Carrier pigeon arrived from South America

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Message from Los Loony and Breda World Tour 2001. Sorry it is so long but it is uncut, although I did correct some spelling. He does log in occassionaly, but not long enough to post something of this proportion.

Buenas! I'm afraid I can't recall what Breda may have told some of you already so I'll just launch into it - apologies for any repetition. As I type this she's just around the corner from me, knocking out an account of our amazing time in the Galapagos Islands, so this may arrive a little out of sync at your end. By the way, don't believe her if she says the sea-lion only gave me a love bite. It was a monster of a man-eating mammal - not to mention the fact she was sitting shivering in the dinghy 50 yards away at the time!

Anyway, to roll back the clock a bit, the day we flew out of Sydney seems an absolute eternity ago now. If only time went as slowly during your average 2 week holiday from work eh (it's not been much more than that since we left)? Crossing the date line somewhere over the Pacific, the Sunday itself was like Groundhog Day Part 2 I can tell you. Santiago, where we stopped to break the journey, had a nice feel to it. Actually a very central European feel to my mind - big, solid concrete buildings interspersed with incredibly ornate churches & government buildings. Not to mention the colossal, imposing cast-iron statues of all the national heroes - I'm sure you know the deal, glazed of eye, pointing heroically into the distance, while dozens of their compatriots (scaled in miniature, naturally) struggle to support them on their backs. Speaks volume about the revolution so far? As well as experiencing their spanking new international terminal, to be fair we stayed in the embassy district, so perhaps hardly managed to see the true city. What we did was all very clean and impressive however. Damned chilly too - I was well chuffed to take my new, red fleece out for a bit of a stroll, which had many an admiring glance cast my way by the locals. I think I may also have managed to stop a fair bit of traffic ... And then there's Quito - actually it's not at all a bad place, neither ugly nor handsome. Thankfully, it seems safer than the dire warnings had us believe before our arrival. Though the fact the main tourist centre has numerous paramilitary-style security guards with thumping great rottweilers may have something to do with that I dunno?

Uniforms. Now there's something they seem to like over her, or in Ecuador at leat. You're obviously a complete nobody if you don't get each morning to don a peaked cap or a set of cavalry boots, spurs and sword (honestly).

The food so far has been good, though there's always the possibility it may get a tad monotonous over the coming weeks . It is dirt cheap though if you choose to go for the menu of the day. This typically consists of a wholesome bowl of meat & veggy broth, a plate of chicken, beans, rice & salad, fruit juice and maybe some fresh fruit if you're lucky - all for the princely sum of about $1.5 or 3 Aussie dollars. Now I realise the question on all your lips is whether we've been keeping regular? To be fair it did take several days for things to get moving in that department, if you know what I mean. Though if I keep forgetting I shouldn't be eating food washed in the local water then it won't be long until that situation is dramatically reversed - I'm sure you'll be wanting us to keep you posted?

Still on the water theme, you wouldn't believe how much bottled water Breda is managing to get through. All well and good you might think - until we read in a paper (bought in the vain hope it might improve our Spanish) that only 17 of 42 local bottling plants were producing drinkable water - and the rest were in danger of being shut down for unhygienic practices! Let's hope our immunity systems are still high from the famouis recent Sydney giardia and cryptosporidium outbreaks. The locals we've encountered in the first few days have seemed pleasant enough (in a weary sort of a way) You'll usually get a smile out of them, though you'll have to crack one first. So far I've not really managed to tap much into the famed South American passion for football, though I'm confident that will come. I was hoping to watch heaps of the World Under 20 Championships currently happening in Argentina (which Ecuador are in). The problem is that, for some bizarre reason, their cable TV is cabled in from Peru and seeing as their juniors didn't make it to the tournament they spat the dummy and refuse to screen any live games. Things should be different when the Copa America starts in a few weeks time though. At which point I fully intend to produce the mini football bought just before leaving so I can have a few kickabouts with the bairns. About aged 2 or 3 I reckon should be OK if my skill level isn't to be shown up ...

Anyway, I'll hand you over to Breda with her Galapagos stuff now (assuming she hasn't already sent it). BREAKING NEWS ... Breda reports ... computer has crashed ... all message lost ... will try again anon

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

Answers

Away in Peru

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

Hope that Galapagos account is forthcoming! Sounds like such an amazing place. Glad to hear the Looney's are having fun!

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

There is a bit of bother with the Copa innit? I heard Canada were not fielding a side & Argentina may be letting there U21's take their chances.

It was due to be postponed for a year but the sponsors flexed their muscles & insisted it go as originally scheduled, despite not being able to guarantee the players safety during the tourno.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001


Unsure of all the details, but yes security problems originally cancelled the competition, they have rescheduled it, although a couple of teams have withdrawn all together.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

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