Tuesday, September 26, 2006

A bolivian street scene

The photos are back. In fact, this is 1 of only a few we have in digital form from Bolivia.

A bolivian street scene:



A peruvian pair of hands and hat:



Well, that's your lot for now. I've only had the camera 2 days!

Sunday, September 24, 2006

The Camera Saga

I'm guessing you know that my camera was stolen a few months back. Well, this is the ever so exciting tale of it's replacement...

I decided that I liked the stolen camera so much that I wanted the same one. This particular camera is not available in South America, the brand (Ricoh) isn't sold here at all. When I was in Paraguay (towards the end of the world cup) I ordered a new one with all the extras to my parents' address. My lovely helpful Mum and Dad then packed it all up and sent it to the La Paz (capital of Bolivia) main post office.

Me and Clare were ambling our way across Bolivia planning to arrive in La Paz about 2 weeks after the camera was due to arrive. When we got there, on schedule, the camera hadn't arrived. So after a few days in La Paz we went off to Lake Titicaca and spent about 4 or 5 fantastic days there. I then popped back to La Paz (about 4-5 hours journey inc. a boat crossing) to find that the Bolivia National Post Service had been on strike for the past 4 days. Looking at all the options and not trusting Bolivian organisation - the strike was officially on its final day - I decided best that we go off and travel round Peru. Of course knowing that at some point I'd have to trek back.

Soon after the delivery company in England let us know that the package had only just left the UK due to the terrorist problems. They did however say they guaranteed 26 days which meant it would arrive by 24th September...still reading? No, didn't think so...

Well, I've just done more than half the trek back. I left northern Peru Thursday night and, after several different buses and types of taxis taking me across much of the length of Peru, I got to the post office at 5:10pm yesterday (Saturday). So 43 hours journey in all, not bad...and...Hurrraaaaay, the camera was there!

So a big night out last night and a pre-midday start today and I'm back in Peru but the connections haven't been as ideal as before so I'm in a town on Lake Titicaca and hope to get back to the beach where Clare is taking it ever so easy by Wed night. Once I've trekked back up most of Peru, we then rush off up the entire length of Ecuador to start the volunteer projects...I knew there had to be a mild down-side to travelling at some point!

So, expect pictures again very soon!!

Friday, September 22, 2006

La Huaca de la Luna

Viajando durante los ultimos 6 meses he conocido bastantes mochileros de los paises latinamericanos y por eso decidi que, de vez en cuando, voy a escribir en castellano - para se puede buscar informacion y, quizas, encontrar lo que se busca aca en este Blog.

Para empezar tengo que recomendar la "Huaca del la Luna" cerca de Trujillo en el norte de Peru. Todavia estan descubriendo cosas nuevas y, como un turista, se puede recorrer por el sitio y ver los muros impresionantes de la pyramide pero los mas increibles son las grandes pinturas - que existen como pescadores, aranas, guerreros y disenos de dioses distintos. Tambien, enfrente esta la otra mucha mas grande Huaca (del Sol), pero actualmente esa es para mirar no mas. El guia fue bien informativo y ademas el ingreso economico. Muy bien recomendable - descubrela!

Lo siento mucho que los accentos (que incluye la tilda) sobre las letras no funccionaron.

Classic Bent South American Filth

As well as visiting some of the coolest sites I've ever seen recently, we also went out the other friday night as most other nights - restaurant, local licors - and ended up in a cool club with a circular balcony looking over the dancefloor. Chatted with a few randoms (you always get approached by curious locals in the more remote towns with few gringos) including a big group of coppers out on a bender for their captain's birthday! They were sound enough even though whilst drinking with them one was quite keen to offer us any type of ancient artefact you could think of. His pride and joy was a pure gold necklace of Inca origin that he "got" (assume confiscated) off a grave robber, which work all over the country especially in the areas we've been recently.

We didn't show too much interest and managed to move onto the next subject everytime - not wanting a free long-term tour of a south american prison - but classic that they probably have hordes of this stuff tucked away earning them a decent 2nd wage.

As I said, these filth were actually sound and real friendly and the other 7 or so guys were just having a laugh and not on a sales pitch. Twas a good night but agony early the next morning when we had a 3 1/2 hour drive up winding mountain rough dirt track roads...

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Islas Ballestas

Here's a good overview of the islands with Penguins we went to last week...(click!)

Friday, September 08, 2006

Life's great

All's good over here. Had a great time seeing Inca and pre-inca ruins including the awesome Machu Picchu last week. Really impressive countryside too all around the region. Cusco, the main base city for most of the big sites, is so unbelievably touristy. I expected a lot but it's pretty ridiculous. The thing is that the city is actually stunning, full of quality buildings and cool streets along the lines of Bath or York. Just that touts come up to you all the time selling something or other. Out in the country though it was great - villages just as historical and real friendly.

We flew over the Nazca lines too the other day! Really fascinating figures of animals and shapes. The whole terrain is covered with lines as there's virtually no rain or anything to wash them away so you're looking at all these car tracks then suddenly you see a condor figure or a monkey with a spiral tail! Loved it. The plane was a 4 seater - I was damn close to chucking up at points. The other girl in the front seat spewed a fair amount but we managed to keep it all down...

So, as I said, all's good. Off to see some Penguins tomorrow unless they're b*ggered off! Quite a few times in this trip so far we planned to see penguins only to miss them or have something come up and stop us...