Hola ! South America...

We have arrived !! lets tango xx

see ya pissy rain !

We dropped the camper van back 3500km later ... and caught our long uncomfortable flight to Chile... It was a an 11 hour flight with a time difference of nine hours , so we were not feeling that chipper !! It would appear that being able to order a couple of coffees and a bottle of wine is not going to be enough ...I tell you this Spanish is like a foreign language to me ...
Got a taxi to our hotel , but due to some political coup we were dropped off about a mile away ... and barked at in Spanish, I think he was saying " get out you English pigs and walk you lazy gringos" so we walked.. in too many clothes from dull New ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZealand and with our heavy packs and Ukulele in tow we eventually found our hotel.. phew wee !!

hola .. Chile !

Our first night in Santiago and we love it, leafy avenues, really friendly people, we found a restaurant and ordered ... we were not sure... but the beers we lovely.. It happened to be Karaoke night and boy do the Chileans like to sing.. they Bam Bam Bammed and Chicky Chicky Chooed the night away, it was great fun.
We were both awake at 3am .. damn you longitude , so were up and at it , zombie fide ... we had to get to the bus station to book our tickets to Argentina ... This meant negotiating the underground then finding the station , booking tickets across a border and finding our way home.. Now this is back packing.. it's exhausting but exciting in a challenging way ... I don't imagine my Spanish is that acoustically pleasing to the ear, but with a lot of smiling and 'gracias' we seem to be getting there..

Football winners.. gggoooaaalllll !!!!!

We wandered around this lovely city and were fortunate enough to see the football winners of South America cup, University de Chile on their open top bus with the trophy.. so hundreds of people were in the street blowing whistles and banging drums.. the buildings are beautiful here and we spent a hour or so in Musuem de Arts just staring at the ceiling..
Up again at 2am... we both look dreadful.. have not had jet lag like this before.. it is awful.. so we were at the bus station in plenty of time... having got the tube with our rucks on .. check us out !!

Barren Andes.

The bus was amazing.. it was like sitting in Jim Ill fix it chair.(rip). huge leather armchair with full recline, snacks and films.. The journey was stunning over the Andes.. we completed 30 switchbacks, which were a little hairy.. at the top we had to get out and clear Chile immigration then go to the next booth and enter Argentina, all very easy and friendly, it was downhill from there on.. not in a negative way, on the bus.... passing rivers, vineyards.. it was nice to see civilisation again.. those Andes are so barren.. snowcapped but very loamy sandy .. no wonder when that plane crashed they had to eat each other .. there is nothing on them mountains.. whenever I board a plane, all passengers are potential meals... I have a quick look about and bag my meal... Asian rim can sleep easy... their food gives me a bad head,  all the msg they have consumed I shall be leaving them till last ... Anyway.....

Deserted Andes.

We arrived in Mendoza and it is wonderful.. dramatic, snow capped  mountains with vineyards at their feet, clear blue skies, tree lined boulevards, pavement cafes with fountains and parks... just what we have been looking for.. everyone is so friendly and helpful.. and the Malbec wine is wonderful..  In the evening families are out promenading with their children and a carnival was on with drums and scantily clad girls donning a lot of feathers..it is lovely just sitting sipping wine, eating olives and watching the world go by..

Now thats a switchback !!

The following day we caught the local bus !! hmm no phrase book prepares you for this.. we climbed on to a full bus.. everyone staring at us.. you have to buy tickets at the door in a machine.. it only takes coins.. we only had notes.. the driver was driving like a maniac.. so we were being tossed around like a wet rag !! eventually an elderly gent threw his "oyster card " at us !! so we bought 2 tickets.. to who knows where on his card and gave him 5 pesos !!! the only seats available were at the front facing the whole bus !!!! my cheeks were sore from laughing and smiling the whole way there...
We got off at Maipu, this is the wine region of Mendoza, and we hired two bikes for the day, so with map in hand and trusty stead between our thighs !! we headed off... it was so hot.. and uphill, and the cellars were quite far apart.. we would arrive with tongues dragging , gasping for water rather than a nice warm glass of red wine...still it's not everyday you get to ride a bike around the foothills of the Andes with condors soaring over your heads..

Hungry ?

That night we caught a cab to the fashionable side of town where if you are anyone you don't go out till 12am ... it was fabulous, people strutting their stuff, the seen wanting to be seen , we managed 1am, then headed home for our flight to Buenos Aires.
Hooray ... it is our anniversary ... our whole journey we have been upgraded and showered in wine, champagne, flowers and cake... here . one of the lesser of our hotels and a room in the basement.. there again is a lesson there somewhere.....
I cannot believe we are here, it is fantastic, vibrant, busy, noisy, beautiful,.. we checked into our basement and booked ourselves on a Tango show for our anniversary ..
OMG... we had the best table in the intimate restaurant and had dinner first , with free drinks all night ..

Carnival ...

Then the show began... we were totally mesmerised for 2 hours, intense, passionate, sexy...the dancers gave everything.. you could almost feel the heat and passion coming off them, some dances actually made me cry.. one dancer sang " dont cry for me " and I don't think a song has ever moved me so much .. what a romantic way to spend your anniversary.. I showed Brian some tango moves later that night, but the old kick of the leg between the old swingers put an early night to that ..  

Ahh Condor 

Samba ..

We are really enjoying BA, we have decided to stay for Christmas.. so to all you blog followers, a very Happy Christmas and 2012... Can't believe we will be home soon.. Enjoy your time with your families and friends.. I will be missing all the people I love very much . xxxxxxxx