Return to Buenos Aires, Sam and Anne, and Heading South

On our last night in Rosario Nick and I decided to play a bit of poker outside our room (thanks Liz and Vicki!) when we noticed that a couple about our age were in the room opposite, Sam (22 from southampton on his 5th gap year!) and Anne ( from Denmark who works in a "fun school", you pronounce her name like the capital letter N, and Nick understandably fancied quite a lot) had met in Bolivia and had got together soon afterwards. We had a fair amount to drink and then went out for some food followed by more drinks at the riverfront heading back at about 4 having to be up at 7 in order to catch a bus to BA.

The next day we headed back to Buenos Aires and headed to our third hostel in the city which turned out to be the best one yet in my opinion, lovely people, really nice staff, lovely room, a terrace, you get the point, (tango backpackers in Palermo) unfortunately it rained a lot on our second day, I mean a lot! there was a huge thunder storm and I we got absolutely drenched getting to and from a small local post office trying to post my step mother´s birthday prezie, and our room was basically on the terrace so the noise was spectacular, anyway we sat inside drank a lot, went to the zoo, it was amazing!

We bumped into Sam and Anne in Buenos Aires on our first day back there, they had remembered what hostel we were staying at and they were desperately looking for a place to stay having just arrived and not having much luck. The next day nick and I were taking a walk along the streets of Palermo when Sam and Anne came bounding up to us saying they were about to leave a note with us at our hostel inviting us round to their appartment which they had just rented that evening, to cut a long story short we bought them an amazing house warming gift of a hanging basket and had a brilliant night ( I really have not learnt about drinking before traveling) but they were lovely and we were really chuffed to meet them, i will add photos when i can.

We are now in Mar del Plata ( we took the fat guys advice after all) it is freezing here but really really sunny and the locals are behaving like brits by stripping off down to next to nothing and lying out for hours when it is really quite cold! The hostel here is a bit odd, I can´t work out where any of the quests are from, it is really quiet, and there are a few old people here who are really pushing the concept of "youth hostel." We are having fun nevertheless and eating lots of ice cream and havannets (chocolate cones filled with toffee goo, I will bring some home for you dear brother)

I hope you are all happy bunnies,

p.s. I tried to adopt a stray cat but Nick wouldn´t let me boooooooooo! oh yes and in BA we walked past the Botanical Gardens which was filled with more than 300 well fed stray cats! there was a homeless man with one on his head, ingenious, he looked happy so it was ok.

take care

xxx