La Paz - The good the bad and the DANGEROUS!!!

La Paz is such a fascinating city, with snow-capped mountain (Mount IIimani) in the distance. The contrast of the city quarters being mainly made up of the old and new. The old town is full of markets and small cobbled streets just crying out for me to meet the locals and try my first cheese empanada (yep!!! I went back for seconds). Lots of arts and crafts being sold with alot of great bright colours on display. I also went for a walk through the flower market and the witches market - Dried Llama fetuse any one???.

La Paz also seems to offer alot of the highest something?? example, our local guide advised us where we could get pizza at the hight point, use a golf range from the highest point in the Americas etc... the list goes on and I am sure you get the idea.

As for me I thought I would live dangerously and ride a bike down the worlds most dangerous road. This road got its name due to the treacherous conditions and high accident rate. The road descends from La Paz at an altitude of 3,657m, to Coroico at 330m, in just 70km, passing precipitous hillsides and with steep downhill sections throughout.

Have a look at these photos!!!! Pretty cool huh!!!

After a few days in La Paz we are back on the truck. I now head for Potosi

Awesome Adventure #3 - South America - Part 2

La Paz to Buenos Aires - 21 Days.
Time to say good bye to some of the people on my tour and say hello to the new.
Should be interesting.

CoPa - Copacabana (Just makes me want to sing)

We arrived into Copacabana late in the afternoon. This gave us just enough time to walk up Cerro Calvario (the hill guarding the town) to watch the sunset. (Jacki - hope you like this photo - Yes its mine!)

Then off to the AWESOME Moorish style Cathedral. Then a stroll through the markets back to the hotel for a group dinner. Tonight we have our drivers Birthday (Happy Birthday Paul).

The bummer is we dont have any additional time here as we are still making up for lost time. So we in the morning we set out again but this time we will find ourselves in La Paz. Yeah!!! Can't wait.

Puno/Lake Titicaca

So after a long drive we arrive in Puno we look around town and off to bed. As tomorrow we visit the floating reed islands where the The Uros Indians known as ¨willow people¨ have lived on these small man made islands since early times.

It was so cool to see how they lived and built these islands, boats, homes etc.... Amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it.

They all wear really bright colours and have the longest hair. I still dont think I will be moving here anytime soon but cool to see what they do.

Lake Titicaca I knew was large but when you look at it first hand who would have thought that a Lake could be this big. They tell me it is nearly 4000m above sea level making it the highest commerically lake in the world, its also the largest lake in South America. (How´s that for some Triva facts).

So still making up time off to bed ready for another early start as spend a day on the road making our way to Copacabana.

Machu Picchu (Finally)

After a good nights sleep and warm shower we were all more than ready to see the long time comming Machu Picchu also known as the Lost City of the Incas (it felt like the lost city for us too).

We got the 2nd bus to the site 6am - it looked a little over cast. We walked through the front gate and to the postcard viewing spot where the entire group just stood and watched the this AWESOME view. Its just what the doctor ordered after such a long walk to get there. (I guess I know how the Inca felt, after all they had to build Machu Picchu on top of a Mountain).

I wish I could express more about this destination to you but I guess it is just something that you all need to experiance yourself.


I hope this is photo helps show what I am talking about.

So after a full day at Machu Picchu got a the next day to relax/recover in Aguas Calientes that night we made our way to the train station (Yeah!!! Strike is over). We were making our way back to Cusco. Good News!!!! Yes, the Good News here is that we got to travel in style. Due to the large number of people making train bookings we got up graded to First Class. OMG!!! it was so nice to get silver service on the train. Wish I could share more but what happens in first class stays in First Class.

We finally made it to our hotel in Cusco and I could not believe it the Good News! just kept coming. Yep!!! you guessed it, my bag had arrived. Yippie!! Clean clothes etc....

OK off to bed now as need to be ready for an early start as we now have to try and make up for lost time due to the extended time on/in the Trek, Machu Picchu & Cusco.

I will be heading towards Puno/Lake Titicaca.

The Inca Rail Trail (Plan E)

Plan E is now in action as 12 of us set off at 11:30am and drive to the 88km mark on the trail tracks.

As we set off we for our long day of walking ahead we all were in good spirits. It all just occured to us that once we get to our destination the number of tourists at Machu Picchu will be limted/very low due to the strike people will not be able to get in or out. Sounds/Looks like a magical experiance is ahead of us.

We finally arrived at Aguas Calientes at approx 6:30/7pm after we walked in the dark for approx 1hr (Mum!, that head lamp came in handy).

We walked up the hill to the hotel only to find that it had no water. Well that is not going to do. So we walked further up the hill to another hotel that could accommodate all of us and had hot water. Yay!!! group happy again ready to be up at 5:30am to get the but at 6am to Machu Picchu.

Can't wait its going to be AWESOME.

Plan B, C, D......

After our guide Smitty made a number of calls to try and get all 18 of us on a train that night things did not look good. Of course it was all booked out and Plan B now became Plan C.

Plan C was to try and get all of us back to Cusco through the road blocks etc... and continue along with the Dragoman Itinerary. As you can imagine a number of us were not keen of this as this did not include Machu Picchu in the Plan.

Plan D was to wait out in Ollantaytambo for 2 days and catch an early train there and a late train back. Of course no guarantee we could do this as there would be a large number of other people/groups wanting to do this.

Plan E we wake up early walk along the train line for approx 30km (6-8 hr walk). Don't worry no trains are running remember they are on strike.

Of course with 18 people we all had differnet ideas about what we wanted to do and when.
The group was divided into two and Plan D & E were the options. I took Plan E. Argh!!! another day of walking, just what the doctor ordered NOT!!!!. Lucky this walk does not include an early wake up call.

Cant wait to see Machu Picchu.
It better be worth all the talk that goes along side it.

Ollantaytambo

As we wait for an answer on how we can get to Machu Picchu we take some time explore the ruins of Ollantaytambo. More incredible temples, drying or stornage buildings, calendar and finely crafted water channels and foutains.

I see a shower in the near future

After camping for a number of nights we were all looking forward to a nice shower at our final destination of Ollantaytambo before we catch the train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) the next morning.

But.... I am getting a head of myself after the coldest nights sleep so far on the Trek we continued to desend through some more beautiful. The lower we go the more vegetation we got to see. Of course with more vegetation and water comes the bugs etc... so a short stop to apply the anti bug spray.

We had a quick lunch at an AWESOME spot with a little river and some patches of grass to relax on. Did not relax for long as we were all keen to get to the bus and have that shower that everyone has been hoping for.

Yay!!!! Finally we arrived at our final destination Ummmmm.......... only to find out that we had more BAD NEWS. Yes! more BAD NEWS. One of our guides Lucho told us that there is a bit of conflict in Peru at the moment which as caused for the Trains to and from Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) to be on strike for 2 days. While the talk of Plan B, C & D are being talked about the group makes its way to Ollantaytambo for that all important shower.

Ummmm How will I get to Machu Picchu?

Highest Point!!

Another early morning start (Ok not quite 3am), the advantage of this is the peace and tranquility that you get at this time and the chance to see the local people getting on with their everyday lives (well this is what others told me - think I was sleep walking for number hours until I woke up :) hee hee).

Today we walk through green pastures as we leave the valley behind us. As we trek higher into the mountain on orginal Inca Trails (Yes Orginal), we reach an area of high mountain lagoons. The mountains become more rugged and its time to take it a little slower. This just gave me more reason to stop take photos and enjoy the stunning views of some of the highest snow-capped peaks in the Urubamba range and of course it gave me better opportunity to aclimatise as I climbed.

This climb only got steeper as we head through the clouds to the Pumahuacasa Pass (4800m). Yep!!! time to congratulate myself of a job well done. After this amazing climb it was only right to start to make my way down the rocky trail into some amazing high forest and then along some AWESOME green steeped valleys.

Tonight we sleep at 4100m at Paccha. Tomrrow a short day easy of walking (Umm.... Think I will be the judge of how easy it is).

Giving a helping hand - Lets start walking!

So I managed to get up at the 3am take down my tent and live the night of the cold. (Ummm knew I should have picked up more clothes).

We are on a mission to make up on lost time to with a quick drive to Quishuarani we get to one of the schools that part of the Community Project. Our missions was to paint the toilet block and build a wall. I am happy to say that we built the wall and got 80% of the painting done (on the building and on me - excellent just what I need when entering into a 3 day trek without showers).

After breakfast and a lesson in the local language we set off towards Cuncani (3700m). We begin our hike upward through the high puna to the first pass at Uchuycasa (4400m). From the pass we enjoy a spectacular panoramic view of the dramatic Urubamba mountain chain that includes several sacared snow-capped peaks. Then down the pass, feeling muscles I forgot I had (or didn't know I had) and into the pampa and a cluster of turquoise lagoons. With a number of grazing Alpaca and Llamas I thought this gave me good reason to stop catch my breath and take a number of photos. All tis before lunch can you believe it!!!

After lunch we head further down past some AWESOME waterfalls and through a number of fields. This walk was great but OMG the downhill in parts was just crazy steep.

Finally made it into camp and feeling like I could sleep for a week. Had a quick nap before dinner and then ate a feast of amazing food. To think this food is carried in by porters, donkey and Llama's. (How do they keep it so fresh?)

Bad News just keeps coming

Day 1 of Part 1 and we have a 10am meeting to talk about the days ahead. The usual intro, meet and greet etc... names were called out to divide the room for Inca Trail v´s Community Trail sad news is that a little bit of a mix up at the time of booking and I am NOT on the Inca Trail. :(

So after asking and running around in the hope that I could change Trails (never hurts to ask), I just had to come to the fact that I was going to walk the Community Trail.

I am now with out any luggage booked on a Trek that I dont want to walk and need to ensure that I will be warm enough while walking the trail and sleeping at night. So off shopping now. (Phew!!! Glad I wore my boots on the flight).

Day 2 ' We leave Cusco with a 5am wake up call and drive to Sacsayhuaman (it is easier to say it like this Sex Sigh Woman). These ruins are best remembered for the gigantic blocks that make up the zig zag frontal of this fort like construction. Its and AWESOME place and the early morning sun light made the view of Cusco rooftops even more beautiful (Bah!!! who am I kidding I still would have loved a sleep in).

Back in the bus as we head on over the dividing ridge and into the Sacared Valley. Next stop high on the mountainside was the Pisac Ruins. We walked along ridges and up and down worn steps in to the heart of these ruins. We stopped to have our packed lunch in a nearby village, upon finishing lunch we find out that we are unable to get to our first camp site/community due to road work and will need to spend the night and make up time tomorrow. Yep!!! to make up time we need to wake up at 3am. (Man I hate early starts).

Awesome Adventure #3 - South America - Part 1

Besides not having luggage I am looking forward to Part 1 of my South America AWESOME Adventure.

For those that are keen below is a map of Part 1 of the journey.

Strike 2

Early start up at 5am to get my transfer to the airport. Due to the early start we made it to the airport in good time. I checked in for my first flight of the day from Buenos Aires to Lima (well that´s once I worked out how to use the kiosk at the airport).

Its approx 5hr flight so plenty of time to catch up on a few of the latest movies and a small nap. With a small connection time between flights I was in a rush to get to baggage claim. Again I am the last man standing at the baggage claim but this time with good reason it appears as if my luggage has been lost. :( ummm... just what I need when in 1 1/2 days I will be setting off to walk the Inca Trail.

I was advised to catch my flight to Cusco and continue to follow up my formal complaint at Cusco. I have done this and still no bag.

I guess I will be travelling light this holiday.

Just not going to plan.

I left Oz on the morning of the 13 September and after a good bye full of tears (all my me) I was on the plane and fast asleep in no time.

Arrived in Buenos Aires and after a long wait for my bag I arrived at the hotel and was straight back in a cab to get myself a Brazil Visa. The funny thing is the Brazil Consulate in Buenos Aires does not open after 2:30pm, I arrived at 2:45pm. I knew now that I would be pushing my luck to get a visa processed in 1 day but.... eh!!! got to try right.

Explored Buenos Aires that afternoon by foot but with the weather being overcast and raining I did not venture far or fast. I made it an early night as needed to be up early to get to the Brazil Consultate. Well the doors to the consulate opened at 9am and I was there at 9:15am, clearly I needed to get there before then as I had to wait for 1hr 30min before it was my turn. Well after a long talk it was clear that I was not going to get my visa on this day. I walked away from the Consulate knowing that I have 2 more chances to get my Brazil visa before entering Brazil. One can only hope it will all work out.

For the 2nd time around I went to explore Buenos Aires by foot today was a better day with blue skys (perfect for taking photos) and the sun out I had not excuse to sit and wollow about the fact I still dont have a Brazilian Visa.

Off to bed as I have a flight to Cusco (via Lima) to catch in the morning.