TravelStream™ news feed for member kandg on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kandg en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:24:31 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1044599580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1044599580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1044599580/tpod.html Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:24:31 -0400 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Varkala, India

Days 12 - 13 - KovalamTwo more days of sleeping the clock round and I finally feel like I'm ready to travel again - so, tomorrow we're heading north to Varkala. While the guidebooks slate Kovalam for being touristy (and it is) it's been the perfect place for us for a couple of days. With no must-see monuments, the only things to do are eat, sleep and go to the beach. And with it being too warm to sit on the beach for more than ½ hour we've done a lot of eating and sleeping. I've also managed more reading than in the whole of 2002, reading 3 books - all travel books (unintended) but from which I may learn and will in turn hopefully make this travelogue more interesting!Despite the lack of hours in the sun, I'm beginning to show signs of a suntan - either that or my arse is getting whiter! If it weren't for logic, I'd guess at the latter!Ignore that last comment about the sun-tan - what I thought was about to turn golden brown at any point has instead turned a ferocious shade of pink and rather than becoming the bronzed Adonis I was hoping to, I'm bearing more resemblance to something from Noel's House Party! I'm really beginning to fit in with the Brits abroad!Having also been the main course in the mosquito equivalent of a medieval banquet over the last couple of nights, we've purchased both the cure (tiger balm) and what we hope will be the prevention (mosquito coils - The DEET doesn't seem to be doing the job). While the effectiveness of the coils in repelling mosquitoes remains to be seen, their prowess at attracting crickets is second to none!Late entry - Judging by the state of me I'd say that the crickets (or whatever they are) must have found me just after they finished fasting for 40 days and 40 nights! Do crickets bite? Not that it matters, these things definitely do!Day 14 - Kovalam - VarkalaWhat a shit day! As you know, we decided to go to Varkala today (60 odd kilometres north of Kovalam). We could have done the whole journey by taxi for about £8 but then we'd have got here too damned easily. Instead (after consulting the train timetable) we decided to get the bus 16km to Trivandrum where we'd hop on a train to Varkala station and then get a rickshaw to the beach and the hotel we'd carefully selected from our Rough Guide. Firstly we didn't account for the walk to the bus stop - 30 minutes uphill (and we left at noon). After refusing numerous offers of taxis and rickshaws we made it to the bus stop where a bus was conveniently waiting. Unfortunately, this bus was a private bus and would cost more than a taxi for just the 2 of us. We tried to cajole some Japanese people into taking a share of it but they politely informed us they were going the other way - just before they got on the same public bus as us to Trivandrum.After being told off by the bus conductor (first time since I was 13) for not having my rucksack on my lap in his half-empty (I'm obviously a pessimist) bus, I was just about ready to lose my rag. We made it to Trivandrum ½ hour later to be deposited 2 kilometres from the train station. Rather than walk we thought we'd reward ourselves with a rickshaw. We negotiated a fare of 15 rupees (20p) to go to the train station via an ATM (negotiation conducted through 3 other rickshaw drivers cum interpreters). We arrived at the ATM and as Kirsty went in I began an argument with our non-English speaking driver because he was trying to kick us out and denying any knowledge of any train station. When Kirsty came out the ATM rupee-less (not an international bank) we decided to cut our losses and go and get something to eat and drink (the train didn't leave till 16:30 anyway).Things briefly took a turn for the better here as we stumbled across the bus station where we could perhaps get a bus to Varkala. Sure enough a bus would leave at 15:00 so we waited the 2 hours for it. The journey took longer than expected but the driver informed us this was one of the few buses that went all the way to Varkala beach rather than just the town. Chuffed to be saving another 20p rickshaw ride we alighted the bus, bags on backs, in buoyant mood and so, started to walk towards the Marine Palace Beach Resort. About an hour later (and no, we didn't get lost but we did sweat - a lot) we found our hotel. I chose the cheaper of 2 rooms (they were both the same except the cheaper one had 3 stoned Indians lounging about on the verandah) and we rewarded ourselves with a dip in the sea - I'll reserve judgment on Varkala till another day. We congratulated ourselves on spending only £1 between us to get here (although the other £7 probably went on water) and retired to our room for a shower and change before dinner.Then we realised the shower didn't work. No problem, I'll find the manager who can get it fixed. Oh, the manager's having a shower (lucky him!), I'll come back in 20 minutes. 19 minutes later, a power cut but undeterred, I still managed to find him who says he'll fix it tomorrow (can't do anything without power), and possibly refund us some money (only suggested when I started getting annoyed). We went out for dinner and returned happier a couple of hours later (by which time we've chosen the hotel we're moving to tomorrow) and found that our room is (a) still being used by the same 3 stoned Indians, (b) infested with ants and (c) not as quiet as we thought. We left the Indians to it (there would have been no waking them let alone getting them moved), DEET'ed the ants and thankfully now, as I write the only thing on my mind is will the Canadian couple next door ever stop their marriage-ending argument? For what it's worth, I think he's better off without her!I hope to be a happier man tomorrow!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1051886700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1051886700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1051886700/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:31:49 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Singapore, Singapore

The 100 Day ReportBeing a list type of person we decided that at the 100 day mark we should look back at what we have done so far this year and create lists showing the 'bests' and 'worsts'. Below is the result of that but obviously more information regarding each of these can either be found by reading the travelogue or by e-mailing us. None of it is order, they are just the best or worst in each category.Best Hotels (excluded from this category are all treats - ie anything over $30)1. Hill Top (Varkala, India) - Good staff and location2. Chart Guesthouse (Bangkok, Thailand) - Gorgeous room3. Tanoy Guesthouse (Luang Prabang, Laos) - Friendliest staff so far4. Vinh Hung 2 (Hoi An, Vietnam) - Bit more expensive but a bit of luxury5. Travellers Lodge (Melaka, Malaysia) - Great communal areas and room and helpful staffWorst Hotels1. Cosmo (Delhi, India) - Unclean, relatively expensive2. Marine Palace (Varkala, India) - Tramps on the verandah, out the way and mozzies galore3. Connaught (Delhi, India) - Ridiculously expensive and a funny smell4. Narin 2 (Phnom Penh, Cambodia) - Awful location and cleanliness uninspiring5. Bounmy (Pak Beng, Laos) - Generally unpleasantWorst Journeys1. Goa to Mumbai (India - Bus) - dropped us off on a flyover after 16 hours of hell2. Nha Trang to Hoi An (Vietnam - Bus) - uncomfortable and egg-eating and vomiting woman3. Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai (Laos/Thailand - Boat/Bus) - painfully long and squashed4. Hue to Hanoi (Vietnam - Bus) - uncomfortable, uncomfortable, uncomfortable5. Bangkok - Siem Reap (Thailand/Cambodia - Bus) - hassles galoreBest Cities1. Siem Reap, Cambodia - Nice bars and cafes2. Luang Prabang, Laos - Friendly people and relaxing3. Kochi, India - A welcome change for India - clean and almost hassle-free4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Shopping and food5. Hanoi, Vietnam - Bustling and full of characterWorst Cities1. Delhi, India - Hell on earth2. Mumbai, India - Marginally more pleasant than Delhi3. Agra, India - Hassle 24/74. Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Nothing going for it5. Vientiane, Laos - Dull beyond beliefBest Local People1. Danoi - Tanoy Guesthouse in Luang Prabang, Laos2. Prabha - Restaurant/Bar in Benaulim, India3. Mr Singh - Taxi driver through Northern India4. Khanh - Guide in the Cu Chi Tunnels5. Shampi - Guide in the Keralan backwatersMost Valuable Items Brought from Home1. Guidebooks - self-explanatory2. Torches - when bedside light are absent and strip-lighting headache inducing3. Sleeping Bag Liners - small and when the thought of sleeping in certain places fills you with dread4. Kirsty's Watch (it's got a thermometer on it which has been surprisingly excessively used)5. Travel Towels - when space is at a premiumMost Useless Items Brought From Home1. Mozzie Net - one night from a hundred speaks for itself2. Camp Soap - environmentally friendly but fails in its primary quest - to clean clothes3. Socks (8 pairs) - unworn since about Day 74. Cardigan (Kirsty's not mine obviously) - bulky and stays wet5. Transistor Radio - haven't even found a station on it yetBest Buys (Value for Money)1. Full Size Inflatable Pillows (65 pence) - Agra Train Station, india2. Bag for Kirsty (20 pence) - Pushkar, India3. Shorts (130 pence) - Phnom Penh, Cambodia4. Sarong for me I'm embarrassed to say) 65 pence - Kovalam, India5. Vests for Kirsty (130 pence each) - Phnom Penh, Cambodia
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077199500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077199500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077199500/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:29:58 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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The Travelling Oscars, United Kingdom

The Travelling OscarsBest Country: Bolivia Also Nominated: Indonesia, ArgentinaBest City: Buenos Aires Also Nominated: Hanoi, Rio de JaneiroBest >1 Day Trip: Salar de Uyuni Also Nominated: Inca Trail, Jungle TrekkingBest 1 Day Trip: Otago Wildlife Also Nominated: Cu Chi Tunnels, Tubing in Vang Vieng Best Country for Food: India Also Nominated: Argentina, VietnamBest Man Made Structure: Petronas Towers Also Nominated: Christ the Redeemer, Taj MahalBest Hotel: Park Hyatt (Sydney) Also Nominated: Shangri-La (Sydney), La Cerro Cumbrecita (La Cumbrecita)Best Ruins: Angkor Wat Also Nominated: Machu Picchu, SacsayhuamanBest Restaurant: Little Hanoi (Hanoi) Also Nominated: The Waterfront (Port Vila), La Chacra (Buenos Aires)Best Beach: Whitehaven (Queensland) Also Nominated: Lopes Mendes (Ilha Grande), Ipanema (Rio de Janeiro)Best Guide: Freddie (Inca Trail) Also Nominated: Shampi (Keralan Backwaters), Khanh (Cu Chi Tunnels)Biggest Wow: Whale Watching (Moreton Island) Also Nominated: Iguazu Falls (Puerto Iguazu), First Orang-Utan (Sumatra)Most Scenic City: La Paz Also Nominated: Rio de Janeiro, SydneyBest Country For Ladies: Argentina Also Nominated: Brazil, LaosBiggest Shock: Skinned dog in a basket on the front of a bike (Vietnam) Also Nominated: Proud pooing on pavement (Peru), People eating raw rat (Laos)Biggest Disappointment: Halong Bay (Vietnam) Also Nominated: Ban Pako (Laos), Colca Canyon (Peru)Worst Cities: Delhi Also Nominated: Agra, IcaWorst Journey: Luang Prabang - Chiang Mai on the slow boat Also Nominated: Goa - Mumbai on bus, Hue - Hanoi on busWorst Hotel: Cosmo (Delhi) Also Nominated: Marine Palace (Varkala), Hotel Garden (Cordoba)Bad Tourism Award: Shooting Guns (Cambodia) Also Nominated: Buying a Police Badge (Cambodia), Bribing Customs (Chile)Biggest Embarrassment: Trying to get a drink in a school canteen (Laos) Also Nominated: Brown pants (Cambodia/Bali), Calling myself "Cack", Argentina
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1074702600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1074702600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1074702600/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:18:46 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 325 - 326 - Rio de JaneiroWhat can I say? Despite Kara's arrival giving us some impetus, the thought of spending another five weeks in Rio and on Brazil's beaches has bizarrely been usurped by the lure of London in January. While on the face of it this decision may seem odd, I've not felt more confident on a particular choice all year. Without repeating the reasons, Christmas seems like a logical and appealing conclusion to our trip. Consequently we've brought our return flight forward a few weeks and our excursion, much like that of Phileas Fogg (see, it is destiny) will culminate in a return to London just in time for New Year.With that albatross lifted (perhaps too harsh a term) we've relaxed and started enjoying Rio's dayime offerings. Having sunned ourselves further with the beautiful people on Ipanema beach we took our first venture down the road to the Copacabana area of the city. Although more famous than every other Rio district the impression we'd been given is that it had seen better days and wasn't the safest place for three still-too-white foreigners to be wandering around aimlessly at night. True o form, while not intimidating, the more seedy aspect of Brazilian culture was evident - a trip during the day might be taken at a later date but further evening escapades will not be high on the list of priorities.We've also visited two other Rio landmarks: Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain. Chris, as he's now been abbreviated to, was the monumen I had highest expectations for but his (or should tha be His) impressiveness stems from his stature from a distance. Up close he's a huge but far from intricate piece of masonry where as from afar he seems to serve His purpose as protector of the city. Initially I thought our hostel was special in that you can see his right side from the patio. The truth is however, that you can see Him from most streets in one way or another. One of the best views of Christ is from Sugar Loaf. Unfortunately, seen from this angle, He is dwarfed by a huge pylon inconsiderately erected behind him. Still, watching the sun set over Christ, the city and the surroundings from such a vantage point is a thoroughly relaxing way to spend a couple of hours.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1074705360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1074705360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1074705360/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:17:15 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Ilha Grande, Brazil

Day 330 - 332 - Ilha GrandeThis is more like it! Sandwiched between two days burning ourselves on a beach frequently rated as one of the top ten in the world we spent a day diving. Learning to dive on the Great Barrier Reef and subsequently diving in vanuatu, where dive magazines consistently recommend, has set our expecations unrealistically high. It was still enjoyable and we saw some, if not many, interesting fish and it was a relief to discover that in the four months tha we hadn' gone underswimming (as the lady at our Pousada calls it) we haven't forgotten everything we've been taught.Lopes Mendes beach, where we spent the 'bread' days is fully deserving of its reputation. Years ago I used to grade beaches according o whether they were sand or stone. At the start of this trip I'd taken it a little further but now anything that's not white, fine enough to clean jewellery with and next to a deep blue and inviting sea will not be graced with my presence. Beach snobbery a its most pertinent! I may well be disappointed with my next day trip to Southend or Brighton!in addition to the stated reasons, Ilha Grande has taken a turn for the better due to other factors. Claire, an Irish girl we met in Rio (one of the few we genuinely liked) has arrived with throngs of Brazilian weekenders making the recreation of people watching infinitely more fascinating. New observations include: Brazilian men are exceedingly lucky in the girlfriends they attrac, they're also very hairy and all Brazilians are obsessed with buying T-shirts with the names of the places they've travelled to emblazened on them. Admittedly these aren't life changing remarks but I thought it would be too mean for this entry to be a minute by minute account of how I lay on a beautiful beach until I got hot, then went for a swim, then laid down on the beach again etc etc.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077196680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077196680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077196680/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:15:19 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 336 - Rio de JaneiroYour bog standard Boxing Day involves unwanted family, the wearing of undesirable Christmas garments and cold turkey. Not ours. Waking up we suffered an initial disappointment as we were greeted by rain (and the customary hangover). During our time in Rio this wouldn't have been too much of an issue but today I am disappointed (and relieved) because our hang-gliding over the city was cancelled. I'd like to say we'd do it another time but with days running out, unless we one day return, it's unlikely we ever will. Fortunately Rio functions as a city whatever the weather and although we were having second thoughts, we embarked on a Favela tour. Rio's favelas are what I previously knew as shanty towns or slums and are so called because of the wood that was originally used to build them (the Favela tree grows in the Amazon region by all accounts). Spectating on less fortunate people sounds voyeuristic, patronising and a little sick but some (a percentage was never mentioned) of the money made by the tour operator goes towards regeneration. certain suggestions of progressions and assistance were evident in Rocinha, the favela we saw (both the biggest in Rio and where the film "The City of God" was filmed) but it still seems criminal that people so poor can live in such proximity to those so rich. and that's where the heartache stems from. It's by no means the poorest place we've seen (some houses we saw the inside of contained widescreen televisions, DVD players and stereos) but it's impossible to comprehend a city where a house without sanitation can see the swimming pool and tennis court of Rio's other extreme. On a lighter note, recently the Government has installed electricity. Unsatisfied, the favela residents disliked the idea of having to pay for their power and consequently got the local sparky to re-route all the power cables so those mansion owners are now paying the bills of thousands and all the meters in the favela still read zero.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077197520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077197520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1077197520/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:13:11 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 337 - Noon of Day 339 - Rio de JaneiroKara's now left Brazil and we're packed and ready to depart for home. We've managed to meet up with Ana, a Carioca we met in mendoza, but other than that our time has been taken up with last minute shopping and last minute tanning. Now that we're leaving I guess it's inevitable I'm having second thoughts as to whether we've made the right decision. While I'm happy to be going home, I'm absolutely gutted that this year, indisputably the best in my life, is now effectively over.Brazil has been a great place to finish and while it may not have sounded like it at times, the nightlife and the people we've met (or met up with in Kara's case) have prevented me from wallowing too much. To describe the small part of this vast country we've visited I'd say beaches, booze and bums. Beaches are an integral part of the lifestyle for everyone and having a tan is an essential part of being beautiful. The booze part derives from the fact that for the majority of the year, the nighlife has been quieter than if we'd been at home but in Brazil it's been reminiscent of life at university. Multiplied by a large number. The bums (the body part not the synonym for a waster) put the rest of the world's to shame. Where else could you balance a drink on the backside of a slim female who is standing upright? No-one can be anything but understanding when you stare in awe and disbelief at the array of perfect arses on display.So, about to leave as we are, any regrets? Yes plenty. But I no longer have the biggest regret I might have had had we not come away. The trip has exceeded every expectation (unfortunately including the money we've spent) but for what we've seen and the people we've met (keep in touch) I'll always look back with a broad grin on my face.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1072022520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1072022520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1072022520/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:04:32 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 323 - 324 - Rio de JaneiroA long last there's someone we can talk to beyond the usual traveller dialogues of "What do you do a home?", "How long have you been travelling?" and "What are you doing tonight?". These questions are the most you can look forward to answering from most backpackers although you can always expect a lengthy soliloquy about their lives. Kara, a friend fom home has joined us for a two week holiday encmompassing Christmas. While this has had the added bonus of Kara being able to bring with her Christmas presents for us from home, the over-riding positive factor is seeing a friendly and familiar face and being able to have a proper conversation with someone - particularly pleasant to have someone to invite you into a discussion rather than delivering a monologue about themselves.Having put the world to rights on Ipanema beach whils also debating the virtues and vices of every single bathing suit, we immersed ourselves into a second Brazilian institution. It was the last day of the football season and while the championship had been decided the previous week, relegation issues were still to be resolved. Consequently the game to be at was the one we went to: Fluminense versus Juventude at the Maracana, the home of Brazilian football. Fluminense, a traditionally big team from Rion needed a victory to be certain of avoiding relegation. The Maracana, although it held 200,ooo for the final of the 1970 World Cup ("Carlos Albero coming up on the right" - you remember it even if you weren't born) now has a capacity of a mere 100,000 now they deem seats necessary. Fluminense fans are however, evidently fair weather types. Despite the game's significance the stadium was less than half full.To summarise the shole experience, the game was disappointing but the 1-0 Fluminense win ensured the crowd performed. the match, admittedly played in 35 degree Celsius heatwas conducted at such a languid pace that when players actually ran to close someone down, the fans went mad - David Batty would be a crowd hero out here. The level of skill, in terms of being able to go past a man while only walking was high, but the simple things were done with such ineptitude that it's astounding that the ocuntry has produced such stars in the past.For long periods of time, the crowd were a more entertaining spectacle than the match. I fulfilled an ambition to be under a giant shirt, Mexican waves felt appropriate and were executed with aplomb, fireworks accompanied the continuous samba drumming and the majority of supporters spent the ninety minutes dancing and waving their clothes in the air. Very different from both English and Argentinian games, the Brazilians come a surprising last on the football front but a predictable first in the overall entertainment category.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1072206480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1072206480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1072206480/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:02:49 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 321 - 322 - Rio de JaneiroRio is doing its damnedest to dispel our current lethargy for travelling. the hostel where we´re staying is the kind (filled with young, single people) where the focus is on evening entertainment rather than daytime activity. This suits us fine as while it´s great to do our own thing during the day, when it´s just the two of us at night time we are prone to go to bed woefully early. Rio demands more.First observations of Rio, more accurately Ipanema, are that it´s hugely different. Coming from Peru where pavements are by no means standard, to walk on red carpets past department store sized shops that sell nothing but expensive jewellery is something of a culture shock. The heat and humidity also hit you early on and whenever I see a thermometer reading thirty something degrees Celsius, my sweat glands seem to put in an extra effort!the language situation is proving to be frustrating. Having reached a competent level of Spanish, we´ve again been reduced to pointing, grunting and vigorous head movements. Perhaps fittingly my second Portuguese word (after Obrigado) was the translation of G-string bikini. Having spent some time sunning ourselves with the locals on Ipanema beach, it´s definitely true that Brazilians love nothing more than exhibiting their bodies. The fallacy is that everyone looks great. They don´t and plenty of people really shouldn´t be wearing such skimpy and revealing outfits. Nor is it just on the beach. the shops are filled with exposed flesh too - male and female! Being concerned about your body doesn´t appear to be a consideration for any Cariocas.Returning to the nightlife, our first venture out after dinner (along with most of the other people at the hostel) was a traditional Brazilian affair - we went to an Irish pub! I know that the Irish are notorious for enjoying themselves while boozing, and for being particularly friendly with it, but this does not completely explain why every sizeable town in the world we´ve seen has a Paddy O´Briens, a Rosie O´Grady´s or in this case, a Shenanigan´s. To be fair, most are more inviting than Ipanema´s effort with its befuddling ordering system and ankle deep spilled drinks/piss but is opening a bar really the only thing than Irish immigrants can do?
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1070992440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1070992440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kandg/our_rtw_2003/1070992440/tpod.html Thu, 18 Mar 2004 08:59:43 -0500 Realising a dream of travelling round the world for a year - India, SE Asia, Aus, NZ and South and Central America

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Nazca, Peru

Day 315 - 316 - Arequipa - NazcaWe had racked the Peruvian couple on the Colca Canyon trip for advice concerning restaurants and food given that our previous experiences had yielded few positive comments. While restaurant information was sparse, they did highly recommend a particular chocolate shop in Arequipa (the Peruvian Thorntons I guess). In broken English they explained how it had drawn comparison with german chocolate. We ventured that they had meant Swiss or Belgian but having now tried it, German is a more accurate description. It, like Peruvian cuisine, was unpleasant. I know I'm mopaning about food a lot but if a way to a man's heart is through his stomach then Peru is doing little to entice me.Fortunately no-one lied to us about our overnight bus to Nazca and we got the tickets we had paid for. We did screw up ourselves by going to the wrong bus station but no serious harm done this time.Arrival in Nazca was at 6:00am and by eight we were ready to leave. Not because we'd had a bad experience but by then we'd seen the town's only redeeming feature - the Nazca Lines. However, because now, a month after ascending, we're finally no longer at altitude (and didn't my nosebleed remind us of this fact) so the climate has warmed and we had a guilt free afternoon burning our now pasty bodies by the pool.The Nazca Lines were brilliant and after the Colca Canyon debacle, a welcome reminder that not everything touristy is shit. Before coming to Peru I knew little about them so perhaps a little explanation is in order. Throughout this dessert plateau there exists a number of enormous (some over 250m in length) shapes, mopstly animals. They can be seen only from the air and have been formed by removing the top layer of dark rock and stacking it next to the lighter rock underneath. the dearth of rainfall keeps them in pristine (by Peruvian standards anyway) condition. Given how old they are, they pose a few questions: namely, why? By whom? And for what purpose? Theories exist to answers, including extra-terrestrial based ideas but no-one has a concrete answer. While the alien concept is perhaps more romantic, I personally opine that there was an under-appreciated and drug-influenced artists who did them many years ago for self-amusement - one of them is a pair of comedy hands attached to a blob for God's sake. Unlikely I know but E.T.'s!!!!!!
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