Hayley in Wanderlust: Córdoba and Mendoza

I (sadly, and with the mother of all hangovers) left Buenos Aires and headed west to a city called Còrdoba. 

 

It seemed like a logical stop on my way to Mendoza, before heading into Chile, and I'd heard that it was a large student town with lots going on. I figured two nights and three days would be enough time to check the place out.

 

Còrdoba is a really beautiful city, and so obvious it's densely student populated the second you get into the centre. I stayed in a small but friendly hostel, called 'Che Selguaro', which was close to bus station and served pancakes for breakfast. Something I am rapidly learning about backpacking is that the breakfast a hostel serves is of HUGE importance... It's food that you (usually) don't have to pay for! I spent my first day wandering around the city centre, exploring it's main plaza, plethora of shops and beautiful churches.  I get the feeling I will be doing a lot of church and cathedral visits whilst in South America. They're just so detailed and pretty, and I like that each one is different. The following day, I wandered along the canal and generally pottered about. Truth be told, there isn't a lot to do actually within Còrdoba and the excursions were really pricey. If I could have (you gotta be 25) I would have hired a car and driven out to the mountains. There was a group staying at the hostel who did exactly that and they said it was 100% worth it. 

Being a student town, bars and nightclubs are plenty in Còrdoba, so on my last night there a few of us went out to explore the nightlife. In true Argentine style, the clubs were dead at 2am, and filling up nicely by 3. A lot of them offer deals on drinks and entry. We didn't have to pay to get in, and our group got two free beers. The club had a band playing live, which was a lot of fun and broke up the amount of Reggaton being played. 

I woke up the next morning, hungover, having to check out and waiting around for my night bus to Mendoza...

 

 

 

It'll come as no shock that I went to Mendoza. It was pretty much the only place in Aregntina I was determined to visit. Wine makes up approximately 87% of my bloodstream, and it was important I visit one of the world's most important wine regions. 

I stayed at the 'Hostel Lagares', which is beautiful, clean and super well run. It was, however a little bit quiet. A lot of hostels in Mendoza offer free wine hours, and sadly this one didn't, but it was still a very comfortable three nights sleep and money well spent.

I arrived on Saturday at midday, so spent my afternoon exploring the city. Mendoza is home to MASSIVE park, called 'Parque San Martin' which houses a theatre, a zoo, a university campus, a lake, a sports village and a football stadium as well as a golf course. I walked around the place for FOUR hours and still didn't make it to the amphitheater. Oops.

 

On Sunday's, all the wineries are shut, which I didn't realise so I extended my stay for one more night, and had what I can only describe as my ideal Monday instead. I caught the bus from Mendoza to Maipu (AP$22, £1.70 return) and bumped into two of the boys I'd shared a room with in Còrdoba. I'd been ready to spend a Monday drinking wine in my own (I don't have a problem, I swear), so was happy to have people to do the wine tours with. We hired bikes from 'Mr Hugo's' and set off. There are loads of bike hire places around the main road, go in and talk to a couple to see who will give you the most for your money. We visited 'La Bodega Rural' for our first glass, the place had wine barrels you could swim in (SO much better than an actual swimming pool) and the Malbec was delicious. We went to a beer garden for lunch, and then the boys went off to do a tour of a winery whilst I decided to cycle around in the sun and visit a wine bar instead. 

I can't believe I'm already done with being in Argentina and heading into Chile. I've fallen a little bit in love with the place, especially since the air in Mendoza smells of wine, and what isn't there to love about that?

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Buenos Aires

 

They say that when it comes to love, you'll know when you know. If that's the case then I've found 'The One', because Buenos Aires is quite possibly, the city of my dreams.

 

The first few days spent in the city we're the final few days with my darling G lovelies, so on our first night it seemed only fair that we introduced yourselves to the city with a bang. No trip to Buenos Aires is complete without taking in a Tango show. Essentially, Tango is the It Girl of dance. Sultry, sexy and utterly flawless. We paid AR$600 (around £50) for our evening at 'Complejo Tango.' The evening included unlimited wine, a three course meal, a tango lesson, a tango show, unlimited wine and a hotel transfer to and from (did I mention the unlimited wine?) Easily the best money I spent in Buenos Aires, the food was gorgeous (my veggie option actually had a few of the meat eaters wishing they'd chosen it over steak), the tango class was hilarious (I have the rhythmical ability of frog being electrocuted), the show was mesmerising and to top it all off, we practically fell out of the venue and into that evenings bar. Best. Night. Ever.

The next day a walking tour was a struggle, despite the fact that I had a beer to help me push through, and made me grateful I had more time to walk around again and take it all in.
 

Following the groups departure, one of the other 'BA stragglers' and I headed to our new hostel, and spent the next few days exploring.

I think one of the things I love about it here is the way the people fully embrace that their history has not always been a pleasant one, but show unflinching pride in their struggle. Monuments like 'El Obelisco' and the fact that the biggest road in the city is named after their day of independence show that.

 

Buenos Aires is made up of many different neighbourhoods, and each one has it's own characteristics to fall in love with. The brightly coloured streets of La Boca tell a totally different story to the luxurious streets of La Recoleta and Palermo. We were told not stray from the three main streets when in La Boca, so we didn't, but the place never seemed unsafe. Obviously the colourfulness of the place won me over, and surrounded by Tango once again, I swore my new life's ambition is to remain in BA and become a professional Dancer. I'll send you all a post card once I've made it.
It's also worth taking a walk to Plaza de Mayo and seeing Casa Rosada and the balcony from which Evita gave her famous speech. You will have 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' stuck in your head for the rest of your stay. 

You're welcome.

 

Truly though, this is a city that lives for the night. Nobody eats dinner until at least 9:30pm, bars don't get going until close to midnight and nightclubs are empty until 3am, when everyone starts the party. Don't expect to get in early but do expect to be hangover the next day.

Following our first hostel, we moved to the better known 'Milhouse' hostel. There's actually two of them, and it's easy to see why they have a notorious party reputation across South America. Both hostels have licenced bars and take it in turns hosting that night a party before moving on to the club of choice. Drink promotions means you probably won't remember a whole lot the next day, and with two vodka & speed's (no, not the narcotic, but the Argentinian version of Redbull) for AR$70 (about £5.30) you won't sleep either.

 

Separately, we caught up with a few of the other girls from the G tour who were still in BA and went for drinks in Palermo's Plaza Serrano, yet another part of town that pretty much never sleeps and sort of reminded me of Camden because everything just spilled out on to the pavements. The waitress in the bar recommended we go to a club called Mika, which was within walking distance. Entrance was AR$80 (about £7) and included a free drink. The place was massive and had two dance floors, one room that played Reggaton (my Spanish singing is coming along wonderfully) and another that played a lot of European and American dance music, meaning I was able to sing along in my own language too. Clearly, being able to sing along to the music in a nightclub is of paramount importance to me. 

 

Honestly, I was a little bit heart broken to leave Buenos Aires. The last time I was this sad leaving somewhere, I was moving home from Manchester. I could stay and (attempt to) find myself a little job and head straight to Ecuador in June, the show must go on. Time to throw all my crap back in my back into my backpack (which, btw, I am now bored of. I miss luggage with wheels) and head west to the wine country and then into Chile.

 

-xo  

Hayley in Wanderlust: The Prologue

Approximately six months ago I booked a trip I have been dreaming of my entire life. It was spur of the moment (sort of), I'd been saving since I graduated and moved home in July and was bored of my life. Ideally I would have waited until I had a little more money saved - I only went in to start building a plan -  but it's funny what desperation and an overwhelming need to shake up your life will do to you. The travel agent probably thought all her Christmases had come at once. I practically emptied my savings account onto her desk.
Oops.

Checked in an almost ready to go.

Fast forward to now and I can't quite believe that I leave tomorrow. It's actually happening... I'm going to South America. I can't explain it in a way that doesn't make me sound like a pretentious princess, but I was born to make this trip. Some people get vocational callings in life. They know from the word go that they're supposed to teach/fight on the front line/cure the sick/help those in need. I don't have one of those. I have no idea what I am supposed to do when I finally join the adult world... All I know is that I won't settle for anything less than being the best. The question is, the best in what?

But South America and travelling and seeing the world? This is my calling. For as long as I can remember, for reasons I still don't know, I have felt this deep rooted need to travel to a continent I have zero connection to. It's a part of who I am. It's in my bones and blood and DNA. It's why I get out of bed in the morning and it's the only thing I have never been willing to compromise or sacrifice. It's the only thing I'd ever have given up my life in Manchester. I was inches from my dream job, but this dream wins every single time. No matter where I've been in life or who I've been with - it's the only part of me that's never changed.

This time tomorrow, I'll be on my way to Rio (so long as, you know, my flight isn't delayed or anything). I've never been so terrified, like, pant wettingly scared. The only thing more terrifying than getting on that plane tomorrow would be if a tarantula appeared over my laptop and started crawling down the screen towards me. I have considered, on multiple occasions over the past few weeks, cancelling the entire thing and have begun to hyperventilate anytime anyone asked when I was leaving. I never could though, not go, I mean. If I backed out now I'd loose the friends I've done nothing but bore with details of my trip since I booked it in October.

It's almost time for my biggest adventure yet; I hope you'll all join me.

My name is Hayley Devlin and I am going to travel the world until there is nothing left to see.

- xo

The Importance Of Being Blair

Perhaps one of the greatest fictional characters of our generation, Blair Waldorf (from Gossip Girl, just in case you've been under a rock since the dawn of time) is woman who knows what she wants. Yet, her great outfits (not Serena great, but still great) and perfect hair have nothing on the little pearls of wisdom she imparted on us all during the six series that changed life as we know it. They're words to live by from the biggest, baddest bitch around, and if they we're good enough for Blair, they're good enough for me.

'Destiny is for losers. It's just a lame excuse for letting things happen to you instead of making them happen.' - Blair Waldorf

Look me in the eye and tell me that isn't some real talk right there.

So kids, I've pulled a Blair and about a month ago I fobbed off destiny because destiny. Is. For. Losers.

It was a calm Monday morning, the week before I had interviewed for two internships in London and had heard nothing back, having been told I would have heard before the weekend. 'Never mind', I thought to myself, 'I have other plans'. As you all know, I have been saving for my South American adventure since I moved home in June, and thinking that I hadn't got the internship of my dreams, I decided enough was enough. What was supposed to be a follow up planning meeting at the STA Travel in Covent Garden, turned into me spending my savings and booking my flights.

I'm going to south America. On my own. For four months.
Metal? Yes.
Scary? Certainly.
Brave? We'll find out.

Because, and here's the thing, I was always going to find a reason to stay. From a guy, to my dream to career, to my incapability to save money- if I hadn't have just booked it, I'd still be sat here erm-ing and ahh-ing.

London - Rio - Buenos Aires - Santiago - La Paz - Lima - Quito - San José - LA - London.

Naturally, there will be a blog, because I know you'll all be keen to keep up to date on my where abouts and making sure I'm still alive. I'm a weird mixture of excited and petrified but I sort of can't wait to make this dream a reality. I figure you're only 21 and completely free once, wasting this opportunity to travel the world would be criminal. I'm 99.9% sure it'll be the making of me, so long as I can stand the hostels!

Instantly my mind went into money saving mode, planning how I could pick up extra hours and be the best waitress ever (I'm a horrible waitress, it's a good thing I can chat to people if I'm being honest) so I could save every single penny possible. It was gonna be great, I was going to save like a demon and have the most amazing four months ever...

24 hours after booking my flights, I get a phone call to say I'm being offered the position of social media intern for one of the UK's biggest charities. Unpaid.
But how could I say no? TELL ME HOW?!
I said yes. I haven't had a day off in four weeks, I'm constantly exhausted, I rush from the centre of London back to Bucks two nights a week to make it to Friday's for a 7pm start, and I work all day Saturday and Sunday; but I love it.

I'm happy, I'm focused, I'm making my dream come true and I'm investing in my future.

It's living proof that Blair was right. You don't need destiny. You just need to get off your arse and make life happen.

-xo