Down But Not Out

This was written on the on the same day it happened so the blood was still pumping pretty fast. Its part of the parcel when travelling though South America!

While sitting in a Park at 11:30am soaking up the spring sun and enjoying the noval I was reading 4 blokes came up to me and asked for some small change and water. I was sitting there minding our backpacks while Katie was posting a parcel before we were to head to Uruaguy.

Then it all happen. One guy went behind me and pinned my shoulders down. The others were yelling at me to give them my small backpack. I politely told them to F&%k Off! One of the fellas then grabbed my right hand while one grabbed my throat and stuck a knife or broken bottle to my neck. The other arse hole stabbed me in the right leg below the knee. They quickly gabbed my wallett and small bad containing my i-pod, English passport, camera and 2 films (I´m gutted about that), and some cash. I started chasing them, with blood pissing from my leg, as I was pretty mad by this stage. They headed into a plaza with heaps of people and I decided to not persue them as the two big backpacks were left alone in the park and there was a chance they could have got taken as well. Katie returned to find people around me trying to offer help. My leg was cut bad so I wraped it up with a bandage my St Johns instructure would have been proud of. It was still bleeding quite badly so we went to emergency where I had 7 stitches and lots of needles.

Katie was a little shaken up but has been looking after me better than I could expect and I´m certainly accepting the sympathy. Wish I had of caught one of those punks as the adrenaline was pumping.

Its More Than a Game

For Argentines football is more than a game. Its a passion, a culture, a way of life. Obsession would best sum up the feeling Argentines have for this game!

During our time in Buenos Aires we couldn´t pass up the opportunity to go to a match and see what all the fuss is about. The team with the craziest fans is ¨la Boca Juniors.´Their famous son Diego Maradona is portrayed as a God and this is the team we set out to see. Unfortunately on the day we had set up to meet a dodgy local, who was going to sell us tickets to the match from the back of his car, the news headlines read ¨La Boca Juniors game cancelled due to fears of crowd violence.¨

Not to worry though as we scored tickets for 2nd on the ladder River Plate verses Rosario Central. What an experience it was! Funny enough we found ourselves in the craziest section of the crowd, behind the goals with the River Plate (home team) cheer squad. A few fans advised us that this was not the place for us as it was dangerous (seems to be the consensus anywhere we go in South America). However a friendly local helped us settle in. Before I knew it my shirt was off and I was jumping around, fist in air, screaming ´ Vamos River Plate Vamos.´ Katie was doing the same only with her shirt on. It should be noted that she was 1 of 2 women in this entire section of over 200 people!

The cheer squad were passionate in Argentinian terms (this equates to NUTS in Aussie terms). The cheer squad, made up of about 60 men who must have a diet of protein powder and steroids, smashed there symbols and banged there drums. Their many banners flying red and white were everywhere. Some extended from the top of the stadium to the front row seats. They controlled the crowd with various chants and didn´t stop singing for the entire 90 minutes.

The atmosphere was electric. Picture being in the general admission of a punk rock concert mixed with a riot. You couldn´t even tell if a goal was scored because; 1. you couldn´t see the match and

2. the crowd were at maximum volume and intensity the whole game.

We moved to a section that was a little more tranquilo for the second half and more importantly we could actually see the game. River Plate won 2-0. I would have hated to be in that if they had of lost. For security reasons the Rosario crowd had to leave the stadium about 30 minutes before the River mob. I´ve never seen so many police at a sporting match. The crowd were great, the game was of a high level and its true this game is an obsession!

Something in the Aire

I don´t think I´ve ever fallen in love with a city before. I´ve read and heard stories where people romanticise about cities- Paris, New York, Melbourne- any place they have ventured to and been taken away by its charm, immensity and style. It had never happened to me like this until I spent my first 2 days in Buenos Aires. I had heard from many travellers how wonderful a place it was. They spoke of great food, cheap wine, fashion, Futbol and Tango. Indeed, I arrived with expectations but was met with something far greater than I had imagined.

The city is a thriving haven of culture, arts and character. A fusion of modernity with antiquity, history with the present and a future that looks like its on its way up after an economic slump at the turn of this century. The old buildings tell of wealth and influence from a European world, intricately and ornately decorated and proudly bearing the Argentinian flag. Each suburb bears its own image, displaying colours and character along tree lined streets through feria´s, markets and performing arts. Meanwhile, through the air wafts the smell of Tango, the pheremone of the city, the sexual, lustrious movement that pulsates through the streets. A leg thrown over a hip, two faces cheek to cheek- this is the dance of the city resonating the qualities of the city itself. Beauty, style and composure. Lust, passion and emotion. I have much yet to discover of Buenos Aires just as I do the Tango, but in an instant of admiring these 2 Argentinian products, I have found myself lost in their charm, drugged by their magic and lusting for more.

Katie x

Having a Whale of a Time!

Why is the steak so tender and rich in Argentina? Speaking to other travellers they would tell you that all the cattle feed on fresh grass or that when the cow is killed it is beaten before hand and they are the reasons. Whatever the cause for the soft meat it is the best I have ever had and at around $1 for a big eye fillet or $5 to eat out I am the one who is jumping over the moon, with joy that is!

After an unreal time in Bariloche of feasting on steak, chocolate, wine and a few days of snowboarding some fresh spring powder we headed to the warmer coastal town of Puerto Madryn. It is from here that we took an excursion to Peninsula Valdes to see the Southern Right Whales. And whales we did see!

Large adults suspending their tales for minutes on end. Calves with too much energy breeching out of the water and crashing back down again, while mum opted to relax by floating on her back extending her huge pectoral fins into the air. It was a photographers heaven.

At one stage we had 8 mothers and calves between 1 and 40 metres from our boat. Quite possibly we could have leaned over the edge and patted these beautifully peaceful creatures. However, that doesn´t comply with Ecotourism so this along with the fact you can never be sure how a 15 metre in length animal weighing 45 tonnes will react once touched was enough to keep our hand in the boat.

God bless the relaxed laws of South America allowing us to get so close to these amazing creatures of the sea. In all honesty though the whales were as equally as curious of us as we of them and I saw no sign of stress. Another memorable experience for us both.

Not to be left out we saw elephant seals on one of the near by beaches. Also currently in mating season the large males (can grow to 6 metres and weigh 4 tonnes) fight to own a stretch of beach and therefore the right to mate with any females on that stretch . We witnessed one male chasing off another whom was trying to steal a few women. It was actually quite funny as they have to move like a caterpillar or slug as they weigh so much. After about two to three slug rolls they flop on their bellies to rest for 30 seconds then continue the chase. Its like a slow motion fight scene. Seeing these big boys move you can´t help but feel for the pups that may end up squashed.

CHILE - The Snow!

Our snow adventures in Chile involved 3 superb days of snowbaording at 2 different resorts, and an overnight hike to a run-down hut high in the mountains. Despite catching the very tail end of the ski season, there was still plenty of snow, blue skies and excellent riding. The resorts are mainly above the tree line making for wide open runs and beautiful scenery of the endless Andes.

As for our snow hike, we were ill prepared for the amount of snow we would have to walk through, which meant we were sinking knee deep into the snow and sporting wet, cold feet by the end of it. The hut which was our destination- ´Shangrila´ was literally on it´s last legs and didn´t provide much shelter at all. We were tentless, so had a night out under the stars, in the snow, at below 0*. Despite feeling like squatters, it was a magical little place.