TravelStream™ news feed for member muzz_travelling on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/muzz_travelling en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:36:29 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1128182280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1128182280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1128182280/tpod.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:36:29 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.

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Colonia, Montevideo and Punta Del Este, Uruguay

A 2 week stint through UruguayPlease visit www.murrayw.net for more info&nbsp;It was time to start the traveling part of this trip. After a blur or a month in Buenos Aires, I needed a little tranquility, some time to chill from the 24 hour partying that Buenos Aires is famous for. So my mate from Australia, Alan, and I caught a 3 hour ferry from Buenos Aires to a Colonial town in Uruguay called funnily enough ´Colonia'. To be honest, the reason we wanted to leave the 'Mil House' was because we were being stalked by two Canadian girls who had taken a liking to us. The followed us everywhere and we couldn't get a moments peace, so, early one morning we packed our stuff and ran off to the ferry. It was a peaceful trip on the great big catamaran and a few hours later, we arrived in Colonia, Uruguay. A quiet little town with cobbled streets, very few cars, and loads of bikes. The main transport is on horseback, straight down the main road. The first day in Colonia we rode around on bikes and discovered a huge abandoned Colosseum, built a few years before bull fighting was banned and since, has no use and is bordered up and sadly falling apart. Other than the Coliseum there wasn´t too much more to Colonia, a few tranquil, relatively clean sandy beaches, some nice board walks and a lighthouse but not much more. At night, from a vantage point on a nearby hill we saw the twinkling lights of Buenos Aires shining across the River Plate. The next day, after a massive lunch where they crack eggs onto a huge steak and provided all the fries and salad we could eat, we left for Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay and very similar to Buenos Aires. Montevideo didn´t impress in the slightest. It is basically a rubbish version of Buenos Aires. We walked from the bus terminal to our hostel and were chased by a gang of&nbsp; teenagers. We ran own a few streets and took shelter in a convienience store and waited for them to leave. We left the next morning. Our next stop was ´Punta Del Este´ Point of the East, a massive tourist town on a finger of land with the Atlantic ocean on one side and the River Plate on the other. Its similar to Surfers Paradise in Australia with high rises everywhere and is basically just a massively expensive tourist trap. We arrived in their quiet winter season and the place was deserted. A cold wind was blowing in from the Atlantic, and the water was far from inviting, its brown, polluted and cold. There are a number of beaches, a few with decent surfing waves but all were crowded with surfers making the most of the cold, windy, chopped up conditions. This place would be absolutely mad in Summer but unfortunately this time of year just doesn't cut it. Despite the cold blasting wind, Punta Del Este did however have something for us to see: Seals, Sea Lions and Dolphins. Alan and I spent a few hours strolling around the boardwalk, admiring the sea life and watched as the Sea Lions took liking to an old wooden boat, and climbed aboard. We took a few photos and admired the little guys and continued exploring. The next day, we returned to see the sea lions and to our surprise, they had climbed aboard the boat and sunk it. Only the top of the cabin was protruding through the surface of the water with a baby Sea lionl ontop. We spent hours getting close enough to touch all of the above mentioned animals and sipping on Mate <img class="yui-img" src="http://images.travelpod.com/users/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005.1128182280.dscn3322.jpg" width="300"> The truth about Mate: Mate. (which is the done thing in Uruguay - Its a herbal tea, similar to Chinese Green Tea but a whole lot stronger with many medicinal benefits, or so they say, I´m Hooked!). MATE: Facts: don't add sugar don't say mate is 'unhygenic' don't say mate is too hot don't leave the mate halve way don't feel ashamed of the noise at the end don't slow down the rhythm it is estimated in Uruguay, each person consumes more than 570 litres of mate per year it contains 'mateina' which affects the cns it is an aphrodisiac &nbsp; Mate has been used for centuries to: energize the body stimulate mental awareness aid weight loss cleanse the colon acts as a gentle diuretic accelerate the healing process fortify the immune system &nbsp; Friendship: mate is more than good for the body, its good for the soul in traditional mate use, the straw or bombilla is shared among family and friends the sharing of mate is a sign of total acceptance and friendship Me gusta mate After a week in Punta Del Este watching the Sea Animals and checking out the place on a bike, Alan and I retuned to Montevideo to give it another chance. It wasn't as bad as our first impressions lead it to be, but we didn't stay long and returned to Colonia and finally, back on a 3 hour ferry to Buenos Aires for one more crazy party session before heading north and begin the real travel. --------------------- Random notes 1.00 Australia Dollar = 17.9352 Uruguay Pesos &nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1125111180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1125111180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1125111180/tpod.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:35:43 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Welcome everyone, Thanks so much for visiting. I started this blog in 2005 and in the 3 years its been going there&nbsp;have been over 63,000 visitors!!! Wow!!&nbsp;I put this thing together to help fellow travelers learn from my experience and also help family and friends track my progress on this crazy voyage and also give some useful information about the places I have visited. If you have any questions about anything I would be more than happy to help out and for more information and more blogs, visit my website: www.murrayw.net --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A good place to start Hello and Welcome to my Travel Blog. In order to make sense, and put the 'por que?' (why) of this story together, we need to backtrack a few years. It was January 2002 and a warm summer in Australia I made a decision to travel to Canada and spend a few months snowboarding in the ski town of 'Fernie', in the South Eastern corner of British Colombia. My 3 month snowboarding trip, turned into a seven month round the world tour. I returned home from Thailand, broke and with a massive addiction to traveling, all I wanted to do was to get back on the scene. I decided on my return home that I would be traveling again, very soon, but this time, I would have the ability to choose when to come home, and not be entirely limited to a meager cash supply and a count down plane ticket. On the 26th of August 2005, my dream came true and I boarded a plane headed for Buenos Aires in Argentina. The plan Beginning in Buenos Aires, I planned to travel South to Ushuaia, the worlds Southern most city and the gateway to Antarctica. I would then travel North, overland all the way to Alaska. It&nbsp;was a massive journey, which seemed more like a dream than a reality in the early stages of planning. I intended to travel through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Columbia. From the North Coast of Columbia I take a boat through the Caribbean arriving in Panama. I would then travel through Central America and Mexico, finally hitting the USA and Canada then traveling even further north to Alaska before returning to Australia on some kind of sea voyage. At least, in August 2005, that was the plan, but as you will see, things changed. Great beginnings I had a fascination to start the trip from the doorstep of my Northern Beaches Home. Ideally I would have loved to hitch all the way to the airport, meeting people and starting the whole experience before I was even on the plane. But in reality, I thought I would have enough challenges in South America, so my folks dove me to the airport. We said our tearful goodbyes and with my mum weeping, I disappeared into the terminal. I checked in early and had a few hours to kill and began filling in the first pages of my Journal. I wrote about my expectations and dreams for the 3 year trip. It was time to board, and I stepped onto the Airbus A340 and found my seat. We took off and had a short stop in Auckland, where we were told that this leg would be the last for the Captains career. He was retiring when he touched down in Buenos Aires, and as a result, we were saluted by fire trucks when we taxied out of Auckland. About half way into flight 1185, I was chatting with the flight attendants and asked if it would be at all possible to get into the flight deck. They chuckled and said a straight out 'no'. I was determined, and asked if I wrote a letter to the captain, would they kindly pass it on for me. They said they could do that, but not to get my hopes up about anything happening. I took my seat, and began writing. It was sealed and I called one of them over. She would hand it to the captain as she said. II was dreaming when she tapped me on the shoulder about an hour later and said the 'The captain would like to meet you' Wow, surely not. I couldn't believe it when she lead me through the first class lounge and into the open Flight Deck. I was sitting in the Flight Deck of an Airbus A340&nbsp;staring out the front windscreen. I&nbsp;sat in the navigator's seat and watched as the captain took us towards Buenos Aires. I had a mountain of questions, asking about auto pilot, which the captain promptly turned off (setting off all kinds of alarms and flashing lights in the Flight Deck) and took manual control of the plane, turning it slightly left, with a small tap on a left handed joystick and then turning the plane right, before leveling off and turning the auto pilot back on, leaving me with a big grin on my face and many photos and maybe with a few fellow passengers wondering what the hell is going on. I asked why he let me in and he said he had never received a letter asking with such passion to visit the flight deck, then he added that it was the last flight of his career, so they couldn't exactly fire him. I spent over and hour in the flight deck, and had to be pried from my seat and escorted back to my economy cabin a few minutes before we started our descent into Buenos Aires. What a brilliant start to my adventure. The flight deck looked like this: Arriving in Buenos Aires was a massive shock. Seven rubbish language lessons in Sydney didn't prepare me for South America in the slightest. Somehow I battled my way through the Airport, found a bus and rode for 2 hours towards central Buenos Aires, clinging to my bags while the sneaky Argentineans behind me worked out a way to rip off my stuff (at least that's what I thought at the time). I arrived at my hostel without any problems. Apart from one. The pictures of the place looked great on the Net when I booked online, but I don't know what hostel they took the photos from. I would love to find it because it certainly wasn't the one I checked into. I arrived to a stinking hell hole of a hostel, with moldy showers and rooms full of cigarette smoke. The next day I checked straight out as early as possible and found a hostel called the ´Mil House'. It was superb. A massive hostel but incredibly well run. I had a 4 bed dorm on the 3rd floor. Every night there were parties downstairs, and theme nights.&nbsp; I got sucked in and 3 weeks merged into one intense experience. I was trapped with the temptation of parties every night, beautiful women, cheap cervesas and insane trips to the best clubs in BsAs, with a few city tours in between. We called it the 'Mad House'. It´s where the Irish drink day and night, then all day again until they turn yellow with failing livers, Jaundice setting in. All kinds of things go down in this place while the staff turn a blind eye to the goings on upstairs. We don't get to the clubs until 2am, which is the closing time for most places in Australia. By that stage everyone is absolutely foshizzled. We stay out until way after the sun comes up and sleep all day, then repeat again the next night. A sure recipe for good times but after a month, I was destroyed. I met a whole array of amazing travelers in my time in Buenos Aires. There were &nbsp;loads of Swedish, a surplus of drunk Irish and mad English, the odd occa Australian, and an absolute shit load of horribly rude and obnoxious Israelis. For the first month I tried as hard as I could to hang around the native speakers, which included the most spectacular Argentinean women with bodies I didn't think existed. There was a great variety of travelers from all over the world that kept the conversation flowing. I discovered after a few days that the ability to speak Spanish is an absolute necessity. I learnt this after eating the daily specials in a few restaurants, which turned out to be tripe, kidney and tentacles. After putting the above mentioned 'foods' into my mouth, I decided to enroll in Spanish lessons. Even if it was just to learn the names of food. After 4 weeks I could hold a relatively decent conversation in complete Spanish. I can go to a club and use reflective verbs such as "I am touching myself" which in Spanish is "Yo me tocar" and even use future tenses etc. A Peruvian guy told me that I speak CHINSPANGLISH -Chinese;Spanish;English. i.e. - I hungry, what do now? etc, slowly but surely I am improving and so far am proud of my progress. Counterfeit money is everywhere in Buenos Aires.I pulled a fake 100 peso note out of a Bank ATM. Worth about 50 Aussie dollars, I was a little upset. Another time, I stumbled out of a Disco at 8am and hopped in a cab, he took me for an absolute ride, charging me 3 times as much as the ride there, then he gave all my change as fake notes, which I didn't realize until I tried to pay for my ´Super Pancho´ (Hot Dog). They refused to accept my money and old me to beat it, so I went to bed hungry, only to wake up and find that almost everyone in the hostel had been ripped off that night. After 3 weeks in Buenos Aires, my mate from home Alan turned up. We had a few fiestas and decided to leave the big city and visit nearby Uruguay. A 3 hour ferry took us there. See next entry... ------------------------------- Random stuff 1.00 Australia Dollar = 2.32844 Argentina Pesos Please visit www.murrayw.net for more info
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1210937520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1210937520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1210937520/tpod.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:32:46 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.

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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

After something along the lines of 2 years, 10 months and 20 days, Im back in Sydney Australia - Home. Its where this whole thing started so long ago. It has been one hell of a job sorting my life out and i will detail all the dramas here as the unfold. I spent the last 3 years reading peoples travel blogs and was always disapointed that it stopped the day they got home. I was always curious, what happened next? Did you survive? What was it like coming home afer so long away? Has everythig changed? Is anyone stilll there? What does it feel like? Do you fit in? How do you fit in? Are you accepted? Do people ask about your travels? Do they care? These were the questions i was always curious about and tried to findout, but the answeres were illusive. Was it that it was so hard at home and so lifeless that nobody bothered to write about the adjustments? The return to 'reality'. Well, im going to do my best to keep a little tab on settling in after such a huge trip. Hopefully it will help you out and give you some insite into what happens after so long away.----------------I have setup a website for my travels, please take a look: www.murrayw.net&nbsp;It was a warm Autumn morning when I landed smoothly&nbsp;in Sydney on Friday, the 16th of May 2008. I couldnt believe it was all about to end. For me, the journey would officially come to an end when i stepped foot in the front door of my house, so I was determined to delay that moment as long as possible. There was a huge queue at Immigrations at the Airport, so that alone took a little over an hour. I stood inline and waited with the hundreds of other travelers. My passport was inspected and approved and I was stamped back into Australia without so much as a question. But didnt you see that I havnt been here for 3 years? Dont you want to know where I've been? The bags took a long time to come spinning round the converyor belt, and i watched a&nbsp;Beagle sniff&nbsp;them as they came past. I stood close by, watching the little guy, then I saw my bag. He jumped up on the conveyor belt and sniffed the hell out of it. I backed off, slowly, then turned and moved&nbsp;to the other side of the conveyor.&nbsp;I dont want to be another Shapel Corby, (she is soooo&nbsp;guilty by the way) but the Beagle gave up and my bag turned the corner. I looked around, no dog in sight, and&nbsp;threw it onto my trolley and&nbsp;marched towards the Xray line.&nbsp;&nbsp;After another 30 minute wait, my bag was&nbsp;zipped through,&nbsp;after the usual questinons 'did yo pack it yourself?' etc etc.I passed the test and was cleared to go. Next stop: Mum and Dad! They&nbsp;were both waiting for me at the Arrivals gate and it was good to see them we had a big hug and a tear and there I was, back in Australia. I wasnt&nbsp;quiet ready to&nbsp;walk out yet, so we sat and drank coffee for a few minutes, then,&nbsp;it was time. 'Lets go home! I said. I live on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and my house is around an hours drive from the airport. I took in all the sights and sounds of Aussie land as we drove through the city, across the Harbour Bridge, and pulled into the driveway. I'm Home. I dumped my bags and ran about the house, inspecting my old room which my brother had invaded and left me with a nice double bed. He is currently traveling in the UK and in September, will be heading to India, Nepal and Thailand on his way home for Christmas. It was a strange thing, running around your house as a stranger. Oh look, you painted that wall, oh a new tap, wow, whered u get that painting? Ahh look, theres a photo of my in South America. I settled in and had a quiet day with my patents. Over the next week I caught up with all my old mates. I missed them alot and mates are mates. I fit straight back in and we were doing the things we used to do as id I hadnt&nbsp;left. A little strange really, but reasurring. Friends are forever. Over the course of my traveling, i had misplaced, lost, had stolen all of my Identiy. I needed a new Drivers License, Birth Certificate, PIN cards, credit cards, Medicare Card, Membership cards to clubs, pubs, and librarys, and the list went on. I spent a good amount of time over the next week signing and faxing forms and standing in lines. Ifter about 2 weeks, I was sorted and had all the cards i needed. I had absolutely no intention of getting a job when I got home. I wanted to relax for at least a few week, so I thought it would be the perfect oportunity to signup for the dole (unemployment benefits). So on day 2 of being home, i visited Centrelink, Australias benefits office and filed for unemployment. Normal application is accompanied with a series of questions: When was your last job, references, and a whole array of probing questions. However when I plead my case: I have been overseas for 3 years. I came back to Australia 2 days ago and I need some money. I skipped the questioning and instantly was accepted. For the next 3 weeks, i received $200 a week to go surfing, play tennis and catchup with mates. Doing nothing and getting paid for it was great, but after living such ana ctive life, i needed more stimulation and started looking for a job. While traveling I tossed up a few ideas and came up with one that i took a liking to: A travel agent. I mean, its basically what ive been doing for the past 3 years. I had a friend working in a travel agency nearby and after an easy interview, I was offered a job. I started work&nbsp;the following Monday at Student Flights (A franchise of Flight Centre). A Bad idea? It seemed like&nbsp;a good one at the time. I was hired on the spot from my travel experience and stared a working life. After so long away from an office job&nbsp; it was great to put a suit on and polish up my black shoes and walk into an office and begin the learning process. I spent&nbsp; week, training in the city with 7 other new recruits. I was loving the new information overload and soaked in as much as I could. At night, id close my eyes and my head would spin. I felt like i was on a rollercoaster. After the week of training, i spent the next week in the office, learning the ropes. I made a few sales and had a good time. The week after, was the last week of training. For the next 2 weeks i was in the office checking flight availibility and selling people holidays all over the world. It wasnt as exciting a i first thought and in my 5th week i had to pull the boss aside and announce my resignation. She asked if there was anything she could do to get me to stay longer. Not really, unless you change the job and pay me more. So with that, my time&nbsp;was up and the following Tuesday, I started work in a new place. Technical Support, back at my previous job. The same one&nbsp;I had 3 years ago. I slipped straight into my old position after 3 years away. It was amazing how little had changed. So thats where im up to right now, getting up to speed with a few small changes in technology but more or less, the same old job. Its great. August 26th 2008 A life of&nbsp;routine is what im battling against at the moment. So used to my&nbsp;traveling life&nbsp;of new cities, new&nbsp;adventures and many new people, im&nbsp;finding it interesting to&nbsp;wake up in the same bed every morning, repeat the same morning rush processes, jump in the car and head to the same place with&nbsp;the same people every day. I try to speak to&nbsp;as many new people as my life will allow but&nbsp; its&nbsp;small in cmoparison to my traveling life. To break the cycle, last weekend I decided to get my motorbike license. I passed the test and 3 days later, I bought myself a scooter. So now, i have the option of driving in the car or taking the adventurous trip in the scooter each morning. Happy 2009 Im still here. Sydney is great fun. Please visit my site: www.murrayw.net&nbsp;for more info and blogs &nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1210359420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1210359420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1210359420/tpod.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:56:21 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.

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San Francisco, California, United States

After 11 days road tripping across&nbsp; (California, Nevada and Arizona) three states with the lovely Sabrina, visiting the Hoover Dam, Yosemite National Park, Vegas, Joshua Tree and the OC, im back in San Francisco to hopefully have that fairy tale ending to 3 years of traveling.I leave San Francisco to&nbsp;fly back to Australia on the 14th of May and arrive in Aus on May 16th at 0625am. What a scary thought. After so long away, its hard to fathom what lies ahead. All i can see is aussie meat pies and beautiful beaches and all my old mates.It may be tough to oadjust to life back in Aus after all this travelling.----------I left Sydney Australia almost 3 years ago, on a one way ticket to Buenos Aires in Argentina. It was the 26th August 2005 and i had no idea what i was getting myself into. The plan was to travel all the way to Ushuaia, the Southernmost city in the world, then make my way overland to Alaska over 2 years. I guess i got a little distracted and now, close to 3 years later, i have made it to San Francisco and tonight, at 1045pm, I finally fly back to Australia. Back to my family and friends. &nbsp; This is an email to thank all the wonderful people i met along the way, and to all my friends and family back home. Even though you werent here with me, you guys made all this possible and now I have finally reached the point on this trip to come home. I dont think of it as the end, its just another beginning and the start of something new in Australia. My head is absolutely loaded with memories and experienes that i cant wait to share with everyone. Over the next few months I will try to write some kind of book. Even if its just for my own memories, but if i make it big, then ill be sure to send one to everyone that helped make this insane trip a reality.So much has happened over the past 3 years, its hard to sum it up but i have jotted down a few of the more memorable experiences below and attached a few photos from my 3 years of wandering. &nbsp;I never imagined doing as much as I did, and somehow i pushed it&nbsp;all the way through 17 countries, a thousand or more busses and many many hours traveling.Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil,Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Utila, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, United States of America and now, back to OZ.&nbsp;I want to take the time before i get home to thank the hundres of people i have met along the way.Maybe we shared a bus, or a beer, or a hike, maybe an 18 bed dorm room. Maybe you shared your couch but whatever it was, i thank you so much for making this trip the best thing i have ever done.&nbsp;Out here, our&nbsp;lives revolve around the food we eat and in these strange countries, dinner is always an experience. Ive had my share of the local delights...I ate tons (literally) of Prime Steak in Argentina washed down with the best red wine in the world (Malbec from Menzoda)I was tricked into eating goat testicles in the highlands of Argentina...never again.I voluntarily ate Kindney, liver and tripe in Uruguay, and vowed never to do it again.The Ceviche in Chile crippled me for a week, but the endlessRice and Beans in Bolivia restored my faith in non toxic food.The Guinea Pig in Peru was too lifelike to stick a fork in. I simply covered it with a napkin and returned it to the kitchen, hopefully to be burried or at least sacrificed to an incan god.I bought a real live sheep in the peruvian highlands and carried the little guy for hours before slaughtering it and devouring the freshest meat i will ever eat.I ate Chicken foot soup in EcuadorTripe soup in ColombiaLobster and fish galore while sailing from colombia to PanamaEnough tacos&nbsp;loaded with chilli went into my system to burn through my innards in Mexicoand I finished it all off with a big Mac in the USA.Ive spent even more hours expelling the above foods&nbsp; from both ends in every country, but now i cant wait to get back to aus, devour a pie, some fish n chips and a pavlova.&nbsp;<i>Not all those who wander are lost.<i>"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain"Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going." - Paul Theroux"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." - St. Augustine"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." - Lao Tzu"The journey not the arrival matters." - T. S. EliotI have seen some remarkable life changing things and could go on for hours but some of the&nbsp;highlights includeMy arrival to Argentina sparked a month long bender where i ate enough steak to keep an entire third world country from starving. The Argentinian parties rank among the best in the world. Especially in Buenos Aires.I watched as sea lions climb aboard and eventually sunk a yacht in Uruguay, while sipping mate (a traditional tea)I visited the most spectacular waterfalls in the world - Iguazu, on the border of Paraguay, Brazil and ArgentinaCelebrated Oktoberfest, in the biggest german town outisde of Germany - Blumenu in BrazilArgentina was full of adventures, i went on a hike and became lost in thick fog and was rescued by park rangersI Surfed the longest (and debatably the coldest) wave in the Americas in Pichilemu Chile where i Celebrated Australia day with a great bunch of aussies.Chile was full of active Volcanoes.&nbsp;I climed an increadible&nbsp;one,&nbsp;covered in glaciers and threw rocks into the hot magma in the centre of the crater.almost got robbed in one of the most dangerous pirate towns to exist- valparaiso chileI got robbed by the damn police in Chile.hippies and a full moon festival in el bolson in argentina. It helps to know the belgium djs and get into the vip section. That was a riot.i survived 8 cold nights and over 100kms of trekking in torres del paine national park way down in the south of Patagonia.After 6 months, I Made it to the End Of The World, and flew past it in Ushuaia, the southern most city in the worldI hitched my way north, getting stranded in the middle of Patagonia, but failure only makes you stronger. I got&nbsp; a bus the next dayI worked in a hostel in the far north of Argentia, conducting wine and cheese toursI rescued a dog which i called&nbsp;SurriSurri and a few of us hiked for 5 days in the deserts in salta in argentina.I had my own personal nun, when i spent a week in a Bolivian Hospital.I was the proud owner of a 4 year old mountain puma called Roy, working for 2 months deep in the jungles, in an animal refuge in bolivia.I purchased Dynamite (actual nitro glycerine) in the streets of bolivia and set it off deep in a silver mine.I got addicted to coca leaves to relieve the exreme altitudes of the salt planes in boliviaI ate my first and last guinea pig in the surreal floating island on lake titicaca, the birthplace of the sun in peru.Huacachina in Peru is famous for its desert sand dunes and i have the scars to prove my attempts at sand boarding down them.My tattooed and pierced body then engaged on a hell of a hike, in the Cordillera Huayhuash climbing to well over 5000m in Huaraz in the north of Peru. On the same hike, i became the proud owner of a sheep, which we later slaughtered and ate.The capital of the Incan Empire, Cusco was a riot, with more ruins and museums than i can remember, but also the infamous Machu Picchu, which blew me away.Crossing into Ecuador was easy and I visited a place that the aussie government told me&nbsp;not to visit due to recent volcanic activity. Fresh lava flows had engulfed a small town, and&nbsp;i had to sneak into the village to see the lava flow glowing from the massive volcano that night.From the end of the world i made it all the way up to the Centre of the World&nbsp;at the Ecuator in Ecuador.I almost got arrested at the border of&nbsp;Colombia when the fools failed to stamp my passport, but a few dyas later, brother stu arrived and we&nbsp;traveled around one of my favorite countries, way into the jungles, hills and coffee country. eventually ending up in the amazing port town of cartagena.We spent a week on the beach, castaway style, living off coconuts and rumFrom there, i sailed to Panama, finding an island with nothing but one palm tree.Central america was fun and in Utila in the north of Honduras&nbsp;I found a brilliant girl called sabrina, i had a house, brother stu was there, we had a dog, and a bike, working as&nbsp;a dive instructor on&nbsp;a caribbean island called utila. One year flew past and i spent my last few months visiting Guatemala, Mexico and finally the USA.&nbsp;Phew, thats a load. But now, its almost over&nbsp;and tonight at 10:45pm, i board a plane from San Fran to Sydney&nbsp;and the next chaper in life begins.&nbsp;Im leaving my options open at the moment, Australia could hold a million oportunities. Maybe i settle back into a life and a job, maybe i save up and get back on the travel scene again. i really dont know at this stage, but right now, im just focusing on simply getting back to australia and catching up with my family and long lost friends. we have alot to talk about.&nbsp;So for the sort term at least, I will be settling down in Sydney.&nbsp;If anyone is ever in my part of the world, please let me know and&nbsp;you can have your very own tour guide and a place to stay.&nbsp;Thanks to everyone who made this trip so much fun for me. I will remember you all.If you want to keep in contact&nbsp;visit my website www.murrayw.net&nbsp;Thanks again to everyone.MurrayMAXMuzz&nbsp;Farewell
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1209694020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1209694020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1209694020/tpod.html Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:39:46 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.

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Glitz and glamour, California, United States

We couldnt make it to Vegas without a stop at the Hoover Dam.A narrow road snaked through a few valleys and canyons and opened up to a great big lake before taking us back into a constricting passage and then we saw it. A great big dam.We were too late to join in any tours, so Sabrina and I took our orselves to a carpark on the eastern side of the dam and started walking across.I was blown away at how big this thing is. It really is enormous. there are several viewing gallerys setup all over the path with audio explaining the construction and history of that particular area of the dam.I learnt a few things by listening to the audio as i took in the sights:Hoover Dam was completed in 1935 and was the largest concrete structure in the world at the time. Thats about all i learnt, but on further research I found the following facts:Construction period: April 20, 1931 - March 1, 1936 Construction cost: $49 million ($676 million adjusted for inflation) Deaths attributed to construction: 112; 96 of them at the construction site[10][13][18] Dam height: 726.4 ft (221.4 m), second highest dam in the United States. (Only the Oroville Dam is taller) Dam length: 1244 ft (379.2 m) Dam thickness: 660 ft (200 m) at its base; 45 ft (15 m) thick at its crest. Concrete: 4.36 million yd³ (3.33 million m³) Maximum electric power produced by the water turbines: 2,080 megawatts Traffic across the dam: 13,000 to 16,000 people each day, according to the Federal Highway Administration Lake Mead (full pool)[19]

area: 157,900 acres (639 km²), backing up 110 miles (177 km) behind the dam. volume: 28,537,000 acre feet (35.200 km³) at an elevation of 1,221.4 feet (372.3 m) . With 8 to 10 million visitors each year, including visitors to Hoover Dam but not all traffic across the dam, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area is the fifth busiest U.S. national park.While standing on the edge of a viewing platform and looking over the dam, I experienced a sense of vertigo. The only similar senssation I had ever experienced was at Iguazu Waterfalls in Argentina / Brazil. There, is a great big fall called the Devils throat, Looking over the edge of the waterfalls caused my brain to flipout and try to comprehend the vastness of the thing.So, after a lap across the dam, my busted knee wouldnt let me walk back to the car, so Sabrain ran back to the car and picked me up.Our next stop was Vegas, some 48km's away. The drive wasnt overly exciting. Desert, sand and a few cliffs. Approaching Vegas, there appear to be a few wanna be's along the way. About 10kms out from vegas is a conglomeration of maybe 4 big casinos and a bunch of smaller ones. Maybe they are hoping that one day,&nbsp;'the strip' will extend far enough to join up.We cruised along the very stright highway, and the buildings began to surround us, more intimidating than the canyons earlier, there were Super highrises, neon lights, crack heads and freaks everywhere.Online we had booked a place called the [sabrina knows.. i cant remember]
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208478660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208478660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208478660/tpod.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:45:58 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.
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Mexico City, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico

Mexico city would bemy final stop in Latin America before I fly to the USA and then back to Aus.Treating myself, I&nbsp;caught a luxury bus from Acapulca,&nbsp; and traveled North to Mexico City. The ride took 7 hours, from and I traveled from the dull dry landscape of the coast, up into the mountains of inland Mexico. At one point we passed through a lush green cloud&nbsp;forest, then descended down into a valley where the darren land began to be populated with small houses, then more houses, followed by slums and finally, I was in a big dirty grey city, where sky was no longer blue, but a haze of brown and grey.Mexico city is enormous, and the bus station that I pulled into was a long way from where i needed to be. I was headed to&nbsp;a suburb called zocola, and when I asked, they told me it was a long way from where I was.The mexico city&nbsp;subway is fast and efficient, although insanely crowded. I am traveling with a kiwi called Shannon, and both of us, with backpacks had a tough time getting to the hostel, but after a subway ride, then a long walk, we eventually found a hostel called ´Amigos´ which lived up to its name. Minutes after entering, we were sitting down, playing cards with a whole bunch of new amigos.A small 12 bed dorm with no window was what greeted us. At least the mattresses were relatively comfortable, even if they were covered in a plastic sheet.We dumped out bags and set of to explore the city in the last few hours of sunlight and without a map, got completely lost. On finding a small tourist information booth, i ran up and said hi, im a tourist and im in need of a map please. While eating a&nbsp; few tacos, we found our bearings and returned to the hostel.My dorm mates, in the 12 bed windowless room were 4 rude drunken Frenchies and a Dutchie. I&nbsp;didnt have a good sleep and spent most of the night tossing and turning trying to find a good spot and sliding off the plastic mattress.I was woken by a sharp poke on the foot. Get up man, its 8 am, the tour leaves in an hour, shouted Shannon.Inside the windowless dorm, no light penetrated and midday seemed like midnight. It caused all kinds of problems with my sleeping habits. but i rose, ate a free breakfast of eggs, cornflakes and fruitsalad, provided by the hostel, and ran 5 blocks to a neighbouring hostel to join in the free walking tour of the city.There were 10 of us, from all over the world. China, Singapore, Canada, Mexico, Australia, England, New Zealand. The guide, Alex, was born and raised in Mexico and his knowledge and love of his country showed through the tour. We visited a handful of churches, plazas, government houses, Aztec Ruins and historic sites and walked many kms over the 5 hour tour. It was a light hearted and relazed tour, full of jokes and if i learnt one significant thing its that the name Mexico,&nbsp; actually means the Naval of the moon. The moon is worshipped for its&nbsp; fertility and the&nbsp; naval is the place where life begins, the provider of life.After the tour, a bunch of us visited the Anthropology museum. The biggest of its kind in the world. Loaded with all kinds of Incan, Mayan and Aztec findings from pots to sculptures, gold, jade, monstorous carvings and a few mummies to boot. 3 hours in the museum was enough to drive us to drinking and we ran back to the hostel, experiencing, for 10 minutes, what its like to be crammed into a subway like a sardine, and have the thing stop in a tunnel, no air con, super hot, freaky conditions. Luckily it was only 10 minutes and we had beer in our hands shortly after that.The hostel houses a swanky little bar that gets started every night at around 7pm. Although its no full house here at the moment, its quality of quantity and the small group of amigos i have going here is a great laugh.7 days in Mexico City have fused into one big blur. The place is huge, every day, I visit a museum, a plaza, a church and witness the madnesss that only a big latin american city can provide. The street vendors are so persistant aht ive ended up with a whole array of items i wouldnt normally bat an eyelid at. Im currently wearing my lateste edition, a religous wristband, complete with jesus, pope, mary and other signifigant religious figures. Its meant to protect me in times of need, but im not feeling overly needful. On my bed, one of the 16 in the crowded room, i have 3 sponge monkeys, with wire running through them, and in teh last few days they have been placed in all kinds of compromising positions. They always get a laugh from fellow commuters on the Metro. I ended up with a briliant Mayan chess set, $12 with carved stone figures. I beat him down from $18, so it at least felt like a bargain, although it is mighty heavy.The last few days in Mexico City were spent with Shannon, my Kiwi buddy and a Dutch girl called Jori.We visited the zoo 3 times, ate a whole lot of tacos and sampled all the local ale. My last day came and at 5pm, i headed to the airport and farewelled Mexico and Headed to San Francisco to see Sabrina... yay
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1207872900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1207872900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1207872900/tpod.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:38:26 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.
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San Cristobal de las Casas, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico

Way up in the hills, some 2000+ m above sea level is the superb little colonial town called San Cristobal de las Casas.After a long and painful bus, (im loosing my tolerance towards buses. I remember way back in the day, when i enjoyed a bus ride. Now, they are pure hell) I walked a few blocks with kiwi Shannon&nbsp;and found a brilliant hostel called ´Backpacker´. For $10 a night, it would be my home - for two nights. Equipped with a TV, Xbox, free internet, Bonfire pit, 2 friendly dogs and free breakfast, along with hammocks to sway away the day (and the hangover).The narrow cobbled streets set out in an almost perfect grid are super easy to navigate and one quick look at the map, lead me stright to a church ontop of a big hill overlooking the city. I always make an effort to find a vantage point above cities before i start exploring them. It seems to help with navigation later. Plus, all cities look pretty from way up above.On the way up the hill, i met a friendly pig. Tied to a tree by a tight rope around his neck, piggy was trying hard to get hold of a potato just out of reach of his snout. I thought id do my good deed of the day and handed the potato to piggy, who was so distracted, he allowed me to pat him on the head. then rolled over and got a belly scratch just like a dog. Kool piggy. I thought of taking him with me, but then thought better of the idea and headed back to town.Jars of fighting fish were waiting at the bottom of the hill. For 10 pesos ($1 US) you could be the proud owner of a fighting fish, complete with his own plastic cup and coloured blue water. Shannon and i thought about the idea of starting an underground fighting fish rink, but then got over it and headed to the plaza an enjoyed a brilliant coffee instead.That night, after a delicious dinner of rice, beans and chicken, I returned to the hostel complete, with possibly the 2 greatest alcohol purchases in history,1 - Sangre de christo - literally the blood of christ. A bottle of red wine with a price tag of $6. Bargain. the blood of christ for 6 bucks, you gotta be kidding me.2 - Agua diente - translated literally is teeth water. but they call it fire water. A horrible mix made from sugar cane, like a terrible tequila that burns all the way down and out.The bonfire was heating up at the hostel when i returned and i joined in the circle of trust. In the first attempt at opening my holy wine, i found the cork had rotted and ended up simply pushing it into the bottle. The contents were the most toxic drink ever. Not quiet a wine, almost a port. it was a hideous mix of&nbsp; red goo that still remained after 4 laps around the fire. At that stage, we decidede to make an offering and doused the hot rocks with the cheap wine. It emitted a powerful odor that left us coughing.The fire water wasnt much better, but for $1.50 for a whole 750ml, how can you complain? A few laps around with the help of some limes and a dash of sugar and we finished the bottle.When our nightly rations of firewood werew depleted we attempted to fuel the fire with leaves and anythign else that was around, and were promptly kicked out by the night watchman.No problem, there were a load of pubs and clubs just a few blocks away and it wasnt long before the motley crew were lubricating their mouths with some 2 for one rums. The night took a drunken turn and after 2 bars and a big club, we stumbled home at 4am. At least, thats what they told me the next day.I woke feeling like a million dollars and tucked into the free continental breakfast, provided by the hostel.Shannon, myself and 2 english lads joined forces and headed to the nearby town, called santa something... the name will come soon, at any rate, we caught a minivan, they call it a collectivo 20 minutes to this town where the rumor had it that they worship coca cola.The rumors were true.It was a little mad. After paying a few dollars to get into the church, we saw the spectacle first hand. These locals were inside a church, on their knees, with a bottle of coca cola on one side and a headless chicken on the other.An old dude wandered around with a smoking ceramic vase, thick white smoke was pouring from the top as he moved around the church, stinking it out with burning pine needles.I watched in wonder for 10 minutes and left the church to the huge plaza outside where every 10 minutes, the locals let off huge explosions with great big ´bangers´.The town was a little bizarre to say the least. We were a big spectacle to the locals and they were even more of a spectacle to us, so everyone had a good time and i returned to the hostel, packed up my stuff and caught another silly night time bus to Puerto Esconbdito, 10 hours away, on the Pacific Coast.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208042880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208042880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208042880/tpod.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:30:44 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.
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Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Mexico is a big place. I spent the night on a bus to get here and it took&nbsp;over 10 hours.. Looking at the map, even after all these long night buses, im still a long way from Mexico city.Puerto Escondito means Hidden Port in Spanish and is relatively nice place. Home to sandy beaches, palm trees and a super big wave - the Mexican Pipeline, it attracts the standard beach bums and travelers searching for the endless summer. They may have found it here.My travel companions at this stage are Kiwi Shannon and an English bird [name]We were told that [hostel name] was a great place to stay, close to the beach and full of firnedly travelers. It didnt take us long to find it, a great big towering white building shot up far higher than its neighbours and we eventaully found a few alleyways to get us there.Checkin was strict and rude. I tried to palm off a $20 bill that had a small tear in the top corner. It was rudly rejected and thrown back at me. the last of my money, I promised i would head to the bank after i checked in but this tool wouldnt let me even put my bag down without payment. Shannon came to the rescue and a few minutes later, we were crashed out in a 6 bed dorm. Night buses are hell and impossible to sleep on, so after 3 hours of power, we emerged, ready to checkout the hidden port.Down an alley and across the road from the hostel was a realatively nice beach - the hidden port. Not so hidden after all. It was warm and still and the ebach was packed with Mexican holiday makers. Not too many toursits in site, the locals were staring at us as we walked along the sand and put our toes in the absolutely freezing cold water. Were not in the Caribbean anymore I said.Deciding not to jump in, we continued walking along the beach, getting hassled by kids selling old plastic cups full some kind of shrimp cocktail. No thanks.Back at the hostel a drinking session was beginning and after a quick trip ot the local supermarket, we joined in with a few 6 packs of 'Sol' a popular a cheap Mexican beer. the crowd grew and at 8pm, we were harassed by that rude staff member and told to go to the roof if we wanted to party. We did just that and moved to the top floor of the hostel. With a beer fridge, pool table and stereo and a few couches, we wondered why we didnt come up here earlier. A few more hours passed and the music was turnned up, along with our voices. Once again we were rudly interruped by that same guy, who told us that outside alcohol is prohibited in the hostel. They wanted us to buy the alcohol from them. this guy proceeded to confiscate bottles of rum, vodka and beer, woah buddy, we fired up and a fight almost broke out. he lost, and in his temper tantrum told us all to get out.no problem, it was getting late and this party needed to move on. We took our alcohol down to the beach, polished it off and hit a local club. Free entry, and ladies night. If the girls drink for free, then I do as well. I made great friends with a few girls there and was rewarded with free alcohol all night. We got a bit loose and decided it was time to go.Walking along the road, we found a few beachside shacks / bars and thought&nbsp;with the bargaining power of&nbsp;all&nbsp;of us, we should&nbsp;be able to score&nbsp;some freebies. And did we ever,&nbsp;one shack was offering all we can drink shots of mezcal,&nbsp;tequilas cousin, a nasty concoction&nbsp;smelling very much like metho.We all had a few shots and danced the kanguruuu and played beach volleyball , until a&nbsp;street dog popped our ball.&nbsp;I woke up in my bed the next morning, so i guess i made it home ok. more than i can say for msot of our fellow travelers.The next few days were spent doing much the same, a day at the beach, a spot of surfing and night time shinnanigans.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208307660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208307660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208307660/tpod.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:33:15 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.
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Acapulco, Pacific Coast, Mexico

Another long 10 hour bus ride and here I am, 6 hours from Mexico City at a huge port filled with pirates. On the ride here, i started to see some true signs of that stereotypical Mexic. No more green forested fields&nbsp;and lush tropics of the Caribbean and well watered gardens of San Cristobal de las Casas. As I&nbsp;headed north along the Pacific&nbsp;coast, the trees thinned out, the&nbsp;green grass turned brown then eventually to&nbsp;dust and small shrubs and cactus became the&nbsp;norm. The odd Ceiba tree was spotted here and there. The area became so dry and dusty and cactuses cactuses began to appear all over the place. It wasnt a pretty ride with the dull scenery and the slow, frequently stopping bus, bumping along on a narrow road for 10 hours was very painful. Luckily there werent too many people aboard so Shannon, the kiwi im traveling with, and I were able to walk up and down the aisle, stretching and relaxing, even having a game of soccer in the isle, then we arrived in the crime infested city of Acapulco.Acapulco is laid out on a thin flat strip from the beach to the base of the moutains. The huge protected harbour is the attraction here. Home to many cruise ships and for us, the most famous thing was the 'Acapulco Cliff Divers'.We arrived relatively late on the first day, and despite our request for the cab driver to take us to a hostel listed in the lonely planet, he insisted on showing us a hotel on the beach that he said was cheap enough and well run. No doubt he would get a little something from the management for taking us there. We told him we will not pay him if we dont stay there but if he wants to take us for free, we will check it out, then you take us to the place we originally asked to go.We pulled up alongside a beach that was almost decent. The hotel was directly across the road. While Shannon sat in the cab with our bags, I ran across and checked it out. With a&nbsp;TV, hot shower, 2 big double beds, luxury, and after a bit of bargaining, we got the place for $10 each, which is what the hostel would have cost anyway. We did well and dumped our bags on the bed, and ran outside, eager to get some exercise after the long bus ride.Across the road from the hostel was a thin stretch of yellow sand, full of locals. The green, semi polluted water stank of rotting fish and pools of oil provided obstacles for the people foolish enough to swim.Continuing around the bay we came across the marina, where hundreds, if not thousands of boats were moored up. Some were milti million dollar motors, others were decrepid sinking old yachts and row boats. Every boat, in every colour shape and size was out in the waters somewhere round here. I noted to Shannon that looking out over this enormous harbour, there wasnt a single boat moving. Were they all just trophys? maybe fuel was too expensive to get them moving so they just rocked about on the light swell.&nbsp;There cetainly isnt enough to do on the land to keep the people happy, unless of course they were involved in the drug cartels and organised crime, a big business around here.Further along, we looked back, then looked forward and realized there were a few eyes on us and we had wandered into a fairly unsightly area of the harbour. whoops.. there was no turning back, as the locals had moved to teh beach to observe us. Maybe they were jsut curious, but it seemed suspicious, that we walked past the local guys, who were resting on boats or passed out in the shade, and a few seconds later, they were on their feet, watching our progress as we wandered further into the lions den.We continued along, looking for a way out, but it just got worse, so we decided to chance it and walk up a narrow street that eventually joined the main road and we were free.A slice of pizza cost $2 and that was enough for dinner, as i retured to the hotel to enjoy cable tv from my bed with a&nbsp; belly full of cheap street pizza.Day 2 in AcapulcoAfter a restless sleep on an uncomfortable bed, i had trouble getting up, and it wasnt until 11am that i left the hotel for breakfast, which for $2.50 was spaghetti and chicken from a streetside vendor. Loaded with guacamole and tortillas, i made a whole bunch of tacos out of my chicken which gave me enough energy to run around the city all day.First stop was the old fort. Built atop a big hill, the thick walls prevented invasion for many years and atop, had a brilliant view over the town.After the fort, it was time for cliff jumping... which was just insane.Im getting kicked out.. so the rest will come soon.chau
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208977920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208977920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/muzz_travelling/argentina_2005/1208977920/tpod.html Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:05:24 -0400 -Ushuaia to Alaska- or so I thought.Beginning in August 2005 I fly to Buenos Aires, head South to Ushuaia then make my way overland, through South America, become a dive instructor and have some fun.
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San francisco, California, United States

I flushed toilet paper down the toilet for the first time in years, and i gotta tell ya, it was&nbsp; bit strange.Later that day,&nbsp;I drank water from a tap while admiring the Golden Gate bridge.I didnt hear a single car horn, the streets were clean, not a scrap of rubbish along the roadside. They hire Mexicans to clean it up.Sabrina picked me up from the airport and an hour later, I was in an amazing house in an area called Marin. Just across the Golden Gate bridge and down the road from George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.Sabrina and I spent a day in San Fran, where we cycled across the golden gate bridge, into downtown san francisco and through the perfectly landscaped streets and admired some amazing homes. If you remember the show full house, well, although i didnt see the house perse, the whole area is just superb and any one of the the houses in the downtown area could be used as a front for&nbsp;a sit com or movie.We visted the local sea lion colony, where as many as 300 sea lions have taken up residence on a bunch of pontoons. It was a littel chilly in san fran and when the sun dropped, we cycled home and returned to a brilliant home cooked meal.The next day, we packed the car and began our road trip. We headed south following the majestic pacific coast highway, winding its was along the cliffs and down to santa barbara.
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