Never shop stoned

Last night was the first time I ventured out on the town in Buenos Aires, principally to meet the guest I had been fond of in Iguazu who lives nearby here. First, though, I chilled at the hostel mainly with F, the cute Brazilian bartender. Woke up in the arvo, had a smoke and then proceeded to take 3x longer to do everything else that day. F faffs around like an old nana, I was WORSE in that state. We went to the supermarket and they found me drooling in the sweets aisle with a basket full of biscuits, chips and chocolate, just staring at the shelves. Useless.

Once I was pulled out of the shop, we went back to the hostel to cook and chill out some more. I stayed in the bar for hours longer, making friend after friend as they filed in to get some cheaper drinks before hitting the town. At one point I got myself looking respectable and came down to 2-cabfuls of guests wanting to join me for the night. I was organising via Facebook what to do, not really knowing anything myself to be honest (considering I had been here just one night) but already clearly doing my job well. haha...listen to me.

The bar in Palermo Soho was small, as expected, but packed full. And mostly of locals, which was good. Except that we stuck out even more because of this. I danced mostly with a newly formed couple - the guy from Australia and the girl Canadian - the latter I found to be smoking hot in a tight little dress she bought from a local shop. Speaking of local shops, there is an awesome little boutique around the corner which I really like, and I am dying to get some shoes there. I will need some new heels soon, I am completely wearing out my fave brogues. But it will have to be a bday pressie from mum or dad, no way I am splashing out on those puppies on my budget!! The tattoo was bad enuf!

Anyway, so back to the bar... I had a good boogie with my newfound friends as also found my BA mate, who is cute but got a bit annoying when he saw me kissing the hot Canadian (oh yeah - forgot to mention how that came about... well, we were dancing and she was hot, and I told her so, and soon after she admitted she had a girl crush on me and well, the rest is history), and being Argentinian, he came over and wanted a piece of the action, not realising that she was not interested because she was already with the Australian guy. So that kinda turned me off him.

Soon after, we made a hasty retreat out of the club in search of more special South American party treats. No luck had, even with asking random cabbies (the last time they scored it was from an old cab driver), we eventually folded and got a cab back (a pity since I know it could have turned into a crazy little party in my office room with those 2...). I felt I had spent a lot of money, but I know I didn`t do too badly, considering I didn`t pay much for drinks at the hostel before and it was mainly just cover charge at the club, a couple of drinks and the taxis I had to pay for. I have a feeling that will be my main expenditure here... fuck nutritious meals and tourist attractions.

No, I am meant to get up early tomorrow to organise all the people who want the walking tour of BA from all 3 hostels so I think I will join that, depending on my head. It will be good to see everything with a guide and also to know where things are, should people ask me. I also am going to ask about the staff discount for the tango show/dinner/open bar activity they sell here. An Aussie couple wants to go tomorrow night, so that could be entertaining. But only if it`s free or very cheap!

I am still trying to learn Spanish but so many people here talk English sometimes it`s hard. I was conversing with the cab driver last night, in a way, so that shows progress I guess. And at times I was the translator with some girls in the club and the guys I was with... but some people here are just impossible to understand!! Necesito practicar mas...

I´ll miss this place

OK, my final post before I go to the pool and then home to get my shit and leeeeeeeeeeeaave for Buenos Aires. Finally. This place just sucks you in.

So I will miss lots of people from here, knowing that most (if not all) I will never see again because they will not come to Australia and I don´t think Iguazu will be on the tour trail next time I come to South America. Ho hum. And Cuba Libre. I will miss that place. What a gloriously attractive hell hole that turned out to be.

Things I won´t miss...the repetitive music, THE BLACK EYED PEAS AND DAVID GUETTA, the bad management, the insects, the super-religious but hot guys I can steal from Jesus, the red dirt ALWAYS all over my feet, not being able to understand everything they are saying in Spanish, feeling like a stupid fool for not being about to add 16 and 8 at the bar...

Sigh. And my current chapter draws to a close.

Hello to the new, goodbye to the old...

I have a new camera. About friggin time I say. It involved illegal border crossings - as I technically needed a visa as an Australian to enter Paraguay - but this proved to be no problem. After a bus ride into Brazil and through to the Paraguaian border, we hopped off and walked the rest of the way. So I just joined in a group of other South American-looking people and tried my hardest not to look Australian as we crossed countries halfawy across the bridge (well, there`s nothing much I can do about that really, but I tried).

We had P from Hostel Inn with us - fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English - so that helped a little with the bargaining. After the non-eventful border crossing (literally, "border control" is just a shed with a bunch of non-manned posts and some lazy-looking policeman standing around talking underneath), we dodged through the crazy traffic to the shopping centres parading electronics everywhere. My poor, flip-flop clad feet have never felt so exposed in my life. Ahh, watch that tyre mister!!

J was in a shit mood because he`d been charged 300 pesos to get OUT of Argentina, as he over-stayed his visa waiting for a replacement passport for the one that had been stolen (shit situation) in Buenos Aires. And I was getting annoyed asking the same question about cameras and getting basically the same answer from everyone. Eventually I settled on one, a Kodak which seemed to have some good features (including panorama - like a CHILD I am so excited!!) but of course as soon as I bought it, the next shop offered a cheaper price. Pelotudos.

It´s basically the same price in Oz but I don´t care, I have a new camera and I wasn´t thrown in the slammer for defying visa laws. Had a moment crossing back into Argentina where I thought I would be held for being Israeli (I swear, how does "Australia" sound like Israel??) but otherwise all was good. And I have a new camera. Oh how good that feels.

Got to work with perfect timing and proceeded to do fuck all all day... took some pretty sweet panoramic pictures with my new feature-packed camera though. Like children, we were well amused with the fact we could take a 3-photo panoramic with the same person in each shot, like they were 3 places at once. Wow! Amazing. Technology these days.

At work, the new guy continued to make eyes at me and once I hit full frontal flirting mode I knew I was in. Dang, he be a fine piece of ass. Spent 10 years in America too, so could speak perfect English (albeit with a kinda funny Mexican twang). Used to be in some East Side gang, though, so I guess it is a good thing I am only staying a short time here. Can tell I could possibly get tangled into a mess I didn´t need there...

The boss told me she actually did ring the hostel in BA and ask about work for me, and the boss down there said to just come by and speak to him when I get into town. Sweetness in a jar. So I haven´t booked anywhere to stay, just hoping he says yes and I can just stay there. Heard the new manager is actually a girl from here, so hopefully that will also help my chances.

So back to the new boy. A few fair of the crew came back to the hostel after work to drink with me and J, who was also still here after meaning to leave the day before, and after a fumar especial, they left and I scooted off with the new boy to firstly walk then get a cab (at my insistence haha...I´m wicked and I´m laaaaaazy). So cute, the hostel dog - who now comes to her name Freida and loves me lots - tried to hobble along on her 3 good legs after us. My heart melts.

Good times lay ahead of me at new boy´s casa... finally, a private room!!!

Random excitement blog

So there is a computer free and I am excited so I think I will tell the world about it. I am now counting down the minutes until Buenos Aires, because I have FB befriended aforementioned tattooist and already spoken with him on chat. He is def still keen and I will for sure have a place to stay, but even if not I will stay at a hostel for free (hopefully) through connections here... and if all goes even better I will have a job at one of them, or doing something else in BA!

And if I am friends with tattoo man, I have a good connection for the good parties in BA and all "tattoos on tap", if you may. I want him to design my thigh burlesque dancer tattoo... sorry mum and dad, but I am coming home a patchwork quilt. I haven`t even started on my new piercings yet... haha

This whole situation - should it come together - is just so funny, because I thought, as a fantasy, I would come to South America and meet a cute tattooist and have a short affair with him... never thinking it would come to fruition. But there you go. Life deals me another ace. Thank you higher power, whoever you are. Next round´s on me :)

Also, can I just mention how many dogs there are in my neighbourhood. But I asked and it seems most of them aren`t strays, they have houses, they just roam the streets and protect their corners, and occasionally fuck each other. None of them are neutered, of course. So there are a million little short-legged, long-bodied bastards running around like only mixed breed, quasi-homeless dogs can. There is also a couple that live (as a couple) at the hostel. But they are soooo lovely. I have named them Ricardo (the King) and Freida. The other street dogs are nice too. They all respect humans, but are really protective of their territory with other dogs. Kinda remind me of the people here. Which is so often the case with animals and where they live.

A tattoo, sealed with a kiss...

Considering how shit my day started off yesterday, it surprises even me how my life managed to sort itself out by the time I landed in my bed. Firstly, I had been promised by my English workmate J that we would meet at the bus station for a trip to Paraguay... but as I left the hostel the night before he wasn`t fully committed so I knew it would be a case of me ringing him and waking him up.

About 10 phonecalls later, I gave up, rolled over and fell back asleep the next morning. Pissed off but mostly disappointed, I stormed into work and found the sympathy of my workmates very welcoming... but once J came in, he explained he had been waiting for ages at the bus stop and circling my house waiting for me BUT had not taken his phone. Silly boys. Don`t know what they`re thinking most of the time. So we (metaphorically) kissed n made up, and I made other plans to go to Paraguay another time.

After the mishap of the morning, I was left thinking about the reason behind me not going to Paraguay AGAIN and there she was. A cute little Buenos Aires-born lass covered in tattoos and piercings, who I had met the night earlier during work. We got chatting and before I knew it, she had messaged her tattooist friend and he was due to arrive at the hostel at 9 to design me a new tattoo for my neck.

Fast forward to the end of my shift, and I am talking bad Spanish to a cute tattooist while the heavens opened and an unexpected tropical downpour drove everyone inside. This was after several blackouts during dinner and consequently mild chaos in the hostel lobby. At one point I was following around cute little F (cute but he wants to be a priest - seriously, what`s up with this place!!) with a fluro light as he gave out pizza to the guests. Was pretty funny though.

So we went to the staff dorm to do the tattoo, I chose a simple design of a "J" with some stars and once he`d prepared everything safe n securely (new needle and all, bueno), I was sat down and drawn on for 5 minutes. It hardly hurt at all and was all over so quick I couldn`t believe it. He said if I liked it I should give him a kiss... to be honest, I would`ve done THAT either way but anyway.

It cost just $15 and not only did I score a cool tattoo on the back of my neck, but a new friend in my soon-to-be new home, as well as a place to crash. Hmmm, stay with a hot tattooist in one of the biggest party towns in the world? DON`T MIND IF I DO! Boom.