Buenos Aires. Friday 3rd November 2006.

I seem to do so much better on this trip when I am on my own. I think a great deal of my anguish in the last few days has been the fact that I am to join another tour Saturday. I realise now that I am very much an independent traveller. I don´t enjoy being herded round.

A sign of that success and independence is the people I am lucky enough to meet.

Today I strike very lucky as I have met Luciano Cortese, a cool dude Argentinian who acts as my guide for the day.

We start off by visiting Tribunales Square on our way to a local bank, in the hope that I can cash some travellers cheques. Its pension day today and even though we wait in line for 50 minutes and then get told that we need to try another bank, it was worth it to see the bank on pension day...so many colourful characters.

We do get the cheques cashed at our next attempt.

Buenos Aires has so many beautiful buildings and many remind me of Paris.

On our walk around the city a man passes me and drops his passport and credit cards in his rush. I chase after him to return them and he is very grateful.

I am so lucky to have my own personal guide. We head off past the Teatro Colón, a stunning building which is undergoing renovations to celebrate its 100th birthday and on to Lavalle and its pedestrian walkway.

Here we will luncheon at La Casona del Nonno and I get my first taste of Argentinian beef in Argentina and it is so succulent!

After lunch we walk down Florida to the Galerias Pacifico with its central dome an unusual feature for a shopping centre being a painted ceiling.

We then take the air is the beautiful Plaza San Martin looking out toward the Torre de los Ingleses. It is somewhat ironic that at the base of the Plaza looking straight across at this English Monument lies the Argentine memorial to the Falklands War that occurred some 25 years ago this year.

Luciano is certain that the British are pirates and that the Argentines were treated very unfairly. We agree to disagree, as I pay my respects at this monument to the Argentine dead. I don´t think it would be a good idea to reveal that I am a former Royal Naval Reserve officer...best keep that chesnut to myself!

We finish our tour off at the British built train station Retiro from where we will catch the subway back home.

Its Friday night in Buenos Aires and this could be New York, London, Paris or Rome. The neon lit streets are thronged with people. I pass pavement cafes still throbbing at 11pm, it is unlike any other city centre I have visited in South America. People are simply going about their business openly and without fear.

Tonight I dine at Restaurant Arturito just round the corner from my hotel. This is the upscale version of the meal I had earlier today and for all its fancy price the meat lacked the taste and texture of earlier...and so to bed. Goodnight.