Hot...temp is averaging above 30C

Hilly...surrounded by the Andes...ski resorts 30km away

Hazy...with the heat and being in a valley pollution is that of Mexico City

High rises...tallest building in SA is completed

So when I last left you was at the border post in the Andes. To give you some idea of the height/altitude we are dealing within this area...I took a sip from my coke bottle at the border and upon arriving into Santiago the bottle had shrunk due to the drop in altitude/pressure!!

Santiago is a great city in the 2 days I have seen it...a nice European style city but less crowed than Buenos Aires. So as mentioned before it is hilly...there are 2 hills in town...mini Santa Lucia and grander San Cristobel. Great visual references for navigation particularly when you get lost walking down the grander hill after sunset!!

Did a walking tour (my own as well as organised one) that provided a great insight into Santiago life...and more importantly some quirky things to enjoy...

My favourite being "coffee with legs" which can be best described a cross between Starbucks and Hooters...btw the coffee is good rather than thinking i am a pervert! Although great skill is required to maximise enjoyment as I realised after my initial school boy error!! Walked into Cafe Caribe and pre-paid for my coffee to see that the lady serving was my mum's age in a shocking pink mini dress...the VPL was that off stomach sucking granny pants!!! Enough to make me burn my throat to get out of there quickly!! To enjoy the experience I scouted the second coffee house around the corner Cafe Haiti which proved a better choice although when the girl said "Hola Chico" and I said "Hables Inglais" to which she walked away to read the paper...at least easier on the eye whilst drinking coffee but doesn't do justice to the South American lady who is great on the eye particularly as summer ;)

The tour also highlighted a great ice cream parlour with earl grey tea, ginger and hazelnut ice-cream. The fish market run by the local mafia (they own all the restaurants) did a cracking crab pie (Pastel de Jaiba) as well.

One thing Chile has done that Argentina hasn't to my knowledge is bring to justice the regime under Pinochet. The Truth and Reconciliation commission has been involved post his regime to understand what happened to the Chilean people...I.e. those that disappeared. Similar to Argentina under the military coup people disappeared and the museum tries to highlight and bring reconciliation to those involved. Bodies were bound with metal and dropped from helicopters out at sea only for bodies to appear on beaches...mass graves identified...bodies in roads with throats slit...and still to this day a few hundred people have not been identified for those families involved. Those protesting where either against the regime, communists even faith leaders were locked up and tortured. Brutal for the people and understandably people still are coming to terms of the Pinochet regime. Will leave you to google Pinochet times in Chile.

So after coming to a major city again I change my mind once again about whether I could live in a small town or city. Mendoza was great and had what you need but Santiago with its culture and art and busyness of life is also appealing...tough one to call but as a city guy born and breed think it wins at the moment as where I would like to live...watch this space!!

Finally a point on Union Jack's? Over here I see many locals wearing T-shirts with the Jack as well as a bum bags amongst items seen. Are they more patriotic than me? Should I wear my footy top with pride? Am I concerned by the conertayions associated with the England top? With World Cup around the corner will hopefully be in Manuas to watch the first game and will be wearing it with pride then!!

For a cheeky day trip (doesn't necessarily do it justice) I went to Valparaiso which is/was a major port. Used to be massive before the Panama Canal was built as a stop between Europe and California when they had a gold rush...today still a port but famous for its 40 hills, funiculars and street murals...photos are only a small selection of the good ones!!

Explored the city and first stop was the 1971 Nobel Peace prize winner Pablo Neruda (poet and diplomat) home in the hills. Great views across the city. The city has many houses/shacks for the port workers so has a favela feel but not with the same tension...one thing to remember in Chile is major earthquakes and so shacks are easier to rebuilt than houses!

Tried the local shellfish "marisco" empanada (Cornish pasty) for lunch at the legendary Empanadas Famosas...people were buying 10 at a time. Bizarrely on the TV were naked ladies with body paint on jumping into a swimming pool after posing...like I have said before SA TV is good!! Also tried the local Pisco Sour for sundowners over the bay...Peru and Chile fighting over who has the rights but still a decent drink!

Did the free walking tour like in Santiago and worthwhile and recommend in any city that offers it...you just tip as the fee (just don't forget to tip like I did and now on a massive guilt trip back to Santiago!). Learnt about the port and city life...had the most expensive street in SA due to the port...now in ruin. All the fire stations are run by volunteers thus more revered than the police in the public eye...more interesting is that each individual station is sponsored by the Brits, Germans, Italians and Saudis i.e. the early immigrant settlers!! Most bizarrely though was the offering of Waitrose Essentials ketchup in the local supermarket???

Best way to see the city is by the following videos from a Red Bull championship to bomb it down the hills in c.2mins. See the steepness and wall decorations.

Finally I head north on a 23hr bus ride today...guess no sympathy coming my way...I will arrive in the Atacama desert and have 4 days exploring high altitudes (roads at 5000m...think top gear in SA) and potential whale bones unearthing before crossing the frontier with Bolivia and the famous salt flats. Therefore those that do get concerned (few of you!!) I will out of radio contact for a while...don't be concerned unless you see me on CNN not waving behind the camera saying "hello mum"!!

Luckily I don't get car sick otherwise these bus journeys could be a burden rather than a joy. Currently on an 10 hr bus ride from Mendoza to Santiago (Chile)...got a 22 hr one next week as a reminder of the distances to travel when I head up to the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile. The route today takes me over the Andes past the highest peak in the Americas called Aconcagua. At nearly 7000m it is an achievable climb and like Kilimanjaro is a non-technical climb...one for another trip!! Issue is it is overcast and raining so can't confirm how beautiful the scenery is!! Having said that the border proved a lengthy wait but interesting after watching the Fratelli's (Goonies reference) + Maradona lookalike try to smuggle numerous house hold goods into strict Chile...one of my worst border crossings of about 3 hrs. But before sharing stories about Mendoza check out the photos below from a recent flight in Patagonia from Calafate to Bariloche...one of the scenic commercial flights I have taken.

Mendoza is a must stop for anyone on a trip to Argentina. The city has loads to offer but top of this list is wine...lots of red Malbec wine to enjoy. Also is known for its food quality, art and adventure sports. I participated in 3 of the 4...let's just say I was lazy for 4 days!!

"Nice legs" and "lovely body" are the crap jokes in my wine repertoire and not comments I get on my travels! After visiting 5 vineyards to sample the local vino (mainly Melbec) my rubbish banter didn't improve!! I know a little more about the wine than before but to fair just enjoyed the vineyards (bodega), food and company. Perhaps my nose/mouth just hasn't got the palette to taste all the flavours...no comments about my Roman nose!! Reminds of that gin advert sketch..."hmmm I'm getting oyster shells, lavender, chocolate...Rubbish!"

The settings weren't always as beautiful as Cape Town but the wine tours and tasting certainly matched Stellenbosch. The knowledgable staff meant I learned more about the process than before...also here many of the vineyards are relatively new due to the previous economic crisis's forcing bodega to be sold or left fallow...so the passionate owners often showed us around. We visited small and organic vineyards like Clos de Chacras, Carinae, Pulmary through to larger estates like Luigi Bosca and Escorihurela.

Also the food here is great and the abundance of steak is starting to show across the waist line! Went to a place called Ituzaingo which is a closed door restaurant...essentially a local has converted his house into a restaurant but still lives there. On offer was a taste journey of 7 courses around Argentina with accompanying wines. Nice idea when you have a nice place...not sure my Balham flat has the same wow factor! My foodie friend Nancy (who runs her own catering company in Sydney) picked the restaurants and bodega and choose winners every time!!

A stroke of genius from Nancy was the flat we hired for the 4 nights. Meant we had more space, could cook and had a roof terrace for sundowners...felt like being a local and my old life back in London. Bumped into a friend Tiffany from Bariloche who we invited over for drinks and nibbles. 6 of us had a cracking and raucous night...good litmus test is getting a knock at 1am from an angry neighbour about the noise!! Like all parties numerous bottles of wine helped lubricate the conversation!! The issue as always is the head the morning after which appears to get worse with age!! But well worth it as learnt a new drinking game and how to beatbox...important life skills at the age of 33!! Cheats way to beatbox is to say "boots n cats n boots n cats..." over again and quickly and then throw in "cats n tits n cats n tits..." Once mastered that can mix it all up to sound like an average beat boxer. The beauty of travel is learning about life experiences and skills of others around the world...in our flat were people from London, Sydney, Georgia USA, Auckland.

Finally to ensure we tick the art box we stumbled across a Pablo Picasso art exhibition in town...always nice to throw in a bit of culture once in a while!

Nancy departs tomorrow and has been a great 3 weeks sharing my travel experience with her. Going back to Sydney means work for her and me to find a new Scrabble partner. I know that I am not ready for work yet...so much more to see!!

I remember fondly from my school days our 6th form geography field trips. It wasn't the case studies of glaciation in the Lake District; the rivers of Devon or the urban planning of Newcastle. No it was the fun times with your school mates away from home for a week...Lango and his mini-bus rally driving skills; Jonny Angel proudly wearing his Arsenal scarf through the Byker Estate in Newcastle; Rich and I making a lame attempt at covering the bus in loo paper; and of course trying to score booze or the late night run home from the pub due to the curfew!

Heading to Torres Del Paine National Park (This park was awarded the 8th Natural Wonder of the World...what happened to just 7?? Jealous Table Mountain got that accolade?!? Why stop at 8?!?) in Southern Chile suddenly brought back memory of my school studies. The area can be classified as a Physical Geography teachers wet dream! Whereas at school we had to visualise glaciers, rivers and diffluent col down here you can see glaciers and their devastating force with your own eyes. See the glacial lakes and rivers meandering through the valley. The twisting of the rock from the immense pressure of the tectonic plates millions of years ago.

This knowledge occasionally impressed my new travel partner (Nancy from Sydney from EY days) but was mainly met with a L across her forehead towards me..."LOSER!"

My early blogs of needing jaw dropping scenery to impress me certainly exceeded my expectations here. Anyway see the photos for yourself and marvel at the breath taking scenery. What the locals call Buena Vista! My aim was to seek green /azure lakes and they certainly fulfilled this in abundance.

Unfortunately this comes at a price...yup camping it up ("oohh Matron" Kenneth Williams) is a nightmare. Tents are not made for light sleepers and 6ft manly frames. I was able to pitch my tent ("aight" Ali G) to prove my manly skills but after that the fun disappears. Picturesque camp sites are appealing but lack of sleep out weighs this. Thus the option of getting up at 4am for sunrise was much more appealing than sleeping on the ground!! The views were well worth it although the cold air at the summit suddenly made the tent have the comfort of a 10 tog doona (sorry Oz influence from Nancy after a week...means duvet!)

Luckily we only did the light "W" walk so had to carry kit for just 2 days not 5. We decided to spend more time in El Chalten and have a hostel/cabana for day walks which is much more pleasant. I say "we" loosely as Nancy did all the prep and organising skills for her 3 weeks...the rule of any joining member of Palmer Tours is that of planner...and thanks to her spreadsheet (she is an accountant after all!! Don't worry no mention of accounting is made in public places...although embarrassingly all border post forms ask for our profession!) the plan is error free so far...so far!!! Like a good ex-auditor I am always checking things ;) Also Nancy brought the Ozzie sunshine with her as we had the only hot days Patagonia has seen all summer!!

After nearly getting stuck in Puerto Natales as all buses were full which is not ideal as not much going on we headed to Perito Moreno glacier in El Calafate back in Argentina (3rd of 5th border entries being madero Arg!). Our mode of transport was the Little Miss Sunshine mini-van...was part of a family trip but didn't care as all other avenues of taxi, hitching and flying had expired. And wow what a sight the glacier was!! Ok very touristy and set up for the masses but being that close to the glacier and seeing / hearing it crash around you is awesome...it moves by 2m per day!! Mother Nature at her best!! Surprisingly peaceful just watching it and seeing it drop bits into the blue glacial lake.

Not to be outdone El Chalten 3 hours away is where Mount Fitzroy (3405m) peaks above all those around it. A technically challenging summit that was not on my radar to complete as involves ropes and ice axes...although the trekking around it to the lakes and glaciers proved equally rewarding as the W walk and a great way to sign off trekking and no more sleeping in cold/uncomfortable tents in South Patagonia. Unfortunately after 4hrs up to the Fitz Roy view it was overcast but the view from the high street the following morning was equally beautiful.

So we camped for one night again and as the gentleman I took the tent and heavy items but I am not going to lug gas, pots and dried noddles...meant my back thanked me as I slept on the hard forest floor!! Unfortunately did mean we ate cold pizza for dinner whilst smelling the chicken noodles from next door! Winning Trivial Pursuit was the only consolation.

The Argentinians have managed to adapt Swiss style architecture to their trekking/activity areas albeit they are new towns whereas Chile prefers the tin shed option...Swiss style reminds me of Europe and more pleasing to the eye whereas Chile has perhaps the more authentic look. Hence Argentina is winning over Chile for favourite country so far!! Issue with Chalten is lack of internet...my Commodore 64 could load things quicker...rather sad though that dependent on wifi but booking hostels etc it is a key traveller requirement. The good thing about these little towns are the quality of the beer and steak...steak for 3 nights in a row followed by digestifs at the micro-brewer...don't worry made sure of token vegetable for a balanced diet!

And finally...had my first "what the F are you doing here" moment!! Yesterday after a double-take bumped into a friend Bridget from EY days in Chalten who is taking 6 months off...not such a small world after all!!

Travelling or backpacking can have its highs and lows...some days everything goes to plan and others not...some days you meet great people and other times you need some personal space...Travelling solo has its advantages and disadvantages as well...although i need to constantly remind myself that i am not working for 12 months and going places many dream of there are times when the fairytale doesn't go to plan! You crave your sofa; some home cooked meals (note cereal for dinner not consumed yet...not have i cooked in months mind you!) or just some beers with mates (love getting photos from London of mates catching up with now ex-pay chums or Skype calls from parties where we end up both dancing!).

So i am in Chile and initially has been disappointing. Issue being very busy as holiday season so places are full...there are hitchhikers everywhere! The weather is often damp. Plus having the realisation thanks to delays that been wasting a few days that could of been spent elsewhere. Like all decisions about travel its a case of "what if" or FOMO (fear of missing out). You cant see it all so have to be selective based on LP (Lonely Planet aka travellers bible) and traveller stories...as you can sense from my intro i was in a little slump!!

So the past few days have been slow due to Chiloe way of life and distances to travel. Arrived on the island of Chiloe (halfway up/down Chile) for 3 days turning into 6. Rained first few days which means just sitting around with minimal exploring. Went to penguin sanctuary to see 100 or so penguins...again as have been lucky to be exposed to so many wonders of the world sometimes its hard to get wow factor...for local Chileans probably has wow factor but for global jet-setters like myself you need them in bow-ties tap dancing! German beer festival was good and shared beers with some great travellers (Germans settled here ages ago). Then karma slapped me across the face...

Had a 5 hr bus journey to the port for 23:00 ferry departure. Arrived cutting it fine but the ferry (sailing through fjords and stunning scenery...apparently) was delayed by 13hrs. After trawling the streets found no available hotel rooms. After contemplating the beach/park bench the thought of the stray dogs licking my face put me off. Luckily found 2 Chileans in same predicament and we managed to stay in a spare room of a local resident...thus cool to see Chilean way of life. Next morning decided to scrap the boat and head on 7hr bus to main airport in the north (my connecting flight in south would have been missed and then stranded in middle of nowhere as meeting friend Nancy from Oz in South). Managed to get on same flight but from stop earlier thanks to staff at Sky Airline (bought them a Toblerone as made me happy as got on board and have an emergency exit window seat to see the scenery from the air! Which as you will see is awesome!!) so worked out in the end but essentially 2 days wasted with little sleep and food.

As i said some days you pinch yourself of how lucky you are others you just wish transport would work (ok London did have strikes) and wish there is a sofa and English TV at the end!

Luckily over the next few days can share the experience with a friend and the scenery is meant to be stunning! Glaciers, mountain lakes, camping (not massive fan!) - just hope Tierra del Fuego and Chalten live up to their reputation!

Locals always say to me "oh you should go to the zoo" when arriving in a new city. I politely decline and say "I prefer the real thing". Now zoos are a great place to learn and serve a purpose but without wanting to sound like a spoilt brat nothing beats being in their habitat and you are effectively being the caged animal.

I have been lucky enough to see predators in the reserves of Kruger and Chobe; hear the Indri call from the Madagascar rainforest; swim with whale sharks in the Mozambique Channel...and that's just in the last 4 months. Previously unsuccessfully searched for tigers in India; scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef; traced butterflies in Cameroon highlands of Malaysia and seen deer on my runs through Richmond Park! All experiences I have thoroughly enjoyed...and now the Valdes Peninsula in Eastern Argentina is no different. Seeing elephant seals, sea lions and penguins was great to experience even if was a shlep to get there!

More importantly when observing animals in the wild you would love to see the elephant seals fighting each other or the orcas beaching to hunt a seal...the reality is far less dramatic. BBC and NatG take months to get those shots so are great to show you what happens but unfortunately I was only here for a day...you would have to pack loads of Kit-Kat to catch those moments!

The reality for me is that seeing sea lions roaring, sleeping and waddling in the wild beats hands down seeing them in a cage at a zoo.

(Before you all start tearing my heart out I would like to point out that these are my opinions only and that of a ginger Attenborough wannabe with no skills in zoology, biology or botany...just an appetite for opening my eyes to the natural world)

So after the featureless landscape of the East I ventured West to Bariloche aka Lake District and was a refreshing change...not least it was holiday season for Argentines here so meant I could don the smart clobber for busting some moves at the local discotheque on the first night with the hostel!!

Best way to clear the hangover is to be an underprepared rambler so ventured to Llao Llao for a stroll with a local map that was so basic would be better placed at Disney World. Yup I got lost within 50metres!! So I clocked a woman who looked as lost as I was so in my worst Spanish asked for help and we ventured into the wilderness. She spoke as much English as my Spanish but had French as a middle ground...a poor solution hence kicking myself to improve my linguistic skills but meant I could improve my charade skills. Reminded me of the scene in Love Actually with Colin Firth flirting with his Portuguese helper except without the subtitles...unfortunately didn't end up with us jumping into the lake like the film but was a fun afternoon regardless.

So determined to make amendments I took the same map up the mountain (ski resorts look odd without snow!!) the following day and after a cable car up I descended over Fray with spectacular scenes (2000m down to 1000m...yup I cheated and went down!). Without wanting to sound like an arrogant show off again the challenges and vistas have a hard time to match Kilimanjaro. Although did make me realise I need to get a ski chalet when I get 6 matching balls...ski, trek, mountain bike, climb, golf and cycling all in the same place...all year round activity centre!!

Like these activity towns you can always stay much longer and see more but with so much more to see on my route it's time to change countries and Chile beckons

(Waiting for a bus this morning saw a gentleman in a Harlequins rugby top. Thought he was English and thus local to me...turned out an Argentine. He thought the team was French...I furthered his disappointment by pointing out the London Eye silhouette on the top thus must be English. His sad face was enough for me to politely slip away.

So I write my next blog from the comfort of my 180* flat bed coach...As Chippy the maths extraordinaire will confirm you can't get flatter than 180*!! If you are going to be on a coach for 20 hours you may as well do it in style with duvet, TV and free booze!! National Express could learn a thing or two!



So now after leaving Buenos Aires the city has grown on me even further to the extent that it makes my top 5 cities I could live/work in (as you asked London, Chicago, Cape Town and Sydney make up the list!). Like London it continues to surprise...went for a walk and stumbled past the polo ground (capacity of Div1 footy club) into the racecourse...sitting in the sun nursing a hangover pretending to know what was going on was a great way to pass the time. Next door the local park with numerous roller bladers (that's how they deliver pizza!), skaters etc enjoying Buenos Aires and brought home great memories of Hyde Park...numerous parks/space is something some US cities I feel sometimes lack.

Nursing hangover really means knackered from my 5.30 am finish...still adjusting to this "lets meet for a drink at 11pm" lifestyle! Went to see Fuerzabruta the Argentine show touring in London...better and bigger production in London!

Well you will be pleased to know I have passed my Spanish course.. wouldn't say with flying colours but got a certificate so now my favourite phrase is "hable ingles?" which is followed by my hands gesturing a lot! Loads more to learn but at least picking up some vocab...most importantly the numbers!

Yesterday I went to the delightful colonial / smugglers town of Colonia in Uruguay (another country TICK!). Lovely old buildings and cars by the sea and more importantly pick up some USD to fund the next part of my trip. Met a German (blog in German but cool videos) guy on a BMW GS motorbike who I chatted to about his journey from New York..."well jel" as the kids say today!!

You may of noted "pick up some USD" from Uruguay...the Argentina Peso is up the creek without a paddle in sight! The official rate is 6.5 to £1....little did I know but the black market rate is 11.6 even to 13 last week. They love USD here and so no point using CC or ATM. Inflation is at a staggering 20%...my local cafe increased prices by 10% in the time I have been there. Meant going to a local illegal change house...although sounds dodgy when changing $580 you are not exactly Pablo Escobar laundering money!! Meant I also got ARP 6720 not 4160 via cambio!!

Few things noticed about South American living:

- why do people clap when the plane lands? It's their job!! Wish I got round of applause every time I got some accounts signed!

- TV presenters are hot!! Not like Loose Women...gets my attention even when I don't understand them!

- remember those coin holders around the neck as a kid??? Well they have them here if anyone needs a replacement...thought they went out in the 90's with bumbags (note my dad still uses his!) but apparently not down here!

- cracking meat here. Even the supermarkets sell whole cows! Last night steak with cow throat starters at Don Julio was top notch especially with the 2007 Malbec being quaffed! All for $50 (a lot of wine!) long may it continue!

Hola! Buenos Dias! Como esta? Right that's your lot from my classes this week...would like to say that you won't understand anymore, whereas the reality is I don't know much more!! To be fair not exactly renowned for my languages (thanks mum for not teaching us German!) so currently feel as though swimming with sharks with anvils around each ankle with the Mariana Trench below me!! Since when have I not looked danger in the face and shouted "Grrrr"!!

Anyway after a delightful flight with Iberia (managed to nab 4 seats in economy to the envy of Jose!) I landed in Buenos Aires close to midnight in 30C heat. Which after leaving London meant I quickly decanted out of my thermals much to the surprise of the arrivals gate who were awaiting their long lost cousin!! It hasn't relented although the occasional thunder shower has tempered the heat wave but doesn't stop me sleeping in front of a fan on full blast to prevent dehydration during the night. The tube one night was a gushing disaster at rush hour!!

(Maybe it's just me being observant/geek/well travelled but they drive on the right yet the tube runs on the left...you are probably thinking I am going mad but let me explain. You are walking on the right pavement towards town following traffic/buses and therefore if you jump down to the underground you would expect the line to follow...ohhh nooo...after going through the barrier I had to go back to the street, cross it and then down again.)

BA is a cool city and my first experience of SA (South America for this purpose not South Africa) is that of a European City. White skin usually seen on fellow gingers and some height amongst the crowd...although believe this will change as I head north...I will transform into the leading role of Gullivers Travels! The city has a resemblance to Paris, Rome and Gotham City (been to all 3!) and the Paris reference is particularly true with all the dog do-do everywhere. Parisian's and   Porteno's all live in flats, have dogs that only walk around the block who save their do-do for the pavement! Now I am not a patron of the RSPCA but surely they like bit of a run around??? And please buy a scoop!!

The city itself has loads of sites and sounds to keep you busy both old and new. Politically related, Peron related, Malvinas related and general protesting related. Due to the troubled past with numerous coups the locals understandably like to protest and put graffiti everywhere to remind you...don't get me wrong they deserve to given what happened in the past. One bad story happened in the 70's with children disappearing and never to be seen...with their mothers protesting they got arrested as anymore than 4 together chatting was deemed a rebellion and so had to be broken up/arrested. To avoid this the mothers kept on walking in a circle in front of the president palace...still happens to this day every Thursday. Riot police are still on standby each day...apparently demonstrations happen daily!!

The people are friendly and been on many excursions to local water holes and restaurants...forgetting the travel tips from Rob I always ordered full portions of food which meant meat sweats were following my heat sweats on numerous occasions!! Much to my delight the water is apparently safe so have been brushing my teeth using a tap!! Yippee!!

Luckily I am returning to these shores twice in the next 2 months hence I am not in any hurry to see everything although wanting to make sure PalmerTours can put in a good performance for my guests...got to survive off the tips!!



Anyway new adventures beckons with Uruguay for 2 days to see Montevideo (Monte Carlo of SA) plus pick up US dollars before heading South to Bariloche (Lake District) and Patagonia.