Pics are being posted as I type

I am finally getting off my butt and saving my travel pics to the international network for your viewing pleasure: www.flickr.com [if you have problems with this link, your can search on my flickr name,'formerlyblonder'].

It's just a start. I also have a monthly limit on uploads, so will have to add more photos over time. There are 26 folders in all and I am not adding them in order; my photos from Chile/Argentina are coming 1st (by end April) as I know many of my friends haven't visited there before.

Enjoy!

H :)

Post mortem

Ok. So I've been home for over three weeks. Definitely enough time to absorb, regroup, rethink. I am working on the photos via Flickr - I'll add a further post to let you know the link.

Despite leaving a lot out, as I re-read, I am surprising myself with the detail in my blog. There is so much more I could have written about, such as:

the controversy about the beaver-like creature welcoming visitors to Fray Jorge Parque Nacional;

the way Peruvians are treated in Chile;

street fashion in the cities I visited.

The pleasant and slim Brazilian girl sitting next to me from Santiago to Sydney meant that my return journey was better than it could have been, however my trip home was so horrendous time-wise (via Auckland & Sydney - nearly 31hrs in total) that I would definitely book the homeward leg of my journey on Business Class on future overseas trips. This view may be jaundiced by the fact I had three long-haul flights in 5.5 weeks... Whilst it may not have reduced the apparent elephantitis in my ankles [=kankles], it would have saved me some discomfort. Hindsight is a many splendoured thing.

Probably useless customs info: if you want to bring manjar, or dulce de leche, biscuits/chocolates home from South America, avoid those made in Argentina or Colombia - you will have them confiscated. Mine were Chilean, so I was fine.

[In case you don't recall, dulce de leche, is that condensed milk caramel I loved so much. Incidentally, I made three cans of my own dulce de leche days after landing back in Perth. It turned out fabulously and I highly recommend it.
>Luke - your estimate of 3hrs in simmering water was pretty spot-on.]

Now to finish with some travel lists.

List #1: My 8 best travel tips. Always pack a change of clothes and fresh underwear in your hand luggage. I would go one step further and say also pack toiletries. You may need them. I did. Twice. [Thanks for this one, Tamara!] Check and double-check your itinerary. Even if you place more trust in your travel agent than God, ask stupid questions - eg. about destinations, visa requirements. It could save you the hassle I had in Brazil. [I had no idea of where Asuncion was. Oh, and did I mention the $US56 to get into Chile that no one told me about? It's payable if you get there by air.] Book some things at the last minute. You can get some great deals that way [see lastminute.com]. But you can also miss out. It's a bit of a gamble. Leave space in your itinerary. Don't fill every day with something. You could be so overbooked that: (a) you get too tired; and (b) you miss out on something good yet unplanned. Buy a contoured neck pillow for the plane. The ones that blow up are ok; I had one of those and found that the seam really bugged me. Next time I will be buying a soft pre-filled one that will annoy me when it doesn't fit back into my luggage. But at least I will have a better chance at sleep on the plane. Seek out pressure socks. You know the ones. They use them in hospitals for heart disease sufferers. They really do help. Do your duty free shopping in Singapore. And be careful of limits on liquids/pastes (for make-up) at the same time. The departure lounge at Changi is fabulously huge and cheaper than most other places. You will have to carry your purchases around with you afterwards (which could be painful on a round-the-world trip), so you'll have to weigh this one up for yourself. Ask if you can take water onto your flight before you buy in bulk. I had a heap of water confiscated as I was boarding the gate at Santiago - and found out that, had I asked the salespeople to place my purchases in a sealed duty-free bag for collection at the gate, I would have been able to take all the water I wanted. In summary, based on my trip: Airports that would let me take water I had purchased in the Departure Lounge - Perth, London (Heathrow), Sao Paulo, Asuncion, Auckland, Sydney. The meanies - Singapore (Changi), Paris (Charles de Gaulle), Santiago.

List #2: Tips I didn't use (or used and didn't really need) that still make good sense. Take a bumbag or similar for your passport and cash. I didn't have any problems with pilferers, however my over-the-shoulder thingy did make me feel safer. Especially on the plane. [Thank you to Marnie for that one.] Buy some bathroom scales before your trip. And find some scales to use when you're packing to come home. They will tell you very early on as to whether or not you are overweight. [This late entry is with thanks to Fiona!]

List #3: Not-so-great tips. Pack light. Don't. You can always post stuff home or throw old stuff away. I left with 23kg in my packed luggage and came home with 30kg (1.5kg to spare!). I used almost everything and was comforted by the fact that it was there - just in case. [Sorry, Tamara!] Don't take a handbag. I was fine. Then again, I also didn't go into Colombia. Don't eat the food or drink the water. I was fine in Chile (though I drank bottled water in Tongoy) and Argentina. Just be sensible about it, eg. ask some Westerners who live in the area if they have any dramas.

Favourite place: Valparaiso, with Paris at a close second.

As happy as I was to get home, I loved my journey and really enjoyed writing about my (mis)adventures. Thank you again for reading, and to those of you who have commented. I will be blogging on in the future - please stay tuned!

Hannah :)