Malaysia- Kuala Lampur, Taman Negara and Cameron Highlands

Crossing from Singapore in to Malaysia was very simple and easy. Everyone on the bus were extremely friendly and helpful. The bus too was great. We got blankets, food and water and the air con worked the entire journey.

Arriving in to Kuala Lampur was great. The bus driver told me how to get to where I was staying, then decided to drop me right outside my hostel.

The hostel was lovely. The receptionist was really funny and knew everything. Breakfast was great and there was a fantastic TV lounge, so I watched DVDs in the evening with fellow backpackers. The hostel had a roof terrace that gave spectacular views of the city. The girls in my room were also great fun. We could not stop talking.

During the day I went out with the girls from my dorm. We looked around the buildings and parks of KL. One of the parks is called the 'Lake Garden', but there was not a lake there. They were doing building work. I walked through a small woodland area, which to people from the UK would call a jungle. It was full of palms, bamboo and ferns. I did not see any snakes or scorpions.

Its a fun city. Vibrant and full of activity. Its also very hot and humid so you can't really walk too far. The Christmas decorations here are spectacular too. The roads were crazy to cross, no one obeyed the traffic rules, so you just had to go!

I only stayed for three nights and wanted to move on to do a jungle trek tour in Taman Negara. Two of the girls from the dorm decided to join me.

The journey up took a while. The bus took three hours and then we took a boat upstream to where we were actually staying. The boat was tiny. It was a glorified rowing boat, though it had a motor. It took three hours to complete the journey. The views were great. Lush green vegetation as far as the eye could see. Then it started to rain and all our luggage was uncovered. The guy pulled over and covered them up, but it took a while to get started again.

Once we arrived, the accommodation was fine. There were monkeys in the trees and lizards everywhere. The showers were cold, but its so hot and humid in the jungle it was not really a problem. We went on a night jungle safari that evening. Our guide kept warning us and scaring us about leeches. It was also raining very heavily. I decided to leave my camera back at the hostel as I was already soaked to the bone.

The walk was great, we saw stick insects, glow in the dark mushrooms, deer, spiders, snakes, and so many other creatures. We did not get to see the tigers that live somewhere in the jungle nor any elephants. The creatures and plants in the jungle are so weird and wonderful. Their camouflage completely works. It took a while for us to see the stick insects, the difference between the creature and the plant. The rain did not really ease, but being under the plant canopy provides sufficient shelter. The leaves on the trees are so big and thick. The sounds of the rain and the animals was very relaxing.

We survived the night jungle trek and were all leech free. I slept very well that night. We had to get up fairly early the next day.

The following morning started with a canopy walk way. We were walking on suspended bridges that were 10 meters plus off of the ground. I was quite scared so took my time. I do not think this pleased everyone, but I got to have a great look and the wonderful plants and trees. The sounds of the birds and crickets was constant, and soothing.

Next on the agenda was a climb to the top of one of the hills. It was only 400 meters high, but was hard work as it was steep. I enjoyed the work out. The view was not great. We stopped at about 300 meters and should have been able to see the river from where we were, but the clouds had not really lifted. We continued walking and the next view was great. The clouds had risen a bit more and the sun was peaking out. Lush green rain forest everywhere. Then much to our surprise on the way back, the view that was blocked by the clouds had completely cleared. We could see so much of the valley.

I love being in the rain forest. I love the shapes of the leaves, the smells, the creatures, the sounds. Everywhere is green and lush. The plants are all competing with each other, small flowers are on the trees, I did see some orchids; the sunlight casting light beams through the gaps in the canopy making the leaves shine and so much more. During the day, I got to see spiders, beetles, leeches, crickets and thousands of termites. Some of them were poisonous and others harmless. The weather changes all the time, its raining then its sunny, then it rains again. The light level changes the view of the rain forest. When there is less light you can see out further and through the depths of the trees, when it is sunny the greens of the leaves are bright and reflect the light and the brown of the wood is enhanced.

Once we had finished the day trek our guide asked us to check for leeches, only two people from the group had some and they did not want to let go. They had two each and could not feel them there at all. So pleased that they did not find me tasty.

In the afternoon we went to see an indigenous settlement that live on the river. We were not sure if it was staged or if they really live there. Most of them were wearing jeans and t-shirts. Our guide said that the government try to help them. Before we got to the village, we went white water rafting in the tiny rowing boat with a motor. We all drenched. It was great fun, I could not stop screaming and laughing. The village met us when we were soaked through. I guess it helped us to get rid of any inhibitions, and it was en route. We got to see how they hunt for food with a long bamboo stick and darts. They blow through the bamboo which is about 1- 2 meters long and darts go for about 30 meters. The construction was simple and looked perfect. They also showed us how to make fire using bamboo and palm wood. They got a flame going with in 30 seconds.

After being soaked through and full of mud I went back to clean up before dinner. In the evening we went on a night jungle safari. I do not know how the 4x4 managed to get us in and out of the jungle. It is rainy season here. The tracks are like streams and rivers. It was cool though. Got to see more creatures: wild boars, leopard cats, cows, snakes and owls. Night time in the jungle is so noisy. The frogs and the crickets and everything else just come alive.

That night I slept very well. We had to be up early the next day. It was time to leave. The group I had been travelling with were heading back to KL and I was leaving for the Cameron Highlands. We left the same way we arrived, by boat. So I had to say goodbye to them all once we got to the bus station.

I was the only one going to the Cameron Highlands. I had the bus all to myself. The journey was very frightening. My driver was experienced as I guess I had nothing to fear, and they all drive the same way, so I guess everyone is aware. He would over take about 10 vehicles at once, even when there was traffic coming the other way, then complain about the bad driving from other drivers. There have been a few land slips recently. In the UK the roads would have been closed, but no here in Asia you can still go over bridges that are only half standing. My drivers strategy was drive as quickly as possible in case the bridge collapses. He could see I was nervous and told me this to comfort me!

Anyway, I managed to get here alive. Its very beautiful. Its cold. I am 2000 meters above sea level. Its great to escape the hot weather for a while. Its like Autumn in the UK. I have to wear jumpers and sleep in thermals. I have gotten used to 30oC weather so 15oC is very cold to me now. the hostel has no glass in the windows and I am not sure who constructed it. Its a few bits of wood nailed together and it leaks. The roof above the cheap beds is just plastic and the expensive ones have wood. Cheap is 80p and expensive is 1 pound. I actually really like it. Is cosy once you have two blankets and thermals. Everyone here is great.

I had a lazy day when I arrived. Yesterday I went to see the local strawberry farms- nothing like the English strawberry, but still great. I had cake and milkshake, both strawberry flavour. I also saw the tea plantations, butterfly farms, bee farms and more. The highlands are great. Lots of farming villages and great markets. The food in the village is great. I am living off of Indian food.

Malaysia is so diverse. There are so many cultures living side by side together happily. Everyone is so helpful and friendly. It throws me. I am so used to being on my guard, that I feel guilty doubting people that help me. People offer me to come under their umbrellas when its raining, and just want to talk, maybe to practice their English. People are curious, but friendly. Its also very clear that the English were here. There are Tudor buildings scattered around and I can get a cream tea just about anywhere I go.

I am going on a trek later on today. Tomorrow I leave to Pengang. I island in the north. For Christmas I should be in Thailand a place called Khao Lak. I have some friends from the UK in Thailand at the moment, so will hopefully see them all over the festive period.

Singapore

The flight to Singapore was pretty scary, as there was a fair bit of turbulence. Arriving at the airport was lovely. There are orchids everywhere. So pretty and beautiful.

I managed to work out the train successfully to get to the hostel I was staying at. When I arrived, I was unsure if I had the right place. The door was labeled with print outs with the name and address on. So professional. Then the real shock came once I go inside. I think the wonderful hotels in Thailand and Hong Kong had spoiled me. I was shocked, it was sooooo tiny, bunk beds, shared kitchen, no en suit bathroom and back to no hot water!!!!! But actually it is perfectly clean and really comfy. Everyone staying at the hostel are fun and friendly.

I had to get used to the noise again of the dorms. The room I am staying in is next to the TV room, so the noise comes through, but surprisingly I had a great nights sleep. The next morning I did see a lizard creeping into some one's bag trying to get a free ride to Malaysia or Indonesia I guess.

The first day in Singapore it rained, but was still hot. I still went out and had a good look around. I froze in my wet clothes whenever I went inside as they love air con here too. Singapore appears to be more green and lush in the city centre compared to Hong Kong, but I they both celebrate Christmas more than Europe or anywhere else and love to shop. The displays are amazing. There is an ice skating display in one of the shopping malls and huge decorations everywhere. There are thousands of shops to trying to get you to buy.


I had a look around China Town, Little India and the Riverside. They are all great fun. I felt that they were vibrant. The Riverside looks very Dutch to me and also a mix of Sydney Harbour, Melbourne and the South Bank in London. Its definitely very Western over here. Everything is written in English. There are many colonial buildings dotted around too. I had forgotten about the use of squat toilets in South East Asia and the way cockroaches are everywhere in the tropics. Though after my first encounters, I think nothing of them anymore.

Today was wonderfully sunny and hot. I had a closer look at the temples today as there is such a mixture of Muslim, Chinese, Buddhist and more. I return to Singapore in February, so will spend more time looking around. I booked a bus to go to Malaysia. I will hopefully be picked up from the hostel in the morning, I have my fingers crossed at the moment.

Its sad not having company anymore, and having someone to chat to all the time, though I am sure Gemma and Haydn are relieved not to hear my endless chitter chatter; but its also great fun to be on my own again. Its fun trying to work out what to do and where to go. Its also hard to get away from people as the dorms are so full of people wanting to tell you their stories.

Enough from me. Looking forward to moving to Malaysia. Will let you all know how it goes. xxx

Hong Kong

Hong Kong has been quite a contrast from Thailand. Its clean, organised, expensive and efficient. The tube meets the airport and takes you straight to where you want to go. Such a relief. I loved Thailand, and its chaos, but it is great to get from the plane to the hotel with no complications.

I met Haydn at the airport. He was due to get off the plane shortly after me. I waited at the arrivals area but Haydn's flight kept being delayed so I went to find a seat in the arrivals lounge. I was not really sure if he would arrive. I was getting worried as the information for his flight kept changing. As I went to check what was happening with his flight, he arrived telling me that his plane landed then took off and then landed again. So pleased I was not on that flight!!

Anyway we got to Hong Kong Island in no time on the tube or MTR as its called here. The hotel was lovely. Got to have a hot shower for the first time in ages. I must have spent more than 20 minutes just enjoying the hot water. I did not do very much the first night. Flying always makes me so tired.

The next morning, looking around Hong Kong was interesting. It was easy to walk around no market stalls and their sellers bothering me; crossing roads was safe and easy as the traffic obeys the road rules though there are loads of people are rushing to get to work or to go shopping, which seems to be the favorite pass time here. The buildings are so big and dominating.

I found Hong Kong to be cold initially, the air conditioning is always on so low, walking past each shop is like passing a fridge. I managed to get used to it by wearing more clothes. I was expecting Hong Kong to be as hot as Thailand, but it is about 10oC cooler, which makes it much more pleasant to walk around.

The first tourist attraction I went to was The Peak. The Peak is at the top of one of the mountains and is very steep. We took a tram up and could see all of Hong Kong and some of the surrounding islands. We stayed up there for the sun set and to see the buildings put on their lights.

Most mornings I would wonder in to the food markets and get some fruit for breakfast, and then head to the park to enjoy the morning sunshine. The parks here are full of activity. Men are playing Chinese Chess and the women are practicing Tai Chi, or gossiping with their friends. Open spaces and parks in Hong Kong are really positive environments. People here seem to active and social. The parks are filled with plants and flowers and are very clean.

My favorite park was Hong Kong park. There is a huge pond filled with terrapins and coy carp and water lillys, with butterflies and dragon flies dancing around. There is a tea house, botanical garden, aviary and art museum there too. The when you look up you can see the big dominating buildings. It is such a contrast. It is a place where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The other attractions I found were the bars. I had kept away from the bars in most countries, but here they have happy hour everywhere and ladies drink for free on Wednesday nights. The bars are great fun.

Each Sunday I have been here I have been fortunate enough to go out on a boat around the islands. Haydn has many friends here in Hong Kong and we were invited on to these boats which were great fun. We stopped at a wonderful seafood restaurant. All though I do not eat this sort of food it looked wonderful. Everything was cooked in garlic and chille. I ordered some vegetables and they were so full of taste, like nothing I had eaten before. On the first boat I forgot to take my bikini. Every one went swimming, I could not resist so I went in in my underwear. My bra was ok, but my knickers were a bit lacy and on the small side. It was all good fun though.

We spent a couple of days off the island. We went to look around the markets on the main land. The main land has a different feel. We went to one of the main shopping areas which has lots of fake designer watches and bags. The markets are full of copies. We also went to the bird market which was just so noisy. Apparently the Chinese by birds for their song and not for their appearance. Walking though was just so difficult on the ear drums. We had just left the flower market which was calm, beautiful and fragrant. The bird market was a total contrast. Then we looked around the fish market which was very interesting. So many weird and wonderful fish, coral and other interesting creatures including bugs.

I stopped to watch the light display on the Avenue of Stars. The Avenue of Stars has tiles of famous Chinese film and music stars. It is the perfect place to watch the light display. The view of Hong Kong is amazing. I am so lucky to come here so close to Christmas as the building have festive displays on them as well as their own lights. It so colourful. I really enjoyed the light display. The buildings come to life and they are timed to music. The buildings look like they are dancing.

I took the train right out of town and went to have a look at the Big Buddha which is amazing. We took the cable car over the mountains which were spectacular. Such a contrast from Hong Kong. It was fantastic to see so much greenery and to look out in to the sea. I can not remember all the details regarding the big Buddha but it sits on top of one of the mountains. I think the mountain it sits on is 1000 meters above sea level. It dominates the landscape. Walking up to the Buddha is almost intimidating. it is a huge bronze sculpture. The head alone is 5 meters long and I think it weighs 500 tonnes. It was interesting to go and to see the scenery. We told people the next day that we had been there, then the stories about the cable cars randomly falling were being told. Maybe we would have taken the bus up if we had known that.

The temples here are a little bit different from the temples in Thailand. They have animals on the roofs, and you can have your fortune told, and much more incense is used. They are a bit commercial too. There are cafes and shops with in the temple grounds, which I found a bit strange. The temples are very pretty and the art work is so delicate. They are very well kept.

I am off to Singapore on Sunday. Not sure what I will do when I get there. I have had a lot of fun in Hong Kong. Its so many things. Its beautiful, powerful, delicate, full of contrasts, multi cultural, relaxed and busy. Its quite difficult to explain. The sky line is amazing. People are so kind and friendly. The food is good. There must be more than a million shops. Just so many things.

Thailand

Gemma and I arrived in to Thailand at midnight. We finally got to Khao San Road, Bangkok at around 1.30am. The weather was dreadful. The rain was coming down so hard. The guy that sat next to us on the plane shared a taxi with us and lead us to a great hotel. Not sure if we could have made it there with out him. We both went straight to bed.

Next morning it was so hot and humid with the air full of smog. The heat just took me by surprise. We headed out in to Bangkok. Khao San Road looked totally different from when we arrived. Everywhere we went we got lost. I guess I had gotten so used to blocks and the streets being so well organised and tidy, and Bangkok is just chaotic. The traffic does not obey the rules of the roads so you just have to walk out, and everywhere looks same same but different.

We took the passenger boat on the Ping River which cooled us down a fair bit, but walking around Bangkok was so oppressive. We were a bit scared to get a tuk-tuk or a taxi anywhere so we walked everywhere.

We went in to a travel agent to book a trip to Chiang Mai. We needed to get out of Bangkok.

The journey up was almost unbearable. I could not stop sweating. There was no air con on the bus. It was an over night journey and took 10 hours. It amused us both that we were just given stickers to wear on our shirts which indicated where we were staying.

When we arrived at Chiang Mai we were greeted by a kind of truck. People just took our bags and directed us to get in. So we did.

The accommodation was great and there was a pool. First thing I did was go for a swim to refresh myself from the journey. Then I think just stayed by the pool for a while. We were supposed to go on a trek the next day, but there were not enough people so we had to delay it by a day. We went to a Thai cookery class which was great. Ate so much. I made 7 dishes and ate them all.

I love Thai food. It was great to look around the local food market and see what spices and vegetables are used. I loved eating all the food too. I love Thai food.

Next day we set off for the trek. There was 8 of us in the group plus the tour leader who was great fun and wanted to be David Beckham. We were dropped off somewhere in Pai for our trek. We started the trek on someones farm. There were lots of piglets and chickens running around. We passed through soya fields and banana plantations. We walked for 2 hours and we were all sweltering. I was so worried that I would not be able to walk the next day in the heat. The path was so steep.

When we arrived at the first village we played football with some of the children. I managed to pull my calf muscle pretty badly, so was even more concerned that I would not be able to walk the next day.

We stayed in a bamboo hut. We slept on blankets and were covered with blankets. All eight of us shared the hut, although there were enough beds for 16. We were comfortably spaced out, and a little snug. We were not sure if the blankets had ever been washed. We were all so tired anyway that it did not care too much.

Next day, my leg still hurt and our lovely tour guide took my bag for me which was great. One of the guys in the group, who also had a few injuries gave me a support bandage and some deep heat. I was so thankful, though I did not stop moaning about the pain for a while and think I have him a headache. It was kind of funny too. Especially as we were both hurt.

The jungle was great. waterfalls, bamboo, butterflies, creepy crawlies. Each village we stopped at had cockerels and chickens. The cockerel would not just make is sound in the morning but whenever they fancied. The other noises in the jungle were amazing too. I could hear crickets and a locust type thing. The sounds were so loud and powerful.

My leg was fine by the afternoon. The tour guide still took my bag for me. The walking was hard work at times. Just very steep. We were all so happy to get to the bamboo hut that night. After dinner we played some Thai games and I just kept loosing and so did everyone else. We were being tricked all the time or maybe we were just not observant enough.

Our last day of the trek included an elephant ride and bamboo rafting. The elephant riding was calm and relaxing. There was a baby elephant which was beautiful. The elephant I was on just wanted to eat. The bamboo rafting was the total opposite. We fell in the water a few times. The water is full of leeches and other creatures. The current in the water was fairly strong. One of the guys was not a confident swimmer. We were heading for some low lying branches which caused us all to fall off the raft. The guy ended up in the tree, whilst the rest of us were trying to swim back to the raft.

Our tour guide was also on my raft, and was always trying to get us in the water. He was always rocking the raft, and eventually it came apart.

The group all got on well. We stayed in Chiang Mai together for a while. We all had massages, looked around the temples and went out together. It was quite sad when it all came to an end, but equally time to move on.

We took two night buses to Koh Tao. The bus journey was much more comfortable and less busy. We were given stickers again, no paper work or tickets. We were transported all over the place and finally got on the boat.

Koh Tao was beautiful. Calm, relaxing, sun, beach and hot weather. Just what we needed. The pubs all had movie nights, so my daily routine was get up, get breakfast, head to the pool for the morning sun, head to the beach for a swim and the afternoon sun, dinner and a movie.

I did walk a lot on the island too and got chased by dogs. There are loads of stray dogs there, though many of the dogs are actually owned. I was trying to climb one of the big hills on the island to see one of the other beaches and was getting so hot and bothered. A guy came by on his moped. His moped could not make it up the hill, so he got off and we walked together for a while and got to the look out. All the scenery was wonderful- of the island. I could not bare to walk back to the beach we were staying on, so I took a lift from him. It was so much quicker and a lot more fun then walking... and he was hot.

Koh Tao was such such a contrast from Chiang Mai and Bangkok. It was full of divers, it was really quite during the day as everyone was in the ocean. It was very touristy. Chiang Mai was a real mix of tourists and locals and Bangkok was just chaotic.

Although Koh Tao was so quite compared to the others I think it was mating season for the frogs as they were so very loud at night.

The weather suddenly changed in Koh Tao the night before we were due to leave. Rainy season had started. We took the boat the next day and thought we were going to die. We got on the boat at 2.30pm. The roads had become rivers. We had to walk though knee high water to get to the ferry port. The sea was black and not calm at all. The sky was heavy and grey. The crossing was so rough. I wanted to wear my life jacket the whole time. I even worked out what to save of my belongings, then realised that the sea rescue would not have come out, so either way I would die.

When we arrived at the ferry port I was so happy. I ran down the jetty, away from the sea. The ferry ports are very basic. Just some bamboo and palm trees nailed together. It would fall apart at any moment. If we had stayed on Koh Tao any longer we may not have been able to get off the island. I was thinking back to the time in Kiakora in New Zealand when I was stranded due to the rain. I was so pleased to get off the island in the end.

The calm tranquil water and beautiful beaches were only beautiful when the sun was shining, and too be fare we had great weather when we were there. The sunsets were perfect and the heat was just what I needed. The contrast in the weather on the final days was just like being in a different world. Such dramatic contrasts.

When we returned to Bangkok, the weather there was great. The temperature had dropped and was manageable. The traffic, and all the noise of Bangkok was still there, but the air felt lighter.

Getting to the airport became a bit of a problem. The King's sister was being buried the day I needed to fly and all the roads were closed so I had to go the airport early, which worked out well as Gemma left before me, so I saw her off at the airport. Tried very hard not to get emotional. It was sad to see her go.

I am now in Hong Kong. Its organised, the traffic obeys the road rules, there is an energy about the place, but the aircon is a problem for me. Its 25oC outside and inside 15oC. I will get used to it, but its a bit of a shock.

Rainbow Beach- Sydney

After Airley Beach I headed down to Rainbow Beach, just to break up my journey to Byron Bay. I had a great night there, but was very pleased to have just stopped there for one day. The beach was pretty and the sands were colourful, but there was very little to see and not really a lot going on.

Byron Bay on the other hand was a lot of fun. Everyone in my dorm were lovely and really great to be with. There were four other girls in the room and we just chatted about everything that girls do.

The beaches in Byron Bay were spectacular, beautiful long white sand beach with blue water. I went walking on the beaches and one morning decided to get up really early to watch the sun rise from the most easterly point of Australia.

I got up at 4.30am to walk to the lighthouse. It was really quite scary. There were lots of bats and other night time creatures rustling about in the bush. Once I got there it was spectacular to see the sunrise out from the ocean and clouds and how the light changes the colours of the landscapes. My walk back to the hostel was great too. I saw lots of insects and birds going about their morning business, before the light got too strong for them.

I headed down to Sydney after Byron Bay. The coach journey was fun. People on the bus were really friendly. The bus went through Brisbane and Surfers Paradise. I am pleased I did not make a stop here, as I had really chilled out in Byron Bay and was not quite ready for sky scrapers and all that goes with the city life.

Though once I arrived in Sydney I was really dazzled by the mix of contemporary and Victorian influences on the city's buildings. I met up with Gemma and had a look around the harbour and botanical gardens. In the evening we had a night out on the town. It was great to see Sydney's nightlife.

I was staying in Kings Cross. Everyone told me not too as it is the red light district, but it was actually fine. Some of the shop names amused me a lot! But the hostel was great and so were the people staying there. We all had a night on goon- on Mad Monday. We had to play drinking games on this stuff- its called goon, its made from the rubbish they can not put in bottled wine and costs AU$7 for 4 litres. Very cheap! We all went on this pub crawl and were given lots of free drinks which caused us all to be so, so drunk. The next day the entire hostel were sleeping until about 2pm.

Sadly I had to leave Australia a couple of days after this. I was not really sure if I wanted to leave or not. Its a beautiful place, with a lot going on and great weather. Maybe I will return one day.

Melbourne to Airlie Beach

Arriving to Melbourne was a little disappointing at first. The weather was so cold and windy, but it soon brightened up. The weather in Christchurch, New Zealand was better, and our first thoughts were 'take us back'. We stayed with Gemma's friend James. It was so nice to be out of the dorms for a while. It was great to be able to chill out. We were both able to have a long, hot bath, both of us had really wanted to have a bath in new Zealand, but there were none available so it was a real treat.

I really liked Melbourne. It is a huge city. The buildings are so wonderful, a real mix of modern and Victorian. Very detailed both inside and out. I went in to a Victorian building, that I think was for lawyers and it was amazing. Everywhere I looked there was detailed tiles, plush chandeliers, beautiful mouldings of cherubs, and a glass central dome with stained glass. It was great to be in a city, I really liked the hustle and bustle. The city is full of art work. I really liked the trams too. I felt a little exposed waiting for them as you wait in the middle of the road.

There is a river that runs at the bottom of Melbourne which really reminded me of the South Bank in London. I had a look around the casino in all its glitz and glamour. There was someone that had been on the pokies all day and had to have first aid attention. The sun was out shining this day, so walking by the river was wonderful. There are lots of bridges that cross this river with lots of decoration on. It's a vibrant city with a lot going on.

The food here is great too. Real mix of Turkish, Asian and Australian styles. I have really enjoyed being able to eat falafal and hummus again.

I have had a lot of fun in Adelaide too with Pete, Rachael and the kids. The first day I arrived I went to kindy with the kids then in the afternoon we went down to Brighton and Glenelg Beaches. Had fun with the kids there chasing the waves and to my delight we saw two dolphins in the marina jumping around and playing. Apparently its not normal to see dolphins here, so this was a real treat for me.


The next day went to see kangaroos and koalas at the animal sanctuary, which was fun. Managed to stroke a koala. he was really cute. Then the kids and I managed to scare him whilst rustling a packet of crisps. We were told to leave.

The kangaroos were very friendly and many of them were carrying joeys. They were all really cute. Later on we went to Mount Lofty, where the views were not at their best as the weather was not great, but it was still great to see the vastness of Adelaide and really to get an idea of how big Australia is. Adelaide also has a wonderful aroma of eucalyptus and the earth is very red.


We went on a boat cruise down the river and have just had fun chilling out in the city of Adelaide the next day. We nearly got attacked by two black swans. They came up to us, I had one either side of me and they made me jump. I ran off then frightened the children too. It was really quite funny. I do not think they were really going to attack us, but they really frightened me. They were just after our food.

I spent a day with Lisa too, Aussie friend from London. It was great catching up with her, going out for Thai food and experiencing a Cold Rock Ice Cream, which I have had a few of since. You choose what ice creams you would like and any extras and they mix it all together. Yummy. We also had a bit of a girly shop looking at clothes, jewellery and make up.

My last day in Adelaide was very chilled. We had a look around the Botanical Gardens and played hide and seek. Then I had to catch my flight up to Cairns later on that day, which ended up being quite an emotional goodbye. Definitely had a great time hanging out with the Knights and am missing them all!

When I arrived in Cairns it took me a while to get used to the head and humidity and the noise. The heat struck me as soon as I stepped of the plane. It only took me a few hours to get used to it. Went out and brought a little summer dress and ditched most of my cold weather clothes. The birds and the toads make so much noise.

I spent a couple of days in Cairns before arranging to do anything. Went swimming in the pool and the lagoon most of the time I was there and booked a trip to Daintree Forest. Everywhere there are warnings about crocodiles and this really troubled me. Always being reminded about the crocs. They are in the entire water systems there- the ocean, the rivers, the creeks, anywhere there is water they are there. Fortunately in Cairns you can not swim on the beach as its mud flats really. Full of funny little creatures like mud crabs, and lots of birds there waiting to eat them- pelicans and I think oyster catchers- birds with very long, thin beaks, fairly elegant birds.

Left Cairns and headed up to Daintree. We past sugar cane farms, wonderful forests and beaches. The rain forests are truly amazing. The leaves are gigantic, most of them bigger and wider than me. Beautiful flowers, interesting root systems, plants growing out of the trunks of the trees. We had a look at the beaches, the rain forest meets the ocean and some of the trees can grow in the salt water.

I made a stop on the way back from the trip at Port Douglas. I arrived quite late so did not do much that evening, plus I had to get up early the next morning. I was heading out to the Great Barrier Reef, just to snorkel. It was a really great trip. I was really scared about swimming in the ocean and it took me a while to throw myself in, although I kept my life jacket on. Looking down into the ocean was amazing. It took me a while to really understand what I was seeing. I have never seen coral like this before. The shapes and creatures are weird and wonderful. The colours, shapes, movements are spectacular. We had three stops and got to see many different formations. At the end of this trip I was so chilled. I think I was exhausted really. Had a glass of wine, then ended up playing poker and came 5th out of 14 people. I do not really know how to play poker, so felt quite pleased with myself. Would have liked to win the big money of $50, but it was fun watching everyone play.

I left Port Douglas and headed down to Airlie Beach, which is where I am now. Will be leaving for Rainbow Beach later on tonight.

Did a small trip around the Whitsundays, though the weather was pretty poor, but still the sands and beaches were still amazing. Went out to the Great Barrier Reef again. The coral here was very different from that at Port Douglas and some of the fish were a lot bigger. I treated myself to a helicopter ride over the Great Barrier Reef, which I am so pleased I did. It is so vast. I also got to see Whitehaven Beach in its true glory.

Yesterday I was out kayaking, which was fun. Got to see a few turtles popping their heads up for air. I was paired with this French guy Samuel. All he wanted to do was get in the water. He kept rocking the boat and crashing it, then splashing me with water. So I obviously did the same back. It was a fun day.

Today I am going to write some postcards and hop on the Greyhound. Nothing too exciting. The sun is out and its really beautiful. Maybe I will go for a walk somewhere. Who knows, but I will let you all know what I get up to......

New Zealand- South Island

The South Island was completely different from the North. The landscape was very dramatic. We did not see a lot of Picton as we got on the train pretty quickly. We headed to Kaikoura. The train journey was fun and spectacular. We were both being so very nosey at everyone one the train. I think they all knew, which made it even more funny. The journey was wonderful, we rode by the coast line and could see seals and black sands. We arrived at Kaikoura about 6pm. When we checked in to the hostel, I did not realise there were still people asleep and I made a comment on the mess in the room, which woke the guys up. Gemma and I could not stop laughing. Later on the guys had tidied the room and told us they were really hung over.

Gemma and I went off to see the seal colony. The weather was awful. We were wearing these anoraks which we had brought from the wear house. They kept us dry and matched. The seals were so close and cute. The weather continued to be bad. We kept walking around in the bad weather. We really wanted to go whale watching and possibly dolphin swimming. If you had seen the weather, there was not really a chance that the boats were going to go out. We continued to ask each day.

The weather was actually so bad that there had been land slides. We were stuck in Kaikoura. Everyone staying were lovely. There was a Canadian family who always cooked so much, and we ate their left overs, we played cards in the evening with other people staying at the hostel. We even decided to get some wine in.

There was not a lot to do here, we did go on a wine tour to this beautiful vineyard. It was tiny and the cellar was really pretty. I think we decided to get quite a bit of wine for that evening.

We were due to get the train to Christchurch, but the train line was not open, due to the landslides. They were awful. We had to get a bus instead and the damage was dreadful. The roads had been cleared but there was still so much mess. Entire cliffs had come down. The trees l00ked like over cooked vegetables. I do not think they could take anymore water.

This day was the best day in Kaikoura. Before we caught the bus, we were able to go whale watching, which was not fun for everyone. They did warn us that there is a high risk of sea sickness. I was fine, but I think most people on the boat were sick. We managed to see one whale and an albatross.

The sun came out today for the first time, when we woke up we could not believe our eyes. We were finally able to see the mountains that faced the hostel. We had a walk round to the seal colony again, and there were lot and lots of them sun bathing and playing in the ocean.

We were actually quite sad to leave in the end. We were definitely rewarded that day by the sunshine. We were desperate to leave when we could not go, but kind of sad to leave after seeing the true beauty of the place.

We did not see Christchurch, as we arrived at 7pm and had to leave the next morning by 8am. We went to Greymouth. Neither of us were particularly impressed. We hung out by the hostel and chatted to other people staying there about Thailand and Australia which was fun.

Next stop was Franz Joseph which was great fun. We were sharing a room with three Scandinavian girls, we all went out for a drink in the evening and all were in bed by 11pm, though everyone else stayed out until 1am. We all did the glacier walk the next day, which was great fun. There were some Mexicans also doing the walk, so I tried very badly to speak Spanish with them.

I found the walk quite frightening at times. There were huge holes in the ice and I was really scared I would fall in. I made the rest of the group scared and the tour guide had to help us all.

We were so tired that evening. We watched a film and went to bed. The bus always picks us up very early. The next stop was Wanaka. Gemma and I suddenly became party girls. We went out for some delicious food, then to a bar, and did not get back until 4am. The next day we went skiing/ snowboarding.

I did really well this time. Really enjoyed myself. I did fall over a few times but managed it.

Then we went down to Queenstown, where we decided to join a pub crawl. I did not make it back until 8am. I drank so much. I drank shots and other stuff I would not normally touch. I think I was still drunk that day. We got some breakfast, and had to be in bed by 10pm that night.

Queenstown has the most beautiful scenery I think I have ever seen. We had a good walk around the lake, and went kayaking one day. We went over to one of the islands on the lake. It was really relaxing. We got to see a lot of the native plants and birds in New Zealand. I went skiing the next day, and found the slopes really frightening. They were really icy and I did not know where I was going. I went on the ski lifts on my own, and when people came on with me, I kept knocking them all over. I managed to take out an entire family.

Queenstown was great fun. We were ready to leave, but could have stayed longer. The food, the activities, and the bars were all great fun.

We headed off to Dunedin which was a bit boring compared to Queentown. We met up with Gemma's family and went out on a boat to see albatrosses, seals and other wildlife. In the evenings we met up with people we had met in Queenstown. It was nice to catch up with people.

The last two stops were Lake Tekapo and Christchurch. Lake Tekapo was a compulsory stop I was not interested in stopping there really, but it turned out to be ok. We played cards in the evening, everyone had different rules to the game we were playing which made it stressful. We changed to something easier, and the red wine kinda eased everything. Christchurch was lovely. Finally had the sunshine. Sunbathed in the botanical gardens. Went out for lots of drinks in the evenings.

I was not sure if I was ready to leave New Zealand. It had gone by so quickly. Gemma and I were awful at the airport. We queued up in the wrong que to check in, did not know about the departure tax, so I ended up with no cash, and forgot to fill in the departure forms.

Each que we joined we had to leave and rejoin. Then on the plane we were looking forward to the food, and a film but did not realise we were on a budget flight and had to pay for all of that. So I was quite hungry on the plane and the air stewards were not happy with me asking for the free water all the time.

We arrived safely in Melbourne, but were so disappointed with the weather. We had left the sunshine in New Zealand hoping Melbourne would be even better. Much to our disappointment it was cold and raining.

Definitely had a great time in New Zealand, but was ready for warmer weather. I loved the snow and mountains, rivers, lakes and waterfalls, but was getting tired of wearing my thermals.

New Zealand- North Island

Leaving South America was really quite sad for me. I really enjoyed my time spent there, but relieved too that I will be having a break from speaking Spanish. I love speaking Spanish but it can get a bit tiring at times.

When I was at the airport a Mexican guy started chatting to me whilst we were waiting for flights, so right up until I was in the air I was speaking Spanish. It was a nice way to leave Chile.

On the plane I started to think about all the places I had seen and just how much I had done in South America. I could not sleep at all on the flight.

We succesfully got to Auckland. The pilot was not very good at taking off or landing. I was concerned I might not make it to New Zealand. I arrived at 5am, so the sun was rising and reveling its self to me.

Check in to the hostel, slept for a bit then went out for a wonder. Gemma was not due to arrive until the afternoon. Auckland is tiny, I think I had looked around the shops in about 10 minutes. Its a very pretty city.

Once I met up with Gemma we had another look around, made dinner and we went to bed really early. We were both a bit jet lagged and had come from two different time zones. It was a bit confusing.

The next day we went out on a city tour, which was fun, though the rain clouds chased us all around the city. We would get out and take some pictures, then seconds later it would rain. I am sure the rain drops in New Zealand are bigger then anywhere else. We both got soaked in seconds. We did not do much more in Auckland.

We both were still falling asleep by 9pm. Fortunately we were waking at 6am. We booked ourselves on to a hop on hop off bus, and had to be on it by 7am that morning. Our first stop that day was the Watama Caves, we went to see glow worms here. They are really pretty, a blue green colour. We were unable to get too close as there had been a lot of rain and caused the water in the cave to rise. They are really pretty, and they have silk threads which hang from the cave roof.

We then went off to Rotorua. We got there quite late, so there was not much to do, but in the morning we treated ourselves to the thermal bath that was at the hostel. This totally revived us for the day. We headed out in to town and had a look around the lake and the steaming mud. The lake here has a lot of sulpher in it. The water colour changes to a milky blue. The birds like the heat,but it boils their feet off. When you walk close you can feel the head coming off of the lake. In Rotorua the earth's crust is very thin, which is why all the steam is coming through. Itis a very interesting place, and is also very smelly.

We headed down to Taupo the next day. We had hoped to stay here two nights, but I had got confused about what day of the week it was, so we could only stay for one night, as we would have missed our ferry crossing. Taupo was pretty, but a tad boring. We all went out in the evening. It was the first time Gemma and I had been out for a drink in the evening as our sleeping patterns were still a bit strange. It was good to get out and chat to everyone in the group. We still headed back earlier than everyone else. I think we had made it past 10pm before heading back.

Heading to Wellington was a bit of a trek, but worth it. We went to see hot boiling mud and they geysers. When we arrived at Wellington there was beautiful sunshine the entire time we were there. We went for a walk up Mount Victoria and could see the entire city of Wellington and out across the ocean and we went on the gondala. We had an early start the next day, as usual and caught the ferry to Picton. The crossing was fine. I think we were really lucky with the weather as Wellington and the crossing are supposed to be really windy and awful. We had calm and peaceful weather.

The North Island of New Zealand is really beautiful and interesting. The volcanoes and greenery are spectacular. It does look a lot like the North of England. Everyone is really friendly and helpful. We were both recovering still from the flights and time difference. We ad a very calm and relaxed time there.

Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina

Leaving Santiago, Chile to go to Bariloche, Argentina was quite an easy journey. The journey took 22 hours in total. I had to take a night bus most of the way, I had to change buses in Orsorno, at 10.30 in the morning and had about 15 minutes to change between the two buses. I also had a double seat all to myself, which was a real bonus.

When we got to customs the scenery changed quite dramatically, it was full of snow, rivers, lakes and mountains, and continued like this until Bariloche. This area of Argentina is known as the lake district. There are 7 huge lakes that the bus had to pass through, so a beautifully, scenic bus journey.

I did not arrive at Bariloche until 7.30 in the evening, by this time it was fairly dark. I checked in to the hostel, which was lovely and comfortable, and hoped to go to get some rest, but the guests in the hostel were not really letting me and were making me speak Spanish and Portuguese!

Everyone was warm and welcoming. I was sharing a room with four Brazilian girls who were all good fun.

The next morning, the girls all left early to go skiing, and I went to my Spanish class. I was in a class with two Dutch girls. The class was really good. I really enjoyed learning Spanish at the school and got on very well with everyone. In the breaks the school gave us all media lunas, which are really sweet croissants. Delicious!

So school was going really well, and so was the stay in the hostel. During the day the class would all go to lunch together and then evenings I would stay in the hostel with the Brazilians. Most of the people in the hostel were Brazilian. We made dinner for each other and drank a fair bit of red wine. There was a very good bottle of red wine left under my bed from the previous guests that we all decided to drink together. When the girls left a Chilean brother and sister moved in and so did an Austrian brother and sister, who were all so lovely.

The Austrian brother and sister are ski instructors and said they were really happy to take me up on to the mountain and teach me how to ski. Which kind of worked out well. I found it quite hard at first. But I kept at it and managed to do some of the basic moves. I was quite tired by the end of it, so came down a bit earlier then them. Later on, that evening we all shared some food and beer together.

The previous few days I had had a few late nights and had been horse riding too. Which was all fun. We went in to the national park on the horses. My horse was good fun. It did not like to wait for other horses to pass, did not like to be too far behind any one else, and when ever it saw water would trot over and go have a drink. The water contained more ice than water, and were quite deep at times. I was a bit scared I may fall off. The horse would also pick up speed when it was returning back to the stables. It was a good day though. The girls from the Spanish school all went, as did some of the girls from the gap tour I had been on, that I left in Santiago.

It was great to catch up with people from the gap tour.They went further south in Chile and then came in to Argentina. They were in Bariloche for 3 days, before heading up to Buenos Aires.

I then moved on to a home stay. The family were lovely, and made really good evening meals. They made me practice my Spanish a lot. There were two other students in the home stay, they were both students at the same school too. One of the students, Amanda left mid week and Brian moved out the same time I did.

The last three weeks in Bariloche is snowed a lot. We walked to school in the snow most days. The homestay had a beautiful view of the lake and mountains. The weather changed so much every way, that sometimes we could see them and other days you would not know that there was a lake there.

All my days in Bariloche seemed to be very full. The school organised a lot of activities: salsa, voluntary work and we often watched Argentinean films, which were all very good. Over the weekends I went for walks in the mountains. I never made it skiing again, partly because it was such an effort to hire everything, and we had to get up to early to make the most of it. The walks in the mountains were wonderful through. The lakes were a mix of blues and greens and so clear. There were small waterfalls everywhere. The forests had a beautiful pine and cypress aroma. The sounds of the waters surrounding us were tranquil.

On one of the walks a dog decided to follow us. He kinda guided the way for us at times. If he heard another dog he would try to steer them away. The dog stayed with us until two guys passed us carrying some food. I think the dog knew he had more of a chance getting food from them, then us as we had no food on us.

I really had a great time in Bariloche. The town was fairly small and full of chocolate shops, my Spanish really improved, all the students really got on well at the school, we would often meet up in the evenings and did things together at the weekends. It was really relaxing.

The last few days in Bariloche I moved in to a hostel. This was warm and welcoming too. Everyone was so friendly. We played cards together and just hung out together. I was not having any lessons this week, so went on a few more walks.

One of the treks was in the snow. We saw a powerful waterfall, which looked ice cold and a black glacier. It was in an area called 'Pampa Linda' and the glacier was called 'Cerro Tronador'. Tronador means thunder. The glacier is always moving and causes the land to move. When this happens it sounds like thunder. It was a horrible sound to me, but overwhelming too to see the dramatics of nature.

I also made the most of eating all my favorite Argentinian foods: dulce de leche, alforaj biscuits, empanadas, media lunas and ice cream from the best ice cream store I have ever been too.

My last night in Bariloche was fun. We all went out for fondue and ate so much cheese, and tasted the last of the Argentinian red wine.

I made my way back to Santiago airport with no problems at all. The gave us alforajes for all our meals on the buses so I was delighted. At the airport a Mexican guy sat with me as we were waiting for the check in desks to open. I managed to speak to him in very broken Spanish for a couple of hours, so was pleased with myself.

The plane left Santiago quite a bit later than scheduled. The take off was horrible. It was raining really heavily, so there was a bit of turbulence. I was sitting beside a guy from New Zealand who was not helping me to calm down. The plane was shaking for a while and it seemed to take a long time until we were in the air. I think the guy took a lot of pleasure in seeing me scared.

Landing was equally bad. There were noises coming from the airplane that I had never heard before. But we did land safely and I am now in New Zealand. Still a bit confused with the time difference and having lost a day.

I have met up with Gemma and the hostel is good. We went on a free city tour today of Auckland which was fun. We walked under the bridge, where we could have done a bungee jump if we wanted to, but I think the walk was enough for us. It went over the ocean. It has been really cold and wet here. The walk under the bridge really woke us both up. We have both been a bit dazed and confused since we landed. We went to bed yesterday at 7pm and slept through until 6am the next day!

We have booked ourselves on to a coach tour which takes us all over the north and south island. We leave tomorrow at 7.00am. The first two stops are Waitomo- where the caves with the glow worms are and Rotorua- which has thermal springs and lots of volcanoes.

Will let you all know soon how it all goes.

La Paz to Santiago 28th June to 17th July 2008

I arrived at La Paz in the early hours of the morning, after a very long flight from Sao Paulo. It took so long as I had to go to Lima first then to La Paz.

Once I got to La Paz, in the dark it looked so calm, peaceful and beautiful. Once day broke it changed to busy, frustrating, chaotic, not sure where the beauty had gone. The streets are full of markets. Everywhere is a market. People are almost on top of each other. The buses and taxis so very dangerous, and I was surprised most of them could make it up the steep hills.

I for one was struggling to climb the hills. I was hit with altitude sickness. Going down hill was fine, but any incline caused my heart to pound and my lungs to gasp for air. Two steps were difficult. Night time was the worst, I would wake with a racing heart and a dry mouth. The outside temperature at night was below 0. We were 4000 meters above sea level. A bit of a shock to me having come from sea level. I needed to sleep with the window open to seek more oxygen.

There were two drinks that helped, bottled water with added oxygen, and coca tea. The coca tea is made from the cocaine plant. It is a natural aspirin, but does not have the same effects as cocaine.

My altitude sickness was not as bad as other people in the group. I did manage to get over it after two days. I kind of grew to like La Paz. It was a bit of a shock to see raw flesh, fish, fruit, veg, light bulbs all being sold side by side on the street. Some of the stall holders had stools, many used the floor.

The streets were very busy, the locals wore traditional dress, which for the women was a bowlers hat, four big skirts and a waist coat.

The weather hear was beautiful. Blue skies and sunshine all day long. The night sky was black and full of diamonds. We did not see a cloud at all.

We moved on to Cochabamba. We travelled by bus. The buses in Bolivia are antiquated. People sit and lie in the gangway. They try to get you out of your seats. So we discovered. Our bus journey was supposed to take 6 hours, but as we were in Bolivia anything can happen. It ended up taking 12 hours. We had to drive through farm fields as many of the roads were blocked off. To be fair there is very little difference between farm fields and the roads of Bolivia.

Our tour guide handled everything very well for us. He new that there were strikes going on. Today, they wanted to block every possible route out of La Paz. Fortunately we were able to keep going. Many times we thought we would have to go back to La Paz. This would have put us behind schedule by a few days.

The scenery was wonderful. Lots of snow capped mountains peaking out in the distance. We got to Cochabamba a lot later then expected.

The climate in Cochabamba was a lot more pleasant, very spring like. We dropped in altitude, which made me very happy. The weather continued to be clear blue skies and perfect sunshine. We did not get a lot of time here in the end. It had all the usual things to do in a city. We all mainly ate and walked around.

The night bus was fun to Sucre. The roads were awful. There is no such thing as tar mac. All the roads are rocks and dust. You can not open the window as you will be covered in dust. Its difficult to sleep too as the road is so bumpy. It was lovely to see the beautiful clear night though. There was no moon in the sky, but the stars were out sparkling. We stopped in the middle of the night in a small village for the toilet. It was fairly pleasant. I am sure it was someones home.

Again there were people sleeping in the gangways, and I am sure people sitting on the driver. One man got on with a handful of fish in a plastic bag. He got off after a few stops so it was not too bad.

When we arrived at Sucre, we were all very happy. The hotel was lovely. There was lots to do around the area. We went to a Christ figure, Botanical gardens, looked at some dinosaur footprints, and cave paintings. I went on a hike with a different tour which was beautiful. We could see some of the Inca Trail, geological patters in the rocks, the effects from volcanoes, rushing waters, interesting plants, climbing by shere drops. I was quite scared. Everyone on the tour really helped me and were so kind. I nearly fell in the water towards the end of the hike. The water was so cold. Fresh mountain water.

There was a football pitch for the local villages by the river. It was basically clay. Its seemed so strange, as it was in the middle of nowhere.

We all got a bit too drunk the few nights we were there. There were only two night clubs! I think I drank too much capriniahs again. Then we left to Potosi.

Potosi is a very poor town. Many of the locals work in the silver mine or the death mountain. In Sucre we watched a documentary on it. Its a very sad place. People work 24 hours or more straight. The conditions are very poor. Its very dark. We all went inside when we got to Potosi. Most of the time we had to crouch down or walk on all fours. There were lots of drops with great depth. We had to walk over a plank of wood. I had a panic attack and wanted to leave, but managed to carry on. The group again were very supportive of me.

I ended up with scratches on my knees, thighs and bum. We had to lift ourselves up and down and on to things. If you fell down one of the holes, that would have been it.

The mountain has lots 500 metres since it was discovered that there was silver inside in the 16th century.

Each day the miners give gifts to the devil, which is inside. It is a statue of the devil. If they feed the devil drink, cigarettes, and coca leaves it will prevent accidents happening inside and find silver.

After Potosi we went to Uyuni, which is on the edge of the salt flats. We had a day here. It is really a military town. The hotel was basic, but better then the accommodation to come. There really were only two roads and it was all touristy. All the shops were either selling hats and gloves or Internet or supermarkets.

I was really excited. Looking forward to the salt flats. We started fairly early. The group travelled in three 4x4s. The first part of the drive is just flat and barren. Not much to see. We stopped at a train wreckage. We saw the train lines that went either to Argentina for Bolivia. Then when we got back in and drove on a bit further suddenly the scenery was white and blue as far as the eye could see. The ground was pure white from the salt. It looked so much like snow. The sky was a perfect blue. As far as the eye could see was white. There were a few mountains in the distance. It was strange to think that we were on the ocean bed. The mountains would have been islands.

We stopped at one island which was full of coral. The coral is dead now, and there is lots of cacti growing out of it now. Very strange. The patterns in the salt were pretty, hexagons as far as the eye could see. Cones where the salt was being cultivated.

When we got to our accommodation there was no electricity. We ate dinner and played cards by candle night. Could barely see what the cards were. The group of 16 was divided in to two rooms. We all had to wear thermals as the temperature dropped to -20oC at night.

The next morning was beautiful seeing the sun rise. Plus that was the only way we knew it was the next day.

We all packed up the 4x4s again. We are going up in altitude again, as we were heading to the driest desert in the world that was at 5000 meters above sea level.

I could not imagine seeing so many colours and animals in the desert. The earth is mineral rich. There are reds, blues, greens and browns. The lakes are covered in ice as it is so cold. The sun is always shining, and you can feel you are very close to the sun. The ground is barren. Very few plants, a few cacti and not much else.

There was quite a bit of wildlife, chinchillas, llamas, flamingos and other birds.

The accommodation again was very basic. It was sad to leave the desert, but a relief to see lights and life in the distance as we made our way through the Bolivian boarder in to Chile. Some of the girls in the bus cheered as we were finally on a proper man made road.

Our next stop was San Pedro. We got up at 4am to leave the desert. Before we left we all got the chance to go in the thermal springs. The air temperature was -20oC and the water was 33oC. I very nearly did not go in, as I was afraid of the cold weather. I could see people's hair icing once outside of the water. Then I just went for it. It was so cold walking around in a bikini, but was so worth it once I got in the water. At first it felt like it was burning my feet. I had to get in little by little. We had all been wrapped up in thermals over night, and could still feel the cold. Most of us were cold to the bone. Once in I totally thawed out. It was invigorating. Watching the sunrise whilst in the thermal water was amazing.

Everyone that went it were calm, happy, and relaxed, and we all felts slightly mad. Getting out the water was not too bad. We all actually felt a lot warmer changing, then we thought. We had to change out in the open air. There were no changing rooms. The thermal spring was natural and was heated from the active volcanoes that surrounded us.


San Pedro is a beautiful little village, really set up for tourists. It was very hot here. A welcomed relief from the desert. A few of us went off to look at the Dead Valley and the Moon Valley. We ran down huge sand dunes. Watched the sun go down over the mountains and saw how the light changed all the colours and increased the shadows from the rocks. The heat of the sun also disappeared.

The salt on the rocks make sounds, its really eery.

In the evening we got to star gaze at the local observitory. We saw Jupiter, close ups of the moon, a double star and other things I forget the names of. It was all very good fun.

It was time for our next night bus. I slept the entire way. Think I had been drinking a lot so needed the rest.

We got to La Serena. Not sure what I felt about it. Went to the beach which was lovely, and odd. One minute it was perfectly clear, then the fog came in. We had not seen any changes in weather for a while so it struck us. The fog was really think. La Serena is surrounded my mountains and ocean. The fog stayed with us for the days we were there. The weather was much the same as in England.

The weather was not great when we got to Santiago either. It was the first time we had all seen heavy rain. Like a Brit, I quite enjoyed the rain, the change in weather.

Santiago to me though had no atmosphere. I tried to enjoy it, but it was very commercial and faceless to me. I was also quite hungover from many late nights drinking 'til very early in the morning.

The buildings here are nice and there is lots to do, but it felt like home.

My opinion my be tainted as I had my backpack stolen from the hostel I went to once the tour finished. It was locked away in my locker, I came back and it had gone. They left my valuables. Had a trip to the local police station. It was great that the group were still around. Went to moan to them before sadly saying goodbye to the group, though I should see them again in a few days.

I am now in Bariloche. I had to get a bus in the end as the airline messed up my flights. It was wonderful. Double seat to myself. Lots of sleep. Woke up and could see the mist coming from the mountains. Could see snow and ice in the distance.

Everyone here so far are friendly. Its only my first day, but I like it. It is so beautiful. The snow lines all the trees, the waters are fast and icy cold, the lakes mirror the mountains and sky.

Buenos Aires to Rió de Janierio

My tour started in Buenos Aires. As I had already been there for a few weeks I just took a few final photos and sorted somethings out.

I met the group, who are all lovely. We went out for dinner and a few of us went on to a bar. I drank a bit too much and had to rest the next day.

We got a ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia. The trip was very slow. It took about two hours. The sun was shining when we were on the boat and once we arrived at Colonia. Colonia is a really pretty town. Everywhere is cobblestones and it is surrounded by water. I was sharing a room with the two Danish girls from the trip. We all hired golf buggies to look around the town, which was good fun. The sun was starting to set so the views were beautiful.

In the evening we all went out to dinner. Dinner was lovely, the food in Uruguay is a bit better for vegetarians than Argentina. We all went on to a bar afterwards. The bar was like a barn. It was nice but very basic. Everyone in the bar looked at us as we entered.

The local football team had won their only game of the season. This caused everyone to get in their car and toot their horns. The town went from beong calm and peaceful, to rush hour traffic. They are so passionate about football. This went on for about two hours. They were waving the teams kit, yelling and making as much noise as possible.

The next day we took a but to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. It rained the entire bus journey. I was pleased that it rained when we were on the coach, but it took everyones mood down a bit as the weather the day before had been beautiful.

Montevideo is very quite for a capital. It is much older than Buenos Aires. I am not really sure if they have left the ´70s. All the music played in the bars and cafes was from this eara. I liked it, but it was very slow and calm. We went on a city tour, which took about 2 hours. They covered every aspect of the city. It is very picturesque, but could do with an update.

The people are lovely and friendly. Everyone was so helpful, especially where they did not understand the lanaguage. They would try so hard to ensure they had helped.

We went on to Salto from here. We all thought we were going to a natural spring, but it turned out to be a spa. All the pools were hot. Just what we all needed after so much travelling. The buses can be long and hot. Most of us had a massage, including me.

Salto is also a pleasent place. It is really a mix of small villages and farms. The land here is quite flat. People have their own animals. The scenery reminded me of Belgium.

We had a very long jouney from here to the Iguzu falls- 22 hours. We had to get up a few times as we went through the Uruguay/ Brazilian boarder. The bus was quite basic and they kept the air con on the entire journey. Most of us had colds the next day.

The journey was worth it though. The falls were spectacular. It rained on the Argentina side, but it was still beautiful. There is a vast forest around the falls so the rain made this look lush. We all took a boat trip right up to the falls and got soaked. We were able to walk above the the falls, were we also got soaked. It felt like the rain in England. That misty rain you all know very well. The trip included a boat trip above the falls where we got to see some of the wildlife. The boat driver said we were 50 meters away from the edge of the falls. The water is suprisingly calm here, compared to the noise and power when you see the water going over the edge.

The sun came out for us on the Brazilian side. We could not get as close to the falls, but it was equally amazing. There were rainbows everywhere, tucans, hamsters and lots of other creatures.

I was quite sad to leave the falls. We headed to Paraty. The landscape changed so much. Lots of hills and views of the ocean. Paraty is in Brazil. It is a small fishing village. The pavement is made up of rocks from the beach. It is a really pretty village. It is full of life. I missed out on food here as everything was with fish. I managed to have some fantastic salads though.

They eat a lot of fruit in Brazil. Breakfast includes watermelon, mango, passionfruit and many other local fruits. They put a lot of the fruits in the salads.

The weather was now on our side. The sun was out and we were introduced to Capriniah. This is a local drink made from sugar cane. Basically lime, sugar and this drink. It is very strong.

During the day we went to some beautiful beaches. The sea was very strong. People were surfing. The beaches are white sand and the water full of blues and greens. The area surrounding the beaches are mostly forest. We took a local bus from here to Ilha Grande, we had wonderful views the entire journey of the hills, mountains, sea and beaches.

The weather remained sunny for the next few days. Ilha Grande was like no where I had ever seen before. It is a set of Islands, again with beautiful beaches. We all went out on a party boat and swam in the sea and drank Capriniah. The water was quite cold.

A man on a rowing boat came up to us, selling coconut. It was delicious. We fed some of it to the fish. There were three types of fish, mostley yellow and black striped, a few long thin things and some grey fish.

There was a music festival on, so in the evenings we went there. Everyone was dancing and having fun. I had a great time here.

When we got to Rió the weather changed. Rain and more rain. I was sad that the tour had finished too. I had a great time with everyone on the trip.

I checked myself in to my hostel and did a bit of sight seeing. Not sure what I thought of Rió. The city centre was hustle and bustle and the beaches a bit calmer. The food here is wonderful. There is everything. I think they are a bit more health conscious, everyone is always out running. The women here wear the smallest bikinis and clothing. The men don´t wear a lot more. People here are still very relaxed.

The beaches are not maybe what they once were. They are all lined with tall buildings, though it is very clean.

I am not in São Paulo. It feels very vibrant here. The city here is huge. I like it. Very busy. Very cosmopolitan. Still enjoying the food. It was grey today, but no rain. Had a good look around the city and am going to a dance class tonight. This hostel is really good. Everyone is really friendly and there is a lot going on here. Be sad to leave here. I catch a flight on Friday to Bolivia for my next tour. I hear its -3oC at the mo. Would prefer some warmer weather. I may change my plans. Not sure yet.

Me fin semana en Buenos Aires

Today, sadly, is my last day in Buenos Aires, which is a shame as my Spanish was starting to improve. The city is wonderful, so friendly and relaxed. Its a really nice pace of life. Plus its been really warm and sunny this week.

My last Spanish class was on Thursday. I had to do a written test, which I passed, which I am very happy about. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone at the school, and I'm missing everyone already. A few of us went out for lunch on the Wednesday to wish each other well for our next adventures.

I moved on Friday from the homestay to a hotel. I forgot how heavy my backpack was, and really stuggled to get everything back in it. I took a taxi. There was no way I was going to attempt the Subte. Its always so busy, I would not have been very popular.

The hotel is great. I have a room to myself, which is good. I thought I might have to share a room. There are 15 of us and everyone else on the tour are travelling with friends or partners, so are sharing with each other.

We all went for dinner last night, then a few of us went out to a bar. Everyone is lovely and really friendly. Nice mix of people. I am looking forward to travelling with them.

We have to get up quite early tomorrow morning to catch the ferry to Uruguay, so I am staying in tonight. I need to organise my things, and recover from last night.

Still in Buenos Aires

I am still in Buenos Aires. This week has gone by very quickly. I am still studying Spanish, and am picking it up slowly. A new peron joined the class today. Everyone in the class is friendly and helpful.

My lack of Spanish makes it a bit awkward at the home stay. They ask me the same questions and I think they pretend to understand me. Margaret Thatcher came up at the dinner table the other night. It was quite funny really.

The weather here has changed a bit. Its cold, I need my big coat now. The sun is always shining, and the sky is a beautiful blue. Everyone is properly wrapped up now. Hats, gloves, and big, big coats. The buildings are all decorated with tiles and are not very well heated.

I have been out a few times this week. The night life is very relaxed, but people do not go out until 11.00 at the earliest. Its not good for me when I have school the next day. Have to have a seista in the afternoons.

Tried tango last week, its only a beginners class so quite slow, but it makes me feel very feminine.

I finish at the Spanish school on Friday and start to make my way to Brazil, with the tour that I booked. Will be nice to have a break from studying, though I am quite sad to be leaving.

That's all for now.

El Primero Semana en Buenos Aires, Argentina

My first week has gone really fast! I can't believe I have been here a week already. It feels like home already. The flight was fine in the end. We went through a couple of storms. Landing in Buenos Aires was spectacular. We flew in over La Pampas. This area of land looks like a patchwork quilt. Really pretty and vast. It was great to have the window seat.

When I arrived the sun was out and I had a winter coat on, expecting it to be fairly cold. I managed to find the apartment that I am staying at fairly easily. A transfer was booked for me by the Spanish school, but somehow I ended up on the airport bus.

The family I am staying with welcomed me with open arms and big kisses. The room is neat and tidy, unlike me, when I arrived at the house. I was so, so hot. I had a short walk from the bus station to the apartment, but with all my bags, the heat and my winter coat, I was melting.

I rushed out as soon as I could and had a look around the city. I am so pleased I packed some summer clothes. Though to my suprise everyone here is dressed in winter woolies! The temperature has been 25oC and above! I have been told that this is unusual, as it is almost winter here. The temperature should be below 15oC. It is definitely Autumn, the leaves are changing colour.

I spent the first weekend looking around the city. I am yet to take some photos, maybe this weekend I will, now I know where I am going. It has taken me a while to get used to 'blocks' and the traffic. I still stick to with the locals, I cross when they cross.

The Spanish lessons have been quite difficult for me. I am the 'special' one in the class. I get everything wrong. Its quite funny. I don't think the chicas or the professiora find it quite so funny. They are all more than patient with me.

I have found a great vegetarian restaurant near the school. I go there at lunch times. It is reasonable and serves fantastic food Argentinan style.

The weather changed on Thursdsay. There was a huge storm on Thursday. I was very frightened, as you would expect. It was so loud! Fortunatley their are shutters on the windows, so I was able to block most of it out, with them and my mp3 player. Most mornings its sunny, but by the afternoon its cloudy and humid. My hair is not too frizzy yet.

I am going to practice my Spanish over the weekend and have a look around the sights this weekend. There are lots of lovely parks and plazas that are wonderful to sit in, though there are many stray cats and dogs, (and people) in the parks. The cats mainly live in the Botanical Gardens. Here, most of the botanical plants are outside. The climate allows them to grow.

There is a bug crawling around the computer, and its really bugging me now.

Escribo en proxima le semana. Hasta leugo los chicos y chicas.