Anuva Vinos founder Daniel Karlin speaks of his first Malbec as if it were a high school kiss. “I fell in love with Doña Paula, a 2004 Malbec. Wow, it completely blew me away.”

Toxic chemical residue and methane gas bubbles are a thing of momentary concern to most tourists who pass the end of the 64km Matanza-Riachuelo river, on their way to the vibrant buildings that make up Caminito, in La Boca.

It’s best not to talk, in fact, don’t make a sound. The only noise should be that of your paddle softly slicing the shallow, dark water. As your canoe forges onward along the swampy river it will noiselessly part the seemingly singular green mass of camalote.

Tblisi, Georgia, former USSR. Mid-August, something like 40oC. Our last day in the country, and finally we’re back in the capital, having spent the majority of the last few weeks in small rugged villages and very uncomfortable local buses.