chowie's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member chowie on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/chowie en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:41:40 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com Do you know the way to Puno? — Puno, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155163320/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155163320/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155163320/tpod.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:41:40 -0500 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Puno, Peru

Today was a travelling day. Nothing too exciting. We made our way from the Colca Canyon to Puno.

I was intrigued with how many stray dogs I saw in the middle of nowhere though. We would be in an absolute desolate place and there would be a dog on the side of the road. Nothing in sight but grasslands and a dog. It was easy to feel sorry for these dogs. They were mangey and had a lost look in their eyes.

We crossed a lot of farm land today. As you looked out, you didn´t just see cows grazing; you also saw one or two Peruvians sitting amongst them... just watching. Dressed in their traditional outfits, these people would keep watch over the herds all day long. I was bored just thinking about how bored they must be. With no shade and absolutely nothing around, it wouldn´t take long before I´d get up and abandon the herd.

Arrived in Puno and was afforded a gorgeous view of Lake Titicaca with the surprisingly sprawling city of Puno in the foreground.

Lastly on the agenda tonight, I believe it´s guinea pig time!
]]> We made it to Laerton... finally!!! — Laerton, Azerbaijan http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/5/1238596200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/5/1238596200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/5/1238596200/tpod.html Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:28:40 -0400 Laerton
Laerton, Azerbaijan

After much planning and waiting, I finally made it to Laerton.

There aren't many people who know too much about Laerton. Having just recently separated from Azerbaijan, Laerton has yet to really be discovered by tourists. I'd give about 5-10 years before people start flocking to Laerton. It's just such a different world here. So far removed from everywhere else --- so secluded.... so backwards.

Laerton isn't a very rich country -- in terms of wealth. But what it lacks in wealth it makes up for in character. There is such an interesting vibe here. In Baranka (the capital city) it's very eerie. It is almost like an "I Am Legend" feeling. There's hardly anyone around during the daytime... I'll explain in a bit.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed Baranka. It's a fairly small town with a population of about 50,000 people. However, you'd never know that that many people even live there by the looks of it. What's unique about Baranka (and Laerton) is that most people sleep throughout the day and go about their business at night. Why? I'm not entirely sure. It has something to do with wanting to keep the spirits of their ancestors company during the chill of the night. I know there are a group of Gypsies living in the area that have been living like that for hundreds of years.

It's really weird. Kids go to school at nights. They'll grab their lanterns and head down to the school yard. The shops often open at dusk -- where 7am is early in Canada to start working, 8 at night is early in Laerton to start working. Obviously, I had a hard time adjusting to this strange nightly ritual.

Anyhow, I should probably go. It's 5:30 in the morning and I haven't had supper yet. I'm off to the little cafe down the road and then it's off to bed. It's been a long day... errr... I mean night.


THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE FOR MY CLASS! THERE ISN'T A PLACE CALLED 'LAERTON'... WHICH IS 'NOT REAL' SPELT BACKWARDS.
]]> The Inca Trail or Trial? (Day One) — Inca Trail, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155589740/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155589740/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155589740/tpod.html Fri, 15 Dec 2006 23:27:47 -0500 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Inca Trail, Peru

9 years of waiting. 4,198 metres above sea level. 32 km hiked. 4 gruelling days. All ending with 1 memorable moment... Machu Picchu!

Before coming down to Peru, I knew I needed to hike the infamous Inca Trail. It´s perhaps one of the most reknowned hikes in all the world. After all, few trails rarely finish with such an awe-inspiring view.

Waking early in my Cusco hotel room, the "Rocky Theme Song" played in my head as I tightened my hiking boots. I grabbed my 7kg bag (which would be transported around the route via porter) and my day pack, and proceeded to meet our guide, Javier, in the lobby.

Kilometre 82 is the starting point of the Inca trail and it is about 1.5 hours outside of Cusco. Before reaching said kilometre, our mini-bus stopped in Ollantaytambo to pick up a few things. For an extra energy boost on the trail, I grabbed three bags of coca leaves (two for the porters and one for myself). I also purchased a walking stick from the "Walking Stick Ladies". These ladies were by far the most persistent vendors I´ve seen in all of Peru. They were never happy in selling you just one.

This is also where we picked up our porters. They jumped in the back of a pick-up truck and we all headed out to Km 82.

The first day of hiking wasn`t too streneous at all. The terrain was "Peruvian Flat" until we reached our camp site for the night. As described by Javier, "Peruvian Flat" interchanges between uphill and downhill, without doing one more than the other. It´s nothing like "Canadian Flat" where the land is actually flat.

On Day One, we passed the archaeological sites of Salapunku and Llactapata. Salapunku was situated in the distance, across the Urubamba river and beside the railroad tracks. Apparently, when occupied by the Incas it was used as a travel lodge.

Llactapata was strategically situated on a hill far beneath us. Although it acted as a farming community, it still came with look-out towers and warriors to watch over the citizens. This was our first introduction to ancient Inca terraces.

Our first introduction to the cooked meals we´d be having for the next 4 days came at lunch. Upon arriving at a clearing by a little creek, we stumbled upon a dining tent and a cooking tent already set up by the porters. A cup of much needed apricot juice was promptly brought to us when we arrived. And after about 10 minutes of catching our breath, we were ushered into the dining tent.

With a beautiful place setting and oh-so-tiny seats, we were given a quite gourmet meal. I believe there were about three courses during lunch (we never did have less than that during the Inca Trail... either three or four). I can`t remember the main course but we had avocado to start and then a bowl of asparagus soup.

After passing little houses, donkeys, and the odd cowboy taking his horse to get supplies from Ollantaytambo, we (7 hikers, 1 guide, 13 porters, and 1 cook) arrived at Wayllabamba for the night. Of course the porters were there far before us and had already set-up our tents.

It`s amazing what these individuals do. Supposedly the porters are not allowed to take more than 45 pounds on their backs, but that`s still a lot... especially when you consider how steep the terrain gets. They`re the last to leave a site and the first to the next spot. What takes the gringos 5 hours, may take them 2 hours... if that. Furthermore, when they dart by you on the path, if you look at their feet, most of them are wearing no more than cheap sandals made out of old tires. They are truly unsung heroes.

Tomorrow will be the hardest day of the trail.
]]> Burger of Beast — Lima, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154580960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154580960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154580960/tpod.html Sun, 15 Oct 2006 11:04:33 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Lima, Peru

To me, going out onto the streets of Lima is like going into a war zone.

Let me explain...

Before I set foot onto the streets, I am very methodical in my "pre-battle preparations". To ensure complete safety, it is important that a foot soldier is well armored. My armor comes in the form of money belts. Listening to the Velcro tear as I put on my numerous money belts, I feel like a soldier strapping on his bulletproof vest. I triple-check that my money is secure... similar to how I'd check the safety on a pistol. I know this may be a bit of an exaggeration - and I have no idea what war is really like - but this is my naive take on the situation.

Despite all these preparations, I have always felt safe in my surroundings. What amazes me most about the Peruvians thus far, is how little they hassle you. I was expecting them to be overly persistent in their selling techniques, but it has been very easy-going. I can walk along and leisurely look at the shops without being harassed by the store owner to buy everything in the store. It's quite nice.

I spent the entire day in Miraflores today. I popped into a couple department stores, had a shady character try to sell me an obviously stolen watch in front of "Pizza Street", and then meandered my way down Jose Larco Avenue to the shopping centre on the cliffs.... Larcomar.

Larcomar is kind of a neat place. It's built into a cliff face and it looks upon the Pacific Ocean. There are some pretty amazing views from the observation deck.

Since it is a bit of a touristy destination, your selection of western comforts aren't far behind. I sat in the Starbucks, sipping a Carmel Macchiato and watched the world go by. If you're not into the coffee scene, one can always try out the ever present Tony Roma's or Hooters.

After the coffee, I grabbed a "Hamburgesa de res" in a cafe on my slow ramble back down Larco Ave. Not being fluent in Spanish, I wasn't entirely sure what I had ordered when the meal arrived. It was certainly a burger but the meat was a grayish colour and didn't taste overly like beef. I finished it but wasn't too sure what this "res" was all about. When I did make it back to the hotel, I checked my Spanish-English dictionary straight-away in hopes of solving the mystery. The definition offered to me was that "res" meant "beast". Hamburger of beast. What the heck does that mean? It certainly leaves a lot to be desired. It was later confirmed to me, however, that "res" is in fact beef. Phew.

Intersting side note, I saw Fidel Castro in this same cafe. He's currently in the paper for being very ill and nobody has seen him for a while. It's been questioned whether he's still in the hospital or back home now.

Well... neither.

I had visual confirmation that he's actually hanging out in Lima. There was a fella (I think the cafe owner) who kept coming in and out of the cafe place who looked remarkably like Castro. Mind you, he had a ponytail... but that's just a minor detail. It was Fidel.

I met my GAP Adventure tour group today. These are the people I'll be spending three weeks with as we take in the Peruvian landscape. They seem like a good group of people. Not everyone has arrived yet, but those that were there are easy to get a long with. Of the 9 that I have met, 6 of them (including myself) are teachers. Like it or not, we're everywhere. Most of the group are from England, one from Belgium, and one from Australia. The one's arriving today I believe are from England as well.

The rest of the evening involved the following:
- I tried Peru's national drink, the Pisco Sour. The name doesn't lie... very sour.
- Ordered what I thought was Llama Saltado, but turned out to be Llomo Saltado. Which once again is beef. ('Twas really good but I was excited for trying llama).
- And then headed down to "Pizza Street", pulled up a table at a pseudo-Cowboy bar, and spent a few hours just hanging out with the tour group.

Tomorrow, we're in Lima for the morning and then we hop on a public bus, than a private bus, than another public bus, and we eventually make it to Pisco.
Sounds like fun.
]]> Inca Trail (Day Three) — Inca Trail, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155767040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155767040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155767040/tpod.html Sun, 15 Oct 2006 10:58:40 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Inca Trail, Peru

Although it's not as gruelling as climbing Dead Woman's Pass, day three of the Inca Trail is the longest.

With coca tea in hand, I arose to a gorgeous sunrise over the valley. With such beauty before me, I was confident today would be a lot more gentle than yesterday.

To quickly summarize the day... here is what happened:


- Passed three archaeological sites: Runkuraqay, Sayacmarca, and Phuyupatamarca.

- Made a valiant rescue attempt to save a walking stick that was accidently thrown over the trail's edge. Lying on our bellies - trying to reach as far as possible over the ledge - three of us were initially unsuccessful. We soon adopted the "chop stick technique" and were able to pluck the wayward stick up.

- Passed through a couple Inca carved tunnels along the path.

- Was rained upon as we strode through the cloud forests. It wasn`t a relentless rain, just a slight drizzle. If anything it was welcome, as it cooled us down and provided an eerie ambience to the hike.

- Had a cadre of gung-ho Americans/Canadians continuously passing us. We would catch up to them and then they would power forward... then we`d catch up to them again and then they`d push on. It reminded me of the movie "Dodgeball". Our group was the "Average Joe´s" and there`s was the evil juiced-up Ben Stiller team. They were physically superior, but we found a way to compete.

- Literally ran down the last hill of the day, knowing hot showers awaited.

- At the end of the day, sat with the group on a patio, as we looked out upon the valley before us. It was a very surreal moment. Everything seemed larger than life.

Tomorrow, we start the day at 4am in pursuit of the Machu of all Picchus.
]]> Okay Waykis!!! — Colca Canyon, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154986860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154986860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154986860/tpod.html Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:04:49 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Colca Canyon, Peru

Today has been without a doubt the most interesting day since arriving in Peru. That´s not to say the sandboarding wasn´t brilliant, but it now feels like I´m experiencing the Peru I envisioned before coming down here.

We left Arequipa, via mini-bus, for the Colca Canyon. Since we were climbing to altitudes that were about 4000 metres above sea level, we had the chance to try out the infamous coca leaf. As the story goes, if you take some coca leafs, put a catalyst (which was a type of rock) in the middle, wrap it into a bundle, and stick it against the inside of your cheek, then it will help one against altitude sickness. We were all given some on the bus. Truthfully, I´ll never know if it worked or not, but it was just interesting to try.

Up to this point, I had not seen any of the stereotypical, or typical, wildlife that Peru is reknowned for. As we travelled higher and higher into the altiplano, we were afforded our first chance to see a camelid. The vicuña!

Unbeknownst to myself, the wool of the vicuña is some of the most expensive wool in the world. I can´t remember the exact price but it was literally hundreds of dollars for a few square feet. Understandably so, these animals have to be protected from poachers. It would be too easy to make a quick buck by killing one of them.

The vicuñas we saw were in a protected park. There were probably about fifty of them just grazing on the hills. They looked a lot more slender than their other camelid cousins.

Later on in our journey, we saw hundreds upon hundreds of alpaca and llamas just standing about. It was an awesome sight.

We stopped quite a few times on our way to our hotel in the canyon. There were photo-ops, chances to buy warm clothing from the locals, and many sick gringos. Quite a few of us were feeling the woes of altitude sickness. I wasn´t too bad off. I just had the shortness of breath, which I believe is inevitable.

The accommodation we stayed in was extremely luxurious. It was a little hacienda transplanted into a relatively poor town. The charm and mystique to the whole place was a result of a few things:

1. Other than those at our hotel, there were no tourists nearby.
2. The views were some of the most spectatuclar I have ever seen. The hotel looked out over a valley of terraced hills.
3. Without being bothered, we could sit around the fireplace, play the guitar on the wall, and drink hot coca tea.
4. And most importantly, there was a resident baby Alpaca who just wandered about the hotel´s grounds. He was only 6 months old and was the cutest little thing. He would find his way behind the reception desk, poke his head through windows or just hang out at the hammocks.

After checking in at the hotel, our local guide, Fernando, took us for a 1.5 hour hike into the hills. As the path left town, there were kids lined up along the road dressed in traditional garbs. The idea was that you could take their photo, as long as you gave them a propina (tip). Not a bad investment for a nice picture... it only set me back 1 sole ($0.30 CDN). I also ran out of soles along the way, and gave them some candy I had with me. They were very keen about the offering.

The hike would not have been streneous in Canada, but at this altitude, it was 4x harder. We constantly stopped to take photos, which was merely an excuse to rest our lungs. It was interesting though... you could stop for 30 seconds and then set off again, and you would feel well refreshed. The legs weren´t weary, it was just our lungs that had to catch up.

I can only hope I acclimatize more so to the altitude, otherwise the Inca Trail may be rough.
]]> The Machu of all Picchus — Machu Picchu, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155854580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155854580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155854580/tpod.html Sat, 26 Aug 2006 23:59:13 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Machu Picchu, Peru

Day Four of the Inca Trail..........

In our campsite at Wiñaywayna, we were to be awoken by the porters at 4am. I somehow managed to get myself up 15 minutes earlier than that, and just lied there thinking about what awaited me. I`ve been dreaming about Machu Picchu for so long that I couldn`t dream anymore that night. I simply lied there and awaited for the reality to knock on my tent.

The hike to Intipunku (AKA The Sun Gate), where you have your first glimpse of Machu Picchu from the trail, reminded me a lot of Disneyland. Before you get to that point, about a minutes walk from the campgrounds is the last checkpoint. Here the wardens will open the gate and you begin your last trek to Intipunku and finally Machu Picchu.

At a little after 5am, we were about the third group to the checkpoint. The gate didn`t open for another 30 minutes. As the time progressed, in the dark, other groups started to line up behind us. I could feel the anticipation growing. I didn`t want to be trampled and be one of the last hikers to reach the Sun Gate.

So when the warden let us through, it was at a quick pace. The evil juiced-up Ben Stiller squad were obviously the first group through and were long gone before we even stepped through the checkpoint.

Nonetheless, I`ve never seen our group move so fast. It was like we were entering Disneyland the moment they open the gates and racing for the best ride on park. I felt like I was dashing towards Space Mountain. The biggest difference though was that there was no Mickey Mouse and we would have to sustain this pace for about an hour.

At a brisk pace, we were able to pass a couple members of the Ben Stiller Squad as they stopped for one reason or another.

The anticipation grew as we came upon some old Incan stairs. Unable to see the top, everyone assumed this marked the end of the trail. It had to be the Sun Gate. As I began the steep ascent, nearly on all fours, my heart began to beat faster. Only a few more steps.

I climbed the last step, looked out, and saw... nothing discernible. Am I missing it? No... impossible. I've seen the pictures; I know what the Machu of all Picchus looks like. As I scanned the horizon, Javier then unleashed the bad news... "C'mon, we've got to keep going."

After another 15 minutes of brisk walking, and overtaking some tired hikers, I finally began the final descent of the Inca Trail. I switched to video mode on my camera as I began to mount the steps, in hopes of reliving this experience time and time again.

As I rounded the wall and jockeyed for position, I honestly wasn't blown away with what was before me. Yes, Machu Picchu was indeed in the distance, but I was still in reality check mode...... "Was I really here?" I stood there and took it all in. The thing that really troubled me though was the switch-backing road in the foreground. Below us, you could see the busloads of people making their own pilgrimage from the town of Aguas Calientes.

Something seemed so wrong with that. Here we were exhausted on the fourth day of our hike, and below us, were the well-rested throngs who would inevitably reach the actual site of Machu Picchu before us. In fact, at 6:30 in the morning, you could already see the flashbulbs being shot amongst the ruins.

It was at that moment that I felt an overwhelming sense of pride in my accomplishment. Although I had never questioned why I was subjecting myself to a 4-day hike, it was all very clear to me at that moment. I had worked for this moment. A lot of energy and sweat was exerted to reach this point. Machu Picchu hadn't just been handed to me via coach. The trials and tribulations over the last few days, had made me appreciate the view even more.

From the Sun Gate, it took us about 45 minutes to walk down to the archaeological ruins of Machu Picchu. About every 200 metres, I stopped and took another picture from the new vantage point. I made sure the visit was documented well. As we got closer and started to tread upon some of the ancient terraces, I was excited to see grazing llamas along the way. Like everyone else, I opted for the artsy shot of the llama in the foreground and Huayna Picchu {the mountain looming behind the ruins in all the photos} in the background.


Experiencing Machu Picchu

Although the number of tourists were already copious, our "Average Joe" team of trail survivors battled for a group shot. With about 7 cameras going off, thanks to Javier, it was difficult to keep the crowds at bay. Like lost children, people would inadvertently trudge into the shot, and then back out, and then back in.

After meeting the rest of the GAP group who didn't do the trail, we then proceeded to the front gate. It was there that we relinquished our trusty walking sticks for the last time, had our passports stamped, bought some expensive Inca Kola, and then used the bathrooms. After the brief rest, we were ready to take in the marvels of Machu Picchu.

Javier took us to a terrace overlooking the site and had us sit down. He offered a fairly concise explanation of what was before us, but I had a really tough time concentrating. Both my eyes and mind kept wandering. I pretty much just sat there in a trance - staring out over the ruins.

After Javier led us throughout the site, we were given freetime for much of the day. The only stipulation was that we had to take the bus down to Aguas Calientes around 3pm, as we had to catch a train out of there at 4:20pm.

My freetime consisted of the following:

- Sitting near the Machu Picchu snackbar for the first hour and watching my fellow group members indulge in three bottles of champagne. I didn't want to partake, as there were many sick people drinking straight out of the bottle.

- Exploring some of the ruins with other group members in search of a grassy area to lie down. {... which was never found.}

- Climbing Huayna Picchu by myself.

This last experience was one of the cruelest, yet coolest, things I did while I was at Machu Picchu. It's definitely something I will always remember. I'd recommend it to anyone visiting M.P., but would caution them that it is an extremely physical experience. Also, if you're petrified of heights, then turn back now.

I had been humming and haa'ing about climbing Huayna Picchu for a while. Throughout most of the day, the queue to climb it was massive. The line takes some time, as you have to register with the wardens before you make the ascent. I was pretty certain I wouldn't get in; I had read that they only let in about 400 people a day and you pretty much have to be lined up before 10am. Ready for the rejection, I lined up behind several people slightly before 12pm.

To my surprise, I was let in.

I signed up, letting them know I was taking the trail. The idea is to both sign-in and sign-out when you leave. That way if I failed to sign-out, they would know to look for my body somewhere around Huayna Picchu. Yup, there were sheer cliffs all over the trail.

I tried to do it as quick as possible, because I was worried that I wouldn't make it back down in time to catch the bus to Aguas Calientes. The entire ascent was more exhausting than the 4 days of the Inca Trail combined. It was so steep in some places that you had to resort to all four limbs to climb it. Eventually, after 45 minutes of power-climbing, I scrambled upon the jagged stones at the top of the peak.

What a view it was! 360 degrees around the valley. Machu Picchu far below and from a new vantage point. Rain drizzling on my head. The moans of a woman who was in hysterics from the height.

Yes, I just stood there and took it all in.

I would have liked to stay there longer, but the clock was ticking. Unsure of the way down, as the path wasn't clearly marked, I attempted the descent. At one point, I got lost and found myself on a little terrace hanging out over the valley below. That was a wee bit disconcerting. I didn't want to get too close to the edge as I had visions of it crumbling away.

Climbing down on all fours in some sections, I eventually made it to the desk to sign-out. Panting and wheezing, I felt as if someone had wrung all the energy out of me. Nonetheless, I was glad I did it.

I immeadiately took the bus down to Aguas Calientes. Met the rest of the group at the pre-arranged meeting place and took the time to recover... both physically and mentally.

Although I got away from Machu Picchu in one piece, one of the girls in the group wasn't so lucky. Apparently she was sitting near the ledge of a cliff, kicked off her shoes on the grass, and it subsequently tumbled over the edge to the depths below. With persistent teasing from the rest of us, she merely argued she was making an offering to "Pacha Mamma".

What a day!
]]> Astronauts and monkeys together again. — Nasca, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154814480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154814480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1154814480/tpod.html Fri, 25 Aug 2006 13:15:54 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Nasca, Peru

After today, I can now check off one more thing I had on my list of "things to do before I die" list. Fly over the Nasca Lines!

We woke up early and decided to take a morning flight in case it was too cloudy in the afternoon. It´s definitely nice to see blue skies after seeing so much grey in Lima. Some tourists had to arrive at 6:30am to catch a 11:30am flight, but fortunately with our travel group we were virtually allowed to board right away.

After spending about 10 minutes playing FoosBall in the strangest airport I´ve ever seen, it was time for the flight. I was originally going to fly with 4 other members from our group, but at the last minute I was moved onto a little Cessna with 4 tourists from Quebec. That was a lucky move, as apparently two of the people on my original plane got airsick during the flight. I´m thinking the smells of vomit would seriously detract from the Nasca experience.

Anyhow it was great!!! We veered left and right over the geoglyphs, as the pilot allowed both sides of the plane to get photos of the desert below. There were designs and lines everywhere. We saw the: whale, monkey, hummingbird, condor, spider, alcatraz, parrot, and the hands. You could really appreciate what the Nasca people went through to build these things, as they were huge. However, I still can´t understand what would possess them to embark on such an endeavour. It must have taken years to build just one line... let alone an entire geoglyph.

After the flight, we travelled 27 km outside of the town of Nasca to head to an old pre-Columbian cemetary. Originally looted by grave-robbers, you could still see the mummies placed in the pits on the desert floor. A couple of them looked like Bob Marley mummies, but they all gave you a glimpse at how life would have been some 700 years ago.

Finally, I wandered around town, ate some Chinese food, bought a Peruvian soccer jersey, and then headed back to the hotel for a cold dip in the pool. I´m not sure why I jumped at the chance to cool down, when I´ve been constantly trying to stay warm this entire trip.

We´re leaving Nasca on a public bus tonight and will be arriving in Arequipa tomorrow bright and early. I fear the night bus, but remembering the sights from today will undoubtedly help me get through it.
]]> To Hell and Back — Puerto Maldonado, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1156372440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1156372440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1156372440/tpod.html Wed, 23 Aug 2006 19:56:36 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Puerto Maldonado, Peru

With our tour leader smashed from the night before, he somehow managed to get us on the right plane from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. The lady at the ticket counter certainly seemed unimpressed with his smell.

Puerto Maldonado is a bit of a frontier town in the rainforest. With cars almost obselete here, most people choose to zip around on motorcycles. It was quite reminiscent of Cambodia. We left our "big mutha" backpacks in Puerto Maldonado, and took only what we needed for the next couple days.

For the next couple days we would be staying at the Tambopata Lodge - which is a few hours up river. To reach this destination, we would first have to make our way to Hell. Yes, Hell. Our boat was leaving from a little port called Hell. I didn´t really have too many expectations of Hell, but I can tell you this much, there is a definite lack of fire and brimstone. The only thing in Hell was a snack bar and some toilets.

We boarded a skinny motorboat and proceeded our way up the Tambopata River. Along the way, our guides Hugo and Delford, had the boat stop along the banks to point out a variety of wildlife. What amazed me more than the creatures in front of me was their ability to spot the animals from such a distance. Truly incredible.

We saw some capybara (world´s largest rodent), macaws, caimans, turtles, and howler monkeys along the way.

Over these last two days we embarked upon a number of hikes and activities, including:

- A night hike. This was our first introduction to the Amazon rainforest. It lasted a mere 45 minutes, but we still saw a number of animals. There were some sort of monkeys jumping around just off the path, and our guides were also able to spot a number of insects hidden within the brush.

We all turned off our flashlights at one point and just stood there. The noise was deafening. Mainly frogs, crickets, and cicadas... but other indescernible animals could be picked out as well. Compared with the day, the jungle certainly comes alive at night.

On our way back to the lodge, we almost tripped over a tarantula waiting for it´s next meal.

- Piranha Fishing. One of our day hikes involved us boarding a precarious floatilla and drifting around on an oxbow lake. Although the lake was pristine and calm, what lurked beneath the surface was far from that. Piranha. Armed with a fishing hook and raw meat, we dropped sacrificial offerings into the depths below. I tried to keep mine close to the surface, so I could see the piranha, but they weren´t biting. When you drop the bait further below, that´s when they start nibbling. I saw a few silver flashes under the surface, but my view of the piranhas was quite limited.

They much prefered the meat to the fat of the bait. Nonetheless, if you left it there long enough, the entire offering would be depleted. We never did catch one.

Some of the people in my group went swimming in the middle of the lake later, but I couldn´t be bothered. I don´t really have a lot of fat on me... consequently, as I knew from the fishing experience, I would potentially make a fine meal for the toothy fish.

- Day Hike 1... plus tree-climbing. This was divided up into pre-piranha fishing and post-piranha fishing. As we made our way to the above oxbow lake, our guide showed us the little features of the forest. We saw a massive web made not from one spider, but hundreds of little one. Clearly these were "socialist spiders"... working together to meet an end goal. Our guide was also able to "fish" a tarantula out of its den. And we saw a giant tree that dropped human skulls... well, kind of. The large coconut-sized nuts it dropped looked normal. However, when you broke them open, the inside looked like the top of a human cranium. Understandably, the locals called this tree the "Dead Man´s Tree". It certainly smelled like a cadaver. It stunk to high heaven.

After the piranha fishing, we stopped by a mini-tree in the middle of the path. Keeping our distance, we watched hundreds of fire ants parade around on it. Apparently one bite feels like your skin is burning, and a hundred bites... well, let´s just say it´s not a pleasant experience.

It was quite interesting. Our guides would drop some twigs and dirt on the plant´s leafs, and the fire ants would then proceed to clean house. They liked their leafs spotless. When they came across some foreign debris, they would pick it up and throw it off the edge of the leaf. It was quite comical to watch these pain-dealers, struggle with a piece of dirt.

Further down the path, we came upon a giant tree... I think our guide called it a Strongwood tree. The cool thing about this tree is that it was hollow in the middle, and you could enter into it. With our guide showing his circus-like ability, he climbed the inside of it and then swung down from a vine to the ground. He then offered us to do the same. The first person to try it in our group was a 14 year boy. With some perseverance he made it to the opening where he would then have to swing down. Trying to grab hold, he stumbled a little and almost fell. After about 10 minutes of us urging for him to come down, he made one last attempt at grabbing hold of the vine. Fortunately, he made it and there were no broken bones.

Two girls tried it unsuccessfully after that. And me, being a little nonsensical, decided to try it too.

I made it up the tree alright, and could see why everyone had problems getting a hold of the vine. A lot of it was mind over matter. It´s tough to will yourself out of the tree at that height. Like my predecessor, I too made it to the ground safely.

On our way back, we were also entertained by some Saddleback Tamarins. Literally surrounding us, they leaped high above from tree to tree. (As a side note, when tramping through the forest without a guide the following day, a couple of us had Howler Monkeys jumping over our heads. A truly awesome sight.)

- Night Caiman Spotting. Saw quite a few smaller caimans. I was just amazed how our guides could see them from such a great distance.

Before we headed back to the camp, the boat driver turned off the engine and flicked off the light. Once again, we were immersed in the dark. Sitting there, looking at the silhouette of the trees and the stars above, one could not help but reflect upon their experiences in Peru. This was one of the last things I would see and do before I headed back to Canada. My mind wandered.

Five minutes later, the sound of the motor starting up signalled to me that my Peruvian experience was coming to an end. I would be heading back. A couple days in Lima and then it´s back home to it all.

I´ve valued every minute I´ve had in Peru. It´s a land of contrasts. With so much history, culture, and a variety of ecosystems, a visitor cannot help but be humbled by their time in Peru. It´s difficult to choose a favourite moment from the trip; every moment has been so different.

The traditional dancing in a remote village. The first approach to Machu Picchu. The rollercoaster-styled dune buggies. The colour and flair of the natives´ outfits. Lomo Saltado. Spending three weeks with strangers that soon became great friends. Horseback riding amongst the ruins around Cusco.

Each moment has been so different. And I have appreciated every one of them.
]]> The Inca Trail (Day Two) — Inca Trail, Peru http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155679260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155679260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chowie/perusing_peru/1155679260/tpod.html Fri, 18 Aug 2006 18:25:31 -0400 Touring Peru: from the wheezing to the wonderment!
Inca Trail, Peru

I much prefer the name Warmiwanusca to Dead Woman Pass!!!

That`s what we were facing today.

At a height of about 4200 m, the biggest challenge today involved overcoming the first of three mountain passes on the trail.

As a whole, it took our hiking group about 5 hours to climb to the top of it. There were numerous lengthy stops along the way, but from the moment we left our campsite we were travelling uphill.

About half way up the mountain, we found the last of the ladies who were selling snacks and water. I reached this point about half an hour before the rest of the group, and had enough time to fill myself up with much needed nosh and libations. Once everyone had arrived, we sat there for another half hour. I found it extremely difficult to get going after this. It`s easy to cool down when you`re not moving in the Andes.

About 1.5 hours later, I finally reached the top of Dead Woman Pass. By that point, I was panting and wheezing, and absolutely run-down. The last 100 metres were the worst. So close but so far. Looking up at the other groups who had already made it, was like rubbing salt in the wounds. Before reaching the summit, I had started to succumb to walking about 10 metres and stopping... 10 metres and stopping... and so on and so forth.

I was the first of our group up, and subsequently never got an applause. (Sniff) As each person gets to the top, their fellow group members applaud their accomplishment. But at the same time, if you`re the last up, even though you may get the cries of encouragement, you also get the dreaded faces looking down on you.

The rest of Day Two is pretty much all downhill from Dead Woman`s Pass. I found it difficult to navigate the cobblestones as I came down the otherside of the mountain.

We arrived at our campsite, Paqaymayo, around 2pm. Thankfully lunch was waiting for us. We spent the evening there and were more than happy to leave the "deceased old hag" behind.
]]>