Oz

Fiji (1st – 4th october)
Got air pacific flight here to Nadi, really good service food was excellent! Stayed in smugglers cove, 29 dollars but cheaper accommodation nearby for 15! Went playing golf for a day, pretty relaxing actually and worked on the tan again! That night at the hostel drank some kava, local drink Bula! Did not see much here as was saving my money for oz.

Sydney (4th october)
Arrived and stayed with our friend john in drummoyne for the first few weeks, went out that weekend to oxford music factory, met a friend here Liesl I met when I was in Ecuador, and ended up in the gaff a place a lot of backpackers go. Did not do too much sightseeing here the first few weeks as was looking for a job and a place to live, a month in and I still am! To get you started these links are very helpful:

Accomodation:
Gumtree.com.au
Domain.com.au

Jobs:
Seek.com.au
Mycareer.com.au
Careerone.com.au

To travel around you can buy weekly tickets to use the train, bus and ferry.

A lot of places to go out here, darling harbour, georges street, oxford street and of course kings cross. Cargo bar hotel in darling harbour is really nice, oxford street has a lot of diversity and kings cross is pretty thrashy but its always packed. Beaches are quite beautiful here, have been to bondi, tamarana and coogee all really good for surf, still haven’t got on a board yet though, putting all my time into getting a job when the country is slowly falling into a recession, ugh!

Finally after alot of hard work at looking at houses and dealing with estate agents, got a really nice three bedroom house in balmain, which is inner west of the city. Beautiful area, lots of cafes and bars and a really good lawn bowls club, a member there so get cheap schooners! Living in the house with niall, ger, nicky and gorby. Was unfurnished the house, so had a great time picking up stuff left on the street, the rest we got from salvation army.

Got a job then as a systems xml analyst with the attorney generals office in town, its a three month contract so tides me over for christmas, really needed this job, the funds were running really low!

For my 25th birthday, went to cargo bar in darling harbour, really like this place, good dance music and the girls are not bad either! Eddie is over here now also, so its just like been back at home, with exception to the weather and chicks! Was at miss bondi 2008 last weekend, not bad talent at all, bondi beach was thronged, should be good fun when christmas day comes around.

Went to manly another weekend to meet a mate of mine, took the ferry over from circular quay, only took a half an hour, really nice journey. Manly is a beautiful area aswell, bustling with cafes and bars and has many beaches, most which are good for surf. Went out surfing that day but did not do too well, swallowed alot of water as per usual!

From Sydney

From Sydney

Christmas 2008

Had a fairly fulfilled christmas in sydney, started christmas eve where i went on a booze cruise from darling harbour. Lots of people around mostly backpackers, about five boats went, ours was last to go, about 200-250 people were on it. Free booze and free food was pretty sweet, dj playing downstairs. Had a smashing time going around the harbour at night time, very picturesque. Everybody was in great humour for christmas, got back to the wharf around 11 and then headed home, early arising the next morning to go to sunburnt festival at bondi pavillion.

From Sydney Christmas 2008

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Woke up the next morning and weather was cracking, had a few celebratory drinks in the house then over to bondi beach with our eskie!!

Sunburnt festival

From Sydney Christmas 2008

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Stephens day dinner for twelve people

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Serena calling over
New years eve, balmain east, met aoife, rocks, argyle, fireworks

From Sydney Christmas 2008

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Darling harboour, aquarium, fish market, IMAX 3d cinema

From Sydney Christmas 2008

opera house, harbour bridge, opera bar, pizzeria in rocks then bungalow 8
manly very hot, little manly beach, lunch at wharf hotel with tom, then seen the kooks live in hordern pavilion, very good live.

botanic gardens, establishment and cafe sydney for dinner really cool and awesome view www.cafesydney.com
sydney festival month
australia day, barbie in paulies
few days out in coogee beach

USA

San Diego (5th – 9th september)
Stayed downtown first in cat hostel, got a trolley from Tijuana border to here. Great night here, its ran by young people in a warehouse turned hostel! Did some shopping in the nearby gas quarters and then partied! Next day went drinking in the bar Bare back, my first Guinness in the states! Then up to pacific beach (PB as they call it) stayed in banana bungalows, right on the beach front the front deck, sweet! Met dave and Joanna that night took it easy as had the American football game the next day.

It was san diego chargers first match, got the trolley out to the stadium, lots of dudes having barbies outside in the car park beside their kick ass pick ups, cars here are big and awesome! Seen the fighter jets fly over beforehand, was pretty cool, the noise was deafening. Went to hooters café after this near the hostel, and then up to gardner street to johnnys old pub, Tiki bar with dave and the gang, met Hannah a girl I met in Bolivia here, was a really good night.

From Sandiego

From Sandiego

Next day woke up to dave handing me a beer, drinking most of the day on the patio playing beer pong, sweet! Got a keg later in the hostel, what I expected when I came to the states! Niall injured himself been a lifeguard jumping over the balcony to the beach, just to save his sunglasses tho. Met a norweigan girl that night and a Slovenian, hehe!

Decided then to rent out a family RV to go travelling around the west coast in a month with Cruise America.

Las Vegas (9th – 11th August)
Drove down that evening to las vegas, only took a few hours to Nevada, seen the lights on the way in, really cool. MGM is the biggest hotel in the world, called into the casino there, so many games! Dave and Joanna stayed in new york new york hotel, really nice inside, ride went throught the hotel and there was a fake statue of liberty inside too! We walked down the strip the next day and got a buffet in Village buffet in paris hotel, really cool interior and lots of cuisine to choose from. Got the monorail then to Stratosphere, ride 800ft above the strip, scary!

Walked back and seen the bellagio fountain display, fountain springs play in sync with the opera music. Went back then to daves room seeing as we were living in the RV in their car park and had some bucky before hitting the town. Had a guinnes in the Nine Fine Irishmen and then to coyote ugly but that was pretty disappointing so hit the Hard Rock to go clubbing and some gambling, was a really good night. Next morning up early and hit the gun store, shot a desert eagle was really good fun. Then took a short drive to Hoover Dam, very big!

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

Yosemite National Park (11 – 18th)
Went down RT 95 travelling all day to get to this beautiful national park, stayed in a camp site on the outskirts the first night, had a Barbie that we brought with us, unlucky if you’re a vegeterian!

Entered on the east coast side Tiago pass, up over 10000 ft. Chilled out near Lake Tenaya, another barbecue, beautiful view. Seen the Tenaya Canyon at Olmstead point,very big time of year so had to head west to find a trailer park outside for accommodation.


Next morning heading up to san Francisco, stayed at north beach, and went out that night but was pretty tired as we were travelling all day so was an early night. Seen the golden gate bridge the next day and the island of Alcatraz, then headed down to LA. Drove to Beverley hills, took a few pictures and then seen the stars on the street, hit santa Barbara that night for another barbecue, then back to san diego, long trip, but a lot of fun! Funny the next morning we cleaned out the RV, but the pipes were clogged so on a random street emptied shit out, haha got away with it too!

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

San Diego (18th – 20th september)
Back to banana bungalow for our last few days, rented out a jeep to cruise around as its pretty cheap, seen the naval air base and went to san diego zoo for a day, lots of monkeys and cats and seen a panda bear! Called down to mission beach and see the harbour and an old naval aircraft carrier. Went clothes shopping as my clothes were becoming ragged, drove to a factory outlet in San Ysdiro near the border, lots of shops. That evening then beer pong in the hostel and did some night swimming with a Slovenian, haha good times! BBQ on the patio and vodka and mountain dew is what our diet consisted of. Was great to see dave and Joanna again, had a brilliant time with them.

Hawaii (20th – 29th)
Stayed on Waikiki beach for the first few days as was meeting my brother darragh here, stayed in the beach hostel on lemon road 30 dollars a night, including our own kitchen facilities. Met my brother the day I arrived and was great to see him, had not seen him in over nine months! Went out at the weekend to Zanzibar and senior frogs, was good fun. Hit a cheesecake factory with my bro, awesome! A lot of coral reef this side of the coast line so not the best for swimming. Went up north shore then for a few days, only two hours up the coast, stayed in sharks cove rental near waimea bay, really nice place to stay here, really good for swimming and surfing also, biggest wave was caught in waimea bay. Worked on the tan here before hitting Australia. Went back to Waikiki before flying out the next night and had an awesome night, ended up meeting a cool English girl in the hostel called Hannah, more night swimming! Pretty expensive Hawaii but a beautiful place, so many beaches to hit.

From Hawaii

From Hawaii

Mexico

Mexico City (25th – 26h August)
Flew into mexico city, afternoon time, over 20 million people in this city, huge place. Stayed in hostel Amigo in the historic center, met some mates actually from Peru here. Nice hostel and good breakfast but the guy behind reception is a douche and the beers are pretty expensive. Metro is great for getting around though, only two Mexican pesos! Stayed for a day and went to see the pyramids, really nice vew of the city aswell. Got a night bus from Terminal de Autobus to Monterrey to stay with Nialls relations.

From Mexico City

From Mexico City

Monterrey (27th – 3rd September)
Stayed in Nialls aunties house up the hills not far from el centro. They welcomed us with open arms and I even had Barrys tea for breakfast. Went into town that day and got to see the comptemporary modern arts museum and walked around the city centre which is really nice. Supposedly it was 38 degrees here only a few weeks ago, thankfully it calmed down when we were there! Went to a brewery restaurant the first night that was delicious and really good craic with Nialls relations, kinda feel at home here in a way. Tasted some really good tequila and mexcal, does the job! Definitely getting closer to states, huge pick ups and fast food restaurants everywhere. Decided to stay here longer than expected and went to a football match Saturday, local team Monterrey and the quality of football was really good, went to Nialls cousins house afterwards and had a Barbie Mexican style, and hit a really good house party after, safe to say Sunday I spent all day in bed! Went to see caves “Grutas de Garcia” which are over 40 million years old, pretty cool! Next day went to see Chipinque national park, pretty sweltering heat walking around, amazing houses up here, mostly narc owned!!

Tijuanna (4th – 5th September)
Only stayed here for a night, pretty quiet on a Thursday night so just went for afew beers before heading up to san diego. Pretty thrashy here aswell, targets young drunk Americans that have money to spend! Hostels from san diego do orgnaise trips here tho on Fridays and Saturdays which would be a laugh I guess.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica (18th August)
Its rainy season here at the moment, we had to circle around San Jose airport for an hour due to the weather!

Left San Jose that evening to get to Nicoya Pennisula, paid a heavy taxi rate from the airport to terminal Punta Arenas, to get the bus to the port town of Punta Arenas. If you can don’t stay here it’s a shithole, stayed in probably the worst hostel ever, pretty dodgy area port towns! Got a early ferry next morning to get to Montezuma, took two local bus rides to get there.

Montezuma (19th – 20th)
Stayed in hostel Pension Jenny, pretty nice place, 4000 colones beside the beach. The water temperature in the ocean is amazing, the wave breaks are really high and powerful, this is definitely a surfers paradise. Just chilled on the beach before heading to Santa Teresa.

Santa Teresa (20th – 21st August)
Another surfer spot here with beautiful weather, good waves and hot girls. Stayed in an apartment for the night, 12 dollars each, chilled out and just watched some dvds. Good place to eat here is called Burger Ranch, good burgers and kebabs. Did a surf lesson with a cool American dude, learnt that I’m goofy for sure! He had some ncie herbs Rented a 4*4 Rav jeep with Budget travel for the rest of the week, easiest way to get around on the pacific coast line.

Playa Samara (22nd – 23rd)
Got here late at night and accommodation was very expensive so slept in the jeep for the night beside the beach! Rented out boards for the day, easy waves to catch.

Tamarindo (24th – 25th)
Stayed in the only hostel in town here called Coral Reef, 8 dollars a night for a dorm bed. Very Americanised here, hotels are amazing and very expensive, fast foods like Subway exist here. Meant to be spring break atmosphere here but found it pretty lame, main club is called Agua, but most girls here are working girls! Beach is pretty nice and seen an amazig sunset here aswell. Another day drove out to Playa Avenella to work on the tan!

From Costa Rica

From Costa Rica

From Costa Rica

Conclusion:
Overall this country, just on the pacific side alone s beautiful, so many beaches to see and even though its rainy season its very warm in the morning time. Very expensive though and up north not too backpacker friendly but well worth a visit, especially if your into surfing.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica (18th August)
Its rainy season here at the moment, we had to circle around San Jose airport for an hour due to the weather!

Left San Jose that evening to get to Nicoya Pennisula, paid a heavy taxi rate from the airport to terminal Punta Arenas, to get the bus to the port town of Punta Arenas. If you can don’t stay here it’s a shithole, stayed in probably the worst hostel ever, pretty dodgy area port towns! Got a early ferry next morning to get to Montezuma, took two local bus rides to get there.

Montezuma (19th – 20th)
Stayed in hostel Pension Jenny, pretty nice place, 4000 colones beside the beach. The water temperature in the ocean is amazing, the wave breaks are really high and powerful, this is definitely a surfers paradise. Just chilled on the beach before heading to Santa Teresa.

Santa Teresa (20th – 21st August)
Another surfer spot here with beautiful weather, good waves and hot girls. Stayed in an apartment for the night, 12 dollars each, chilled out and just watched some dvds. Good place to eat here is called Burger Ranch, good burgers and kebabs. Did a surf lesson with a cool American dude, learnt that I’m goofy for sure! He had some ncie herbs Rented a 4*4 Rav jeep with Budget travel for the rest of the week, easiest way to get around on the pacific coast line.

Playa Samara (22nd – 23rd)
Got here late at night and accommodation was very expensive so slept in the jeep for the night beside the beach! Rented out boards for the day, easy waves to catch.

Tamarindo (24th – 25th)
Stayed in the only hostel in town here called Coral Reef, 8 dollars a night for a dorm bed. Very Americanised here, hotels are amazing and very expensive, fast foods like Subway exist here. Meant to be spring break atmosphere here but found it pretty lame, main club is called Agua, but most girls here are working girls! Beach is pretty nice and seen an amazig sunset here aswell. Another day drove out to Playa Avenella to work on the tan!

Conclusion:
Overall this country, just on the pacific side alone s beautiful, so many beaches to see and even though its rainy season its very warm in the morning time. Very expensive though and up north not too backpacker friendly but well worth a visit, especially if your into surfing.

Ecuador

Montanita (July 31 - 4 August)
First stop over the border was here, nice village could do some good surf here but it was the weekend i guess so party time! Stayed in Tiki Limbo hostel which was located in the heart of the action, had some great cocktail stands at ngiht time and ended up going to an electronica rave festival on the beach til the early hours, met a cool girl here aswell from israel Noah.



Puerto Lopez (4- 5 August)
Went whale watching here for 15 dollars, was well worthed, they put on a great show. No need to stay here though just do that during the day and then get out of there. Interesting ride then up the coastline to get to Canoa, took three buses one boat and a taxi ride to get there! Notning much happening here so rented a board for the day, soaked up the sun and then off to Banos.

From Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

From Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

Banos (6th August - 12)
Stayed in a really nice hostel called Plantos y Blancos, 6.50 a night. This town is activity city at the bottom of an active volcano! Rented out quads for 20 dollars for three hours, was lucky for once as i got the best quad up the volcano trail, was really good fun. Next day did grade 4 white water rafting , for only 28 dollars including dinner after. Was exactly what i was looking for, great rapids, at one stage hit a serious rapid and everyone fell out even the guide and I didnt sweet!

Weekend here is not too bad, on a Sturday many people from Quito come here to chill out. Hate to say it but Leprauchan is the main bar here, in between the other two and thats bar zone! Monday went downhill biking on a competition trail, was way too technical for me and the bikes werent that good, fell over a few times!!

Had our 6 month anniversary here in the swiss restaurant, really nice food and a good session! Did the bridger jump that morning for 15 dollars, only 150m but my god am I scared of heights! Just had to go for it, or Ill never be able to do the ones in new Zealand. Niall took two turns to jump, thanks to my riveting speech he went for or I would have never been able to let it go after Torres del Paine!

From Banos, Ecuador

Quito (13th August – 18th)
Stayed in hostel called El Centro del Mundo, really laid back hostel and really sound people there. Met two lads from Banos there aswell, had a great time with them. One of the days went to old town and had a great view of the city from the Basilica church. Another day went to Mitael del Mundo to see the solar museum at the equator line, really cool experiments, even got a certificate for balancing the egg on the nail! G Spot Hamburgers is a really good restaurant near the hostel and Coffee tree for breakfast and coffee. Went clubbing in Bungalow 6 which was pretty good and Blues. Met up with a cool Ecuadorian girl here, pity I couldn’t stay longer!

From Quito, Ecuador

From Quito, Ecuador

Conclusion:
Ecuador is actually pretty expensive for a backpacker! The beer Pilsner is not that great also, buses are pretty efficient, but still had a good time in this country, would have loved to have gone to Colombia though.

Peru

Cusco (22 - 26 June)
Made it here for the Inti Raymi (winter solstice) festival, was full of tourists but a really nice town, in the morning we would go to the market which was only 90 cent for three smoothies, good start to the day! Stayed in Point hostel as Loki was full, for a party hostel it was pretty lame, spend most of our time in Loki at night time as it had a good happy hour plus i knew some friends from La Paz there, Nightlife in cusco is pretty decent, Mama africas and down town are the main clubs. Even though its pretty high up this inca capital, really nice and warm during the day.

Got a gorgeous roast dinner one day in McCoys even had real stuffing and cheese and cauliflower, really good restaurants here.

From Copacabana, Cusco, Arequipa

From Copacabana, Cusco, Arequipa

From Copacabana, Cusco, Arequipa

Arequipa (27 - 30 June)
South of perus is this really stylish city, again stayed in Point hostel but this tie was managed alot better, better music and bar and good hammocks to chill out on. the real reason we went down there as to chill out before the inca trail but seeing as it was the weekend that was not going to happen!!

Nightlife is really good here, and the girls are smoking aswell! Went to a club called Deja Vu and another night went to a bar near the swedish one on Calle San Francisco which sold whiskey buckets, well close enough!

For the first time in south america found a good doner kebab shop, and my god were they amazing for 1.50EUR each!!

Cusco (1st July - 3rd)
Just rested up here in Point hostel for two days before the inca trail, nuff said no alcohol for me.....

Inca Jungle Trek (July 3 - 7)
By the eway this fun trek only cost 160 US dollars, compared to the classic inca trail that can cost from 500 - 1000 dollars!

Started off from the hostel at half seven in the morning to get a bus to Abra Malaga to start our descent on the mountain bikes. Myself and niall wer always flying down waiting for the rest and before we got to Santa Maria at a stop point, waiting around my poor ankles got bitten alive by sand flies! Really good cycle though, at one stage went stragiht through a rgiht angle turn and had to take the next dirt turn luckily to keep on course! By the way Santa Maria was washed away by Rio Urubamba and the to be redeveloped up stream.

Styaed in a hostel that night and up at six in the morning to start our long trek through the jungle. Part of the trek was the inca trail, fabalous terrain and landscape, even had lunch in the jungle! Seen many spiders, bananas, avocado and lemon and lime trees. Funniest thing to see was an old lady with a monkey selling Powerade on the trek, shows how commerical its getting (In BOD we trust!) Got to the hot springs in the evening time for an hour of relaxation, then a one hour trek to the town of Santa Teresa, had a funny night there, went to a local club and used a carrot as a pipe, nuff said....

Then the third day a little worst for wear, a pretty monotonous walk along the railway line to Aguas Calientes. Then we arrived in Aguas Calientes very touristy town at the bottom of Maccha Piccu had one hour for lunch and then straight up Happy Mountain (not sure of the name!) deep ascent up steps and even ladders to the top but well worth the view.

Went to bed pretty early in Aguas Calientes as up the last day at four. Pretty dark morning our ascent up to Maccha Piccu but adrenalin was kicking in. Got up in lots of time to take pictures as buses were only just arriving. Queued up for Wayna Pichu, usually takes an hour but we made it up in 20 mins and were the first five to arrive at the top, the view of Maccha Piccu is amazing. Had a tour of Maccha Piccu in the afternoon and at this stage there was many tourists, the tour itself was pretty interestig but alot of theories exist as to why it was deserted.

Overall was a really good hard trek, thoroughly enjoyed the climbs and the views of Maccha Piccu.

From Inca Jungle trail to Machu Picchu

From Inca Jungle trail to Machu Picchu

From Inca Jungle trail to Machu Picchu

Cusco (July 8- 11)
Came back after the trek to got on the lash in Cusco. Stayed in Loki hostel which was really good fun, decent bar and good chill out area. Spent most my time going out in Extrema bar first for cocktail happy hour on Plaza de Armas, then afterwards either Up town or Mama Africas. Bumped into some girls from La paz i knew working there and had a great time!

Huachina (July 12 - 13)
This is a small place on the coastline near Ika famous for its sand dunes. Stayed there for a night in hostel Casa de Arena and did sandboarding and dune buggies. Was really good fun, our drivers were pretty crazy over the dunes, great adrenalin rush!

Lima (July 14 - 25)
Where to begin! Stayed in Barrancos in Point hostel for a few ngihts and just went clubbing. Met some cool people there including a crazy ozzy dude and nights out organised by the hostel were great, even gave you free glow sticks one night!! Lima is really good for its electronica music. Then moved to Miraflores and stayed in Loki hostel for the weekend as they were celebrating independence weekend there with a parade. Just partied around Larcomar and Barrancos, did seven nights in a row, shattered!!

Tequila Rock on a sunday night and Gothika were the best clubs i think. Happened to get in one surf aswell, swallowed alot of sea water tho! Seen the new batman movie aswell, awesome!!

To conclude lima is brilliant for partying and the girls here are the hottest i seen in south america! Favourite beer was Cristal and the supermarkets here Metro are really good, even give you free alocohol sometimes...

Mancora (July 26 - 30)
Up the coastline before Ecuador is this smalll surfing town on the coastliine. Weather was really nice here and there was alot of hot peruvians there aswell for independence weekend. Didnt do any surf though as the waves were too small. Travelled with two english girls lauren and amy and had a great time with them, bar street is nothing to write home about. Had an interesting incident with the cops tho and a good session in Loki that wasnt even open then!

Bolivia

Uyuni (May - June 2)

This is a tough one to write!! Got on the bus from salta and had to get another two connecting buses before getting to Uyuni one after the other, the shock of the road conditions and the stink on the buses was nasty to say the least...Met up with some friends in Uyuni and booked the salt plains for the next morning, nine of us a good group.

Stayed in a hotel called Avenido and the rooms were bloody freezing and the showers cold, we all slept in the same room that night for heat... I think it was a bit fast to be going at as during the salt plains absolutely everyone was sick even me, food poisioning nasty!! Uyuni is a ghost town run by the military but a very good restaurant called Minute man is here, cheese pesto garlic bread and death by chocolate cake sublime!!!

Salar de Uyuni ()
Left Uyuni at ten in the morning with two jeeps, full of the joys of spring, not going to last too long im afraid!! Went to see the old ghost trains carraiges for the mines, imported from England. then we went to the salt flats, which was pretty cool took some good photos. Then we went for lunch, had lama meat tasty!!

Second day went trekking up a vlocano at 4500m, very pround of myself as made it up first to the Mirador and in record time (according to our guide Oscar!) Afterwards went to cactus island and seen some cool mummies. Paddy drove for a while on the salt flats, a natural!! that night we stayed in a place called San Juan, man how cold was the beds there, drinking rum and coke to keep warm but the stars at night were incredible, seen the milky way and orions belt.

third day god how nasty was that!! Up at five in the morning and travelled to the red lagoon, seen some flamingos there, due to the pink coloured plankton thats how they turn pink! On from there to the thermal srpings, the nearset thing to a shower I had in three days, stayed in there as long as possible! From there went to the blue lagoon, only stayed there for a few minutes as it was freezing cold and nearly everyone in the jeep was fading! Left there and on the way back to the shelter seen the geysers at 5000 feet, around sevening in the evening freezing! Happy to get back to the shelter, next morning on the way back to Uyuni had really bad food poisioning, tough trip back to Uyuni!

Note altitude sickness can be a killer on this trip, paddy was in bits for two days on the trip and always prebook your bus out of Uyuni to Potosi or La Paz, trust me you dont want to stay there!!

From Uyuni, Salt Plains

From Uyuni, Salt Plains

From Uyuni, Salt Plains

La Paz (June 3- 12)
Arrived early in the morning to La Paz, over two million people crammed into a small city, houses on the hills looked more lite favelas in Rio with snow capped mountains in the background. We stayed in Loki hostel which is the main party hostel, good rooms and the bar is usually packed every night. Went to see the new Indiana Jones film here wasnt that bad!

One of the nights went out with a good crew to Route 36 and an oxygen bar, fell into bed around ten in the morning worst for wear!

Did the gravity death road with downhill challenge and their bikes were really good, ebst bikes in La paz, cost 4000 dollars each! Our guide was very good Israel (no hes actually bolivian!) and bombed it down the whole way, nearly killed myself near the end tho! Then stayed in this class hotel called Esmeralda, free sauna, swimming pool and buffet and a sublime view of the death road and the surrounding terrain.

The rest of the time just stuck in Loki waiting for a flight to Rurrenabque for the pampas tour, hate cancellations, due to the fact all you can do in La Paz is party, your too tired to walk around due to the altitude and the smog....

From Death road, La paz

From Death road, La paz

Rurrenabaque, La Pampas (13 June - 17 June)
Waited so long for a flight to Rurrenabaque, decided to get a jeep down, took 12 hours in total but got there in the end. Chilled out here for a day before starting La Pampas, stayed in hostel Balsero for a night, 20 bolivianos cant go wrong, seen Holland destroy in the Euro 2008!

Started next morning to Santa Rosa met a few friends from Loki on the trip aswell, three english guys in our jeep, were bang on. First day got a motorised canoe up the Yacuma river with our guide Jaime, so many crocs and caymens along the banks and birds, and dolphins, so much wildlife. Then arrived at our indigena tours accomodation which was really chilled out, had a great hammock area! Went upstream in the evening and played football and seen the sunset, great fun.

Next morning I was too sick to get up, but the other guys went hiking in las pampas and caught an anaconda, meant to be semlly buggers! In the afternoon then went dolphin swimming alongisde them while alligators lick their lips on the banks! After seen some cappicuno monkeys and fed them bananas, hilarious creatures, would peel the skin back, eat it and hten throw the empty banana back at you in disgust! More people arrived from Loki to indigena tours and had a great game of football in th evening, then got a load of beers in the bar thanks to our river taxi guide and had a good session. third day had a nice lie in and went pirahna fishing, guide caught some cat fish aswell, pretty cool, then had them for lunch yummy! Overall had a fantastic time on the trip, lovely weather, lots of wildlife and met some great people, nice to be at low altitude for a while and chilling in a hammock!!

From La Pampas, Rurrenabaque

From La Pampas, Rurrenabaque

From La Pampas, Rurrenabaque

La Paz(17 June - 19)
Weird came back to la paz and had a great time in wild rover, met up with the crew from Loki and who we met on the la pampas tour and had some great nights out. Restaurant Sol y Luna is great for food and really cheap, bock cerveza is really good too!

Copcabana (June 20 - 22)
Stop off before heading to Peru, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, really beautiful in the evening time when the sun is setting. Stayed in El Mirador hotel which had great views and tired out the local trucha which was nice from a change from steak!

Chile

Punta Arenas ()
Got here by bus and connecting ferry from Ushuaia. Crossed two borders, Argentina first then Chile, Chilean peso is crazy 1 EUR is 700 pesos!! Pretty darn cold here, there is penguin colonies but were too late in season to see them boo!!

Stayed in Hostel Independica, more like a guest house than a hostel, but nice and homely. Went to Reserva Forestal Magallanes and climbed to the summit Mt Fenton, good warm up for the biggest challenge of all Torres del Paine, continents number one national park and the hardest trek of all the W!

Funniest thing here i think is the taxis, each has a specific route number, can flag them down if your on a route and costs 350 chilean pesos! So on the route random people may jump in and out beside you on the trip!

Went to the club temple on the friday night, and what a hilarious night, the first time i incurred gringo hunting!! felt like a superstar, girls taken mobile pics off me and going nuts dancing around me, hilarious!!! ;-)

Puerto Natales ( 26 April )
NOt much to write home about here, just stayed here to prepare ourselves for Torres del Paine. Got our rations together before the W! Pretty expensive here but ate in a nice restaurant before the trip called Angelica, our last piece of meat for a few days!! Had rhosemary patagonian lamb really nice!

Torres Del Paine
Serious national park for trekking, got there early monday and pitched our tent up in Hosteria Las Torres. Then went up to the twin towers, hardest trek ive ever did, forests, streams, boulders and snow!!Was on pain killers as my left ankle was goosed before the trek and wasnt getting any better but i thought id soldier on a bit longer! Second day went trekking with our backpacks to Campo Italiano now that was torture! Took around 6-7 hours without barely any breaks, got there just in time to pitch our tent and put on some food in the shelter; pasta, tuna, cheese, tomato sauce and chillis, proper chefs in the woods!!

Didnt get too much sleep that night, our tent nearly blew off a few times, so got up early the next day and went to Refugio Pehoe, there was a nice shelter there to cook food and chill out, decided to get the boat the next day with some germans as my ankle wasnt getting any better and the lads went onto Glaciar Grey. Still enjoyed my time there, scenery was sublime and the terrain was the most challenging i ever encountered.

Hostal Oasis i stayed then on the way back in Puerto Natales, double bed to myself and tv to watch the United and Chelsea match in the morning, sweet!!

Argentina

Buenos Aires (14th - 18th march)
First night we got to milhouse hostel was pretty hammered from the boat trip, went to sunset nightclub that night, really cool place, 3 floors of music, terrace with beds and everything! my limited spanish actually worked with a girl, alot of hard work tho! at the end of the night around 8 in the morning was a foam party, loads of dancing girls on poles aswell, sweet!
Paddys day went to boca neighbourhood with a few ozzy guys, we made a rule every 15 mins we walked had to take a beer break, just about made it in the end! that night went to kilkenney bar, serious queue outside but was good craic inside. Touristy things i guess was a river plate match and going to recoleta cemetery where evita is buried. glad to get out of BA tho after 5 days, way too much partying!! Went to our first parillas, in a place called des nevels in defensa, my god what a steak melt in your mouth and the wine vino tinto bien!

From Buenos Aires, Rosario

Rosario (18th march - 24th)
Was very lucky to get a place here was easter holidays all argies come here to party, and we had nowhere booked! Stayed in a mad place called portal del rio, the hostel wasnt even finished when we stayed there, we were its first customers! Went to a club called Madame one of the nights over 4000 at it and the girls are smoking , i mean smoking! was a swimming pool in the place and everything! Dueing the day went to a private beach called Florida, on the river, def wouldnt swim in the river tho! Other night went to a bar called La luna good choice of music, was with an argentine girl from the hostel, very nice! Learned how to drink and make mate the equivilaent to irish tea, but a bit more involved and also fernet, the main drink in cordoba we go to next, blows the head of you! Also went to a place called la rosa for a few shows, interesting......

From Buenos Aires, Rosario

From Buenos Aires, Rosario

Cordoba (25th march -- 31 march)
stayed in Baluche hostel in centro, did spanish lessons. Really good hostel, staff were really friendly and the backpackers who steyed there bang on. Nightlife is really good, and a hell of a lot of chicas seeing as its a university city, not that its a great thing when my spanish is terrible!

World Rally championship was on aswell, seem them on stage the night before it started. Went quad biking also, got nice and dirty and went ripping through streams! one night in the hostel we had an awesome barbie (I say awesome as americans always say that word or nardo ha!!) all the meat and salad and wine and beer you want for 26 pesos, works out about 6.50 euro, sweet!!

Farmer protest lasting 19 days is a nightmare, very hard to get out of here, was meant to be going to santa fe, but couldnt so went to resistencia for one nite to get out of cordoba and lead the way to iguazu. No meat in supermarkets raging, but lots of quilmes awwwwwrrrittee!!!

Puerto Iguazu (3 - 7 April)
Stayed in hostel inn, renovated casino, serious spot, nice pool, nice rooms and great facilites but the disappointing thing was the backpackers, not much of a party atmosphere, always the last ones to bed...

But still had a great time, topped up on the tan, beat the local playing footie and met two cracking english girls from london, say no more... Went to iguazu falls and never seen anything like it, got drowned under the waterfalls when on the speed boat, and the rapids were cool aswell, but the sight when you get to devils throat is majestic, out of this world, you feel at one with nature....

Met some interesting local girls at the park and met them in the club in town that ngiht, reall good bars, good music, was a really good nite and got nice and merry on fernet and coke!!



Back to buenos aires for three days before getting flight to ushuia, gonna be cold down there so will have to buy a jacket i guess, no more shorts for a while back to irish weather!!



Ushauia (11 - 16th april)
Stayed in Freesytle hostel here, really laid back staff really good facilities and many free beers!! One bad idea coming to a new place on a Friday is the weekend (party time!!) So got nothing done at all, so had to stay here an extra two ngihts to go to the national park! Went to the national park on Monday, Brian and I hit the most difficult route and got to the summit wohoo, spectacular views, had a snow fight at the top!!

The weekend nightlife was fun here, Dublin bar hit some fernet and coke with the locals and then free passes into the club, not much sleep at all. Weird to be down here, its pretty cold and coming from Iguazu where i was chilling at the pool to seeing snow capped mountains and making veggie soup is hilarious!!

El Calafate (27 Apr - 01 May)
Stayed in HI hostel Glacier Libertador, pretty empty as end of season but rooms were nice and pretty reasonable. Came here to see Perito Moreno glacier, rented a car for the day, glacier was pretty magnificent, never seen anything like it before.

Casino in town aswell, lads didnt really have much luck at black jack, must be my bad luck or they should have went in when they were intoxicated like johnny or eddie and not before!! Met some cool venezuelan girls here and had a night out with them, sound na cailini....

Bariloche (2May - 11 May )
My God, what started off as a 37 hour bus ride from El Calafate to Bariloche, got much worse! A volcano erupted in Chile and spilt out ash, so visibility was poor so had to stay a night in a dead end town, that bus journey in total took 48 hours!!

The end of patagonia wohoo.... Kick in the teeth is that we were in between seasons so not many activities to do, but seen Cerro Catedral, nice view of all the lakes, pretty amazing. Went mountain biking another time up a hiking trail, pretty tiresome didnt even make it to then end, way too technial for me and carrying a bike most of the day was not what i had in mind! Bowling was good fun tho, whipped Nialls ass and the funny thing about it was the way the pins were replaced, a kid in the back does it, had to try not to hit him when he was replacing them...

Marco Polo Inn was a good party hostel, also included in the rate was a free dinner every night. Nightlife was alrite for off season, we went to a really cool place on the lakeside for nialls birthday, after heading out with the barman from marco polo and his friends who gave us free spirits all night!

Funniest thing was the vlocano erupted again 500km away in Chile, there was ash on the streets and cars, kinda like a snowy christmas back home....

From Bariloche, Mendoza, Cordoba

Mendoza (12th May - 20 May)
Really nice place for autumn time, there is constant sunshine, I guess thats why its famous for its vineyards! Arriving here we stayed one night in Mendoza international on Calle Espana which was a hell hole so picked up a nice place called Itaka House, did white water rafting one of the days on Rio Andinso, first time doing it so was good fun, rapids werent great but had a good laugh, the lads fell in one of the times, had to be David Hasselhoff trying to save them, reminded me of the banana boat back in spain to keep my balance!!

Wine and bike tour out in Maipu was another day, the wineries were pretty cool, I very much liked the malbec in Bodega Carinae, run by a french family. Cycling and tasting wine at the same time was a bit dangerous...

Stayed in mendoza while the lads went onto Santiago to meet paddy, went out sat nite and had a great laugh, up drinking with lads in hostel til 10 then i went horse riding at one! Horse ridiing was amazing, felt a natural on the horse, which in fact was a rented horse and really fast!! Drinking wine with the family after overlooking the city lights of mendoza below, really beautiful. Met some israeli girls another night and went out with them a great laugh! Restaurant called Florencia is awesome, one of the best steaks around and a great wine list.

From Bariloche, Mendoza, Cordoba

From Bariloche, Mendoza, Cordoba

From Bariloche, Mendoza, Cordoba

Cordoba (21 May - 23 May)
Back here for two nights stayed in Baluch hostel again, really like that place, went on the lash for the champions league final in sport city bar with a load of english lads, nearly had a heart attack when terry missed the penatly, such a great penalty shoot out.. Went out on bar street that night calle Rondeau and ended up in a club called El Sol, really good spot, bumped into the israeli girls again, crazy girls!!

Salta (24th - 27th May)
From talking to an english dude in cordoba he said to stay in a hostel called Terra Oculta, really good hostel, met people from mendoza here and saturday night they have a really good asados, all the meat and wine you want for thirty pesos!! Had to celebrate obviously the munster win earlier that day (just me and paddy in the hostel bar going crazy ha..) so went to bar street and a club called Inside, totally packed and had a great laugh there, gringo hunting again.... Sunday night then went out to another club near the bus terminal called Salon, like a renovated church, really got going around 4 in the morning, went out with paddy and a dude from california, really good night too!! Then my last day got the cable car up to a fantastic view of salta on saint bernados hill. Would have loved to stay here longer to do a road trip of the surrounding area as the scenery is meant to be amazing but maybe next time....

Funniest thing was here that the 25th may festival held here the president herself came to salta and that night when we were in the irish bar goblin, the opposition leader was having a live interview in the bar, and we were watching him at the bar on widescreen tv with a link up with the news team and another dude in rosario, hilarious. we bought him a bottle of guinness after and we ended up going out with the tv crew dudes very random...

Even on our last day was very funny, was walking around the square and seen these PR girls (smoking by the way!) handing out flyers. For the craic decided to take a picture with them and in my broken spanish was going to meet up with them later that night in the irish bar before getting the bus to uyuni, funnily enough they were on time and very friendly!!

From Salta, Argentina

From Salta, Argentina

Conclusion
Overall ive been in argentina for around two and a half months and ive fallen in love with this country, for such a developed country its really cheap. Higlights would have to be steaks and wine of course! Iguazu falls is amazing, patagonia scenery, mendoza for such an amazing looking city, rosari for the hottest chicks and salta for just having a really good time!! Funnniest thing here is the lack of cambio in this country. Beer wise quilmes is the shit! Activities i really liked would have to be horse riding in mendoza well recommended and playing football in puerto iguazu and beating the locals!!