Smart Travel Update - May 2003 @ www.travelogic.com.au

SOUTH AMERICA:

For as little as $1839.00, plus airport taxes, travelling to Argentina or Uruguay with a stop-over in Chile flying Qantas and Lan Chile.  Travel must be booked by 30 June 2003, for travel completed by 31 October 2003.  Other South American destinations are available – please call TRAVELOG!C for prices.

Argentina

Argentina is the home of The Tango, The Gaucho, soccer fever, a rich multitude of natural attractions and the “Paris of South America”, Buenos Aires.  Argentina offers a huge range of landscapes – from sub-tropical jungles in the north, the high Andes to the west, the vast central Pampas grasslands and the cold Patagonian glaciers and deserts in the south.  Iguazu Falls are the widest and most spectacular in the world.  The rugged north-west deserts offer fascinating native cultures.

With its gracious cities, fine food and wines, vibrant music and culture, the Tango and its many natural beauties, Argentina is must on the list of any prospective traveller.

Spring (September to November) and Autumn (March to May) have the most hospitable temperatures, while the oppressive summer is a good time to head for the coastal resorts. Some museums and entertainment venues close during the hottest period. Summer is the most expensive time to visit with many local holiday-makers vying for accommodation and transport.

Buenos Aires

A sophisticated, safe, vibrant and cosmopolitan capital.  More European than South American in flavour, Buenos Aires' Microcentro (downtown) heart boasts bustling streets, grand avenues, old-time cafes and stylish restaurants. The porteños (locals), renowned for their flair and cockiness, even in times of adversity, are suffering a collective bruised ego these days. However, it is all just another part of the complex and extreme Buenos Aires character, a history full of tragedy and elation, an ongoing drama that the city's people are inextricably bound to.

Uruguay

The smallest country in Hispanic South America, Uruguay is located between Brazil and Argentina.  Most of the rolling, fertile countryside is used for sheep and cattle farming.  Half the population of around three million lives in the capital, Montevideo.  Founded in 1726, it still retains a certain colonial atmosphere and boasts numerous beaches, parks and gardens.  Almost all the people are of Spanish or Italian descent.

The climate is temperate, even in winter, and frosts are almost unknown. Winter (June to September) temperatures range from 10 to 16°C (50 to 61°F), while Summer (December to March) temperatures are between 21 to 28°C (70 to 82°F). Rainfall, evenly distributed throughout the year, averages about 1m (3ft) over the entire country.

Uruguay's main attraction is its beaches, so most visitors come in summer. Along the coast, summer temperatures are smotheringly hot, but the hilly interior is cooler, especially at night.

Chile

A beautiful varied country both incredibly long and narrow.  The coastline is 6435 kilometres long on the Western side of South America, with an average width of 160 kilometres.  You will find deserts, swamps, forests, beautiful lakes, rich agricultural regions, ski resorts, beach resorts, volcanoes, glaciers and a wide variety of plants and animals.

The majestic Andes mountains run the entire length of the country and are visible virtually everywhere.  Chileans are amongst the friendliest people in South America and enjoy a modern lifestyle with a very high standard of living.  Food is a highlight – with exceptional seafood and world-class wines.

SANTIAGO: is an elegant city set in spectacular mountain surroundings with a mix of colonial and modern architecture.  Other highlights of the country include Lauca National Park near Bolivia, site of Lake Chungara, highest in the world, the incomparable Chilean Fjords, the beautiful lakes district shared with Argentina, southern Patagonia with many spectacular areas such as Laguna San Rafael and Paine Towers National Park.

Santiago and its surrounds are at their best in the verdant spring (September-November) or during the fall harvest (late February-April). If you're a skier, June-August is the time to hit the Chilean ski resorts.