Leaving on a (midnight) jet Plane

Oh faithful readers our very last entry. We are homeward bound. We leave Buenos Aires at midnight tonight (Friday)and arrive in Sydney at 7.30a.m. Sunday. Perhaps we will apologise in advance for our cranky and bad behaviour when we get home. After all the beauty treatments we thought we were supermodels we know we will not look like them when we get off the plane. Not looking forward to the flight home. The plane is for midgets and as we are mus grande it is very cramped and also very hot. Vickie was prepared to throw herself out of the plane on the way over and after swapping seats Chris understood why. Hope you have enjoyed our adventures and see you in a couple of days.

Lost in Latina

Sorry no blog for a while. Did not think anyone would be interested now we are not saving the world. But a few requests from our loyal fans and we are back on the keyboard. Have been to Cusco and Macchu Picchu. Absolutely worth the trip. Now in Argentina and have turned into supermodels. We have both had manicures and pedicures and haircuts. Nothing too drastic. Chris looks the same as when she left. We have been to a Tango show and have both got Tango shoes now. Being resoled for walking as don{t think either of us would be able to get our legs into the position the girls get theirs. Went to see the cowboys yesterday. Then just shopping for two whole days. More expensive then Huancayo. Have started the treatments to rid ourselves of body lice, nits, worms,TB and Giardia. Think that is all although feel like old ladies taking heaps of pills every morning. Vickie would have liked to keep the Giardia for a bit longer. Home in two more days. Both can{t wait to get into our own beds.

Down Time in Lima

Not much to report. Arrived in Lima at 7.30 yesterday morning after an 8 hour bus trip in the pouring rain over the Andes. Thank God it was night time. Took another 2 hours for our legs to get out of the foetal position. Have been pretty lazy here. The people are bigger here than in Huancayo and seem to have more wealth. Lima is more expensive than Huancayo. With all this time on our hands here is a limerick. Dos Australiana Enformaras went to Peru
When they got there, there was todo to do
They did get so sick
Their waists no longer thick
Dan Manahan we have found the perfect place for you.

Leaving on The Midnight Bus to Lima

Well we have one more day in Huancayo. Nice to think we will have 24 hour a day hot water and a flushing toilet. Perhaps we will be used to throwing water at the toilet and will have forgotten how to press the button. We have said good bye to the hospital and gave them our unused gloves and uniforms. All the naughty boys in Kids Ward wanted to come with us. Sad to go but pleased as well. There seems to be some civil unrest at the moment. Lots of marches and pamphlets in the street. we fully agree with them. They need a revolution but can they wait until we get on the bus. Have still not met any other English speaking people so are starting to rehash old conversations with each other. We have no secrets. Had our portraits done by a great street artist so we thought we would share them.

Gone Native and joined the Shining Path

We had a great time in the jungle, water 24 hours a day and a flushing toilet. Much prefer it to Huancayo. The weather was warm not changeable like here. The bus trip took approx 6 hours to get there. Spectacular scenery from our double decker bus. We sat at the front up the top. We figured the death seats were the best. Some of the corners were a bit hairy and at one stage we thought the bus was going to tip over. Photos do not do the scenery justice. A jungle tour the next day had us eating termites and dancing in Shining Car??? clothing. Again spectacular views with lots of water falls and for lunch we ate what we were told was a small pig but on further investigation it was a large rodent.Tasted nice until we knew what it looked like. Peruvian TV were filming at one of the waterfalls which at first we thought we had wandered into a rebel group and were prepared to join. We figured their life must be better. Anyway one with his arm around Vickie is a famous Peruvian actor. We call him Rambo. The bus trip home with the locals was horrific. Single decker bus very crowded and will be lucky if we do not have nits or scabies. Suspicious bugs everywhere even on us. Had to shut the curtains because of the police but we do not really know why. Chris has Peruvian poohs and Vickie Peruvian Plerisy awaiting malaria as Chris got bitten by mosquitos. Still dragged ourselves to work today on the medical ward. Will keep you in suspense about that.

long live mother theresa

Worked at the hospital this week. Everyone has to be stamped to enter and have to show the uniformed security guards their stamps to exit. This is to ensure no one escapes without paying their bill. Have now met the Director of the hospital who congratulated us. We were not sure for what but just smiled and nodded. These pictures are of some patients, the pan room room and the bathroom and Vickie dealing with the hot water system or lack there of. Off to the jungle today and then working on the medical ward next week. The conditions there look even worse.
Vickie has been sick this week with wait for it a sore throat but it only turned out to be a head cold. We have both nearly been electrocuted in the home shower but it does warm you up after the water has been stone cold.
Thank you for the comments and emails. We have enjoyed the little sanity they provide. We cannot email everyone back as it is too difficult.

Infamos Enfermeras

On Monday met a very grumpy Aldo who finally took us to the hospital. After a 3 hour wait we gained our permission to enter all areas of the hospital. We commenced work in the Paediatric Ward. No hot water, the patients have to supply their own towels and toilet paper and only get washed and fed if the family does it. We have filled the family void for a number of children. Linen does not get changed no matter how dirty so we might get the sack as we have used all the linen. The pan room is in the bathroom. Family members usually attend to this and rinse the pans and urinals in the wash basin. No pan sterilizer exists in the hospital and one very old piece of torn mattress sponge is used to wash all the patients. Family members have to pay for all medications and dressings. They have to go to the pharmacy to collect all the medications and IV fluids. This is a public hospital and it costs 10 soles a day roughly AS$4-5 which is alot of money for the Peruvians. It appears some parents go without food to pay for the hospitilisation. Security Guards in uniforms with guns come around and do a head check of patients and staff. People who can´t pay are tossed out.
We snuck out of the ward (something we would never do in Stanthorpe) and had cafe with the hospital manager. Her shout. All though the conditions were pretty rough the children and mother´s seem to warm to us.There doesn´t seem to be a lot of empathy shown to them.
We are going to the jungle on Friday for 2 nights and have booked to go to Cuzco and Macchu Picchu from the 2nd April or so we hope as it has all been done in Spanish.
Sometimes we feel like this is a nightmare. English is not very widely spoken and the primitive conditions make us long for a hot shower, our own beds and tap drinking water but we have kept our sense of humour just.
No photos as we are in a different internet cafe and can´t read the spanish to hook the cameras up.