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So we arrived at BA airport at 7.30 expecting it to be dark and its still blazing sun shine, which is a good omen. Our bags are off pretty sharpish which is an added bonus and we clear immigration without a hitch, my passports filling up quite nicely with stamps now. As you walk out of arrivals there are two desks that do airport transfers so we just asked how much to Palermo where we were staying. They don't do the usual coach transfer unless you are in the centre of town and we weren't, so we ended up paying for a private transfer, which at 30 dollars I didn't think was too bad. The driver didn't speak a word of English, so after Steve did his usual football name dropping it was a pretty quiet drive into town. Back to civilisation… hurray. No crazy drivers, the buildings are finished, there are shops!!!Palermo is very nice, tree lined, lovely old buildings, lots of cafes and bars ( thanks charl for the heads up ) we have walked home at 1pm and have felt completely safe.Unfortunately yet again hostels.com have given us a bum steer the hostel was mingin..The staff were lovely and really helpful with maps and what to do etc but god the room was awful. It was literally a cell, the bathroom as 3ft by 3ft. You could shower sitting on the toilet. The shower tray was formed by an 100mm upstand, which wasn't sealed properly and the curtain didn't meet it, if you bent over to get the shampoo your backside stuck out and you banged your head on the sink. We flooded the bathroom every day, there was just no physical way not to flood it, which meant you had to wade to the loo. Oh and it was soo hot there was no point putting make up on as it just slid off, no air con just a fan. We had it running constantly it was unbearable otherwise. We had booked and paid for 3 nights so we stook it, but there was no way I was staying there any longer.The first day in BA we just walked and walked and walked, we worked it out that we walked for 8 hrs give or take stops for sustenance. You should of seen the size of Steves blister on the bottom of his foot when we got back. It was the 1st day that either of us felt a little better after the lettuce incident in Lima. But we made a huge mistake, we got well I got pulled into a tourist restaurant in central BA and the food was awful I hardly ate mine it was far the worst meal I have ever had in fact!/how you can go so wrong with ravioli in tomato sauce is really beyond me!) Steve managed to stomach his but that was it the next day we were both bad again and I haven't been good since.We got back in to the hostel and after deciding to avoid the place as much as possible we went out for dinner to Palermo soho, had a few beers to ease our weary feet and had another appalling meal at a Mexican restaurant.The next day we again got on our walking boots and wondered around but at somewhat of a reduced speed, due to aching limbs and there were a few more stops along the way. That night we met up again with Bevan and Nicole as it was their last night in SA before going to spend xmas with Nicole´s parents in South Africa. We had a few drinks in soho again before going to a steak place Steve and I had eaten at our first night. However my stomach was getting steadily worse and I wasn't really up for drinking and didn't even eat my dinner when it came, it got to 1am and I was dead on my feet and they had to take me back in a cab. I felt really bad ruining everyone's night , particularly as it was the last time we will sees them, but I haven't been that ill for a while now and have ended up necking the emergency antibiotics we bought from the travel clinic and the ones mom gave me to try and combat the stomach bug, at the moment its not working, fingers crossed.The Sunday was match day Boca v Colon, Steve had always wanted to go see a match and it was the last match of the season and they were playing for the title, so being the supportive wife that I am, I agreed to go. NEVER NEVER NEVR AGAIN. I cannot stress that enough!!! We got picked up at 1.30 for a 5 oclock kick off, so we spent the time in between stood in the street´in 30 degree heat amongst a load of half knaked sweaty, chanting boca fans (who by all accounts are a bit naughty at the best of times) Now when you aren't well, seriously dehydrated and need the toilet on average 20 times a day this wasn't the best place to be!! We eventually got into the stadium, you could smell the piss before you go through the gates (there are no toilets, you p in the stairwell that includes the girls - again this revelation when you have a stomach upset is not what you want to hear!!!!) I was under the impression that our 250 pesos "seats" were getting us a seat…no no no NO. We were in with the mob on the terraces, no seats, no room no air, not even any standing room and no shade. You were literally stepped on, over and thoroughly squashed and then they start jumping…. I lasted 15 minutes the game hadn't even started and Steve had to get me out. We ended up watching or at least trying to see the pitch from the stairwell exit. It was a fine line of staying in the shade but just out of smelling and seeing distance of people weeing in the stairwell. At the end they started letting fireworks and crackers off inside the stand! It was scary thank god they won!!I feel a little bad that I kinda ruined Steves experience but then again there was no way I could have coped where we where I would have either fainted or have had a panic attack and freaked out, both having been worse. I´m sure Steve will add something in about how great it was… he is lying it was (and excuse my inferred language mother) ffin awful, possibly the worst thing I have ever done (even worse than the Sydney harbour bridge climb)Saturday night had been our thankfully last night in the hostel and we had booked ourselves into a 4 star hotel (I would have been in tears if I had had to go back to that hostel after that football match) in town as we were leaving for Montevideo in Uruguay the next morning and wanted to be near the port (plus it was only 15 dollars more than the bloody hostel) It was very nice, it even had a gym, we didn't use it, my excuse is that I'm losing weight by other means i.e. down the loo! The breakfast spread they laid out I think Steve will dream about for ever more, it was fantastic and I really enjoyed by bowl of fruit, its about all I can handle right now!So we are currently in Montevideo and its ok, one day is enough and back we go to BA for another 3 days and tango lessons. We have booked ourselves a studio apartment back in Palermo soho (with a pool wehey_!) haven't been in a pool since Singapore!! Cant wait. And then we go to Iguaçu and Rio.
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