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So the trip has come to it's end. What a year. The last couple of days I spent in Buenos Aires, with a German chick who's name I now forget. We had food, shopped for our pre-departation objects and souvenirs (Argentine leather is a steal), and took in a trip over to La Boca. One last parting shot...it was Saturday night and party night, so with one hour's sleep I made it to the airport somewhat bedraggled yet looking forward to the flight home...mainly as I could get some more sleep!
And sleep I certainly did... the flight home was less painful than a Monarch flight from Gatwick to Cyprus. I arrived to a white blanket of snow stretching across the UK - this was to be the coldest winter in living memory...what a thing to come home to!! Mum had made some banners to decorate the house with; I was touched. Surely the best (and worse) time to come back to the UK after a year out is Xmas...everybody is happy and in party mode, yet the spectre of January is lying in wait just around the corner...
So I haved bussed, sailed, cycled, rode and walked around this amazing continent. But what have I learnt on this trip? What advice would I offer to the SA newbie? Any regrets? Anything...????
1. Hug any and all mountains that you come across. There's a lot of mountains, so that's a lot of hugging.
2. Don't stay up partying all night when you have a heroic journey to make the following day, especially a trans border one. This can lead to all kinds of predicaments (eg missing electrical goods).
3. Learn as much Spanish as you can, as this will improve your experience to the power of millions.
4. Stare at mountains and contemplate the scenery. don't forget to hug all of it.
5. Get off the beaten trail, for crying out loud. Occassionally foresake those pre-arranged tours, find your own guide and get out there. Preferably into the Ecuadorian jungle.
6. Watch out for jungle whisky and checha (see above).
7. Indulge in Argentinian Malbec, Peruvian Cerviche and Colombian Hoof.
8. Flukely turn up in a towns when their annual festivals are on.
9. Watch out for Bolivian food. Everything else in Bolivia is ace.
10. Watch out for large groups of Australian surfers.
11. Draw up an itinery, then ignore / set fire to it.
12. Try and make more time than one night for Brazil. It's quite big.
Above all though, take a risk and go for it. You'll regret it if you don't.
Nick Baker
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