Distance today = 46.64 km; Total distance = 15,370.92 km; Location = General Rodriguez (8 km east of) – 34 35.043′ S, 58 52.829′ W; Start time = 0858, Finish time = 1708

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/249340063

Sorry for the lateness of this report – more on the reason for that later.

Today was not so hot or humid, and a gentle headwind provided a cooling breeze. I even had a new freeway construction to run on. It was on the left side of the highway and was yet to open, so I had it all to myself.

This lasted through the morning, until I headed into the town of Lujan. I was surprised here to see an amusement park, including a rollercoaster, and an enormous cathedral. It was almost as big as the largest ones in Europe. Although relatively young (finished in 1937), it is 106 metres tall.

Nearing the end of the day, drama struck again. Running through an area that resembled a shanty town, I was set upon by a pack of dogs. One of them bit me, resulting in blood running down the back of my leg. This will be a test for my immune system.

And then we had hotel problems. Carmel had looked for one earlier, only to have a near meltdown when the GPS system took her down boggy roads no wider than a car – only to find the hotel didn’t even exist. After I finished running, we tried seven hotels before finding one that wasn’t full. Well, there is a little more to that story. Two of the hotels were “pay by the hour” establishments, used by working girls. We didn’t know what was going on at first, with only a tiny hole in a brick wall to talk into at “reception”. We thought the rates – about $35 – were good for a night. If we’d stayed all night, however – let’s say, 12 hours – it would have cost $420. Luckily we cottoned on to the situation and hightailed it.

We finally found a fantastic place, not too far from where I finished the day’s running. Tomorrow, it’s on to the Atlantic Ocean.

Distance today = 43.15 km; Total distance = 15,414.07 km; Location = Buenos Aires – 34 27.800′ S, 58 29.779′ W; Start time = 1003, Finish time = 1744

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/249574920

I reached the South Atlantic Ocean in Buenos Aires today, finishing my South American leg. Another continent I’ve now run across!!!

I am going to make this short tonight. We are guests of Mauro and his family, who we met a couple of weeks ago in central Argentina, and I don’t want to be anti-social.

Tune in tomorrow for a full account of today’s run, and the plans ahead.

Distance today = 0 km; Total distance = 15,414.07 km; Location = Buenos Aires – 34 27.800′ S, 58 29.779′ W; Start time = n/a, Finish time = n/a

Sorry for the short report last night. We were late arriving at Mauro and Laura’s, and I didn’t want to be on the computer for an extended period. We had a great evening, with fantastic Argentinean hospitality shown to us by the whole family. It was a real joy to finish the South American leg with an experience like that. Thanks Mauro and Laura.

Yesterday’s run was really a tough one to conclude with. It was very hot and humid, and running through the suburbs of a large city is never my preferred option. The road during the morning was not a good advertisement for Buenos Aires but, later in the afternoon, the surroundings changed greatly for the better.

I finished in the suburb of San Isidro at a park on the ocean, although it’s also called the River Plate at this point, due to the muddy fresh water from upstream mixing in with the sea water. It wasn’t quite the sandy yellow beaches of Valparaiso on the Pacific coast, but I was very pleased to reach the other side of the continent regardless. I have now run the length of New Zealand, and across North America and South America, from ocean to ocean.

After almost a year on the road, averaging 50 km per day, living out of a suitcase, and waking up in a different hotel room each morning, I am now going to have a decent break over the Christmas and New Year period. I will resume my run around the world in Portugal in January, although I’m not quite sure of the date yet. I’ll be posting periodic updates on this site, so keep watching this space.

I’m looking forward to next year’s running, through Europe, Asia, and Australia (hopefully with a dash of Africa thrown in). And I expect we’ll have a variety of friends travelling with us at different times. I’m now well passed half way, so it should be an easier year overall.

In the meantime, I’m going to do some resting (though still running at least a little each day) and some site-seeing, starting with Buenos Aires. Catch you soon.