Argentina

Right, after Salta i took an 11 hour bus journey to Cordoba. Cordoba is a big city kinda half way between Salta and Buenos Aires. When i arrived it was Semana Santa (or Saint Week). In Argentina (and i assume the rest of South America) this week just before Easter is a BIG deal. Its when a lot of people travel and a lot of the hostels were all booked up. I took a taxi from the bus station to a hostel that i had found online. This one was booked up and so i walked to the riverbank to consult the Lonely Planet. It was really unhelpful and i had to go find one by myself. I went to 4 or 5 before i found a grotty hotel that had rooms. It was 35 pesos a night, which is VERY expensive although only about 6 pounds. After checking in i walked round the town and decided to go to the cinema on my own (something i have never done before). I was in the line to buy the ticket and i got talking to an Argentine couple called Diego and Nati. I went to see the film ´300´ with them and then went to get ice cream. Over the few days i was in Cordoba i spent a lot of time with them as they were really nice and new the city so were able to show me around.
While in Cordoba i was also adopted, so now i have a new Aunt and Uncle. Diego was staying with his aunt and uncle as he was on holiday for Semana Santa, so i met them and they fed me and i was happy. As far as i am concerned - anyone who makes me empanadas and millenesa pollo is good in my books!
I had a really good time in Cordoba and was sad to leave it. I made some really good friends in Diego and Nati and it was an all round good time.
Next up..... Buenos Aires!

Ok, so i haven´t written in a long time! Thank you Phil for pointing that out to me!!! I really don´t know what i have been doing but i´ve been busy and haven´t had time to write this thing. I´m going to try to type mega fast and update you on everything by the end of this internet session. Just to say that i am still alive and that you won´t be getting any photos for a little while. My memory card seems to have a virus on it, i went into a shop to get my photos put on a cd and the man shouted at me for bringing in a memory card with a virus. Basically it means (i think) that if i put my card into a computer then the computer will get the virus too! Hence why i haven´t put up any photos for a while. If anyone does know anything about memory cards and knows whether you can take virus´ off then that would be helpful!!! xxx

Salta, Salta, Salta, what can i say, i really liked this place and the people in it. I arrived at the bus station at about 7.30 in the evening and had to find a hostel. Fortunately a man came up to me with some details of a hostel, and me being the lazy person i am thought that it would be easier to take him up on his offer of a bed, which i swear i wouldnt normally do from a strange man :P. The hostel sounded pretty good, 20 pesos for a dorm room, free transfer from the bus station and breakfast included. It was in the hostel when i met an English couple, Tina and Robert, a German man Konrad and an Argentinian from Buenos Aires called Alberto. The whole of the evening i impressed myself with my spanish as the majority of the people there spoke spanish, Tina and Rob excluded.
I think i spent 5 days in Salta in total which is quite a bit longer than the 2 days i expected. On my second night in Salta i was taken to a restaurant with traditional Argentinian folk music and dancing with Tina and Rob and two people who worked in the hostel, Manu and Enzo. By the end of evening we were all up and dancing and i think Tina got a but worse for wear. Rob and Tina had to get up at 7 in the morning so left at a respectable time of 3am. I was then left with Manu and Enzo and one of the bands who had played live at the restaurant, they all dragged me to a bar (very similar to an old working mans club) where i was the only English speaker. It is difficult for me to interpret the Argentinian spanish because of their pronounciation, let alone when they are drunk old men. Luckily Enzo was there to push them off and tell them politely to go away. We all got back to our beds at about 6.30 in the morning, just before Tina and Rob had to wake up.
The days in Salta were left for shopping, museos, iglesias and chilling. It was really really hot and sunny so i couldnt really do a lot at midday and they close everything in Argentina at 2 till 5! Therefore catching up with sleep was the only other option!
The people i met in Salta were brilliant. That for me was the main attraction there. We went out to restaurants, or cooked Empanadas ourselves or would go out to the local clubs. I was only there for a few days but i feel like ive made some good friends.
I have also told myself that i will go back to Salta, on my way back up to Peru, maybe i will drop by!