Ireland..riding cows & tea with relatives

What a jam packed 13 days in Ireland..

To summaries it was filled with 3 course meals, huge fries for breaky, stops at distant relatives house for tea followed by more tea. Learning to ride a tractor, meet up with 6 aunty's and uncles I hadnt seen in 12 years!. When to the 'Bog' & the heritage museum for The Bog. (A must see spot most Irish country folk ?) Decided ending a night with Irish Baily's is a NO NO.

Ilha Grande , Brazil

Location- 2 hours by Bus and another 2 hours by ferry from Rio. It is not to be missed if your headed this way.

I loved this Island so much that I visited it twice whilst in Brazil. I had 5 days with Monika and Mandy here, then we headed on to party it up in Rio. And after I with 2 Aussies id met headed back for my last 3 night in Brazil. And that is when I fell even more in love with Ilha Grande.. The 'all you can eat BBQs ', cooked on the outdoor deck overlooking the beach, featured huge whole fish, juicey cuts of Steaks, and the tenderous pork ive ever tasted. This feast was to die for! (actually i almost died after eatting too much) This extravigant dinner was followed by Limbo and 'x' (ie i cant remember) Caiprinhina's which were given to me for free for winning one of the party games.

I was also offered a job at the hostel by the owner- Freddy. top deal.. And I was totally considering changing all my European plans and settling down there for 2 months. Just imagine: every day soaking up the sun, lying on a hamick reading, going for jungle walks to remote beaches and drinking Caiprinhina's under the moonlight- I couldnt think of anything better. But I could stay as it would have put out too many friends & relatives I was meeting in Europe in the next few weeks. But ive taken a raincheck.. the owner has offered my LIFE TIME MEMBERSHIP to the hostel. (not sure what that means) So maybe in a few years when im stressed out and needing a life change ill head back to Brazil and live the life I could only wish for.

The hostel bar and dining area
Lopez Mendes.. Known as one of Brazil most amazimg surf beaches
The boat trip leaving the island on my last day in Brazil. I was pretty much crying when I left the island and all the staff id made friends with at the hostel.
The view we woke up to every morning. This is where breakfast was served.

This place is paradise!! The surrounds are similar to that of Thailand, but the isolation & Brazilian vibes is what made it for me.

The adventure, sights and entertainment just keeps on coming

We left our mark on Argentina.

See our graffiti on the wall of a resturant in Iguazu, Argentina

Our first taste of Brazil to come.. The free entertainment at our Hostel in Iguazu. CHOICE!

Did you know nudity is prohibited in public in Brazil and can lead to fine of up to $500 (as a friend of mine found out when he went skinny dipping in Rio and got taken to jail for the night). But they still allow people to walk around wear pretty much just a piece of string covering there .... humm
IGUAZU FALLS

Magical ! The power and noise these falls create is amazing. To think that God created this natural wonder...
The noise was like thunder on a stormy night. And the water hitting the base of the falls creates a mist of water that you can't seem to escape. Hence why im wearing a rain coat.
Here we go. Into the falls

Back again in Buenos Aires.. Part 3

Buenos Aires is where Tango was born.

Here we are at one of the most famous tango shows.Ahh the Argentinian BBQ/Grill.

Meat..meat and more meat. The steak in Argentina is definitely the best steak I have ever eating in my life. I could ´never´ be a vegetarian. Me getting my shoes shinned on the streets or Buenos Aires for $2. Bargain city!
It snowed in Buenos Aries for the first time in 70 years

and we were there to enjoy it. For me it was the first time I have ever seen snow fall. It was so pretty, but im not down with the 2 degrees that goes along with it. Here we are in the main shopping strip in BA.

Summary .. and my latest group email

Hey folks...

Yes, it hás been tôo long since my last groups email. So here is a bit of a summary...

Spent a good part of the last month in Argentina, gaining the 5kg I lost from food poisoning in Bolivia and then gaining an extra 5kg on top of this when I was introduced to Argentinian Steak, Red wine, mouth watering chocolate in Bariloche and All You Can Eat buffets in Buenos Aires.

My MIA has mainly been due to the seduction of Buenos Aires. Wake up at 1pm, find something to eat. Shop, decide which All You Can Eat restaurant to attend. Eat dinner at 10pm. Start getting on the spirits at midnight, then head to a club at 2am before retreating back to The Mill house Hostel at 7am.

We were unexpectedly invited to spent a weekend on a farm in Uruguay to horse ride and eat steak by a lovely Aussie guy who lived there and exported beef to the US. Got wet at Iguazu Falls. Spent a magical 3 days in Sao Paulo living with a Brazilian friend and getting down with the locals. And this week me and the girls are getting some much needed sun in Ilha Grande- a tropic Island 3 hours south of Brazil.

Now some myths to clear up..

• No I didn't die in the Tam Airline crash in Sao Paulo early this week.
• No im not in love with an Argentine hunk
• I haven't turned into a fat monster. Actually, in a mission to fit into a pair of Brazilian Bikinis, Monika and I have started a fitness routine with our new PT Mandy B.
  

Facts

• Skied a BLACK run in Southern Argentina.
• Im addicted to Caprinhia in Brazil.. ahh the sugar high!!
• Saw snow fall for the first time in Buenos Aires!! Fact it actually snowed there for he first time in 70 year.
• I now have 2 weeks of my south American adventure left. So Rio watch out the Freak is on her way!
  

Next part of my itinerary

• Ireland 3rd- 16th Aug. (With Relatives)
• Greece & Islands 16th- 8th Sept (around) Might head up through Croatia. (With Angela)
• Paris, 8th Sept- Oct (With Sophie)
  Then it looks like Im moving with Sophie Russo to London in October. Just in time to set up camp before the winter in England. (can´t wait for that!)
  

Hope everyone is safe and well!! You all know I miss you and ill be thinking of you when i sit out on my hammock tomorrow reading my book.

Uraguay...Living like queens for the weekend

Skiing in Southern Argentina..I survived my first Black run!

June 23rd- 26th.
Bariloche is a cute ski village located a ´mere´ 20 hours by bus from Buenos Aires. But the lengthy bus trips didnt bother us anymore they are actually fantastic in Argentina. They are what I could imagine business class to be like on a plane. You get hot dinners, with wine or beer. Champagne before bed! and 3 to 4 movies during the ride and the chairs lean back about 270 degrees to create a very pleasant bed. I think i had one of the best sleeps id had in weeks on this bus.

We spent a week in Bariloche, eating the amazing chocolates that the region produced (yes another reason im stacking on the pounds) And skiing !! Monika and Mandy, who just spent the last 5 months in Vale on the ski slope, were my personal instructors for the two days . They even took me on my first ´black run´ on day 2!! So now im hooked. But don´t worry im not heading to do a season in the snow..my heart is still where the sun shines.

A picturestic lake we came across

when we hired a car and drove about Barlilochi one day.

Snow.. I am so excited!

We spent one rainy afternoon as Argentina most prestigous hotels Llao Llao indulging in there amazing afternoon tea buffet

The chocolate to die for in Bariloche. Even second shop is a chocolate shop if now a ski rental store. (Hence the weight ive gained this week)SKIING
For some rad pictures check out Mandy and Monika´s Blog
http://www.mrmshow.blogspot.com/