Don't cry for me Argentina !!!

Bahia blanca , plaza.

Another bus journey, this time destination, Bahia Blanca... it was a lazy start as the bus was at 12pm, then a frantic crazy, race to get to bus station, as had no money and ATM not working.... then disaster struck as Brian's Rucksack broke and he had to carry it !!!! NIGHTMARE ..
After a very pleasant 9 hours on a first class coach with full 180 degree recline, 4 films to watch and 2 hot meals served to you with wine !! ( so much better than flying ) we arrived in Bahia Blanca.. We hopped in a taxi to take us to the hotel, which again had to park miles away as the annual night marathon was on and all streets were shut... why tonight, when Brian has to carry his rucksack... Lovely hotel with a beautiful half moon balcony, so we threw the rucks or more Brian laid his like a palliative patient on a bed .. and watched the marathon runners pound past our hotel on the home straight to the finish line... lots of clapping and raising a cold beer.. Go on my son !!
The next day we mooched around this very pretty town, lovely Plaza and beautiful old colonial town hall and cathedral.. Our mission today was to get Brian's Ruck fixed , which proved impossible, so we bought him a trolley to strap it onto ... like an old women with her shopping trolley..

El Puerto !!

The following day was my birthday .. hooray .. 41 today, and I celebrated by pulling 8 grey hairs out of my head !!! where did they come from.. and why do they have to stick up so high waving to everyone like a flag with your number 41 on !!
Lots of messages and skypes from family and loved ones, so thank you all for them. and a lovely skype from Jo and family , an acoustic Happy Birthday masterpiece was sung which was nicely accompanied and arranged with the help of 4 bazookas, which I thought was a lovely touch.. my ears however did not !! 

Colonia avenues

I had decided I wanted to go to the port for lunch , I had imagined sleek yachts bobbing around and stylish restaurants, shaded by the dappled light of palm trees- oh no ... first we had to buy an oyster card for the bus which took an hour to find the right shop, then we waited for 50 minutes for bus 500 !! it was dusty, no windows and no seats.. and being driven by a mass murderer, ... we were thrown about that bus like a piece of corned beef in a tin ... it was a proper work out just hanging on.. The bus was full of lets just say the lower class Argie! or Argie Bargie !! As we were approaching what I thought was going to be a Monte Carlo of harbours... it seemed to be getting more industrial and slummy.... the bus began to empty and we were the only ones left on the bus.. The serial killer stopped the bus , walked down with a swagger of a gun slinging cowboy and started shouting in our face.. "el puerto , el puerto " . and did the Argie shrug of shoulders upto their ears... we couldn't see out of the glassless windows for grit and dust in our eyes, and a wall of cargo containers as far as the eyes could see... Brian squinted his eyes at the driver like 'the man with no name ' ( good , bad , ugly ) and through dust covered lips muttered " el centro ... el centro " , there was a moments pause between the two of them ... until eventually the driver nodded a discerning nod and whispered back " Si... el centro" ...
So we rode the runaway bus back to where we had started 2 hours ago. had a fabulous lunch with plenty of wine and champagne and fell into bed...

Just locking the front door!!

The following day was another 9 hour bus ride in pure luxury watching mile after mile of arid, dusty flat landscape, dotted with thorn scrubby bush., we arrived in Buenos Aires, cab to the port , cleared customs for Uruguay and and hour later arrived in Colonia De Sacramento... and it is wonderful...
The hotel is wonderful it is very hot, so we relaxed around the pool and went for siestas.
The next few days were spent walking this delightful town, cobbled streets, sycamore lined avenues, dappled restaurants, with barbeques at the bar, for a different experience, old vintage cars parked outside colourful colonial buildings and the most beautiful sunsets going down over the sea toward Buenos Aires. All the bars are in the cobbled streets and all have live music , singers , Spanish guitarists. rustic bars, offering free snacks and glasses of champagne, this place everyone should try and come to, wonderful artisan shops, and handicraft markets. An absolute perfect way to spend our last few days.
But it was soon time to move on.. Ferry back to BA to an amazing hotel in Palermo which is like Kensington with champagne on ice in the room waiting for us.. We had heard about 'the most famous restaurant in BA - La Cabrera', bookings only and a queue a mile long for any cancellations... well we managed to blag our way in .... and had amazing food, wine and a fab atmosphere for our last night... I was very tearful all night and most of the way home, can't wait to see family and friends,  but don't want it to be over..

Sunset from Colonia

But it is ... it was off to the airport the next day..... we threw away all our clothes ... they were a hazard warning and filled our rucks with gifts.. We were not upgraded flying home, nuts man, but whilst waiting for our flight looked back at what we had left in the 'McNally wake'
1) We left with riots in London- people obviously freaking that we were leaving.
2) Worst floods in Laos and borders shut.
3) Worst flooding in Cambodia for 25 years.
4) Worst floods in Thailand ever ..
5) Volcanic eruption in Indonesia.
6) Tsunami warnings in Indonesia.
7) Another earthquake in Christchurch when we left.
8) Floods in Brazil - we only went for a day.
9) Unsettled Argies over fuel piplines..

So I think we left our mark, someone has clearly left the plug in , in some countries....

Waiting for the ferry..

The flight was long and fairly uneventful apart from me sitting next to the smelliest, ugliest, repulsive, boring man alive.. who sold telesales.. thank god.. no one has to look or smell him !!!! it was a eye watering 13 hours...

We caught the tube , then train then damn you South Eastern railway the bus home ... engineering works.. so in the last 48 hours we have been on most forms of transport...

The final walk down the road was delightfully met with a huge welcome home banner and balloons strung across Mums house and an emotional hug waiting for me from her with an ear shrilling barking chorus from Max....

It lovely to come home and see the family, Jo and all the kids came round , and they have all grown so much and developed into wonderful young people, then Kate phoned and the kids got on the phone , in which Rosie said " are your legs aching " I laughed and said " I didn't walk home !! but my arms are as we flew " !!! she is only 6 !!

Welcome home

So the last entry of my blog.. Jo had us all round for dinner on Sunday.. we all shared stories, and laughs and photos, it was noisy, fun and Christmassy as we all wore hats from the crackers... we have had the most amazing experience , seen and done so much, we are so so lucky, Brian has been wonderful, looking after me and letting me choose to do exactly as I want for 6 months.. Thanks Lilly for giving him this opportunity. Thanks Kate and Rich for having Ceide who is now home and still alive, which is amazing for her age, so thanks to you for giving us this opportunity, also to all friends and family you all know who you are , for making the homesickness less, by emailing and skyping  and not having to worry about Mum.. who well done Mum 69 years old, and has her first IPAD, and has emailed and Skyped every sodding day ... for 6 frigging months.... and it has been wonderful..

Home sweet home !!

"The Family !!"

It is great to be home... do you know what , it feels like we have never been away !!!!!!
Thanks for reading.xx