Montevideo. First Day. Tuesday 28th November 2006.

What I see of Montevideo as I drive in from the airport is modern, tranquil and the houses have lovely gardens just like at home.

After a well deserved bath I decide to take a walk around the local neighbourhood. It is a very pleasant area and I visit the local bank and the church and on my way back to my hotel I am stopped by the only begger I have thus far seen.

He is a street urchin for want of a better phrase. Marcelo is nineteen he tells me and he wants some food. We head to McDonalds and I feed him. He is a sorry state and he could do with a good wash and some new togs. His shoes are falling apart.

I think I always would have helped, the teacher in me; but after the effect of Jose (my good samaritan in Ecuador) I really want to help everyone I meet.

Anyway, the heart of the story is that Marcelo's shoes are falling off his feet so I agree to give him my tennis shoes...he needs them more than me. Seeing how hungry he was I offer him 100 Pesos to feed himself again today and maybe even for breakfast. I think this is about $5 US, but I am not too sure.

The problem is that he gets gready. He wants more money than I am kindly offering. Luckily I am outside my hotel and simply threaten him with the police if he gets aggressive. Also he leaves with nothing as I am more than happy to help but I don't want to be taken for a ride.

Tonight I meet a nice chap Dave from London in the internet shop. He is a retired man who always travels in South America in November. I discover that he always travels in this continent with cash as he goes, like I had intended, to remote areas where they will simply not take a travellers cheque. In a way it gives me more confidence in knowing that I am not the only fool travelling here with cash. Indeed, Dave tells me he is carrying $2000 US as he is travelling for six weeks and he is just about to head into Patagonia.

That aside we dine together tonight at Pizzeria Trouville just around the corner from our hotel.