.....Experiencing yet more extreme weather conditions

Well maybe 'extreme' is pushing it a bit, but it did get bloody cold down in Buenos Aires for my final few days there. And poor Jen arrived for her 'summer holiday' on the coldest day of the lot (when apparently the sun had finally decided to show it's face back home?)

So Jen got off the plane to be met by grey skies and near freezing temps and then I subjected her to an afternoon sat on the open, roofless and very windy terrace of the La Bombadera (which is a dump) to watch the Boca Juniors. Thought it sounded like a great idea when I saw the poster go up in the hostel, but it was actually one of the most physically unomfortable experiences of the travels so far (well except for the pedicure I had the other day when the lady took a chunk out of my foot with a scalpel and it took seven coton wool swabs to stop bleeding and it still hasn't healed properly yet), we nearly froze to the seats!

But after shivering our way through the game (a very dull 0-0 draw and not exactly premiership standard) we raced back to the city for firstly coffee and cakes and then to the retreat of our private twin room (yeay!) to finish thawing out and get ready for a nice meal and vino tinto out on the town to properly celebrate Jen's arrival.

Have obviously been eating out lots over here and in Santiago and it's great that everything is so affordable, especially the super wine. But have to say the food isn't that great unless you're a steak eater or carb junkie. It's sooo unhealthy it's just untrue; all white bread (with everything) cheese and meat. Salads are awful, veg nearly non-existant and fruit pretty ropey. And breakfast is always cakes and croissants. My jeans are now very, very tight. New Zealand was the start of the slide and the last couple of weeks have done serious damage.....

But, on the upside, I did have a great time in Buenos Aires and Jen really liked what she saw of it to (all except the footie). After finishing my language classes on Friday I checked out the trendy and leafy area of Palermo (kind of the Notting Hill of BA) with a girl from the hostel, and she and I basically shopped and ate and drank our way through the day which was lovely. Then Sunday was Jen's arrival and footie. On Monday we did Recoleta kind of the Kensington of BA) and saw the famous cemetary there and lots of nice buildings, exhibitions, etc. And finally a city centre sight seeing and shoping day on Tues (got a lovely handbag) when the cloulds parted and the sun came out and the temp must have raised by 15.c, it was glorious!

We arrived here in Iguazu yesterday after a 16-hour overnight bus journey which was actually pretty cool cos we travelled in style on a 'cama' bus where the seats are massive and recline all the way back and they show movies and bring you meals, pillows and blankets. Was awesome fun and it was so nice to have Jen to share it with.

So from the city life back to the countryside and we now have the awesome Iguazu Falls to look forward to which should be stunning if other peoples comments are anything to go by. Plus it´s lovely and sunny and warm up here which is such a relief as travelling in cold weather was really starting to take it's toll; have to confess I was getting rather fed up with it at times (you would never have guessed, would you?)   .

So have finally got the shorts out of the bottom of the backpack for the first time in 10 weeks - yeay! And can finally expose the legs to some sun - erm, not so yeay. Think a good hike around those falls tomorrow could be just what they need.....