HEY EVERYONE WELCOME TO MY BLOG WHERE I'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH WHAT I'M DOING WHEN I'M OVERSEAS!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

BUENOS AIRES!

HI EVERYONE!!
IN BUENOS AIRES AT THE MOMENT AND HAVE BEEN SINCE FRIDAY. B.A IS THE CAPITAL OF ARGENTINA, IT IS A TOTAL OF 200 SQUARE KMS AND FULL OF STREET MARKETS, RESTAURANTS, FANCY HOTELS AND MOST OF ALL, LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE!! ON SATURDAY WE DIDN END UP DOING MUCH, WE WANDERED ROUND TOWN AND WHILE MUM AND ZOE WERE IN A PHONE BOOTH, ME AND DAD WERE LOOKING IN A SHOP ACROSS THE ROAD AND MUM AND <ZOE LEFT!! WE ALL WANDERED ROUND LOOKING FOR EACH OTHER, AFTER WAITING OUTSIDE THE PHONE BOOTH FOR 1/2 AN HOUR DAD AND I WENT BACK TO THE HOSTEL AND WAITED FOR THEM TO FIGURE OUT WE DONE THE SMART THING : ) AND WENT BACK TO THE HOSTEL TO MEET THEM THERE. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO WE HEARD A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND DISCOVERED WE BEEN PRATICALLY CHASING EACH OTHER!! WENT OUT TO A SORT OF INDOOR STREET MARKET AND FOUND A RESTAURANT FULL OF PEOPLE AND CHEAP COMBOS. ATE LUNCH THERE AND AS PART OF THE COMBO GOT DESSERT!YUM! EXPLORED THE STREETS A BIT MORE THEN DECIDED TO GO ON THE SUBWAY AS IT WOULD BE ZOE AND I FIRST TIME!! B.A IS THE BIGGEST CITY IE BEEN AND SAME WITH ZOE TOO! SUBWAY WAS COOL AND NOT AS PACKED AS WE THOUGHT, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO LONDON MUM  AND DAD BOTH SAID. HOME TO SKYPE A FEW PEOPLE AND CHILLAX. POPPED OUT TO THE SUPERMARKET AND BROUGHT ALL WE NEED FOR SPAG BOL, YUM! COOKED AND ATE THAT THEN  WENT TO BED FOR A EARLYISH NIGHT.


SUNDAY WE DECIDED NOT TO GET LOST AND CAUGHT THE SUBWAY TO SAN TELMO WHERE THEY HOLD A  FAIR SELLING ANTHIG FROM ANTIQUES TO SUGARED PEANUTS THAT`S HELD EVERY SUNDAY AND RUNS ALONG THE COBBLE STONE ROAD THAT`S CLOSED FOR THE DAY. DAD BROUGHT A NECKLACE THAT MUM LIKED FOR HER X-MAS PREZZIE BUT THAT WAS ALL. HAD LUNCH AT A LITTLE CAFE SURROUNDED BY CUTE OLD BUILDINGS AND HOUSES. ME AND ZOE HAD A SUBMARINE: A GLASS OF HOT MILK SERVED WITH A CHOCOLATE BAR THAT YOU DUNK INTO THE MILK AND STIR IT ROUND TILL THE CHOCOLATE MELTS, YUM!!!! WANDEDERED ROUND THE MARKETS SOME MORE AND BROUGHT SOME SUGARED PEANUTS THAT ARE RUMOURED TO BE DELISH! THEY WERE! CAUGHT A SUBWAY BACK TO FLORIDA STREET (OUR HOSTEL`S STREET) AND WANDERED ROUND THE SHOE SHOS TRYING TO FIND SOME GOOD COVERED SHOES FOR ZOE FOR EUROPE, NO SUCH LUCK AS ITŚ SUMMER HERE AND ALL THE SHOES ARE STRAPPY AND JANDALS OR CROCS, IF NOT THAT THEN ZOE WILL FIND SOME THING WRONG WITH THEM! WENT BACK TO THE HOSTEL, READ A BIT BUT NONE OF US WERE AT ALL HUNGRY FOR DINNER AND T WAS GETTING QUITE LATE SO WE DECIDED TO GRAB A SUNDAE FROM BURGER KING (OF COURSE THEY HAVE ON HERE!!) SO MUCH FOR FAST FOOD, AFTER WAITING FOR DECADES IN THE QUEUE WE FINALLY GOT WHAT WE WANTED, GOBBLED IT DOWN THEN WENT TO BED.


MONDAY WE WENT ON A STRANGE BUS RIDE, A DOUBLE DECKER BUS BUT ON THE TOP LEVEL NO ROOF AND HEAD PHONES THAT WERE ALL BROKEN. THE ONE THAT WORKED TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT THE CITY AND BUILDINGS AS YOU DROVE PAST THEM, VERY TOURISTY!!! OUR FIRST STOP WE WERE AT A LAKE THAT WAS VER Y POLLUTED AND SMELT SOOO BAD! SAW A FEW PEOPLE DOING THE TANGO IN THE STREET THEN BROUGHT A DRINK COS WE WERE ALL PRATICALLY DYING OF THIRST. WENT TO CATCH A THE BUS TO THE NEXT STOP BUT WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR IT MUM WENT TO BUY SOME EMPANADAS  FOR LUNCHAND AKE A PHONE CALL THE BUS ACTUALLY CAME AND ME, ZOE AND DAD COULDN`T GET ON OF-COURSE!!THE NEXT BUS TOOK AN HOUR TO COME SO WE WERE SITTING BY THE ROAD SIDE FOR AGES! UUGH!WE FINALLY GOT ON THE BUS AND STOPPEDFOR LUNCH AT A KIOSCO THAT SERVED LOTS OF ARGENTINIAN FOOD. ME AND ZOE HAD CHORIPAN HICH IS SAUSAGE IN BREAD BUT REALLY NICE. NEXT STOP WAS AT A CEMETRY WHERE LOTS OF FAMOUS PEOPLE WERE BURIED ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY WERE IN LITTLE HOUSES AND IN SOME YOU SEE THE COFFIN! SCARY! WE AL FELT LIKE AN ICE CREAM... AND GUESS WHAT?! NEAR THE CEMETARY THERE WAS AHARD ROCK CAFE!!!!!! I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS BUT MUM AND DAD SAID IT'S A AWESOME CAFE THAT PLAYS LOTS OF MUSIC AND IS A REALLY FMAOUS CAFE, YOU CAN ONLY GO TO THEM IN LONDON A ND SOME PLACES IN USA (PROBABLY OTHER PLACES BUT I DON'T WHERE!) ANY WAY IT'S REAAAALLY FAMOUS AND NOT MANY PEOPLE GO THERE! HAD A REALLY NICE ICE-CREAM THEN WALKED TO THE SUBWAY STATION AND CAUGHT A SUBWAY BACK TO THE HOSTEL. AT THE HOSTEL WE CHILLAXED FOR A WHILE THEN WENT IN SEARCH FOR A PLACE TO EAT. BUMPED INTO A RESTAURANT THAT WE WERE MEANING TO GO TO THAT WAS THE OLDEST CAFE STILL RUNNING IN  THE WHOLE OF ARGENTINA, IT STARTED IN 1858!!! WOW! WE THEN FOUND OUT THERE WAS A TANGO SHOW STARTING AT 10:30PM THAT WAS QUITE CHEAP COMPARED TO SOME WE HAD SEEN ADVERTISED. WE GULPED DOWN OUR DINNER, BROUGHT OUR TICKETS AND WENT IN. WOW!! IT WAS AMAZING THE COUPLE DOING THE TANGO WERE DOING LOTS OF REALLY QUICK DANCE STEPS SO IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS BEING FAST FORWARDED. THERE WERE TWO SINGERS SINGING ARGENTINIAN SONGS AND A GREAT LITTLE BAND WITH THE GRAND PIANO, ACCORDIAN AND ELECTRIC GUITAR, THE WERE REALLY GOOD AND THE TIMING WAS BRILLIANT!! ENDED UP GOING BACK AT 12:30 ALL REALLY TIRED BUT HAD A GRAT TIME! MISSING EVERY ONE HEAPS AND PREPARING FOR LOTS OF COLD SOO AS IT IS SNOWING IN LONDON!! BETTER MAKE THE MOST OF THE HEAT!! HAVING TONS OF FUN AND HAVING LOTS OF ONCE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCES!! ADIOS!!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

THE REST OF SAN IGNACIO, IGUAZU AND A LITTLE BIT OF BUENOS AIRES

HI EVERYONE AGAIN!!
WEDNESDAY WE WENT ON A GUIDED TOUR THAT STARTED AT 2PM AFTER A MORNING OF CHILLAXING BY THE POOL AND HAVING FUN ( YOUR ALLOWEED TO HAVE A POOL WITH OUT A FENCE HERE WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW IN N.Z!). THE TOUR STARTED WITH A VISIT  TO A GUARANI HOME THAT LIVED OFF THE NATURE. THEY WERE VERY POOR AND THERE WERE 5 KIDS, IT WAS COOL SEEING HOW THEY LIVED BUT A LITTLE SAD TOO.  HERE IN ARGENTINA THERE IS A BIG THING CALLED THE MISSIONS. 400 YEARS AGO THE SPANISH USED THE INDIANS LIVING IN ARGENTINA AS SLAVES. ONEDAY 2 GUYS CAME ALONG AND BUILT A VILLAGE FOR THE PEOPLE SO THEY WERE SAFE FROM THE SPANISH WHEN THEY CAME TO ARGENTINA. THESE PEOPLE ARE CALLED THE GUARANI PEOPLE AND THERE ARE STILL GUARANI PEOPLE HERE. ANY WAY AFTER BUYING A CUTE SOUVENIR FROM THE FAMILY WE HEADED OFF WITH THE WIND BLOWING IN OUR HAIR COS ZOE AND I WERE STANDING ON THE BACK OF THE UTE CLINGING ON TO NOTHING!! FUN!! IT WAS ROASTING HOT AND 80% HUMIDITY, YUCK! WE CAME TO THE RIVER THAT SEPARATES ARGENTINA FROM BRAZIL AND HEARD THATWE WERE GOING ON A HOUR WALK. IT WAS HORRIBLE!! IT WAS BOILING AND WE HAD TO CLIMB UP 240 STAIRS FROM WHERE WE TRAMPED 5KM UP AND DOWN STEEP AND SLIPPERY HIKLS WITH THOUSANDS OF ANNOYING MOSQUITOS BUZZING IN OUR EAR!! PLUS WE WEREŃT ALLOWED TO TALK TO THE GUIDE IN FRONT OF US COS HE WAS LOOKING OUT FOR SNAKES! YIKES! AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS WE WENT HOME AND HAD A NICE HOME  MADE DINNER, WE ARE SOO GETTING SICK OF EATING OUT! CHATTED TO THE ENGLISH COUPLE WHO ARE STAYING IN OUR HOSTEL THEN WENT TO BED, REALLY TIRED!!!!!


THURSDAY WE HAD BREAKFAST THEN PACKED COS IT WAS OUR LAST DAY IN SAN IGNACIO!  WE DECIDED TO GO TO THE RUINS QUICKLY BEFORE WE CAUGHT OUR 5 HOUR BUS RIDE TO IGUAZU! THE RUINS IS WHAT THE MISSION BUILT FOR THE GUARANI PEOPLE. IT WAS AMAZING! THE REMAINS ARE 400 YEARS OLD!!!! AFTER WE WENT TO THAT WE CAUGHT THE BUS ( AFTER A IRRESISTIBLE SWIM IN THE LUXURIOUS POOL) TO IGUAZU. OUR HOSTEL WE BOOKED THERE WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE BUS STATION SO WE GOT THERE SPEEDY. WE WENT TO RECEPTION TO FIND OUT THAT THEY DIDN´T ALLOW KIDS!!! WE MANAGED TO PERSUADE THEM TO LET US IN AND WE SETTLED DOWN. WENT OUT FOR DINNER AND ME AND ZOE SHARED A MEAL THEN WENT BACK TO THE HOSTEL, THE MEAL WAS GOOD BUT SMAL BETWEEN US SO WE HAD DESSERT FOR THE FIRST TIME. SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING MISTAKES ALL THE LETTERS OF THE KEYS ARE RUBBED OFF!  
ON FRIDAY WE WENT TO THE 5TH BIGGEST WATER FALLS IN THE WHOLE WORLD!! CAUGHT A BUS THERE FROM THE BUS STATION ACROSS THE ROAD, ARRIVED PAID OUR ENTRY AND  EXPLORED!!! FIRST WE WENT TO  THE UPPER VIEW WHERE YOU GOT TO SEE WHERE ALL  THE FALLS STARTED! AN AMAZING SIGHT, JUST SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH WATER!!!! GOT A FAMILY PHOTO PROFFESIONALLY DONE THEN WENT TO DISCOVER THE REST OF ONE OF THE 7 NATURAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD. HAD A LOOK AT THE UPPER VIEW WHICH WAS A SMALL WALK ON A NICE PAVED TRACK (THE FALLS SET UP ISDONE REALLY WELL) AND SAW ALMOST ALL THE FALLS ON THE ARGENTINIAN SIDE FROM ABOVE. WE HAD MORNING TEA AND WAS DISTURBED BY A RACOON/ANT EATER ANIMAL THAT COULD BITE AND STOLE EVRYONES FOOD IN THE PARK! SOON WE GOT TO THE WET PART!!  WE DECIDED TOP GO ON THE SPEED BOAT THAT TOOK YOU ALMOST UNDER NEATH ONE OF THE FALLS. BUT FIRST WE WENT ON THE BALCONY THING THAT GOT YOU DRENCHED WHILE YOIU WERE 10 METRES AWAY FROM MILLIONS OF LITRES OF WATER SCREAMING DOWN 70 METRES (!!!!) OF ROCK! ONCE WE WERE SOAKED WE BOUGHT OUR TICKETS AND WENT ON THE BOAT RIDE THAT GAVE YOU A WET AND DRY VIEW OF TWO OF THE MAIN FALLS. ON THE WET RIDE A MASSIVE WAVE WASHED OVER US AND WE ALSO GOT FIRED WITH WATER FROM ALL DIRECTIONS, WE WERE ALMOST UNDER-NEATH IT!! DRIP DRIED THEN WENT HOME ON THE BUS, DRENCHED, SUN BURNT BUT EXPLODING WITH EXCITEMENT!!! WENT ACCROSS THE ROAD FOR DINNER AND AHD A SORTA EARLY NIGHT FOR US (10:00PM.)
SATURDAY WAS OUR LAST DAY IN IGUAZU SO WE PACKED (ONCE AGAIN,) CLEARED OUR ROOM, THEN EXPLORED ROUND TOWN TILL IT WAS TIME TO GO BACK TO THE HOSTEL AND CATCH A TAXI TO THE DOMESTIC AIRPORT.  WE WOULD CATCH A PLANE TO BUENOS AIRES TO STAY FOR 6 NIGHTS TILL FLYING TO LONDON!!!!!!!! AT THE AIRPORT WE CHECKED IN THEN ATE OUR EMPANADAS (SORT-OF ARGENTINIAN PIES). WE WERE FLYING OUT AT 1:20 BUT ENDED UP FLYING OUT AT 3:50 COS OUR FLIGHT WAS DELAYED FOR AN HOUR!! ON THE PLANE WE GOT A FEW SNACKS AND SOON ENOUGH WE WERE IN B.A!   MUM HAD ORGANIZED A TRANSFER TO OUR HOSTEL SO WE THERE IN A FEW TICKS(AFTER COLLECTING OURLUGGAGE COS THERE WAS A THUNDER STORM WHEN WE LEAVING IGUAZU). OUR HOSTEL WAS A DISSAPOINTMENT. REALLY BUSY AND STERILE WITH ALL OF US SLEEPING ON BUNKS WHEN WE HAD PAID MORE TO HAVE DOUBLE AND 2 SINGLES! OUTSIDE THERE IS A PEDESTRIAN STREET AND A SORT OF MAKET RUNNING ALONG THE STREET SELLING ANYTHING FROM   STAPLERS TO SHOES! ATE OUT THEN WENT TO BED. 


MISSING EVERYONE SOO MUCH AND HAVING HEAPS OF FUN!! HOPE EVERYONES HAVING DUN BACK IN N.Z!!
BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

MERCEDES, CANANA, SAN IGNACIO

HI!!!
CAUGHT A BUS ON SATURDAY TO A TOWN CALLED MERCEDES, WHERE A LADY CAME AND MET US AT THE BUS STOP AND CALLED US A TAXI TO OUR HOSTEL. IT WAS A NICE QUIET TOWNAND LOTS OF COW BOYS RIDING PAST ON HORSES ALL DRESSED UP IN THE PROPER GEAR WITH WHIPS, OLD SADDLES, COWBOY BOOTS AND HAT!! HOW WEIRD! WANDERED ROUND TOWN THERE THEN HAD A YUMMY HOME-MADE DINNER IN THE PATIO OF STEAK, SAUSAGES AND VEGGIES. 

THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK A 4X4 TO A MINISCULE VILLAGE CALLED COLONIA PALLIGRINI (I CALL IT CANANA COS IT IS TOO HARD TO REMEMBER!) IT  WAS A 2 HOUR JOURNEY WHICH IS VERY SHORT TO THE 22 HOUR BUS RIDE WE´VE BEEN ON!
WOW, CANANA LOOKED LIKE IT WAS LEFT BEHIND IN TIME!! MORE COW BOYS AND OLD RICKETY HOUSES AND VERY FEW SHOPS. YOU CAN´T EVEN BUY BREAD, THERE IS NO SUPER MARKET!! STAYED THE NIGHT IN ANOTHER HOSTEL THAT WAS VERY AVERAGE. MUM AND DAD´S ROOM WAS TINY AND HAD NO BATHROOM BUT ZOE AND MINE WAS QUITE BIG AND HAD ONE THAT OF-COURSE MUM AND DAD USED. THE DINING ROOM HAD A PING PONG TABLE AND A VERY CREEPY LIGHT THAT WAS A SHEEPS SKULL WITH THE LIGHT BULBS AS EYES!! YUCK!!

WE WERE GOING TO STAY 2 NIGHTS BUT SINCE THE PLACE ISN´T THAT GREAT WE ARE ONLY STAYING ONE. MONDAY WE TOOK A GUIDED TOUR OF THE LAKE BY CANANA ON A SMALL MOTOR POWERED DINGHY. IT WAS AMAZING, WE SAW HEAPS OF DIFFERENT BIRDS LIKE KING-FISHERS, GREEN BIRDS, BLACK BIRDS WITH BEAUTIFUL RED HEADS AND A PRETTY, SHINY BLACK BIRD THAT´S NAME HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH COWS! WE ALSO SAW THE BIGGEST DEER IN SOUTH AMERICA CALLED MARSH DEER AND A NATIVE ANIMAL THAT IS THE BIGGEST RODENT IN THE WORLD CALLED CAPPY BARRAS, YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THEM IN THE ZOO, THAY ARE SO CUTE AND WE SAW SO MANY OF THEM, WE ALSO SAW LOTS OF CROCS CALLED CAIMON! 

WE PACKED THEN CAUGHT A 4X4 TO A PLACE CALLED POSADAS FROM WHERE WE CAUGHT A BUS  TO OUR NEXT DESTINATION CALLED SAN IGNACIO. IT WAS BOILING HOT!! WAY INTO THE 30s! AFTER A LOOONG BORING TALK ABOUT HOSTELS TO A RANDOM INFORMATION GUY WE FOUND A REALLY FLASH BUT CHEAP HOSTEL WITH A POOL, POOL, FOOSEBALL, PING PONG AND LOTS OF OTHER GREAT THINGS! DECIDED TO STAY 2 NIGHTS HERE! 

MISSING EVERYONE HEAPS AND KEEPING UP WITH MY TRAVEL DIARY, JUST!! HAVING FUN, BYE!!!!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

EVEN MORE PICS!

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HEY HERE ARE EVEN MORE PICS!! YAY! FINALLY GOT ROUND TO DOWNLOADING THEM!! I'M GOING TO DO THEM 4 AT A TIME.
HOPE YOU LIKE!
THE BEAUTIFUL WHALES
ON THE BOAT!!


MT. OSORNO IN THE SUNSET


THE AMAZING WATER FALLS
 


Thursday, December 2, 2010

RISSARIO

HI! WE ARE IN RISSARIO NOW WHERE THE HEAT IS UNIMAGINABLE! IT IS ABOUT 35 HERE AND IN JAN IT CAN GET UP TO 50!! YESTERDAY WE WENT TO A MASSIVE TOWER THAT THE ARGENTINIAN FLAG WAS CREATED IN. VERY INTERESTING AND LEARNT LOTS OF THINGS! AFTER WE WENT TO THE BEACH. IT IS THE RIVER BEACH AND THE WATER LOOKS LIKE CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE AND THE BOTTOM IS LIKE A SLIPPERY MUD!   YOU COULD ONLY GO UP TO A CERTAIN DEPTH THOUGH. THERE WAS A PUBLIC BEACH THAT WE WENT TO AND THERE WAS ALSO A PRIVATE BEACH THAT YOU HAD TO PAY 8 PAESOS TO GET IN TO. THE PUBLIC BEACH WAS GREAT THOUGH AND WE SWAM LOTS! WE WENT BACK TO THE HOSTEL THEN ME AND MUM WENT SHOPPING SO I COULD GET SOME SUMMER P.JS( THE NIGHTS ARE BOILING, OUTSIDE IT SEEMS TO GET HOTTER AND HOTTER!) GOT SOME COOL ONES WITH KIWI LIKE SHEEP ON THEM! CUTE!
WE GOT HERE BUY BUS FROM PUERTO MADRYN ON A 18 HOUR BUS RIDE!! ARGENTINA IS HUGE! THE BUS´S HERE ARE REALLY COMFY, YOU GET FEED DINNER, BREKKIE AND SNACKS! THE SEATS CAN STRETCH OUT ALMOST HORIZONTAL AND THEY ARE COMFIER THAN A PLANE. IT IS A DOUBLE DECKER BUS SO IT WAS ZOE AND MINE FIRST TIME ON ONE. 15 MINUTES LATER WE HAD TO CATCH A BUS FROM BEANOS AIRES THAT LASTES 4 HOURS TO RISSARIO. ME AND ZOE GOPT TO SIT AT THE TOP LEVEL AT THE VERY FRONT, WE COULD SEE OUT THE FRONT AND SIDE WINDOWS AND I WAS SITTING ON THE DRIVERS HEAD!! HEHEHE!
QUICK NOTE: THERE IS 3 PAESOS TO THE N.Z $
RANDOM FACT: SEA ELEPHANTS CAN DIVE 1500 METRES DEEP AND CAN SWIM 100KM NON-STOP!! WOW!
HAVING A GREAT TIME AND MISSING EVERYONE HEAPS, ADIOS!!!