Buenos dias! I am in Buenos Aires, Argentina!  Why I am here? I have no idea…she says with a chuckle!

I should have been in Cuba cycling around the country (360km in 5 days) but due to my back not being upto to the task I had to drop out last August. It was only a fleeting comment from my friend Emma who lives here in BA that I should visit one day. So I thought, yes I should, and with the great help from Sally Strang of Travel Counsellors, Emma and Becky from Foto-Ruta and also Madi Lang from BACulturalConceirge that a fabulous intiniary has been put together for me.

Why am I here really?

I am photographer as you probably have noticed. Not just families and headshots but I love to document the life around me including the really simple things.

I don’t expect people to understand that for me to go onto a booked shoot there is always trepidation and a wondering – “am I going to come out with something spectacular?” – there is always that pressure and I also put my heart and soul into every shoot and never take what I do for granted.  It is good to be on the edge. However, I am always shooting for other people and not for myself and when the summer gets busy with work there is no time to get back to my love of photography. To shoot for me.

That is why I am here, to have time to think, plan, photograph life and see good friends.

My family are at home and I did ask whether they would be ok about me coming over here but as my son Peter is almost 14 and hubby Tony is semi retired now there would only be 3 working days that he would have to  juggle being at home and work.  They are having a glorified boys time at home – haven’t heard about the parties just yet though.  The dogs, Reggie and Rosie have deposited themselves on my side of the bed which was predictable and Rosie is licking my pillow. I just hope that it will be washed before I come home.

So, I arrived on Friday morning after a 14 hour flight (can I just say at this point that I had no idea that it was the longest flight out London Heathrow that British Airways do) it is a very long way but only 3 hours behind.

The weather was incredible – THE most amazing thunderstorms and the rain – oh my goodness me!

Very grateful to the staff at the hotel I am staying at The Vain Boutique hotel in Palermo for having a room ready for me at 10am as I needed to have a rest.  Not for too long though I was out and about just doing a little reconnaissance but ended up in a bar having dos cervazas looking at the map and not knowing where on earth I was…

It was good to see Emma on my first night.  We were at the London College of Communication together 7 years ago and I remember having a conversation with her about her desire to come to Argentina. She was so determined and I am in awe of the drive that she had to come here on her own.  Even she didn’t realise at the time what was drawing her here but she is now married to Paul and working with Foto-Ruta which is so exciting.  I am so looking forward to shooting with her this week and so it will be a real pleasure and lots of fun.

This is my steak from last night – when in Rome…. actually finally having an Argentine steak in Argentina is a must!

More to come about my wonderful trip in the next few days….

All images were taken on my iPhone using the Instagram app.