'Ten of us from Llandeilo area set off in good spirits, joined by thirty from North Wales to journey to Gatwick airport. We boarded a plane, which took us to Madrid in Spain, and boarded another plane for the flight to Ezeiza airport in Buenous Aires.

Our home for the next three nights was the Howard Johnston Hotel situated in the Florida district of the city. This unique city has much to offer and the story of Eva Peron who died at 33 years of age in 1952 made us realize what a remarkable woman she was. After her burial her body was snatched and taken to Brussels, Bonn, Rome and Madrid before being returned twenty two years later to be finally laid to rest in a grave fifteen feet deep in a private section of Recoleta burial ground...

On the Friday, in spring sunshine, it was time to leave for the Aeroparque Airport to board a plane for Trelew and then onward flight to Esquel,a town at the foothills of the Andes mountains, covered in snow, in Patagonia. There to greet us was our guides Shirley and Paula.

Our home for the next four nights was the Tehuelche Hotel and in the local Community Hall a very warm welcome awaited us. We were greeted by Hazel Charles Evans from Llandybie by whose hard efforts the money to pay for the Hall was raised. The story of her effort can be seen on the internet entitled "Brics i Batagonia" which she has told and recorded on film at a recent BBC/S4C workshop.

The following day we journeyed on the "La Trochita" or the Patagonian Express steam train ,and then on by bus to Trevelin (Milltown) named after John Daniel Evans the founder of the mill. We were deeply moved by the story of how John Daniel Evans and three other Welshmen set off towards the Andes to search for gold. Indians attacked them and the three Welshmen were murdered, but John Daniel Evans was miraculously saved.

He explained to his family how the horse "Malacara" sensed the seriousness of the situation ,galloped at breakneck speed, and when he arrived at the edge of a precipice along which flowed a river the horse took an describable leap and landed on the other side safely and forced the Indians to retreat.

When John Daniel Evans arrived home and examined the horse he saw that its legs and hoofs were bleeding and badly injured due to the fact that he had not been shod. However, with care and attention the horse recovered and lived for twenty-five more years. "Malacara" has been immortalized with the erection of a statue in his memory.

On Sunday, after our visit to the National Park in Los Alceres we arrived at Seion Chapel Esquel for the evening service during which the sum of £100 (the equivalent to £1000 in Argentinan money) was collected.

The eleven-hour journey through the barren "Pampas" without a tree or hedge, to reach Trelew named after Lewis Jones, proved extremely tiring but our arrival at the Libertador Hotel, to be greeted by Dafydd Wigley and his wife Elinor Bennet was a source of joy.

Wednesday was the day to visit the El Tombo to see the penguins before visiting Berwyn and Moreia Chapels and joining in an evening of Welsh entertainment, which included an address by Dafydd Wigley. During the Proclamation of the 2005 Eisteddfod, we witnessed new members being admitted to the Bardic Circle.

The visit to St David's Church proved to be a memorable one for me because it was here that one of my father's cousins, John Washington Jones a native of Maeshenarth Rhydcymerau ministered from 1920-26.

Friday and Saturday were special days set aside for the eisteddfod, which proved to be a very successful event. The standards of the competitors were very high and it was with much pleasure that we listened to Elinor Bennet delivering the adjucations in the Musical sections. Welsh Assembly Member, Alan Pugh, delivered a speech and assured the Patagonians of the future of the Welsh language and the project of learning through the medium of Welsh in their country.

On Sunday morning we went to Bethel Chapel to join in the Annual Gymanfa, which provided the "hwyl" of the 1904 Revival in both the singing and the choice of the old favorite hymns. It differed from the Gymanfa in Wales in that we have one conductor, but in Bethel there were seven conductors. As we walked out from the chapel we all sang the popular Welsh hymn "Dyma gariad fel y moroedd" to the tune Ebenezer affectionately called "The Bottle Tune".

After a visit to Port Madryn to see where the boat "Mimosa" landed in 28th July 1865 carrying its Welsh passengers to what they had been led to believe was a new beginning, full of hope. The reality was a hard and difficult future. We marvel at their brave and noble tenacity.

The journey home was a long and tiring - flight to Buenous Aires - another to Madrid and the last leg to Gatwick and home. Was it enjoyable? Yes indeed. Was it worth undertaking? Yes, certainly and I thoroughly recommend the trip. But I would prefer to describe it as a fantastic and thrilling experience'.

Hywel Jones