In search of the giant panda

Three more sleeps till the next trip.... 5 1/2 weeks in china, starting in shanghai and ending in bejing. No real plans to speak of, although a desire to head to Tibet. Gatronomically, looking to seriously punish my stomach and spend a night or two nights on some fermented yaks milk. Looking to visit as many minorities as possible, which may lead to a trip to central asia or mongolia. Hopefully the short course in Mandarin this year will help determine what animal Beth is eating. Oh yeah, If I can scare my mum with my exploits, it will probably help me feel young.

Let's do it, China '09.

We are the little people, the grand adventure, and home sweet home

Who knows when our feet will travel these majestic roads of South America? Hang on a minute, let's just take of the rose coloured glasses before we get carried away... The roads are anything but majestic, and altought they are laden with pot holes, dirty and dusty roads, dodgy dodgy buses and the odd street vendor make the experience Brilliant as brilliant can be.

Firstly wandering the roads of the andies, we discovered natural beuaty of dreams (wanky)with a rich tapestry of cultures (even more so) often stubborningly surviving the columbian inlfux. The blister inducing ten hour hikes of patagonia produced the panoramic landscapes that are today cheesified in motivational posters adoring office walls. Finally, I'm suprised Argentina and Chile have not become a 7th and 8th state. Ice cold beer, massive massive steaks, fun loving locals, architecture of th 19th century, and a party seen that only get's going at 2am, every aussie, rich or poor, priness or pov, conservative or socialist will find something in these magnificient countries.

Call me whinger, call me selfish, but three and half months over these astounding five countries did not enable the following journeys
- Bariloche (and blue lake kyaking) - Oops, booked the wrong flight
- Nazca Plains
- Benard o'higgins parque nacional
- Tierra del fuego
- Antartica
- Jungles of boliva
- Iguazu falls
- Atacama desert
- Salt flats of boliva

Highlights
- Chinese Hong Kong
- The people of Eijsden
- The alhambra and Granada
- Galapagas Islands
- Inca trail (touristy version)
- Machu Pichu
- El Chalten (Where are though Belinda Carlise)
- The brutal Torres del Paine W circuit - even costing an arm and a leg to camp
- Buenos Aires - Continuing the theme of sounding wanky - Shoutouts to Blue and Ryan
- Every creature great and small that venture to close to the local butcher, and ended up on the plate

An awesome trip should not end, let alone with a 26 hour stop at the truly forgetable and magnificently expensive Tahiti. Shacked up at $40 per person per night hostel (cheapest in town) in an 10 bed room with no sheets is truly John Elliot. Perhaps the single worst museum of world is the papeete Gauguin museum. His art work is so precious not only are there no security guards, but no protection from the elements, and the unlikely event a thief would actually want one. Maybe I was in a bad mood, maybe it was his fourth rate sketches with a bic biro, but to me, Gauguin was a bit of a prat. Vital statistics.... No sitinglating white coral beaches, $200 in 25 hours and a seven dollar surcharge on converting Tahitian francs at the local anz.

Somehow avoiding temptation of a dirty burger (bacon double cheeseburger deluxe) at Sydney airport, we flew over a sunburnt country that seemed both familiar and foreign to an awaiting family. Special thanks to all those who could make it, Mum, Dad, Melinda, Ella, Bree, Jack and it was even good to see the fockers.

Ending the blog, I think of my suffering english teacher, Mrs Evans who tried in vain to find enthusiasm and effort in cheeky and possibly annoying (so my sister said, but who'd believe her) 14 year old Glossop High school student. I think I've turned and quite fond of Enlish!!! One can only hope that I find some initiative to continue in some format or another.

Corny last words.... I hope you have enoyed reading this as much as I have writing it"

Just not cricket, bye bye miss South American pie

We knew a three hour wait at customs crossing the border to Argentina was coming. That we could handle. But when your bus has finally made it to the front of the queue at 3am and your bus breaks down. That is just not cricket. High atop the Andie's, it's cold, it's dark, and the two bit shack that doubled as a cafe were manned by grumpy old men. Let's just say instead of arriving at six, our bus strolled in at Santiago at eleven am missing Beth's jumper and sunglasses.

As the capital of the strongest economy on the Continent, Santiago boasts all the trimmings of western life, but all the architectural beauty of it's colonial past, superb food and wine, and although often clouded by smog, the Andi's and the coast. I doubt any Australian would experience any culture shock here.

Winding down we visited the usual suspects of tourist destinations, markets, art galleries, museums, and the shopping districts by foot, bus, and the ever reliable and extensive subway.

Random Chilean notes
* High standard of living
* Steak and wine in the centre and north
* Patagonian lamb in the south
* Fish all olver
* Extensive national parks with exceptional beauty in the South
* Sensational empanadas mirroring that of Chile
* Obvious scars of a difficult political past
* A pleasant and mostly safe city

Random South American notes
* All stores are overstaffed but service is generally slow
* Siesta - Anywhere from one hour to five hours a day
* A love of the world game
* Love of pizza with little signs of McDonald's or Hungary Jacks especially up North
* Driving - Dangerous, no indicators nor seat belts
* Excellent and cheap Internet, especially in Bolivia and Argentina
* Street vendors.... food, clothes, and various oddities
* The chariot of the people... the humble bus
* Everyone knows kangaroos, Sydney, and Melbourne and are always pleased to know you're Australian
* The Police and lots and lots of Bob Marley
* Lack of respect for Zebra crossings in the Andie's
* Pashing in public
* Although frowned upon, the odd male relieving themselves in the street
* Very, very, very inferior hot water systems
* Croissants for Breakfast
* Dinner starts at around 8 in the Andie's and anytime between 9 and 12 in the Southern cone

Dodgiest experiences
* 12 hour trip to the jungle, Cliff hugging buses, rally driving taxi, and motorised canoe
* Beth ordering fish heads
* The Blue House hostel in Punta Arenas
* Slobodan Milosovic in El Chalten trying to charge us double for our room, then asking where we're from as to add us to the disallowed list of citizens allowed to stay
* Hostels in Amsterdam
* Iberian airways
* Worlds most dangerous road
* During a break white water rafting, jumping from the cliffs into the shallow water

South America, sure it's a bit rougher than the normal route, but with amazing and changing natural bueaty, friendly and culturally diverse populations, and the gastronomical delights, get here anyway you can.

Next stop, a Tahititian beach

A magnificent comeback and food, glorious food

After the last earthquake around a hundred years ago, the city fathers rebuilt Mendoza with and leafy streets, footpaths and parks to provide a haven from the trembling roofs of the yet to come earthquake, which is now a picture perfect city. A temperate climate, surrounding glacial mountains, and a humming adventure scene only add to the reasons why it is a tourist hotspot.

Random Argentinian Notes
- A diet of steak, steak, and more steak with the odd pizza or pasta.
- The only salads available are what I call boys salads... Lettuce, Tomato, and a maybe a bit of carrot or onion
- Fascination with where you are from
- Cheap and reasonable quality wines
- Try the lamb in patagonia
- Climate and culture of food, wine, and beers of the Centre and North make for a gut expanding few weeks
- Awe inspiring beauty, from gacliers, to moutains, to waterfalls, to rolling plans... Argentina has it all
- A country full of potential AFL recruits. Everyone, especially woman walk in straight lines, never giving an inch to oncoming paedestrians
- Almost obsessive patriotism towards the Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands)
- Cost of living is about a third of that in Australia
- Booming mens magazines industry "We only buy them for the articles"
- Massive bank queues. Literally at least 50 people lined up at any one time
- Price fixing and corruption
- Argentinians are often nicknamed "Che" for their pronounciation of 'll' as 'ch' instead of 'y'

Wierd and wonderful foods of the last four months
Cuy (Guinea Pig)
Alpaca (Peru)
Lama (Peru)
Beaver (Patagonia)
Krill (Patagoinia)
Ants licked fresh of the tree (Ecuadorian jungle)
Raw Ox mince sandwich (Netherlands)
Parillada (Argentina - Cheap, cheap bbq cuts of meat... liver, intestines, tripe, blood sausage)
Water reeds (Peru)
Pancho (Chile - Hot dog covered with guacamole)
Empanadas (Argentina - Pastry turnovers)
Herrings (Netherlands)
South American, especially Bolivia street food
Fish heads (Hong Kong)
Black Sesame (HK)

Favourite dishes
Paella (Spain)
Tapas (Spain)
Herrings (Hollands)
Bife de Chirizo (Argentinian steak)
Alpaca (Andies)
Cuy (Peru)
Cerviche (Peruvian pickled seafood)

Cheap cuts of meats, a city deserted, and cama baby

Identifying Cordoba as the cultural capital of South America, it seemed like the ideal destination to drown our soon to be South American departing sorrows and ring in the new year. This student mecca, boasting seven universities and some fine architecture produced three days out of four of deserted streets and unexpected and unwanted peace and quiet.... Well, atleast except for new years.

Cracking of evening at a traditional argentinian parilla (meathouse) serving the the quintesential guacho meal of parillada, a large severing of cheapest of bbq meats accompanied by bottomless copa de vino, we were set. Unfortunatly, this celebrated cooking technique did little to enhance the flavour of the tripe, kidneys, livers, and intestines on offer. Then again, upon leaving with three drops of fine argentinian drops under our belts, our spirits were raised as we headed back to the orphanage to raise the flag for the aussies till around 5am.

A pleasant change to the often dull scene of museums was the a short stop at Che Guevarra´s child hood home with a nice mixture of photo´s, nic nacks, multimedia, personal items.



Although quality and safety vary greatly in South American road travel, one general rule applies. Why obey the rules if know one else is?

The chariot of the people
Andian buses hit the dirt roads, pavement, climb mountain high and valley low, and generally collect a few dozen padestrians each year. Sitting behind the driver and travelling at night reduce the shock of looking of 100 metre cliffs inches from the tires, oncoming traffic, and the often near misses of animals, kids, and cars. Fortunatly, you´ll always get atleast one 80´s van Damme or Wayanns bro flick to fill the time and street vendors randomly jumping on the moving vehicle hawking their wares.

Southern Cone buses on the otherhand are reliable, cheap, and often luxurious. Two classes are on offer: Semi cama, the equivalent of business class, and Cama, the equivalent of first class for aboutr $5 more. Well worth the cash. Meals and movies are always on offer, generally with english audio.

Taxi´s
Everywhere, anywhere... Indicators, lanes, and rules all bow to the power of the horn. Signalling 1) your turn in the queue 2) Attracting customers 3) Displaying the finger 4) Displaying displeasure at the 20 minute traffic jam and 5) Saying hi to one of the lady padestrians.

Driving
Slightly saving the lunacy is that practically all streets are one way.... Considering how everyone drives, it must save tens of thousands of lives a year. Adelaide needs it, Australia needs it, hell, the UN should mandate it.

What to you after you see more aussies in a week than in four months.... Sorry Mum and Dad

An economic powerhouse of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires has the culture, architecture, and style of a French, Italian, or Spanish city. Magnificent monuments of conquistadors, generals, independence heroes, and presidents; Gradiose european styled buildings and apartments; Vendors and markets hawking the latest fashion; and an elite that would make a burnsidian feel like a dirty old aussie derro. This city proper, far removed from the poverty of South America, and even the poorer suburbs of Boca and the like is firmly orientated to Europe.

After awe inspiring beuaty of South America, endless hikes, and a thousand old churches, what can I say....

Take BA, add backpacker hostel, add bar, add ten aussies, add heat, add the festive season and you can probably guess what happened next. With special mentioned to Blue and Ryan, a seven day bender, shaming any footy trip weekend at Melbourne with a litany of steaks, brews, vino´s, music, and parties. A traditional Christmas Eve dinner of Chinese takeaway at the hostel was followed by at a dance party that started at two, got kicking at three until we left after five. The after party, starting at 8am Christmas day held captive two of our aussies mates who duly arrived for Christmas lunch around 2pm.

Joined by Johana from Finland and our aussie bretheren, we dragged ourself towards Recoletta for a hearty Christmas steak and then afternoon / evening at a chilled little wine bar.

Today a BA lite, the impressive, but slightly run down city of Rosario is a pretty city holding a smiliar population to that of home. With a cost of living a third or a half of BA, the riverside city loses only a little culture, with a cafe of every street, street vendors and buskers in the main, monuments, impressive buildings, and the first house of Che Guevara.

It´s like a hurricane. You can see it coming from a mile away, you see the storm building on the horizon, you can feel it´s breeze before it get´s there, and when it gets there, it rains down on you. It´s as simple as that.
I always knew this feeling was invetiable. The night before it was going to come. Several hours in the shade, waiting your turn you know it is just around the corner. On your way up, your thinking it should be here by now. But then, the door is opened at it is time. It grips you like it never has before, you try to conceal it with a wry smile to little effect. These guys do this and see this every day after all. This fear, this gut wrenching fear is unsurpassed as you are about, or are expected to jump 3000 metres out of a moving plane.

Thankfully, these guys are old pro´s, even if they only provided a three minute safety talk prior, after all, what can you expect for $OZ150 anyway? Asked to move my feet out the door momentarily laspses my panic, but now I am truly scared. However, my partner grinding me into position, I realise the choice to jump is now not mine. The first seconds contain only panic, the next few joy with a scream of elation, then I can relax as I´m falling screaming and shouting down to earth over the next minutes. Absolutley FANTASTIC. Before I know it, the shoot is pulled and we float and I guide our parachute over the city, with a couple of spins and turns until we land on the field about five minutes later. I must say, that much adrenaline is coursing through your veins causes the concept of time to become meaningless. I could have last one minute or ten?!?! It was fantastic, you must do it and do it soon!!!

Cable tv, thongs, and parilla

Described as far from the world cup of tourist destinations in the lonely, we were far from disappointed or suprised by our stay in Rio Gallegos. At worst, it´s a bus stop. At best, it was a chance to sit on the bed, watch a bit of cable, and enjoy a bottle or two of vino with cheese.

Entirely beyond me are the reasons for the only flight out to Buenos Aires leaving weekly at 1:30 in the morning on a Tuesday.

After a day in Buenos, you get the impression this is a city anyone could live in. Perfect weather for t-shirts and shorts, nipped down the mall for a new pair of thongs. You pinch youself when even the bad cuts of beef are cooked with the tenderness and dedication of a $30 steak. A couple of nice regional beers to soothe the heat and decent cheap argentinian and chilean wine. The streets are home to fabulous 19th century architecure and ample shopping and markets to keep Beth happy for weeks. It´s a world away from the stunning landscape and often brutal weather of patagonia.