Last Stop - Epagny France

We reached Geneva and drove to Epagny, the small village just over the French border, where El's dad lives still rather in shock. We had a lovely afternoon catching up, eating good cheese and planning everything we were going to do in the 10 days we had before getting back to Reading.

Best laid plans though, always go to waste and El woke up Monday morning with terrible tonsillitis, Francis (El's pa) had a tummy bug, and Kieran had a bit of everything. For days we holed ourselves up in the house feeling pathetic and doing nothing. El didn't even get out of bed for about 4 days! Our bodies just said: NO MORE! STOP! WE REALLY JUST CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE!!!!!!!!


Meeting els mum at Geneva airport


We did venture out of the house on Saturday with Celia (El's ma) and managed to get into Geneva for a nice coffee and a cake, but really the first week was a washout. The following Monday constituted the start of our return home by signing up with job agencies and trawling websites for jobs to apply for. Sigh. Back down to Earth, then.

We finally did what we've talked about for years, yesterday, and had a full on extended edition Lord of the Rings marathon. We started at 9am with a huge pot of coffee, and finished on schedule at 11pm, bleary-eyed, emotionally drained but satisfied. (A bit like a good sex session but without the mess.)

View from the patio



Our time here grows short and it's just 24 hours now before we get back to Reading. We have done so much in the past year that no one line can quantify or qualify it, so we decided to put together some statistics for you to ponder.

By the way, we will be in the Lyndhurst (Watlington Street) from 6pm on Friday 30 November and look forward to seeing you there.

The first homecoming (it's a crazy world out there)

Bleary-eyed, and wrapped in a champagne fuzz we made our way to the airport for our flight to Geneva where El's dad would be waiting for us. Actually our hangovers weren't nearly as bad as we expected, although, once checked in it was necessary to have a McBreakfast in order to keep up our bloodsugar.



Madrid airport was a sea of queues. Queues for the check in, queues for immigration, queues for security. And then we had to travel halfway across Spain to find the terminal, just in time to get on the flight. No time even for last minute souvenir shopping (we'd forgotten to do this in Madrid as we were to damn drunk all day). El crashed out immediately and Kieran read a book. V e r y s l o w l y.

After an hour or so, El perked up a bit and gazed into space for a bit. "That's funny" she thought, as a man 2 rows ahead got up to let someone else go to the loo, "That man looks a bit like my dad". When you go away for a year you learn to expect this - We've "seen" our friends in every country around the world - and so she dismissed the thought as silly. Although, he was tall, going bald, a bit grey, with glasses....NAH.

After feeling very funny for about 10 minutes she whispered to Kieran her thoughts. NAH, he said. They both had a good look from the back and decided he'd never buy a flight to Madrid and back just to see them on the plane, that was plain stupid, and expensive. And then the man leaned to one side and El saw that he was wearing a bum bag. Her heart started racing and it wasn't just the hangover. Surely no two people in Western Europe following Francis's description were still wearing bum bags???

As we spoke, the drinks trolley neared and so we thought we'd have a drink to calm our nerves. We were just an hour away from seeing Francis for real it was just our eyes playing tricks. The stewardess then leaned to El silently with a bottle of champagne. Being slightly hungover at this point, El just started at it blankly as if she wasn't quiet sure what it was. I mean, she knew what it was just not why she was passing it to El - after last night champagne was really the last thing she wanted.

Still, the stewardess persevered and passed El a small note while handing a bottle to Kieran.



It actually was him!!!!!!!!!

In fact, he'd been on an important climate conference in Valencia and had the flight booked by work months before, and when he'd looked closer at the ticket, he realized the flight was via Madrid on the same day we flew, and it was in fact, totally and utterly and completely randomly THE SAME FLIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does realizing in advance stop it being random? I think not, and anyway he kept it a secret from us so that it would be a total surprise for us, but he could plan the whole champagne thing! Brilliant. I mean, we've had very few coincidences on our trip (apart from meeting someone at Rio airport called Eleanor and from Reading, that was quite spooky) and this just about tops them all.

We were speechless as we glugged our bubbly, and waited endless long minutes for the trolley dolleys to get out of the way, and so we could have a hug and a kiss and a surprise and silly, disbelieving laughter in the middle of the aisle at 30,000 feet, somewhere over the Pyrennees. It's a crazy world out there.

Nah. Can't be....


Er, hang on a minute....


Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Daddy!!!!!!!

Madrid, Spain - the final destination!!!

We reached our final city, Madrid around midday. With only a slight hitch with our hotel, we were free to do as we pleased for the afternoon, before going on a Friday night party. The time difference with Brazil was just 3 hours and it worked in our favour allowing us to stay up late, as is the Spanish way, but feel like it's still only 9pm (our usual bedtime these days). As El has been on business to Madrid a few times she took Kieran on a whistle stop tour of the 3 major points of interest, the Plaza del Sol, which was a building site; the main enclosed square, which was pretty, and pretty touristy; and then to the Palace, which was, well, a Palace.

Once we'd got the formalities out of the way it was time to do what the Spanish do best: drink Rioja and eat tapas. We found a delicious little eatery that when we asked for coffee, scoffed and poured us a large glass of red wine instead. Aha, our kind of place. It had the most amazing seafood including this spectacularly yummy-looking octopus that had our name all over it. mmMMMmm. We successfully scoffed and glugged for a few hours until exhaustion overtook us and we headed home for a late siesta....zzzzZZZzzzzz....



By 7pm we were back on our feet, and back in the bar. We decided to explore a particular street recommended by the lady in the tourist office which had lots of bars! We also thought we should try and see a flamenco show as I have never managed this, and we've seen some brilliant dancing in South America and flamenco must be no exception.

After a few guzzles and nibbles more, we found a cheap flamenco show, bought a bottle, and settled in for the night. The dancers came on, and with grim determination started their foot-stamping, hand-clapping moves. I say grim determination because that was the overwhelming impression we got from them: grim-faced, with comedic costumes, looking like the very last place they wanted to be on earth was dancing flamenco to a bunch of tourists. And the wine tasted like shit. We decided to cut our losses (which actually were quite large cos the wine cost a fortune) and headed back to the more local-infused bars nearer our hotels. After (yet) another glass and a small tortilla for good luck, we realised that we were utterly pished and at 2pm had respectably had our first big night out since we left Thailand (in May).

Only two more hours, love, and you can go home


Ah hangovers. It's no coincidence that the first Spanish word we learnt in South America was "Barracho" (means drunk). Never could remember the one for hangover but we had so much practice drinking in the previous 3 months that we crawled out of bed at lunchtime just in time to crawl into the cafe opposite (this one did serve coffee, thank God). Saturday, we decided, was going to be our last day of high culture and that we were going to visit 3, yes 3, art galleries in one day.

Our first, with a completely unpronounceable name (spelling? forget it, I've got a hangover remember) was a mixture of classic to modern - something for everyone - all displayed chronologically. Kieran really liked it because of the way you got a good understanding of the progression of art. He was also surprised to find that 15th and 16th century religious art was far better than wishy washy impressionists like Manet. El got bored as she prefers modern art - gimme lines and shapes any day.

A quick coffee and we went to the modern art gallery, Reine Sofia, which El has been to tons of times and although it's mostly crap has got one or two great pieces including Picasso's Geurnica, which she thought Kieran ought to see for his art education. Kieran liked the building. Nuff said.

A quick expresso later, hangovers practically gone, we headed for the famous Prado, possibly the biggest fine art gallery El has ever been into (she's only ever managed to get around the first floor). As we walked towards the entrance we wondered if there was an event going on. Then we realised it was a queue. For the entrance. To a bloody art gallery?????? With about 500 people in it. Well, much as we like art we're certainly not going to queue for more than 2 minutes to get in. Sod that, let's go out for a drink instead.

We found ourselves back in the Octopus, coffee-scoffing bar again, and, this being our last night away from home, we decided to splash out with champagne. Two bottles of it. Gulp. Well, it was a celebration, and by the time we got to the champagne it was about 11pm and we were already slightly smashed on red wine and octopus (hang on, has that got alcohol in it?). We celebrated how we are still talking to each other!! Engaged even! We talked about all the things that have made our trip what it was. We speculated on the near and distant future, and how we were really looking forward to going home tomorrow (home being El's dad's place in France).



We even celebrated with the slightly bemused barman who we insisted join us in a glass of bubbly, before booting us out the door cos they had already cleaned up the bar around us, everyone else had gone home and can we piss off quietly now. Piss off quietly we did and crawl back to our very last night in a hotel, made sure we set 5 alarms so we didn't miss our flight to Geneva the next morning. And tried to drink as much water as we could stomach to minimise the damage the next day.

Rio de Janeiro - the girl - and guy - from Ipanema

We left for Rio and just managed to glimpse Iguazu falls from our aeroplane window as we left it behind. The weather forecast had been rain and clouds so we were inordinately delighted when we arrived to beautiful 30 degree sunshine. After checking in to our slightly swanky hotel - well, it's near the end, we thought we'd treat ourselves - we donned bikinis and headed for the beach.

We were staying in Copacabana, which is the Slough of Rio. Some nice places, but quite a lot of dodgy characters and somewhat rough around the edges, and the middle. The beach was huge and stretched for miles in either direction. We found a nice spot to sit and then got up and left because we realised that it was strewn with rubbish and smelt of something rather unsavoury. So we headed to the most famous beach of all, Ipanema, to say "ah" as the girl walked by, and to try and work on our tans so we come back looking like we've just spent a year in exotic climates.


The famous Ipanema beach

Rio is famous for beautiful babes in g-string bikinis and it's true, they are very popular, although no-one actually got topless. Kieran argued that as Christ was looking down upon the city, they were being modest, although El thinks that g-strings really don't support that argument. Or much else for that matter. However, as there were just as many sexy fit guys in Rio-style speedos she didn't spend much time caring about girls in bikinis. (And it's true that speedos can be sexy, but only if you're a 6 ft, brazilian black dude, with a big packet. Ahem.)

In any case, Monday bought rain. Real, English-style pissy, wet rain. Ah well, we got one afternoon of sun lounging in. We headed for the tourist office, which we couldn't find; some museum, which was closed; the fine art gallery, also closed. Hang on...are all museums closed on a Monday or something? (Yes.) Well after walking around in the rain for half the day, getting soaked, we just went back home and watched TV. Some days it's just not worth bothering. Later that day, though, as we looked out of our 10th floor window, Jesus appeared to us in the sky and we knew it was all going to be all right.



Tuesday bought cloud but no rain and we thought we'd head for the modern art gallery as they are usually not too big! There were an incredible amount of tiny schoolkids (5 year olds?) on an outing (I'm sorry but taking 5 year olds on a school trip to a modern art gallery?????) and the odd mid-week viewer. It was mainly crap actually, although there were some very interesting pieces by Yoko Ono (of John Lennon's wife fame) who El has always though was a rather good artist, including an interactive wish tree where you write a wish on a piece of paper and tie it to the tree (good old Yoko - keep it simple), which we duly did. Kieran wished for Santa to give him a nice xmas present, and El wished for better weather the next day - sod world peace!

While we were leaping around inside another interactive exhibit of polytsyrene balls for adults, there was a bit of a commotion. A tiny lady in shades and a trilby was being ushered around by a very tall man, and a crowd of paparazzi. We asked an invigilator what was going on. "It's Yoko" he said. Eh? "Yoko Ono". Talk about being in the right place at the right time. There she was, the minute artist herself writing a wish for her own wish tree, being photographed and filmed by all manner of newsfolk (including ourselves, of course). Kieran was nonplussed, but El was really quite in awe. What an excitement!!!



Well, there's not much that can top that so we left going up the cable car until the next day. Good job too as our good karma (and perhaps El's wish) gave us another stunning day. We took the cable car up the sugar loaf mountain and faithfully re-enacted Jaws biting the cable car cable from Moonraker, albeit without the metal teeth, and took our quota of fantastic pictures.


Looking down onto Copacobana Beach, with Christ top right

Rio is a vast city very much in sections which are exaggerated by being divided by physical divisions, such as beaches, mountains, rivers, lagoons. We only ever saw the tiny centre but the views from Sugar Loaf are truly stunning. To be honest we were a bit surprised how small Christ the Redeemer actually was, but I'm sure if you were seeing it from his mountain he'd be a much bigger man (we thought re-enacting James Bond was way more important than Christ, frankly).


For those James Bond fans among us

And now, on our last day but one in South America, sick to the back teeth of art, culture, museums, everything, we headed back to the beach. Time to sit back, drink a caipirinha (my God they are strong), and reflect on a year of travel....

Iguazu Falls - butterflies, rainbows and a whole bucket of awe

We reached Puerto Iguazu, the entry town for the famous waterfalls, by our last super duper special luxury bus. Travel has never been so good! After settling into our room we wandered around the town and found out how to get to the falls and planned the next day.

The bus journey to the falls was a bit hairy as the driver couldn´t seem to engage the gears and so there was some thought we might be spending the day on a bus, but luckily he managed to grind them into place and we got there with plenty of time. We opted to do the park's full tour and headed straight to a 4x4 jeep for an 8km ride through the jungle. It is incredibly lush here, and incredibly hot and humid (about 35 degrees with 75% humidity). There are countless species of trees and many beautiful orchids growing in them.

We arrived downriver of the falls and got in our boat for the thrilling ride upriver to the falls for a river view, plus obligatory soaking. As we flew upriver the falls came into sight and once again, awe was the word of the day. The falls cover a good few kilometres where a hard rock ends and a massive amount of water just plummets into a lower valley. We rode right up to two parts of the falls and got drenched utterly and totally. Luckily the camera was in a plastic bag so no harm done but it did take about 2 hours to dry off. Still when it's that hot you really don't mind.



We then disembarked on a small island, again with wonderful overall views, and we were enchanted by the variety of butterflies everywhere, plus hundreds of swallows that live in the tiny areas of the cliffs not inundated with water, plus tons of huge hawks or some sort of birds of prey. We were expecting water but were amazed at the wildlife that just don't care a jot about the tourists!



The, after a quick lunch we took a walk along the top edge where rainbows permanently abound, then took a train to the main area, called the Devil´s Throat. You walk over the river at the top of the falls for over 1km before reaching this incredible part of the falls. Looking down at the sheer volume of water makes you quite giddy and the energy from the water, all the rainbows and the cracking views all around make you realise that Iguazu is rightly described as one of the true wonders of the world.

Buenos Aires Part 2

We spent the day shopping in Florida Street and drinking coffee and then in the last minute "you only have 10 minutes to get ready" type thing we decided to go to a tango experience, where you get an hour tango leason and then a dinner show afterwards.



I was most dismayed to discover that Eleanor is a much better dancer than me, and that I have two left feet. I can remember my Nan telling me that Grandad had the same affliction, so it must run in the family. It was a great night and the show was very sexy, with three dance pairs and lots of change of clothes. The whole thing made us want to continue to learn the Tango when we get back home.

Eleanor in her new top, doing the do


We got home late and then after El thrashed Kieran at a game of pool, we got chatting to the barmen in the hostel about the meaning of life and his philosophy of no change and so did not get into to bed until 4am, Argentina even has the power of to turn us old gits into party animals, as we having been getting into bed at 10pm at the latest most nights.

The next day was a bit of a washout so we decided to go back to the sushi bar and eat sushi all day...mmmm

Eleanor stuffing her face... just one more wafer thin salmon slice


We loved BA and think it is one of the coolest cities in the world and were very sad to leave it. The wine was cheap, the people frendly and stylish and the feel to the city, mainly down to the tango, is extremly sexy

Side note
I am reading a book about Charles Darwin's life "Annies Box", after the trip to the Galapagas. I thought it was apt and it's quite funny reading about a family life in the 1840s, water treatment and sea bathing in huts.

El Calafate - icebergs and hangovers

We decided to bite the bullet, get the credit card out and splash out on a trip to Patagonia. Not for penguins mind, but to go the the National Park of Glaciers to see a number of huge glaciers, some of which end in a lake.

El Calafate, the entry town is a one-stop tourist shop in a bare landscape that is reminiscent of the Yorkshire dales albeit slightly flatter! The town is full of tourist shops and restaurants and we couldn't help ourselves but to have a slap up meal and too many bottles of wine in anticipation of nature's wonders the following day.

Of course we ended up with cracking hangovers and being picked up at 7am felt like torture. Nevertheless, the tour we went on, consisting of a day-long boat trip around the lake, stopping for a short walk though some beautiful woodland to a glacial lake full of little icebergs, then 3 further stops at 3 glaciers all of which terminate at the the lake. Some are stable and one, the Moreno, is actually one of the few remaining advancing glaciers in the world and every day (by about 2 meters), icebergs break off from the end of the glacier and so the lake is full of amazing vibrant blue icebergs, partially eroded by the wind and water into incredible shapes and it is really an amazing sight to behold.



We were incredibly lucky (again) with the weather and we had beautiful skies, and although it was chilly, it wasn't half as freezing as we were expecting. Through all the awe and spectacles our hangovers soon slid away and we really felt like we'd made the right decision in taking an expensive flight for just a 24-hour trip.



We had seen the Mer de Glace on Mont Blanc, and 2 lovely glaciers in New Zealand, but really these ones are bloody massive. The ends of the glacier are these incredible vertical walls that loom above the boat and the width is kilometres long. They are vast and incredible and, once again, words can´t describe the majestic feeling that these towers of frozen water incite.

We were even lucky enough on one of the glaciers to see a part of the ice breaking away - not exactly an iceberg, more of a mini avalanche - and felt our day was complete.

Mendoza - Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Coffee

We could get used to this
Right from the moment we got on the bus we knew it was going to be a good trip to Mendoza. There were extra wide seats that reclined totally with a little bit that folds up to rest your legs so it´s pretty much like a bed. First you get a choccy biccie, then a bottle of wine (a small one), then some dinner, then another bottle of wine (well, you HAVE to ask don't you), THEN a glass of champagne (OK sparkling wine but after 2 bottles of red who cares), and then a movie with really good headphones...and yawn yawn, let's doze off..zzzzzz...then woken up for a light breakfast, a tea and then we're there! You don´t know the MEANING of bus until you've been to Argentina!!

Lovely picture


Mendoza is a lovely green, leafy city. Every single street is an avenue of trees giving the whole place a lush feeling. Apparently much of it was flattened in an earthquake so it was rebuilt in an orderly grid system, complete with wide streets and lots of plazas and parks in case of future quakes.

We missed the ski season by about a month (Mendoza is at the foothills of the Andes that cross into Chile) and so on our very first afternoon we hopped on a bus and were visiting wineries before you could say Cabernet sauvignon! A few glasses of vino, plus some delicious olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes later, we decided that Mendoza is a pretty cool place.

Sadly, our hostel was bloody noisy that night, so after a few hours shut-eye we were on a day trip into the mountains. We had expected a bit more walking about but it was essentially a drive and park and take a picture and drive some more kinda trip so we did snooze just a little as we increased our altitude and saw a pretty lake, a crazy yellow hot spring, and ended up drinking a hot chocolate at the last stop before Chile where it was just lightly snowing. As we were in shorts and light jumpers we didn't hang about but took our obligatory pics and were quite glad to be back in the city and the lovely warm temperatures back there.


Minerals in the hot water making a beautiful river edge

Last 2 days we've chilled out. There is an enormous park with a lake and a delicious-smelling rose garden, and we've acquainted ourselves with a number of Mendoza's coffee establishments, and the odd ice-cream parlour.


Despite travelling for nearly a year we still come up smelling of roses

It´s been a lovely few days and we are positively looking forward to our bus trip back to Buenos Aires tonight, and then on to El Calafate after that.