Hey hey recruits...I could launch straight into the joys of being a snow bunny as I sit here in this bar and sip Irish coffee and thaw out but will have to update you on my days in Mendoza first: Met a very sweet Dutch girl and together we booked a cycling tour of a load of wineries seeing as Mendoza is Bodega Paradise. Me having not been on a bike for a good 12 years (probably more) was fairly comedy as we clocked winery 1, liquer company 2, wineries 3, 4 and 5 and sumptuous deli lunch. Nearly got mown down by trucks several times (and laughed at by many children) but had such an awesome time. The scenery was beautiful and it was just really really fun, like being a kid again, with alcoholic benefits. Spent the next day scoping out Mendoza in the company of this woman I met in my dorm who was basically like that mother in About A Boy, but grungier...you know, furry jumpers, many piercings, "funky" hair etc etc. She was nice but didn't feel she was getting my "I need to shop for unnecessary clothes" vibe. Much time for that in BA methinks...Anyway, got on the bus to Bariloche with her, and 19 hours later, I arrived in what appeared to be Switzerland. Bariloche is Argentina's top skiing destination (and the biggest resort in South America...not that big though compared to Europe) and it sure is beautiful. Set around a mini lake district, the place gets as many tourists in Summer but in Winter it's comfortingly like a little European ski village. Tres cute and my hostel is lovely - and managed to bump into Carmen, Geoff and Dave there for the first night too. And did I mention this place produces Argentina's finest chocolate? Oh yes, the merengue, dulce de leche and milk choc stuff is absolutely to die for. And you need it to keep warm here! The day I arrived was sunny and lovely but i planned to ski the next day - when it was raining down in town and snowing like Canada up above. Absolutely unbelievably cold with practically no visibility. Really really flat light as well but still, was loving just being on the mountain, even if had no idea what it looked like. Had met some lovely Germans the day I arrived in the hostel (complete with sauna, wood cabins and everything...the hostel, not the Germans) and skied with them the first morning. However, then had totally disastrous afternoon finding and losing a friend of a friend I had arranged to meet. Totally embarrassed myself by a) being a muppet that cannot follow instructions and b) by being rubbish at skiing powder. Tried to address this latter issue the next day when we had similar weather but possibly even more snow: big fat wet flakes that went clean through my crappy rented ski clothes. Nora's (German girl) boyfriend Lehny who's a ski instructor had pitched up in Bariloche the day before however, so we skied with him and basically had a day of being taught to ski in thigh-deep powder, which was awesome even if I did get one leg utterly buried at one point and had a Bridget moment wondering if I'd be found three weeks later frozen but being pawed/nibbled by Alsatians. Final day's skiing though did produce a few hours of clear skies and sun before descending once again into a blizzard. Got some amazing pics which you may be able to see one day if I can ever find a comp with the right software. This really is the most beautiful resort I have ever been to - the lakes are what make Patagonia so breathtaking. So off I head back to Buenos Aires today for my last five days - not especially looking forward to a 24hour bus ride but fingers crossed for more choice films. Back home soon, can't quite believe it but looking forward to see y'all. kisses, R x