Lago Titicaca
Reaching the summit of Potosi
Train cemetary, Uyuni
Lago Colorado
Sandboarding in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Friday, 8 July 2011
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Peru....Bolivia
Hello all, sorry once again for the huge time lapse in writing. But then if I wrote too much I wouldn´´t be off doing other things would I? So I won´t feel too bad :)
Well so much has happened since beginning of May. Pete and I decided to go our seperate ways for the remainder of our trip which in many ways has worked out for the best (from my point of view at least). So from now on this is only my thoughts and experiences.
Where to start... One of my favourite places so far on this trip, Huaraz, in Northern Peru. This small place, most think nothing special of it, is in the midst of stunning mountains that tower of the sandy coloured city. Here we walked up into the Cordilleras Blancas for three nights and four days of difficult trekking at altitutude. But surrounded by lakes and snowy mountains that glimmered silver in the moonlight you forgot the biting cold and could only marvel.
After a brief drop-in to Lima we headed to Arequipa, the site of the largest canyon in the world. Standing on the edge of this great chasm was another breath-taking experience, with condors flying over head.
Next stop was Cusco and straight off on a four day jungle trip to Macchu Picchu, including mountain biking and zip-lining. Bathing in hot-pools that were perched in a landslide that continued to slowly fall was unreal. Macchu Picchu itself was simply magical. Napping on the grass terraces and awakening to that view was a highlight.
After spending a somewhat un-productive week in Cusco (due largely to the influence of Irish!) I headed to Bolivia with a Belgium lad. We were very lucky to get through the border which had been on and off closed for a month or so. But get through we did and then spent a few nights on Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca. Another absolutely magical place that makes one stop for want of words to describe the beauty. The idyllic wee blue bays, the white sand, the Eucalyptus, the patchwork fields and stone walls, Inca ruins, the incredible rocks that rise up against the backdrop of the lake on all sides. Renting a provate boat for next to nothing and floating about on the top of the world with musicians and magicians...
That brings me to now almost. Having been in La Paz for several days, I have done little but try and shake off a nasty cold. Yesterday, we took on the Death Road and survived! Descending 3000m on mountain bikes on this skinny wee road, once classified the most dangerous in the world, riding through waterfalls and trying to make some pretense of knowing what I was doing... a great experience. Tomorrow, we climb Huayna Potosi and hopefully make that ever sought after 6000m summit!
Well so much has happened since beginning of May. Pete and I decided to go our seperate ways for the remainder of our trip which in many ways has worked out for the best (from my point of view at least). So from now on this is only my thoughts and experiences.
Where to start... One of my favourite places so far on this trip, Huaraz, in Northern Peru. This small place, most think nothing special of it, is in the midst of stunning mountains that tower of the sandy coloured city. Here we walked up into the Cordilleras Blancas for three nights and four days of difficult trekking at altitutude. But surrounded by lakes and snowy mountains that glimmered silver in the moonlight you forgot the biting cold and could only marvel.
After a brief drop-in to Lima we headed to Arequipa, the site of the largest canyon in the world. Standing on the edge of this great chasm was another breath-taking experience, with condors flying over head.
Next stop was Cusco and straight off on a four day jungle trip to Macchu Picchu, including mountain biking and zip-lining. Bathing in hot-pools that were perched in a landslide that continued to slowly fall was unreal. Macchu Picchu itself was simply magical. Napping on the grass terraces and awakening to that view was a highlight.
After spending a somewhat un-productive week in Cusco (due largely to the influence of Irish!) I headed to Bolivia with a Belgium lad. We were very lucky to get through the border which had been on and off closed for a month or so. But get through we did and then spent a few nights on Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca. Another absolutely magical place that makes one stop for want of words to describe the beauty. The idyllic wee blue bays, the white sand, the Eucalyptus, the patchwork fields and stone walls, Inca ruins, the incredible rocks that rise up against the backdrop of the lake on all sides. Renting a provate boat for next to nothing and floating about on the top of the world with musicians and magicians...
That brings me to now almost. Having been in La Paz for several days, I have done little but try and shake off a nasty cold. Yesterday, we took on the Death Road and survived! Descending 3000m on mountain bikes on this skinny wee road, once classified the most dangerous in the world, riding through waterfalls and trying to make some pretense of knowing what I was doing... a great experience. Tomorrow, we climb Huayna Potosi and hopefully make that ever sought after 6000m summit!
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
The beach, the mountains and then Peru
Hola all, sorry for the extremely large time lag in blogs. It has just felt like theres never time and then all of sudden theres far too much to write about! But I shall try...
Cuenca was hard to leaver after spending a whole month there. It is such a strange sensation to say goodbye to people you know you will never meet again. Our host family for example, could never afford to travel overseas so it felt weird to have known them so well, then to have the luxury of hopping off to another country when this was well beyond their means.
After Cuenca we spend an amazing week at the beach in Ecuador where we went to the ´poor mans Galapagos´, saw some cool birds and turtles and had a wee snorkel. But as the tour was in spanish we really had no clue what was going on! We picked up a travelling buddy here on the coast and then found ourselves in Vilcabamba, a little village in the mountains. We all went on a 2 day horse trek with an old kiwi expat. We climbed up these ridiculous mountains, 1000mtres up, where it was impossible to imagine the horse doing it. But they did amazingly and it was beautiful up in the clouds.
From here we bussed to Peru and spent several days wandering around ruins of temples in the baking desert heat. They were these strange little patches of desert in the green farmland. From where I am writing now, we are in a little surfing village called Huanchaco with a beautiful beach. As usual, I am unwell again. Basically the whole trip' either Pete or I have been sick! But you start to realize that thats just what its like travelling somewhere like here. Along the way we have constantly been bumping into the same people and have formed something of a small travel group. Its nice because it makes the world feel a wee bit smaller and friendlier.
Tonight, we are off to Huaraz in the mountains, the adventure capital of Peru. We will post photos soon!
Cuenca was hard to leaver after spending a whole month there. It is such a strange sensation to say goodbye to people you know you will never meet again. Our host family for example, could never afford to travel overseas so it felt weird to have known them so well, then to have the luxury of hopping off to another country when this was well beyond their means.
After Cuenca we spend an amazing week at the beach in Ecuador where we went to the ´poor mans Galapagos´, saw some cool birds and turtles and had a wee snorkel. But as the tour was in spanish we really had no clue what was going on! We picked up a travelling buddy here on the coast and then found ourselves in Vilcabamba, a little village in the mountains. We all went on a 2 day horse trek with an old kiwi expat. We climbed up these ridiculous mountains, 1000mtres up, where it was impossible to imagine the horse doing it. But they did amazingly and it was beautiful up in the clouds.
From here we bussed to Peru and spent several days wandering around ruins of temples in the baking desert heat. They were these strange little patches of desert in the green farmland. From where I am writing now, we are in a little surfing village called Huanchaco with a beautiful beach. As usual, I am unwell again. Basically the whole trip' either Pete or I have been sick! But you start to realize that thats just what its like travelling somewhere like here. Along the way we have constantly been bumping into the same people and have formed something of a small travel group. Its nice because it makes the world feel a wee bit smaller and friendlier.
Tonight, we are off to Huaraz in the mountains, the adventure capital of Peru. We will post photos soon!
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Cuenca
Hola NZ,
Just a wee post to let everyone know we are still alive! We have been in Cuenca for two weeks learning español and have two weeks to go. We have been living with a lovely Ecuadorian family who are feeding us up on amazing soup. Cuenca is a pretty cool safe city thats way richer than Quito with heaps of American expats and tourists. The traffic is insane and the car alarms wake you up at all hours. We are starting to think this alarm may well be the national anthem. Hm...
Most people think we are americans and its a rarity to find someone who knows where NZ is and doesnt think its attached to Australia or in Europe!
It has been a bit of downer after Quito as the español learning is really full on and we havent met as many people yet.
But weve had a couple of great trips...One to Cajas Nacional Parque, a bizarre beautiful place at 4000m high with hundreds of lakes. Tramping here was insanely difficult, with such thin air its impossible to get a proper breath full. Weve met a bilingual parrot, and visited a wee market village today where we bought authentic panama-but originally Ecuadorian- hats.
photos to follow soon...
Just a wee post to let everyone know we are still alive! We have been in Cuenca for two weeks learning español and have two weeks to go. We have been living with a lovely Ecuadorian family who are feeding us up on amazing soup. Cuenca is a pretty cool safe city thats way richer than Quito with heaps of American expats and tourists. The traffic is insane and the car alarms wake you up at all hours. We are starting to think this alarm may well be the national anthem. Hm...
Most people think we are americans and its a rarity to find someone who knows where NZ is and doesnt think its attached to Australia or in Europe!
It has been a bit of downer after Quito as the español learning is really full on and we havent met as many people yet.
But weve had a couple of great trips...One to Cajas Nacional Parque, a bizarre beautiful place at 4000m high with hundreds of lakes. Tramping here was insanely difficult, with such thin air its impossible to get a proper breath full. Weve met a bilingual parrot, and visited a wee market village today where we bought authentic panama-but originally Ecuadorian- hats.
photos to follow soon...
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