2 Poles, 7 Summits, 13 Ironman's and 196 Countries

Following breakfast by the pool there was a little business to take care of. Abusive emails to LAN airlines all sent, we needed to cross the border back to Argentina for a police report. The insurance company said you need one within 24 hours. So Brazil back to Argentina, into the police station where I met the most unmotivated individuals since the people who had to clean toilets with a toothbrush. Christmas day at the police station was all about watching the day time Spanish soaps. English speaking tourists were an unwelcome distraction from the gripping plot. Unsuccessful, more stamps in the passport as we cross from Argentina to Brazil and made it just in time to enjoy some serious pool time and a Brazilian 5 star hotel burger. To end the day we relaxed and then went for a walk back down the falls. Moving hotels that evening, the room dropped in standard, the food did too. I have decided that Brazil has the unenviable task of being next to Argentina, so in the cuisine stakes i...

6:45am there was a knock at the door, it was a morning delivery of hot chocolate to our room, fine silver tea pot and all. Elle slowly woke up to sip the warm drink. Outside our window the day was sunny and perfect, the grass in front of the hotel leading up to the small falls had families of the small possum-squirrel animals scurrying across. There was a bit of confusion from Elle as to why I was so keen to wake up early and go to the falls when we had one of the best beds and rooms ever experienced. Still with some persuading we were dressed and heading to the falls. The walk from our hotel to the main falls is about 1.2km, all along the way is through a national park where there is a perfect view of many of Iguaçu's 256 waterfalls. We were up early enough so that there was no one in sight, for this time this wonder was ours. Down the path at each viewing point we stopped, Elle received a kiss from me and looked bemused at my early morning enthusiasm. Each of the falls was b...

Buenos Aries , Christmas Eve morning. Rain but hot, into a taxi to the airport. Our flight was LAN to Iguazu falls a place that for me rates as one of the most spectacular in world. When I first went there and looked at the falls, I said this is the most amazing falls I have ever seen. The guide looked at me and said these are not the falls, the falls are down there. Elle still did not know where we were going, this being part of her Christmas surprise. At the airport we retrieved our tickets, and again she asked where we were going. Drum roll. I handed her the ticket and said look!! We are going to Iguassu ! A blank looked crossed her face, what do you do there? I replied walk round and look at things. mmmm . As we progressed through the wait for our flight, Iguazu and the spectacular falls were revealed through a combination of recollection, posters and a brief description in the Lonely Planet which said make grown men giggle and jump for joy. The flight to Iguazu reveal...

It was just under 10 years ago, January 2009, when I last did the Inca Trail. Back then I was short on time, I only had three days to do the four day hike. This meant that I did the second and third day together, without food and little water, but that is another story. Thus it is hard to describe my surprise that when Elle and I finally found the little company that would take us on the trail, they told us that the flight we had going out to Lima would not give us enough time to do the hike. Shit. The first word of English that is learnt by Peruvians is "impossible," this one word has the ability to crush spirits and mark the beginning of a long negotiation. Sitting in the small office, which provided me the two biggest surprises of the day by 1 - being there and 2 - being open, we ran through a myriad of possibilities to try and solve this unfortunate recurring problem. The final compromise that we arrived at two hours later through their broken English a...

Our travel time totaled 41 hours, but finally we reached Cuzco Peru. While not all flying, we managed 10 hours in Santiago airport lounge, and 8 hours in a hotel at Lima. To reach here was a real relief but also real exciting. It has been 10 years since I was last here and the beauty of the place has only grown. Flying in through the hills and seeing the eclectic mix of Spain and the Incas had Elle's and my eyes wide open. Elle booked a great little colonial hostel and with our own room we were beginning the adventure! Bags down we stepped out into town, walked through the town square on the cobblestone streets and found a warm place for some lunch. Pizza and lasagna with coca tea, fantastic. A hot chocolate and pastry for afternoon tea. Maybe some Guinea Pig for dinner? Ah we will see!!!!