June 2011

Yes manhandled, and not even in a good way! Not exactly a pleasant trip to get my mop sorted. Again, my hair was, how shall we put it, 'travelled out', subjected to a battering from the elements, sun, sea, ice, desert, penguins, altitude you name it. I tried to put it off for as long as possible, maybe they have better hairdressers in Brazil? But no, I gave in, found what I thought was quite a smart place, the ladies seemed to look reasonably coiffured so what is the worse thing that can happen anyway?
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The well turned out Argentinian lass welcomed me in, got me a drink, sat me down, all good. What was not so good was when she then disappeared and was replaced by a short, fat, bald, rough, loud guy who just spoke fast Spanish at me and proceeded to torture me for the next two hours. Seriously, he wore one of those white aprons and looked more like a butcher than a hairdresser. I mean this really was excruciating, not only was I to an inch of my life pulled around, prodded and subjected to a wobbling pot belly in my face, but I had to sit there right in the window, on display in one of the smartest areas of Buenos Aires, with this ridiculous rubber cap on my head, pulling my face so tight I looked like I had had 'work done'. Oh gawd, I hope no-one walks past who I know! I kept bumping into people here I had met from other cities and countries all over South America, they can't see me like this. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, bah I didn't look like me anyway, actually I couldn't stop giggling at myself in the mirror. I think they must have all thought I was a little bit 'special'. Anyway, the time I had been dreading, the rinse and blowdry to see the end result. All the time I was thinking about where I might have seen another salon to get this inevitable mess sorted out. Then out comes the mirror and SHOCK OMG it actually looks OK!!!!!! Really?????? YEEESSSSSSSSSS.. I felt like I had won the lottery or something, how the hell did I get away with this? The hairdresser dude seemed surprised too! I was so happy that I gave the guy a tip, about £2 or something, and it seemed to make his day. He started tangoing me around the hairdressers, kissing me on the cheek!! This is why I love travelling. Expect the unexpected!!! Gordon Bennett!!! To think I was considering flying straight back to England to sort my life out, no way, THE SHOW MUST GO ON... I have a round the world dream to complete.

The aftermath, surprisingly OK?

Buenos Aires, the fine capital of Argentina, city of tango, Che Guevara and fu@king huge juicy steaks. I flew here from Ushuaia with Brendon, from California, who I had tried to teach English in Antarctica(!) pants are pants not trousers grrrrrrr...yeah that old chestnut. Who invented this language? Anyway, happy to be back in a warm city. Going from -20 to +35 degrees in a couple of days was a bit of a shock to the system but oh so nice to be back in summer clothes and beers by the pool on the roof terrace. Yes, well and truly struck lucky here. Maybe the hotel receptionist sensed I was feeling a bit blue, maybe I had just lost my job or something? Maybe it was the new hair? Or maybe they really were overbooked, but whatever the reason THANK YOU KARMA, I was upgraded from a 'budget single' to the penthouse suite on the roof, no extra charge!!!!!! OMG, I felt like an excited child, running around BOTH floors of my pad, big plasma TV, porn-sized bed, TWO BATHROOMS and, the best bit wait for it, an outside roof terrace with views over Buenos Aires, sunbed, beer, sunset, SORTED!

Floor 1 of my penthouse apartment

Floor 2 of my penthouse apartment

Sunset over Buenos Aires from my penthouse

So I spent about a week in Buenos Aires, walking the streets taking it all in, beers on the roof terrace, strolling through the markets, enjoying tango, yerba mate (tea), steak, football on the TV, more beers on the roof terrace, trying to get my mojo back after losing my job at the end of the world! Where else? It is true, Buenos Aires has a very European feel to it but definitely an abundance of latin passion. The dancing in the streets, the colourful graffiti, turn a corner off a smart street and you are in what I might classify as a 'dodgy area'. This was another one of those cities, like Manila, Quito and Rio, that everyone advised me against going as a lone female. No way was I going to miss these places though, hell no. OK, some areas of Buenos Aires were pretty edgy, dirty, crumbling pavements, homeless people in every abandoned shop doorway and street protests, but again all common sense stuff really and no problemo.

Yerba mate paraphernalia

San Telmo Sunday market, Buenos Aires

Sundeck of my penthouse, Buenos Aires