Patagonia

Well since Iguazu in the last post, we have been busy, a highlight is 3 very busy days in El Chalten.

We got an afternoon bus there from El Calafate and arrived at about 5pm. The lady in our hostel said that as the weather was so good we should do the 6 hour (roundtrip) walk up to the Cerro Torre lake and viewpoint. She said that it was so unusual to be able to see the whole mountain as it's normally covered in cloud. So we set off and made it to the lake by about 8pm. The views were breathtaking and we spend about 45 mins just staring at the mountain. It was a deep blue lake stretching out before us, scatted with icebergs, with a sweeping glacier behind and the Torre towering behind. We felt totally silent and still in our own piece of paridice. However, we soon realised it was going to be dark by the time we got back so we jogged a bit on the way back, but after half an hour of jogging we were in pitch black...going down the mountain on an unmarked trail...luckily the woman at the hostel told us to take a torch, so it was actually quite fun! We went out for supper and it was the most enjoyable food ever as we were so tired!!!

The next day we went on a horse ride along the river...I have never seen james so happy...we both had so much fun. James had the mummy horse so he had a faul running along next to me the whole time! We had a funny moment where we all stopped and got off, and the guide asked if anyone needed the loo. So Jess runs off excited into the bushes to wee. When she returned, the guide showed us round a bend where there's a nice toilet standing there, hehe!

The next day we trekked up to the Fitz Roy mountain (Lago de los tres). Was a 10 hour trek round trip, but well worth it!!! We´ve got some amazing photos to upload later! Went right up into the mountains where there were three bright blue lakes, waterfalls, glaciers and again the mountains towering behind.

We're now heading to Puerto Natales tomorrow to get ready for the Torres, more amazing Patagonian scenery.

Hope everything is fine and dandy back home.

Ciao chicas,

Jessica and James

p.s. When we were at Perito Moreno Glacier, we went up to the Café and James saw a load of guys looking out over the balcony into the woods, like 25 people. So he wondered what they were all looking at and squeezed to the front to look....only to realise that there wasn't a rare animal standing in the woods, but he was now standing, and had pushed my way, to the front of a praying session!!!! HA!!

Iguazu Falls

We've now been here for a week and we've managed to cram loads in....just this morning we arrived back in Buenos Aires after a 17 hour bus ride from Puerto Iguazu, home of the massive Iguazu Falls.

We took so many photos - if we ever find a fast enough computer we will upload lots more, but here are some.





On our second day at the falls we went on a 4km walk to a secret waterfall where hardly any of the tourists go.

Jess went for a swim but James didn't want to get his shorts wet so took lots of pics! It was a really magical place - the photo doesn't do it justice as the waterfall was a good 30m high!



Here are some more pictures of Iguazu.......

Firmly 'Rooted' In Buenos Aires

Wow, what an interesting first few days.

We arrived after a very long and uncomfortable flight to a rainy Buenos Aires, not what we had signed up to!!

First adventure: We managed to get a very local bus out to the Recoletta Cemetary - this was after an hour of searching for where the buses pick you up from! The cemetary was amazing, with crazy tombs - it was like a whole village of dead people. We aren't really morbid, it actually a highlight of Buenos Aires!

Second adventure: Teeth (check out the film by the same name ;) ). James had the unfortunate timing to get tooth pains the night before the flight, too late for an emergency appointment. We assumed it was just stress but by the first day in Buenos Aires we realised it was a bit more complex. So 2 appointments and 1 root canal later we are hoping that is the end of our bad luck and that James hasn't contracted HIV or Hepatitus B from the really dirty needles (joking mum!)

Tomorrow we are going to see Boca Juniors vs Newells Old Boys, in a VIP balcony - that´s just the way we do things! Thanks for sorting that, Mehrdad! Then it's off to Puerto Iguazu, more commonly known as 'holy cow that's a big waterfall'!

Next update and photos to come soon!! Fingers crossed we won't maintain this ratio of 1 medical emergency to every 3 days.

Ciao!

Jess & James x