Best of times... worst of times...

So, between us, we've...

- been to 9 countries

- slept in 40 different places

- visited 7 capital cities

- seen 2 wonders of the world

- made 68 dives

- lost 4 credit cards, 1 driving licence, 1 camera, 1 zampona, and countless items of clothing and footwear... but NO passports!

- spent too many hours to count on buses and in internet cafes

- taken 12 flights each

- sent 20kg home, by ship and by plane

- carted around 1 bejewelled purple velour sombrero

- had 7 'nut incidents'

- and 4 trips to hospital

- and travelled from 5000m above sea level (geysers, Salar de Uyuni) to 61.6m below (Maracaibo reef, Cozumel)!

Favourite memories (in no particular order)

- sharing a room with Joris for 3 weeks in Utila Utila

- constantly bumping into different fiestas and festivals all over Bolivia

- swimming with the beautiful WHALESHARKS in Isla Holbox, Mexico

- witchcraft markets in Cochabamba, Bolivia and DF, Mexico

- swimming with PINK dolphins in the pampas, Bolivia

- the final pinata of the trip... FULL of SWEETS!

- playing asses of FIRE on the way to Sexywoman, Cusco, Peru

- diving in Belize... dolphins!! sharks!! and far from eco-friendly...

- hearing Marilyn all over South America!

- surreal Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

- chicken church in Chiapas, Mexico

- Semuc Champey caves and candles, and El Retiro lodge, Guatemala

- DOSCIENTOS LITROS DE AGUA PURA... COMPRATELO AHORA... AGUA PURA (why do we find this so funny??!!)

- Playa del Carmen, Mexico (why lie? it became a HOME)

Worst times

- Guanay... aka SHIT TOWN (Bolivia)

- night bus to Trinidad from Rurre... bleugh. (Bolivia)

- Approaching the disgusting llama in the zoo in Santa Cruz, Bolivia to see why it is wearing a full face of makeup... and getting SPAT on.

- getting tear gassed in Potosi, Bolivia

- Losing the zampona, Cusco, Peru

- getting bitten to death by mosquitoes (the pampas, Isla Holbox...)

- Missing my alarm to see the solstice in, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia (aka birthplace of the sun)

- sexual harrassment in Cuba!

- THE SLOTH!!!!!! coming down from it's tree to roam the plaza, Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Best food

- passionfruit mousse for every meal in El Cafetal, Coroico, Bolivia

- baby beef (shared) in La Cabana, BA

- chocolate festival, Santa Cruz, Bolivia

- fruit smoothies... everywhere

- Quail in rose petal sauce (even if I did try to poison Rebecca with it!), Santa Cruz, Bolivia

- Chiles en Nogada, DF, Mexico

- ice cream at Neve e Gelato, DF, Mexico

- tamarind sweets and ice cream, DF, Mexico

- sumptuous buffets at El Retiro, Guatemala

- lobster in Trinidad, Cuba

- EVERYTHING at El Gringo Viejo, Havana... especially the mojitos and the guava and cheese dessert

- fondues and trout in Copacabana, Bolivia

Funniest people

- Joris

- Bobby Dan

- Tom

- Cesar

- Olarte

- hostel owners in Jujuy

- Christophe (to laugh AT not WITH)

- Gerardo

And finally, most death defying moments... oh my, there are lots:

- fleeing the hurricane in the Yucatan, Mexico

- cycling the Death Road, Bolivia

- diving to 60m, Cozumel, and then flying 24h later

- cycle tour of Buenos Aires in the rush hour

- getting stalked down a deserted night time street in Mexico City (and thankfully saved by a kind mexican couple in a convertible)

- riding motorbikes through the Arequipa hood, Peru

- running around over the soft earth between the geysers, Bolivia, having missed the 'danger of death: do not pass this sign' notice

- getting tear gassed in Potosi, Bolivia

- countless episodes of 'does it have nut? Or dried fruit? Or anything else like that? Cos I WILL DIE HERE ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR RESTAURANT IF IT DOES!!!' 'No, there is no nut.' .... and then one bite reveals a fat juicy WALNUT hiding in the food!

- descending into the mines in Potosi, Bolivia

- scaling the angry Pacaya volcano, Guatemala, and braving the treacherous crumbling rocks to get to the river of flowing lava to roast a marshmallow... worth it though.

- cenote (cave) diving... and diving with Eric poking the  sharks in Belize...

Well, we lived to tell the tale(s), had an amazing time, and are looking forward to seeing all our family and friends again!

Until next time...

Laura and Rebecca xxx

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