Ola amigos!! Hope all is well! Paul, I'm sorry to hear about your calf!! Hope it doesn't take too long to recover, yeah I know Lisa-Jane, I loved her spin classes! Did you manage the walk? Vic, your pyjama party sounded fun! Hope the ironing wasn't too traumatic! Dad, it's funny to think of you having been here. More good results for Town, hope you enjoyed the game and your racing! Sorry to hear bobster is still being a wimp! Mum, hope you enjoyed your peace and quiet! Has the dog been operated on yet?

Friday:
Felt a bit rough in the morning, so slept in and missed breakfast. I packed up all my stuff and left it it storage while I walked to pick up my passport- all good! I stopped at the vege restaurant again, but didn't really appreciate it as I still felt a bit rough. I collected my bags and got the metro to my new hostel in the palmero region of BA. It's a new hostel and so they are still finishing off the final touches, but I much preferred it to the last one- more character, homely feel and the bed was nice and firm! I sorted out an Azimo transfer as I'm out of US dollars to change on the black market and Azimo is a site used by a lot of backpackers because it gives you a rate nearly as a good. I went down to the common area to write in my journal, but was soon joined by an English guy who looked just like Thor (big with long blonde hair) then a couple- she was from Ireland and him from NZ, a Spanish guy called Albeiro who was really funny, then a charming guy from Oz called Tristan, an interesting doctor from Germany called Sebastian, a gorgeous French guy called Nicholas, a hilarious South Korean called Tsong, a Polish guy and a wonderful Spanish girl called Marta. A few of them had met in the last city, but we all sat round chatting and they were drinking. We played drinking games, well I watched. Some of them went out about 1am, but I went to bed. Unfortunately, there were two snorertrons in my room! One of them was on the bunk above me and I did have to kick him in the end, the other had the most bizarre snore- so quick!
Saturday:
Had a good breakfast in the hostel. Chatting to Marta, she's been hitch-hiking her way around and is now trying to get a ride on a cargo boat down to Ushuaia. A lovely girl- comes across as really ditzy but so funny and sweet. She was going to change some money and I needed to pick up my Azimo money so we got the metro together. However, when I tried to get my money they wouldn't give it to me because I had temporary passport, even though I'd had to send them a picture of it and they'd verified it! Me and Marta mooched and she bought a few bits, we found a little market and bought a big jar of pickled aubergines for our lunch to go with some spinach ravioli we also bought.
Back in the hostel, I intended to have a siesta but got chatting to a Colombian guy, also Sebastian, and French Canadian, tommy, and girl from Peru. They were drinking and so I tried matè- it's the most popular drink here. It's drunk in small round wooden cups through a metal straw- it looks a bit like a bong! You put all the tea leaves in it and then add hot water. It was really bitter and strong! I'm not converted! They were heading to the park to chill out and so I headed out with them. We found a nice park and they shared a big joint, while I watched, then played the guitar and taught me to juggle. They were hippy people and so had an incense stick burning and we were picking and eating a black currant like fruit from a tree. After a while, 3 Brazilians come over and asked to join us- they were really friendly and lively! We sat around til it got dark and headed back to the hostel. The gang from last night were sat around, so I joined them! It's so cool, so many nice people- loads of laugh and advice on places to go, etc. And it so nice to feel like I finally fit in somewhere, well I've felt like that since I started the trip. A couple of them started to do salsa and so then we all decided to go to a salsa club. We got a bus there, about 7 of us. The club was still like a restaurant when we arrived, but had a man singing salsa music and a dancefloor. Marta and German Sebastian were fantastic salsa dancers! Tristan was also good, but I couldn't really loosen up and haven't mastered the art of salsa yet. We danced and had a laugh. Me, Marta and the couple left about 2.30am and got the bus back (they run all night!). Rachel had messaged me about Creamfields, but it was nice to do something more traditional!
Sunday:
Had breakfast with some of the gang and we decided to go to Boca, as they hadn't been yet. Then go to the big Sunday market in San Telmo. Me, Marta, Albeiro, Sebastian, Tsong, a Swiss girl and Brazilian girl all got the bus there. I was the guide as I had already been and so filled them in on the history and stuff. We stopped for a beer then walked to San Telmo. There was a Boca game on that afternoon so the streets were busy with all the fans- a good atmosphere! San Telmo is the old district I had also visited on my tour, but they have a huge market on Sundays! And it really was massive! It covered several of the long streets in the area. I walked around it with Marta and Tsong- we helped him buy himself a couple of bracelets. There were arts, jewellery, antiques, clothes, novelty bits, etc. Plus, lots of food. I had a traditional empanada with pumpkin, cheese and corn- very tasty! Plus, a frozen banana covered in chocolate. It was really crowded, but we met the others at the end and got the bus back together where the rest of the gang were waiting for us to go to dinner, so we headed straight out again to a nearby restaurant which was meant to be good. I wasn't hungry, plus it was a steak place, so I just watched (I feel like I spend a lot of my life watching people doing things- drinking, smoking, eating, drugs). But we had a really good time. We had planned to go to a show afterwards, but didn't have time so we took some drinks back to the hostel. Thor gave us some quiz questions which was fun and Tsong had me in tears with his Asian innocence and expressions.
Monday:
Had breakfast with the group, although most people were heading off in their different directions today. I checked buses to Iguazu and decided to get a bus about 7pm. Thor, Albeiro, Sebastian and the Swiss girl were heading out to explore, so I went with them. We went to China town, although there wasn't much to see there. Then we went to Recoleta and the cemetery, again I was like the guide because I'd already been. I was talking a lot to Sebastian- a very interesting, nice guy. We stopped at a supermarket on the way to the hostel and I got salad and a vege quiche. Chilled out a bit, before I said my sad farewells! Although me and Marta might be going to India together- we got on really well! I feel like I ended up seeing and doing all Buenos Aires had to offer!
It was drizzling as I navigated the metro to the huge bus station. I managed to buy a cheap ticket and got the 7pm bus. It was pretty deserted on the bus and I was upstairs on the front seats for a change! It was an 18 hour journey, but the only refreshment we got was a couple of ham and cheese empanadas and glass of sprite?! No wonder it was cheap! They played good films though. I managed to sleep ok, but it rained for most of the journey and the toilets on the buses are grim! I'm guessing that the men can't aim when the bus is moving!
Tuesday:
Arrived in Puerto Iguazu about 2pm. My hostel was nearby. It's a nice, atmospheric place with super helpful staff! I was meant to be in a 14 bed dorm, but they kindly put me in a 4 bed ensuite for the same price. I headed out to find food and then had a nice shower. Because it was raining I couldn't do much. So I wrote the blog and read my lonely planet to get some ideas as I head into Brazil next!
As for my Azimo, I emailed them and they are going to pay back my money thank god, although they said it shouldn't be a problem with a temporary passport and had spoken to the office and said I could pick it up, but by then I'd decided just to withdraw a little bit for this last stretch of my Argentinian adventure. I have also managed to arrange a refund for my boat ticket I'd had to buy to Uruguay to get my Argentine visa, so everything is getting sorted and I am a really happy, although slightly podgier fish! Plus, I haven't seen anything Christmas related yet- happy days!