Day 13: Salto Uruguay. Failed at our attempt to get breakfast after 18 hour bus ride. So more ham cheese and bread. For a change. Salto is known for its thermal baths and the healing powers of its waters. So I was prepared for a day in the spa with semi naked hot Uruguayan men. The reality was slightly different. The town was swarmed with pensioners walking the streets in bathrobes. And not much else. We were the youngest visitors to the baths by about 50 years! Although the baths were warm and relaxing, the large sign in the middle of the bath area advertising "lady products" as well as the beached whale effect somewhat affected the ambience!

Day 14. Up at half 5 for early morning bus to Montevideo, capital of Uruguay arriving at lunch time. We went to a Meat market for lunch where bbq steak and paella were the specialities as well as a local sparkling wine. I got a specially made paella with no seafood and a bottle of the local speciality wine. Sali and Mhairi shared a full paella which included Octopus, Muscles and every type of seafood imaginable! A leisurely stroll back through the winding streets. Market stalls on every corner, coke adds covering every second shop façade. Then sickness struck the group. Poor Tom I think was affected the worst but at least half of the group were taken down by the vomiting bug. Thankfully I managed to escape but Hooi did an excellent job with all the patients as resident doctor.

Day 15: Myself Mark and Frazer unaffected by the bug rented mountain bikes and undertook a 25k cycle along the coast. Amazing views and beaches. There is a cycle/running path the whole way along the coast. We stopped at a café on the beach in order to sample the local chivita dish but unfortunately missed the chef by 20 mins! After our cycle, Hooi and I went to a lovely Italian for a rosemantic dinner for two, a well deserved meal for Hooi after working hard with the patients all day.

Day 16: 6am start for bus to Colonia. Tourist town on the border of Uruguay. Pretty cobbled streets and everyone driving golf buggies or carts. First stop was breakfast. Given my lack of chivata to date, it had to be chivata for breakfast which turned out to be a fancy steak sandwich! Also noticed that Johnnie Walker is massive in Uruguay. Branded everywhere. After breakfast myself and Stacey rented golf buggies and went to explore the town. The old town with its stone houses and cobbled streets and overhanging flowered shrubbery was gorgeous. We stopped at the lighthouse to get a good view of the local area. While there a local radio station cornered Stacey and started interviewing her!! God knows what she was saying but I know that she definitely sang happy birthday in Spanish to the presenter on national Uruguay radio. It was funny when Stacey was on radio. Not so much when she cornered Frazer and myself and bullied us into joining her on radio. Don't know how Tina managed to wrangle out of it. Maybe it was because Frazer stated he was in Uruguay to find steak beer and women! Got lots of nice desserts to bring with us to share with the rest of the world local Uruguan produce. We also came across a local handicraft market where Stacey bought a few pieces of art. While me and Stacey were happy to use our golf buggy to explore the sites, others apparently thought their buggies were toys in which to donut in! The mechanic for the rental company apparently didn't agree and there were some harsh words! Next we went to a local café where we tasted some local Mate. It's a drink that every Uruguay person carries around with them on a constant basis. A special mug, green herbs and a flask of hot water. Was a bit bitter for me but interesting. Left at 6 that evening to make our way to Buenos Aires by Ferry. The ferry was like nothing I have ever experienced. A roller coaster ride would not be as scary as this. Everyone screaming. Kids crying. Everyone puking. The staff couldn't hand out sick bags quick enough. Think we were all very happy to arrive in B.A.

Buenos Aires

Check into hostel where most of us were in same room. Spent at least an hour travelling through the streets of BA looking for an ATM that worked. My ATM card refused to work and thank you Hooi for lending me enough to make dinner. Arrived at restaurant in San Telmo at 11.30pm just at the right time to join the locals for dinner. First Argentinian steak and red wine. Both very good.

Day 17: Checked into our four star fancy hotel! As was Sunday there was a massive market in the San Telmo area. Christian gave us a mini tour on the way there where we saw the cathedral and the pink palace both of which are in the square where protestors were protesting about the Falkland's war. Markets selling everything from bags to jewellery to artwork and everything in-between. I bought a lovely painting there. Problem now is how am I going to carry it for the next seven months!! There were also live tango shows in one of the squares with live tango music also. Women amazingly toned and fab dresses and mens outfits equally cool. Some of the group went to a Boca Juniors game. They said it was the best and scariest experience of their lives!! Everyone taking drugs, warnings about robbery, crazy mentalists. Sounded amazing!

Day 18. Christian took us on a tour of BA. First stop Boca. Amazing area. All houses different colours and Maradonna is revered as a God. Apparently there are some people who light candles and pray to Maradonna every day!! Streets filled with restaurants and tango shows and walls painted in spectacular murals. A block either side of Boca sees you in the Italian area where you are guaranteed to be robbed. Second stop Recoleta where we got lunch and visited the famous cemetery where Evita Peron was buried. Was very eery. Like no other cemetery I have ever been to. Each "grave" was a free standing structure like a house. You could see inside the tombs and see the coffins. It didn't feel right to be staring into these tombs as a tourist attraction. Felt strange and unreverned. What we only realised when we were walking around the cemetery was that it was Halloween! Black cats strayed through the "streets". It was time to leave. Last stop on our tour of BA was the flower monument which is operated by sunlight. The petals open and close according to the strength of the sun. That night we went to special Argentinian drum show. Was pretty cool! A group of about 20 drummers on stage drumming for two hours. The atmosphere was electric. Everyone jumping up and down in the mosh pit at the front of the stage. I decided to join them at one point and I'm not exaggerating when I say I nearly died!! Pushing, jumping, it was mental! Great fun though. On to after party with live band. Fun night.

Day 19: Last day of tour and time to say goodbye to Christian, Stacey, Damien, Jonathan and Sali but time to welcome Ami from Bristol (UK) my new room mate. Very sad saying goodbye and we will miss Damien dancing through life, Sali being lush, Jonathan being rowdy and Stacey being the perfect room mate, but hopefully will see Damien and Jonathan further in my travels. We all took the subway to Palermo another fab area in BA covered with parks and lakes and lovely buildings. After avoiding WW£ after Julia got ripped off for sitting on a small horse wearing a sombrero(!) we relaxed in one of the many parks. We then found the nicest Italian restaurant I have ever eaten in. Spag Bol will never taste so good! Back for our meeting with our new guide Vi vi. Absolutely lovely and really organised. Looking forward to the next 30 days!

Day 20: 22 hour bus trip to Bariloche. Upgrade to first class so have drinks, food and better seats.

Day 21: Arrive in Patagonia. The scenery is magnificent. Snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes. Amazing. Fist stop after checking into the Super resort was to explore the city, lake, the cathedral and the old town. Very pretty tourist town. However a volcano is currently erupting in Chile and is sending out volcanic ash which is covering the south of both Chile and Argentina so everywhere covered in ash. Locals going around with face masks and clothes refuse to stay clean. Barliloche is the chocolate capital of south America so our trip wouldn't be complete without a trip to one of the many chocolate shops for a taster! Another Patagonian special is fondue so later that night we went to a special fondue restaurant. Was amazing. I shared a meat fondue whereby you used your fondue sticks to cook raw steak in oil and dip your meat into one of 10 different sauces. Amazing. Chocolate Fondue for dessert. Even more amazing. And to top the evening off where did we end up only an Irish bar. I feel honoured!

Day 22: Up early to go cycling around the mountains which surround the lake. A few ups downs and flats. 27k . No problem. That is until we started. Yes the views were spectacular. But the worst thing about cycling through mountains is that mountains are steep. And uphill. And very ashy. And my bum and legs have never been so sore. Good workout though! A well-deserved Argentinian steak and local red wine was for dinner before drinks at the hotel.

Day 23 Sat. Up early for a hike up a local mountain. There was the easy way with a gental incline on paved roads. We missed this trail. The alternative climb was a vertical climb up a dust trail covered with volcanic ash.Myself Mark, German Julia, Hooi and Kunal took the plunge and started the assent. It was the hardest thing I have ever done but good training for Machu Pitchu. I was never so happy to see the top and the revolving restaurant. After hitch hiking back down the easy trail it was ready to go out for Vivi's birthday! We got her some local chocolates and then went to the nicest Mexican ever and back to Vivis room for €1.50 bottle of wine.

Day 24:Bye Bye Argentina. Hello Chile. Another bus journey. This one marred with difficulties. First the ash cloud was so bad the border was closed. They reopened it and then the truck drivers from Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay blocked the border in protest. Our six hour drive turned into a 12 hour drive where we spent most of it sitting at the border. Was very happy to see our hotel.