Buenos Noches, Amigos

So, last day in South America, hey? Four months, one week and four days. During which time I've spent about 24 hours in airports, 48 hours on planes and an amount of time measurable in weeks on buses.

I'm back in Santiago, now, pretty much counting down the hours. That's not to say I've not been trying to squeeze adventures into my last few days. I've managed to squeeze in my longest South American bus journey (23 hours) and my weirdest night in a South American hostel (I seemed to be staying in a room with some 16 year olds on a school trip - which made me feel pretty uncomfortable).

I spent two days mountain biking around Death Valley and the Devil's Gorge. Now cycling in the world's driest desert (okay pub quiz geeks, you and I both know it's Antarctica, but you know what I mean - stop being pedants) I kind of expected to end up lost and burnt, so made sure I had heaps of water and appropriate gingerfactor suncream - I didn't expect to end up so cold and wet.

I'm a bit worried at how much of an experience snob I'm becoming. I seem to be unimpressed with things that other people find amazing. I spent a night stargazing in a desert observatory which, don't get me wrong, was good, but wasn't The Best Thing Ever like I'd been told it would be. Gas nebular; schmas schmebular.

With that in mind, here are some South American highlights:

Fave Country: Bolivia - didn't leave the Gringo Trail but what I saw of it was ace.

Best Road: The coastal road south of Paraty (I was bored of views by the time I hit the Andes).

Biggest buzz: Sunset dune buggying in a Peruvian desert.

Fave animal: Blue footed booby (pelicans are all majestic and alpacas have good haircuts and are well tasty but neither dances so well, and that counts for a lot).

Best sunset: Thursday night in Easter Island (a few people have commented about my sunset on Easter Island photos, they were from the Friday night - I didn't have a camera with me for the good sunset, which is just as well because it might just make your eyes melt).

Experience that I'm most enjoying bragging about: Swimming through a shoal of sardines as it was being eaten by sealions and pelicans.

Best game: Jenga in Baños (my least favourite game was the Sux Game).

Best hostel: Y Keu Ken, El Calafate (honourable mention to Hostel Portunhol, Barra de Lagoa)

Most I laughed: In the jungle with Lana and a terrapin.

Best meal: Lomo del Diablo, Q, Quito (thanks Mum).

Weirdest Meal: Guinea pig

Best night out: Pirate Bar, Asuncion

And some things I'm not going to miss about South America:
- Stray dogs.
- That bin next to the toilet.
- Reggaeton, The Cranberries and one minute megamixes.
- Inca Ruins.
- Not speaking enough Spanish to wholely understand what's going on. Ever.

And also: HSBC, not letting me validate my new card, but cancelling my old card anyway. That's not good customer service is it?

So what's next? Wait and See...