Hi all,

Well i have safely arrived in Buenos Aires. The flight was very long at 16 hours but thanks to my stressful week at work plus the stress of packing I was very tired and slept for most of it. Also I was quite lucky as I had three seats all to myself so I stretched out and the journey ended up being more comfortable than I imagined.

Once I have arrived at the Airport, I was meant to be collected by a representative from Gap Adventures but there was no one there so had to get a taxi which was perfectly safe as you paid before you got in so it meant that they couldnt rip you off by going round the houses. Also I was surprised to find that the taxi driving here was much more controlled than that of the driving in Italy when you fear for your life on the motorway to Salerno. However, for some strange reason the taxi driver took me to the domestic airport despite me showing him where I wanted to go. So I had to tell him in the new language of itan-ish (a mix of italian and spanish with some english thrown in for good measure) that I wanted to get taken to my hotel. So with a few huffs and puffs and loud sighs he took me to my hotel.

Onto the hotel, well I am on the fifth floor which you kinda have to get the lift up to - the ceilings are high so its quite exhausting to walk it. I am a nervous wreck everytime I get in this lift though due to my fear of lifts. My only consolation is that it is a better lift than the ones in the flat at italy which you would have to pay me to get into. The room is pretty grim when I first arrived I had a mini panic as I couldnt see a shower so much so that I went out into the corridor searching for the dreaded communal bathroom. Luckily this doesnt exist and the shower is just a nozzle on the wall in the tiled en-suite. I'm a bit nervous about this as the only plug point i can find for my hair dryer happens also to be in the bathroom - we will see how that works tomorrow. On a plus side, i have cable tv so it's not all bad.

I have been on a walk around Buenos Aires this afternoon and it really is a lovely city. It has a very European feel about it and I'm perfectly happy walking round it on my own. I don't know what time it gets dark yet so am sticking by my hotel now as I don't want to be walking around then. Buenos Aires is also very easy to find your way around although i did get a little confused when I diverted off the course I had planned as I found a shopping street but soon worked it out. The weather is around 19c at the moment and the sun feels strong but I know it cools down very quickly here as it is winter. I have taken a few photos which I will upload another time, once I can explain to you what they are.

Tomorrow, I have a city tour planned which starts at 3pm and before then I might go to a couple of museums. Also I want to try and organise myself a trip to a tango show. Cafe Tortoni, a restaurant famous for its tango shows, is only a few doors down the road so will probably go  there.

Will catch up again soon,

Much love, P.xxx.