TravelStream™ news feed for member runger on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/runger en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 27 Feb 2007 19:31:33 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1172622060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1172622060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1172622060/tpod.html Tue, 27 Feb 2007 19:31:33 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

I have been in this city for almost a week now. It is hot, humid, tons of restruants, bars, dancing, walking, walking, walking.....so much that i just bought running shoes. The people have been incredibly nice here.....supricsing for a big city. The style is off the hook. Ive never seen so many bad haircuts that somehow seem good. I mean, the Argentines have completely brought back the MULLET and DUCKTAIL from the eighties, then with true outlandish courage, combined it with the FAUXHALK. I¨ve seen beautiful girls with bowl cuts from the 70s, and then long waist length hair in the back. Yes, o yes. I have been meetin tons of people here and having a great time, yet still am not into the big city as much as some people. Mucho mutherfucking hente. There are tons of people here. I beleive about 13 million. San Telmo is where I have been staying most of the time. Its nice because you can walk to restraunts and bars very easily, then hop on the subway to any part of the city.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1171512660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1171512660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1171512660/tpod.html Mon, 19 Feb 2007 11:27:42 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Rosario, Argentina

Hi Everyone.

Rosario is a beautiful city. Third largest in Argentina. The people here are the most attractive and in most quantity I have ever seen. It´s a little weird actually. I Aarrive off the bus in 85 degree sun. Lucas picks me up, go to the hostal, have a beer and lunch, walk the central city tour to the lake, nap from 7pm to 4am. Miss dinner and everything. Next day hang with Lucas and cruise the city and drink argentina beer all day. Met tons of people today. Good day. Content.
On another note am thinking about the idea of flying down to El Calafate where there are huge walls of icebergs moving and it is supposed to be spectaclular. I´ll probably do it. Pictures will follow. I´m sorry for the lag. By they way, give me some comments! I see the login counts so I know all you are reading my crap. =)
2.19.07 STILL IN ROSARIO
The time is flying by. This trip gets fun when I meet people, and it usually takes a few days to meet people and build a small network of people and things to do. And, then, by that time another 2 or 3 days go by, and I have to do it all over again. It gets tiring because I would like to stay in a place longer as and really get to know a place. The problem is that there are so many cool places and people.
Yesterday, we went to the river beach and it was amazing. Sun, NO SURF of course, musica, food and drinks, unbeleivable scenery, mucho mosquitos...actually inhaled some bug spray and was poisoned for a couple hours I think. We stayed till dark, took the boat back to civilization, because the beach is on an island. Shopped, ate late night pizza and bed. This morning had coffee in the sun with everyone, internet cafe, and now we are going tot he beach again. Summertime.
Lucas and Ericka are arriving today, so a good dinner tonight with them will be great. I wish they didn´t have to work. Ok, I am being summoned for the beach.

Best,
Ryan
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170718980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170718980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170718980/tpod.html Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:42:28 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Mendoza, Argentina

A swirling 6 hour night bus over the Andes Mountains on a full moon. A hot sweaty bus with mountain peaks glistening due to the light of the moon. Absolutly amazing. Border line up at 3am at the top of the range. Bus station was no bueno. Loads of drunk teenagers roaming the streets. Me....one of the last people to try and get a taxi in a new city with all my stuff on my back. I got a taxi in the nick of time. Few. After an hour of searching for a hostel with an awesome taxi driver, finally a bed. Five minutes after turing the light out at 645am, enter Gustavo and Ariel, two argentinians that I will be travelling with for the next 5 days (little did I know) . Walks and lunch through San Martine, City tour in complete spanish but great to see everything. Deb´s cousin´s cousin Yasmin took me out with her friends for Maite at the local park to hang out and relax. Amazingly beautiful night. What a packed intersting day. Next day, bus to San Rafael.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170892380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170892380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170892380/tpod.html Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:11:07 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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San Rafael, Argentina

Split Second descion. ¨You want to go to San Rafael?¨ 4 hour bus to a great nor-cal like setting of a city. large lakes and rivers near by. Settled in the hostal camijnito. Great people here....really family like. I got sick and they took care of me. Went river rafting in an intertube with a guide in warm water. amazing. Repelled down a 90ft cliff scarred absolutley shiteless (I am afraid of heights). Had lots of typical argentinina bbq, walked the streets, hung out with tons of locals and argentinian travelers. I woke up one morning and got information at the airline and bus depots, and the dice turns out that I bought a ticket for Rosario. I am walking back to the hostel, contemplating my actions, when i step into a whole in the pavemnt and immediately am face to face with concrete 6 inches from my face. I caught mightself and was doing a declined push up off the curb. If I was an old man, I´d be a gonner.
I come back to the hostal and tell the group what happenned, pay my dues, then jump in the car with a bunch of crazy argentines on an offroad journey to a lake 30km away. Amazing oasis of just a few houses and campsites and a big group of people bbqing and in a man-made lake-pool. Beer, ice-cream sandwiches, and loads of laughs and broken spanish later, I head home. Its been a good unexpected stop off the beaten track. This is what travelling is all about. Places like this. I am the only Norte Americano I have seen in a week or 2. Dinner with the guys, sleep meds, and a 13hr bus ride, later, Im in Rosario.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170286680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170286680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1170286680/tpod.html Sat, 10 Feb 2007 18:43:13 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Santiago, Chile

Flew from Lima to Santiago Chile in the middle of the night. Stayed at Casa Rojo...a huge hostel with lots of travellers. Partied with some cool chilians and austrians all night. One of the worst hungovers in a while. Walked the streets of downtown promenades. Had great pizza and talks with travellers and friends on mountaintops and parlors. Feeling introspective and melancholy after consuming so much alcohol the night before. Loads of dogs roaming the streets....in packs actually. Nothing like walking into an alley where 5 large german shepeards are staring at you with the look of ¨lunch¨in there eyes.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1169249700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1169249700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1169249700/tpod.html Sat, 10 Feb 2007 18:37:29 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Lima, Peru

Back to Lima and staying at Loki Hostel. Made some really good friends and it was hard to leave. Danced merenge and salsa, had great food, surfed, celebrated my birthday for the second time at the best restraunt in Peru.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1169145000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1169145000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1169145000/tpod.html Sat, 20 Jan 2007 13:36:03 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Machu Pichu, Peru

Well, I did it. The 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. Hard. Worth it. Beautiful. WET. Celebrated my birthday in the mountains with 15 new friends. I´m 31! What!?!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1168537980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1168537980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1168537980/tpod.html Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:12:19 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Cusco, Peru

Cusco is a small town, about the size of santa barbara in the middle of the Andes mountains at a garganguin (sp) 11,000 ft above sea level. I pulled an all nighter travelling here and combined with no sleep, I had a food bug and altitude sickness. Good combo, huh!
Its now the 5th day here and still gettting used to it. To tell you the truth I am seriously ready for the beach. However, I have to grin and bear it because in two days I am going to do the 4 DAY Inca trail to Machu Pichu which in the middle of the rainy season and the altitude, is going to be very difficult. When i complain of the altitude, i mean that walking up a simple hill gives you the feeling that you cannot get enough air and that your lungs are actually buring like they are going to burst out of your chest. On the positive side, i have met tons of locals and my spanish is actually at a basic conversational point. I saw a handful of 600 year old Inca ruins yesterday that were very interesting, while at the same time getting some great hiking in. After a long day hiking, socializing, and talking smack to all the beggers, I gave in and had an hour message for 10 bucks. What can I say.
Today I saw a mummy-in a glass case...that was kind of weird to see an actual human being on display. Other than that I slept for about 15 hours, and have been lethargic from something. I did manage to swing a deal and get my own room for tonight, though.


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1168273740/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1168273740/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/runger/southamerica07/1168273740/tpod.html Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:52:24 -0500 South America...I had to go.

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Lima, Peru

The main think I am thinking as soon as the plane landed, looking out the window into the grey-orange afternoon abyss, is HOLY SHIT, I AM IN SOUTH AMERICA. I am on the plane and I met this really cool girl that showed me the ropes at the airport so I didnt get mollested by the taxi drivers...which are like sharks when you get out of the airports. Lima is crazy, dark and cloudy, hostile yet friendly. I was very graciously picked up by Lorena, Cathys cousin. After driving to the ocean and looking for a descent hostel I walked a couple blocks to Orlandos highrise. He, Lorena and their friends took me out to the cliff hanging discotech-mall-restrants in Miraflores and i had some great pollo and some fun. Drank some great beer...pilsen is the way to go. they sell it in the states as well.
Had the best ceviche ever in a highrise 4 story 5 star restraunt oceanfront yesterday and a cosmo for lunch.....$15 dollars. Shopped, hung out with everyone at this hostel. my spanish is improving slowly.
Jogged this morning along the boardwark and down the beach. The area I am staying in really looks just like downtown Santa Monica....except the ghetto version. However, mixed in with bared, 75% built houses, there are extremely nice high rise oceanfront condos that are ´´Beverly Hills´´ nice. And yes they are only $30k to own.
I have to be carful of the water so i have been making my own fresh peruvian coffee that is unbeleivably good.
Tonight I am going out with Lorena and her friends after she gets off her shift, for dinner and drinks. 330am I am heading in a taxi to the airport to the ancient inca capital of cusco...10k elevation. Supposed to be an awesome city.
I will be adding pictures shortly.

P.S. Tell me if you have any questions, concerns, want me to write on anything specific...whatever.

ryan =)




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Escazu, Costa Rica, Costa Rica

Hi Everyone,
I am going to try this travel blog site out and you can give me your feedback on anything ok. My goal was to inform those that were not able to break free from their work or were interested in keeping up on where i am and what the hell i am doing down here. As well as any new friends I meet along the way. =) My grammer is going to be off so dont fret. There are numerous keyboard arrangments in these countries and i am also trying to minimize my internet usage.
Arguing, driving, waiting, sweating, cracking jokes, speaking broken spanish that i am learning along the way, sleeping for minutes, then getting woken up by teenagers or turbulance from the plain at 4 am in the morning. Travelling. Its hard but great. Lonely and exhilerating.
I flew from LAX to Guatemala, then to Costa Rica, where I was thrown directly into the fire trying to get a cab in the crazy unorganized city called San Jose. There were bars on all the windows. My spanish and orienation were somewhere elese. I have already met several very nice Guatemalans and Costa Ricans that are inherently interested in helping me learn spanish and get what i need. Much love to them.
In Costa Rica, I finally arrived at Gio's house. Her and her roomates have been great and truly a pleasure to stay with. In the last couple days I have met a bunch of costa ricans while journing to this touristic coffee farm and whitewater rafting in the rainforest. White water rafting in 3s and 4s was excellent and I recommend it to anyone. I can't wait todo 5s, as well as kayak a river in the future;). The best was is floating on my own down a river on my back between two lush mountains comming together making a thin 30ft gap. Birds, flowing of water, mixed sun and rain and perpetual smile, that yes, I am here. =)
Ok, Im off to the spa to get a massage (yes, that right I'm going to indulge)!
Ok, spa was great except I forgot to learn the basics....´´too hard and too soft.´´
Cut my beard and hair and now Im clean cut again.

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