Fri - I set off ..it wasn't easy , but I got to put up my hammock in Rio Gallegos

Sat - a kind evangilist gave me a ride 750 Km to Comodoro Rivideria

Sun - waited four hours , but then got a ride with Hector the truckie to Trelew...suddenly as we were coming north it got hotter ..shorts again. I took the bus to Puerto Madryn

Mon - It`s a bit touristy ..a bit like Blackpool..a shock to see so many people after the tranquillity of the deep south .

I met so many kind peole that I decided to stay another few days. A hotel owner Don Carlos has invited me to stay at his hotel.

So I have done a webpage for him Gran Madryn Hotel Page

Wed - Don Carlos fixed me up with a real bargain tour to the whale watching peninsula... I was disappointed... we travelled 500Km and the highlights were 10 minutes watching penguins , another 10 minutes watching Giant Sea Lions and another 10 minutes watching some other type of sea lion .... also the park was double price for foreigners.

If it had been the season for whales and you are the kind of person fascinated by these animals then it would have been good., but so ofetn in Argentina things are over developed and commercialised

Thu - I was lucky to meet up with Marisa (the sister of Adriana (Rio Grande)) and she showed me some of the old parts of town

Fri - I set off north , I went through Las Grutas, San Antonio Del Oeste to Viedma

Sat - I had a look around Viedma and the town on the opposite bank of the river Patagones.. there was a nightime carnival..but it was more like a market and of course the music started way after my bedtime

Sun 27/2/00 - I spent the whole day sun thunderstorm sun thunderstorm ..hitching without a ride...that's life

Mon - I tried to hitch but ended up taking the bus to Bahia Blanca..it wasn't so exciting so I took a bus north

Tue - Again hitching was difficult , but I made it to the mountain with famous window shaped hole Sierra De La Ventana ..but the trail was closed , because of the previous days of heavy rain

I did 3 other trails ..to a lookout, a waterfall and another chain of waterfalls with fine bathing pools

Wed - I went to the town of Sierra Ventana and had a look around . then I hired a bicycle and rode 10Km to another nearby town with a reconstructed colonial wooden fort.. the local children gave very good tours.

At night the local guides gave a tour of the local hills..BUT being Argentina we started an hour late and it was very slow ..we were still walking at half past midnight . As soon as we got near to town I ran back just before another rain storm started

Thu - I retraced the tour in daylight.. I was like the Yorkshire dales.

I saw a restaurant advertising all you eat parilla(BBQ) $7 ..so I thought I'll try that. I cautiously asked how much a coke was ...$2... well that's how they make their money..., but the food was not very good (burnt fatty meat etc) so I decided not to take a drink The woman charged me $9... I said , but the price is $7.. "but you ate a lot".. in my book and other Argentians also when I checked ..all you can eat is all you eat ..So dont´t go to restaurant Las Dos Banderas in Sierra La De La Ventana

The night train to Buenos Aires was only $15 for 550 Km ..I would have like to hitch , but it could have been very difficult and I could have spent $10 on a hotel anyway ..sometimes you have to take the easy option