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You’re very lucky really because the only reason I’ve found the time, energy or English to write this one is because a dear friend of mine told me to get out and go for a walk. I’ve been away from home for two weeks and the laundry/packing situation was driving me up the wall. Although somehow I appear to have ended up in a well known bakery in Neuquén trying out their famous to-die-for medialunas. Oops, how did that happen?

Despite being gluten free, medialunas have taken over my life. Now, please do not look them up and tell me you are looking at a croissant, you are absolutely not. You’re probably going to insult the French just as much as the Argentinians. 

Medialuna means half moon(isn’t that such a lovely name??) and alongside empanadas, pancho or panchuque, asado, chimmichurri and many other local delicacies, it has my heart. My plate is already empty and I’m considering placing a second order – issues.

Okay, apologies, I will stop talking about food now and tell you all about my fab holiday – which I am still enjoying.

In the last ten days, I have undertaken a total of 38 hours in bus journeys. Tomorrow I shall be completing 32 hours in one go. My limbs are going to feel like they’ve been chopped off and replaced with sausages by the end but could be worse …right? In case you hadn’t realised, Argentina is rather large. I honestly had never considered just how minuscule England was until moving here. I have made a vow to myself that I will never, ever, complain about a four hour journey from Chichester to Cardiff again. Ever.

This weekend I will be the furthest south on the globe that I have ever been, and probably ever will have been. The south of Argentina and Chile is further south than South Africa and even Australia(also didn’t know that until moving here). So hopefully this 32 hour journey will be worth it by the time I get to El Calafate and walk across one of only three growing ice glaciers left in Patagonia and cross the Chilean border into the famous Torres del Paine national park. 

What I shall mention, is that Patagonia comes at a price and one that shall refrain me from looking at my bank account for as long as possible. There is a fine economic division in Argentina and I have full proof on this receipt, why has my medialuna doubled in price and more importantly, why has it shrunk. The ones in Tucumán are tastier anyway(God bless you Villecco est. 1925).

I would really love to see a wild penguin this weekend. I just really feel like I need that to happen.

See ya on the flip side – but not for four more months!
A.

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Photo taken in Bariloche, Argentina, May 2016.