So I survived - just. Here follows a blow by blow account of the highs and (extreme) lows of the journey from Cuzco to, er, Cuzco!! We left Cuzco on Sunday 9th December, and headed through the sacred valley to Ollantaytambo. The sacred valley (known as Wilcamayo by the Incas) is lush and fertile, and... Continue Reading →
We’re on the road to nowhere / highway to Hell
"Travel by local bus to Lima (approx 8-10 hrs)". So say the trip notes. Dunno about any of my travelling buddies, but when this trip is over i may never get on another bus, ever. The trip notes make it clear how much bussing is involved, but you don't really appreciate the implications (bad back,... Continue Reading →
It’s Perah, Tarquin, PERAH!!
So this one time, on my gap-yah ... Yes, we're in Peru or 'Perah' for Orlando fans. First stop - Mancora, a beach resort on the Pacific coast. Our hopes for having a crack at surfing were dashed on arrival, due to the absence of any surf!! Still, it gave me what I was desperately... Continue Reading →
Adios Ecuador!!
After 8hrs and 2 buses, we arrived in our last Ecuador destination, Cuenca. Cooler and more drizzly than Banos, Cuenca is home to a large American expat community. Actually Ecuador generally is home to a large American expat community given that they share a currency and the $USD goes a long way here. The main... Continue Reading →
Boot camp …
Next stop Banos, home of thermal baths, where people come to relax, unwind and scald themselves. The first afternoon was pretty chilled, owing to the fact that my stomach decided I´d had it too easy for the last 6 weeks. The first stop was a restaurant serving ´menu del dia´ only. Unfortunately on this occasion,... Continue Reading →
The Amazon. Is this a stand-up fight, or just another bug hunt?!
7.30am on a sunday morning, and we are catching a bus. This time to Tena, and from there we make our way to Cotocotcha Lodge in the Amazon. The bus journey was a bit of a mission - the roads are full of serious twists and turns. In fact, on every bus I have been... Continue Reading →
It begins … find a high place and jump off.
Columbia was truly fabulous, and I had the best time ever. I allowed myself a little sniff and sulk once I was safely in the international departure lounge, but i´ve made some good memories and I won´t forget the experiences or the people who shared them with me any time soon. But now here I... Continue Reading →
Do you … salsa??!
Is it obvious that i´m struggling to keep this up to date now i´m on the road all the time?! So we arrived in Cali on a Sunday evening after a 6hr bus ride. After checking into the hostel, we decided to go in search of food, only to discover that Cali (or at least... Continue Reading →
Caves, crazy bus rides, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon
So what's happened since I left Medellin? Well, quite a lot actually! From Medellin, we went to a place called Rio Claro, which is basically a glorified activity centre with a hotel and restaurant attached. It's pretty much in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by jungle, with a river running through it. The hotel was... Continue Reading →