Hola! Que tal mi amigos de lejos......?

Time for another entry: seriously this continent just keeps on giving. I am currently on my way back to Mendoza...... Basically we have decided against heading into Chile and travelling North to Santiago - it kind of feels wrong to be going sight seeing in a Country struggling to come to terms with such a disaster. This means Mendoza again but it's the annual wine festival this weekend plus I'm now travelling with 4 girls so what is a man to do.....

I've just spent an amazing week in Bariloche. I could definately live there. It's stunning, so laid back, the people are amazing and there is so much to do. It's there summer currently and the weather was fantastic - glorious hot sunny days and cool evenings, (with the odd thunderstorm over the mountains watched from across the lake - I've never seen lightning or heard thuinder like it, was truly apocalyptic and afterwards we were presented with a great view of the raging forest fire which followed). Great home brewed beer, amazing food, (steak, empanadas, chocolate and ice cream especially), incredible scenery of mountains, lakes and forests, beaches to sunbathe on and clear blue waters to cool down in. And, you can ski in the winter! Come on, who wouldn't want to live there.....

We spent the week chilling out by the lake in our fantastic hostel nestled between 2 4* hotels on the lakeside with it's own bar open most of the night frequented mainly by the very cool locals and it's own beach with a couple of days of biking and horse riding, (yes - I tried to be a gaucho and didn't do too badly for my first time, a real baptism of fire since I was told nothing but to hold the reins by the Argentine dude before we trotted then cantered then galloped our way across pampas, up and down mountains, through forests and along lake shores), around the local area coinsisting of impressive mountains, stunning blue lakes and incredibly green forests. We were joined there by some friends we had met doing Torres Del Paine, (Holly and Katie from from back home and Marie-Anne from Dublin). They had taken the Navimag 4 day boat trip along the Chilean coast after Puerto Natales and been on the Island of Chiloe when the quake hit. The next couple of days were pretty mental for them and they decided to get out of Chile and cross over the border to Bariloche in Argentina. The bus station where they were was mental so they ended up getting a cab all the way which turned out to be illegal so they hitched a ride with a Chilean family in what sounded like a sixties style hippie campervan.......! Their arrival the day after our Dutch friends departed, (we met a lovely couple from Amsterdam - Roeland and Annemiek who we had been following through Patagonia and into Bariloche), meant we had little sleep and drank a fair amount in Bariloche.... Good times, really nice week although we definately felt like we were on holiday and not travelling, especially since the whole place felt and looked very Swiss with the scenery, buildings and all the chocolate. Was sad to leave for our next marathon bus journey, we had met some brilliant people there, (Israelii, Dutch, Irish, French, Argentinian, (the bar and hostel staff were incredibly cool and incredibly friendly people to all of us, some more so to some of us than others despite their choice of reading material...........) - I also reckon Jess might end up back there after falling in love with all the horses, dogs, and making 2 new best friends).

We're now sat on a bus heading to the wine festival in Mendoza. The scenery is again stunning out of the window and we have another 16 hours to go! Not sure of my plans for after but most likely will be on my own again as headed back to Santiago for La Serena, San Pedro and the Atacama Desert. Jess heads North to get to Quito for her volunteer work. Holly and Marie-Anne are headed the same way and Katie is headed home so back to fending for myself until reinforcements arrive in the form of Andy, Kate and Emma!

For those of you interested, I am now halfway through this adventure and so far so bloody amazing. Still missing home and thinking of everyone so it will be great to catch up with you all on my return. I hope you're all keeping well and staying safe. Keep all the messages coming and I really hope the blogs and photos aren't too annoying......

Until the next one, take it easy!

Adios!

Matt.

P.S. Send more Tuaca and marmite; rations running v. low. Kate: your supply was very much appreciated but after the trauma the girls suffered in getting to Bariloche I felt the need to dispense some Tuaca medicine....