So our time in South America is shortly comming to an end ! We take a flight to Santiago in Chilie tonight, then on Saturday we fly to NZ ! It has been an amazing two months, weve done & seen so much. When we look back through the website and read our journals its been an incredible adventure, from our first tentative days in Rio where sam experienced her first hostal. Now we feel like pretty hard core travellers, with lots of stories to share with our fellow travellers. We thought it would be good for us to list our highs, the lows, what we miss etc THE HIGHS The Salkanty trek - Although it was really hard, we passed through some amazing scenery and the people who were on the trek with us really made it special. Cusco - Its an amazing town which still retains a very strong sense of history and culture. It has beautiful buildings and squares to people watch from and drink coffee. Staying on Lake Titicaca - The family we stayed with were amazing and gave us a rare insight into how the indiginous people live. Jungle Trek - Probably our favourite trip, sam was a little anxious about going but Im so glad i presuaded her. It is such an alien environment to us but its so rich. The variety of plants and insects are amazing. It is sad to think that if our kids go travelling in many years time, a lot of the jungle will lost and priceless habitats gone for ever. THE LOWS Sam having to go to hospital (sorry Mel we kept that quite as we knew youd worry) It wasnt too serious, a kidney infection, but with the help of our freind Mauricio in Lima, everything was sorted out within a couple of days, but it obviously was a little worrying ! For me, the journey from Puno to Lima, i had the squits for the whole 12 hour journey on the bus, fortunately it had a toilet ! For Sam, any bus jounrey ! but one that stays with her is the journey fom the Nazca lines to Cusco, it was a rentless 14 hour drive up the hairpins, constanly climbing up to an altitude of 3800. A combination of the motion of the bus and the altitude meant frequent visits to the toilet. Another one for sam was the second night of the trek, she was throwing up from about eight in the evening to seven in the morning (it wasnt too nice for me either !) THINGS WEVE MISSED. Freinds and family - There are times when it wouldve been great to share some of our expreiences with you guys. But the emails we recieve are great so keep them comming ! Going to the toilet and being able to put the toilet paper down the pan ! Having a salad without worrying about the after effects ! Being able to communicate properly, its been so frustrating at times not being able to speak Spanish, I think we would have gained even more if we couldve have more conversations with the locals. Sam really misses her engagement ring and I miss my watch (i hope you havent porned them Dad !) We also really miss music, although weve seen soem great live music, its always nice to listen what you want to listen to. There a loads of pirate cd shops in South Amercia, so weve bought quite a few on the assumption that the car we buy in NZ will have a CD player. THINGS WE HAVENT MISSED Work !!! Actually thats a lie, i found it really difficult for the first few weeks not working, sad i know. Were also really looking forward to our jobs in NZ. But we havent missed the office !. TV, its so nice not having seen TV, we havent missed it one bit. The only thing i miss it for is the news, it good to know whats going on in the world. It has been an amzing two months, even the low points we now look back on with a smile, it jst adds to the fabric of out travels ! We are both very excited about NZ and im sure well hace plenty more adventures to remeber and share with you all. In retrospect we couldve planned it a bit better as some of our journeys havent made geographic sense, but what with the wedding and moving it became a low priority. Lots of love to you all The Wilsons