The flight to BA lasted 3 hours with a small snack, but nothing compared to Chile's standards. We took a private transfer to our hotel in the centre of the city, near to the Obelisco. The heat and humidity was a stark contrast to Patagonian weather, especially as the city is currently experiencing a heat wave. I can't even begin to think about the weather back in England, which is where we will be by the end of the week! I took a shower and looked at the time on my phone - still over an hour until we needed to meet the others. So I went down to use the computer in the lobby, and on the way got stuck in the prehistoric lift. It was one of those ones where you have to open two doors to get in and out, but the bottom door wouldn't open and I had to bang on it for the barman to come and help me. While I was on the computer I noticed that in actual fact I only had 10 minutes until we needed to meet in the bar - my phone must have been wrong! There was no way I was getting back in the lift. I started to run up the stairs, then remembered I'd forgotten my hoodie and so ran back down, and then up to the 6th floor. Alex had no idea where I had gone and heard the pitter patter of my feet running up the stairs, and my heavy breathing! I quickly got ready and made it back down to the bar before the boys. We had a(nother) welcome drink in the bar, and then the five of us (including Nati) took a minibus to a Tango Show. We first had a 3 course meal with unlimited wine, and then an hour show that consisted of a great band with accordians, two singers and lots of dancing.

Day 148 - We met the gang for breakfast and said goodbye to Nati. The four of us then walked 10 sweaty blocks with our rucksacks to Milhouse Avenue Hostel as the boys had a reservation, and we were going to try our luck. Unbelievably the hostel had no vacancies, but did book us a private room in their sister hostel 3 blocks away. So we put our bags back on and sweated our way to the other Milhouse hostel.

Since we had been to BA before we had no set agenda and so returned to Cafe Tortoni to relive the delicious steak I had there five months ago... it was as good as I remembered. We did a spot of shopping and then tried to keep out of the heat in our room with a fan.

At 8pm Alex and I made our way to the Milhouse Avenue with the intention of partaking in free tango lessons, but when we get there we changed our minds and sat and watched the rest from our bar stools. It was the best decision we ever made as the whole affair looked like a horrible combination of creepy and embarrassing. Craig and Troy came and joined us for some beers and after discovering that I had a blog, rudely read it on their iPhones while we were sat with them. Craig had concerns that he didn't come across very bright, but that's hardly my fault. In the end I had to pull Craig's leghair and give Troy a dead leg to stop them reading it. After beers we went around the corner for a pizza, which Alex and I bought and the boys stole. When we returned to the hostel bar we found it resembling a nightclub. Meanwhile the electricity in our hostel had gone off (while I was on the loo just as we were leaving) and stayed off all night. That meant no fan, and as a consequence the hottest night ever.

Day 149 - Woke up from a sweaty sleep around 10am, just in time to enjoy the hostel breakfast by candlelight. We returned to our room to pack and both ended up falling asleep in the heat until 2:30pm! Productive morning!

At 2:30 we headed out for a walk to El Cuartito, a cool, local restaurant and, according to the LP, a BA institution. We had fouor various empanadas between us and they were good. With nothing much else to do for the afternoon we decided to take the metro to Palermo and walk to Plaza Serano to go to the cafe we went to in the winter. As it was our last day we ordered tea, smoothies and cheesecake. Yums!

By the time we got back to the hostel it was 7pm and the boys were messaging us about going to Palermo for dinner. We met at 8pm and first walked to Calle Florida to use one of the hundred men on the street shouting "cambio". We changed $42 into pesos, and were really glad to have two rather large Aussie's with us as protection - the exchange felt an awful lot like an on-street drug deal! Then we took the metro and walked to a parilla called La Cabrera that Craig insisted we went to. I reminded him of the time he chose the restaurant in El Calafate, but lucky for him this one was less rubbish.

As we didn't have a reservation we had to put our names down and sit at the next door bar until a table became available. The hostess estimated 40 minutes waiting, but 1.5 hours later we were still sat on the pavement sipping cocktails and watching a woman parallel park into a space no bigger than her car (apparently the trick is to bump off the cars either side). She settled the car 3 feet from the curb, happy with her work. At 11:15pm we were shown to our table and greeted by the sweetest and most amazing elderly waiter called Charlie. I ordered the small ribeye and ended up with a steak bigger about the size of a large in England. It was however, the best steak I have ever eaten... ever. We may have had to wait until the morning to eat, but it was really worth it. The boys ordered Kobe steaks and ended up with two each... a rather impressive display was then undertaken by Troy, who finished his steaks, then finished Craig's, and afterwards finished Alex's (I'd finished mine myself)... all this on top of around 2.5 litres of beer. The only problem with such a good meal was that it completely cleared Alex and I out of money, as we coincidentally happened to have the exact amount and no more. Craig paid for the taxi home... assuming you read this, thanks!

Day 150 - Packed up, had breakfast and sat for over an hour waiting for the airport shuttle, who despite being over half an hour late, got us there more or less on time. We boarded our Boeing 777 with little delay to find a full male on-board staff (+ one woman to translate to spanish) - all were really excellent, in particular the lead steward, Anthony Dorkings, who sounded just like Matt Lucas on the loud speaker.

Much of the flight was bumpy, as acknowledged by the captain once we had landed. I asked for two GnTs when they brought the cart round since I'm a nervous flyer. The camp attendent agreed but told me it wouldn't help. He also told me to glare at people who stand up when the seatbelt sign is on as they are dangerous... this seemed to be quite an obsession for him as he spent most of the rest of the flight chasing after said offenders and screaming at them to sit down; when they didn't he would look at me and say "see they just do what they want" across the fusilage.

The Wolverine was on the in-flight entertainment and Alex and I had promised ourselves that we would watch it having wanting to watch it from the start of the trip. The plot was terrible but Hugh Jackman wore a shirt for only about 3 scenes so not all bad. I then watched the Lone Ranger (and fell asleep for an hour thanks to the gin... and he said it wouldn't help); Despicable Me 2 and Behind the Candelabra... both of which were excellent. Arrived back home for Christmas - looks like we made it!

The End.