Cuidad Del Esteeee!!!

So a mere week into my project in Paraguay and, along with fellow volunteer Izzy, we got up the confidence to venture into Argentina for a spot of waterfall viewing. However on the way we decided to stop over at Cuidad del Este (City of the East) to see abit more of Paraguay. Seven hours of cross country bus ride and I can tell you for free, the whole of Paraguay looks depressingly similar. While the city was indisputably busier than Asuncion we found that the place actually had little to recommend it- no nightlife (a Paraguan theme), and a distinct dangerous feel to the nightime streets. Needless to say it wont be a place I will recommend visiting in my memoirs. Although another comedy stay in a budget basement hotel will at least provide a passable anecdote (although still not as funny as the one in Uruguay). The next morning we awoke with excitement at the thought of getting out of the forgotten country of South America and into beautiful Argentina, however even this feat took an hour and a half as the buses only run when Argentinians want to come into Paraguay which doesn`t happen that often!! However we eventually caught one and having sucessfully negotiated the complicated Paraguan customs we were off to beautiful and idyllic Puerto Igazu in Argentina.

Monty (Video)

And so it came to pass that I ended up in cold Montevideo on Wednesday evening. With not much time in the city I did my best to see as much as possible but as I had cunningly packed my guide to South America in my bag that had been checked in for my ongoing flight (because I like a challenge) I was having to use my pigeon Spanish to ask directions... donde donde?!?!Thinking outside the box I managed to purchase a Spanish dictionary which made the remainder of the day much easier.

I really liked Monte... architecturally speaking it is absolutely beautiful, a crazy mix of gorgeous old buildings and horrible new ones. I got to see the padlock fountain where you write your initials along with those of your true love on a padlock, lock it to the fountain, and it becomes destiny that you will return together to the fountain. When Johnny Depp and I go back I´ll be sure to post the phots...

I has been dropped into the centre in the morning by a taxi driver who was very insistant to arrange a pick up time to get me in the afternoon (otherwise I will worry all day) and he drove me back to the airport along his favourite route, contintually stopping so I could take photos and see as much of the city he was so proud of. From my short experience there I would say Uraguyans are generally a wonderful people- noone could do enough to help. I would one day like to return. When it was MUCH warmer, and next time I wouldn´t stay in the hotel from Phycho (room with no windows... puctures of children everywhere... patterned wallpaper... inexplucable extra door into the room I had to check about 3000 times was definately locked before I could sleep).

So with the plane only delayed by a mere 8 hours on to Paraguay I journeyed...

Rio (she dances on the sand)

So... my epic travels started on Monday with the 11 hour flught to Brazil. I honestly dont think I´ve ever been so scared as I was standing in Heathrow waiting for my gate to be put up, I spent the two hours it took wondering through the shops (unfortunately they were all WH Smith so it was really just like looking round one shop for a very long time).

The flight, however, was fine- I found my nerves started to dissipate as the plane took off. I was sat next two two girls from Birmingham uni enabling us all to start each film in synch and then discuss them thoroughly afterwards. Shutter Island was highest in our estimation by a mile... recommended!

So... I arrived in Rio to be met by a driver whose only English consisted of ´I dont speak English´ (better than my Portuguese seeing as I can still only say ´thank you´and ´strawberries´) who then proceeded to drive me around about half of the city to get to El Misti Hostel where I was staying. The only way I can describe the Hostel is to ask you to pictire the messiest house party you´ve ever been to, add some bunk beds and double the noise. I found out after that El Misti is what is classified as a ´party hostel´- apparently they aren´t all like that. However, ut suoted m down to the ground as although has been awake all though my flight I found I had bundles of energy. After dumping my kit I wondered back into the main area to find a young man reading Á Tale of Two Cities´- obviously he was destined to be my friend (like it or not!!). His name turned out to be Dean and he was on the final leg of a nine month tour around South America, we also got chatting to a group of lads who had just graduated uni and the five of us made plans to go and see Rio the next day. We wound up chatting and drinking an incredibly potent Brazilian drink called Caprina till about 2am.

The next day Dove, Adam, Mani and Myself negotiated the terrifying Brazilian bus system to get to the the statue of Christ the Redeemer (Dean bowed out having already seen it). The statue is well deserving of its ´modern wonder´status... a truly humbling sight to behold with some of the most breathtaking views over Rio´s incredible expanse of natural beauty. Plus also ample opportunities for taking comedy phots (a must for any current world wonder surely?!). When I evertually get some photos up they really will speak for themselves (the one above was take from the top).

After Christ we did a whistle stop tour of Copacabana before meeting up with Dean to hike Sugar Loaf to watch the sun set, an absolutely phenomenal sight to behold (even in Paraguay the sunset is fairly specual - I think its a South America thing). Naturally I made my new friends think I was totally insane by trying to get a photo of a monkey that looked like a ring tailed lemur for Kathryn (there was one there-I wasn´t randomly hunting for one).

The next day I bid the boy adieu before heading back to the beach to soak up a few final hours of Rio´s natural beauty and gorgeous sunshine before heading to the airport to catch my flight to 11 degrees Montevideo....

Paraguay (at last!!)

So... since leaving G tahn at 4am Monday morning I finally arrived in Paraguay last night...

I am going to write retrospective blogs about what my few days in Rio (LOVE IT) and Uruguay were like as I made about a million notes, and I know you would like to share all my wonderful insights into those places.

However this blog is just to reassure those following of my safe arrival, and to make a few comments about my first impressions of Paraguay. Paraguay is currently about the same temperature as England, howewer it is dusty, INCREDIBLY dirty and fairly loud!! For those of you that have visited Africa it is as poor as the poorest parts, as dirty as the dirty parts and as loud as the loud parts!! Our apartment overlooks a motorway (seriously... pics to follow), but is fairly clean and very nice by Paraguayan standards. Pictured left are the Cathedral and Palace of Ascuncion. On day five of my epic adventure I feel hungover, seasick, increadibly emotional and like I could sleep for the rest of my life. However I am reassured by one of the ladies I am with this is totally normal (she has been travelling for most of the last 3.5 years), and says she gets emotional a couple of days after leaving the UK each time too. She has also kindly agreed to help me work on Spanish as she is TEFL qualified and teaches full time in England when not travelling.

We visited one of the centres we will be working in today. The children all seem happy and enthusiastic, I am looking forward to starting next Friday.

Right, had best sign off now... my next post will be longer and more detailed.

Love to you all, Alex.

ps. Any speeling mistakes are the restly of the keyboard having no letters printed on it!!