with all the essential ingredients: Balls of fire that almost zinged our eyebrows, big screens, a light show, superb live singing, and a very entertaining Robbie who seemed to be having a fantastic time trying to speak some spanish and taking the pi** out of Maradonna subtely (they don{t get sarcasm here).
Chris was over the moon because he also sang the Take That classic "Back for good".
Wierdly he brought Jonny Wilks on to sing two songs with him. He went down alright here in Argentina, but Im not sure what a crowd back home would think. The funniest part was when they re-enacted Maradonas hand of God, the crowd kind of gave a dull drown.

We had a great time at the concert, followed by a big night out that ended at 9am this morning. Looking forward to sleeping in Brazil, though I doubt that will happen!

Nightlife Review: Buenos Aires

2006-10-14T14:09:00.000+01:00

As we have done nothing else the last few days but go out, we thought we´d do a review on the top night spots in BA. Overall ratings are out of 10, the higher the better in our opinion:

Million
3 levels of converted mansion, high ceilings, restaurant area, unisex toilets. It was really packed and unless you find a seat they have the most riddiculous system for buying drinks, once more you have to pay to get a ticket and then give the ticket to someone else that gives you your drink. This made it hell at the bar. It was a nice looking place but the wannabe restaurant manager was extremely arrogant and too above our group to take a picture of us, she took the camera, clicked it at the floor and literally threw it back.

Overall rating:6

Opera Bay
Typical purpose built club, inspired vaguely by the Sydney Opera House. People had raved about this one but we weren´t that impressed. There was 4 different areas, we spent most of our time in the outside!
Getting in was a nightmare because they separate guys and girls and that causes caos, the girls get in first and then refuse to go in until their partners get allowed in, so it´s a huge mess.
The music was shockingly bad, you kept thinking to yourself "what am I doing here", and the DJ made some ear bleeding transitions between tracks. Too many teenagers.
Great to watch the sun rise over the city. Drinks were decently priced. Entry to the club twenty five pesos (about five pounds).

Overall rating:7

Ink
Very cool small nightclub, packed even at 6am on a Sunday/Monday. Silly bar system still applied here, but you didn´t have to wait so long. Great music, great club, wrote a whole blog entry on this one before.

Overall rating:9

Jobs
Aw WHAT WAS THIS PLACE!!!! It was very weird huge wharehouse type building, felt like a huge youth center with pool tables and benches, and a real mix of ages. It isn´t smokey because they passed a law here recently, but it feels like it ought to be. The music was unrecognisable because of the size of the place but none the less you had to shout at people to be heard.
It did have one very cool thing though, you could have a proper go at archery. They had instructors, targets and proper sharp arrows (which could have been worrying had it not been for the glass screen). More worrying was that Chris had a go and managed to hit the bulls eye despite being "slightly" intoxicated.
Entry ten pesos which included a beer.

Overall rating:4

La Cigual
We got there at 4am so probably a bit late but it was cool. It had good music, it was like a bar with a small dancefloor, quite latin feel. The boys drank Mumm champagne for 6 pounds a bottle. Luckery I was drinking water so I could point out all the lady-boys and posh prostitutes to them, and make sure they didn´t make any errors.

Overall rating:8

The Casino
We didn´t exactly get in, they wanted documents to prove age from some of us (I was gutted they didn´t ask me, but then I don´t think I´ve been asked since I was 15!).
I went in briefly to find a friend and....what a hole. It might have chandelliers but it is tacky, tacky, TACKY!
There was an overwhelming amount of sleazy old men, and it had a horrible vibe. It´s free to get in but thumbs down to the Casino.
By the way it´s on a boat, aparently it is illegal to gamble but they get away with it because it´s on the water.

Overall rating: 0

Kilkenny
Your feet stick to the floor if you stay still for too long. it{s like the Queen Vic only dirtier, smellier and darker. Hiddeous music, just yuck.

Overall rating: 0

Asia de Cuba
This is were the elite go aparently, and I can well believe it because it was fourty pesos to get in, that´s eight pounds! Luckily we knew a guy, who knew another guy, so we paid twenty.
Scrutinised heavily by the bouncer on the outside, we were deemed as worthy and allowed in after a short power wait that made him feel important (the rolls on the back of his head should have made him feel pretty unique).
Once inside we found probably the best place. The music was brilliant, and there was a great atmosphere. It was fairly big, very packed, and had a massive sculpture of a dragon with red eyes in the middle of it (irrelevant I know, but it was pretty cool). Drinks were expensive and frozen, and bar staff mega arrogant once more, but this one gets the thumbs up.

Overall rating: 9

Rumi
Again, a posh joint for the rich Argentines. Small and packed, playing trance music until 6am to a not so crazy dance floor. Drinks are expensive here, but we all had a massive night and got totally sloshed.

Overall rating: 8

Owls

2006-10-13T17:04:00.000+01:00

Oh dear, we have nothing much to report at the moment guys, only that we are being absolute party heads and totally uncultured. Instead of visiting Eva Perons grave we go out till 10.30am and then sleep in the day, we have got stuck in a nocturnal body rythm in Buenos Aires. It´s very strange for me as I don´t even get to have a drop of alcohol, so I spend the evening amused by watching everybody else deteriorate into a drunken mess. Then I jump out of bed feeling as fresh as a daisy whilst everybody else in the hostel looks like zombies!
I am determined to go out today though so should have something to tell you, and tomorrow we go to see Robbie!!!!!

Sam x

La Boca

2006-10-11T02:03:00.000+01:00

"Don´t go to any of the other streets ok! You are only allowed on Caminito, any other street is very very dangerous and something will happen to you" said the receptionist of our hostel as he pointed out on the map the few places that are safe to walk in.
So we went there today to have a look, and it was great. It is a very colourful neighbourhood, the houses are all painted different colours, the reason being that they used all the leftover paints from the shipping yard nearby because they couldn´t affort to buy paint. It has been preserved that way too, each house a different bright primary colour, and the street artists add more with their paintings of passionate couples dancing Tango.

There is loud tango and salsa blaring out of the bars and restaurants, and an old man is teaching a bashful tourist to dance in the middle of it all. It´s the picture of what I had imagined South America to be, raw and latin.

It´s just a shame the street was about 100 meters long, and you could really see that any other street would be a bad idea. Mostly because groups of teenagers looking mean sat at the entrance to them smoking and spitting.
But La Boca is probably my favourite neighbourhood so far.

Theatre Colon

2006-10-10T15:31:00.000+01:00

Buenos Aires´ oldest Theatre, with its seven story high balconies was a welcomed chill out session last night after the Polo. We went to see the Orchestra Della Tosccana. Afterwards we went to Buenos Aires best resturant, ´Desnivel´ for some amazing Bife de Lomos.
Buenos Aires continues to be a great city, full of amazing things to do. We have just booked tickets to another concert, this time at Buenos Aires´ biggest theatre, the River Plate Footbal Stadium to see Robbie Williams on Saturday.

Tortugas Country Polo

2006-10-10T15:02:00.000+01:00

Spending the morning rushing around Buenos Aires city center wasn't fun, I desperately tried to find something that would turn me from scratty traveller to high society it girl for as little "plata" (cash) as possible, whilst Chris slept off a mammoth hangover.
After being beeped at, grabbed at, and whispered obscene things at by old men, I finally arrived at a sanctuary, a place all girls feel safe and happy at, it's called...Zara.
After shedding my worn out holey clothes, I put on my new dress, a pair of shades, some heels, and finally felt like myself again.
Chris eventually crawled out of bed and made himself look very presentable too. The two of us plus 3 new friends we made in the hostel took taxis out to Tortuga Country. It being a monday afternoon we thought we would be the only people watching it, but when we got there we had a surprise. This was a very important match between two of the top teams in Argentina, and the immaculate Polo ground was packed.

It was a great atmosphere, the sun was shinning, the ponies were on top form, the game was really close, and the little posh kids got overly excited and started jumping, screaming and spraying seven-up like it was champagne at a Grand Prix!
After the game some canapes were offered around and the boys had a couple more drinks.

Tortugas country club is about 30 km out of BA center, it is a private neighbourhood with a secure perimeter, body guards, tennis courts, golf course, gym, swimming pools, it's own polo ground of course, and huge mansions.

Sam the "Backpacker" Packwood & her friend from Brazil, G.
We got to have a look around after the match and it reminded us of the OC, or Stepford. The security was so tight that we actually felt pretty unwelcome after the match when we tried to get a taxi out of the neighbourhood. But it was a great game, everybody enjoyed it, and I forgot all about the dirty old men in town!

Ink

2006-10-10T05:10:00.000+01:00

There can´t be many places where at 2am on a Sunday night you can say "Lets go out" then five minutes later end up in an amazing nightclub packed with people, and come home at 6am in the morning. We all went out to Ink last night and had a great time. B.A nightlife is turning out to be the best I´ve seen.
It´s now 1am on Monday and we have just got back from the Polo/Theater/Dinner and are off out again to a different club.

River 3 - Boca 1

2006-10-09T00:41:00.000+01:00

"You are River fanatics today, if you so much as even smile when Boca score, they will kill you". Thats what our guide told us as we got into the minibus to take us to River Plate vs Boca Juniors.
We were going to be sitting with the River fans in their home stadium. Other class quotes from our guide Phillipe included, "If you find yourself in any trouble shout my name and I will come and help", "Only take your ticket out of your pocket at the very last moment, do not show any money, they will take it from you".

As it turned out we had amazing seats in a relaitvly safe area. The most dangerous people around us were a pair of gold chain wearing 5 year old boys with beer bellies, sticking their fingers up at the Boca fans, and even they played patter cake together at half time.
It was everything we had expected, the stadium filled 2 hours before the game, and only started emptying one hour after the end. The noise throughout was thunderous, the stadium under your feet shakes, your eyes and nose filled with flare smoke, hands and throat raw from joining in. The stadium doesn´t have the imposing feeling of Twickenham or the Millenium Stadium, there is no roof and an athletics track puts abit of space between you and the pitch. However it is full to capacity at 75,000, and the passion of the fans manage to make it one of the most stomach churning, rib cage shattering atmospheres I have ever seen, or felt. The noise is beond belief.
River start with red and white ballons each, then out come the vertical banners stretched from top to bottom of the stands. Next a train of about 100 people walk into the stadium and line the back of the stand with which looks like could be the biggest flag even sown, they dont unravel it yet. Next comes the band marching in with countless drums to a solid beat, then a parade of guys with red and white umbrellas, and flags on poles about 20 meters square each. Finally the gigantic flag drops down to cover the entire River end from top to bottom. Its an unbelievable sight.

It quickly gets ravelled back up just as River run out to the pitch. The stadium moves under our feet and hundreds of red and white flares get let off to clouds of ticker tape. The Boca fans reply with a slighlty smaller flag, banners, ballons, bands, and fire.

The game starts well with River scoring, but Boca coming straight back with a goal. It´s noticable how neither fans stop shouting at any point, even when the opposite team scores. I remember in the Molineux the Albion fans used to go quite for half an hour after the Wolves scored.

Second half was class with River scoring two more. Still Boca fans refused to go quiet and gave an impressivly intimidating show.

The final goal.
The game was brilliant, but the atmosphere better. When the full time whistle blew, we all had to hang around waiting for the Boca fans to leave first. They didnt, they ripped the seats out the stands and threw them down onto the River fans below. Then, for good measure set the stadium on fire.

We got out six hours after we entered with our skin and bones intact. I think the british football fans can learn something from these guys, it really was an awesome expericence, an atmosphere I think can never be beaten.

Buenos Aires Nightlife

2006-10-07T19:52:00.000+01:00

Buenos Aires, rated the 142nd most expensive city in the world (out of a list of 144). It also is supposed to have the best nightlife in the world. Everynight, all night.
So its Friday, and Sam and I spend the whole day trying to find some cheap clothes to go out in. I haven't worn a shirt for eleven months, so it takes a while to get used to it. Sam picks up a black dress and some MORE high heels.
Through talking to shop assistants I found out that we were to go to a place called Million, and then on to Buenos Aires best club, Opera Bay.
Back in the hostel and I manage to drum up a team of 14 people to go out with.
So at 11:30pm we pop next door for a tactical coffee, come back and get changed, and get taxis to Million, a massive manor house converted into a bar. Its full of rich Argentines eating and drinking. Its a great place and we all chill out chatting and drinking until 2:30am. Ready to try the club, we catch taxis, and arrive outside a gigantic, slightly flater replication of the Sydney Opera house. The queue is huge, there is a ruck of about 100 guys by a fence shouting to the bouncers to let them in. Occasionally a bouncer picks out one or two guys and they go through. The caos is due to the lack of ticket machine thingy, so they are unable to queue. Finally we manage to find a seperate queue which looks more orderly so we assume it is a special queue for tourists. We stand moaning for a while that we havent queued for a club since we were 18, but after all this is supposed to be the best club in B.A. Arriving at the front of the queue, the freakishly tall, bald bouncer with a brick for a face allows only the 3 girls into the lobby area. He points us guys to the ruck of blokes over by the fence. Not funny. We try forming a tight group and charging at the mass of Argentines, it doesnt work. There is no way we are getting in. Plan B. Sam. Two minutes later the eleven of us get the fence lifted for us, Sam has managed to talk brick face into letting all of us in aswell as a couple from High Wycombe.
The club is huge, complete with swimming pool. The crowd is a little young and the music is terrible. They played Madonnas ´Holiday´. Anyway, its a hot spring night in the 142nd most expensive city in the world, we are with a group of 16 epic people so it doesn't matter how bad the music is, we are going to have a good time. Steve, an Irish guy discovers that the good champagne here is 8 pounds per bottle. Two minutes later and we each have our own bottles in hand.
The Argentine men are particulary forward, so it takes quite an effort to get Sam across the dance floor, we all seek refuge outside on the clubs decking looking over the harbour and the next 4 hours are spent drinking ridiculous amounts of bubbles and having a wicked time. We all get to experience one of the coolest moon sets behind the Buenos Aires skyscrapers.
At 6:30 am we all jump back in the taxis and go home. It was a classic night out, and the start to a manic week of partying in BA. A warm up for Rio.

Yerba Mate

2006-10-06T15:03:00.000+01:00

Mate: South American tea-like drink made from leaves of a South American holly called mate.

It´s more than that though. Mate is a cultural icon, a way of life, a way to socially communicate, even a way to pull.
Argentines drink this tea out of little cups made of pumpkin, wood and even cows hoofs! They stuff a load of these tea leafs in and then they carry a little thermos with hot water and keep topping it up. They drink the amber liquid through a silver straw/strainer pipe thing, and they take the stuff absolutely everywhere with them!
You´ll see them drinking it in their cars, it´s on sports commentators desks on TV, shop assistants walk around with it, couples drink it together in the park, builders share it on the sites...there is no getting away from the stuff.
To make it even more special the Argentines have unspoken rules about mate drinking, here are a few we found out about:

*If I´m the mate owner or server, when someone finishes it they can only pass it to me to top up and then I pass it to the next person. But it always has to go to other people through me.

*You never waste it, you always have to finish it.

*Unless you are the mate owner you never stir the bombilla (the pipe thingy). The main reason for that is that it disturbes the particles and you get little bits in the bombilla which someone has to suck up (yuck!).

*As the owner only you can decide whether to put sugar in it or not.

*Finally, and most importantly, mate is a social drink and you never drink it alone.

Chris told me that it´s a way of pulling too. If a guy wants to talk to you they will offer to share their mate with you (oh and you never wipe the bombilla, so you are sharing spit very early on).
Shortly after telling me about this last custom I had my first experience of someone trying to pull me with mate. A street seller with quite a few teeth missing and a very gummy smile looked at me as I got out of a taxi and extended his mate towards me with a wink.
I´m sure it´s rude to refuse someones mate but...I´m a PG tips girl so I didn´t feel too guilty.

Just for the blog I ordered a mate yesterday to see what it tastes like, Chris refused to share it with me on the grounds that I made a terrible decision the day I tried Durian. Once again it wasn´t a very pleasant experience, the stuff is vile! It made my face screw up in ways I didn´t think were possible.
The verdict: leave it to the Argentines.

Tutto Letto

2006-10-06T14:45:00.000+01:00

During our time in South America we have become rather fond of bus journeys, you might laugh and think that's sad but the buses are AMAZING, and this time we went for the ultimate category....The Tutto Letto.
It's a fully reclining option, the seats are wide, really cushionned and much more comfortable than the hostel bed I slept in last night!
I might be sounding like an old lady here but believe me when I tell you that an 18 hour journey flies on one of these.
They feed you lovely food, and Chris got to have lots of wine, champagne and whiskey. They also play movies, usually very good ones, only this time they decided to show one about kidnappings in south america which I found a little unnerving.
An 18 hour journey back to Buenos Aires on this luxury coach cost us about 25 pounds, so fingers up to Aerolineas Argentinas who would have wanted to charge us about 100 quid just because we are tourists.
The funny thing is that whenever they advertise Tutto Letto on billboards they always show a lady in her nighty sprawled sexily on the seat, so we made our own more decent British version of that above.

Did you know...

2006-10-04T17:41:00.000+01:00

....Butterflys have tongues? They are long and green. I put it on my hand and it licked me. Wierd.

Iguazu Falls

2006-10-03T22:39:00.000+01:00

The 3rd largest falls in the World are in Argentina and are called Iguazu Falls. I was excited about getting there this morning when I woke up, but I knew I was in for a long day. For one Chris started the day doing his best impression on Mr T and shouting repeatedly to the top of his voice "I pitty the fool!", it was kind of embarrassing. I shot him a sour look which prompted an explanation that fool and fall sound the same. My amusement rose ever so slightly but it was barely perceptible.

Miraculously the National Park hadn`t been ruinned by tacky touristy thingies, and we somehow avoided the gang of 50 americans all wearing matching polo shirts and baseball caps.

We didn`t however avoid the Brazilian lady well into her sixties who walked around the whole day in a skimpy flowery swimsuit. She was even spotted in the restaurant like it, where she got very dissaproving looks from a british couple in his and hers full safari outfits.
Oh yes the fools, I mean the falls! Weeeeeeellllll, they were breathtaking of course, and all the usual words that we use to describe these things apply, such as:
* Awsome
* Epic
* Inspiring
* Outstanding
* AMAZING blah blah blah...

But here are some original things we thought, heard and felt:

1) Chris wanted to ¨Get in¨or roll down them in a barrel
2) They weren`t as loud as we thought they would be
3) It`s surprising how calm the water is on top before the drop
4) I thought it looked like it would taste of diluted cola
5) You used to be able to hire a local in a rowboat to take you to nearly the edge and then row you out of danger. Until some local lost control of the boat and killed himself and 7 German tourists.

Oh and lastly, here is a sign we saw lots in the jungle (I guess there`s a story behind this too!)

Football

2006-10-02T19:37:00.000+01:00

Harry has been to Argentina, and two of his greatest stories he ever told me about this country were...
A) Ostrich Riding. He rode an Ostrich, which sounded like one of the funniest experiences imaginable. I found the way you just put a brown paper bag over its head and it would stop running hilarious. I had been looking forward to doing this the whole way round the world.
B)Going to watch a River Plate football match. The Argentinians either support Boca or River. They are the most passionate supporters in the world and the games are wild and usually dangerous, but very entertaining. Harry went to see River play and remembered the defening roar of the crowd, until suddenly it fell silent, drums started beating in time as a family of what could of only been Argentinian mafia walked into the stadium, and took their seats. The crowd then errupted into deep thunder again.

I emailed Harry a few weeks ago in a little bit of a stress because every local I asked in every Argentine town had never heard of riding an Ostrich. I was getting some funny looks. Harrys relpy stabbed a knife into my stomach, as I´d had minor memory failure and he´d had actually ridden the Ostrich in South Africa. Gutted.

My luck must of doubled because of the Ostrich thing. Whilst in Buenos Aires Sam and I managed to get two of the most wanted sports tickets on the planet. River vs Boca on Sunday 8th October. It cost a small fortune, but is penned as the most passionate sporting event ever. Don´t worry Gaby, Sam has bought a gun, I have a cattle prod, and because of the expensive tickets, we dont have to go through the arms check!
Maradonna will be in the stadium so if Sam has a bullet left at full time, we´ll give him the hand of God!

What A Difference A Day Makes..

2006-10-02T19:29:00.000+01:00

Saturday:

Monday:

We have travelled the huge distance from the most southerly point in Argentina to almost the most Northerly point. As you can see the temperature has changed from -2 to +30, as a result are bodies are in danger of cracking.
We have arrived in Iquazu to go and see the famous waterfalls. We stopped briefly in Buenos Aires so Sam could brief herself on the shopping avaliable before we head back there for a week on Wednesday.

Last Day Snowboarding

2006-10-02T18:05:00.000+01:00

I remember going on snowboarding holidays to Austria and thinking to myself how much I looked forward to the apres ski and the gluwein, and how I wanted to hurt myself the minimum possible, and so therefore snowboard the absolute minimum too.Things have changed.
Watching a Boarder Cross Competition on Friday

I`ve grown to love snow boarding and I was very sad on Saturday which was our last day up the mountain for this trip.
It was raining and miserable that morning in the town, but as soon as we hit the country in the minibus, big heavy snowflakes attacked the windscreen and made us both very excited.
Cerro Castor (the resort) looked amazing, the ground was covered in fresh snow and all the trees had a generous dusting on their branches. It reminded me of Christmas and I couldn`t help but hum some Christmas classics.
When we got to the top of the chairlift it was so heavy, that it also reminded me of that great movie with Jack Nicholson "The Shinning". I know the tune to that too so I switched to humming it from Jingle Bells. And I amused myself when Chris asked me what route I wanted to, by flexing my index finger and replying "Redrun, Redrun".
Chris spent quite a bit of time spinning in the air and doing amazing 360, and I got carried away in the moment and tried a little jump too. I thought nobody was looking, but when I fell flat on my face I heard some abuse from the chairlift which I had forgotten was right above the board park.
After a full day we made our way straight to the airport to catch the 7.55pm flight with Aerolineas Argentinas to Buenos Aires.
The plane was delayed by over 3 hours and so we got to our hotel at about 4am, needless to say we had a hiddeous time at the bland airport, but at the end of it all we sank into possibly the comfiest bed in Argentina and slept like babies.

Perfect Day Part 2

2006-09-27T04:04:00.000+01:00

It had always been a dream of mine. I¨d seen husky sledging occasionally on Christmas wintery movies, and thought how amazing it would feel to do it, and how unlikely that I would ever get the chance to experience it.
I was wrong. Ushuaia doesn¨t only have a superb ski resort, it is also a center for siberian husky breeding and so there are ample opportunities to fulfill the dream.

After our superb powder day at the slopes, we were picked up at the hotel by an Argentinian guide called Walter. A half hour trip in the back of his muddy 4x4 and we arrived at the Husky Center. Lots of newly wed Spanish couples and a few Argentinians awaited as excited as we were to start the evenings programme.

The first dog I spotted when we went out into the snow was known as Bear, he is a pure breed siberian husky and as so he has one ice blue eye, and one brown eye with a sparkling white background. His fur is so thick that you struggle to get your fingers deep enough into it to feel were it begins, and he is very calm and placid as soon as you begin to stroke him. Approaching him was a little intimidating because most of the huskies are ready to go once they are in their harness, so they bark and jerk forward with excitement.
Chris and I sat in the rickety wooden sledge with the six dogs up front, one loud comand and away we went. It was really different sliding through the snow seeing the dogs ahead of you. The funny thing about it which you never picture happening, is that for some reason the running makes them want to have a poo. A couple of times one poor dog would look funny and start to try and poo whilst hopping, at the same time the others dragged him along! We did have to make a few strategic stops for them to do that, and unfortunatelly the ride wasn´t as fast as I had expected.
Never the less I felt so happy, the cold fresh air lapped me gently on the face as we travelled through the forest in the twilight.
A two kilometer trail takes us to our destination, a hut made entirely of logs put together in a conical shape with an opening at the top for the huge fire that´s burning inside.
I´m thinking to myself that this isn´t too safe, but none the less I enter the make-shift shelter. It´s cosy and warm as we all sit around the fire for the evening, eating hot food, drinking mulled wine (Chris has my share) and listening to our guide playing the classical guitar, and singing old folk songs that tell stories about The Land Of Fire.
After they´ve all consumed a fair bit of mulled wine the songs get less classy and we all join in to sing La Macarena. With full bellies and some feeling well oiled, we step out of the hut into a very stary crisp night. The dogs are howling in the forest which is a bit spooky, and they are ready to take some of the group back to the Center.
For us, there´s something different on the way back. A brand new, shiny, dangerous looking skidoo is awaiting. Chris is excited beyond all belief, so much so I´m worried he might pee himself. And I am a little worried as I have to go on the back of his skidoo!
It´s pitch black, only the headlights illuminate the snow clearing. A 1 minute instruction and we are off! It is soooooo exhilarating!
I could see Chris´smile from the back of his head, and the woohooing was deffening.
Then it´s my turn. And my oh my those things can fly! I don´t know what came over me but I full throatled that thing. I couldn´t really help myself, I felt like I was in a video game and none of it was real. It takes corners amazingly but you have to have a good eye for uneven ground up ahead, otherwise you can really see how you´d go flying off it.
It made out stomachs float and our bodies tingle, it was great!

Without a doubt, this was a day I wouldn´t mind repeating over and over again.

Perfect Day Part 1

2006-09-26T21:53:00.000+01:00

Sam and I remember one hot night in Thailand, sat on the beach drinking cold beers. We started one of many of our lenghtly (and alchol induced) converstaions. The question was..."If you could have a ground hog day, what would it be?". We spoke of dive trips, heliskiing, champagne, sunseeker power boats, etc.
For those of you who havent seen the film "Ground Hog Day" then it is about a guy who keeps waking up each morning to the same day. He is stuck in a loop. He has the same day over and over again until he works out how to stop it.
Well, we think we just had a perfect ground hog day....

We wake up, eat a great breakfast and then arrive at Cerro Castor. The car park is empty because its a week day. We slip into our brand new Salomon boots and snowboards and jump straight on a queueless lift. As we sit alone on the lift and watch the miles of empty slopes below us, we realise that we cant see the groomer lines instead we can see about 1 foot of fresh snow.

Sam boarding alone through the center of the Cerro Castor. Not another person insight.
We reach the top of the mountain, alone, and board down across miles of untouched light fluffy powder snow, without another person in sight. Sam cant stop smiling, its the first time she has been off piste, and she is a natural. Turn after turn we both kick up huge archs of snow spary. This carries on for a few hours, with Sam doing her first black run which she glides down with ease, not stopping, or falling.

Sams first Black run "El Zorro" named after the foxes you regularly see running around there.
Later we hit the board park, which of course is empty. A few unsuccessful 360s later, and I ease my bruises with a hot chocolate and cognac.

Over Sams head but missing the chair lift above.
The afternoon clears into a perfect blue sky day which we spend making fresh tracks, not queuing once and barely seeing another person. We cant believe what an amazing resort Cerro Castor is as we sit having drinks back down in Ushuaia.

It has been the best day snowboarding I have ever had. After my world tour of ski resorts covering Japan, France, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina I can safely say Castor is probably my favourite (and it only has 3 lifts). We both have a quick rest before Ground Hog Part Deux starts at 18:40

Boarding The Land Of Fire...

2006-09-24T23:26:00.000+01:00

Today I snowboarded at the most southerly ski resort in the world, Cerro Castor, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
The landscape here is unbelieveable. You have a real feeling of being at the end of the world, thousands of miles of grey freezing ocean surrounds white craggy mountains seperated by giant U shaped glacial valleys.
There is deep snow even lower down than the first ski lift which is at 190 meters! The snow here is perfect even though it is late spring, and once again totally empty pistes.
Ushuaia is also a major Husky dog breeding area, so tommorrow night we go on a BBQ and Husky dog sleigh ride through the forests.
We will probably stay here snowboarding for a week.
Sams angioderma and hives improved since last night, she spent today in bed again just to make sure she was feeling totally better, so hopefully she will be able to come up the mountain tomorrow. We are trying not to get too excited though as it has come back worse after getting better before.
Wicked place!

Rio Gallegos

2006-09-22T22:02:00.000+01:00

As you all probably know, Sam isn´t very well. She picked up hives/angioderma in Peru. It´s not threatening to her health, but causes large burn like marks all over her body, from the soles of her feet to her face. The angioderma makes large painful grape sized lumps on her neck, wrists and ankles which hurt so much she cannot walk. Last week it got worse. We saw a dermatologist who took a blood test, and was visibly shocked by the extensiveness of the blotches. She got a high fever, was sick, and consequently has been lay in bed for 4 days. On day 4 we decided that she should make the 4 hour journey from El Calefate to the provincial captial Rio Gallegos so that we are better positioned to fly to Buenos Aires if her blood test results found anything dangerous. At the moment Sam is in bed quite happily getting over the fever watching dreadful South American soaps. I spend as much time as possible with her but occasionally leave to get food, and make sure the internet is still working. Therefore I get to see.....Rio Gallegos......THE CRAPPIEST place on earth! Imagine all the worst parts of Slough, Brieley Hill, Dudley etc...., and double it.

Think mud where grass areas used to be, several layers of old adverts pasted onto derelict shop walls, cracked and missing pavements, deserted rust ridden cars lining the street, every third shop occupied with cheap beige drab clothes, metal bars covering windows. I´m in hell. Its like going on holiday to Port Talbot.
Most backpackers dream is to go somewhere unknown, untouched, somewhere new and magical where a story of adventure can be told over dinner to friends for years to come. Admittedly, this never happens anymore, everything is too dicovered. I did meet one guy who trekked alone through the jungle of thailand on the rumour that a long house tribe lived deep in its mists, he eventually found it, convinced the tribes guards to invite him to eat dinner with the chief. Only to find himself sat next to two old ladies from the Hilton down the road on a day trip.
I however think I have completed the backpacker quest, I have done what no other has done before me. I have now spent TWO nights in Rio Gallegos. I ask the heavens to open up, the ground to swallow me, for the love of god GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Glacial Beats

2006-09-22T17:31:00.000+01:00

On the bus towards one of South Americas highlights I meet my life counterpart, Rich, who has spent 4 years living in Swansea, surfs, kitesurfs, is over here snowboarding on a one year trip having left a job in computers. Unfortunatley in order to justify the extortionate price they charge you for the bus ride there, a ´guide´ speaks for the entire 1 and 1/2 hour trip interrupting our memories of Swansea bars and the Gower peninsular.

Anyway, Perito Moreno, some background. I am induring a boring speech so that I get to see one of earths few still advancing glaciers. It is unique because of its position. It flows and ends in Argentinas biggest lake directly opposite a penisular of land where you are able to stand and watch it. "Watching a glacier?" you all say, "That sounds seriously dull". Oh contrare muchachos, this is one of the most spectacular (i used that word again) sights, sounds and feelings I have ever experienced. The 60 meter walls of ice hundreds of tonnes in weight regularly break off, crashing into the lake with a rib shattering, heart stopping cannon fire noise and vibration. As the icebergs hit the water giant tidal waves roll towards you, and quite embarrassingly it makes people shout things like, YEAHHH, and GET IN!!!!! Jenny, a Colorado girl we met horse riding, stamped her feet and screamed. Rich also used various descriptive words as he punched the air.
Once every 3 years the glacier advances to meet the peninsular, thus creating a dam, water is blocked from entering the lake and slowly builds up a huge pressure on the ice. A few months later and the dam bursts, about a cubic mile of ice breaks into the water, the noise from which can be heard 80 kilometers away in the town of El Calefate.

Unfortunatley, this is one of those blog entries when I fail to impress upon you the power of this sight. No video, photo, or description can ever describe what it looked like. You are all just going to have to come here to see it yourself.

Chris

Icecubes

2006-09-22T17:29:00.000+01:00

After a few nerve recovery beers, and a SHEPPARDS PIE (wierd) with a couple of cool guys from our hostel we hit the sack ready for an early rise in the morning.

7:30am we woke to a big snow storm. Today is the only day I want it to be really hot so that the glaciers melt and break off into Argentinas biggest lake. Clearly nature had different ideas.

We spent the day on a catermeran visiting 5 glaciers (Upslar), dodging icebergs on the way. It was awesome. We saw one collapse which was spectacular (crap word, but appropiate), the noise was like thunder then a gigantic splash into the lake creating a huge tidal wave.

We took a walk through a forest to see some more glaciers. It was a great day, although tomorrow is supposed to be way better when we go to the Moreno glacier which is the most active glacier in the world, with collapses every 15 minutes or so.

Boom Boom
Chris

L.A.D.E Flight UG574

2006-09-22T16:48:00.000+01:00

Which would you take? A thirty hour straight bus journey, or a three hour flight with low cost airline?.
Having both recently read the book ´Alive´ where the plane crashes into Andes and the survivors have to eat the dead didn´t stop us choosing the later when leaving Bariloche on Sunday.
In the book Alive, it explains that in the 1970s you could only fly over the Andes in the morning because the air currents created by the mountains in the afternoon were too dangerous (The jet planes of today don´t have that problem). As it turns out, the plane in Alive was delayed and they were forced to fly across the Andes in the afternoon. The plane crashed, with only 16 survivours, who eventually ate everypart of the dead, including the lungs, eyes, and brain. Eight finally managed to make it out after being trapped in the mountains for a few months.

There was one neglected check-in desk for L.A.D.E when we arrived, and ´Demorado´(delayed) flashed in a mustard yellow on the departures board. Despite which, a queue started to assemble at the desk. It was headed by an unashamed young couple snogging, who seemed to get by without air for a serious length of time.
Unfortunatley for them, it wasn´t long before an unkempt steward appeared at the desk. He was flanked by short round man wearing country attire, which struck me as odd.

Our L.A.D.E flight, not over the Andes, but along them south towards El Calefate was due to leave at 10:40am. Our turn at the desk gives me an oppurtunity to ask after the nature of our delay. The steward confides in a hushed voice that our original plane "broke", and in desperation not to cancel the flight they have drafted in a ´reserve´ smaller aircraft. It had to come from Buenos Aires so we were delayed. The new departure time would be 14:30pm. Great.

Three milky teas at the sterile airport cafe later and to all our horror we watch our plane land.
Through the large glass windows I see an Airbus, printed on it in royal blue lettering over a glimmering white surface ´Aerolineas Argentina´. To the right, some 200 meters away, I spot a small battered ex-military 1967 built propeller driven 47 seater Fokker. It´s ancient, and you can tell. There are brown marks down it that could be reminisant of a fire. Everybody in the waiting lounge was visibly on edge. We were in the same situation as in ´Alive´. Andes. Delayed. Afternoon. 1960s aircraft. Sweaty palms.

On boarding the plane we noticed a dotted square with a sign that said "Cut here in emrgency", found that the seatbelts didn´t work and the seat infront of Chris didn´t stay so if the lady leant back she would be lying in his lap. After a little broken spanish conversation, Chris agreed to prop the full figured Argentine lady up with his knees. This was a painful decision which he was to regret. This feels like suicide.

The blades begin to spin as miraculously we take off in our first propeller driven historic aircraft. The noise is insane, the propellers make your ears tingle, and inside the rhythm varies reminding me of a toy robot about to run out of batteries. The pain in Chris´ knees was visible in his face. I´ve experienced turbulance before, but this is something else. Immediatley we feel the effects of the mountains below as the plane twists to either side and drops hundreds of feet in seconds. Passengers are being sick, occasionally grown men scream as the wind swats the plane as if it was an end of summer fly. The pilot, trying to get beneath the airpockets plummets nose down like a torpedo hurtling towards the earth. It swept us sideways with violence and we dropped so fast that our stomachs were shaken up into our throats, bursting to project out of our mouths like foul food. Finally, one hour later we land safely in Esquel. I´m not keen to get back on for the next 3 hour leg of the journey, and we discuss staying overnight in Esquel until the original plane is fixed.

I feel better after a 20 minute break and agree to take the next leg. Chris has a bottle of Cognac in his bag, and promises if things get really bad we can at least have some fun.

Fortunatley we manage to change seats and take off is smooth, so is 99% of the flight, until we start to descend for landing. The plane has to fly low anyway, giving us some amazing views, but the ground approaches visibly quickly as the turbulance kicks in again.
My palms are wet, my throat dry as sand. The plane is swirling all over the place. If you´ve ever been on Oblivion at Alton Towers you´ll know that falling sensation, except for this time there are no tracks, no safety harness, and no Kodak moment. Just sheer terror as the gut renching thought crosses your mind..."this is it". Dropping, rising, twisting, wining, you can hear the engines struggle as it gets battered around. I´m not alone, a robust man sits in the next isle, (who Chris later tells me he was eyeing up to eat if things turned bad) grabs onto his young friend infront of him. It´s involuntary, but desperatley hard, done without embarrassment because of the situation.I hear him whisper that he will kiss the floor like the pope when he lands. Middle aged men make loud innapropiate jokes about death behind me. The shrillness in their laughter betrays thier hysteria. It reminds me of the uncontrollable giggles I once got at a funeral.

Every minute feels like hours, but eventually the 1967 relic regains stability and firmly held breaths escape tight chests, filling the cabins stuffy air with relief and gratitude. On landing the passengers erupt into cheers and clapping, the male steward who had looked like an undertaker till now cracks a wide smile.
Hands clapsed together in the fresh air of the airstrip I thank God out loud that I´m alive. Other passengers tap the tarmac firmly as if to suggest they will never leave solid ground again.

Thirty hours straight on a bus, or three hours on a low cost airline? I´ll have to think about that next time.

The Viewing

2006-09-20T21:54:00.000+01:00

Being seasoned travellers we´ve learnt a few useful lessons. The top two are:
A) Always confirm the price of something before you try it, taste it, take it, or order it.
B)Always ask to see a room before you check in.

The latter of those came in very handy a few days ago when we were looking for a place to stay in Bariloche. Here´s what happened...

The first two hotels we saw were nice but full. Opposite the second one we spot a bleak looking place, and say to each other something along the lines of "What the hell, it won´t hurt to look".
We pass a few old ladies hanging out on a brown velour sofa in a tumble weed atmosphere, and head for the reception desk at the end of the dark, nicotine stained lounge.
We pop the question to an old man who asks an ancient man to show us room 14. I patiently follow his hobling steps with Chris in tow, and after what seems like an eternity we reach 14.
We´re in quick sharp like trained S.A.S. Chris takes the bedroom, I take the bathroom. As Chris cases the joint for bedbugs, I do something on instinct. I lift the toilet lid and the sight before me causes a loud involuntary "Eeeeeerg!". Chris forward rolls into the bathroom and appears beside me. Together we both stare at the six inch tapeworm that has come out of someones arse! It´s still alive and is moving in a search like manner looking for a new hole.
A good few minutes of pulling faces mixed with laughter pass and we remember the dinosaur is waiting at the doorway. "Thank-you, mmmm....yeah we just need to see a few others" spill out of my mouth before we run arms flailing down the Road.

Sisters Birthdays

2006-09-20T18:44:00.000+01:00

I do believe I missed my sisters birthday blog entry. Her B´day was yesterday. I do have an excuse, which is that she is lounging by a pool with a cocktail in hand in Tunisia, far away from a computer. I also spoke to her on Saturday before she left. Hope that is good enough for all you people who realised I hadn´t left a message. We miss Ruth millions. We look forward to her big smile, contagious laugh, and epic personality when we get back.

HOWEVER, I am still in trouble as I forgot to mention Ronnas birthday. To anybody who doesn´t know Ronna, she is Harrys sister and good friend who we miss alot. She also shares my sisters birthday. Hope you are well, I´m sure you celebrated true to form with a bottle of champage. We looking forward to big nights on the town in Marlow when we get back, and seeing Hugo row you down the Thames to Cookham for bottles of Trapiche in the Bel & Dragon.

Chris & Sam

Sorry For The Quietness

2006-09-20T13:57:00.000+01:00

Don´t worry we are still alive. I can´t believe that we feel we have to write this entry after only 4 days of not updating the blog. I´m sure we were supposed to be getting away from it all when we left 10 months ago. Most other travellers email people once a month and ring home every two months.
Anyway, we are in El Calefate which is in deepest darkest Patagonia, and internet connections are painfully slow here. So slow that it is impossible to upload photos, so we are saving our blog entries until we arrive back in civilisation. We have some stories already written but just saved, not published. I saw one of the most impressive, rib cage vibrating, spine tingling natural sights I imagine exists on earth yesterday, so expect a massive update as soon as we get out of this communication void.
Big Love
Chris

Lago de Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche

2006-09-15T19:52:00.000+01:00

Does Anybody In England Recognise This Thing.....

2006-09-15T18:53:00.000+01:00

Don´t worry, you shouldn´t... because your British. You do occasionally see them at meat counters in Sainsburys, but because you´re British, you just look at it blankly, ingnore it, and queue up sensibly behind everybody else who has ignored the wierd ticket queueing thing whilst making sure not to stand too close to the person infront incase you invade their personal space, after all you expect that from the person behind. We are British. We are polite.

In Argentina THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! They need them. They have to have one in every possible place a queue may eventually form. I took this photo in the doctors this morning (wierd I know, but essential for this entry). If there isn´t a ticket machine thingy caos errupts, they barge, push, shout etc. Queuing without a ticket thing means war.

Sam and I are slowly getting used to it, and accepting it as just another step in the process towards being able to purchase or talk to anybody. See Next Time You Buy Anything In A Shop for further information on this subject.

Bull Sea Lion Attack!

2006-09-15T18:22:00.000+01:00

You may remember that we made a great Italian friend called Angela. We travelled with her from Tahiti, through Rapa Nui then said our very hungover goodbyes in Santiago de Chile. She only lives up the road from us in High Wycombe, so there is no doubt we will see her again.
We have kept in email contact since Chile and two days ago we recieved the following amazing email from her......

Home already I hear you ask. Well yes, I got back a couple of days ago. Let's just say I had an "incident". As ever, sod's law is functioning at peak performance in my life. Think back to the last email I sent, where I foolishly said that I had been sick, but not quite enough to end up in hospital with a needle in my arse, as had other people I had met travelling. For the record, that was not a complaint or a request. However, that is exactly the position I ended up in, not without a small amount of drama first. No, nothing quite as pedestrian as mere illness for me, oh, no, been there seen that. It's me after all, it needs to be much more exciting and unique than an illness or accident, no fun otherwise......

So I arrive in the Galapagos, meet the (lovely) people on my boat, chat, have lunch and head to Lobos Island for a spot of snorkeling. Marvellous, straight out there and up close and personal with the wildlife. Really. There am I having a lovely time snorkeling, seeing the fish and the sea lions when I look up and see a HUGE seal lion (male) swimming towards me. I didn't even get to finish that thought (I got to about "Wow that's HU..."), when bash and OUCH, it bit me. Yep, I was officially in the middle of the third bull sea lion attack of the year, hurrah! Luckily for me, it wasn't much of an attack, I was very lucky, and it just headbutted me, sunk it's jaws into my thigh, decided it didn't fancy Italian after all, and let go (rather than pulling half my thigh off). Also I'm immensely lucky that the lovely Steve from my boat, who I'd only met an hour or so before, saw it all, retrieved my fin which had come off in the melee, and stuck around to help me get back to the panga, rather than getting the heck out of there before the sea lion came back for seconds. Which might have been a possibility, as I was moving nowhere very fast. In fact, I was just rather surprised not frightened, I surfaced, and instead of screaming or shouting or anything dramatic (and maybe sensible..??!!) like that, I believe I just squeaked, faffed a bit trying to get my fin back on (whilst Steve no doubt was thinking "hurry up, hurry up, hurry up" and "sh*t that's a lot of blood" and scanning around us to see see if round two of attack of the sea lions was about to start), and finally made it back to the panga, where I calmly announced I'd been bitten as if asking for a cup of tea (apparently). Then it gets a bit hazy, shock settling in - but I think it was a bit of a 'Jaws' moment then, the guide shouting at everyone to get out out of the water, speeding back to the main boat, then speeding to the next big Island (again REALLY lucky, only 40 mins away) where I ended up, as I said, in hospital with a needle in my arse......

Two minutes after the attack.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, stayed out there for a week, still managed to see plenty of wildlife despite my injuries. The only time I cried throughout the whole experience (albeit briefly) was in hospital when they told me I wouldn't be able to drink because of the antibiotics and I faced a sober birthday! Of course I didn't have a sober birthday, I was plastered after one drink. Said goodbye my fantastic fellow guests (who had developed the ability to get out of the water remarkably fast if there were any bull sea lions about!). Met even more lovely people on my boat and generally had a good time despite it all (although I think I did freak them out a bit). Came home in a wheelchair, had lots of air hostesses feeling very sorry for me and upgrading me (very nice!) only to get this from my brother when I arrive: "So, you know Spiderman, when he got bitten by a spider he got all these special spider powers, does this mean you're going to be balancing a ball on your nose, going "arphh, arphh" and diving across the room if we throw fish at you soon?" I love being home...

A
XXX

Healing...?

We are glad she survived to tell the story as it´s great for our blog. It´s a survival story to be proud of and those scars will be shown off endlessly down the local after a few drinks. Heres to Angela.
Chris & Sam

Horse Riding In Patagonia

2006-09-15T18:15:00.000+01:00

"Oh my God there is smoke coming in through the window sills!" "The fire is out of control Pancho!"
The 4x4 plunged deep into the core of the thick grey smoke, for a minute nobody could see out of the windows, and the fumes seeped through the seals scratching madly at our tender pink throats, making us gag. There was the occasional fierce glimpse of the forest fire meters away as we were driving through.
And well that was the start to our beautiful day horse riding in the stunning setting of Patagonia.

It was a weird start, but once we´d left the fire behind we arrived at a charming Finca (country estate). The horses were all saddled up, and our guide Jesus was stood by the wooden fence wearing a black boina (beret) awaiting our arrival.
Before we knew it we were all sat on our horses listening to Jesus teach us to horse ride in a record time of 2 minutes. My horse was the most impacient and kept trying to escape, according to Jesus he was just anxious to get started.
Jesus led the way, I was behind him with my horse Tregua, and Chris was about half way down the line.
We set off and Tregua became easier to control than I had expected him to be, so Jesus put me in charge of the line whilst he went to check out the others. I was trotting along, enjoying the fresh air and a backdrop of snowcapped mountains when I looked back down the line to see Chris holding up the line. His horse just seemed to be plodding along at snails pace, so Jesus gave him a little stick to whip Rosie with.
Once Chris had finally got over the fact that his horse was smaller than mine, and called Rosie rather than Clint or something manly, he started using the whip to which Rosie responded surprisingly well!
Rosie was off! She galloped ahead of the group into the country like a bullet, and you should have seen Chris laughing and bobbing up and down uncontrollably, it was an image that will remain in my mind for ever.

Note Rosie asleep as Chris rides her like Seabiscuit.

Eventually Rosie and Chris started working as a team and looked great cantering around, but Tregua (which means Truce) was a little competitive and determined to be the first back to the finca. So at the end of a very relaxing 2 hours Tregua and Rosie entered into a race, leaving the rest of the group behind, Tregua won by a head length and Jesus wasn´t too impressed with our antics.
We finished off the experience with a big asado (roast)and rosie wind swept cheeks.

Quote Of The Week

2006-09-14T02:41:00.000+01:00

Occasionally everybody says silly things. Travelling together for one year, we generally get to hear ALL the silly things either of us say.
We spend quite alot of time laughing at each others comments. Tonight over a cracking pasta meal and a bottle of Rose we decided that we should make it a feature of the blog.
Each week, you lot get to decide which of us made the stupidest comment. Simply vote using the comments, Sam, or Chris. It will save us alot of time arguing over who said the dummest thing that week. We won't give the context in which the comment was said.....

Week 1 starts with:

Sam: "You are always going to be older than you were"

Chris: "I just don't find birds attractive"

Hit the comment button below...

Great Day on The Slopes

2006-09-12T23:54:00.000+01:00

After 3 days of horrific weather we returned to the slopes for a baking blue sky day in great soft snow. Sams ankle seems totally healed now and I struggled to keep her out of the board park.

Wierd South America Fact....

2006-09-12T23:50:00.000+01:00

....They don't sell Mars Bars here. They didn't in Bolivia, Peru, Chile, or Argentina. Its my essential snowbaording snack, and is sorely missed. I thought Mars was like Coca-Cola and was sold everywhere. Clearly not.

Hair Transoformation

2006-09-12T23:41:00.000+01:00

It always happens to me. I go in to the hairdressers having firmly made up my mind that I want something, and the hairdresser says "Oh no! But WHY? It won't suit you. Please don't make me do that!Please Nooooooooooooooo!"
So the 1st time I went to the hairdressers yesterday I had a mad hair cut which is very Dallas, and at the same time I found out I have semi-curly hair already (odd). I came out feeling happy that my hair looked curly and big as planned.
One bottle of wine with lunch later and I was feeling like I hadn't made a drastic enough statement and was still searching for something, so I went back in the afternoon and got blond streaks!
Oh and I have a fringe too. So I managed to end up with a bit of all 4 options on the blog, wavy hair, that's big, with a fringe, and bits of it are platinum blonde.

Now...I wanted to put a picture on but I'm afraid you'll have to wait. My hives is playing up again and I woke up looking like I'd had a litre of collagen injected into my upper lip, it looked riddiculous! Move over Leslie Ash!

CHO-CO-LAAAAAAAA-TE

2006-09-10T20:53:00.000+01:00

Mmmmmmm, yummm yummm, arrrrggggg, sssssssssslupy slurp, Aw Chiuauaaaaa!!!
Look at that chocolate!
Well we needed to replenish post Peru, our pants were falling off us so we have been stuffing our faces with this delicious stuff. My jeans are nice and tight again.

Beef Quest Completion

2006-09-10T20:34:00.000+01:00

Date: 9th September 2006
Time: 23:00pm
Location: El Boliche "de Alberto", "Parillia y Pastas", Villegas 347, Bariloche, Rio Negra, Argentina, South America, Planet Earth.
Order: 1/2 Portion Bife de Lomo, 1/2 of Lamb, 1 Chorizo Sausage, and a Salad Mixta.
Photo Evidence:

Other Comments: The best beef in the world. As regular readers will know this was the second time we vistied the legendary resturant "Albertos" in Bariloche.
We had been told about the steak here from many different backpackers as far a field as Methven, New Zealand. The first visit hadn´t provided the goods. Upon Saturday nights visit we specifically told the waiter/cook we wanted to eat the most tender beef in the world. My God did he oblige. Imagine ice cream melting on a warm stove. This is what it was like to put a slice of this beef in your mouth. The HUGE steak knifes they gave you just needed to be rested on top of the steak. A simple movement back and forth was enough to cut through.
At Albertos they don´t give you a sauce, simply just the steak on a clean white plate. That´s enough, they know it, and you know it once you have tasted their slice of heaven.
In the words of Mastercard:
4 English Pounds: Two steaks of the best beef in the world.
5 English Pounds: One bottle of ´Trapiche Broquel Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot´
Priceless: How someone can make such a s**t salad in such an amazing resturant.

Colon Merlot

2006-09-10T20:32:00.000+01:00

Don´t you just love wine buffs descriptions. Fruity, vanilla, oakey, mature, light, full bodied, blah blah bleee bleeeee, etc...are all words you will hear associated with wines (maybe not the last few).
But today I was having an afternoon tipple at a cosy bar, when curiosity overcame me, I twisted my 185cc bottle of Colon Merlot towards me to read the following on the label:

"It´s a wine of vivacious and brilliant colour, with an attractive velvety aroma. It´s a little shy in the mouth, but loyal and generous. Of a rounded and very comfortable flavour.
Like your friend, the fatty, who is noble and unconditional, and no matter how many times you forget him, you know he is always there, and will never fail you".

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT!!!!???? I nearly fell off my bar stool with laughter!!!!
Well...I have to say my fatty friend was very tasty, and after reading the label I´ll certainly never forget Colon Merlot!!

Sam

P.S. Highly recommend Trapiche Broquel (Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blend) for a very smooth red, definitively top of my list so far in all our wine tasting this year.

Happy Birthday Marge!!

2006-09-09T15:19:00.000+01:00

Bet you were wondering if I was going to forget? Last night at dinner, we were both looking forward to seeing you when we get back, and we can´t wait to see the house. Missing you lots, have a great day. Going to ring you now, so you better be in.
Love you,
Chris & Sam

Back To Bariloche

2006-09-09T15:06:00.000+01:00

We woke up on our final day in Cerro Catedral with slight hangovers. We were intending to head up the mountain but looking out of the window changed our minds. It´s snowing has been all night and it´s impossible to see anything. So instead we packed our bags and are heading back down to Bariloche for five days. Don´t worry though, Bariloche is only 11km away from Cerro Catedral so we´ll be back boarding in deep powder either tomorrow or Monday.
Chris

Hair Votes

2006-09-09T00:52:00.000+01:00

As you probaly know, a Transvestite called Maria messed my hair up in Peru. Oh by the way in case you were confused this is Sam.
So yeah, as I was saying I once met this girl called Mariaaaaaa...well a guy...and my hair needs a re-vamp, and who better to help me decide what to do with it than you guys!!!!!

I mean, so far we asked you what we should have for boxing day diner and you voted for snake over puppies. Oh and then you chose Chris to frolick around naked on a beach in Australia! So I say the fate of my hair is now in your hands! I am obviously drunk and they are playing "Beeeee the Love Generation" in the supermarket, so what the hell, I´m feeling free and hippy!

So here are the choices and what you say ultimately...goes!
A) Dallas Style: Remember JR and the beautiful Big Haired women around him in Dallas? Usually the big hair was coupled with Pat Butcher style earings. Here is one of the classier cast members Victoria Principal, who is about 80 and still looks good, according to her it´s her miracle face creams she´s flogging on the shopping channel. The fact that her husband is a top plastic surgeon has nothing to do with it!

B) Diana from V: Chris says that he can´t remember a series called V and that if I do I am too old (or too spanish). Can anybody remember this series? Anyway, what do you think of Dianas tousseled look?

C) Brenda Walsh from 90210: Oh come on you MUST remember this one. I used to watch it dubbed and loved Dillon, but when I watched it in the UK I was devastated that his voice no longer had the husky quality of a 60 year old man, and it seemed girly in real life. Big dissappointment! Anyway Brenda´s hair was feathered and generally had a chunky fringe.

D) Hefs Girls: This is one of my favourite TV programmes! Kendra, Hollie and Whatyamicaller. Anyway Heff is going through a platinum blonde phase, which I think Kendra looks hilarious in, but I´d be going more for a honey blonde (actually don´t bother voting for this one, I´m not going to dye it blonde after last time! Photo is nice though ey guys!).

So, as they say on Big Brother "The Choice Is Yours". Hurry up and vote because I am itching to get to the salon.

Sam

Can Life Get Any Better....

2006-09-09T00:14:00.000+01:00

Wake up in a King sized bed, wipe the sleep from your eyes and look out the window to a mountain blanketed in snow. They have started the lifts early so you wonder into the bathroom for a power shower. Once dry you stretch your legs as you slump down the stairs to drink a perfectly brewed tea in front of a roaring open fire. The waitress serves you croissants, toast, fruit salad, ham, cheese, jam and fresh orange juice.
The crisp mountain brings refreshing tears to your eyes as you strap on your board and hop on to the first lift of the day. Time for a stretch and a yawn before you are dropped off at the mountain peak with one of the most stunning views imaginable. You´ve seen the view before, but your stomach still flips at the sight of the sun rising hundreds of colours into a gigantic alpine lake. The slopes are groomed, and your first turn throws up a spray of last nights freshly fallen snow. The smile on your face tingles slightly as you feel the cracks in your lips from yesterdays rays. It´s not a normal ski holiday because you haven´t been at work for nine months. You have forgotten what it´s like to feel stess. All you worry about is making the next turn and whether the guy behind the bar at lunch will put enough rum in your hot chocolate.
Your day is perfect. You end it sitting on a white leather sofa, chatting about the day, listening to relaxing chilled out vibes, drinking a bottle of top quality champagne, and snacking on a plate of fries for a total of 8 pounds. Holy cow, this is it, life DOESN´T get ANY better than this.
Chris & Sam

P.S We aren´t trying to rub it in. It is occasionally all too easy to forget, and not appreciate what we are doing. When we are both at work again stressing our pants off, we will read this back and hopefully a sense of calm with overcome us that we have such great memories.

Beef Quest 4

2006-09-09T00:06:00.000+01:00

Apparently in my absence, my wife declared Beef Quest over! It is not. We did go to the ledgendary ´Albertos´ Resturant in Bariloche on Wednesday night but it failed to produce the goods. We had heard about this resturant as far afield as New Zealand, and repeatedly until we actually arrived here, but, however good their steak was, it wasn´t good enough for me.
I had a better steak at my Nan & Grandads wedding anniversary, and Sam claims to a vague memory of a slihgtly better steak at the Bel & Dragon, Cookham.
We do believe that Albertos has the potential to produce the goods, so we are returning on Saturday night. We plan to explain Beef Quest to the waiter and then hopefully achieve Beef ecstacy. If we don´t succeed we are certain to succeed on Sunday night when we go to a resturant a taxi driver recommended, and everybody knows that taxi drivers are the best sources of information!
To be continued...
Chris

Moon Ski

2006-09-08T01:22:00.000+01:00

The coolest full moon party in the world. Tomorrow night everybody stays at the resturant at the top of the mountain, pays 4 pounds for all you can eat and drink, then everybody boards back down together by moon light. Sounds like every night in Austria, except for the 4 pound bit.
Can´t wait, it will be one of those unforgetable nights.
Chris

Death Of A Hero

2006-09-07T19:52:00.000+01:00

HOLEY MOLEY!!!!! Why didn´t anybody tell us????? I just found out through the Complete Lack Of Suprises blog that Steve Irwin is dead!!!!! Did you all know?
And what´s more he was killed by a sting ray, when only weeks ago Chris and I where stroking stingrays in the tropical waters of Tahiti!!
We are seriously gutted as I am sure many Aussies are too, but in defense of the stingrays we have to say that they are generally as harmless as a wet flanel.
He must have rrrrrreally pissed it off!
None the less, RIP Steve, and hope there aren´t too many animals in heaven.

Sam and Chris

P.S. Guys next time breaking news like this happens...tell us!

Caption Competition Time

2006-09-07T17:50:00.000+01:00

Tropical Conditions

2006-09-07T17:20:00.000+01:00

Industrial strength Ibuprofen worked wonders yesterday morning when I had my 2nd attempt at snowboarding. It was an increadible day, after days and days of glorious sunshine we woke up to a full on snow storm.
Visibility was...well there wasn´t any, so I kept bashing into giant moguls and falling over which I found hilarious after my 4th cognac ladden hot chocolate. Actually it was soooooo cold and windy, especially on the prehistoric open lifts, that it felt like you had a jelly fish stuck on your face! Aaaaaaarrrggggg!
But the restaurants offered shelter, hearty goulashes, a warm fire, and gallons of chocognac. The later of which mixed with the mega strength ibuprofen actually made me dribble (I am not kidding, I felt like a mental patient, but a happy one). I got really tipsy and kept doing impressions of Jack Nicholson in the ending of "The Shinning" which Chris didn´t find in the least funny, but I nearly weed myself so that´s what counts.
Anyway, today I´m reasting and tomorrow I´m going for another beating. We´ve heard here is a night descent because it´s full moon, so we are going for it this Friday, should be interesting.

Happy 6th Birthday Kate!!

2006-09-07T16:41:00.000+01:00

Wow Kate we can´t believe you are 6 already!!! By the way, can you read yet? We can (just about) but we aren´t so good at writing.
We hope you have a very very good Birthday, and have lots of fun with mum, dad and the family.
A big kiss and we´ll see you soon cutie.
Chris and Sam xxxxxx

General Observations About Argentina

2006-09-04T19:16:00.000+01:00

*They don´t have enough coins. Chris tried to pay for something that was 6 pesos with 7 pesos yesterday, the shop keeper looked at him as if Chris had asked him if he could borrow his car. "Don´t you have it in change!" barked the shop keeper.
This happens ALL the time, if you don´t give them the exact change they sometimes don´t serve you and even taxi drivers and bus drivers don´t seem to have change.

*Women carry their babies everywhere. They either don´t have push chairs or can´t be bothered with them. They carry them all slanty and I´ve seen the poor babies take a battering on their heads by the following; trolleys, people´s elbows, bags, lamposts, and even a door frame! This all happens whilst mums are totally oblivious chatting to their mates.

*Restaurant owners give homeless people free food. I thought this was lovely. There were hundreds of begars in Mendoza and the restaurant and bar owners took care of them, giving them little boxes of food.

*Pretty much everybody short changes you or overcharges you. Waitresses insist that you only gave them half of what you know you just gave them. Pharmacists give you half the amount of change they are supposed to, and when you remind them they pretend it was a mistake. Cleaners pick up anything you don´t lock up in your bag. Taxi drivers start their meters high in the hope that you won´t notice that it was double the minimum charge before you even got in. And so forth. This happens ALL the time, and I mean ALL the time. Makes me very very sad that they think this is ok. I´m sure they have a good reason to do it but I just don´t think it´s right.

*They have the best food in South America so far. Enough said.

Top Of The World

2006-09-04T19:11:00.000+01:00

The day before yesterday I was way too jealous of Chris snowboarding, so I decided to have a go yesterday afternoon.
Chris kept telling me I was still limping, but I´d just screech "No I´m not, look" and try to walk as normally as possible without uttering expletives, and keeping a histerical sort of mental grin on my face to give the appearance of joy.
We got on a lift, I had to go up holding the board because it would have been too dangerous to scoot off with my bad foot. The button lift I had intended on catching was broken which meant I had 2 options. Get back on the lift or board down to base. I opted for the latter.
BIG mistake! I had very little control and half way down I broke down and cried like a 5 year old because of the pain. In a nutshell, my ankle ain´t fixed yet!!
I boarded down to the bottom by which time I´d given myself a fat lip by bitting it. I dumped the board, and got a lift to the top of the mountain where I stuffed my face with chocolate cake. Aaahhhhhh...much much better, look at that view!
Anyway, Chris is off boarding today and I´m at the bottom with my new friend. I´ve grown another Sam on my ankle as a result of yesterdays shananigans, but at least I can talk to her if I get a little bored of chocolate and headband shops at the base. My precioussssssss!

Cerro Catedral

2006-09-04T18:22:00.000+01:00

Only 15 minutes from Bariloche is Cerro Catedral, a big patagonian ski resort. Chris and I felt like being proper travellers for a change and catch the local bus up to our posh hotel. That was interesting. The driver was on a mission to collect absolutely everybody, so we really didn´t need to worry about wether we would get on when we saw the rammed bus approach. Because he must have picked up about another 50 people after us.
It got to the point that I was doing ballet, there was only enough space on the floor for me to put one foot down.But we made it to out beautiful hotel and settled in. Yeah right! We didn´t even see the room and Chris was undressing in reception getting ready to go boarding!
The room wasn´t going to be ready till the afternoon so we headed towards the equipment rental shop.
Cerro Catedral is a pretty pretend alpine village. It has dozens of ski shops, chocolate shops (of course) and ... hundreds of people dressed in the same clothes!
Aparently these are big groups of portuguese teenagers in their last year at school. There´s about 2 teachers to 100 pupils, and they all wear exactly the same clothes (for identification I guess). This is an orange group.The funny thing is that none of them ski, so they get the lifts to the top of the mountain, sit on the snow and marvel at the stuff (it´s the 1st time most of them have seen it), and then come back down. That´s their schedule for the 5 day holiday.
It was hard to get a shot of Cerro Catedral without one of these technicolour groups in it, but I managed one...except I couldn´t help getting this strange guy in it. He kept following me.

Sam

P.S. Noticed anything missing from Chris´face in the last few entries?

Bariloche

2006-09-04T17:58:00.000+01:00

"Wow look at him! He´s HUGE and gorgeous!!!" I said to Chris.
"He´s alright" Chris said with a hint of disinterest.
"Well I think he is absolutely gorgeous!" I replied bursting with excitement as I set eyes on the robust, and obviously well groomed male.
A lady with a red and white ski jacket obviously sensing my excitement popped up next to me out of nowhere, and said "You can touch him if you want to".
"Really?" I replied.
"Sure go ahead, his name is Julio" said the ski jacketed lady.
I hadn´t been able to take my eyes off Julio since I spotted him, but it wasn´t up till now that I noticed a bored look on his face. He sat lazily on the park bench looking as cheesed off as a teenager at a family gathering, whilst his friends partied in Ibiza unsupervised.
If only he could crack open the bottle of whisky around his neck I´m sure he´d down the whole damn thing in one gulp. But then Julios paws didn´t have opposable thumbs, and so he was destined to sit there sober all day waiting to pose for a photo with the ocasional tourist.
Julio (a huge Saint Bernard pooch) is probably a signature item in Bariloche, he tipifies the town.
Bariloche is trying to be an alpine European-looking place, and it managed it fairly well. It is warm, cosy, and its streets are linned with the most amazing leather boutiques, wine cellars, and delicatessens. And lets not forget the chocolate shops. There are hundreds of them, they all becon you inn with their free tastings, sweet smells, and glass shelves stacked with pyramids of the most tempting chocolate creations.
Baroliche also has more than its fair share of bars and restaurants, log fires feature in most of them which is much appreciated here as the cold air bites you on the cheeks savagely here.
It´s a lovely town and I am really looking forward to going back for a few days after Cerro Catedral. In the mean time all I have to remind me of Bariloche is a half eaten box of chocolates I brought up with me, and...the memory of Julios´ sweet slobbery face :o)

Sam x

Off Snowboarding !!!

2006-09-02T13:04:00.000+01:00

Wetting ourselves with excitement as we are about to catch the bus to our hotel at the base of the mountain for 8 days of snowboarding on the Southern Hemispheres biggest ski resort, Cerro Catedral. WOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Congratulations!

2006-09-02T12:55:00.000+01:00

James & Andrew on getting all those G.C.S.Es!
James - I´m sure you´ll have a wicked time at King Eds. Don´t mention my name to ANY of the teachers as it may get you off to a bad start, especially Piles the headmaster. However, do go check out the year photos at reception where I managed to get on the year photos regardless of whether I was actually in that year.
Andrew - top decision on the construction, i reckon our family has great skills running through our veins passed down from Grandad Bishop. When you finish can you come to Bariloche and manage the construction of our house on the Lake.
Laters Ladies
Chris

P.S. Congrats from me too!! Hope you are celebrating those brilliant results, well done! Sam x

Not Lost in Translation

2006-08-31T16:17:00.000+01:00

We were walking down Avenue Colon, when we came upon this estate agents. Their business must be throbbing.

Bikes And Wine

2006-08-31T15:47:00.000+01:00

"You like my Reggae music?" the rental guy asks as we peddle off on the tandem we have rented for the day to ride around the Mendozan vineyards and olive fields.
Its a cracking day, there´s not a cloud in the sky as Sam hums the E.T theme tune in my ear as we cycle down a hazy treelined Argentinian country road.

First Stop. The wine museum where we are given a brilliant explanation of wine making in the 16th century. Then into the cellar door to pretend we know what we are on about as we swish and gurgle some reds and whites.

Second Stop. The Chocolate and Liquor factory. Willi Wonkas for grown-ups. One word - heaven. Can´t say much more about this place, except that we left drunk.

Third Stop. Lunch. Almacen Del Sur, which supplies Harrods with its tapenades & preserves. We eat a great meal with some other drunk wine conoseurs we have met on the way. We share a bottle of Trapiche (Marge, Farge, remember that from the Bel & Dragon? They make it here)

Fourth Stop. A grumpy old lady who doesn´t want to share her wine and gives us a very poor tasting. Never buy Vina del Cerno ..... they suck.

Fifth Stop. An epic tour around one of the most modern wineries in the world ´Tempus Alba´. Here we sit on their sunsoaked terrace looking across miles of vineyard sipping on three of their best wines EACH !

Finally now clearly all experts in wine we raid a French botaga where we dunk baguettes into freshly pressed olive oil, eat serano ham and drink rose in their garden while being taught how to make wine by a expert French man.

The day end perfectly peddling back through the vineyards with the sunsetting behind us.
I´m jealous of myself.
Back from heaven.
Chris & Sam

Beef Quest 3

2006-08-31T15:46:00.000+01:00

Not wanting to give in so soon and go to an expensive resturant as we believe that if Argentina really does have the best steak in the world, it should be cheaply avaliable to all in the country. In other words, it´s possible to get a great steak in anywhere if you pay enough.
With this in mind we decided to head to the source of the problem and visit a meat market. On arrival we were pleased to see a small row of market bars full of old men drinking, chatting and eating directly opposite the butchers slamming their cleavers through huge cuts of beef. With confidence that we were about to eat some great meat, we sat ourselves on the bar stools and ordered some ´Lomo de Bife´ and beer. Failure. The beef was no better than the sole of your shoe. Onwards.