La Paz in Bolivia marked the halfway point of our month's trip so we sadly said adios to two of our Canadian members, Wayne & Jeanny (the group's adopted grandparents) but said g'day and welcome to some exciting (and nervous looking!) newbies; two Melbourne-based Aussies (Sarah, aka 'Skippy' & Simon, aka 'Bruce'), one Jo'burg-based South African (Judith, aka 'Judas' (self-named, nothing to do with us!)), a true Bradford-based Yorkshireman (Tim, aka 'Timbo...

The past week in California (Los Angeles & Vegas - but that's a story for another time...) has been an experience in its own right, but it's also been a big reminder of everything we'd left behind during our month in South America. The North and South continents of America couldn't look, taste or sound more different... For a start, 90% of the buildings in South America seem to be half-built; whereas in LA, not only are they vast and perfectly finished, but...