calgary, Canada

Well, i'm home after 24 hours of transit... that was a tough one!!! A lot of wait and fly and wait and fly... gotta love travelling.

My final day was spent shopping and getting last minute stuff that i didn't need, apparently my bag was not full enough.  I managed to hold tight to my possessions and all was good. Found that La Paz was not that bad and quite pretty if you ignore the bird crap being flung at you.

As with all travelling experiences there were definately ups and downs, and the really good thing is there were way more ups... i hung out with a pretty cool guy - although he did make my blood boil at times, i guess this trip taught me about picking my battles and letting things go, especially when you are trapped together for 24/7.  My travelling companions were steller and hopefully we will keep in touch...

I know this blog was waaay more boring than past ones but i swear, these tours are kicking the crap out of me more and more so i think maybe hawaii will be nice :)

Take care!

La Paz, Bolivia

Well, the last couple of days have been really exhausting... must talk to the tour group as we have spent the last 5 days on the road for at least  5-7 hours and it is not fun at all...

The salt flats were cool except for getting back, it took 12 hours which included dropping the new zealanders off at the Chile border... after we got back it was around 6 and then alberto got sick so i went to a pizza place on my own and was joined by a brazilian rockstar, his french girlfriend and his buddy who were on the tour but with the spanish group... REally nice people, kept me company.

We finally ended up leaving at 1:30 in the morning, it was definately not an easy place to sleep... hot and cold and it was just chairs and anyway, it was not good... then we ended up having to take a bus... got front row seats  on the top, really nice view if i could keep my eyes open.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wondering, i was given clear instructions on how to get around la paz as A had a big date or somethign, although i´m not fond of the city i ventured out teh opposite way where my purse was stabbed... this time i was greeted by riot police with riot gear preparing to break up a demonstration... tinking me and la paz were not meant to be.  I did manage to take a good look around and it was quite nice but i did get out of dodge pretty quick.

So i had big hopes for a big night out and well, we had a farewell dinner and then A dropped me off and went off to do something... nice how do you do... oh well, time to pack and watch bad spanish MTV.   Tomorrow i am going to pick up some last minute gifts and then head to teh airport at 1:30, my flight is 1 hour earlier so want to be nice and early because i´ve been hearing a ton of stories how the flights have changed and they are early despite confirmation.

Uyuni, Bolivia

Hey there, it{s been a while since i{ve updated this thing and it{s going to have to be a short one, heading to la paz on the overnight train at midnight.

So we came to Uyuni after a 6 hour bus ride, alberto and i had a bit of a domestic... i think just us seeing each other everyday took it{s toll so anyway, we worked things out... i think he thinks i{m totally anti social as he keeps on wanting me to make friends and i keep on telling him not to worry, i can take care of myself...

So we met our group for the tour of the salt mines, 2 girls (22 and 23 from London) who just graduated from medical school, ok am i the only one who thinks that they are a little young to be doctors... but good on them, then a young couple from new zealand who have been working at banff the last couple of years.  actually meeting up with them in a couple of weeks to get some pictures which is cool and alberto and i...

it was 3 days of a lot of driving,  A LOT, at least 7 hours a day... lots of crazy pics on the salt mines, jumping and anyway, tough to explain, you{ll just ha ve to see them...  the accomadation was BASIC,. generator on for a couple of hours, no heat... freezing 0 not inca trail freezing though, i was prepared this time... played lots of cards and hung out with headlamp on my head...

basically we travelled to the border of chilie and then drove 13 hours to get back today.  I think i will write more later cause pretty bagged and have to grab some supper before the midnight traing.

The plan is the 7 hour train ride and then a 6 hour bus ride, good times... back to la paz for one more night and home i come... i think i am definately ready.

Anyway, will write more tomorriw!

Potosi, Bolivia

Well, because my tour leader is addicted to facebook am making the last regular stop before getting to Ayuni tonight.  really not looking forward to the 6-8 hour bus ride and it is pretty chilly here.

Anyway, a few final notes from Potosi - at least the mine.  If i´m repeating myself just ignore it cause the 1st blog was much more thorough.  Anyway, these minors use the coca leaf a lot.  they smoke it, chew and even process it to make it into cocaine... can´t imagine the addictions issues over here, but not surprising seeing the working conditions.  Also on friday, to celebrate making it through a nother week they drink 97% alcohol mixture, ya i´m not lying... 97%, they offered us a capful but after the first 3 girls just about puked, i passed.

Hung out at the hotel and a new tour group w 27 passangers showed up.  i can´t imagine being on a tour with 27... i´m thinking between 3 and 8 is perfect, otherwise it is just a bunch of people being hearded around... apparently it is the s american version of contiki cause there were 17 of them surrounding a 10" tv watching a tv movie and passing around beer... good times!

Hope i can tear alberto away from the computer long enough to check out the town as everything has been closed the last couple of days with the holiday.

Thinking i may need to bring more clothes cause apparently it snowed when the GAP crew was there 2 nights ago... just what i wanted...

Potosi, Bolivia

Ok i just finished writing a riveting piece of work and well, it´s gone... damn technology... will try and put as much passion and love in this one but it is doubtful.

Anyway, as you all know it was labour day yesterday... i forgot to mention that we had a great Bolivian buffet with some families... it had starter potatos that were amazing with hot saunce, salads and then they brought ot the soup... it was some sort of vegitable and beef and finally, the chicken platter with fried egg, fries, pickled vegitables and a piece of french toast... yummy... all for 16 bolivianos... that would be $2.5 US.,.. unbelievable... anway for supper it rained and it was cold... our hotel is ok but freakin cold and it echos like nothing else... you can hear people talking on the first floor really clearly and i am on the 3rd... anway, we wandered and every resteraunt we were going to try was closed... in the meantime we hit a market and bought some snacks... what we found was awesome... a bottle of liebfraumilch for 37 bolivianos... that would be 5.50 US... double awesome... we finally found a dirty pizza tourist place and had the worst pizza ever but they agreed to open the bottle... so all was not lost.

Got up early and met with a few girls from a GAP tour - they have 16 on their tour and took pity in my tour group of 1 and invited me on their excursions today which i jumped at... thinking alberto and i need a break... anyway we headed to the mint museaum, it was alright for a museum... did learn that canada produces their change and france imports their notes cause apparently it is cheapre to outsource.

the next stop was to teh mines... the spanish had a history of exploiting this city for it´s riches... in the 1700s potosi was like the klondike but after being pillaged suffered a drastic loss of residents... while the spanish were here they brought over africans and used indigunous people and 80 million people ended up dying on the mountain over the years...

Currently they are still mining for silver, tin and copper... the age you can work at the mine is 12... can you imagine and your wage is 70 bolivianos a day... athat would be 10US... insane, no wonder they were protesting... so while we were there there were 3 boys on the main floor... they have to bring out 21 tons of minerals... each wagen weighs one ton... craziness... and to do it 21 times is insane... the mortality rate is insane  and when it is hot these asbestos crystals form which gets in their lungs and kills them quicker... the local tour guide mentioned that there were at least 3 deaths a month... we walked for about 40 minutes and it was constantly, watch for the hole on the right and climb these planks that bridge this huge gap... not cool... they also work above and have to climb these rickety ladders ad well, they will die if they misstep... thank goodness for hardhats... i walked into a wall twice - hard becasue i was worred about falling in a hole... anwya, after an hour we went outside and blew up some dynamite... now that is a way to end a tour... she was lighting the dynamite and had me and the tour guide hold the explosives... then they ran down the hill planted it, and ran back and boom... good times!!!

anyway, the group was heading out to Sucre and i was heading to where they came from... Salt flat.s.. aparently it is freezing and it snowed... and the hostel is freezing and made of salt and no showers for 3 days.. so i will be persona non grata until who knows cause on the way back we take an overnight train and then a 6 hour bus ride before ending up back in La PAz where my bag was stabbed what great memories...

Can´t believe i will be home in a week, it´s flown by!!! hope all is well and talk asap!

Potosi, Bolivia

Ok i just finished writing a riveting piece of work and well, it´s gone... damn technology... will try and put as much passion and love in this one but it is doubtful.

Anyway, as you all know it was labour day yesterday... i forgot to mention that we

Potosi, Bolivia

We got up pretty early to realize that today is a holiday - labour day, in fact, so the plans of hiring our taxi driver were down the tubes.  I apparently need to be more trusting of alberto cause i was like ´seriously, you didn´t book tickets, we´re going to be trapped´blah blah blah... he said, relax we´ll go and grab a shuttle... so we get there, find a driver and have to wait another 10 to fill up the car with a couple of more passangers.  i got to sit at the front and watch the great scenery while alberto made some new friends... good times.

Anyway, a lot of places are closed and there has been a huge demonstration of people walking around the town chanting and setting off fireworks - i think they want a raise.

We wandered a lot, interesting the kinds of looks alberto and i are getting... western girl and peruvian guy.... oh well, what can you do when you are in a tour group of 1... every night we are toasting to another day we get through the day with one another, it´s quite funny.,

The town is pretty cool, trying to figure out whether i am going to do a mine tour or not, it´s hard to get motivated as it would be me going as alberto has no budget to go with me...i think i am ok and wondering and soaking up the atmosphere, i think there are hot springs somewhere.

Apparently there is some sort of party tonight for the holiday, should be interesting... anyway, that´s it... apparently i´m supposed to make friends with the GAP group that is staying in the hotel...

Can´t believe i only have a week left... it´s flown by!

Sucre, Bolivia

So yesterday was a hang out do not a lot day.  For lunch we went to a place called New Amsterdam, they support a local community center which supports poor working kids in the area. Yesderday was apparently Queen´s day and so they were preparing for a big bash and there were a ton of kids there playing games - basically an outreach.  The girl in charge invited me to help but Alberto had to take off so i would be without an interpretor and the kids don´t speak any english so unfortunatley had to skip that one but really great cause.  we ended up having some fusion danish food - some sort of potato, onion mash with chorizo sausage on it... not bad.

After a quick nap we went to a movie - Iron Man 2, a bolivian story of epic proportions... apparently needed to get some culture in.

Picked up our laundry which is always a good thing and then went for dinner, had some wine and i crashed and burned but am totally feeling much better today.

Not sure what is in store, I think w two people it´s a little easier to change plans.  instead of a local bus i am going to pay an extra $3 to get a local taxi direct... for a 3 hour journey not bad...

Anyway, breakfast

Sucre, Bolivia

Well after a great night of chirizo pizza and a bottle of wine, managed to get back to the hostel at 9... man things really don´t change... we did some hanging out at the plaza and people watched which is always fun... unfortunately sleep sucked, not sure what was going on on the floor above me but they were moving furniture at 4 am and didn´t fall asleep until 6 and that was not that good and then we had breakfast and did our activity = not bike riding or visiting inca ruins... it was going for a run and hitting the worst gym ever... i think i am sore becasue the equipment was horrible, plus we are still at 3800 m altitude so apparently getting my altitude training in but am officially paying for it as all i want to do is nap.   Probably do some more wandering after lunch, who knows... i´m in the hands of the tour leader... by the way i was very versed on the difference between tour guide and tour leader... never get those two messed up!!!

Not sure when leader guy is going to get things sorted out but hey, not my issue... awesome being a one person tour and having to take no responsibility for everything...

Hope the mess in Cgy gets cleaned up and you all drive safe!!!

Sucre, Bolivia

So i finally got out of dodge, actually hibernated in my room in La Paz until we had another traditional bolivian meal of naan bread and tikka masala :) the lateness appears to Alberto not switching his watch from Peru to Bolivia time...

So i guess i got to eat some words, and not influenced by anyone standing over me but Alberto nor any payment has switched hands for this endorsement ' Alo is actually one of the better tour leaders that i´ve had and i´ve had quite a few.  i actually feel sorry for him having to deal with me, i´m sure i can be a llittle difficult and only a tad bit needy.  He actualy blamed himself for the tour group getting sick with stomach issues and for my purse being slashed despite him not being there at all... there is someone more intense than i am which is hard to believe.  i think we have come to somewhat of an understanding and i think for him it´s also hard having a tour group of 1... He does say what he thinks which is apparently what you do here... anyway, we are spending a lot of time together so it should be good cause i have my own personal interpretor and i can sort of do what i want and not worry about what the tour wants us to do... thinking i will be skipping the dinosaur park and likely going on a mountain bike trip in teh morning, gotta try and pretend i am training for an olympic triathlon a month after i get back.

Anyway, made our way to the airport and headed to Sucre which is actually a really nice colonial town and definatey feel much safer here after the incident in La Paz.  Just wondering aimlessly which has been a nice break... 

Hope you all are surviving the blizzard and the phone situation is just not working so email will have to do... Take care

Mom = say hi to OMA!!!! love you lots...

We keep on trying to go shopping but the 1 store i want to go to is always closed.  hmmm, thinking it may be a sign...

La Paz, Bolivia

Well  today was one of my most interesting days of travelling ever... i must say i´ve been pretty blessed in that nothing bad has happened ... until today, and i can´t say them bastards were that successful.  So i went to the local market and honestly from the beginning had the heebeegeebies, just something but i wanted to take a look around and Mel and i had ventured out before.  So in the tra vel book it states all the scams that tourists are wondering and get hit with bird crap and they are distracted and they slash their bags and get the stuff... so i´m walking and splat, hit by bird crap in my leg, don´t know too many birds that aim that low with tons and tons of locals around.  so i know what´s going on and sort of keep walking and then i get hit with some other crap, by then i am ready for my local experience to be  over... i finally found a less crazy street, everything seeming to be in tact.  Then i get lost, no idea where i am, so i spend a lot of time just going to stores for directions.... i made it relati vely unscathed and met with alberto to get my phone sorted... thought it was sorted but it sends texts out but not in... sucks... the system is interesting, you can by a sim card but you have to stand in line for an hour to actually activate it and it doesn´t even work... oh well, i guess that is s america for you... anyway, i get back to my room cause al was cranky cranky cranky so i went to my room and pack and what did i notice is that i have a gigantic slash in the back of my purse... thank goodness for MEC, the multiple layers stopped any issues... anyway, thinking i´ll be taking al with me from now on if i´m going to check out the local scene...  so now i´m waiting, very unpatiently for dinner.  al and i are supposed to head out but he is 1/2 hr late... seriously not cool...

La Paz, Bolivia

Well,  the tour is officially over for the other 5 people and now it´s just me.  things did not go that great yesterday, i think i wrote that melinda was really really sick, then we go to teh moon park which is pretty cool however, i feel like i´ve been hit by a bus, good thing i started taking the anti biotics = again... so we wandered and well at around 4¨30 hit a wall and cuoldn´t do anything.  trying to figure out if it is altitude, sickness or just being out of shape makes me out of breath really easily... never ask a latino guy cause his response was i was unfit... seriously, so i am like what??? then he back tracked and said that i was ok for someone ´my age´... can you say DOGHOUSE...

so i crashed for about 3 hours and we had a final dinner and it turns out that now 4 out of 6 are ill... not good karma at all... so it was a very quiet evening... poor alberto had to go salsa  dancing on his own.

I still have a goal of getting the sim card but it´s hard when you have to rely on someone else.  So no one met at 9 as planned, i´m thinking people are puking in their rooms so i´m ok with that.  I think i´m going to head out and look around for a few hours, do some shopping, maybe find some non tourist pants to go with my non tourist boots :)

have a free day to explore so should be good...

La Paz, Bolivia

Hey there, so yesterday we got put on a boat and set sail... initially we felt that it was a reason for our tour guide to get some time away from us but we actually saw some interesting things.  We went to Uros which is an island which is made of reeds and they need to replace oit every 13 mths as it rots.  This culture is dying out as the younger generation is trying to get away to teh mainland.  From there there was another 2 hour boat ride to another island where we once again climbed a big hill - apparently no shortage of those... Unfortunately i can´t talk talk smack about tour guide as he is right next to me... ;) anyway, we had some awesome trout and then headed back for long long long ride, ended up hanging out on top of the boat and towing another one to shore...

At night we ate - highly riveting, more piscoe sours and early to bed... which is just like home...

The bolivia transfer was interesting, Alberto had to be persona non grata as apparently there are issues between bolivia and peru and shouldn´t be here... so he walked 20 steps behind, which is the way it should be...  so we had to get off the bus go to the police station, then walk to peru immigration and a few shops down Bolivia immigration... Had some issues with the south african lady due to her trying to use multiple passports.  We escaped border control and headed to the ferry, which was basically a wood barge that carried the bus and then we took a motor boat... another one of our ladies decided this was a good time to test the water right beside the propellor, all i could visualize was SAW 999, a lot of blood and spurting...

The views are amazing, totally reminds me of the rockies...

we went for thai cause that´s what you do in Bolivia... unfortunatley melinda is sick as a dog with another stomach thing which is making me have psycho psomatic symptoms... i got some antibiotics as a preventitive measure... and now i´m spending some high quiality time with alberto... best time ever (i´ll be more honest when he is not beside me -  kidding) anyway, we went to a park this morning and i am sorting out my sim card so hopefully i can get in touch with people again... have a few more days in la paz and then i´m off on my tour of 1...

Later, hope it stopped snowing... it´s beautiful here... oh ya, bought some BOOTS!!! ya me...

Puno, Peru

Have to be quick but had a great day on the lake yesterday, travelling to Bolivia today on the bus 0 long 9 hr bus ride and will be getting a new SIM card so a strange number may be me... i´ll report back when i get to La Paz

Puno, Peru

So last night Mel and I went out for Piscoe Sours... so good, it´s pretty much like a whisky sour.  Then we met the group for dinner - always has to be some confusion, this time the reservations were wrong but we decided to stay where we were anyway and then tour guide went for a farewell party for work and left us on his own.  Anyway, apparently that pisco sour was a little strong and was a wee bit on the drunk side and barely made it to 9 pm, but then again what else is new.

Got up early to catch a bus to Puno which is in southern Peru.  We were all out having breakfast and no one could wake tourguide up, they were banging on his door for at least 20 minutes and he was a mess after a big night out... so we were just about later but good thing everything goes in Peru time so it´s usually late anyway.  Good day to be a mess.

Bus ride was really good, basically could lay down and watch the scenery for 6 hours but it is beautiful.  Walked around the town which is pretty cool.  The plan is to go to a folky kind of dinner tonight and then spend the entire day tomorrow heading to Lake Titicaca for the entire day, which is the highest lake in the world.  Have a few altitude issues, bit of a headache but nothing horrible.

FYI my phone is taking texts but not being able to send them out... anyway will writer tomorrow, have a good one...

cuzco, Peru

So today was ours without our tour guide telling us what to do or where to go.  unfortuntely still got up t 630... so Mel and i had breakfast and then went our for a wander which was pretty cool.  streets were packed at 730am and we did some sightseeing and checked things out in a different area of the city.  We booked a massage with an american girl who is living not too far away for a $25 for an hour.  I think i needed a wood stick to put in my mouth to deal with the pain... seriously my quads were very very angry with me but once it was done things were moving much better.  I actually came out and felt really nauseous which is never a good sign.  After that we walked around in a daze and found a hotel that served grilled cheese and lattes... just what the Dr. ordered. The rest of the day we went to a local market with all the met hanging about, threw up in my mouth a little cause of the smell... not good.

We are hoping to locate the Piscoe tapas bar that the massage therapist is working at for a quick drink tonight before passing out.

so i had the most interesting conversation with Alberto last night... not sure if it went anywhere but what can you do... i have to remember 10 days will be fine and will likely be pissy - i hope not but i think that is reality at this point especially if blond girl s

shows up...let´s just hope for the best... only 4 more days with my group which is starting to go by really fast.

Weather has been mixed this morning i was hot and wearing tank top and skirt but am now wering pants and jacket as it strted to rain.  Should be interesting tomorrow as no one has any idea when we have to get up, how we are getting to Puno or how long it´s going to take.  good times!!!

Hope all you are doing well...

cuzco, Peru

 April 21 continues

So we get back to the hotel after our 3 day adventure for a hot shower to find no hot water anywhere in the hotel... i can´t tell you how much it sucked to have to shower in freezing cold... We all had dinner together and i had a couple of pisco sours to warm up the innards... Let me tell you how unbelievably awesome was to be in a warm bed.

BTW our tour leader is schizophrenic... one day he is awesome the next he is this slimy ass... He has started to make statements like ´if it´s not in the tour notes i´m not doing it´ Actually after i was sick, he had promised to take me around to the places we missed and all of a sudden he´s like, i´ll get you a map... whatever dude...

Found out another girl may join and she is hot to trot for Alberto, blond little bimbo (I´m saying that cause i actually made an attempt to chat on the hiking trail and she was a beotch) and since he is casanova i am having absolute nightmares about going to Bolivia with the two fo them and being a third wheel... trying to figure out what the hell to do cause i don´t want to be miserable for 10 days... ANY THOUGHTS:

April 22

Took a trail early this morning on the Inka Rail ' got to see all the sights and ride through the jungle for hour and a half ' pretty cool.  Then had to drive another hour to get to cuzco... so once again, Alberto offers the tour and we were going to grab lunch... we are heading out and some other random chick shows up and he´s like ´sorry, don´t be mad´... ok really annoyed by now... so i haven´t seen anything which is ok cause it is poring rain at this point...

Booked a massage tomorrow am with an american massage therapist ' the other ones óne the street appear very very dodgy... should be good cause legs are a little on the unhappy side...

So just going to relax for the next couple of days... Hope all is well on your side and not being bored by this blog... Keep in touch ' want some news from the world!!!!

machu piccu, Peru

So like i was saying, wide awake all night totally sucked a lot.  I was wearing 2 pairs of pants a top, long sleeved top, fleece, jacket, scarf gloves and toque... freezing... the funny thing is i became completly disoriented in the tent at some point and then ended up at the tent by the door and had to wake melinda up to find the flashlight... Turns out she got the same bug i did and on the hardest day of the hike... i give her props, i don´t think i could have done it... had a hard time walking a block in the city nonetheless for 12 hours up and down stairs... 

So imagine waking up and you are so high that the clouds are below you, it was amazing.  we were at our highest point of 4000 m and view was awesome... So we woke up at 530 and the ´friends´provided up with coca tea in our tents and a bowl of hot water and we had to pack up and have breakfast and start off by 730 and they packed up and ran past us.  The first hour we walked up 400 m and it was daunting... you look ahead of you and it is up, up and more up... then you reach the peak and go down 800 m, w uneven stairs ... i ended up on my own ahead of the group by 45 min and waited on the bottom for them.  We ended up doing two mountain passes and saw some unbelievable views... Really can´t describe them, will have to see the pics but you will have to believe it was absolutely amazing and breathtaking and such an awesome feeling that we had hiked up over 4000 m and still standing.

We ended up at our 2nd campsite and we were on a cliff far away from the freakin toilet so they built a tent for ·2 (if you know what i mean) and we were supposed to find a bush to squat in... let me tell you i held it cause you go to a bush and on the other side is this 3000 m drop... ya, no thanks... So everyone had pity on me and offered spare jackets and pajamas to layer on top of my other layers... unfortunely didn´t help much cause we were way higher and therefore way colder... so ya, another sucky night.

DAY 3

So we have our traditional tea and breakfast and found the worst squater outhouse ever, i don´t think i have ever gagged so much in my life, it was disgusting...

Today began the scariest downhill in my life, if you missed a step you were going straight down them and would have a lot of difficulty stopping and then add up very shaky legs to begin with and then terrified of heights and falling to a very bad death it was a very stressful 2 hours... Don´t get me wrong, absolutely stunning and beautiful but i was crappin my pants the whole way... after we had a few minutes break down a gentler slow i completely bite it down a couple of steps ' good thing is the only thing i hurt was my pride.  honestly thankful to God it didn´t rain, anytime the rocks were wet it was like ice and my trail runners didn´t have the best traction ever. 

Anyway, it got better as we got nearer except for the 2 foot wide path that lead to a straight down to the bottom... man was that tough for me, i was pretty much hugging the mountain... i really didn´t think heights were that much of an issue but apparently they are... so we stopped at a ´resteraunt´which i use very loosly as it was more of a rest stop... After 5 hours we had our final challenge, the OMG stairs as Cesar put it... it was vertical up and had to go on hands and knees and climb up.. but at the top you were at the sun gate and saw Machu Piccu.  What was sad was that 20 meters from the stairs is where the guide got swept to his death, it was a very somber reminder about how dangerous nature can be.  looks like he heard something coming from the mountain, told his group to stay back and was immediately taken down the 3000m drop... so sad...

However, although sad it was amazing when you get to the sun gate and you see accross the valley this huge, amazing work of Inka architecture, it is everything you think it is... Thinking it was built around 1400AD and the amount of work that was put in it in a mountain range is truly mindblowing... We had to finally hike over there and look at all the fresh people who took the train and we are a mess although a very happy crew of smelly messes... We took lots of pics  and  it had a very jurassic park feel as a fog had lifted over it and all you can see is mountains surrounding you...

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE PLANNING TO GO TO MACHU PICCU, WHEN YOU GET HERE MAKE SURE YOU PRONOUNCE IT MATCHU PIC CHEW NOT MATCHA PEECHEW, THE FIRST ONE MEANS OLD MOUNTAIN THE LATTER MEANS OLD PENIS... LOCALS MUST LAUGH AT THE GRINGOS ALL THE TIME.

So FYI ' Machu Pichu was built by Inka number 9, there were 13 all together and there was only one Inka at a time and they were the king and everyone else was a Cetchewa.  number 9 was apparently very very smart and innovative and changed the face of the nation. he would probably get the nobel prize if it were awarded back then.  So it´s amazing that the Spaniards over through them after hundreds of years of civilization in a very short time.  -It turns out they arrived in Equidor and they killed millions from the spread of small pox )does that sound familier...number 12 then died and all of a sudden a civil war broke out between 2 half brothers.  the Spaniards took full advantake of this and ended up using thier lack of written language against them by intercepting messages and changing them as they went along.. Earlier they had taken 2 children back to spain so that they could learn spanish and brought one over to serve as an interpretor.  So in the end, they did not figure out that they were being had until it was too late.  The Inca´s were a culture who were focused on nature and the Spaniards wanted gold and silver and ended up sacking the place getting little... in the end the final Inka did a runner into the jungle and that was that... a Civilization in ruins...

machu piccu, Peru

So we finally made it to the day of the Inca Trail.  Seriously nervous about it, heard that you have to be really bit and besides that it has been condensed from 3 to 2 days so have to jam in another 1 to 1.5 hours of hiking each day.  We start off and me our group who are 2 other couples from an intrepid group.  Really nice and both from Australia.  So we have to take a bus with a few of our "friends" aka our porters.  They are hardworking men who carry 25 Kilo on their back for tourists, i will talk about them more later.

So we get there around 6:30 and have to check in... they give everyone certain start times to stagger them and we got the no 1 start time for 7am... so we meet our guide again who is Cesar - awesome awesome people.. he was so interesting and gave us a lot of interesting info along the way.

I ended up getting walking sticks but started with one, started by walking a gently sloping hill . i will be talking lots more about different perceptions about my guide and i had over his descriptions of the hills we were walking. There were locals and small villages, it{s amazing that people go there and have to walk or take their horse to get supplies once a week.  There are still signs from the flooding especially when it comes to the porters, because it is minimal service they are often made to walk 5 hours to catch a bus after hiking up and down extreme conditions with 25 Kilo on thier back.  They are truly special... anyway, we walk and walk and walk and first day is typicall supposed to be the easiest day but for me it was a killer we ended up going up 800 meters (that{s right - m) Anyway, i did really well and was at the front of the group up until the last hour when we started climbing and climbing these gigantic stairs that after 8 hours i had hit a wall and didn{t feel i could go on but i did... During the day we would often stop for a few minutes and for a couple of hours had to climb for 5 min and rest for a minute becasue it was so extreme... 

Let me tell you more about our porters, they are peruvian guys from 22 - 54, i would say out of our 14 (who took care of just 9 of us) most were family men with kids and were farmers and were attempting to earn extra income.  So we would wake up and they would take down our tents, make us breakfast and then pack up while we left, then there job was to run ahead of us with packs that were often as high as them, so they could make lunch for us, prepare it and then pack up, run a head of us for supper and sleeping. 

I am, a dumbass, let{s just say i was not thinking at all when i brought my sleeping bag, the same sleeping bag i brought for india.  let{s see India (hot) vs Inca Trail (over 4000 m), ya.... I was COOOLLLLDDDD at night, the first night was absolutely brutal and didn{t sleep at all despite hiking 12 hours up stairs and down stairs and really steep both ways... our guide would say it was gentle and i{d be seriously buddy this is not gentle it{s steep incline thank you, so this pretty well went on the entire trip in helping him come up with new definitions...

(gotta break for dinner!!!)

Ollantaytambo, Peru

Well, yesterday was a complete wash.  The good thing is that it happened in Cuzco so we have another few days there after the Inca trail so i can see what i missed.  Otherwise i was pretty bedridden for 24 hours which has never happened before, even at home.

So things started much better, feeling about 80% better, now that teh stomach flu has passed i think i have some altitude issues... some tingling and just feeling sort of out of it (also could be normal) so started taking the altitude sickness pills and hope it will not suck on the trail.

Today we had a later start, 9 am and had to pack and repack and figure out what to bring on the trek as you are allowed only 6 Kg that the porter can carry.  I think i´m sorted but really hoping for good weather.

We travelled throught the mountainous region of the Sacred Valley which is absolutely beautiful.  We stopped in a traditional town that Intrepid group sponsers.  Saw how a woman produced chocholate, a pottery place and a bee keeper.  Interesting how the pottery is pretty much the same everywhere you go.  Then we had lunch and had the opportunity for genea pig... unfortunately one the chocolatier lady showed us one of her genea pigs and he was white and all cute and also their supper... it was like hammy hamsters friend, Sammy ??? i think that was his name, anyway along with childhood memories i still have some stomach issues that are not that good so stayed away.  It was interesting to see that a lot of people are still living in a tent city since January.  There is apparently no government help to rebuild so who knows how long those people are stuck there.

We have a few hours at Ollantaytambo which is the train stop prior to the Inca Tr.  Looks like they were hugely impacted by the mudslides.  It´s pretty cool as the buildings and roads are all made of stone... unfortunately not enough time to wander around and explore.  I must say there are zillions of dogs around running amuck...

Anyway, think of me when i´m hiking - hoping i can make it as i was really weak from the flu and have been trying to get some strenght back.  I will talk to you in probably 3 days, depending if i can find a computer at Machu Piccu City where we are staying for the night.  We are going to be hiking with 4 other intrepid people with 13 porters and i hired some walking sticks... thinking i should have got the walker...

Take care and talk to you then!!!

cuzco, Peru

So i had the worst sleep ever, was actually freezing and then roasting and then nauseous so yaaaa picked up gastro flu... Awesome on a travel day where we had to get up early and hike to the boat, ride the boat for 40 min, then take a bus for 1 hr before getting on a plane... al while feeling like a pukey, nauseous mess... and only 2 days before the Inca Tr.  Should prove interesting.

Got my first sampe of coca tea which is made from Coca leave aka cocaine after all the fillers.  It´s supposed to ease the altitude sickness, which i can´t figure out if it is altitude or the gastro thing... thinking the latter. The town is absolutely beautiful, unfortunately i am not really in a great state to enjoy it.  The group is taking a tour around town but i am bailing cause well i´m on the internet and then heading to bed and drinking lots of water.

Tomorrow we are going to do a visit at a traditional village and have lunch with them before heading to our stop before the Inca trail.  We did just learn that they are condensing the trail from 4 days to 3 days so may have to push it a little harder. 

Hope you are all well the the weather is good... definately cooler in Cuzco which is a nice break from the extreme humidity of the jungle.

amazon jungle, Peru

So i forgot to mention we had two very awesome guides -urial and Luis, really knowledgable.

Anyway, 4 am came really really early and we had fresh fruit or breakfast and freshly made break - awesome.  Then we went for a jungle walk in the dark to get to a catamaran so we could do some animal watching.  We ended up seeing a black Cayman allegator, actually 2 and watched some squirrel monkey´s play.  Pretty amazing.  We then ended the day with some parana fishing.  unfortunately if they are relying on the tourists then there will be no supper.

So as most of you know, i am very clumsy... here´s another special moment where i wasn´t feeling great so i saw this bench but still wanted to sit close to the group.  So i sit on the end and don´t you know the board goes flying because oh ya, it´s not nailed down... good times...

Had another great lunch and they are really good about providing alternatives if you weren´t a meat eater.  I ended up skipping the medicinal hike and hung out on the hammock which turned out to be a good thing.  Ended up having some really aweful Chilean red wine that was also brought from Lima... all it did was give me a gigantic headache.  So we actually get to sleep in until 6:50, sweet!

Anyway, the group is starting to meld nicely.  The two older ladies are from South Africa and had very interesting view on Apartheid... Very enlightening.  Next day - Cuscoe

amazon jungle, Peru

So finally got out of Lima after having a really good dinner and trying out the peruvian drink ´Piscoe Sour´- yummy, did find out my 33 year old surfer tour leader is a very cheap drunk - fun times.  I did manage to try some Civeche which is rawfish in lime - can´t say i loved it but haed to try it.

We had to wake up at 5 am to catch our flight to the jungle, it makes me a littel nervous when the locals clap when we land - it´s like they were expecting something else.  We were only a little nervous as Alo has been off for the last 6 mos surfing so is trying to get into the swing of things and basically booked our flights the night before... We flew from Lima and had a stopover to Cuscoe and ended up in Peurto Maldonado which is the start of our Jungle tour. 

The atmosphere was amazing at the jungle retreat.  We had to take a bus and then a boat and then hike 15 min up some crazy rickety stairs to get there.  just imagine ' no electricity or doors.  basically it is a curtain to get in and there is a hammock so that you can just watch the goings on in the jungle.  Managed to spot a Tucan and didn´t have to move.  In the afternoon, we went up a 200 ft metal tower ' can you say freaked out... i was, very... so we had a traditional peruvian meal of chicken and potatos... prior to that my roomie and I cracked open the Boones Sangria we brought backf fromLima.  While we were drinking this massive red cockroach scurries over her... then you go into the bathroom and this huge black cockroach is staring at you and daring you to piss him off.  then crashed at 8 because we had to get up at 4 am the next day... seriously i thought i was on vacation.  Had good usage of the headlamp cause you could not see a lot with only a kerosene lamp lighting the way.  Muskito nets were covering the beds so we weren´t eaten alive. 

Lima, Peru

So spent the day wondering aimlessly, Lima is a pretty cool city ' really clean and lots to see.  Spent some time on the beach and watched some surfers, then walked and walked and walked some more.  Had a great lunch of omlette and the best vietnamese coffee ever.  Good times! Did manage to absolutely fry myself '- especially my feet... hot... NOT...

Got to meet the group - interesting to say the least.  my roommate is an ozzie from Melbourne _(sounds familier) and is a few years older than me, really nice... than it gets interesting... a couple my parents age - very nice and friendly quite like them, then 2 women who were at least 70s... high needs, to say the least.  i felt like i was on a trafalger tour... good thing the tour guide is really young - Alo (alphonso lopez)... the wierd thing is i am going to have him and no one else for 7 days in Bolivia.. i think he is pretty pumped cause i mentioned he could cut down on the history lesson and we´d be doing shopping :)  so we can go off itinerary.  So we visited the main plaza and saw some old buildings... as you do on a tour.

I did manage to get my cell phone sorted out which will be a good thing. 

Tomorrow i will be leaving at 5¨30 to catch a flight to the amazon for 2 days of hanging out and seeing bugs and stuff so will update you on Thurs (i think)...ç

Hope it has warmed up!!

Lima, Peru

so i finally made to lima; feels like it took freakin forever:  started interestingly enough we are about to leave a pesky ¨fire¨light comes on (btw  can¨t find a period or comma to save my life) so they send in the mechanics and they look at it and an hour later they turn off the plane and restart it:: just like at home when things aren¨t going your way:

during this wait i perused the shopping menu for continental:  let me tell you i got some amazing decorating ideas:  thinking the king tut life sized sarcophagus that is eight feet with fourteen shelving units··· good times! or how bout the 16TH century suit of armour with it"s own sword...  to complete things you need an electronic feng shui compass which locates supportive energy fields and align physical surrounding to help manifest goals and intentions... oh and personalise it w your name! i know what i´m getting when i go home

it was an uneventful flight to Houston and a really long 3 hour layover, went shopping, ate, bothered some people via text (thanks for amusing me btw), had a mai tai... so on the way to lima i end up getting a extra legroom seat unfortunately i am basically sitting w a baby on my lap as the basinet is on the wall so i give the seat to teh dad who was sitting a few rows back,  thank goodness cause that baby was not a happy camper, the flight attendants took pity on my and found me an entire row  and i basically lied down the entire trip except for the last 1.5 hrs when some random guy sat down...... oh well, i did manage to watch 2 movies, funny what happens when your trapped all of a sudden you becme a movie watcher... saw The lovely bones and it´s complicated.  pretty good.  BTW Continental has the worst airplane food ever, had this chicken teriaki thing and the chicken had all the fat globbed on it and the rice tasted steely (after picking off the disgusting chicken)... makes me want gag...

Made it to lima at 11 and driver stuck me in the very back of his van· crazy hairpin turns and well it looks like a clean city late at night.  the hotel is pretty clean, one thing i had no idea about is that it is only a 1 hr time difference. crazy.

today i have to get a new sim card, apparently roaming charges are insane! going to wander around.  looks like there are 7 of us, haven´t met anyone yet so we´´ll see.