The Story So Far ...

We said farewell to our work friends at the RSPCA and BBC on 14 September, farewell to our families on 3 October, and set off for Africa to save cheetahs, decorate school buildings, and look around a bit. After a trip home for Christmas, we headed for South East Asia on 6 January -- where we were stunned by Qatar and Cambodia, taught novice monks in Laos, and acted as security guards at an Elephant Festival. It was back home for four weeks to look after John's dad, before we tangoed our way through five South American countries in fifteen days. We then snooped our way through New Zealand, dipped our toes into Fiji, drove-thru California and were home from home with family in Vancouver.

Now, we are home itself. Fulfilled, happy, and ready to earn the respect of our friends and family by knuckling down and earning some money once again ...

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Parag ... why?




Five reasons NOT to visit the city of Ciudad del Este, a tacky heap of skyscrapers in Paraguay across the river from Brazil:

1.  It's a bit tricky getting there and back from our hotel in Argentina.  Five buses, four border crossings and three currencies.
2.  Not many people in Paraguay speak English.  Not many at all.
3.  There are no lunchtime menus, laminated or otherwise: just the dish of the day with rice.
4.  The woman at the money exchange place in denim hotpants and high-heels looked tarty and menacing in equal measure.
5.  As a tourist, you're on your own.

Five reasons TO visit the city of Ciudad del Este, the Pride of Paraguay on its border with Brazil:

1-5: see above.

We only had three hours for our lunchtime visit, and I wanted three weeks.  For perhaps the first time in five months' travelling, I felt I was truly exploring a place that very few others had explored before me.  No, it wasn't Antarctica and there wasn't a heartbeat of bravery involved, but I did find myself amongst people who seemed puzzled to see me, and I found that puzzlingly exhilarating in return.  So if you do decide to visit, please let me know -- I'll need to get in ahead of you.

John

Bordering on the absurd

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