Man, so much has gone on you are gonna get the WELL brief version...

bleurgh - am so outta the loop with keeping up with this thing, so literrally am gonna give it to you short...

So, Aus was fab - spent way too much money but spent so many lovely times with old and new friends and my beloved family :).

Then, I arrived in Chile!! Woo!! Spent the first 4 days staying with Cristian, who I met from couchsurfing - twas proper ace, really hosptiable and we had good times drinking pisco and hanging out with his bestie Francisco too. i've actually put some photos up on fb now too, so you can catch up on that there...

A connection was made with Fran and I and thus he joined me on the next leg of my trip through Chile to Valpàraiso. Rreally beautiful seaside place this - so much amazing grafitti art aroubd that we just walked aimlessly for hours. Fran was my personal translator, so I had it pretty easy on the whole Spanish side of things... and we had an amazing time together, great chats, laughs and music - an amzing singer and musician, will get a vid up soon.

From there it was sad to leave, but I did - as it was mentioned that it would be good to break up my mammoth journey to Peru by stopping half way up Chile. After the ease of the first few days tho, landing in Charnaral, where no one spoke English, my Spanish is worse than shit, so I was proper on my own - I felt a bit lost. BUT, like wqith anything, ya just have to throw yourself oin. So I did. I went to see this national park (nothing like a national park back home... serious.) I was dropped off my the bus in the middle of the fucking desert!!! Again, NOONE spoke english!! Managed to find out that the park was a 8km walk!!! or boat ridethat I just couldn´t judstufy spending the wanga on. So, I hot footed it through the desert, passing cacti and sand, mountains, hills - not a soul to be seen. Serious, I ended ip doing a little video diary as I think I was saving myself from going doolally - one of those laugh or cry moments... don´t worry, I laughed!

After a couple of hours, I finally saw a car and this lovely family saved me and took me on their summer holidays with them!! We manage to converse, they were ace - they saved me fo sure!!

(story cut well short..)

Back at the ranch (my hostel) (where no one spoke English), I managed to make friends with the 10 yr old dauighter of the owners and her friend (I made them some hats). They took me into town where they gambled like addicts on these coin slot machines!!! Serious, this place was over run by kiids and their guardian, gma´s and parents gambling away!! We mansaged tohave a giggle and I made and lost a few pesos...

Friday night (27th), I started my mammoth journey to Peru - first bit was easy, bus was ace and I slept a dream. The border crossing was interesting (in a shithole of a taxi, falñing apart like anything) but I made it in one piece and with little hiccups. Then I got to Peru, booked my bus, waiting around and yadayada - and I lost my fucking water bottle holder that I spent hours crocheting!! Crongrats to the lucky Peruvian who found it, twas well good (I have a pic as a sad reminder :( ).

Ah, -I have to go as there's a time limit... but will fill you in next time on how frigging ace my volunteer place,ment is!!!

Chao, xxx