Hi, hi from San Francisco...I think Ivor attempted to start an entry from San Francisco then got too caught up in enjoying himself to complete it. Right, this is gonna be long so get settled! Well, firstly we´ve been rubbish at updating this and I don´t see it getting any better but I´ll try and keep all our updates as concise as possible. Yes, I know I go on! But let me begin where we left off...
Right, well we had a week in Toronto which was great. Not a whole lot to do but we did have some nice weather, took the lift to the top of the CN Tower and Ivor is now convinced he has vertigo! Also visited the zoo which was a fun day and had a night out with some people from the hostel. Needless to say I was the only English one amongst the rest who were all Irish!!
Left Toronto for Los Angeles, had a night there before flying on to San Francisco. What a beautiful city. Had a fabulous few days there and met some fantastic friends that we´ve been keeping in touch with. Did the obligatory trip to Alcatraz which was interesting to say the least and a wine tour which was well, as a wine tour in the Napa valley should be...drunken and interesting!
Left San Francisco for a week of luxury in Las Vegas. Where´s the photos I hear you ask?! Well, someone may have left them in the hotel room by accident! I´m naming no names! Had an absolutely fantastic week in Vegas in the nicest hotel I´ve ever stayed in...backpacking! I hear your cry! Did all there is to do in Vegas, gamble, drink and sunbathe and actually won on roulette!
Left Vegas for San Diego on possibly the most tortuous journey so far. Ivor thinks Asian transport including tuk tuks may be better than Greyhound...the pits! 9 hours on a bus choc full with complete nutters and not an air conditioner in sight! Not pretty but we made it to San Diego where we spent a few days chilling out as there isn´t much to do and walked over the border to Mexico.
Had a really fun day in Mexico, eating chocolate enchilladas and drinking frozen margaritas. We´d been told it was really really dangerous though as some tourists had been kidnapped and killed on the flippin beach we then decided to visit! Made it back to San Diego in one piece. Ivor was very annoyed he didn´t get a stamp in his passport but I guess that just means we´ll have a holiday!
From San Diego we left for LA. Hadn´t intended on spending 4 days there but that was just the way it worked out so we spent a day down at Venice Beach...an eye opener I can tell you and splurged on a trip to Universal Studios. Ivor had been worried he´d be scared on the rides but low and behold he was like a kid in a candy store! Did the studio tour and saw Wisteria Lane! Cool!
Spent an exhausting day doing all there is to do there. All the rides, met Shrek and The Simpsons and yes, I´m not afraid to admit it´s still as much fun at 26 as it was at 11! Also went to the cinema which was kind of obligatory in the land of film. Can´t say the film was up to much and as Ivor hates LA so much he was glad to be leaving for South America by the time it came to depart!
Left LA for South America a couple of weeks ago and had an interesting chain of events with flights. Ended up stuck hovering over Dallas airport whilst our connecting flight to Sao Paolo was bording below and nearly got stuck in Sao Paolo trying to get to Buenos Aires! Needless to say we made it to both places and spent our time in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro rather than Sao Paolo.
Had a couple of days fantastic weather in Rio so actually got to spend the day on Ipanema beach and watch sunset. It was stunning. Also did a city tour which was great. Started with an hour steep uphill hike in the rainforest in 30º heat but the view was completely worth it! Visited Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf mountain before returning to the hostel for more food and drink!
Right, this update has been crazy long in the grand scheme of how they´ve gone so far so I shall leave it here and promise to update the rest of South America soon! Currently in Buenos Aires and have been for a week. Have done all the sights as there isn´t that many and just feel like I´m in Spain. Getting to practice my Spanish all the time which is great and even Ivor´s giving it a go!
xx
