TravelStream™ news feed for member ramrtw on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/ramrtw en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:58:34 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259130326/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259130326/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259130326/tpod.html Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:58:34 -0500 Here We Go Again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru

Next day we left for Machu Picchu by train to get off at a certain point in the mountains for a 8km hike up the Inca trail. Upon arrival at the train station, in my typical fashion, I didn't bring any pants - I thought running around in boxers would be more appropriate to mingle with the half-naked indigenous people in the mountain. Shoot, I was probably overdressed.

The train ride was fantastic as we saw rivers running through canyons, mountains, and went through the Sacred Valley of the Incas known for its fertile soil, crops, and game production due to an abundant water source here. We finally arrived at our stop for the hike which was amazing. It started deep in the canyon as we made our way up we came across centipedes 5 times the size of the ones back home, warrior wasp, and forest turkeys – we were hoping to score one for an early Thanksgiving meal but didn't think they sold Stove Top at Machu Picchu. There’s a rest stop halfway to Machu Picchu that we stopped at and they had all kinds of food, drinks, and other incidentals which were way overpriced but since the only way to get there was by foot, you could understand why. Literally, they would have multiple mountaineers walk miles up and down the mountains carrying huge bags of food, beer, etc. What was wild was our guide told us that they’re like ants carrying at least their own same weight or more 3 times up and 3 times down. On the way down they carry empty glass bottles and then have to carry the same amount that are FULL uphill for only 10 soles more which is like $3 for carrying about 200lbs of cold beer up. Thinking about it, maybe $3 is worth it if you get some of the beer you take up as a perk benefit. Finally got to Sungate which is the gateway to Machu Picchu and the only entrance and exit into Machu Picchu the Incans had which allowed for protection and isolation.

Arrived at Machu Picchu. Next day we were lucky enough to get tickets to Wayna Picchu. They only allow 400 people to hike the mountain per day and it was a beautiful view overlooking Machu Picchu and the surrounding valleys at the top. Machu Picchu was built in 1300 and wasn't found until 1911. Spanish conquistadors never found it and it was never written about. It's mystique is rooted in that nobody knows why it was abandoned and the sophistication of its architecture for its time. Engineers and architects still marvel at its plumbing and water systems throughout the city all the way to the earthquake proof buildings where every granite brick was precisely measured to fit together through concave and convex sizing which made it almost like one uniform granite wall virtually immovable and impenetrable. The whole area was just breathtaking about 8500 ft in the Andes as we had to stop ourselves a few times just to soak in what we were experiencing. They told us that walking in the actual ruins of Machu Picchu will be closed to the public in the near future in order to preserve it. We also took some great pictures, one of which was Rachel doing a handstand at the top of Huayna Picchu and a kickrocker in front of Machu Picchu and I'm sure people thought we were crazy. We had some rural Peruvians that had to take pictures with us as they have only seen A-list celebrities like us in movies like Gigli 2 or reality shows. From China to India to Peru, we can't get away from the paparazzi aka unsuspecting rural people that have never seen Americans in person before.

We finally headed back to Aguas Calientes, which is a tourist town at the bottom of the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu. We were able to shop a little bit and then decided to head to the natural hot springs which is the town's namesake. We thought we'd stay for a few minutes but it turned into a couple of hours because there were tourists from all over the place that made it a big pool party! We met a couple of guys that were from San Diego - small world. It was a blast and we ended up hanging out with them for the rest of the night hitting up a trippy restaurant called Indio Feliz and the nightclub next door afterwards.

Next day, we lounged around Aguas Calientes hanging out at a superhip hotel that would rival anything on Sunset in Hollywood. By far, the nicest hotel in the town.

Thereafter, we went to a casual lunch at a modern restaurant and ended up having an appetizer, 2 fantastic entrees, a dessert, and then thought the food was so good we'd have another appetizer - the owner must have thought typical overeating Americans. Oh yeah, and did I mention we had 2 bottles of white Peruvian wine as well? Next attraction was the train ride back to Cusco as we had to say good bye to Machu Picchu. The train ride was a doozy! Let me put it this way, another 2 bottles of wine into it and we pretty much made our train cart of stiff, old fogies party like rockstars the whole way back to Cusco. There was also some entertainment by the train staff wearing traditional Peruvian garb which by the end of the night turned into Rachel modeling their clothes and using the train aisle as a fashion runway. Rachel always did want to model internationally she just didn't know it would be on a train in the Andean mountains and I would be her uber-stylist, makeup artist, and talented photographer.

Next day another hour long $10 massage and then we were off to Brazil.





]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259129069/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259129069/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259129069/tpod.html Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:58:24 -0500 Here We Go Again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Cusco, Peru

The next day we left bright and early for a flight to Cusco. When descending Rachel saw this amazing landscape which was one of the most diverse she had ever seen from rolling hills to peaked mountains to forests to adobe houses zigzagging throughout the mountainous countryside. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to lean over to look out Rachel's window since the man sitting next to me was sleeping and felt completely comfortable with me so much so that he was using my shoulder as a sleeping flotation device in the plane. I knew I should've told him I have gas problems before he sat down.

After touching down in the high altitude city of Cusco, Rachel said it was hard for her to breathe - I know, I know - after all of these years, I still take her breath away. I still got it!

We were taken to our hostel which was very nice and had a rustic modern feel to it which made it a cool spot to be. Its proceeds went 100% to crippled or abandoned children so Rachel and I spent money there on items that we could've gotten cheaper elsewhere. Really cool mission that the hostel carried out and the nicest people over there.

After we got settled in, we decided to walk to the town center for lunch. The walk alone was nice as we would walk through the neighborhoods and see how the Cusqueno's lived which looked like they had a better life and economic base than the other Peruvian cities we visited. When we got into the town center we were mesmerized as it had a quaint feel with a lush, floral courtyard that was surrounded by old world buildings, elaborate churches, and historically significant buildings. Reminded us of a Peruvian version of a Colorado mountain town. The courtyard was pretty elaborate with its intricate and inviting vegetation and floral accents and where we saw a clown entertaining on a unicycle and lightposts that Don would even appreciate which were fantastic looking with the area showing little trash, no graffiti or thousands of stickers or posters cluttering the place which is much different than what you'll see in the town centers of Mexico.

We made our way through the courtyard to have lunch on a rooftop terrace which had gorgeous panoramic views of the below courtyard and the rest of the town and into the sun-soaked mountains that enveloped the town. The food was good and we had a local beer called Cusquena and I made the horrible mistake of having a scotch. Almost immediately after I had the drinks I had a throbbing headache - Rachel blamed it on the altitude I blamed it on the alcohol!

Talking about controlled substances - we were also introduced to Mate de Coca which is a tea made out of coca plants and served everywhere. Apparently, it doesn't have the hallucination effect of the real stuff but after I had it I definitely saw a monkey flying next to the Wicked Witch of the East and a pink unicorn that swept me away to NeverNever Land although those thoughts happen even when I don't drink Mate de Coca tea so I don't know if there's a correlation but I'll keep on drinking it and blame it on the tea.

After lunch, we saw that there were massage parlors everywhere and even cheaper than the Thai massages we had when in Thailand. $12 for both of us for an hour! We were lucky enough to get a couple's massage with Melissa and Joan Rivers who wouldn't stop talking the whole time. If you thought American women were bad you need to meet a Latina and probably even taking it further a Peruvian latina as I'm sure there has to be a category in the Guinness Book of World Records of longest yapping without taking a breath designated for Peruvian women - maybe that high altitude allows them to talk for so long without having to breathe. I actually went to get a massage to alleviate my alcohol/altitude-induced headache but it probably was exacerbated by our massage "therapists" mundane discussions on what their husbands like for dinner or the best cleaner to use for washing clothes.

After that we strolled around the town which really felt like a Chiang Mai of Peru with eclectic restaurants, bars, music, and backpackers galore. Ultimately, we settled on dinner at a spot that had candle-lit tables and Rachel wanted to eat there for no other reason than that. The people were super nice. I ended up ordering what looked like a grilled rat which they call Cuy or as we know it a guinea pig. Yes, I'm off to a good start 2 days in again on this trip with my culinary appreciation for traditional dishes no matter how weird or gag reflexing they may be. I specifically asked for them to prepare it the traditional way which is dishing it whole although they normally prepare it tourist-palately correct by just dishing pre-cut pieces of the meat. No - me bring the tail, head, and all. Rodent for dinner.....mmmmm! Truth be told, it was one of the most flavorful meats I've ever had and Rachel had a bite and concurred. These type of experiences never cease to amaze me.

Back at the hostel, I was still feeling awful from the beer/scotch combo from lunch earlier almost like a vicious hangover. Maybe it was the Incan gods punishing me for violating the first rule of alcohol consumption in their land - liquor before beer nothing to fear and beer before liquor never been sicker. Words to live by.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259128376/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259128376/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259128376/tpod.html Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:57:57 -0500 Here We Go Again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Nasca, Peru

Next was the Nazca Lines. Nazca Lines are an archaeological marvel and remains a mystery even to this day. The lines were a manifestation of different symbols, animals, and even an astronaut that can only be fully seen if you're in the air. The wonder and amazement behind these objects is rooted in why they were created in the first place. Theories range from creating symbols for the gods to being possessed/guided by aliens to create them. What's particularly interesting is the scale and precision of how they made them as there was no way to measure them from the sky as no planes or Red Bull existed to give anyone wings back then and the geometric proportions were almost too precise to be procured by people that primitive, although I'm sure the GEICO cavemen could've pulled it off. What I thought was interesting is that the majority of the indigenous peoples in the area have never seen the Nazca Lines which is considered one of the most amazing mysteries of the world. Although it's in their back yard most have never flown nor could ever afford to fly to see this and even if they wanted to walk into the bare fields where these were created they would be walking into a landmine - literally - as there were landmines that were prevalent throughout the area where the Nazca Lines were created. At any rate, these lines do exist and I was able to bring back some great ideas for my crop circle making when I get back to Nebraska this December.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259127627/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259127627/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259127627/tpod.html Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:57:44 -0500 Here We Go Again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Pisco, Peru

The next day we were off to Pisco. We drove the majestic countryside of cardboard homes and an adobe pyramid not too much to see other than that. Finally we got to Pisco which was more of a stopover than a tourist stop and was able to meet the delightful Peruvians. We were on a mission to get a Pisco sour which is the country's signature beverage. Preparation is very methodical and calculated as they take great pride in this drink. All in all, we thought it was a pretty good drink.

Next day, had a delightful feast for breakfast of hard bread and butter which we found to be the continental breakfast at every hotel – I guess if we're on a different continent we should expect a different kind of continental breakfast, right? One of the few times I would opt for a 99 cent buffet special in Vegas over what we had. Then went on to Islas Ballestas. You can find murals that are abundant on the rock cliffs made by the hordes of birds on the island using their favorite colorful material to do so - guano which is a euphemism for bird feces. They actually had guards guarding this island just in case there was a guano thief wanting to pillage the highly sought after commodity that I like to call "brown gold". What's even more impressive is the main tourist retail item at the dock before you board the ship are guano-deflecting hats due to the birds innate ability to look at every human's dome as a bullseye target when bowel moving. They call this the Poor Man's Galapagos because of the diverse sea creatures and wildlife like dolphins, sea lions, peruvian pelicans, humboldt penguins, redfooted something, and the rest were everyday birds for us that they consider exotic because they're rare on the mainland - a seagull doesn't really qualify as unique in the states unless it can beat a rubix cube or ride a bike.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259127169/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259127169/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/2/1259127169/tpod.html Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:57:31 -0500 Here We Go Again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Lima, Peru

Well, here we are again kids. Ready to do it all over again, although in South America this time. We are now one year more the wiser (or maybe not), can speak many more languages (none that anyone can understand), and have a deeper appreciation for different cultures (like trying to respect Indian culture by eating with our hands but using our left which is considered the one you wipe with and not to be used). After a grueling flight, we arrived in Lima at 1AM and ready to get to our hotel pronto because we had a tour at 6AM. Of course, our gracious taxi driver drove us all over town trying to con us into staying at a great hotel and telling us we didn't need to stay at the hotel we had reservations at. I love the self-appointed travel agents and tour guides that always have your best interests at heart. We made it through the night though.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227944040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227944040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227944040/tpod.html Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:17:32 -0500 Bringing the Travel Channel to Life!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Barrytown, South Island, New Zealand

entry coming - camera currently out of commission
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227943980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227943980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227943980/tpod.html Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:17:13 -0500 Bringing the Travel Channel to Life!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Punakaiki, South Island, New Zealand

entry coming - camera currently out of commission
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227943860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227943860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1227943860/tpod.html Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:16:51 -0500 Bringing the Travel Channel to Life!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Franz Josef, South Island, New Zealand

entry coming - camera currently out of commission
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1228803300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1228803300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1228803300/tpod.html Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:01:54 -0500 Bringing the Travel Channel to Life!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Hahei, North Island, New Zealand

entry coming
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1226577660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1226577660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ramrtw/1/1226577660/tpod.html Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:34:53 -0500 Bringing the Travel Channel to Life!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

We arrived in Melbourne and decided to try the hostel accommodation thing out again. Big mistake. It was convenient (right in the heart of downtown) and cheap, but this one was especially uncomfortable. It was like an open cubicle (no roof) with bunk beds - even though we paid for a private room. Not that we don't appreciate inexpensive accommodations but this was kind of like Spartan living. Right around the corner from our hostel there was this back alley lined with tons of boutique restaurants and eateries, cafes, and desserts shops of every kind. It was so awesome. Rachel and I went out one of those nights for a nice dinner - it was absolutely fantastic. We also had some yogurt and berries from another shop down the way for dessert which was exceptional as well. We could have eaten there the rest of the week, chosen a different location to eat, and not get bored or be disappointed - I'm sure of it. The whole place was bustling with locals enjoying the fare.

After this, we headed over to Eureka Tower so that we could check out The Edge. This is the tallest residential tower in the world. At the top they have this observation deck to see all of Melbourne. It's a really cool spectacle and they've designed the place very well. At the top, they have his attraction called The Edge. Most of these tall buildings all around the world have an observation deck, but this building went a step further getting you a step further off of the edge. They have a transparent, glass box that takes you out into thin air and let's you hang in the box for a good minute. The cool thing about this attraction or ride is that they cart you out into the middle of the sky without seeing anything - it's opaque in the box at the start - and then in a flash they turn it completely transparent while you're already out in the air. It's trippy because once it turns clear for a split second you feel like you've been dropped from the top. The rest of the time you're suspended and taking pics. We got pictures with Rachel doing a handstand. There was another girl in there with us and she was freaking out. Her boyfriend tried to get her out of the corner to take a picture but she was petrified. Very funny. Since we were too cheap to purchase the picture they took of us out on The Edge (due to the fact it was only hard copy and we wouldn't be able to share it with all of you) because it was more than the actual ticket to ride the thing we just asked if we could take a picture of the screen where they previewed all pictures for sale. It was pretty funny and some would consider embarrassing but we have no shame when it comes to saving money.
]]>