As this is our first trip to the southern hemisphere, there are things which surprise us, and shouldn't, and things which just go to prove we are not at home! For example, the old chestnut about water going down the plughole anticlockwise here. I was fascinated to see that as the bath emptied, and it did. I almost feel like making a video to prove it to myself! Ju spotted Orion upside down in the sky last night, as the horrendous storm and rainy day following it went away in the evening. Reassuringly the sun still rises in the east, but then seems to travel right to left across the sky. Presumably if you want a nice sunny house here you want a lot of north-facing windows. We will have a look for the Southern Cross tonight, as we couldn't see it last night.

On our taxi ride from the airport I noticed that from time to time our driver would make the sign of the cross. I worked out that that was when he drove past a church, which was quite often as there are plenty of them in the city. Later on a walk we passed a church, and I noticed that quite a few people did the same as they went by. Not something I have noticed in Europe, I must say.

One thing no visitor here can ignore is the level of poverty and homelessness very evident on the streets, with many figures huddled under blankets in doorways, sleeping rough. People walk past you asking for money 'Change, change' as we can't help it, we look like tourists, easy to spot. Our hotel is in one of the better areas of the city, with huge skyscrapers all around showing that corporate business is doing very nicely thankyou. But there seems to be a huge social problem about welfare, which to be fair the incoming regime is starting to make some positive noises about, so maybe there will be a better time soon.

Yesterday despite the rain we had a pretty full action schedule. As the rain was torrential in the morning we stayed in the hotel and explored the pool and sauna. Lovely. Then it cleared up a bit so we ventured out, with our umbrella in case, and walked a fair way through the city to where the city bus tour starts from. We had to buy our tickets from an office, where the woman tried to persuade us that this is not a good idea when it is raining, as the bus only has 10 seats on the bottom deck. We decided to overrule that thought, and bought a two day ticket. She then came out from behind her desk with our tickets, and presented us with a complimentary bottle of Malbec! That made the cost of the two tickets much less, in my mind, so we climbed on board with our wine in a smart carrybag, and we were off. As it was not actually raining we risked going upstairs so we could huddle in the shelter of the windscreen right at the front if or when it did start to rain. Two other people had the same thought, but otherwise the top deck was empty. All went well for a while, great view, nice photographs, then the rain started. All right while the bus was in motion, but as soon as it stopped we were getting wet. So I pulled out the umbrella and we stayed fairly dry under it for a while. It put paid to my photography, as I was holding it up. But it induced a fit of the giggles, as we noticed people sitting in cafes sniggering at the idiots on the tour bus in the rain with an umbrella!

We stayed on for the first section of the route, planning to get off at the nearest stop to our hotel. However we stopped way out in the area called La Boca, next to the stadium of Boca Juniors, beside two other tour buses which looked broken down. We sat and we sat and the rain got heavier and heavier. Finally our nerve broke and we headed downstairs, where there were plenty of seats.

The forecast for tomorrow is sunshine all day, so we will resume our trip in the morning. In the evening we ventured into Recoleta, and found a little restaurant called Los Immortales, decorated with photographs of sporting stars of the past, like Maradona holding the world cup. Dinner was good, portion control is an unknown concept here, we keep having to send food back simply because there is too much of it on the plate!

Tomorrow, Sunday, will be taken up with preparations for the trip south, as we join the other fellow passengers to find out the details of our three and a half hour flight to Ushuaia, and pack up all our stuff again for the big adventure which starts around 3.30am on Monday 30th.

Off to find the bus again.......... Watch this space