13MAY - Pucon.. On arrival in Pucon we were immediately adopted by a pack of dogs. Apparently in the winter they start to cling to people in the hope of a nice warm house for the winter.. just as well its not like that at home otherwise I would have a house full of them all winter. Pucon is stunning.. it sits on the edge of a mountain surrounded lake, the buildings are all wooden and dark grey slate and look almost alpine and at the opposite side of the lake is an active snow capped volcano (when i say active i mean it just constantly puffs out a lazy trickle of smoke). When we arrived at the hostal a fight almost broke out because it turns out the hostal has two dogs of its own, great big chocolate newfoundlands that look more like bears than dogs. The place was beautiful and apart from a stonking hangover would have been perfect but on our second night we got a bit too drunk with some mates and my goodness i am going to have to learn that they serve the rum in half pints here!!! Was a good night tho!!

16MAY - San Martin.. Well there is little to say about San Martin de Los Angeles, pretty little town not unlike Pucon in some ways. Fantastic Irish pub, not too much doing and i think that is mostly because its off season. Once again sits at the edge of a lake and the surrounding mountains are filled with colour changing trees which to my mind makes the autumn the perfect time to be here because the colours surrounding the town are just something else. Again I miss the camera that got stolen in Lima coz the cheapo I picked up over here just does not do justice!!

19MAY - Mendoza.. knowing that time was short we decided to cancel our plans for Bariloche which while a little disappointing gave us a chance to relax into the idea of MENDOZA.. and what an idea that is. Met some very cool people, Ann Katie and Tim, went on a wine tasting Bike ride, ate well, had some more red wine and a barbeque ... now lovelies.. this is the life.. if you come out this way.. be sure to come here.. tis lush!

22MAY - Buenos Aires.. well now, getting here felt like the final destination we do have two more bus rides in us to go to Iguazu but this is where our flight home goes from and the more I think about it the happier I am to be heading home, I have missed everyone! BA is everything you would expect a huge bustling city, there is good shopping, good food and the night life goes on forever and for us the chance to see Kristina again.The hunt for the perfect Steak is now over.. we found it, just around the corner from our hostel and it was amazing.. and giant.. the biggest steak I have ever eaten, I felt like I had eaten my body weight in cow!!

We also were lucky enough to be here for Independance day and before getting the bus to Iguazu I went to the square that had a stage and speakers set up.. they did a T-mobile style sing along with handed out microphones and a camera that would zone into individual singers. The light show on the palace where Ava Perone famously did her Dont cry for me Argentina gig was mindblowing and me and a new friend Rudd danced around (infact the only people doing so) and soaked up the atmosphere.. Good Times!

26MAY - Iguazu.. there is only really one reason to come to Puerto Iguazu and that is for the waterfalls. Our first night here we went for Chinese (not as good as home) and judging by the bill at the end of the night had way to much to drink but despite that we were up early to get the bus to the falls. Talk about saving the best for last...

Let me just recap here

1Ecuador..We saw Quito, learned a thing or two about dealing with altitude, nearly fell over ourselves at how cheap things were. We went to the Galapagos Islands (after a tsunami postponement), a once in a lifetime experience and snorkled with sea turtles and rays and white tipped sharks and were followed around by baby sealions. We did the Devils nose train ride is some spectacular green green hills. And saw Cuenca a small city with beauty and pizazz and fantastic arcitecture.

2.Peru.. Lima we bought art and spent our time in cafes (and in the embassy) and walking to the beach and eating some fab food. Then through desert to Huacachina and sandboarding and dune buggies and good friends and lazy desert days. Next nazcar and its lines and Cusco to see the beauty and wonder machu pichu and learn a whole new set of altitude issues. Going rapidly from Cusco chill to tropical aguas caliente heat in just 2 hours.

3Bolivia.. just a flying visit here but still the almost never ending lake titicaca and copacobana to sing barry manilow. La Paz (even higher still) and for the first time in what i reckon is about 15 years getting on a bike and cycling down the death road, then Uyuni to take a tour through the salt flats topping out at about 5150m as we went through salvador dalis desert and saw the rock tree and the multicoloured lakes of Bolivia before crossing the border

4Chile.. San Pedro de Atacama in the desert warm and relaxing with night tours to visit an astronomer in the desert and see stars so bright the mind boggles. Cosmopolitan Santiago and measures of rum so big theyre scary .. Artistic Navy town Valpariso and Affluent sea side town of vina del mar. Over to the Stunning Tropical Easter Island to see the world famous big heads and drive on the wrong side of the road and get seriously chilled then off to the Vocano of Pucon and the alpint town that sits waiting for its next heyday..

5Argentina.. Autumnal san Martin de Los Angeles so beautilful and calm to the finest wines of mendoza and more bicycles and party, then off to Buenos Aires.. make no mistake the Party capital of the world.. and now Iguasu

taking into account all of the above I can honestly say that Iguasu falls was saving the best for last.. the sheer majesty and vastness beggers belief. Of all the things thet we have done on this trip and the sights we have seen I dont think that I ever just forgotten to breath but standing on a platform overlooking one of the more ferocious parts of the falls I forgot to breath, I think even my heart didnt beat.. I do not have the eloquence or the vocabulary to describe it but if there is a top 101 things to do in your life then baby this one just got a promotion.. put it on your list, put it near the top.. and make it happen!