Argentina and back to Chile

11th and 12th Dec Hung around Ushuaia and managed to sell my yellow Antarctica Jacket to a lad in the hostel. I got E25 for it which was ok considering it cost E50 to sent it home.

13th Dec Got on a flight to Buenos Aires today and checked into the same hostel as before. An American lad that was staying in our room the last time was working there when we arrived. It worked out well as Beaver man was with us and he had no reservation, he was let sleep on the couch.

14th Dec Caught the local bus today to a place called 'La Boca'. Its a deprived and football mad neighbourhood that once had a local lad called Diego Maradonna play for their team, Boca Juniors. I was surprised how pleasant and hip the place was with beautiful coloured buildings, street performers etc. Thre was a big game on that day, Boca Juniors Vs Colon, and there was a great atmosphere around the place with singing and chanting Boca supporters

15th Dec Today we went to the International Post office to post Fiachras Antarctica jacket home. That was a big job in itself as in Argentina they have 3 different people in 3 different depts doing the job of one person at home. With that done we went back to the hostel to pack up and get the 22hour night bus to Santiago in Chile. The bus was a really nice 2 story first class bus with big wide reclinable seats. I started a new book I got free in the hostel. Its an autobiography of Madeline Albright, the former secretary of state to Bill Clinton. Its quiet interesting, I'll keep you posted. With the book, a couple of DVDs and plenty of sleep the hours passed easy enough.

16th Dec The following day the worst was over after the Arg \ Chilean border which operated with the ultimate in unefficiency or lack of common sence. It was real cattle herding stuff with all of the bus passengers lined up like a suspect line up and had dogs sniffing us. To cross from Arg into Chile meant driving through the Andes which was very scenic and impressive. On arrival in Santaigo we got a taxi to the hostel and within a couple of hours my freind Maria met us and we went out for dinner and a few drinks. It was great to meet her again as we had been good freinds throughout our travels through Laos and Thailand. Later in the evening we went to a presentation in the hostel from a tour company that do trips around Chile.

17th Dec This morning we went and booked our trip around the South of Chile. Later we met Maria again and she brought us for a drive out into the country to see a lovely national park called Santamarino de la Naturaleza and the Casada de las Animas (Waterfall of the Spirits). After a hike in the hot sun we went for a lovely cool dip in the waterfall. It was cold but felt fabulous afterwards (must have been the Spirits!) After a great lunch we went to meet Marias family and her parents had a great BBQ ready for us with a Christmas tree and lights etc. all set up outside. It was a great occaision with freinds and family calling around to say hello and were so freindly and accommodating. I got my new visa card from Maria today (It was posted to her) and was a very welcome relief to get it.