Hello all
I am very sorry for the hiatus following my last blog. I meant to find the time but never did. Which for my purposes is great because it meant I was constantly doing something that I loved, but a complete collapse of form for the blog, because that is the only sure fire way to ensure its demise. Since my travels ended it has been go go go from a week in Florida to the big move to London, England where I now currently reside. So ... a finale post as its back to reality and the hunt for a job.
All I can say to those who read this in hopes of travel inspiration or to weigh whether or not they should take the plunge, empty their pockets and jet off somewhere, I say DO IT! No hesitations. It was the best 10 months of my life so far. Everything was incredible, and no matter what interests you, for me observing the fashion and culture, pumping as much adrenaline through my veins as possible and being a part of something completely exotic and new, I recommend it to all. One of my closest friends now, Charlie, from my South American leg, didn't do anything cultural. Nothing. Another of my closest friends, Rusty, was into spiritual and out-of-body experiences. We had a journalist on our truck traveling for a current job and people traveling for the sights, the animals, the escape and everything in between. Everyone found a way to work the trip to suit their wants and needs. Yet with overlanding you get a family, however mismatched, but a deep sense of belonging and companionship while exploring the unknown and different. It worked for me and I do hope to do another trip in the future.
For those who read this because you are my friends or family and were just coming along for the ride and to decipher my safety you already know I'm well and excitedly starting my next challenge.
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Hello again
I am in Salta, Argentina. The itinerary has changed around a bit since I last wrote so I´ve been through Peru to Bolivia, quickly out to Chile and am now in Argentina.
Christmas in Cusco was a great time. In the morning Princess prepared a massive brunch with treats of all kind, my favourite being teh banana bonofie pies and rum balls. We then opened our Christmas stockings also prepared by Princess and exchanged secret santa gifts. Claire opened hers to reveal a little purse of mine that I had lost on the truck a few weeks before! We spent the rest of the day relaxing, getting massages, before heading off for a traditional roast at The Real McCoys, the local English pub. Not nearly as good as if I were feasting at home but still it was a nice reminder and a great atmosphere.
We then moved on to La Paz in Bolivia where we spent New Years and biked the most dangerous road in the world. That has to be one of the most frightening experiences I have ever had. Through me out of a plane or off a bridge anytime but put me on a mountain bike going up to 60km/hr with a plunging cliff on one side and a rockface on the other and I am losing my marbles. I made it down the paved road portion of the ride, at the back of course, with my trusty partner Claire, who was equally about to lose it. Then we hit the gravel winding road, where the death road actually begins and I focused all my energy on staying sane, Claire was clever enough to stop and ride on the minibus down instead. About section 3 I skidded on a rock, lost control, slid way to close to the shear drop edge and cried for the next 15 minutes before promptly assuming my rightful position beside Claire on the bus. We skipped the next 3 sections and then jumped back on the bikes for the last 3 which were flatter and wider. Still I have the t-shirt and I can say that completed the most dangerous road in the world so I´m quite proud. At the bottom we ziplined across the mountain top which was back to my element again. I loved it and Charlie and I went tandem on the last line to gather up extra speed. The 3 hour drive back up the road was equally, if not more frightening, than biking down as the mist fell and you couldn´t see 5 feet in front of you. I was sitting front row for the excruciating couple hours back up as our guide pointed out the many crosses and various points where people had plunged to their death, the worst being a bus load of over 100 people. We saw a taxi being hauled back up from a crash a few days before where luckily no one got badly hurt. We then returned to our apartments at the Hotel Continental. Yes, I said apartments. It was amazing, full kitchen, living rooms, big bedrooms and multiple bathrooms to ourselves. Charlie, Rusty and I shared one and each had our own room with 2 beds inside. Princess and Benny had the top apartment which included a massive balcony overlooking the street where we spent most the time chilling out and enjoying the city view. Cade was with us for 2 nights there which was a great surprise but left on New Years Eve. The rest of us bought our sparkly hats and various liquors from alcohol alley before celebrating on the balcony and then heading off for another English pub. There was fancy dress and a few shots and we celebrated the New Year as a group in good form. A few left early as 2 girls had been locked in the prison earlier in the day and had to be smuggled out by the prisoners pretending to be related to a local child. They were a bit shaken up and tired but they have an incredible story to tell. We were supposed to continue in Bolivia for a few more days but they are currently protesting against the raised fuel prices and creating a lot of roadblocks using burning tires so Princess decided to leave as soon as possible. There was a riot in the city when we were biking and the few people who stayed behind said that the protesters were setting cars on fire and throwing stones at the police who were retaliating with teargas. There was another protest organised for the day following New Years and so we left early that morning and entered into Chile, first to Arica, then Iquique, followed by San Pedro. We passed through a ghost town and stayed in a town that felt on the verge of becoming one. In San Pedro, we visited the Atacama Salt Flats, the 3rd largest in the world which was interesting. The salt lakes were rocky and where there was small areas of water you found 3 varieties of flamengos. It wasn´t as impressive as we were all lead to believe and not quite worth the $60. Nonetheless we saw some stunning scenery and had a good local lunch. In the evening however, we went stargazing and it was spectacular. The guide explained the constellations and pointed out all the main stars with an incredible laser light that looked as if it were touching the star itself. The beam made the sky look like a painting or a poster that you could touch. We looked through massive telescopes and saw Jupiter, another galaxy, the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, as well as a double star in Aries, a part of Orion, and clusters of stars up to 11 million light years away. The night was topped off with the best hot chocolate ever. I saw 3 shooting stars, a record for myself and have made a promise to look up more especially when I´m at the cottage and the sky is clearer.
We have now moved on to Argentina and have enjoyed the bustling campsite with the largest pool in South America. It is more like a lake and takes 6 weeks to fill from one tap. I like Argentina so far. The weather is nice and hot for a change and the people are the friendliest yet. Like every city it follows the same city square formula with a beautiful park center surrounded by a church, a government building and other ornamental architecture. The shopping is amazing and we haven´t even reached Buenos Aires yet. It feels very familiar at times with modern shops and a very western vibe. I have yet to see any traditional garb yet, everyone dresses in very tight but western clothing. We went for a 600gram steak dinner, all the other girls shared but I braved a full one to myself and only got halfway. It was the best steak I have ever had in my life. So tender it was like cutting through butter and topped off with a local sauce called, chimichurri. Its a mixture of herbs and spices that create a party in your mouth. Its not hot and I recommend it to everyone. It was delicious. Even cold the next day it was the best steak I had ever tasted.
For now we stay in Argentina a little longer but then we´ll be returning to Chile and crossing the border about 4 times. We´re almost at the halfway point of this trip and it´s quite scary to think I´m almost 3/4 of the way through my travels, so I´m squeezing out as much as humanly possible from the trip and enjoying every second of it!
I am in Salta, Argentina. The itinerary has changed around a bit since I last wrote so I´ve been through Peru to Bolivia, quickly out to Chile and am now in Argentina.
Christmas in Cusco was a great time. In the morning Princess prepared a massive brunch with treats of all kind, my favourite being teh banana bonofie pies and rum balls. We then opened our Christmas stockings also prepared by Princess and exchanged secret santa gifts. Claire opened hers to reveal a little purse of mine that I had lost on the truck a few weeks before! We spent the rest of the day relaxing, getting massages, before heading off for a traditional roast at The Real McCoys, the local English pub. Not nearly as good as if I were feasting at home but still it was a nice reminder and a great atmosphere.
We then moved on to La Paz in Bolivia where we spent New Years and biked the most dangerous road in the world. That has to be one of the most frightening experiences I have ever had. Through me out of a plane or off a bridge anytime but put me on a mountain bike going up to 60km/hr with a plunging cliff on one side and a rockface on the other and I am losing my marbles. I made it down the paved road portion of the ride, at the back of course, with my trusty partner Claire, who was equally about to lose it. Then we hit the gravel winding road, where the death road actually begins and I focused all my energy on staying sane, Claire was clever enough to stop and ride on the minibus down instead. About section 3 I skidded on a rock, lost control, slid way to close to the shear drop edge and cried for the next 15 minutes before promptly assuming my rightful position beside Claire on the bus. We skipped the next 3 sections and then jumped back on the bikes for the last 3 which were flatter and wider. Still I have the t-shirt and I can say that completed the most dangerous road in the world so I´m quite proud. At the bottom we ziplined across the mountain top which was back to my element again. I loved it and Charlie and I went tandem on the last line to gather up extra speed. The 3 hour drive back up the road was equally, if not more frightening, than biking down as the mist fell and you couldn´t see 5 feet in front of you. I was sitting front row for the excruciating couple hours back up as our guide pointed out the many crosses and various points where people had plunged to their death, the worst being a bus load of over 100 people. We saw a taxi being hauled back up from a crash a few days before where luckily no one got badly hurt. We then returned to our apartments at the Hotel Continental. Yes, I said apartments. It was amazing, full kitchen, living rooms, big bedrooms and multiple bathrooms to ourselves. Charlie, Rusty and I shared one and each had our own room with 2 beds inside. Princess and Benny had the top apartment which included a massive balcony overlooking the street where we spent most the time chilling out and enjoying the city view. Cade was with us for 2 nights there which was a great surprise but left on New Years Eve. The rest of us bought our sparkly hats and various liquors from alcohol alley before celebrating on the balcony and then heading off for another English pub. There was fancy dress and a few shots and we celebrated the New Year as a group in good form. A few left early as 2 girls had been locked in the prison earlier in the day and had to be smuggled out by the prisoners pretending to be related to a local child. They were a bit shaken up and tired but they have an incredible story to tell. We were supposed to continue in Bolivia for a few more days but they are currently protesting against the raised fuel prices and creating a lot of roadblocks using burning tires so Princess decided to leave as soon as possible. There was a riot in the city when we were biking and the few people who stayed behind said that the protesters were setting cars on fire and throwing stones at the police who were retaliating with teargas. There was another protest organised for the day following New Years and so we left early that morning and entered into Chile, first to Arica, then Iquique, followed by San Pedro. We passed through a ghost town and stayed in a town that felt on the verge of becoming one. In San Pedro, we visited the Atacama Salt Flats, the 3rd largest in the world which was interesting. The salt lakes were rocky and where there was small areas of water you found 3 varieties of flamengos. It wasn´t as impressive as we were all lead to believe and not quite worth the $60. Nonetheless we saw some stunning scenery and had a good local lunch. In the evening however, we went stargazing and it was spectacular. The guide explained the constellations and pointed out all the main stars with an incredible laser light that looked as if it were touching the star itself. The beam made the sky look like a painting or a poster that you could touch. We looked through massive telescopes and saw Jupiter, another galaxy, the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, as well as a double star in Aries, a part of Orion, and clusters of stars up to 11 million light years away. The night was topped off with the best hot chocolate ever. I saw 3 shooting stars, a record for myself and have made a promise to look up more especially when I´m at the cottage and the sky is clearer.
We have now moved on to Argentina and have enjoyed the bustling campsite with the largest pool in South America. It is more like a lake and takes 6 weeks to fill from one tap. I like Argentina so far. The weather is nice and hot for a change and the people are the friendliest yet. Like every city it follows the same city square formula with a beautiful park center surrounded by a church, a government building and other ornamental architecture. The shopping is amazing and we haven´t even reached Buenos Aires yet. It feels very familiar at times with modern shops and a very western vibe. I have yet to see any traditional garb yet, everyone dresses in very tight but western clothing. We went for a 600gram steak dinner, all the other girls shared but I braved a full one to myself and only got halfway. It was the best steak I have ever had in my life. So tender it was like cutting through butter and topped off with a local sauce called, chimichurri. Its a mixture of herbs and spices that create a party in your mouth. Its not hot and I recommend it to everyone. It was delicious. Even cold the next day it was the best steak I had ever tasted.
For now we stay in Argentina a little longer but then we´ll be returning to Chile and crossing the border about 4 times. We´re almost at the halfway point of this trip and it´s quite scary to think I´m almost 3/4 of the way through my travels, so I´m squeezing out as much as humanly possible from the trip and enjoying every second of it!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Buenos tardes
I have just crossed the border into Bolivia and am in Copacabana. So much has happened since the last major post including Lima, Nazca, Puerta Inca, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno, a couple nights stay with a local family on Lake Titicaca and a visit to the floating reed islands, the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Christmas Eve, Christmas and boxing day in Cusco. We are now making our way to La Paz for New Years.
Most Peruvian cities all have a smiliar layout. The city centers around a main plaza or square and generally includes a walking street and a general market area from which you can always figure out where you are or need to go. The tree-lined plazas have all been beautiful, surrounded by ornamental and colourful buildings, often gouvernment buildings and a church or museum. In Lima we watched the changing of teh guards one afternoon while a band played a variety of tunes ranging to Star Wars-like themes. In Lima we went bowling with the group and it felt very homely. So far most of the cities have felt very familiar and modern. The language barrier is often the only thing that reminds me I´m somewhere foreign. Its not until we start driving through the country or the mountains to more remote, smaller towns that the development of the country, subsistence living and traditional culture becomes apparent. From there we continued to Nascar where I flew over the Nazca lines. They are massive symbols created by removing the red pebbles and rocks. They are supposedly made by the Nazca people around 500AD. Its incredible because the geometric shapes can only be seen clearly from above which means these people must of figured a way to essentially fly themselves.
Puerta Inca was a lovely beach side campsite surrounded by old ruins. We were only there for one night before heading off to Arequipa and we had a massive barbeque before sleeping on the beach. In Arequipa we settled in to our hotel then went off for a group dinner at a fancy steak restaurant called ZigZag, where you could have Alpaca or Ostrich in addition to your traditional meats. They also do amazing cheese fondue. Its not a cheap restaurant but its delicious. The next day we were off to Colca Canyon and we had to say goodbye to our tour leader in training, Cade, who was joining the other truck. We would see him again in Cusco in a week but its still sad to lose a member of the truck when you get so close to everyone. Luckily we had a full day with no time to sit and dwell. We were off on a reality tour of the city and then to Colca Canyon to see the condors, the second largest bird in the world. Whilst there we visited some hot springs and relaxed our muscles before the excursion the next day. It wasn´t much of a trek in the end but it was a beautiful walk and view. Its the deepest canyon in the world. The drive was spectacular though the canyon itself wasnt as instantly breathtaking as the Grand Canyon or Fish River Canyon. We did see a condor from afar and I tried chewing on the coca leaves as the locals do to help deal with the altitude. They taste like you would imagine a leaf to taste but they have spiritual meaning among the locals as well and you can make a wish if you blow three times towards the volcanoes.
The next main activity to follow was an overnight stay with a local family on lake Titicaca. The lake is teh largest in South America, crossing into both Peru and Bolivia and is over 3800m above sea level. On the way to our island we visited the reed islands where the entire surface is literally made out of reeds. They have to keep recovering the floor every few weeks. Even their boats are made out of reeds and they only last 15 weeks before the reeds have taken in to much water and begin to sink. It is quite incredible that communities still live there. Once we reached the island we were staying at we were introduced to our families and treated like royalty for 2 days. They cooked for us and dressed us in traditional clothes. We played soccer with the kids and then spent the night dancing at the community hall. We looked ridiculous but it was a lot of fun. We thanked the families with gifts we had bought earlier, toothbrushes, washing products, fresh fruit and then had proper beds to sleep in.
From Puno, the town where we boarded the boat, we left for Cusco, my favourite Peruvian city so far. It is big, beautiful and offers everything. We met up with Cade again for 2 nights, had a massive first night out on the town and then an early rest the next as we had to get up at 4am to be ready for the Inca trail by 5. Again we said goodbye to Cade, this time most likely until Rio, once the trip was over. The next few days though had been highlighted in my mind since day one so I was thrilled we finally got to start. The first day was a nice varied walk, it took the wind out of you at parts but was definitely managable. It rained occasionally but were welcomed around 5pm to pre-setup tents, a dinner tent, our bags ready and waiting and a round of applause from all the porters who had raced by us carrying 20 kilos on their back in sandals. We had been warned of the trecherous second day and though the first 4 hours did knock you down and challenged your legs, the walk was enchanting and the views were spectacular. It rained a lot more that day and was quite cold at the tallest peak, Dead Woman´s Pass, over 4000m high, but we were down at at camp before noon and had the whole day to recover. The Pachamama team prepared tea and snacks for us and once again, we didnt need to lift a finger. The third day was a mid range between day one and two. It took us about 6 hours and I was the second girl back so the hot showers were ready and waiting. This campsite had beers and cold drinks on offer as well but I decided to celebrate with a drink once I was back in Cusco. The morning of Machu Picchu we woke at 3:30am to trek about 2 hours into the checkpoint. We left the site around 5am and arrived to the sun gates in terrential rain. We couldn´t see anything but cloud. It was a disappointing enterance but it still felt like an accomplishment and I had completed the same path as the Incas so I was proud and beaming. We walked down to Machu Picchu where the postcard shot is taken and luckily the clouds parted for a spectacular, yet quick view of the ruins. It truly is an epic sight. We walked around the ruins with our guide and the craftsmandhip and precise cutting of the stones is incredible. I definitely want to go back again outside of the rainy season but the clouds did mask the other tourists and we often felt like the only group there. It was worth every slip, sore muscle and soaking wet item of clothing. Just, as a word of advice, bring a proper poncho and do not buy one of the 3 soles ponchos available at the site, they don´t close at the sides, and definitely pay extra for a porter. They complete the trek in record time whilst carrying packs larger than their own bodies, set up everything for you and clap you into the campsite...just nuts. We took the train back and successfully completed the 24 hour challenge of not going to bed until the hour you awoke. Most of our group managed this great feat by partying at Sky Bar and buying fireworks in the city square to celebrate Christmas Eve. The night was alive with deafening sounds and sparklers, even inside the club. The streets were lined with locals selling their goods from neighbouring towns so when we walked home, the streets were blocked with hundreds of sleeping families in chullos (the knitted hat with ear flaps and a pointed head). It was an awesome night and Charlie and I have stocked up on exploding things for New Years in La Paz.
Christmas will have to wait for the next blog!
I have just crossed the border into Bolivia and am in Copacabana. So much has happened since the last major post including Lima, Nazca, Puerta Inca, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno, a couple nights stay with a local family on Lake Titicaca and a visit to the floating reed islands, the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Christmas Eve, Christmas and boxing day in Cusco. We are now making our way to La Paz for New Years.
Most Peruvian cities all have a smiliar layout. The city centers around a main plaza or square and generally includes a walking street and a general market area from which you can always figure out where you are or need to go. The tree-lined plazas have all been beautiful, surrounded by ornamental and colourful buildings, often gouvernment buildings and a church or museum. In Lima we watched the changing of teh guards one afternoon while a band played a variety of tunes ranging to Star Wars-like themes. In Lima we went bowling with the group and it felt very homely. So far most of the cities have felt very familiar and modern. The language barrier is often the only thing that reminds me I´m somewhere foreign. Its not until we start driving through the country or the mountains to more remote, smaller towns that the development of the country, subsistence living and traditional culture becomes apparent. From there we continued to Nascar where I flew over the Nazca lines. They are massive symbols created by removing the red pebbles and rocks. They are supposedly made by the Nazca people around 500AD. Its incredible because the geometric shapes can only be seen clearly from above which means these people must of figured a way to essentially fly themselves.
Puerta Inca was a lovely beach side campsite surrounded by old ruins. We were only there for one night before heading off to Arequipa and we had a massive barbeque before sleeping on the beach. In Arequipa we settled in to our hotel then went off for a group dinner at a fancy steak restaurant called ZigZag, where you could have Alpaca or Ostrich in addition to your traditional meats. They also do amazing cheese fondue. Its not a cheap restaurant but its delicious. The next day we were off to Colca Canyon and we had to say goodbye to our tour leader in training, Cade, who was joining the other truck. We would see him again in Cusco in a week but its still sad to lose a member of the truck when you get so close to everyone. Luckily we had a full day with no time to sit and dwell. We were off on a reality tour of the city and then to Colca Canyon to see the condors, the second largest bird in the world. Whilst there we visited some hot springs and relaxed our muscles before the excursion the next day. It wasn´t much of a trek in the end but it was a beautiful walk and view. Its the deepest canyon in the world. The drive was spectacular though the canyon itself wasnt as instantly breathtaking as the Grand Canyon or Fish River Canyon. We did see a condor from afar and I tried chewing on the coca leaves as the locals do to help deal with the altitude. They taste like you would imagine a leaf to taste but they have spiritual meaning among the locals as well and you can make a wish if you blow three times towards the volcanoes.
The next main activity to follow was an overnight stay with a local family on lake Titicaca. The lake is teh largest in South America, crossing into both Peru and Bolivia and is over 3800m above sea level. On the way to our island we visited the reed islands where the entire surface is literally made out of reeds. They have to keep recovering the floor every few weeks. Even their boats are made out of reeds and they only last 15 weeks before the reeds have taken in to much water and begin to sink. It is quite incredible that communities still live there. Once we reached the island we were staying at we were introduced to our families and treated like royalty for 2 days. They cooked for us and dressed us in traditional clothes. We played soccer with the kids and then spent the night dancing at the community hall. We looked ridiculous but it was a lot of fun. We thanked the families with gifts we had bought earlier, toothbrushes, washing products, fresh fruit and then had proper beds to sleep in.
From Puno, the town where we boarded the boat, we left for Cusco, my favourite Peruvian city so far. It is big, beautiful and offers everything. We met up with Cade again for 2 nights, had a massive first night out on the town and then an early rest the next as we had to get up at 4am to be ready for the Inca trail by 5. Again we said goodbye to Cade, this time most likely until Rio, once the trip was over. The next few days though had been highlighted in my mind since day one so I was thrilled we finally got to start. The first day was a nice varied walk, it took the wind out of you at parts but was definitely managable. It rained occasionally but were welcomed around 5pm to pre-setup tents, a dinner tent, our bags ready and waiting and a round of applause from all the porters who had raced by us carrying 20 kilos on their back in sandals. We had been warned of the trecherous second day and though the first 4 hours did knock you down and challenged your legs, the walk was enchanting and the views were spectacular. It rained a lot more that day and was quite cold at the tallest peak, Dead Woman´s Pass, over 4000m high, but we were down at at camp before noon and had the whole day to recover. The Pachamama team prepared tea and snacks for us and once again, we didnt need to lift a finger. The third day was a mid range between day one and two. It took us about 6 hours and I was the second girl back so the hot showers were ready and waiting. This campsite had beers and cold drinks on offer as well but I decided to celebrate with a drink once I was back in Cusco. The morning of Machu Picchu we woke at 3:30am to trek about 2 hours into the checkpoint. We left the site around 5am and arrived to the sun gates in terrential rain. We couldn´t see anything but cloud. It was a disappointing enterance but it still felt like an accomplishment and I had completed the same path as the Incas so I was proud and beaming. We walked down to Machu Picchu where the postcard shot is taken and luckily the clouds parted for a spectacular, yet quick view of the ruins. It truly is an epic sight. We walked around the ruins with our guide and the craftsmandhip and precise cutting of the stones is incredible. I definitely want to go back again outside of the rainy season but the clouds did mask the other tourists and we often felt like the only group there. It was worth every slip, sore muscle and soaking wet item of clothing. Just, as a word of advice, bring a proper poncho and do not buy one of the 3 soles ponchos available at the site, they don´t close at the sides, and definitely pay extra for a porter. They complete the trek in record time whilst carrying packs larger than their own bodies, set up everything for you and clap you into the campsite...just nuts. We took the train back and successfully completed the 24 hour challenge of not going to bed until the hour you awoke. Most of our group managed this great feat by partying at Sky Bar and buying fireworks in the city square to celebrate Christmas Eve. The night was alive with deafening sounds and sparklers, even inside the club. The streets were lined with locals selling their goods from neighbouring towns so when we walked home, the streets were blocked with hundreds of sleeping families in chullos (the knitted hat with ear flaps and a pointed head). It was an awesome night and Charlie and I have stocked up on exploding things for New Years in La Paz.
Christmas will have to wait for the next blog!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Time here flies by! It's been another whirlwind week.
Our first bush camp was freezing cold at high altitude right before we crossed the border into Peru. As I have bush camped before in the cold I was able to cope pretty well, though it was a shock for some of the others who were new to the concept. It was only one night though and within the day we had crossed the border, driven down to sea level and rocked up to the vibrant beach town, Mancora. Here we spent 4 days at Loki, a resort hostel/black hole. The beautiful location, awesome staff and constant parade of activities sucks you in and makes it very hard to leave. I managed to break free a couple of times to visit another more peaceful nearby town and to hit another beach to take some surfing lessons. I have surfed once before in Hawaii in my early teens and I picked it up quite quickly so I thought that natural ability would come shining through and I'd impress the too hot for words surf instructor. Unfortunately it did not work out that way and it took me a few tries to stay up on the board. Surf goddess dreams crushed, I enjoyed the hilarity of the situation with the others that did it with me and enjoyed a fabulous day on the beach. If I ever live anywhere with a beach then I have made a promise to myself that I will take up surfing properly because I absolutely love it. At night the parties were themed and went on until 4 or 5am every night. After 4 days I had racked up a $100 US bar tab and a massive zombie like demeanor. It was awesome. I had my first cook group shop and the group trusted me to make the peanut butter satay recipe that I learnt in Africa. We hit the markets and bought heaps of vegetables and fruit and 3 massive chickens all for under 180 soles (US$2.8 = 1 sole), enough for 20 people, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also found this great little shop run by the designer herself who had just opened the day before. You could see her design studio and tailoring shop in the back and I recognized the signs of her first photoshoot on the wall, where you use your friends as models and the best natural location you can find because studios are too expensive. She had studied fashion in Equador and had always wanted to open her own store and I was her first customer! She had some amazing unique pieces. I bought 2 tops, 1 very beachy with no back and then a t-shirt with intricate sleeves and a elastic rope belt. I told all the other girls about it and I think between us we cleared out her entire stock.
From there we left to head onto another bush camp behind a giant sand dune where I slept under the stars onstead of a tent. It was amazing and so I repeated this at the last bush camp 2 nights ago at Princess Beach. I saw my first shooting star and it was just perfect. I can't believe I didn't do it in Africa, especially in Sudan when the temperature at night was absolutely right. Here it still gets a bit chilly in the very early morning hours. Everyone thankfully loved the peanut butter satay. I was a bit nervous because I had hyped it up so much but peanut butter is too expensive to buy here so we used peanut paste and added our own oil and sugar. This time we even added, ketchup, sweet chili sauce and lemon juice and it was even better then I remember. There was enough left over after people had all had seconds to feed us again for another meal but over the next 2 days it all got eaten. I was very happy it got finished though because I now hate the idea of wasting food. In Africa there was always a local hanging around to give the left overs too but here we have yet to encounter locals at our bush camps and the campsites are run mainly by foreigners that don{t really need the food. We then went on to see two museums on ancient Peruvian civilizations, like the Moche. The first was the Sipan Museum in Lambayeque Chiclayo and the Sun and Moon Temple Museum in Trujillo. An incredible people that preceded the Incas. We also saw the Chan Chan Ruins of the Chimu culture, the largest pre-Columbian mud-brick settlement in America, and the Temple of the Moon (The Huaca de la Luna) in Trujillo. All were very impressive in scale but the decoration was more simple and child-like. Very different to the Egyptians who covered every inch of wall or ceiling. I was once again blown away by the layout of both museums and the creativity of the displays.
Then it was on to another beach town where we stocked up on the next couple cook shops. They had a massive mall, Aventura in Trujillo, with a movie theatre and since there wasn't much else to do in that town Charlie, Rusty and I went to see one of the only movies in English, Devil. It was then a lazy day at the campsite and on to the Princess Beach bush camp.
Now I am currently in Huaraz. It is a small town. I have checked out the city center while most of the group has gone hiking up to Lake 69. I wasn't feeling too well and am not quite in the mood for a trek so I have stayed behind to catch up on daily chores and have explored the town on my own. I had lunch with the others who stayed behind and then we strolled through the markets to pick up truck lunch for tomorrow. It was a great chance to observe the people here and I love the fact that most still wear there own traditional dress. It is a similar style to Equador. Full pleated skirts worn from the waist are layered on top of each other to create a ruffled trim effect and are matched with a button up top and a cardigan or poncho in bright and bold colours. Often the poncho is patterned or multi-coloured and made from a thick woven fabric. Generally on top is another woven patterned fabric named K'eperina, that holds their goods or their children. They wear pale tights and loafer-esque shoes with a little heel. Most have gorgeous waist-long black hair that is then braided and topped off with the most fantastic hat. Here lies the difference to Equador. They both wear very stiff, woolen, wide-brimmed, fedora-esque hats except here in Peru the crown is much higher. I would even go as far as saying a foot high off their head. It's hard to describe but it suits the women here.
We leave tomorrow as we head down through Lima and on to one of my most anticipated highlights... Machu Pichu!
Our first bush camp was freezing cold at high altitude right before we crossed the border into Peru. As I have bush camped before in the cold I was able to cope pretty well, though it was a shock for some of the others who were new to the concept. It was only one night though and within the day we had crossed the border, driven down to sea level and rocked up to the vibrant beach town, Mancora. Here we spent 4 days at Loki, a resort hostel/black hole. The beautiful location, awesome staff and constant parade of activities sucks you in and makes it very hard to leave. I managed to break free a couple of times to visit another more peaceful nearby town and to hit another beach to take some surfing lessons. I have surfed once before in Hawaii in my early teens and I picked it up quite quickly so I thought that natural ability would come shining through and I'd impress the too hot for words surf instructor. Unfortunately it did not work out that way and it took me a few tries to stay up on the board. Surf goddess dreams crushed, I enjoyed the hilarity of the situation with the others that did it with me and enjoyed a fabulous day on the beach. If I ever live anywhere with a beach then I have made a promise to myself that I will take up surfing properly because I absolutely love it. At night the parties were themed and went on until 4 or 5am every night. After 4 days I had racked up a $100 US bar tab and a massive zombie like demeanor. It was awesome. I had my first cook group shop and the group trusted me to make the peanut butter satay recipe that I learnt in Africa. We hit the markets and bought heaps of vegetables and fruit and 3 massive chickens all for under 180 soles (US$2.8 = 1 sole), enough for 20 people, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also found this great little shop run by the designer herself who had just opened the day before. You could see her design studio and tailoring shop in the back and I recognized the signs of her first photoshoot on the wall, where you use your friends as models and the best natural location you can find because studios are too expensive. She had studied fashion in Equador and had always wanted to open her own store and I was her first customer! She had some amazing unique pieces. I bought 2 tops, 1 very beachy with no back and then a t-shirt with intricate sleeves and a elastic rope belt. I told all the other girls about it and I think between us we cleared out her entire stock.
From there we left to head onto another bush camp behind a giant sand dune where I slept under the stars onstead of a tent. It was amazing and so I repeated this at the last bush camp 2 nights ago at Princess Beach. I saw my first shooting star and it was just perfect. I can't believe I didn't do it in Africa, especially in Sudan when the temperature at night was absolutely right. Here it still gets a bit chilly in the very early morning hours. Everyone thankfully loved the peanut butter satay. I was a bit nervous because I had hyped it up so much but peanut butter is too expensive to buy here so we used peanut paste and added our own oil and sugar. This time we even added, ketchup, sweet chili sauce and lemon juice and it was even better then I remember. There was enough left over after people had all had seconds to feed us again for another meal but over the next 2 days it all got eaten. I was very happy it got finished though because I now hate the idea of wasting food. In Africa there was always a local hanging around to give the left overs too but here we have yet to encounter locals at our bush camps and the campsites are run mainly by foreigners that don{t really need the food. We then went on to see two museums on ancient Peruvian civilizations, like the Moche. The first was the Sipan Museum in Lambayeque Chiclayo and the Sun and Moon Temple Museum in Trujillo. An incredible people that preceded the Incas. We also saw the Chan Chan Ruins of the Chimu culture, the largest pre-Columbian mud-brick settlement in America, and the Temple of the Moon (The Huaca de la Luna) in Trujillo. All were very impressive in scale but the decoration was more simple and child-like. Very different to the Egyptians who covered every inch of wall or ceiling. I was once again blown away by the layout of both museums and the creativity of the displays.
Then it was on to another beach town where we stocked up on the next couple cook shops. They had a massive mall, Aventura in Trujillo, with a movie theatre and since there wasn't much else to do in that town Charlie, Rusty and I went to see one of the only movies in English, Devil. It was then a lazy day at the campsite and on to the Princess Beach bush camp.
Now I am currently in Huaraz. It is a small town. I have checked out the city center while most of the group has gone hiking up to Lake 69. I wasn't feeling too well and am not quite in the mood for a trek so I have stayed behind to catch up on daily chores and have explored the town on my own. I had lunch with the others who stayed behind and then we strolled through the markets to pick up truck lunch for tomorrow. It was a great chance to observe the people here and I love the fact that most still wear there own traditional dress. It is a similar style to Equador. Full pleated skirts worn from the waist are layered on top of each other to create a ruffled trim effect and are matched with a button up top and a cardigan or poncho in bright and bold colours. Often the poncho is patterned or multi-coloured and made from a thick woven fabric. Generally on top is another woven patterned fabric named K'eperina, that holds their goods or their children. They wear pale tights and loafer-esque shoes with a little heel. Most have gorgeous waist-long black hair that is then braided and topped off with the most fantastic hat. Here lies the difference to Equador. They both wear very stiff, woolen, wide-brimmed, fedora-esque hats except here in Peru the crown is much higher. I would even go as far as saying a foot high off their head. It's hard to describe but it suits the women here.
We leave tomorrow as we head down through Lima and on to one of my most anticipated highlights... Machu Pichu!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Ola! I am now in Banos, Ecuador!
How to describe the past week. I´ve done so many things already it feels like the trip couldn´t have just started. I met my group. There are 18 of us, mostly British though we have someone from Holland, Spain and a few from Australia. Once again I´m the only Canadian. We have only 1 couple and a pretty even number of guys to girls. They are all pretty cool, easy to talk to and up for most things. Most have done this with Oasis or another company before so we´re all a bit more expreienced with this kind of travel. Our truck is called Felicity and she is very different to Fanny and to be honest will take a bit of getting used to. She has windows, no beach, s.e.a.t.b.e.l.t.s., and is a bit smaller in general, but especially for storage!! Nonetheless she still has seats facing in and then another section with forward facing seats and with windows, its much easier to hear and listen to music in the back.
I´ll be travelling with Christy (Tour leader) and Benny (driver) as well as Cade for the first month (tour leader in training) and Felicity (the truck). Then my fellow passengers are Charlie, Rusty, John, Dan, Dave, Keith, Kelly and Rob (out only couple), Hannah, Claire, Sarah, Sarah C, Emma (tent buddy), Cara, Marjion and Tasha. We were also supposed to get an Aussie traveller but he never made it.
I´ve been in Ecuador since we started on the 19th. We went to Otavalo, where they have the largest market on Saturdays. The streets turn into a labyrinth of market stalls reaching in all directions from this main center square. I had already been with the family before I started so I decided to walk around but luckily restrained from buying anything.
We then moved on to the Amazon, where we spent 3 days in Arajuno Lodge up the river. We trekked into the jungle, tubed down the river and visited an animal rescue center, Amazoonica. All amazing! You are just constantly surrounded by the lushious green jungle with those typical soothing bird sounds that you get on yoga CDs that you think don´t really exist, but I can tell you, they do. I sat up late in a hammock one evening and it was a perfect night. They also have a monkey named Mona who lives at the lodge and though is still wild, she is also like a family pet and always hangs around, playing with people and stealing whatever she can get her hands on. She provided hours of entertainment!
Then from there we drove on to Banos where I am now. We set up our tents for the first time, the same ones we used in Africa, and had our first truck cook group dinners! We ate chicken fajitas the first night and had lasagna last night. It looks like we will be feasting on this trip. I thought we ate well in Africa but those were 2 things we never had there, and they are our first 2 dishes! Yesterday I had an adrenaline filled day of canyonning and jumping off a small bridge before hitting the hot springs and partying hard for our first truck birthday. I have never been canyonning before and its actually quite scary. You jump off cliffs into small but deep pools, the highest was 5 meters and I was shaking a little when I jumped as its not so much the height rather than the fact you have to jump in a certain area or else bad things will happen. You also absail down cliffs and waterfalls and generally trek through the canyons. It was incredibly fun and a great way to see waterfalls up close as Banos is know for its waterfalls. Banos is a great little town, colourful and secluded, surrounded by massive mountains and waterfalls. Just watch out for the sandflies. I have been mauled by every bug alive, especially in the Amazon and my ankles don´t quite look human.
Today we´re off to our first bush camp, then on to the beach to get my tan back, which peeled off entirely after the Galapagos!
How to describe the past week. I´ve done so many things already it feels like the trip couldn´t have just started. I met my group. There are 18 of us, mostly British though we have someone from Holland, Spain and a few from Australia. Once again I´m the only Canadian. We have only 1 couple and a pretty even number of guys to girls. They are all pretty cool, easy to talk to and up for most things. Most have done this with Oasis or another company before so we´re all a bit more expreienced with this kind of travel. Our truck is called Felicity and she is very different to Fanny and to be honest will take a bit of getting used to. She has windows, no beach, s.e.a.t.b.e.l.t.s., and is a bit smaller in general, but especially for storage!! Nonetheless she still has seats facing in and then another section with forward facing seats and with windows, its much easier to hear and listen to music in the back.
I´ll be travelling with Christy (Tour leader) and Benny (driver) as well as Cade for the first month (tour leader in training) and Felicity (the truck). Then my fellow passengers are Charlie, Rusty, John, Dan, Dave, Keith, Kelly and Rob (out only couple), Hannah, Claire, Sarah, Sarah C, Emma (tent buddy), Cara, Marjion and Tasha. We were also supposed to get an Aussie traveller but he never made it.
I´ve been in Ecuador since we started on the 19th. We went to Otavalo, where they have the largest market on Saturdays. The streets turn into a labyrinth of market stalls reaching in all directions from this main center square. I had already been with the family before I started so I decided to walk around but luckily restrained from buying anything.
We then moved on to the Amazon, where we spent 3 days in Arajuno Lodge up the river. We trekked into the jungle, tubed down the river and visited an animal rescue center, Amazoonica. All amazing! You are just constantly surrounded by the lushious green jungle with those typical soothing bird sounds that you get on yoga CDs that you think don´t really exist, but I can tell you, they do. I sat up late in a hammock one evening and it was a perfect night. They also have a monkey named Mona who lives at the lodge and though is still wild, she is also like a family pet and always hangs around, playing with people and stealing whatever she can get her hands on. She provided hours of entertainment!
Then from there we drove on to Banos where I am now. We set up our tents for the first time, the same ones we used in Africa, and had our first truck cook group dinners! We ate chicken fajitas the first night and had lasagna last night. It looks like we will be feasting on this trip. I thought we ate well in Africa but those were 2 things we never had there, and they are our first 2 dishes! Yesterday I had an adrenaline filled day of canyonning and jumping off a small bridge before hitting the hot springs and partying hard for our first truck birthday. I have never been canyonning before and its actually quite scary. You jump off cliffs into small but deep pools, the highest was 5 meters and I was shaking a little when I jumped as its not so much the height rather than the fact you have to jump in a certain area or else bad things will happen. You also absail down cliffs and waterfalls and generally trek through the canyons. It was incredibly fun and a great way to see waterfalls up close as Banos is know for its waterfalls. Banos is a great little town, colourful and secluded, surrounded by massive mountains and waterfalls. Just watch out for the sandflies. I have been mauled by every bug alive, especially in the Amazon and my ankles don´t quite look human.
Today we´re off to our first bush camp, then on to the beach to get my tan back, which peeled off entirely after the Galapagos!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A week in the galapagos is like living in a live action wildlife documentary! It was amazing. We did an island every day and saw every animal on the list. I swam with turtles, sharks and sea lions. We saw penguins, flamingos, fur seals (still technially a sea lion though), giant tortoises (literally 200 years old - some probably met Darwin himself), land iguanas, marine iguanas (by the hundreds on top of each other) and the entire bird population. Each island has its own species so each day we would see something new. To be honest the scenery paled in comparison to what I had just witnessed in Africa but the proximity of the animals and their care-free, tame nature is incredible.
My best experience is when I snorkeled with the sea lions. They come so close to you it looks like they´re going to kiss you then they swerve around at the last moment and play a game similar to tag. They´ll swim up to your face then speed away, twirling and looping around you. The ease with which they swim is incredible, its like they are constantly dancing and the water offers no resistance. It is right up there with my Gorilla trekking experience.
The cruise ship we were on, the Celebrity Expedition, was superb. The service, food and naturalists were great. It was a relaxing atmosphere, no formal nights or massive stage shows. Just a small boat of 90 people. We would take zodiacs into the island as the ship could not pull into any ports and most were beach landings or dry landings onto natural rock. We would go on a walk in the morning and then again in the afternoon, with the option to snorkel whenever possible. The great thing about the Galapagos is that it is so well preserved and they are taking every effort to keep it from getting damaged and to save its wildlife from extinction. When the first people settled on the islands they used to kill the tortoises for food or keep them as pets and it almost destroyed their existence. There is only one saddle-back tortoise from Pinta island left and his name is Lonesome George as he has no one to mate with to rebuild his species.
It was a great week to detox from the fast-paced 4 months I had just gone through and to prepare me for the next 4 months in South America.
I meet my tour on Thursday, which I am very excited and partly nervous about. Another new group on a new truck in a new continent. I´m hoping I´m as lucky as I was in Africa!
My best experience is when I snorkeled with the sea lions. They come so close to you it looks like they´re going to kiss you then they swerve around at the last moment and play a game similar to tag. They´ll swim up to your face then speed away, twirling and looping around you. The ease with which they swim is incredible, its like they are constantly dancing and the water offers no resistance. It is right up there with my Gorilla trekking experience.
The cruise ship we were on, the Celebrity Expedition, was superb. The service, food and naturalists were great. It was a relaxing atmosphere, no formal nights or massive stage shows. Just a small boat of 90 people. We would take zodiacs into the island as the ship could not pull into any ports and most were beach landings or dry landings onto natural rock. We would go on a walk in the morning and then again in the afternoon, with the option to snorkel whenever possible. The great thing about the Galapagos is that it is so well preserved and they are taking every effort to keep it from getting damaged and to save its wildlife from extinction. When the first people settled on the islands they used to kill the tortoises for food or keep them as pets and it almost destroyed their existence. There is only one saddle-back tortoise from Pinta island left and his name is Lonesome George as he has no one to mate with to rebuild his species.
It was a great week to detox from the fast-paced 4 months I had just gone through and to prepare me for the next 4 months in South America.
I meet my tour on Thursday, which I am very excited and partly nervous about. Another new group on a new truck in a new continent. I´m hoping I´m as lucky as I was in Africa!
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