Time for a Holiday

Ok, so it’s been so long since I had a break that my backpack is covered in dust and my passport is down the back of a drawer somewhere. With the end of the year arriving I am thinking of taking a drive across the border to Argentina for some beef and alfajores. What do I need then?

A portable ice maker is absolutely essential. If you have ever travelled in this part of the world in summer you will know that it gets scorching hot and that service stations are hard to come by. I used to dread the sight of a Happy Eater in the UK but now I would kill for a soggy omelette and overpriced tea when I travel here. We have a sort of plastic box to put the drinks in but it doesn’t cool them very well. Maybe I’ll fill the whole car with ice to cool us all down.

What are picnic table plans all about? Do you now need to come up with a strategy to get a place to eat your sandwiches? I usually just perch myself at the side of the road to be honest. Maybe I should start putting a bit more forward planning into it after all.

I definitely need some agility training before I go. A few years ago I was an expert as strolling along the street carrying a big backpack while munching a banana and reading my travel guide. Nowadays I reckon I would fall over after two steps of doing this. I also learned how to step off a tiny ferry without really getting very wet but this time I think I’ll take the bridge option. Actually, one of the weirdest things ever is on Lake Titikaka where you are asked to step off the bus for a minute and then see it floating past you on a barge which is about 5 centimetres bigger than the bus. Anyway, I digress.

I actually already have a retro car stereo. I can’t tell you the age of my car though. All I can say is that it has outlived Wham, Different Strokes (what a great show that was), Chelsea whoppers and big hair. It is a great vehicle but I have to confess that the radio is terrible, as I can’t even turn it on.  That’s not 100% true, as I once turned it on and couldn’t get the blooming thing back off again. I would take a trendy mp3 or iPod or something but, well, I am not trendy and don’t own one.