Finally for 2007 here is a fresh bit of news and some random photographs! We´ve not been updating as the internet has not been readily available and because we would much rather be drinking mucho vino tinto with hip types pondering the world than sitting in a geek cafe getting square eyes.
Sice finishing Spanish school in B.A. we´ve done far to much to put on here but a brief overview should suffice.

After finishing Spanish classes Paul, Kat and our Yankee friend Hank (real name Pete) caught a ferry over to Uruguay (giggle) for a week of fun in the sun, or so we hoped. The ferry (Seacat type thing) was alot cheaper than the red jet and you got to go to another country! We arrived in an old and very picturesque colonial town called Sacrimento de´ Colonia which is kept as close to the old days as possible and is very tranquil and very pretty and used to be the smugglers port to bypass Buenos Airies.




http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00662.jpg

Colonia, Uruguay.

After a one night here we headed to a supposed Surfers beachside town called La Paloma about 8 hours away along the coast to the east. It was SHITE and thats being kind. After doing a runner (!) from there we headed west to Punta Del Este but the weather was so bad we headed straight past and kept going till we reached the capital, Montevideo. A cool laid back and small city where we spent a couple of days wandering round, getting sunburnt, watching sunsets and going out drinking lots of Cubalibres in various nightspots. This was followed by another night in Colonia on the sauce before getting the ferry back to Argentina. This was harder than it sounds as Kats paperwork wasnt stamped properly on the way in so we had a bit of hassle trying to get her out of the country because of some penpushers error. The conclusion was that Uruguay was cool and the people really nice but there wasnt a great deal to see or do and a week was about the right amount of time to spend there. on our tight timescale.



http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00705.jpg


Montevideo, Uruguay.

Back in B.A. we jumped on a bus to for a 5 hour journey to the seaside resort of Mar Del Plata, a kind of Argentine Blackpool with good weather. We choose to spend Christmas here with Hank and 7 other good friends from our hostel in BA who all came down too. We ended up sweltering and drinking most of the three days there (VODKA CON SPEED) in our hostel, Casa Grande (BIG HOUSE!). On Christmas day Gemma and Oona our other American friend made a fabulous roast dinner which was enjoyed by everyone, and was the only time it actually felt like Christmas time as the Xmas tunes and decorations were sorely lacking. Jupey was dead chuffed with his incredible hulk toy he received in the secret santa to!



http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00740.jpg


Christmas Gang. Mar Del Plata, Argentina.


http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00750.jpg



Mar Del Plata, Sun, Sea and Sand for Xmas.



http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00779.jpg


Penninsula Valdes. Argentina. Penguins believe it or not!

Since then we have made our way down the Argentine east coast to the southern cone of South America, through Puerto Madryn, Trelew (Welsh Settlements), Rio Gallegos (windswept city directly left of the disputed Faulklands, which Jupey promptly ´gave´ to the Argentines in order to get a quid off of a pair of sunglasses! Traitor, should be hung on re-entry to GREAT BRITAIN)and then into Southern Chile for New Years eve. We tried to get to the worlds most southern city but had to make do with the second one called Punta Arenas. Here we gatecrashed a New years eve party in a penthouse apartment that was thrown by a bunch of American Marine Biologists who were off to Antarctica the next day. They supplied us with drink and laughs before I headed off to the local nightclub ´Kamikazi´where the drinks were free until about 6 in the morning. Should do that in England!




http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00815.jpg

Katherine and Marine Biologist (USA). New Years Eve, Punta Arenas. Chile.

We then headed to Puerto Natalas further north. Where we now reside having returned from three hard days camping and hiking and freezing with inadequate clothing from Torres Del Paine National Park. A very beautiful and scenic place with a big mountain range and loads of glaciers, fresh glacial lakes and lots of wind! It was very enjoyable although our feet hurt after lots of climbing and scrambling up mountainsides trying to keep ahead of all the serious trekkers in full North Face regalia. Out Reebok and H&M gear held up fine and the litre of rum kept us warm after our fire had gone out! We had to hire tents and cooking equipment but it was all good!



http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00851.jpg


Paul and Kat. Grande Paine Mountain. Southern Chile.



http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00901.jpg


Us at the summit of the Torres Del Paine hike to view the towers themselves. 3.5 hours of toil!. Southern Chile.

We head back into Argentina tomorrow to get further north and see more glaciers and eat more steak. Bye for now.

Breaking News.........Jupey has shaved off his beard to leave a cultured and slightly camp handlebar ´tache....Pictures to follow......

A quick update and a few more photos. We are currently residing in the beautiful, hot and sunny Buenos Aires, Argentina. Been here a week or so and have enroled in a Spanish Language school for three weeks of intensive Spanish lessons! The school is run by two very energetic ladies who keep us all amused and fed and watered. We share our class with a nice American lady called Anika and Richard, a one off swiss dude! The Argentinian people are very welcoming and all seem to think they are European, they have alot better dress sense than the Brazilians!

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00401.jpg

9 de Abril with the famous obelisk in the background. This road has 9 lanes going each way!!

We´ve been visiting the sites in and around the city and feel very comfortable and safe here and love the cheap, tasty food and wine! I´ve been to watch Boca Juniors play in ´La Bombaneira´ and they managed to record a fine 4-1 victory using the old dirty Argentinian tricks of diving and trying to get opposing players booked and sent off. Diego Maradona the fat cheat was also there cheering them on. The crowd were amazing and the passion and nonstop singing was very entertaining, no riots or police brutality unfortunatly!

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00410.jpg

My view in ´La Bomboneira´´

We have also spent a cultural night at the Opera!! We watched Turandot the one featuring the famous Italia 90 world cup song ´Nessun Dorma´. It was very long and we didnt understand a word but was a nice night out with the well to do people of Buenos Aires.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00399.jpg

Kat out side Casa Rosa, the balcony is where Evita made her speaches from.

Last weekend we spent in a city called Rosario, a four hour bus journey from B.A. If you dont know it was the birthplace of famous T-shirt adorner and revolutionary Che Guevera, its a university city and is populated by very beautiful people who all seemed to be under the age of 40. A great place for sitting outside and people watching.

Before we left Brazil we saw the Itaipu Dam, the biggest hydro electric generator in the world and it was so boring im not going to write anything else about it.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00386.jpg

Paul and Kat at the devils throat, Iguassu Falls. Slightly damp.

Last night we went wine tasting and are now fully skilled tasters who can tell a shiraz from a malbec after a little sniff, good fun and met some intresting characters!

Thats it for now, might take some more photos somewhen for mums to print if we can be arsed! Chao Chicos.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00393.jpg
She can sleep anywhere!

The two weeks since we left England have flown by.

We started out in Rio where we satyed for a few days in El Misti Hostel - along with most of the other Europeans in Brazil. It was a bit cramped in our three bed dorm which was the size of a triple bunk, but the hostel was cool, and we made full use of the bar they had there drinking copious amounts of cuba libre and caipirinhas.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00301.jpg
DAWSON AT CORCOVADO. MINUS ´tache.


http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00304-1.jpg
PAUL AND KAT AT CORCAVADO.

Whilst in Rio we saw the sites - we took a cable car up Sugar Loaf mountain, and a cog train up to see Jesus on a hill, and took in a football game at the Maracana (which would have been a bit disappointing had the crowd not been so wild and entertaining). We´ve met a few other Brits abroad and feel very at home out here in Brazil. We´ve even become Brazillian TV sensations, being interviewed at El Misti on our opinions of Brazil so far. Unfortunately this won´t be available in the UK so you´ll just have to take our word for it ...

After Rio we headed to a tropical island called Ilha Grande where it rained every day - though we did all manage to get a bit sunburnt in between downpours. James´s feet have gone scarlet and are now peeling like copydex glue and Paul has a two-tone bottom.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00337.jpg
SUNBURN.
We did our first jungle trek whilst on the island and saw some wildlife, including an incredibly poisonous snake which our travelling companion, Greg, felt the need to poke with a stick. We all survived.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00332.jpg
TROPICAL PARADISE.

After Ilha Grande we took the seven hour bus journey to Sao Paulo where we had been told to expect street crime and gun fights on every corner. Instead we took in an art museum and a ballet (which Dawson loved and hasn´t stopped prancing since). Paul also had a tear in his eye as we left the theatre - maybe due to the groinal leaps we witnessed in the second half.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00351.jpg
SPEEDOS. JUPEY GOT RIGHT IN FASHION.

We are now at Foz do Iguassu on the triple frontier of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay where we will be going to see some gigantic waterfalls tomorrow and spending a few days in a Butlins type resort before heading on to Argentina where we intend to stay until at least Christmas. Maybe.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00241.jpg
THE GLAMOUROUS 'STEVE'.......She's all women.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/dawdawiw/Travels%20SA/DSC00174.jpg
The Happy Couple...We wish them all the best!


Congratulations to Gemma and Becca on their Civil Partnership, and also thanks for a great day in the always brilliant Brighton! Hope Becca's hangover wasn't too bad sunday morning!

Flying out to Rio de Janeiro following a Civil Partnership ceremony in Brighton for Becca and Gemma on the 4/11/06! Cannae wait for that!