WEEK TEN

Monday was new years eve and also the day our G adventures tour technically started, however there were no activities planned. So we very happily checked out of our hostel and into our hotel. Conveniently, the hotel was just around the corner from the popular Florida pedestrian street full of shops! I had been desperate to replace some clothes from Africa, so Florida street was the perfect place to do so. We spent a couple of hours there before heading back by 5pm to meet our new tour group - about 15 girls (80% Aussies!) and one guy and a male tour leader! It felt like I was back at school doing a school excursion. We had a quick chat and then was told to meet back downstairs at 730 where we would walk to the docks to bring in new years at a restaurant right on the water. We paid $150 for a set meal, unlimited drinks, a dj and a prime spot to watch the fireworks. After dinner we moved to where the dj was - just next door on synthetic grass under the stars with hundreds and hundreds of locals. It was a really really cool vibe and we felt like it was a true local experience. We brought in 2013 with a really cool fireworks show and some local tunes; an unforgettable new years. 

Tuesday we didn't get up until about 1pm, not particularly hungover, just really exhausted from the previous busy days we had had! We didn't get up to much, except for lunch and prepping for our next day where we would be leaving with our tour group.

Wednesday was the first real day of our tour, where we were checked out and on the bus by 7am. We were meant to be catching a ferry across to Uruguay at 8am. We arrived into the departures hall and just our luck as we were trying to check in, our reservation couldn't be found. So we ended up hanging in the departures lounge until 12 o'clock! Then, as we were lining up to jump onboard, G, our tour leader, informed us of a delay. So we hung around for yet another hour. 
We finally got to our cool little country-style hostel in colonia in the late afternoon where we quickly checked in and went in search of golf buggies which is the popular way to get around the town. Out bad luck continued as we weren't able to find any. So, instead we wandered through the cobble-stone streets and walked back along the coast to our hostel. 

Thursday we traveled by public bus to Montevideo. We checked in and walked through the city centre which was much bigger and busier than expected. We stopped off at a market area in an old warehouse for a very late lunch/early dinner. A group of us and G then went and hired bikes to ride for a couple of hours along the city's eastern beaches which were quite impressive. The path was full of joggers, walkers and cyclists. Then the beaches were full of sun bakers, swimmers and teams of beach volley ballers. It wasn't dissimilar to parts of port Melbourne and st kilda - a really cool vibe. 

Friday we did an optional day trip over to Punto Del Este, about a 2 hour bus ride. We arrived at lunch time and spent the afternoon lounging around on the beach. Again, the beach was PACKED with locals and tourists with the same idea. There was beach umbrella after beach umbrella, as well as sun beds, locals walking through the crowds selling ice creams and cold drinks and portable clothing stores!! We went for a bit of a dip into the rough waters but mainly stuck to lying on the sand. In the late arvo the 6 of us headed over to a monument in the sand - a hand coming out of the sand. I have no idea of the meaning behind it, but every tourist was there getting photos. On our way back we walked past a beach kiosk that was pumping with music and a crowd gathering. There was a local Busker leading a dance class on the beach! Kids and adults alike were all getting up from their spot on the beach to come and join in to the class! We watched for a song or too but got too into and joined in for the fun; they were really simple moves, involving a lot of hip action and a lot of getting low, so it was a real laugh! We all said afterwards that something like that would never happen in Australia; were all so uptight and self-conscious to have a bit of fun like that. 
We caught the bus and were back at our hotel at about 8 where we quickly went for showers, had a late dinner and then headed out to a local club in the beach area of Montevideo. Again, we really felt as though we were getting in amongst it all, partying with locals, dancing to local music. We also brought in Amy's 'dirty 30'th birthday here. 

Saturday was Amy's birthday, and being the character she is, she wanted a dress up party.. So back in Buenos Aires the 6 of us had each picked a name out of a hat of the girl we had to buy for. We had a $15 limit and had to buy a piece of clothing and an accessory. So on Saturday morning we met up early to exchange outfits and we had to wear the outfit for the entire day, no excuses! Thankfully we were only on a bus for most of the day, but even just walking down to the supermarket, catching the cab to the bus terminal and roaming through the terminal, was a real laugh and half! Ash had a Santa hat on, I had a funky nighty on, Courtney had a hideous dress, pip a 'pretty' summer dress, kacey had a pair of denim overalls 2 sizes too small and Amy (AKA athlete) had these tiny boys jocks on! The looks we got were hilarious. However, most of us stuck to the rules and completed the day in the attire.. The rest of the g-adventures thought we were absolute idiots, but we managed to turn a very boring bus ride day, into a fun and entertaining day! 
The bus took us to the tiny town of Salto, where not much happens. We had a group dinner and then came back to the hostel where we had cake and a drink for Amy's birthday. 

Sunday we had the whole day in salto to do as we wished. Pretty much G told us there were 2 main things to see/do in the tiny town - a water park and day spa. So Most of us were keen on the water park. We all got up, had showers and chucked our bathers on.. Once we stepped outside, it was a very different story. It was the coldest morning we had felt so far! Our plans immediately went down the drain and we kind of twiddled our thumbs for a few hours trying to decide what to do.. In the end a few of us went down to the spa and got massages. It killed a bit of time, but the majority of the to e was just hanging out around our hostel. At 530 we got picked up by cabs to cross the border back to Argentina and to catch an overnight bus through to Iguassu. G warned us that, although the bus is meant to be at the terminal at 1915, it NEVER arrives on time, and it is not uncommon to sit and wait up to 2 hours for it to come (it comes from BA). Thankfully, we only waited until 1945. The bus was quite impressive - it reclined more than on a plane, had a leg rest, a communal tv with a movie (in Spanish) and dinner provided (cold pizza!) 

Xxx