Some insights into the people on stage 1
Hi
I haven't really said much about the people on the trip and that's mainly because I just haven't got time to write about all our exploits for you to get the picture so I have decided to send a heavily censored e-mail with that information so you can get the picture.
People in no particular order.
Well there's me. No need to say more except I ran the bar on the first leg and by popular request will be doing so for the next stage (what does that say for me.) Highlights in stupidity - getting pulled in Cusco
Claire's next - Lovely lady can't say too much 'cos she may read this email but ask her what baby Claire is about and don't take silence as an answer!
Maria, what can I say about Maria. One of the stars of the first leg. With a wicked sense of humour, cockney accent and a penchant for being 'up for it' Maria kept us going. There are so many situations that involve Maria in one way or another that you will have to wait to hear more.
Anne-Marie is a blonde cutie who is very sporty. Anne-Marie is always smiling and laughing at something or other. Either she finds us all very amusing or she's on happy pills (which she isn't sharing). Has a reputation for drinking too much and snogging all the boys. Her favorite phrase is 'I'm not drinking any more!' but she does. I think her short term memory is bust!
Now Helen is what you could call the looker on the trip. Not that other people (myself included) are not good looking but Helen really is. A red wine drinker of olympian proportions Helen has really been a good time girl.
Caroline is OK just a bit strange at times. Never to be left alone can always be found in Helen's company which makes trying to get of with Helen a little difficult.
Kate is the brooding philosophy student who is annoyingly intelligent. At 20 Kate is one of the youngest members of the trip and has spent the last 8 weeks unsuccessfully pursueing the other youngest member Alex. (she failed!)
Heike is our sensible teutonic (that's German) person. Well she seems sensible until doing something that is out of character. A good looking blonde bird, will go far.
Jo is very sensible, has a dry sense of humour and never misses the opportunity to make the cutting observation.
Sam(antha) is a little odd I suppose. She's an organiser and organises everything. We appiointed her an administrator for the stage. This means she gets to organise stuff for Nick (collect names, money etc)
Nicky found young love. Her pursuit of Doug was successful and they are now an item and Nicky has even gone so far as to extend her trip to 'go all the way!' As the spanish speaker of the trip she is everyones friend always being asked to help people shop, buy beers etc.
Debbie is a lovely ditzy blonde who is on the trip with her 6ft 4in boy friend Rob. 'nuff said
Finally we come to Margaret. A New Zealander living in Australia with her toy boy Alastair. On her own admission she is completely insane and a really good laugh.
I suppose we should start the list of chaps with the eldest person on the trip, Richard. He is 72 and is quite apart from the rest going of to do his own thing. Other than being anal about writing everything down (who sat where and with whome, the milage travelled, what we had to eat, etc etc etc) he's a nice bloke.
Next is Brian, well Andy actually but I called him Brian for some reason and the name stuck. Lovely guy, generous, good fun but bloody dangerous. Ever see a puppy fall over its feet, ears, tables, chairs etc. Well that's Andy! Of course he never hurts himself it's just everyone around him that has to worry! Highlight - dancing and managing to knock over a table and break around 30 plates, 10 bottles of vinigar and oil and not even realise he did it! (he wasn't drunk either!)
Paul, with Alex and Andy, makes up the three stooges. A barrow boy fund manager. Paul is really good fun even if he has been nicknamed bin for his propensity to eat and eat and eat. Paul's highlight to fame is being pictured in the buff (with Alex and Brian) on the salt flats in Bolivia. I should also point out he also pulled in Cusco.
Alex is the third member of the three stooges and the youngest member of the trip. Other than stripping naked, being mugged of a drink in Santiago and resisting Kate's lure nothing much to report here.
I'm getting pressure to finish this email by other people wanting to use the PC so I'll be brief.
Chris, Rob, Alastair and Doug are all good chaps and have at sometime or another been complete wallies.
Nick is the trip leader and is a great chap. He can drive a truck and knows where we are going!
Finally we have Nico the Argentinian co-leader. A gung-ho person who on the bike ride down the most dangerous road in the world and travelling at some idiotic speed fell off his bike and opened up his knee (to the bone no less!) He was following Brian at the time so I leave you to work out what happened.
Anyway I'm sure you will find out more about these people when I get back or if you see Claire's photos. Must sign off now - Bye
Hope everyone is still jealous
Thinking of you always (NOT!)
Matt somewhere in South America !!!
Telephone: switched off