So, we havent blogged for a bit and there is much to cover.

Firstly Buenos Aires which was amazing. Absolutley beautiful city with loads to do. First stop was the graveyard to see how the rich and powerful do it. Every family with their own catacombes which all look like the most intricate churches youve ever seen. Despite being a long time passed there was still a queue for Eve Perons grave!

Much to Staceys delight we managed to fit in a Bocas game which was incredible, they really do go mad for it in South America. Good sanitation and health and safety do not come as standard as we found out!

As always Stacey wanted to shop so we headed off to San Telmo to the famous antiques market and saw some street tango, and that was after randomly wondering in to an old peoples speed tango dating night! The old timers can still move even if they shouldnt be allowed to!

Everyone seems to drink yerba mate, with every other person carrying a thermos and a cup to brew up every 5 minutes. The cups and spoony-straws are an art in themselves so we had to pick one up.

Our hotel was an incredible place, really old but with a 1960s twist (photos of the orange bathroom to follow) and just off the biggest inner city road Ive ever seen with 18 lanes.

Two day trips followed. First a journey across the river to Urugauy and Colonia de Sacremento. Beautiful little place with cobbled streets, so small everyone uses golf buggies to get about! Next up was Tigre, the weekend hotspot for Buenos Airians with small canals and rickety bridges (Stacey loved the men with machettes and th rabid dogs which followed her around).

Then onto Lima to start our Peruvain adventures. Not the loveliest of places but super cheap and amazing hotel. Managed to fit a bit of a rest (and some Pisco Sours, the local cocktail) before getting up and 2.50 am (no joke) to head off to Puno at around 3800m above sea level. The journey was quite long and bumpy and resulted in the first appearance of Staceys travel sickness! First day was all about aclimatization to the altitude which seems to be ok with the aid of some Coca tea (not strictly legal anywhere else in the world!).

Next up Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world and seemingly endless. A couple of island visits including saying with a Quechuan family were incredible, even if the hike up to the top of the island did almost kill us, but its all good training for the Inca trail in a couple of days. The family were lovely, even if communication was very limited, and Baladyana treated us as one of her own. We confiscated the childrens bedroom but ehy didnt seem to mind because of the presents we brought. Especially 7 year old Lissy who loved the doll we brought her, even keeping it wrapped up in the plastic to make sure it didnt get dirty. After a meal of potatoes (in many forms and accompanied by mutliple other forms of carbs) we got dressed up in traditional gear and went for a dance at the local nightclub. We danced the night away to their version of Pop Idol before watching the most incredible shooting stars in the clearest skies weve ever seen.

The next morning after no sleep, Stacey again graced our group with her travel sickness, before heading off the the floating islands of Uros. Absolutley amazing. 1400 people living on 80 floating islands made out of reeds. Stacey again got dressed up in the local gear before we got a tour of the islands in an authentic reed boat. Picked up some brilliant trinkets, then headed back to Puno.

Heading off to Cuzco tomorrow in a 6 hour bus ride to have a look around and prepare for the Inca trek.

For any worried parents, there will be no mobile signal on the trek until we get to Machu Picchu!

Well keep tring to get the darn photos on!

Sam and Stacey