Just arrived in Rio de Janeiro after a few of the wildest times I´ve ever had! But I might have to back up a month or so to after we left Peru..

Still on a high after the Inca trail, we spent a couple of days on Lake Titicaca visiting its famous ¨floating islands¨ and staying with a local farming/fishing family (a real eye opener on how they lived), we jumped on a bus to Bolivia to experience another lake excursion to the Isla del Sol to visit the birth place of the sun... (or that is what the Incas believed anyhow). Heading east to La Paz, the capital, we struggled to climb its step streets as the whole city is basically situated what looks like a massive creator and being so high above sea level (around 3,650 meters) the old lungs struggled to keep up the demand for oxygen! Just out of La Paz in the surrounding mountains, Petra convinced me to participate in a 72Km, downhill, madman decent down ¨Death Road¨ on a mountain bike!... but it must have been the coolest or stupidest (however you look at it) ride we´ve been on so far. It rain for half the trip which equaled MUD! and lots of it! It was probably good the top was cloudy so we could not see the steepest and scariest cliffs! Made it to the bottom caked in mud, hosed off and headed back up the wet, dirt road with driver who wanted to prove he could break a world record rally accent back up the mountain - that was scaryier that going down it!

On a bus and train south for a day we made it to Uyuni, although I didn´t see much of it from my bedroom as a little excited me decided to by something not so fresh from the markets in La Paz that did not agree with my stomach! Anyways, after 24 hours of rest we jumped in a 4 wheel drive for a 3 day excursion and headed to one of Bolivians prize tourist attractions - the salt lakes. Unbelievable stuff! After driving hours into the heart of the lakes we came to an island covered in the only vegetation that could survive the dryness - 1200 year old cacti - as thick and as tall as telephone posts. From the top of the island all you could see for 360 degrees of white salt and blue sky's! Nothing else for miles and miles. After 2 more days of traveling though some of the most driest dessert world, our camera was full of pictures of volcano's, geysers, mud pools, flamingos, lagoons and other stunning scenery.

Arriving in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile was a miracle after the 4x4 broke down and the driver spent 2 hours under the bonnet!. A huge jump up in hotel standards too and, yes, guaranteed hot water all day - Petra was happy! After a small day trip on the bikes to more Inca ruins we jumped in a bus to visit the ¨Moon Valley¨ to watch a pretty spectacular sunset over sand dunes and valleys.

Just a quick stop over La Serena, a Chilean holiday resort, for a night out with the locals and then straight to Santiago for a few days of recovery in a more recognizable city. I would compare it to a bit like Melbourne. Heaps of shops, cafes etc, nothing too flash, just a large modern city.

On a plane to Buenos Aries, Argentina to experience the food, shops and lifestyle. A much larger and exciting city with cheap everything! Eyes lit up with the shopping potential but was able to control ourselves to what we could fit into our packs. Locals were helpful to the point a shop keeper closed his shop to personally escort us to find another place in the city. He did make us promise he could stay with us if he visited us in NZ or Slovenia of course!

On a bus north to Ibera Natural Reserve, home to over 350 species of birds, 85 species of mammals, and more than 70 reptiles and amphibians. I was more interested in the alligators that snapped at our boat we used for 8 hours chasing them in the swamps! Saw a heap of capybaras, large as dogs, guineypig looking mamals that loved a scratch behind their ears.

The most furtherest point north of Argentina is where the Iguazu Falls lie. These are not your average waterfalls! I simply can not describe the size and power of the water you see in front of your eyes! The falls stretch for about 1km and can be seen from all angles - even by jet boat that basically takes you into the mouth of the pit at the bottom - and yes we did get a little wet!

Partied a little once back in Buenos Aries, then on a plane to Rio to soak up few sites and sun before making our way to Slovenia (via Scotland for a few days).

We´ve just come back from visiting Sugar Loaf and The Redeeming Christ that take you to some of the most spectacular view points of the city - not to forget some of the beaches here are just perfect.

Chris.