Almost a month has passed since our last update. Time enough we thought. Our rapido blast across Southern Africa and the first phase of South America did of course offer many great experiences. That said its a bit like chocolate cake. Wonderful stuff, but you can't just keep on eating it. So a break was in order. As previously described, we found ourselves a nice apartment and settled down in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires. Live has taken on some degree...

Having survived an earth tremor of sizeable proportions, a plethora of annoying backpackers and a day trip to Vina Del Mar (which John McCarthy accurately describes as Blackpool meets Oxford Street), we left Santiago and made tracks for Argentina. An 8 hour schlap over the Andes to the winelands town of Mendoza. Sue has banned Phill from bragging about the summer weather here, for fear of causing upset. That said it was hot enough in Mendoza to boil a llama. The ...

This update may become a little complicated. We might therefore suggest moving your coffee to one side, clear some space on your desks and reach for your Michelen Latin America map. You do have a map, right? Good. If you run your finger down the backbone of the Andes you will come across a town called Puerto Montt. It is around a third of the way down from Santiago toward the bottom of Chile. This is the start and end point of this tale. Sue was reunite...

Our ships captain sumed up our week ahead. A journalist on the previous expedition cruise admitted to him that she found it difficult to put the experience down in words. We are facing a similar dilema! Still, here goes.... Our 8 day adventure started at the port town of Ushuaia, on the Argentinian side of Tierra Del Fuego. This some 13400km south of the UK. We managed to smuggle two and a half litres of gin aboard, together with 8 cans of tonic and a bottl...

It seems a life time ago now that we left the sunny shores of Brazil for Chile. Three days in the capital, Santiago, provided us with much needed rest. We did not venture outside of the rather bohemian neighbourhood of Bellevista. From a travellers viewpoint, there is not a great deal to do in this clean, safe city. Still we amused ourselves each evening with grin enducing vino tinto. Two quid buys you extremely nice Merlot or Cabernet here. At four quid, they ar...