Do Cry for Me in Argentina

Well what a week! My best laid plans all dashed to pieces. I am in complete and utter mourning, wandering the streets as if in some aimless limbo.

My phone has died.

Or more accurately, it exited this life the poetic way, by drowning (yes, I am currently reading Virginia Woolf on my Kindle. Which reminds me... one of my tour companions asked me "Who is Virginia Woolf?" *sighs* We settled on it being Nicole Kidman with a big nose...).

In fact, I have been beset by aquatic tourism for the start of this week - in Paraty we cruised the islands and bay for a WHOLE day. I think 2 hours would have been plenty. Yes, the fish lunch was nice, but as I elected not to go swimming on any of the 4(!) swimming stops (I wouldn't have minded going swimming once, but after the incident with the van at Corcovado, I had no confidence that I would be able to get back on the boat from sea level... *sighs again*), it was a long day with very noisy Hispanic families (about 100 people on the boat) and far too much sun, salt, and wind. Even the cocktails didn't really help, as it was so hot. A torrential downpour on the way back was delightful as it cooled both air and the general rowdy temperature on the boat. Plus, the historic, UNESCO listed old town of Paraty was a photographer's dream and I would have much rather spent at least half a day exploring it, rather than the 2 hours at dusk that we did get.

I've included a "stolen off the web" picture of the town, as my brilliant photos were not uploaded to the computer that night, and are now inaccessible on my phone *sobs a little*

Yes, the phone survived that aquatic adventure. It even had a great outing along the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. It was in Argentina that we came a-cropper!

There was no internet at the Iguazu Hotel, so I had got lazy in uploading my pictures, which I really regret, as the views from the Brazilian side are most spectacular. We then had a big day at the Argentinian side of the falls (Brazil has the view, Argentina has the falls!) taking a dinky little tourist train to the Devil's Throat (lots of walking on slippery metal jetties above the river to get out to view the falls). We then did the Great Adventure... a safari through the sub-tropical jungle in a massive open-aired truck, and a speed boat ride along the river and UNDER the waterfall (the lesser one). This was absolutely amazing. The high speed boats are necessary to combat the current under the falls, and the power of the water thundering down on you cannot be imagined, only experienced. We were warned we would get wet (and we all brought a change of clothes). The adventure company provides special waterproof bags to put your things in. My new jacket passed with flying colours - the top half of me amazingly staying dry.

But I made one blunder.

I had left one outside pocket open in my jacket (under the life jacket) without realising it. Unfortunately, it was the pocket I usually keep my phone in. So without realising it, I took my perfectly dry phone and slipped it into a shallow pocketful of water. As there is a lot of mist around the falls, when I next slid it out I assumed the screen had some mist on it, which I dried off. I think it was the second dunking in the pocket that really killed the phone. :-( I had some of the most brilliant panorama shots of the falls too. *bottom lip quivers* When I realised what the problem was, I couldn't turn off the phone - it just went haywire, with a yellow stripe down the centre and tiny lines of code appearing - and then the battery ran down over the next couple of days while I let it dry out. I have recharged it for hours, but still nothing!

I can't get to an Apple Store until New York. So, the consequences? Today I had to buy a watch. Either opening the Kindle, or carrying around my little travel bedside clock just wasn't going to cut it for the next month. At least I now know how long I am waiting in airports...

I also have no photos of Argentina... hence the aimless wandering around Buenos Aires. I mean, I go and look at things, but when you then don't frame a photo of it, it is somehow less of an "event". And as you can tell, without the visual prompt, I feel less inclined to talk about it (but I will try and write up a bit about BA - even if it consisted of running around trying to get a phone fixed). I am undecided about buying a (or rather another - I have a graveyard of them at home!) camera. Some of the group will send me photos of our last day together in BA, as well as of Iguazu. But the thought of not having a photo of Machu Picchu... Cuba... *goes into a bit of a faint*

So, what do you think, friends? What should I do? What a stuff up. Plus, I have to get out my laptop for internet, and have lost easy access to my address book, calendar, Spanish dictionary... You know that phone was my life partner, right? Those of you who know me well, would understand my current distress. Anyway, right now, I am heading to bed - I have a 4am wake up for an early flight to Lima. I will have a look in duty free maybe for a point and shoot camera. *sighs*

Until a hopefully more optimistic next installment...

A. xxx