Don´t cry for me Argentina, it´s a Happy New Year!!!

Leaving Ghana, my friends, my students, and my village behind was probably one of the most difficult goodbyes I've had to deal with so far on this trip. Again, the idea of staying just for a little longer came up but again got trumped by my desire to keep moving on.

I flew out to London on Christmas Day for a 15-hour layover and decided to meet up with another old friend from Hong Kong whom I haven't seen in over 16 years, Mo Butt. It was quite a culture shock to take a hot shower, use a flushing toilet, as well as having my laundry done with a (gasp) laundry machine! After three weeks in dusty Ghana, my clothes needed a good wash.

It was good to see Mo again after all these years. We exchanged stories about life back then, and what we´ve been up to since then. Mo actually told me a story about us that I don´t really remember (surprise, surprise.) One night, we were out in Lan Kwai Fong and I was standing outside of a bar with Mo. Two tourists approached me and asked me how much the cover charge was to enter. Mind you, I was 16 years old at the time, so my propensity to do things like tell these two tourists that it was $12.50 each (100 HKD) to enter an otherwise-free-for-everybody-else bar was not out of my domain. I apparently took the 200 HKD and took off! I kind of feel bad about that, so if you two guys are reading my blog, send me an email and I´ll pay you back.

I arrived into Buenos Aires and got the chance to see another old friend of mine from Hong Kong, David Frankenberg (thank you Facebook!) We met up at his sister´s birthday party that night, and had a blast catching up. He's still the same sarcastic, funny guy I still remember back then.

Prior to arriving into Argentina, I thought it would be a great idea to learn how to tango. I mean, as the winner of the best dancer award back in the 8th grade (ok, Al Bundy) I figured it´d be no problem. I met Natalia from Ireland at the hostel who was heading to a tango club one night, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to learn. Well, I don´t know if it was because I was jet lagged, or if it was because of wine o´clock, but I somehow managed to pass out at the tango club. Needless to say, that didn´t impress Natalia much, again emphasizing the cliché that it really does take two to tango.

I also met up with Sarah (Canada) whom I met in Norway so we decided to travel a bit together and check out Uruguay as well. I'm absolutely convinced Sarah is either a) training for the Canadian walkathon b) on crack or c) both. I walked so much with her I got sore the next day! I must be getting old...

Anyway, some quick observations about Buenos Aires:

1) They really don't know/care how to walk properly. Somehow walking 6-aside on a narrow sidewalk is perfectly acceptable. Somehow, my 18kg backpack found its way to smack a few of them in the face.
2) Check your bill and change carefully, here, you stupid tourist. They tried to rip me off a few times. I was at a hamburger joint with the menu plainly and clearly in view, yet the waiter tried to charge me extra! Another time, I ordered a beer for 15 pesos (about $4.40) but was given a bill for 20 pesos!
3) Everybody will greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. Including guys. As somebody who studied abroad in Spain, I was used to kissing women on the cheek, but, umm.... guys??? Lo siento, man.
4) Going out at 2am is EARLY.
5) Beef is super cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeap. At most places it is cheaper to eat steak than to get a pizza!! In fact, I even bought a medium sized bag of Doritos at a supermarket for $1.43. The ribeye steak was only 40 cents more!!!

Given the New Year, I suppose it is a time for making resolutions. I actually broke a previous New Years resolutions to never make one again by agreeing to do 100 pushups and 100 situps a day with some friends back home in LA, so we´ll see how long that lasts. I think I may have also said something else about staying sober for at least 24 hours, but I don't really remember making that resolution.... I was drunk!