I've been away a Whole Month!

So for my 1 month anniversary I went horse back riding. I booked it at a tiny tour office (Spanish speakers only in here thank you very much), and left with the vague instructions I was to be back there "a las tres" Check me out! That means at 3 o clock. So I did. I sat on the steps from about ten to and waited. It got to about quarter past and I started trying to work out how to say "give me my money back you thieving so and so" for tomorrow when a "horsey" looking woman approached me. You know exactly what I mean by horsey. Don't pretend you don't. Long unkempt hair tied back in a low pony tail (enough room for the hat), no makeup, moustache, usually jodpurs but not in her case...just see-better-days-trainers, horse hair and dirt everywhere. She looked around 50 and introduced herself as Jodie...from Manchester! Yey! So needless to say I talked her to death all the way to her farm in the mountains. It turns out actually I possibly AM ready to talk to people but just can't cos they're all Spanish!

So it was only me. The season's just starting here so it's still pretty quiet. Well me and her volunteer (an 18 year old German girl helping out for a few weeks in return for food and lodgings). I love horse riding but it's ONLY ever on holidays these days. I did get up to jumping (only maybe a foot high but still) standard and also won a few rosettes for gymkhanas (spelling? who knows!) in my younger days. And you know me, always wanting a challenge and excitement, so I always want to be galloping along the sand or through fields, well just galloping really. But. This was so different. We walked, and only walked, the whole 3 hours. Up in the mountains, through forests and streams, watching the 2 dogs Jodie brought along with us, bouncing around, enjoying the heat on our faces and the views far below. It was so tranquil and I felt totally content. Apart from my bum. My bum started killing me within the 1st half hour damn it! Ps Jodie told me she was only 34! And Clearly it wasn't just me who thought she was older, someone asked if the 18 year old was her daughter!

But there is no evidence of this as half way through my trek my camera decided to freeze. I took the memory card out, then back in, I took the battery out then back in. It started working again. Great. I took more pics. After the trek I tried to look back on all the pics and they weren't there. In fact not only were they not there but my camera had decided to erase the last 30 or so pics!!!!! These included all the beautiful lake ones. I know I managed to put them on my blog but the blog people tell me every time I put pics on there that they do something weird to them so they're not printable, so keep all the originals!! So I'll go riding again in Argentina, with the Gauchos to get more pics!

The dinner

So then I went for dinner in a restaurant. I've been away a whole month now and due to not stopping anywhere for more than a couple of days, eating out all the time is the only way to eat. Hence me getting fatter. So the word "menu" in Spanish is menu (menoo). I have never had a problem, up until tonight! I was sitting for maybe 10 mins before I was noticed in the first place. Negative point number 1. He approached me and said something. I said "menu please" in Spanish of course cos I do that now, with ease. I even played charades with him showing the open book sign. And smiled. He said in English, "I will ask", then went away, I watched him call someone on the phone, and came back saying "Yes we have. Do you want?" Ok so how confused are you right now? ME TOO!!! I was stressed out as soon as I sat down after having just had the traumatic experience of using their loo before I sat down so I couldn't help say in English and very sarcastically, "I'm in a restaurant, I've just say down, can I see the MENOO (open book hands again) please!" For some reason this time he seemed to understand and did as I asked. Stupid boy! The rest of the meal went by and I watched table after table waving at this guy trying to get his attention. He just wasn't looking. I finished then sat for maybe 20 mins watching my waiter to try to catch his eye. It didn't happen so I got up and left. And was quickly stopped. Should have done that 15 mins ago I thought! So he wrote me out the bill and guess what? Added on a 10% tip! (they tend to do that here. I'm still not sure if it's mandatory or not but usually I pay 10% anyway so no biggie). But no sirrrreeee. Not this time! I even pointed to the 10%, looked him in the eye and said "no", paid and stormed out. I got back to my hostel after dark. I don't like that. The street lights are few and far between and it's scary. I was so happy to see Pete when I eventually got in.

Check this out! Stoopid woman. They'll have to put fences up now and spoil the whole effect for everyone else!
http://traveller24.news24.com/News/Belgian-tourist-badly-scalded-after-falling-into-Chilean-geyser-20151009