South America II

[Platypus]

Tomorrow morning, I fly out of Sydney, and an hour earlier, arrive in Buenos Aires. I'll then wander around Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru. I'm almost packed, i've said goodbye to Dad, and i'm about to pack away my stuff at home.

I last went in 2006, so this trip will be in some ways a repeat and in some ways new. The circumstances are a bit different, I speak some Spanish, and I have a dash more cash, but i'm also more nervous this time

Anyway, i'll keep you all updated

[Platypus]

I have arrived, tired and sweaty and ready for bed, but here I am.

[Platypus]

Hugeendo? Clever.

Money is roughly equal parts loan, inheritence, and savings.

I wont be needing to pay for sex.

[Platypus]

Blisters. Already.

Infeliz, Juan.

[Platypus]

Ampollas como planetas despues un día de caminando. Cerveza con sabor de agua suecio. Y un companiero de habitacion quien hable Portugeuese cuando se duerme.

I'm sore, tired, and in a bad mood, but at least my Spanish is coming back quite rapidly. I think.

[Platypus]

Today so far in Buenos Aires:

-Got swept up in a frenzy of teenage girls screaming when I happened to pass the theatre where the final of 'Argentina's Got Talent' is being held as the hearthrob favourite with the neckbeard and Jesus hair arrived;

-Was treated to the very odd and sight of a Presidential motorcade, Argentina style (twenty cops on bikes, riding out of the saddle, yelling at cars to... get outr of the way, three identical black Audis, two ambulances, three army trucks, and about twenty police cars cruising down the main avenue at a normally inconceivably fast 50km/h;

-Only complained about my massive blisters about 8 times;

-Finally had a tolerable coffee (Coffee here so far as been truly awful... watery, with fake milk, and still somehow costing about AUD $3.50);

-Accidentally used the informal tense with a policeman on the subway who had a gun about 15cm from my bits;

-Fell in love with Buenos Aires again.

(also I should explain that I'm posting so much because my feet are keeping me kind of chained to the hostel, and the only thing here that's free is the internet...)

[Platypus]

Today Edu and I met up for a coffee which was really nice. He's come closer than anyone to explaining just what Peronism is (I still don't understand it, but I think I understand what Anti-Peronism is, so soon enough I should get there), took me to a place that served not-awful coffee (the coffee is absolutely better in Melbourne, sorry), and listened patiently to me rattling on about Tony Abbott. Twas nice

The rest of the day has been very quiet, basically just flirting shamelessly with a Brazilian guy when we were watching the soccer game between Real and Barca together, avoiding the Presidential Inauguration, and rubbing my feet lots.

[Platypus]

After a series of difficulties, I have finally arrived in Mendoza.

1st time I was meant to leave, the backpack broke.
2nd day, the buses were all full.
3rd time, lucky...except that I had to pay $300 ARP more than I was meant to because of a really, really dodgy guy. Full details maybe later.

Anyway, now I'm in Mendoza, and had to skip Bariloche. Last time I didn't particularly like Mendoza, but this time I am determined to at least not hate it.

Even if there is water all over my room's floor.

[Platypus]

23 + gay + aussie accent.

Mendoza is meh.

[Platypus]

Been in Mendoza for most of a week, and done almost nothing. It's uncomfortably hot, expensive, and dirty. I also have really bad hayfever. It seems I'm destined to dislike Mendoza forever.

[Platypus]

Valparaiso is still the most beautiful town on earth.

[Platypus]

After Santiago, I went back to the pool in Santiago for a couple of days, then down to Osorno.

Osorno calls itself the land of milk and meat, but despite having 75x the population of King Island, it's slightly more boring. Plus, the town is covered in volcanic ash. Plus, all the national parks were closed. Finally, only saw one genuinely cute guy.

Now, i'm in Bariloche, Argentina. The border crossing was ridiculous, nobody got their bags scanned, we had to compell the bus driver to stop to get out passports stamped. Me and the other 5 Aussies that happened to be on the bus, that is. Still, the scenery was absolutely beautiful.

As is Bariloche. There's still a bit of snow on some of the high peaks on the other side of the lake, and even in the middle of summer i'm rugged up. Still, i love it, and could happily stay for weeks if there was less of the bloody volcanic ash.

Tomorrow will be occupied by a boat trip out to Puerto Blest, 1.5 hours down the lake via a couple of waterfalls, and then a short hike to a particularly blue lake for lunch, before reversing the trip. I'm paying almost $70 so it better be 4-star plus.

Next stop is Puerto Madryn.

[Platypus]

Puerto Blest was worth it.

Bariloche is great. I had the fortune to stay at an excellent hostel 100m from the center of town, and 30m from the second best bar in town (40m from the best).

I also headed to the hippyish town of El Bolson, two hours down the road, which was nice enough.

I skipped Puerto Madryn and instead went from Bariloche to Mar del Plata by bus, via Buenos Aires. Left Bariloche on Saturday morning, around 7, got in to Mar del Plata Sunday arvo, around 4. The Pampas are incredibly boring.

Mar del Plata was nice, in the hostel everyone was Argentinean except one Swiss guy, which tested out my Spanish a bit, but was good.

Now back in Buenos Aires for a little bit of craziness before even more craziness in Uruguay next week - Carnivale!

[Platypus]

Buenos Aires was alright, stayed in a gay hostel in San Telmo, 20m from Plaza Dorrego, which was odd. I then went up to Iguazu - three days in the pool, one at the amazing falls - and then hopped from bus to bus down to Montevideo, for carnivale. Which is amazing.

A few more days in Uruguay and then back to Bs As for just a few days before heading up towards the northwest of Argentina via Cordoba

[Platypus]

Didn't get a chance to meet up with Peeperkorn, but I have time to meet with Edu again if he's free.

Gay hostel is really more a gay hotel with two 4-bed dorm rooms. 20m from Plaza Dorrego.

Most of the guys are 40-something couples, but there's a bit of talent.

[Platypus]

Now in Bolivia.

Now suffering from food poisoning.

Now hit the wall re:travels.

[Platypus]

Bolivia is determined to make me ill. Nice enough though.

[Platypus]

Back in Santiago, less than two weeks left.

I managed to argue in Spanish with a Spaniard for 45 minutes yesterday, about the Basque country, and so I think I can claim at least a little bit that the official reason for the trip (to get my Spanish nearing fluency) has been successful enough