To all those who had palpitations at the thought of me travelling South America...I'm out..alive! I didn't get mugged, ambushed or kidnapped, and the worst thing that happened is I had a bottle of shampoo stolen. Or maybe it was travelling with the odd chain-smoking idiot with verbal diorrhea that nearly pushed me to homicide. Now in New Zealand and just lost a day...I don't get a 1st Feb this year! I enjoyed flying Lan Chile...a refreshing change after t...

Spent the last week living it up! Am I really backpacking? Have been with Leslie-Ann whom I met in Quito and we`ve been having such a tough time: lazing on the beach, drinking coffee, eating in seafood restaurants overlooking the sea. It's hard but someone has to do it. We decided it is good we are going our separate ways as we are doing eachothers waistlines and pockets no good. Valpariso was a really interesting place. Much more character than Viña del ...

Took bus from Santiago today to Viña del Mar, a resport a couple of hours away. Me and Leslie-Ann decided we'd go for a swimn on the beach...except there was no room! Never seen so many people on a beach. That is why Santiago is so dead on a Sunday - they are all on this beach! So we'll be looking for a quieter place up the coast tomorrow. Still, at least there's a few handsome sailors in uniform walking around the town...

Now in Pucon, a nice little town in the Lake District. Had an 11 hour bus journey down from Santiago! The bus left Santiago at 11pm from the maddest bus station Ive ever seen. Hundreds of people! Was with a couple of young Israeli girls and if it wasnt for my intelligence and fluent Spanish we would still be in Santiago!!! Climbed a volcano today (as u do). It was great, although nearly choked to death on sulphurous fumes at the top. The best bit was the rid...

Floating mountains, mirages, geysers... Now in Santiago. Travelled down through Bolivia - 4WD through some fantasitc places. Went through the world's largest salt plain. An amazing spectacle. Because it is the rainy season the salt plains are covered by a thin 'film' of water which provides perfect reflections. So perfect you cant tell where the sky begins...mountains appear to be floating in the sky and we felt like we were flying not driving! Check out the...