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Southampton, United Kingdom

Pictures from the wedding ...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1084809060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1084809060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1084809060/tpod.html Wed, 09 Jun 2004 06:48:05 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Fordingbridge, United Kingdom

"A good traveller is one who does not know where he is going to, and a perfect traveller does not know where he came from." - Lin Yutang"Take only memories. Leave nothing but footprints." - Chief Seattle When I returned to the old world it felt strange. The journey homeward came without warning. It was as if some invisible hand was gently coaxing me back to the beginning for some inexplicable reason. It just happened. Something in the universe had shiftedand one morning I woke up and felt the change. It was time to go home. And so I did a few weeks of sight-seeing and then flew out of Lima.... leaving the wild continent for the "civilized" world. As I changed flights in Atlanta to catch my connecting flight I had a reality check ... literally. The very suspicious US customs officers were not sure what I could possibly be doing in Latin America for a year and a half. "Where did you get the money?" they asked. "I saved it" I replied. And then he stunned me with "Do you have a problem with reality?" ..... now there's an interesting question. I mean what is reality ...? Lets not go there now but maybe its all in the mind. Eventually they decided to let me go. They had teased me and perplexed me with bizarre questions. Maybe this is their new strategy for weeding out would-be terrorists. To confuse them into submission. After spending 2 months in Canada I finally decided to make my way back to the beginning. And now when I look back, travelling through Central and South America was like a re-awakening of the senses. A sometimes chaotic and noisy world. Music blaringly loud so you feel it and streets so busy you forget where you were going or what you were doing. Of pink cloud sunsets and radioactive moon (in the south anyway). Where lakes are blue, green and red. And deserts give way to seas and mineral coloured rocks ascend into yellow plains thousands of feet above sea level and then higher still into jagged mountains. It is a land of extremes and I believe that God had decided to enter the world of surrealism when he created South America. There are places where you can loose yourself. You can walk into worlds where it seems the only heart beating is yours. A wild and beautiful place which I will miss, but am sure to return to one day. I will miss the vitality of it all. The suicidal bus drivers skimming past 800 metre drops, children running towards you shouting "Hola Gringo!", the friendly smiling faces .... oh and the showers which electrocute you. And the feeling that "anything can happen". One of my earliest memories of this was in southern Chile. I had just stepped off a bus and was preparing to enter Torres Del Paine park for a seven day hike. As I slowly started walking my ears picked up a gentle rumbling sound which gradually became louder. Suddenly I could see a cloud of dust approaching me. Something was moving in this cloud and with great speed. Quickly I realised that a team of horses was running .... straight towards me. I ran out of the way just in time to see them disappear into another cloud. It was this sort of experience which was common throughout my travels, the ones that make you feel very alive.As I sit here now I find it difficult to put into words my feelings on returning. Everything is the same and yet it is not. Travelling has opened up my eyes and allowed me to venture out of one world and into another. Into a world where there are less distractions and mortality doesn't seem so abstract. Where life is more about survival and self-expression. Not mortgages, BMWs and holidays. And I know the next few weeks will take some getting used too as I adjust back to this way of life. To be honest, coming home has been tougher than I thought it would be. But I have a feeling I will be going somewhere else sooner than I think...Hasta la proxima vez .....While travelling Al sent me this which I thought was very apt while I was travelling (and living). Goethe once said: "Until there is commitment, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiation (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: That the moment one definitely commits oneself then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues forth from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings, and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1079032680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1079032680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1079032680/tpod.html Fri, 16 Apr 2004 16:26:31 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Ica, Peru

The Desert Manso he spoke of places wheresharks and whales lay buried thereinto a silent world we wentand learned about a life long spent desert vast and hidden teethwinds revealed them at your feetsun of fire and curving landburning colours over sandonce an ocean, a toiling seamillions of years before you and mewhere a giant, a king, a sharkthe mighty Megaladon made its markwith teeth the size of one man's hand would terrorize this watery landimagine the fear, imagine the awe of those that dared steal past its jawand now beneath the sand and stoneamongst the fossil and petrified bonethe eye does see but seldom findsa memory of life which reigned one timeand as the sun sets and wind blows throughthe desert offers one last clueout of sand and myth it climbs a sharpened jewel which glints and shinesall thats left of this cartilage creationand leaves the rest to your imagination..inspired by a 2 day desert excursion searching for shark teeth and whale bones ....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1079017380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1079017380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1079017380/tpod.html Fri, 16 Apr 2004 15:18:39 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Cusco, Peru

An Inca ruin set high on a mountain ridge, falling rocks, vampire bats and a suicidal mule ..... this was what we had to contend with as we made our way to this impressive site. Visited by Hiram Bingham on his first visit to Peru, Choquequirau was what inspired him to look for other ruins and eventually Machu Picchu. It lies some 30km south of Machu Picchu and unlike its more famous brother is somewhat more difficult to get to. However the rewards are more than ample. The only way to get there was to walk a round trip of 4 days (56km). Starting at 2800metres we would descend 1000 metres into a valley and then climb out on the other side .... back up to 2800 metres to this castle in the clouds. We arrived in Cachora, the closest village to the ruins. From here we would walk the 28km through spectacular mountains and clouds. We decided not to do it with a tour operator as they were so expensive, charging us $150 each. We managed to do it for $30 each. Once in the village we organised a guide and mule (to carry our supplies). As with most things in Latin America this took longer than usual. Eventually we set off with our guide David through maize fields towards the snow capped peaks. Due to our late start we only managed 2 hours of hiking before we had to set up camp. As we sat around the fire David cautioned us about rock fall on the path and how we must open our ears and be ready. Only a few months ago two tourists were killed in such a tragedy. And while he recounted his story a light storm lit up the night sky in dramatic style as if to highlight the danger.The next morning we awoke into a world of white wispy cloud rising like steam off the bulging greeness of the surrounding mountains. And what better way to start the day than to discover the mule had decided to sneak back to the village during breakfast! Was there something it knew that we didn´t? Not a good sign. And so David raced off after it and within 20 minutes the dejected animal was back with us .... and we were on our merry way. To keep our spirits high we sang uplifting songs such as "Help" and "We´re on a road to nowhere". Descending through the chilly mountain air on a path which at times would suddenly fall away on one side, offering stunning views of plummeting drops you might want to fall down should you decide to take a few steps off the trail. And to confirm David´s camp fire story, a pile of rocks and boulders would occassionally partly block the path. The further down we went into the valley the hotter and more humid the air became. And to think we had to climb back out of the valley in the mid-day sun.As we crossed the bridge you could not help but admire the mighty crashing waves of the Apurimac river ..."The Great Speaker". The ascent started slowly moving over the hot winding path. And as we began rising above the river so did the temperature. Six hours walking up a hill is a long time, and with an over zealous sun it was not far from unbearable. Just before we left the river other hikers were commenting on how this was the "toughest hike i have done". Poor Anjil - this was his first! Anyway why was he complaining, it was character building. It was difficult to appreciate any vistas during this period of duress. All you could think of was making it to the next tree before you were frazzled. And every time we made it to what we thought was the summit ...... another summit appeared. Eventually we made it to the top and in the distance we caught our first glimpse of Choquequirao. We would have to wait until the following day to see it in all its glimpse.It was a relief to wake up alive the next day. Sleeping in a silver tent on a mountain while thunder and lightening raged across the sky probably wasn´t a good idea. After breakfast we started the last leg of the journey. After 2 hours walking and crossing a waterfall which was partial to the occassional landslide we arrived at the ruins. Located on a ridge with steep slopes and precipices on either side. Only 30% of the site had been cleared which means it could be bigger than Machu Picchu. Although not has striking as Machu Picchu it certainly had its own appeal. We wandered around these silent ruins and admired the immense precipices before making our way back to our tent where we prepared for the return journey.The next morning we noticed the mule had blood on its neck. Vampire bats had been out during the night. Probably why he was so determined to sneak home on the first day. And then the rain started. In the distance rumblings could be heard ... the rock falls had begun ... it was time to leave. Luckily the return journey was pretty uneventful. Any dangers seemed to be a comfortable distance away. Although the mule which was now carrying Anjil would occasionally walk on the edge to give him stunning but dangerous views of the river below. And so we made it back to Cachora without a scratch. An arduous but fantastic journey to a seldom visited Inca site
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1075673400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1075673400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1075673400/tpod.html Fri, 27 Feb 2004 10:41:54 -0500 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Arequipa, Peru

"Not all those who wander are lost" - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring."Maps encourage boldness. They are like cryptic love letters. They make anything seem possible" - author unknownRecently I have been studying my map of South America. A sign perhaps that it is time to travel again. I have recently been feeling restless and now a friend of mine, Anjil, has decided to join me out here in Peru. Its time to move on ... towards the north where Pizarro first started his conquest of the Inca and where the Equator divides the earth in half ..... to Ecuador. However to get there I still have most of Peru to travel through - the Nazca Lines, the surreal mountainscapes of Huaraz and the shamans of the north all await. But before I move on I must pay homage to this great city and its people. Arequipa has been a revelation and to think I almost skipped it. I should have known that I was meant to visit the city when I was greeted at the bus station by a woman holding a sign with my name on it! It seems the hostal owner in Puno was determined I should stay at this hostal. The city which not only is surrounded by ancient volcanoes, one being semi active, but also happens to be located in an earthquake prone area has now been my home for the last 4 months. They say Arequipa experiences tremors nearly everyday and the fact the last serious earthquake which reached 6.9 on the richter scale a couple years ago is reason enough to leave soon.... During my stay I have taught English to Peruvians although I personally learnt more about my own mother tongue here in Peru than I did back in England. I witnessed history being made as the first Peruvian football club lifted the coveted South American cup (equivalent to the UEFA cup) and I almost made it to the top of the volcano El Misti. Unfortunately at 5,500 metres above sea level I began to suffer altitude sickness and had to turn back with only 300 metres to go. And on the cuisine side I have now eaten "bolas de toro" (bulls testicles) and I must say ....... it was not too bad but next time I might just give it a miss.And I have lived with a fantastic family .... the old adage "its the people who make the place" rings very true in this case. When I first arrived in Peru nearly 5 months ago I really could not have contemplated spending this much time here. I was almost ready to return to the old life. However Peru was always the main attraction for me travelling to South America. And so it never made sense to just spend a few weeks and then leave. And now having spent 5 months in the south of Peru I realise what a diverse and culturally rich country this really is. Machu Picchu is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other equally impressive ruins and other worldly landscapes which continue to spellbind you. This diversity is mainly due to Peru having 3 different types of climate: Starting on the coast you have the deserts which sweep up towards the plains into icy mountain ranges towering above 6000 metres and then gently sliding back down into lush green which bursts into jungle and what some people might call .... green hell.These 3 types of climate are the reason for the diversity in wildlife, plants and terrain.And then you have a myriad of other cultures who have left their relics hidden under growth or desert sands: the famous geoglyphs of the Nazcas, the feline worshipping Chavin cult and the mud temples of Chan Chan. Man I need another 6 months here, maybe I´ll have to come back one day ....Unfortunately I will not be cycling now. After 1700km by bike I have decided to do the final leg by bus - my buttocks decided it was for the best. But one day I hope to resume this mode of transport. In the meantime Anjil and myself will try and do this country justice by visiting as many of these places as possible before heading back to the real world ......
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1067708400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1067708400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1067708400/tpod.html Sat, 01 Nov 2003 17:55:28 -0500 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Cusco, Peru

"Something hidden! Go and find it! Go and look beyond the ranges - something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go!" - Rudyard KiplingI wonder what it must have been like when Hiram Bingham first set eyes on the ruins of Machu Picchu. I think there is this idea of him tirelessly hacking through jungle, stumbling across rivers while clues from Quichua Indians lead him gradually closer towards the lost city. However truth and fiction have a habit of swapping places when history is being written. I have been reading his book "Lost City of the Incas" which he wrote nearly 40 years after first visiting the site. It is interesting to see how he romanticises the discovery. Although he clearly was interested in finding the ruins he was actually led to the site by some Quichui indians and on arrival spent only a couple hours there before heading back down into the valley, more interested in ´some bones´ he discovered. So you could say he didn´t really discover it - more like rediscovered it and publicised it. Was he an intrepid explorer searching for lost cities for scientific reasons or another treasure hunter in search of "El Dorado"? While I was sitting in a park in Cusco reading the book an old man sat next to me and asked me what I was reading. After telling him "Hiram Bingham" he simply replied "Ladron" ...... "Thief".To start the pilgrimage to Macchu Pichu you need to arrive in Cusco. This was the Inca capital from which the Incas ruled their vast empire. Inca actually means "Emperor" and refers to the ruling aristocracy. However it is mistakenly used to refer to all the people in the empire. The empire was in fact made up of different races which the Incas conquered. Cusco with its cobbled streets, red cathedrals, red hills and red roofs offers many distractions to make you forget why you arrived here in the first place i.e. it has lots of bars and discotecs. Everywhere you walk you are asked to buy something, eat something here and if you don´t respond the inevitable question "Where are you from?" is used to entice you into buying something. This is the down side of commercialising a culture. You wonder whether the people actually see their heritage as something to be proud of rather than just a business. While wandering around a persistent young seller tried to sell me postcards. As I walked away we engaged in the following conversation:"Where are you from friend?""England""Ah....London, The Queen, Mr Tony Blair .......Diamond Geezer"Imagine if it had been England which colonised South America rather than Spain. It would be so much better ..... instead of plazas there would be high streets, "Muchas Gracias" would be "Cheers Mate!", "Bangers and Mash" would be the local dish and pubs would shut at 11pm. Life for the conquered masses would have been so much more bearable. After 3 days of Cusco I decided to start the famous Inca Trail through the sacred valley. During our 3 day jaunt we wandered over Inca stone paths, ascended into clouds up Inca stairs, through orchid growing cloud forests and skirted along steep precipices which overlooked the lush green valley. And far below the main Amazon tributary, the Urubamba river, rumbled below while winding its way between green mountains like a silver snake. This is a land for giants, huge mountains towering up into clouds, the Inca terraces on which they farmed the original potato (brought back to Europe by the Spanish) looking more like giant stairs which will lead you up to the mountain gods. Apparently they believed the closer they lived to the summits, where the gods took residence, the safer they would be. And the stone pathways lead you to lofty hidden fortresses which the messenger runners (called Chasquis) would run between and pass on any interesting news like the arrival of any unwelcome guests into the empire e.g. conquistadors.However although the communication within the kingdom was efficient and extensive (30,000km of stone pathways) it didn´t seem to prevent Francisco Pizarro and co. from conquering them. Luckily for him, when he arrived the Inca Empire was being torn apart by a civil war. Due to a power struggle between two Inca brothers (one the natural heir, the other the bastard son) the Spanish conquistador didn´t have much to do. It was more like the Inca Empire was self destructing and he happened to be in the right place at the right time. It is still quite amazing though, how he and 200 men sailed half way around the world and were able to conquer an empire spanning from southern Ecuador all the way down to central Argentina and Chile. There must have been thousands of warriors to defeat along the way. Finally on the morning of the fourth day we arrived at the Sun Gate. It is from here that you get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu. First impression - what a location. Sitting precariously on the shoulder of Machu Picchu (Old Mountain) it looks like it will slide off at any moment. And the impressive Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain) in the background certainly looks like a place where a God once lived. As we got closer the size became more impressive. It was bigger than I thought. After wandering over the ruins you marvel at the vision and the engineering genius these people must have possessed. And some of the stonework in the walls, boulders precisely cut to fit like pieces in a puzzle and without mortar. These walls would withstand earthquakes.My favourite relic of the past was the Intihuatana or "Hitching Post of the Sun".The theory goes as follows: in the winter as the hours of sun got less and less, the Andean people feared it was leaving them. Therefore they decided to construct a post to which the sun could be tired. A perfectly natural solution. It seems the sun was revered like a God in the high plains. And just to make sure the sun didn´t go AWOL they would sacrifice virgins and llamas to appease it.Its amazing to think though that although the Incas were expert farmers, stonemasons and weavers and organised and ruled nearly half a continent.......they never developed writing. Kind of strange if you ask me. After Machu Picchu I headed back to Cusco and now I am back in Arequipa for some more teaching ...... and perhaps at some point in time I will get back on my bike and finish the journey .....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1064683500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1064683500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1064683500/tpod.html Wed, 01 Oct 2003 17:26:30 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Arequipa, Peru

".... the nearer your destination, the more you´re slip slidin away ..." Paul SimonI was planning on arriving at Machu Picchu almost 2 months ago (in fact I thought I would be home by now). I seem to be distracted and something keeps pulling me towards other places. Machu Picchu is my main reason for landing on this continent. My Holy Grail, the inspiration which set my imagination ablaze. When I will get there, now I do not know. Someone once said to me "it´s the journey that´s important, not the destination".Until I get there I will have to make do with other people´s accounts and Hiram Bingham´s awe inspiring story of when he discovered the citadel in the clouds. Because now I find myself teaching English in Arequipa.Backtracking to La Paz, Bolivia. Abandoned by Fabien, I set off solo out of the bowl, to start the ascent from 3600m to 4000m. And as I climbed out I came across 2 cyclists taking a break. Claude and his girlfriend (my memory for names seems to be getting worse) from Switzerland were on a cycling holiday in Bolivia. It turns out Claude had already completed a 7 year round-the-world cycle tour a few years ago. Which immediately made my cycle trip look like some warm up exercise. Undaunted I carried on towards Bolivia´s main Archaelogical site: Tiahuanaco. This was an advanced culture which preceeded and probably helped develop the Inca. I wasn´t left with much of an impression, but that was probably to do with the millions of ants (tourists) crawling over the ruins. I find the longer I travel the more I disassociate myself from tourists. Besides I am a traveller (completely different), I experience the country at a deeper level. So the next day I checked out of the 4 star hotel and looked ahead to the rather large mass of water which is Lake Titicaca. At an altitude of 4000m, this is one of the highest navigable lakes in the world. Cycling along the yellow shores, cows grazing amongst the reeds and in the distance the blue and pink triangular sails of fishing boats contrast against the snowy peaks. I arrived in Desaguadero, a chaotic border town, tomorrow I would be in Peru. As soon as I entered Peru I noticed slight differences between the people. Here they are less reserved and are more inclined to shout "Gringo" and laugh at you. I followed the perimeter of the lake occasionally accompanied by old men on bikes. They speak to me, but the Spanish here seems to be full of slang, so I just agree and say "Si" a lot. I see a small village nestled between two hills and decided to spend the night there overlooking the lake. The next morning I climb the rest of the hill to watch the sun turn Titicaca into a mirror as I screamed out at the top of my lungs "HOLAAAAA!". I listen as my wake-up call bounces over the lake and back.Crossing briefly back into Bolivia to have a look at Copacabana and the famous Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun). This island is where Inca mythology began. The Sun was born here, and the first Inca Manco Capac was conceived with his sister-wife Mama Huaca. As soon as I put foot on the island I realise two days will not be enough time here. There is something mystical about this tranquil island. With its rustic life, ruins and azure bays which remind me of the Mediterranean, I spend more time here than I planned. During my stay here Sebastian and I decided to find out whether the underwater ruins really existed. Early one morning a group of us hired a fisherman to take us to the alleged ruins. After 1 hour of rowing we arrive. Half an hour of searching and we see some ruins (or were they just rocks). We gave him the benefit of the doubt.Finally after leaving the sunny island I headed towards Puno where the famous floating islands awaited. Just another day in the saddle, cycling along when suddenly there was a loud popping sound and my front wheel swerves suddenly. My first blow out. I think the garage attendant might have slightly over-inflated my tyre! I pull over to the side of the road just outside a village and proceed to repair the damage. Crouched down I work away and notice a few school children have gathered near me to watch. I greet them but only receive silent stares. A few minutes later I look up and I am literally surrounded by a circle of children. This is followed by the older members who join the younger spectators. So I carry on hosting this new show quietly amused by my mute audience. Finally one of the men starts talking to me and helps me to fix the wheel. While this is happening more and more people gather to have a look until there must be around 50-60 people. It was like a one man circus show had arrived in town. The stranger then allowed the locals to ride the bike for a few minutes before taking off into the sunset ...Finally I arrive in Puno and visited the remarkable floating reed islands. These people decided hundreds of years ago to make islands from totora reeds and live on them. The Uros people used to be a separate race with their own language. They decided to live in this water world as to avoid potential conquerors. Unfortunately the Incas were a race which possessed cunning. And so the inevitable happened. These islands are made of layers (which are frequently replaced) of reeds - usually metres thick.And after the islands I left my bike in Puno and decided to make a quick 3 day visit to the White City ..... also known as Arequipa. Called so because a lot of the churches and buildings are constructed from white volcanic rock. While down here I did the Colca Canyon trek and finally saw the elusive condor. However I have now been in Arequipa for 1 month as I seem to have landed a job teaching English. Five hours a day in fact. I now have a new found respect for teachers and what they have to put up with....we will see how long I last ....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1060700280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1060700280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1060700280/tpod.html Tue, 12 Aug 2003 21:30:21 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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La Paz, Bolivia

I am now almost 4000 metres high in La Paz (The Peace), Bolivia.........after 3 weeks and 1200km of cycling and marvelling at the multi coloured canyons of Argentina and then freezing and gasping through the yellow high plains (altiplano) of Bolivia. And I can honestly say this has been the best decision, too cycle instead of take public transport....And it all started back in Salta, Argentina. Fabien and I left one dull overcast morning and it was a great relief to finally be cycling after 2 weeks of apprehension and preparation. It was like being set free, a new mode of transport and a different experience - just following a road and seeing where it took you. Passing by the seven colour mountains of Purmamarca we made it to the little gem which is Tilcara. As we slowly start ascending to the high plain or Altiplano as it is called, the air starts to get drier and breathing becomes a bit of a strain. It is a cartoon world up here in North West Argentina, small villages set in rocky rainbow coloured valleys. Yellow, red, green, purple hills give way to the yellow grassy altiplano.Finally after 5 days we were on the border and into Bolivia. Winding our way through the small farms, kids running out "Hola Amigo!" and through dusty red valleys to Tupiza. Echos of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, who made it this far into South America. A few hours away they were gunned down after robbing a train. Not surprisingly they came here. Bolivia used to be one of the richest countries worldwide as far as minerals go.......unfortunately they still happen to be one of the poorest nations in South America. Corruption and foreign interference have crippled this country. And when you think that Bolivia has lost land to nearly all its neighbours ...... its quite sad really. But the people have great spirit over here and are amongst the friendliest i have met so far.The main reason for cycling into Bolivia was the Salar de Uyuni. We wanted to spend a few days on this ancient sea of salt. This is the biggest salt flat in the world and it is quite spectacular. It used to be a huge sea with islands and maybe strange fish. As you cycle around this mass of white crusty condiment, you have little coral islands you can stop at and climb while being shredded by 20 feet tall cacti. One of the highlights was a strange animal we spotted on one island. It was like a miniature kangaroo, hopping from rock to rock. After the sighting we decided not to eat anymore coca leaves for a while. A few nights were spent on this salty flat. At one point I thought we were never going to get off it (12000 sq km) but we finally made it out and started on our way north to La Paz.However we were sidetracked briefly. We were invited to a small village one day as it was approaching dusk. "Es muy circa" (its very close) said the old man. Now you would think that I would have learnt by now. Whenever you want to know where something is or how far, ALWAYS be sceptical. One and a half hours later, pushing our bikes uphill over rocks and through sand we arrived. We spent the night drinking coca tea and answering questions normally related to money. The next day we went down to see the village school currently being built. Suddenly i realised that one of the men who was a few metres from me was planting a stick of dynamite in the ground! He was excavating. This is something that completely separates the people over here in latin america. There seems to be very little or no concept of safety. Which can be fun but sometimes there are limits. So I quickly retreated to behind a building and attended a school meeting instead. After the village it was a tough 100km rocky ride towards Challapatta and then a 60km cycle over flat dull terrain into a very strong headwind. So we hopped into a camion (truck) for the remaining 30km to Oruro. After doing nothing but eat good food (after eating sand and pasta for 5 days) in Oruro we set off for the remaining 227km which we completed in 2 days. Suffice to say when we arrived in La Paz we were exhausted. Especially when we were actually a further 10km away from what we thought was the centre. We slowly made our way through the suburb, but where was the centre? And then suddenly it came out of hiding, below us yellow lights flickering in what seemed like a crater. It was probably 400 metres below. The city in a hole. It took us 45 minutes to descend into it. Finally we had arrived. La Paz fed us well and made us lazy. So we headed to Corocio. To get there you had to take the aptly titled Road of Death. A dirt track which is so narrow that sometimes buses slide off and plummet 800 metres while trying to overtake. The normal way to get to Coroico is to bike it down. Which is supposed to be safer than taking a bus. A week before a bus had actually gone over the edge killing 30 local people. But now they have almost completed the new road which will hopefully open very soon. We took this road and started at an altitude of 4500metres and descended for 6 hours to Coroico which is at around 2000metres. Coroico is a little paradise set amongst huge green mountains. It is where you find the Afro Bolivian communities. Brought over during the slave trade.After spending lazy days in Coroico we headed back to La Paz. On the road of death by bus. An experience I would not want to repeat. And now Fabien is heading to Lima to catch a flight and I am heading into Peru up to .... Machu Picchu ......
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1057171860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1057171860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1057171860/tpod.html Fri, 04 Jul 2003 15:11:16 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Salta, Argentina

.. to quote the famous South African philosopher LR Grove: "Chile is a slightly misleading name as it isn't (in the North) and there is none" ... So after the southern delights of Chile in Torres del Paine, it was time for the sequel and to finish off what I started in this ribbon shaped land. Once again I left Argentina and crossed the border into the middle of Chile and headed towards Pucon. It was in this little town sitting on the lake Villarrica and in the distance the active Volcano of the same name would summon me to climb her because it was there and I was bored.So I joined an international team including Dutch, Norwegian and French to head up the snowy cone. Unfortunately our guide was a little subdued and I later learned this was because the tour company he worked for had one client injured during a recent climb. The volcano is covered with hard snow and so it is important not to slip otherwise you slide very quickly and uncontrollably downhill. Which is what happened to one individual. Fortunately the person was not badly injured. However this meant that our ascent was a little on the slow side. After walking for only 10 minutes we were told to take a 5 minute break. Maybe he was tired, but I had the feeling he was maybe being a little overcautious and hoping we would not make it to the top. Which is exactly what happened. As we got closer the wind picked up and clouds could be seen swirling around the summit. Not a good sign. And along with another group we had to abandon the hike. We were only about 200 metres off the summit. Instead we just admired the hazy view of the surrounding Andes and the silver lake Villarrica below. Although on the way down we were allowed (reluctantly) to slide down on our backsides which made up for the disappointmentThe days of lazing in Pucon finally ended and we headed for the capital Santiago. The city in a bowl of dust. Imprisoned by a wall of mountains and lying in a sort of bowl-like depression, the city has a bit of a pollution problem. If you go up one of the small hills overlooking the city you see this suspended veil of dust covering the city. And poking through the top are the white tips of the Andean peaks. While staying in Santiago I did the wine tour thing, and treated my taste buds to one of the best reds I think I have ever tasted. For all you winos out there it was (Concha y Torro) Trio - Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a kind of full body, woody flavour with a hint of orange .....Next stop was Valparaiso on the Chilean coast. The famous Naval city. Picture streets with sailors walking around, winding alleyways and stairways and funiculars leading up the 45 hills scattered throughout the city. It was from here that the Chilean Navy (assisted by the British Navy) defeated the Spanish Armada over the war of Independence. And later on in the war of the Pacific when Chile went to war and defeated Bolivia and Peru over the mineral-rich territory of the Atacama.In fact it seems Chile seems to have been at odds with all its neighbours. Not only has it upset Peru and Bolivia, but Argentina aren´t to happy with them either for supporting the British in the Falklands war. Passing through Viña del Mar (Vineyard of the Sea) and then heading northwards where the climate and terrain start to become drier and more desolate.....the Atacama desert, the world's driest. Plonked in the middle is the small town San Pedro de Atacama. Getting nearer Bolivia and the people are changing (more indigenous). Ignoring the town this place feels like you have just landed on Mars. Funny that because NASA do testing here because of that very reason. Just north you have the steaming geysers of El Tatio. And south are the salts flats which also spread out into Bolivia ( where the biggest ones can be found ). I cycle through this moonscape land of red furnace valleys, sand dunes and earth scarred with strange rock formations. As the end of the day draws near, the sun paints on the desert canvas using its colour palette of red, yellow, orange, green and violet.... and with the sun slowly sinking, the temperature starts to bite and the brightest stars sparkle and pierce the dry desert air. Then Chile gave way to one more jaunt into Argentina, Salta to be exact. Already been here far too long, but one day I met an intrepid ( mad? ) cyclist called Alistair who is currently cycling around the world ( website below ). Having done Africa he is now doing the Americas. Now I dont quite know how this happened, but after talking to him for a few hours I went out and bought myself a bike. And I am not the first person he inspired to adopt this new mode of transport. Obviously there is something quite appealing about cycling through villages, valleys and stunning landscapes. Besides it was time for a change from the norm. There is only so much sightseeing and bussing you can do before it wears thin. I would always wander what I was missing out on when passing through by bus. Wouldn't it be nice to stop off and take a look around? So its off to Bolivia and Peru.....by bike.Click here to jump to more info on Alistairs world trip by bike
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1054306680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1054306680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mrjoey/americas2002/1054306680/tpod.html Sun, 01 Jun 2003 17:19:56 -0400 Taking a year out to travel through North, Central and South America in search of El Dorado

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Pucon, Chile

The world of Patagonia is a strange and beautiful one. Mention the word and most people are not too familiar with this region or what too expect when they arrive. It is quite isolated and dirt roads are the only way to travel through it overland. The region is shared between Chile and Argentina in the south of the continent. Containing huge glaciers, jagged peaks, pale blue/green lakes and desolate windswept planes it sometimes really does feel like the end of the world down here.To start i took a flight from Buenos Aires down to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina. It used to be the southernmost city in the world but now the Chileans stake this claim. The place has quite an alpine feel to it and sits on the Beagle Channel under snowcapped mountains. The main park here is Tierra del Fuego - land of fire. So called because when the first ships sailed by, small indian fires could be seen.It was here i started my hiking phase. One day in Tierra del Fuego among mountains and forests. The highlight was making a fire on a sea cliff re-enacting the indians, while watching a sea lion swim past completely unaware of us.After the isolation of Ushuaia it was time for even more isolation in Torres del Paine park further north in Chile. In the summer this park is very popular, but it was nearing winter and the wind and cold were not attracting many visitors. After stocking up on food and camping equipment i headed into the park for 7 days hiking and camping. Even before you enter the park you can not help notice the centrepiece which is the huge peaks of Cuernos del Paine. The striking feature about this mass of granite are the unique two-tone colours. Black on top and sandy brown in the middle. However the more famous attraction is probably the 3 towers - Torres del Paine. Looking more like giant termite nests, these are transformed into golden towers at sunrise. It is probably the best sunrise i have witnessed without actually looking at the sun.While you wander through the park you see the huge boulders (some as big as houses) carpeting the valley floors, the old tools of what used to be enormous glaciers.One night was actually spent in a valley near a creaking Glacier. Alone in a forest, dull rumbles could be heard while the glacier slowly disintegrates, wind screeching above, rain rattling against the canvas, me hallucinating and thinking i saw a giant puma head when it was in fact the silhouette from my clothes, and what was that strange noise.......thinking about Blair Witch Project and questioning why i was here....Towards the end of the circuit i spent a night next to the Grey Glacier. All night you heard creaking and what sounded like hollow drums being banged together from the small icebergs scraping the bottom of the lake and knocking into each other. After 7 days and in dire need of a shower i left the park and headed back to Argentina to see the Moreno glacier. Patagonia itself has the 3rd largest ice field in the world after Antartica and Greenland. And the Moreno glacier is one of the few advancing glaciers. It is 3km wide and 14 km long and it towers 50 metres above the lake. I did an ice-trek over part of this glacier which was fantastic. However to stand in front and watch huge chunks of compacted snow drop in what seems like slow motion, 50 metres into the lake, was quite a sight. Sounds like rifle gunfire as it shatters on the lake surface.After the Moreno it was onwards to El Chalten where you can view more pointy peaks and hike around autumn coloured forest and valleys. Unfortunately the weather was cloudy for most of the stay, however i met some Colombians who were driving around South America. They offered me a lift north and after bussing all over the place it sounded more adventurous. We then commenced on a memorable drive. The morning we left El Chalten the day was cloudless and we finally got to see Mount Fitz Roy. And then it was almost a 4 hour journey on a dirt road out of Patagonia. During the journey Esteban translated Colombian songs for me and i began to become more and more interested in a possible venture into the country at some stage. Despite the media perception of Colombia, I have always heard it is a real gem of a country as long as you are sensible and avoid the dangerous parts. After celebrating the car reaching 100 000km (this involved pulling over turning up the stereo and dancing around the car wearing only your shoes) we arrived in Puerto Madryn. I only stayed here one night but near here is a town called Trelew. It boasts a Welsh community (not sure if boast is a good word). You can buy tea, cream cakes and a Welsh doll if you are feeling homesick. After Puerto Madryn I took a bus to the lake district, Bariloche. It seems there is a heavy Germanic influence here, wooden chalets, kuchen (German cake) and good beer. Alot of German and Swiss immigrants arrived in Chile and spilled over the border into Argentina creating a little Germany or Switzerland. It was here I met up again with Rene who I had met in Torres del Paine and Mount Fitz Roy. A hiking fanatic he had been hiking around Alaska, Canada and now here. Although i was not planning on any more hiking I ended up doing a 4 day hike in Nahuel Huapi Park with Rene. Our first night was spent in a refugio (lodge) on a ridge run by Pedro the Swiss ice-skating whiz and his cat Draculina. That night the moon was full and so bright we were warned not to spend to long outside due to radiation. Down in this part of the world the ozone layer is badly destroyed and so you need to be more careful. The next day we hiked over a ridge and through another valley to reach a refugio (lodge) which had been closed down for the winter. Unfortunately we did not get much sleep due to a mouse scurrying around most the night in search of food. And the next day we had to turn back due to too much ice in the the mountains. After hiking back to Bariloche we headed into town and treated ourselves to the local cuisine: a fondue.After Bariloche I headed through more quaint wooden towns. I stopped by for a visit at Sonia´s to see her famous Art shop (called Blumenhaus)in La Angostura and to visit the Arrayane forests. These trees have a cinnamon coloured bark which is quite cold to touch. And then San Martin de los Andes, a very pleasant little town sitting on Lake Lacar before heading back into volcanic-ridden Chile to start my tour of the famous wineries....and the end of my liver.
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