South American highlights (by Joe and Laura)

Some two months since we were last here (and four months since we arrived in South America), we find ourselves back in Buenos Aires in good time to catch our flight home on Friday. The end of our trip has coincided with remarkably cold weather: this week saw the first snow in Buenos Aires since 1918.

In 4 months we've visited just 5 countries (and one of them for one night only) and have found South America spectacular. From the Patagonian wilderness in the deep south, to the warm Brazilian beaches and the high Andes of Bolivia, we've found incredible diversity. We've also found a wealth of culture, with each nation distinct and populated with its own unique mix of people.

In summary, our favourite country was Brazil, our favourite cities were Salvador (Brazil) and La Paz (Bolivia) and our favourite region was Patagonia.

And to wrap up, here are our ten 'highlights' from our South American experience (in chronological order):

1) Trekking in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (right)
Our friends Tasha and Rick came all the way from home to see us for a fortnight in Chile. The main event of their visit was a four-day trek through snow, sleet, wind and rain in the magnificent Torres del Paine National Park at the southern tip of the Andes. A character-building experience …

2) Cruising around Cape Horn (left)
We took a wonderful all-inclusive 4-night luxury cruise around Cape Horn, which took us seal and dolphin watching through the incredible glacier wilderness of Chile's deep south fjordlands. And to top it all we got the whole trip as a late booking end of season bargain at less than one-third the usual price.

3) Autumn colours, the Argentinean Lake District (left)
We were in the right place at the right time for an incredible show of autumn colours in the Argentinean Lake District. Particularly memorable was a 7-hour return walk up a forested valley-side from the town of El Bolson. The red-brown panorama from the top - under clear skies - was one of the greatest sights of the whole trip.

4) Iguaçu falls, Argentinean/ Brazilian border (right)
Comprising 275 separate waterfalls of up to 74 metres high, along a width of nearly three kilometres, the mighty Iguaçu falls are one of the natural wonders of the world and a South American 'must see'. We had fun snapping pictures of the rainbows which hang constantly in the mist.

5) Family hospitality, Sao Paulo, Brazil (left)
We were treated to a long weekend of generous family hospitality by Laura's uncle Richard and family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We were given a very informative tour of the city, fed at some of the finest 'all you can eat' restaurants in Brazil, and treated, spoiled and pampered lavishly at every opportunity.

6) Portuguese colonial towns, Brazil (right)
We spent chilled-out times quietly enjoying the unique character and architecture of some of the surprising old Portuguese colonial towns Brazil has to offer. We particularly liked the old port town (now beach resort) of Paraty and the former regional capital/ mining centre of Ouro Preto, high in the hills inland from Rio.

7) Partying in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil (right)
We went 1000km beyond our planned route to visit the city of Salvador, halfway up the Brazilian coast - and it didn't disappoint. We loved the character of the old colonial city centre, the warmth of the people, and the sheer volume of the open-to-all street party that takes place every Tuesday night.

8) Sunsets and stars, the Pantanal, Brazil (left)
Amazing sunsets and clear stars alone make a trip to the Pantanal - the vast wetland wilderness in Brazil - a worthwhile excursion. But we also saw impressive wildlife and have a tale to tell of being chased back from a fishing trip through piranha-infested waters by an angry gang of giant otters.

9) Mountain biking, near La Paz, Bolivia (right)
The Bolivian Andes offer some of the best mountain biking in the world. We went on two awesome downhill rides, both of which took us on descents of over 3000 meters. They were amazing experiences for the ´roof of the world` views at the top, as well as the speed, exhilaration and adrenaline-buzz of the descents.

10) Old-style rail travel, Bolivia (left)
Unusually for South America, Bolivia offers several opportunities for rail travel and we enjoyed three great journeys. They were a chance to see a slice of 'real' provincial Bolivian life, to pass through stunning desert scenery and to enjoy the charming old-style touches to Bolivian rail travel (such as buffet cars with wine lists and uniformed waiters).

Joe and Laura