Jack & Brii

Mexico - Cancun

2010-11-28T09:37:00.002+10:00

Today was another lazy day spent wandering around Cancun and then lazing by the pool. It was nice to relax and enjoy some heat before heading to the snow of Colorado for Christmas.

Tonight we also met our new group of 15 who we will join and travel through Belize and Guatemala with. In this group we have 3 from South Africa, 1 from NZ, 2 from Scotland, 1 from Wales, and the rest are from Oz. Seemingly another great group all around our age which should make the final week of hard core travel fun!

Mexico - Cancun

2010-11-27T09:30:00.004+10:00

After a fabulous sleep in our kingsize bed we rose and went out to discover a little of what Cancun has to offer. We wandered down the main avenue and found ourselves at a rather large shopping complex and well, we went shopping :-). Although, thankfully we had left most of the money and the credit card at the hotel so we couldn’t spend much in the fantastic variety of clothes shops.

Exhausted we headed back to the hotel keen for a swim and lazy afternoon by the pool but as the weather cooled down a little we found ourselves watching movies instead. Then, for dinner we ventured out to La Parilla, a Mexican restaurant that was recommended to us by the hotel staff. Unfortunately it was a little too touristic but we enjoyed some traditional Mexican fare and the Mariachi.

Ecuador - Quito

2010-11-26T09:33:00.004+10:00

This morning we wandered around a little more of Quito that we hadn’t really explored yet, enjoyed a nice coffee, and did a little shopping. We then made our way to the airport for our flight to Cancun, Mexico.

Ecuador - Cotopaxi

2010-11-25T05:26:00.003+10:00

We departed Banos this morning to the low pitched grumbles of Tungurahua and a lot of ash still in the air. A short way along the road out of Banos we stopped for one last look at the volcano and what do you know, she erupted again!! Because it was daylight we could not see the glow of the lava but the smoke and ash plumes were going very high into the air. It was very cool to see in daylight as well!

Our route back to Quito took us along the Pan American highway which is known in these parts as “The Avenue of Volcanoes” as it is lined on either side by the East and West Andes which consists of many volcanoes, quite a number of which are still active, but not erupting at this moment. We got to see remnants of partly buried towns and villages which in the past have been devastated by these volcanoes and also saw where some of the roads used to be, approximately 10m below the current road.

On our way back we passed through Atambo and Latacunga, capitals of their respective provinces, and we stopped at Yambo Lake and Cotopaxi National Park. Cotopaxi National Park is named after Cotopaxi Volcano whose crater sits at 5897m, is no longer active, and is the main attraction. We viewed the museum and then drove up to the parking area for base camp at 4500m. We were planning on walking up to base camp and then on to the snow line but the parking area was already in the snow, the track had been snowed over, and the visibility was terrible so we decided to abort that idea. We returned down to 3800m to Lake Limpiopungo for lunch.

After lunch we made our way to Quito where we said our goodbyes to our driver, George, and tour guide, Alexandro, and then enjoyed our last group dinner.

Ecuador - Banos

2010-11-24T05:22:00.007+10:00

Firstly this morning we and two other couples from our group rented some Dune Buggies to cruise the surrounding area of Banos. We travelled out of town and along some small country roads, it was quite a fun morning until everyone else’s buggies started to break.... thankfully nothing too serious so we all returned safely. After lunch we enjoyed a massage and did some shopping.

We then joined up with the rest of our group and drove up to a lookout called ‘The Tree House’ from where we could get a great view of Tungurahua Volcano which is the active volcano that overlooks Banos. At the lookout there is a station which is manned by Carlos, a volunteer who monitors the activity of the volcano and has done for the last 10 years. The Tree House is actually a small carved out area in the trunk of a large tree on top of the mountain that acts as a shelter for Carlos when the volcano erupts. All day the volcano had been grumbling and there was a fair amount of ash in the air but this was nothing compared with what we were about to witness on top of the mountain just 2.5km from the crater of the volcano. Carlos gave us a little talk about the volcano, its previous eruptions, and the complex system of monitoring its activity, as well the towns evacuation plans and then we went outside to watch this magnificent mountain as her rumbles were becoming more frequent. With our eyes fixed, the thundering noises became louder and then she erupted. The bright red hot molten lava came exploding out of the top and through some of the smaller cracks in the side of the volcano. It was brief but absolutely awesome, yet another amazing experience for this year... and Jack got his birthday wish!

Ecuador - Banos

2010-11-23T05:18:00.004+10:00

We departed the jungle this morning and drove towards Banos. On the way we stopped at Rio Verde to view the magnificent Pailon Di Diablo (“Pot of the Devil”) waterfall. It was spectacular! After viewing it fromt he suspension bridge we climbed up the side of the mountain to view it from a different vantage point and then crawled in under some rocks, along the path, to stand behind it. This was fantastic, if not a little wet :-). The sheer volume of water passing over the rocks was amazing and the noise was deafening.

After lunch we had a short, fast, and slightly scary ride in a cable car across a gorge just outside Banos. The cable car was not quite what we imagine when we hear cable car... but it took us across the gorge to see another waterfall, Manto de Lanovia, and brought us back in one piece, so I guess it can’t have been too bad can it?!

Ecuador - Amazon Jungle

2010-11-22T05:16:00.005+10:00

Following breakfast this morning we went for a 2 hour walk through the Jungle to the rescue centre. Although we didn’t see any exciting wildlife, the walk was interesting, we were also very glad we all had Wellington Boots on as the mud in some places was a little deep.

The rescue centre, however, had lots of interesting wildlife including Toucans, Green and Blue Headed Parrots, Capybara, Ocelots, Spider Monkeys, White Capuchins, Caymans, Turtles, and some others.

To return to our lodge we rode tubes down the river which was refreshing and relaxing, if not a little slow.

After lunch we went across the river to a local village where we visited a lady in her home and watched a demonstration on how to make Chicha (a Latin American beer type drink) from Cassava. We were also taught how to shoot an arrow through a traditional blow gun but all failed to hit the target :-). Next we went across the Napo River to Napo where we watched a demonstration on the local ceramic art which is made form the very fine clay of the river bed.

Ecuador - Amazon Jungle

2010-11-21T05:12:00.002+10:00

We left Quito via the old road towards the Jungle which let us see another part of the historic side of Quito. The road we travelled along took us between the Cayamba-Coco and the Antisana National Park, both named after the volcanoes that feature in them. About mid morning we stopped in a town called Papallacta which is famous for its thermal springs. Whilst some of the group went for a dip, we enjoyed a nice warm drink in the adjacent hotel. After this we all went for a walk through the nearby rainforest and along the river. It was absolutely stunning except that about 10 minutes in it decided to rain quite heavily which made it not so enjoyable.

After lunch we drove to our lodge in the Amazon which sits in the Napo Valley on a tributary off the Napo River. The lodge was set up by a Swiss couple in conjunction with the Native people and runs an animal rescue centre, Amazoonicas, and a school for the local children.

Ecuador - Otovalo

2010-11-20T05:04:00.004+10:00

Today we drove to Otavalo, a small city approximately 84km through the Andes from Quito. On the way we crossed the Equator, and stopped at a lookout. The lookout was to view the snow capped Cayamba Volcano, the valley and the river that runs from the volcano.

Otavalo is famous for its market which extends in multiple directions from one of the town squares. It is huge. Walking around we were able to see the difference in the artisanal styles from Peru and Bolivia as well as see a lot of women dressed in their traditional dress. Otavalo is one of the few towns left that still dress widely in their traditional clothes, for the women it is hand embroidered blouses and the men in ponchos with long braids. This is because the government has financially encouraged the indigenous people to live and dress in a way that maintains their culture.

On the way to lunch we stopped at a second view point which was in Cotocachi-Cayapa Ecological Reserve and overlooks an absolutely stunning crater lake in Cotocachi Volcano.

We stopped for lunch in Cotachi village and decided it was time to try the Latin American Speciality of Guinea Pig. Once we got over the fact that we were eating Guinea Pig we decided that it really wasn’t anything special. It tasted like the thigh meat from chicken and was quite oily but at least we tried it. Cotachi Village is famous for its leather production and goods so after lunch we of course went shopping!

We returned to Quito for the night and got ourselves ready to head to the Amazon Jungle again tomorrow, this time from the Ecuador side.

Ecuador - Quito

2010-11-19T10:32:00.005+10:00

This morning our guide took us to the old centre of Quito and showed us around. The trip on the local bus was an experience. It took us three buses to actually get onto the bus because they were so full and one literally had to push past the poor people that were trying to get off in order to get on before the doors closed. It was a challenge.

On our tour we learnt a little about the history of Ecuador and the colonial Spanish occupation as well the revolution to independence in the early 1800’s. We visited some of the old city’s many churches, including the Basilica in which we climbed up to the very top of one of its spires for a spectacular view over the city, the Iglesia De La Compania de Jesus which is famous for its almost entire gold leaf interior architecture and art, and San Francisco Cathedral, where apparently an Incan Palace stood before the Spanish Invasion. After lunch we also briefly went up El Panecillo which is a small hill that also allows you to see a great panoramic view over the city and has a 30m high statue of La Virgen de Quito.

Once we finished this tour we visited the National Museum which has a fantastic collection of artefacts and information about the history of Ecuador from over 6000 years ago. It was a good way to get an understanding of the complex history of this little country.

Todays photo is another from the Galapagos.

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands

2010-11-18T10:30:00.002+10:00

Up early this morning to make our shore landing on Seymour Island. While we were waiting to board our tender there were a couple of Sharks cruising around the back of our boat. On the island, which is the well known nesting and breeding ground for Frigate Birds and Blue Footed Boobies, we walked observing the mating calls and dances of these birds. Male Frigates are particularly impressive during the mating season as they have what looks like a bright red piece of skin on their throat which they inflate when they are trying to attract a mate. The juvenile Frigates were very cute as they were trying to learn to fly and they were playing with sticks to teach themselves how to pick up fish. The Blue Footed Boobie chicks were also beautiful balls of white fluffy feathers. On our way back to the boat we saw a brand new Sea Lion with its mother and father (who was sleeping), so new that it still had its umbilical cord and the mother still had remnants of the placenta near her. The miracle of nature and child birth is touching no matter what the species.

After this fabulous start to the day we motored to Baltra to catch our transfer to the airport, unfortunately our trip to the Galapagos had come to an end. We said our good byes to our great crew and travelled to the airport.

Our flight back was uneventful and our afternoon in Quito was also pretty lazy. Tonight, though, we met our new guide for the Ecuador part of our trip and two new additions to our group.

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands

2010-11-17T10:25:00.003+10:00

This morning we went ashore on Bartolome Island and climbed to the summit of the volcano for an amazing view over the Galapagos. We then went on a short walk to South Beach along the golden sands and saw a giant Turtle on the beach and some white tipped reef sharks in the shallows. On the way to the beach in our tender we also saw some Galapagos Penguins which are the second smallest penguin in the world behind Australia’s Fairy Penguin. After our walk we were taken around the point on our tender and snorkelled back to the beach. The snorkelling again was gorgeous, we saw heaps of different brightly coloured fish as well as a Flounder hiding in the sand, and a Stingray.

We motored to Sombrero Chino which is an island that from a distance looks like a Chinaman’s hat. We went for an afternoon snorkel which was our last snorkel in the Galapagos and was an amazing finale! This afternoon we watched Marine Iguanas graze on the algae on the rocks, three Sharks, lots of fish, and... to finish we swam along side some Penguins! Brilliant!

Again after a hot shower to warm up we went ashore. Sombrero Chino beach reminded us of home, the sand was white and the water was blue. We learnt that white beaches are the result of thousands of years of breakdown of coral and other organic materials. It was just a short walk around to the other side of the island in which we saw two Hawks, baby Sea Lions, and Marine Iguana’s. On each of our walks in the last couple of days we have also seen a couple of snakes and plenty of endemic Lizards, as well as quite a number of different birds.

Late this afternoon we motored to Seymour Island. It was pretty rough motoring, the swell was massive. The highlight of the trip and a nice break to take our mind off the rolling motion of the boat was a pod of Common Dolphins playing in the distance and a few playful Bottle-nosed Dolphins playing in the bow wave of the boat. They were very cute.

Once we anchored we enjoyed a Pisco Sour with the crew of the boat to say our thank you’s, and then enjoyed our last delicious dinner of the cruise.

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands

2010-11-16T10:21:00.003+10:00

After a fairly average nights sleep thanks to the rough seas we woke at our new destination, Rabida Island.

We went ashore and our guide, Rafael, took us for a walk around the Island to explore the environment. Each island has unique features, for example Rabida has red sand secondary to the Iron oxide content of the volcanic rock that has broken down to form the sand. It also has no land Iguanas or Tortoises therefore is the only island in the Galapagos that has cactuses with soft spines. All cactuses in the entire archipelago are endemic to the Galapagos which means they are found no where else in the world. Some of our group went for a snorkel off the beach but the water was a subarctic temperature so we just hung out on the beach.

After getting back on the boat we motored to Santiago Island and anchored in James Bay to enjoy lunch. We braved the cold water after lunch and went snorkelling in James Bay. It was an awesome experience to swim with Sea Lions, and a Galapagos Green Turtle, as well as many beautiful fish. There was one particular juvenile Sea Lion that was very playful and was swimming with us, sometimes straight at us, and flipping a sea urchin on its nose. She was very cute! We returned to the boat warmed up with a hot shower and then went ashore for a walk.

James Bay is a black beach owing to the lava flows that constitute its make up. The bays landscape was extremely picturesque. The lava flow patterns combined with erosion from wind and the sea have formed some amazing natural rock formations. James Bay is also the home of the Galapagos Fur Seal and we enjoyed watching a large colony on the rocks. We also saw a huge number of Marine Iguanas, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, and a few different birds including the Yellow Warble, and the American Oyster Catcher.

This afternoon we motored to Bartolome Island. On the way we passed some beautiful scenery and rocks including Buccaneer bay which is so named because it was a place where pirates used to hide their ships, Elephant Rock, and Monk Rock.

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands

2010-11-15T10:17:00.003+10:00

We finally met our guide this morning at 0600 on our way to the airport to fly to the Galapagos Islands but she was only there to ensure we got checked in on the right plane and got through security, after that it was up to us to get to Baltra Island and find our local guide at the airport.

The flight was 2 hours to Baltra and relatively uneventful until we were landing when saw our first Land Iguana who was sunning himself on the edge of the runway - welcome to the Galapagos! We were met at the airport by our local guide and made our way by bus and ferry to Santa Cruz Island, the second largest but most heavily populated island of the archipelago with 20,000 inhabitants. From Santa Cruz we boarded our boat “Yate Darwin” and enjoyed a scrumptious lunch.

After lunch we visited the Darwin Research centre which is the main centre for research into the conservation of the Galapagos as well as breeding programs to ensure the continuation of species that were once near extinction. During the afternoon we were fortunate to see many Giant Galapagos Tortoises which were the first animals seen by the explorers. These tortoises have 2 different shell shapes but the one the explorers saw was saddle shaped and Galapagos means saddle in Spanish so the Islands were named Galapagos. We also saw the famous “Lonesome George” who is the only Tortoise of his kind left and was found on Pinta Island all alone, hence the name. The other animals we saw included baby tortoises at varying stages of development which will later be released back to their home island, as well as land Iguanas. It was a very interesting afternoon and great insight into the dangers and threats that the islands face.

We had a brief look around the centre of the town before boarding our boat again to get settled into our rooms and have dinner.

In bed relatively early as we knew that our sleep would not be the best as the boat was due to set sail from about midnight bound for Rabida Island.

Ecuador-Quito

2010-11-14T10:16:00.002+10:00

After a very lazy morning we wandered toward the historical colonial centre of Quito. We were amazed at how many people were out and about on bikes and wandering through the beautiful parks. It was a lovely site. As we reached the colonial centre we realised it must be a special day as there were performances in each of the main squares of local dancing and music. We simply just explored the streets and absorbed the atmosphere as we return to Quito a couple of times before leaving Ecuador.

It was no more than a couple of hours after we started exploring when the sky decided to open so we made our way back to the hotel and watched a movie before heading to our next “pre-departure” meeting to meet our new group and guide! Unfortunately this didn’t happen as our guide called in sick.

Ecuador-Quito

2010-11-13T10:13:00.002+10:00

We arrived in Quito around 3pm this afternoon and after settling into our hotel we set out to explore the area around it. The hotel is seemingly located in the new central area of Quito... or at least that is the impression the map gives. Being a Saturday afternoon not much was happening but we did manage to find a gorgeous big park with some local markets in it to explore :-). We then found a supermarket and bought some essentials before heading back to the hotel as it started to rain.

Peru - Lima

2010-11-12T11:01:00.002+10:00

This morning we had a little sleep in and then met for breakfast with the rest of our group so we could say good bye to our guide. It has been a really fun 35 days but all good things come to and end.

The five of us wandered into see the changing of the guard at the presidential palace but instead we witnessed the comings and goings of a few foreign diplomats and the ceremony that accompanied them. We then found the Museum of Inquisition which unfortunately was all in Spanish but as it is in the building that was the home to the Inquisition between 1570 to 1820 it was still interesting to see.

We then made our way to the Monastery of San Francisco and its Catacombs. The Church was completed in 1774 and still stands despite being on fault lines. It has survived many earth quakes because it was constructed with bamboo and mud so is flexible. The library was absolutely amazing and holds books from the late 1400’s. The catacombs were also really interesting and were the only public cemetery of that time so have the remains of an estimated 70,000 people including the 3000-5000 people who were executed during the inquisition.

After finishing at the monastery we made our way back to our hotel wandering through some artisan’s markets and different streets of Lima and then chilled out for the rest of the day before bidding farewell to Jess, the first of our group to depart.

Peru - Ballesta Islands

2010-11-11T10:57:00.003+10:00

We took a boat ride this morning out through the Ballesta Islands which are a picturesque group of Islands in the Paracas Bay off Peru’s coast. They are the home to many different bird species, including Humboldt Penguins, Pelicans, Cormorants, and Boobies, as well as a large Sea Lion colony. The Islands are also the source of ‘guano’ or bird droppings which is collected and exported to Europe as fertiliser. On our trip we encountered a number of Dolphins which were in the bay waiting for the fish waste from the trawlers.

We then enjoyed an early lunch of fresh fish before catching a bus to Peru’s capital Lima.

Before dinner our guide took us to the ‘Circuito Magico del Agua’ which means the Magical Circuit of Water and is a park in the city which is full of fountains of all shapes and sizes and also puts on light show within one of the fountains. It was very cool and is a nice example of how with the right direction a city can change its image (our tour guides words). Our group then enjoyed its last dinner together followed by a Pisco Sour (cocktail) at the hotel in which it was invented.

Peru - Huacachina Oasis

2010-11-10T10:24:00.004+10:00

This morning we were picked up from our hotel in Nazca in a couple of old American cars, a Dodge and a Chevrolet, to drive along the Pan American highway to the Huacachina Oasis approximately 2 hours down the road. On the way we stopped off at the lookout point from where we could see two of the Nazca line formations, the Hands and the Tree.

At the Oasis we went cruising through the dunes of the Ica Desert on a dune buggy intermixed with some sand boarding. It was not quite as fun as Namibia but still a great way to spend the morning. After getting up close and personal with the sand we had lunch and chilled out by the pool for the afternoon. We then caught a local bus to Pisco, the home of the famous alcoholic drink, where we would spend the night.

Peru - Nazca

2010-11-09T11:06:00.003+10:00

We arrived in Nazca around 0630 this morning all feeling a little tired after the night bus journey, although thankfully we were able to check into our hotel as soon as we arrived.

Nazca is a small town in a valley surrounded by mountains in the Ica desert. It is famous for its “Nazca Lines” for which there are many theories about how they came about. They are thought to have been etched in the sands by three different pre-Incan civilisations: The Paracas people, 900BC-200BC; The Nazca people dating from approximately 200BC to 600AD; and the settlers from Ayacucho around 630AD. However really no-one actually knows when, how, or why these lines were formed.

After a rest and shower we travelled to the airport for our scenic flight over the famous Nazca Lines. The flight was around 40min and was a brilliant way to see these phenomenon as each one measures anywhere from 32m to 300m in size which makes them impossible to appreciate from the ground.

We went into town for a traditional Peruvian lunch of Ceviche (a raw fish salad, similar to T.I. namis), leche de tigre (milk of the seafood - the juices from the marinade process of the Ceviche served in a glass), and Arroz con Mariscos (a seafood Paella type meal). It was all delicious. After lunch we returned to our hotel and relaxed for the afternoon to the sounds of the waterfall running into the pool.

Peru - Colca Canyon

2010-11-08T10:10:00.002+10:00

An early rise this morning to drive further into the canyon to see the local population of Condors. We arrived at “Condor Crossing” at around 8am and were fortunate to see five Condors at different times soaring through the canyon. It was amazing to see these magnificent birds moving through the air at up to 70km per hour.

We had a long bus ride back to Arequipa and spent the afternoon relaxing in the sun waiting for our night bus journey to Nazca.

Peru - Colca Canyon

2010-11-07T10:08:00.002+10:00

This morning we drove into the Colca Valley. The Colca Canyon was formed 1000’s of years ago by a volcanic eruption. The landscape was dotted with terraces both Incan and pre-Incan which the farmers still use today. In the late afternoon we swam in some thermal pools which was extremely relaxing.

After our swim we enjoyed dinner and a show of traditional dancing in a local restaurant.

Peru - Arequipa

2010-11-06T08:44:00.002+10:00

This morning we flew from Cusco to Arequipa. Arequipa is a city of over 1million and sits at the foot of El Misti Volcano. Most of the city is built of sillar, a pearly white volcanic material which is why it has a nickname of being “the White City”. It is the gateway to the Colca Canyon and is also now famous for the discovery of “Juanita”, a Incan child who was sacrificed over 500yrs ago but has been frozen so is extremely well preserved.

We spent our afternoon visiting the Santa Catalina Convent and the museum where Juanita is housed. Santa Catalina Convent was only opened to the public in 1970 after four centuries of mystery. The convent was once filled with the daughters of wealthy families. The first born daughter would be married and the second born daughter would be sent to the convent usually at age 12. The families had to pay a one off dowry of 1000 pesos and would then still be responsible for their keep and have to build them houses within the confines of the convent walls. After 4 years training as novices the girls were offered a position as a nun, if they declined they would be sent from the convent and disowned by their families. The convent has been refurbished and some of the original furniture items remain so it is really interesting to walk around and see how the Nuns used to live. The current Nuns now live next door in a more modern convent.

The museum where Juanita is housed was also very interesting. It has artefacts from the graves of Juanita and the other 2 sacrificed children that were found on the mountains. As well as explaining the history and culture behind the sacrifices of these children.

After this we all met up again at a terrace restaurant to watch sunset which was beautiful.

Peru - Cusco

2010-11-05T08:33:00.001+10:00

After a great nights sleep we enjoyed a scrumptious breakfasts at “Jacks Cafe” which has the best coffee in Cusco if not Peru, as well as amazing meals! We spent the rest of the morning wandering around Cusco and its official souvenir market, which was massive, picking up any last minute gifts. Around lunch time we made our way to the Patisserie/ Bakery again for our last Frappuccino. We then enjoyed a fabulous and much needed hour long massage working out some of the soreness that had built up in the muscles over the last few days.

For dinner tonight we celebrated finishing the Inca Trail with Alex, our Tucan guide, and Julio, our trek guide, at “Fallen Angel” restaurant. Wow, what an experience!! Fallen Angel is a restaurant owned and staffed entirely by gay people but that is not why it is spectacular. It is an assault on the senses with the interior design being amazing and the food being absolutely delicious. There are also 5 star hotel rooms above the restaurant which are all individually themed with names like, “Passion”, and “Tranquility”. The design ideas in these rooms are fabulous and would make spending the few hundred USD for a night well worth it!

Peru - Inca Trail Day 4

2010-11-04T07:29:00.002+10:00

Inca Trail Day 4

Distance 4.5km + walking around Machu Picchu

Altitude 2700m - 2430m - Cusco 3300m

Our wake up call was at 0330 this morning as we had to get to the final check point and line up with the rest of the trekking groups. We made it there by 0430 but were still the 5th group in line. The control point opened at 0530 from which we had around an hours fast walk to “Sun Gate”, the entrance to Machu Picchu. Sun Gate is named so because as the sun rises, the rays pass through this gate and shine on Machu Picchu. Unfortunately this morning the valley was clouded in until well after the sun had risen so we could not witness this phenomenon. However, when the clouds did lift we were sitting at Sun Gate waiting, and were rewarded with an absolutely spectacular view over Machu Picchu and the amazing valley.

Machu Picchu is famous for its geographical position and because it was the best preserved of all the Incan Ruins probably because when it was found in 1911 it was completely overgrown and protected by jungle. It is built of black granite and is on a 250million year old ridge of Machu Picchu mountain at an altitude of 2432m. The “Lost City of the Incas” is phenomenal! The architecture and engineering from 600yrs ago display astounding forward thinking. It was a beautiful and breathtaking experience to be able to explore and learn about this ancient civilisation.

Our brilliant day had another surprise in store when Brii and Jess, a friend on our trip, went to see the “Inca Bridge” which was a short walk away from Machu PIcchu. The bridge itself was very cool and yet another display of amazing ingenuity, but even better was the sighting of an extremely rare Spectacled Bear and her cub crossing the path.

Our return journey to Cusco consisted of a bus ride off the mountain then a 2h scenic train ride through the valley seeing the mountains and ruins we had walked through over the last four days, then a one and a half hour bus ride to our hotel. We finally arrived at 8pm, enjoyed our first hot shower in four days, and climbed into bed for a well deserved sleep!

Peru - Inca Trail Day 3

2010-11-03T07:26:00.003+10:00

Inca Trail Day 3

Distance 19km

Altitude 3600m - 3950m - 3540m - 3670m - 2700m

Up at 0500 again this morning ready for our longest day and hoping that the weather would be better. Thankfully we were in luck. The weather had cleared and the view was absolutely spectacular!

Today we covered two mountain passes, the first was 3950m after which we had to descend to 3540m before ascending again to 3670m. Thankfully we stopped for lunch between the passes... although this was only 1045. The panoramic was absolutely stunning from the top of each pass and from the top of the third pass we caught our first glimpse of Machu Picchu Mountain, the mountain that overlooks the sacred site of Machu Picchu. Our guide, Julio, also made today more special as at one point when we were all feeling quite tired after just starting our descent over the second pass we heard this magical traditional bamboo flute music coming from the mountains. Little did we know that Julio had walked ahead of us and had stopped at a beautiful point on the mountain and started playing his flute. It was so calming and tranquil, once we reached him we all stopped for a rest and continued to listen to him play his Incan melodies. Throughout the rest of the day we would intermittently hear the flute calling us and sometimes he would be with us and play, which astounded us because we were all usually puffing our way up a hill.

After lunch we had the option of taking the regular well trodden trail to our 3rd and final camp or to take an alternative route that was also a trail but one that had not been regularly used since the early 90’s. Of course we chose the alternative route with the promise of being able to Machu Picchu at the end of it, as well as seeing an Incan ruin that was completely overgrown the way they all were once found... including Machu Picchu.

The trail was great fun. We really felt like we were jungle bashing off the beaten path as it was only just wide enough for us to pass in parts and was in need of clearing. This trail took us along a ridge of a mountain and at the end there was a clearing for communication towers which allowed us a perfect spot to enjoy our first view of Machu Picchu - it was very cool! About half way along the ridge we climbed down into the promised untouched ruins, wow! It was like walking into another world, we really felt like explorers. The ruins were covered in moss and had trees growing out of parts. It was awesome. After resting overlooking Machu Picchu we made our descent. The tracks we followed seemed more like it was goat and water run off tracks than walking tracks but we all made it, although a few of our group slid on their bottoms for a good deal of it :-). We arrived at the top of another set of Incan Terraces which the main track goes through as well but by this time it was after 6pm so we didn’t really explore too much, instead we just continued on trying to get back to camp before complete darkness engulfed us.

We arrived to camp around 1830 to the applause of our porters, dropped our bags in our tents and enjoyed a beer!

Exhausted we were all in bed by 8pm again keen to rest for our final walk into Machu Picchu tomorrow.

Peru - Inca Trail Day 2

2010-11-02T12:38:00.003+10:00

Inca Trail Day 2

Distance 9km

Altitude change 3100m - 4200m - 3600m

After a great nights sleep we were woken at 5am by one of our beautiful porters with the offer of a hot tea and some warm water to wash in. The morning was misty and the low cloud cover in the valley was stunning. We left camp around 0630 climbing towards Dead Woman’s Pass which is at 4200m. This mountain pass is so named because from a distance it appears like a woman lying on her back. The actual mountain we climbed over is the woman’s breast, nipple and all!

The morning was tough! The weather was cool and drizzly and the clouds did not really ever lift so there was no view to admire, although the rainforest we walked through was gorgeous. We climbed up for about 3 hours arriving at the top of the pass at 0937am, almost our guides record. One of our group members was there to meet us though, Jess had trudged up this mountain at a rate of knots arriving at the top at 0905! We took some photos, laid our stones in a tower as an offering to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) asking for better weather and a safe passage, ate some snacks (Snickers), and continued on our way as it was absolutely freezing!!!

The descent was steep and consisted primarily of Incan steps which are stone steps and paths of uneven shapes and sizes. With the persistent rain and slippery surface of the rocks, the descent was also quite treacherous. The scenery on the way down was beautiful, there were some spectacular waterfalls and the mountains were stunning. We arrived at our camp with sore knees but in one piece at 11.15am, just after our porters who had passed us only about 15min before the camp. Thankfully the rain had eased so we were able to enjoy a brief period of sunshine while our tents were being erected and we waited for the rest of our group to arrive. Joined by Jess, we killed an hour or so playing Uno in our tent waiting for the remaining four members of our group to arrive at camp. We then enjoyed a fabulous lunch and relaxed for the afternoon resting our weary legs in preparation for the long day ahead tomorrow.

After dinner we were again in bed by 8pm.

Peru - Inca Trail Day 1

2010-11-01T12:32:00.000+10:00

Inca Trail Day 1

Distance 12km

Altitude change 2800m - 3100m

This morning we started the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We were picked up from our hotel at 0830 by our guide, Julio Cesar, and driven to “Km 82” which is the start point for the trek.

After ensuring our duffel bags were of the correct weight of 5kg each the porters loaded up and were on their way with us in tow.

The walk today was relatively easy. We did walk 1km more than originally planned because we were walking quickly so our guide was trying to make tomorrow easier. We arrived to our camp around 4pm where we were greeted with afternoon tea of popcorn and crackers and a hot drink.

Our camp for the night was a terraced hillside overlooking mountains, it was gorgeous! Dinner was at 7pm and we were in bed in our cosy tents by 8pm.

Peru - Sacred Valley

2010-10-31T12:26:00.005+10:00

We left Cusco this morning for a tour through the Sacred Valley. This valley has been formed by the Urubamba River and was very important to the Inca Empire for its natural wealth and agricultural properties. It encompasses all that lies between Calca and Lamay, Pisac and Ollantayambo, and is still responsible for producing 4 different types of corn and thousands of different types of potatoes.

Our first stop was the “Sexy Mama” Incan ruins and lookout point which gave us a view over the Incan capital of Cusco. We then stopped at an animal rescue centre which has rescued multiple different animals primarily from the black market as well as injured animals. It houses Condors, Macau’s, two juvenile Pumas, Andean Deers, Alpacas, a Mountain Cat, a Falcon, a few Turtles, and two Peruvian Dogs. We were able to enter the cage with the Condors which was a fabulous experience to be able to get so close to these massive birds.

Our next stop was at the lookout over the Sacred Valley giving us fantastic photo opportunities. The view was spectacular. We then drove into the Valley and stopped at Pisac ruins and then Pisac town to explore the extensive markets. The ruins were very cool. The classic Incan terraces scattered over the hillsides were amazing.

We arrived at Ollantaytambo at the far end of the valley in the late afternoon and explored the Incan ruins here before going to our home stay style bed and breakfast lodging for the night. The community of Ollantaytambo have a certain number of these style of lodgings where the family have rooms and welcome tourists into their homes for the night. By sharing the load between different families it is the community’s way of improving the life of the families involved.

Peru - Cusco

2010-10-30T14:38:00.004+10:00

We bid farewell to the jungle this morning after breakfast and flew back to Cusco to prepare for our trek to Machu Picchu.

Our afternoon was spent wandering around Cusco centre exploring the local markets and the multitude of artisan shops. We also enjoyed one of the best iced coffees we have had in a very long time!

Peru - Amazon Jungle

2010-10-29T14:33:00.003+10:00

We were woken early this morning in order to go for a walk into the jungle to see The Lost Lagoon. We first boarded a little wooden boat and travelled to the start site of the walk. The walk was along a well trodden path which had been built from leaves and mud but the jungle on each side was thick, and even though the heat was oppressive (even at 7am) and the mosquitoes dense, it was great to be in a jungle again.

During our walk we saw lots of awesome trees including one that was over 500yrs old with a base that was about 7m wide and some cool crawling critters, including a large Tarantula. Apparently Tarantulas can grow to be approximately 10cm across in the body, the one we saw was only about 4cm but was big enough! We also took a 3km boat ride in a wooden row boat which a little concerning as by the time we reached the end we had a fair amount of water at our feet. During the boat ride we saw a number of birds including a Woodpecker and a Vulture.

Our first stop was a lookout which was 30m in height and allowed us to see a 360º panorama across the jungle. This was interesting because on one side was all palm trees and the other side had a more common jungle appearance. While we were up at the top of the lookout we were lucky enough to see a family of Howler Monkeys come into the nearby trees for some playtime. It was gorgeous to see. From the lookout we walked into the Lost Lagoon where we took another boat similar to our first one but thankfully a little drier, especially because during this boat ride we saw a 5m Anaconda! We also saw some very cute Turtles sunning themselves on old dead logs.

After the Lost Lagoon we had a 5km walk back to the river, Madre de Dios, where we boarded a boat to return to our lodge. The walk was really nice, well, again except for the humidity and heat. Around halfway we crossed a beautiful lagoon that was full of water lilies and also had a small Caiman that popped his head up to say hi.

After a few hours rest, lunch, and a cold shower, we went out again down one of the tributaries of Madre De Dios for some Piranha fishing! We spent an hour or so relaxing in the boat with fresh meat on our hooks but didn’t manage to catch anything! A little disappointing but still a fun afternoon.

Peru - Amazon Jungle

2010-10-28T14:26:00.007+10:00

Today we flew to Peurto Maldonado, a small town on the banks of Madre de Dios, a river tributary of the Amazon River. We had a quick look around town before boarding our transfer boat which would take us to our Eco Lodge in the Amazon Jungle. We also said hello to our new group members, two who would join us for the next week or so and a family of three who would join us just for the next couple of days in the jungle.

Our amazing first lunch at the lodge was chicken and risotto wrapped in a large leaf similar to a banana leaf. After lunch we went across the river to Monkey Island. This is an island that is owned by the lodge and is used as a rescue centre for monkeys that were being sold on the black market and also those that had been illegally kept by locals as pets. Whilst here we gave the monkeys a little snack of bananas and enjoyed watching them play. There were four breeds of monkeys, Black Spider Monkeys, Black and White Capuchin and Saddleback Tamarinds They were all very cute.

After dinner we went Caiman spotting. We travelled up the river with spotlight and saw a number of Caimans sitting on the river edge. The biggest they grow is around 2m but none we saw were even close to that size.

Caimans are the South American version of the crocodile but are nowhere near as big, aggressive or exciting.

Peru - Cusco

2010-10-27T14:23:00.005+10:00

Another bus trip today, this time from Puno to Cusco. The trip was 7h but the bus was very comfortable. The scenery was also beautiful.

We arrived in the cool city of Cusco around 3pm and after settling into our hotel we went on a small walking tour with our guide around the old centre. Cusco is a small city with a lot of character, hopefully we get enough time to explore it properly.

Peru - Lake Titicaca

2010-10-26T14:20:00.005+10:00

After breakfast we said good bye and thank-you to our families and boarded the boat again to head back to Puno.

On our way back we stopped at the nearby island of Taquile where we took a very scenic walk up and around the mountain that the town is situated to the main square. With its ancient customs and strong cultural and ethnic traditions, Taquile is famous for its textiles and fine craftsmanship. We explored this little town before enjoying yet another delicious lunch of fresh Trout overlooking the spectacular bay.

After lunch we boarded our boat again for our 3h return journey to Puno.

Peru - Lake Titicaca

2010-10-25T14:15:00.005+10:00

This morning we were met by our guide who was going to take us out onto the lake for the next couple of days. We boarded our boat and met 2 other travel companions and set off bound for the Uros floating islands. The floating islands are man-made islands which have been constructed from reeds and each island is a separate village. We stopped off at one of the islands in the Uros group and met the community who lived there, primarily the women as the men were off fishing. They welcomed us with a few songs and then proceeded to show us their homes which are also built from reeds. The couple of men who were there showed us how the island was built and the structure of the island (by cutting a small section of the island out and lifting it up so we could see). It was fascinating.

After visiting this island we stopped off at one more and then set off again for our 3h journey to Amantani, the island where we were to spend the night with one of the local Aymaran/ Quechuan families. We arrived around lunch time and were met at the wharf by our families. Our family was a sweet husband and wife and their 13yo daughter, Nellie. Our mama took us to our home and made us a delicious lunch of Quinua (a South American grain similar to rice) and vegetable soup, followed by a delicious fried cheese with rice and potato. Later in the afternoon we all reunited for a soccer match between the local men and the tourists (there were quite a few different groups on the island - thankfully a lot of Europeans). We then walked up the mountain on the island to an area used by the locals to give offerings to Pacha Mama and Mama Qocha(Mother Earth and Mother Lake) for sunset. This walk took us to an altitude of 4160m and gave us an amazing view of the surrounding lake and sunset. After sunset we made our way back to the village for a hot chocolate with Baileys and then home for dinner. We enjoyed a nice simple dinner with our family and had a great chat with Papa and Nellie in broken Spanish and English, our mama only spoke the local language of which we had just the basics on a phrase sheet. After dinner mama dressed us up in traditional clothes and Nellie took us to the dance that had been organised for us. This was quite fun as we were all there in traditional clothes and dancing traditional dances, it was very amusing.

Peru - Puno

2010-10-24T14:11:00.008+10:00

We spent this morning driving the shores of Lake Titicaca on our way to Puno in Peru, a small town on the shores of the lake and our gateway to our home stay. To get to Puno we drove to Estrecho de Tiquina and caught a small ferry across the passage, our bus came across on a separate ferry. From here we drove to Copacabana where we enjoyed fresh Trout for lunch (soup + a whole Trout, rice and salad for $6 AUD!!) and then changed to a Peruvian bus to come across the border.

Lake Titicaca was the most sacred body of water in the Inca Empire, as according to legend, it gave birth to the Incan Civilisation. Being 176km long and 50km wide and sitting at 3810m altitude, it is the highest navigable lake in the world and forms the border between Peru and Bolivia.

Bolivia - La Paz

2010-10-23T08:32:00.002+10:00

After breakfast a small group of us were picked up and taken on a tour of La Paz. Firstly we drove to Mallasa, or ‘Moon Valley’ as it is known to tourists, which is just on the outskirts of the city and is an area of natural clay formations which are constantly changing due to erosion. The area was once part of the floor of the sea that connected the Uyuni Salt Flats to Lake Titicaca. It was a very cool landscape especially given it was so close to the city. We then drove through ‘The South’, the most expensive of La Paz’s 3 areas and classes of housing. The South which sits at 3200m altitude and is expensive owing to its warmer climate, Centro which sits at 3600m is around the city centre and is considered a middle class area, and The North which sits at 4000m and is the area built on the surrounding mountains and is the poorest section of La Paz. The South is very Americanised. Driving through the shopping district one could be anywhere in the western world. The houses are mansions and the schools exclusive. It was astounding to see the vast contrast between the 3 regions within the city. On the tour we also saw the main square in the colonial area of La Paz which is located in the Centro region. It has the government house, the main official Catholic church and some other government buildings on its edges. As well, we saw the famous San Pedro Prison (from the book ‘Marching Powder’), and we went to an awesome view point which gave us a 360º view of La Paz. Our last stop was the “witches market” which is not actually for witches but has an eclectic range of things to buy from traditional products used for offerings to the traditional gods to souvenirs and alpaca and llama woollen products.

Tonight we enjoyed a fabulous Japanese meal at a Thai/Japanese/Indian restaurant for our tour guides birthday.

Bolivia - La Paz

2010-10-22T08:14:00.004+10:00

Up early this morning ready for our adventure to the worlds most deadliest road. Yes, thats right we were venturing to “Death Road” in Bolivia, but instead of driving along this deadly road we rode down it on mountain bikes! Our days activities were to ride 64km downhill and drop over 3500m in altitude... and try not to fall off the cliff that is the edge of the road.

The drive to our start point was very scenic but did worry us a little as the higher we went the more snow there was on the edges of the road and on the mountains. The thought of riding through ice was not all that nice... but at least it wasn’t raining like it was last night!

We reached our start point, received our final briefing from our guide and set off. The first section was 22km and actually part of the new road so was sealed. It was a beautiful ride and thankfully, although the ambient temperature was below freezing, there was no ice on the road. The second section was the true ‘Death Road’. It was 34km of downhill dirt road that is, in parts, way too narrow for 2 cars to pass each other. It was a little scary at times but mostly just full of absolutely spectacular scenery. Thankfully since the building of the new road approximately 4yrs ago the amount of vehicle traffic on the old road, which is the ‘Death Road’, consists almost entirely of support vehicles for the mountain bikes and tourists who decide it is a good idea to drive the road... silly! The third section is still the old road but is slightly wider and has a couple of flat sections. We finished in a small village at a very low and warm 1200m altitude and enjoyed a nice cold beer!

Our fantastic day was topped off with a great dinner at an English Pub... yes there is one almost everywhere! We also bid farewell to 2 of our group members tonight as their tour finished which left just 5 of us.

Bolivia - La Paz

2010-10-21T07:28:00.003+10:00

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Today we spent around 12 hours in transit. First we travelled from Potosi to Oruro on a local bus which took about 5 hours. We had lunch here and then travelled by another bus to La Paz. Towards the end of our journey we were treated to some spectacular lightening, thunder, and rain. By the time we reached La Paz it was dark, cold, and very wet. We were all exhausted so had a quick dinner at a local fast food restaurant which was conveniently across the road from the hotel and then went to bed.

Bolivia - Potosi

2010-10-20T07:25:00.002+10:00

This morning we spent our time exploring the centre of this city. The history of this town is evident in the colonial style buildings and the central square. Exploration was limited to the centre as Potosi sits on a very steep mountain side and the streets are at an amazingly steep gradient. During the morning we visited the San Francisco Cathedral which is the main church of the city, Potosi has 36 churches, and has a very Spanish feel to it. We were shown around by the guard, a Bolivian Police Officer, who only spoke Spanish which tested our comprehension skills significantly but I think we understood the important things :-). He took us up the church tower where we could walk out across the roof and up a smaller tower for an absolutely spectacular 360º panoramic view of the city. We also visited the crypts of the church where the priests are buried and saw the tunnels which connect San Francisco to a couple of the other churches in the city. The church also houses a large collection of 16th century art. It was well worth the visit.

This afternoon we settled in with the group, some wine and snacks, and watched a movie called “The Devils Miner” which is a documentary in Spanish about 2 young boys who are forced to work in the underground mines of Cerro Rico, as well as go to school, because their father has passed away. It talks about the beliefs of the miners including that when they are in the mine they worship “Tio” which is the Devil because they believe that he rules the mine and if they can keep him happy they may not die. It is a common story amongst the poor families of Potosi and was a great insight into the life and hardships the miners face.

Bolivia - Potosi

2010-10-19T07:17:00.004+10:00

We travelled to Potosi today by local bus. The trip itself was an experience. It was a seven hour journey with one stop, no toilet and even though there were no empty seats the bus would stop and let more people on. But, we all survived, and at least there were no chickens!

Potosi is a city of about 110,000 people and is the second highest of its size in the world sitting at 4060m altitude. It became a city in 1545 when silver was discovered in Cerro Rico, the hill which overlooks the city. And during the 18th century was the wealthiest city in South America. The city today is still a mining city but mines mainly tin, zinc, and lead instead of silver.

Bolivia - Uyuni Salt Flats

2010-10-18T08:46:00.003+10:00

After a great nights sleep in our salt beds we all rose early to drive out into the salt flats for sunrise, it was beautiful. Covering 12,000 square miles Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt Flats) is the largest in the world. It was once a sea that extended all the way up to Lake Titicaca but disappeared around 10,000BC leaving this amazing, vast expanse of salt. The salt bed is 11 layers which are each about 10m thick... and it also contains about 9 million tonnes of Lithium... don’t we know about that!

We spent an hour or so taking photos, marvelling in our shadows and the cool perspective photos that we could achieve. We then travelled a little way to Fish Island which is a volcanic expansion in the middle of the salt flats that was once covered in water which means its terrain is made up of fossilised coral. This fantastic island, interestingly, was also covered in cacti. Because it rises seemingly out of the middle of nowhere Fish Island is great for a panoramic view over the infinite white landscape.

After breakfast we travelled further into the flats for more photo opportunities and then to the edge of the salt pan where they are extracting the salt, which they do by hand. It was interesting to see where and how the salt we take for granted arrives on our table.

We said farewell to Salar de Uyuni at this point and drove toward our final destination, a town called Uyuni. As we were leaving the Flats we stopped off in the small rural town of Colchani which sits right on the edge of the pan and comprises of the people who extract the salt and the processing “factories”. We also made a stop at the Train Cemetery outside Uyuni which is essentially a dumping ground for the old steam locomotives that were once the transport system for salt, sliver, and money and were some of the trains that Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid held up.

Bolivia - Atacama Desert

2010-10-17T07:19:00.000+10:00

We continued to drive through the Atacama Desert today enjoying the spectacular scenery. We stopped at four lagoons for photos, some green, and some red. Two of these had large numbers of Flamingoes feeding on the algae and plankton in the lagoons. It was quite cool that we could get within 10m from some of the Flamingoes. We also saw some awesome rock formations that were apparently the inspiration for Salvador Dali, they were beautiful.

Later in the day we bid farewell to the desert and entered the edge of the Uyuni Salt Flats. After not too long we reached our hotel for the night which sits at 3700m. This hotel was very cool because it was constructed entirely of salt! Everything in the hotel was salt except the mattresses on the beds and the bathrooms, it was awesome to see salt being used in such a different way.

Bolivia - Atacama Desert

2010-10-16T07:03:00.006+10:00

This morning we woke early to start our journey into the Salt Flats of Bolivia. A few metres out of San Pedro de Atacama was the Chilean immigration office which was relatively uneventful. After this we travelled for an hour, still officially in Chile but really not in Chile, towards the Bolivian border. The Bolivian border sits at 4200m in the middle of the desert surrounded by volcanoes, and the occasional land mine. It was one of the most picturesque border crossings we have been through this year.

For the rest of the day we drove through The Andes and were treated to some absolutely spectacular landscape. Our first stop was Laguna Blanca (The White Lagoon) which is a salt lake and is particularly interesting because it has ice in it all year around. The second highlight was Laguna Verde (The Green Lagoon) which has its colour due to the composition of the water, namely Arsenic, Magnesium, Potassium, and Ulexite. It was spectacular! We then drove over a 5100m mountain pass and stopped at the top for some photos. On our way up we were able to try our first Cocoa leaves which is the traditional South American Altitude Sickness prophylaxis and treatment. It was an interesting experience. Brii gagged quite considerably at the very strong hay flavour but chewed on for a little while before having to spit them out. Jack on the other hand chewed his for quite a long time to ensure he would benefit from all possible effects :-). Unfortunately or fortunately the cocaine component was very small :-). They did work though. The effects of 5100m were not at all like we remembered from Nepal.

We stopped for lunch at Polques Thermal Springs which was beautiful. There was the option to go for a swim but we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to change into bathers when we were standing around in long pants, boots, and jackets. The temperature of the water was a warm 35ºC and those of our group that did venture in thoroughly enjoyed it. After lunch we drove to Laguna Colorada (The Red Lagoon), which, as the name suggests, is red in colour. It is coloured by the mineral composition of the sediment, Tin, Ochre, and Iron. On the way to The Red Lagoon we also visited some geysers in a volcanic crater. This was really awesome as we could see the different stages of evolution from pre-eruption to old and burnt out.

Our accommodation tonight is in “The Barracks”, which is literally a little rectangular building in the middle of the desert. Quite basic but very cool!

Chile - San Pedro de Atacama

2010-10-15T06:58:00.003+10:00

This morning we had another sleep in and then went on a bike ride out to the surrounding areas and then through the outer lying areas of the town. It was a really pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Around 4pm we joined another short trip out to Laguna Cejar which is a salt lake not far from town. Laguna Cejar has a high concentration of salt which is similar to The Dead Sea in that one cannot sink. So, even though the temperature of the water was, for us, sub arctic, we braved it and went for a brief swim or float as the case may be. It was absolutely freezing and we had very numb body parts in a short space of time but worth it for the experience :-).

We visited a few other lagoons and then finished at Laguna Auguali for sunset. In true Chilean fashion we enjoyed sunset with a Pisco Sour or two. The Lagoon and surrounding landscape was spectacular especially in the changing colours of the setting sun.

Chile - San Pedro de Atacama

2010-10-14T21:18:00.000+10:00

A sleep in this morning and a late breakfast following quite a late night and an amazing meal last night. In true South American fashion dinner was at 9.30pm.

We spent the morning wandering around this cool town exploring the multitude of Artisan’s shops and all the little streets.

Around 4pm we went on a trip out to Moon Valley which is only about 10min drive from San Pedro de Atacama. Moon Valley is in the Los Flamencos National Reserve and is named as such because it’s rock and salt formations resemble the surface of the moon. First we walked through a system of gorges and caverns through the salt formations. At one point we stopped and listened to the salt crystals expanding in the heat of the sun, quite an eerie sensation. Next we drove on to the Great Sand Dune which is the largest dune in a field of dunes. On the way we briefly stopped at the Three Maries, which are rock formations that are thought to be over one million years old and have been formed by intense erosion processes. Forgetting how much climbing sand dunes hurt, we climbed to the crest for the panoramic view across the valley. The view was worth it! Our final stop in the Valley was a cool place called Coyote Rock, named because it resembles the rock out of the Road Runner cartoon, here we watched the colours change across the landscape as the sun set behind the Andes.

Tonight we enjoyed a traditional South American BBQ. Absolutely delicious!

Chile - San Pedro de Atacama

2010-10-13T20:59:00.002+10:00

We travelled again today this time to San Pedro de Atacama. This town is considered an oasis in the desert as it lies in the heart of the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. The drive into the town was very cool. The mountains and sand formations were like nothing we have seen before.

The town itself has a unique character. The streets are mud which have been covered in a salt layer to minimise dust, the houses are also made out of mud, it is fabulous.

Chile - Antofagasta

2010-10-12T20:53:00.007+10:00

We woke up on the bus this morning to a completely different scenery. The hills were still everywhere but they were desert. There was absolutely no sign of plant life, gone are the cactuses that were plentiful further south.

Our night bus journey brought us to a town called Antofagasta, the largest city in northern Chile.

The town itself is a copper mining town and was once part of Bolivia. It is coastal and the seaside is quite nice but the town is really not that attractive. We spent the afternoon in the ‘largest shopping mall in South America and relaxing in our hotel.

We went out and enjoyed sunset at La Portada, which means ‘the door’ in Spanish. La Portada is a natural rock formation approximately 15km from town.

Chile - La Serena

2010-10-11T20:47:00.004+10:00

La Serena is one of Chile’s oldest cities and is situated on the coast. It is from here you can access the Elqui Valley and today that’s what we did. A minivan collected us from our hotel at 9am and took us out through the valley.

The Valley is traditionally extremely dry and the mountains depict this. The unusual aspect of this that in the valley itself are fields and fields of green. The main industry of the area is agriculture. It once also included silver and copper mining but now they grow a variety of fruits and are most famous for their vineyards and Pisco distilleries. The Valley is also well known for its several international astronomical observatories.

Irrigation of the farms was made possible by the building of the Puclaro dam which was one of our stops along the way. We also visited a family owned and run Pisco distillery in the heart of the valley. This was really interesting as we toured the vineyard and the distillery learning the process of Pisco making and ended with a tasting :-) Pisco is made from muscat grapes which are first made into a white wine and then distilled giving a final product of about 40% which is similar to grappa. After the distillery we had lunch at a restaurant which cooks with the sun, the food was delicious. We then drove into some of the small villages which populate the valley. Of note was the village of Monte Grande where Gabriella Mistral was brought up and then worked as a school mistress. Gabriella Mistral was a Chilean poet, born in Vicuna, the ‘capital of the valley’, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945 and to this day is the only female Latin American to have won the Prize.

We returned to La Serena in the early evening and prepared for our overnight bus journey.

Chile - La Serena

2010-10-10T23:46:00.006+10:00

Today we travelled to La Serena by bus. The journey was around 8 hours but not too bad. The scenery was very picturesque and the bus very comfortable.

On arrival in La Serena we went for a short walk to orient ourselves with town and then had a delicious Chilean meal for dinner. Our hotel is a quaint guest house run by a group of older ladies, it is very cute.

Chile - Santiago

2010-10-09T07:35:00.003+10:00

This morning we took a free walking tour of Santiago. It was a fabulous way to see the city, learn the history, and discover areas that only the locals know about. The tips about where to go, what to do, and where to eat would have been handy two days ago but still useful... for next time :-).

The tour took 4 hours at a relaxed pace and took us from the Cathedral to the house of Pablo Neruda, a Chilean poet who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971 and was said at the time to “the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language”. We discovered more areas of Bella Vista that we didn’t see yesterday as everything starts to open after lunch, the Telefonica building is actually shaped like a mobile phone (think 1999 Ericsson) and is an important landmark if you get lost because it can help you orient yourself to downtown.

We learnt about the Spanish colonisation in the 16th century and their war with the Inca’s (who had invaded from Peru in the 15th century) and the Mapuche people form the south.

Later today we met our tour guide and our new tour group... a total of seven people... and Jack is the only boy, except our Tour guide Alex. It is so nice to be back in a small group. We start our new tour tomorrow.

Chile - Santiago

2010-10-08T07:33:00.003+10:00

We walked to and then took the funicular up San Cristobal Hill this morning. On our way we passed through Bella Vista which is a funky artistic district full of cafe’s and bars as well as a cool artisan market.

San Cristobal Hill is a landmark within the city and provides a beautiful panoramic view over Santiago. It is characterised by a statue of the Virgin Mary at its peak and has some beautiful gardens and picnic areas to enjoy. We made our way down the hill on foot which took a while as the maps were not all that clear :-).

After making our way down we explored the more residential area of Santiago we had ended up in. We then stumbled upon a fabulous Sushi restaurant where we enjoyed lunch... not very Chilean but delicious! On our way back to our hotel we discovered a great little artisan’s market where we spent a little time. The walk back also allowed us to see some of the beautiful parks that are scattered throughout central Santiago.

Chile - Santiago

2010-10-07T07:31:00.003+10:00

We left Argentina today and flew to Chile. We were not quite sure what to expect with Santiago and have been really pleasantly surprised.

Santiago is a city of 9 million people but is extremely clean and seemingly ordered. Everyone is so friendly even though our Spanish is ... well... pretty much non existent! Our hotel is in the old centre which is very pretty with some beautiful buildings which we wandered around this evening.

Argentina - Buenos Aires

2010-10-06T07:29:00.002+10:00

Today we went on the second free walking tour that BA Free Tours offers. This one explored Avenue de Mayo and spoke more about the history and political side of Argentina as at either end of the Ave are the National Congress and Government House. We learnt about Argentina’s Independence and it’s ride to democracy from the dictatorship that was in power during the late 70’s - early 80’s. It was a very interesting couple of hours which was followed by a coffee and snack in one of the oldest cafe’s in Buenos Aires that has been open since 1858.

Tonight we splurged and went to dinner with a Tango show. We felt a little underdressed in our jeans but enjoyed it just the same. We had our own booth table and were treated to a spectacular 3 course meal and wine which was finished off with a marvellous show. The skill in the dancers was quite spectacular. We were dropped home a little before 1am very happy but quite sleepy :-).

Argentina - Buenos Aires

2010-10-05T06:03:00.013+10:00

Another good sleep last night was followed by another morning of waking up a little earlier than we would have liked however we needed to get up and go exploring this beautiful city again.

This morning we boarded the BA hop on-hop off bus to try to get a broader perspective of the lay out of this large city. Our first stop was the historic, colourful suburb of La Boca. La Boca was originally settled and built by Italian immigrants and today is both an artist colony and a working class neighbourhood. The main streets are brightly coloured and very cool. La Boca is also the home to the La Bombonera Stadium which is the home of the Boca Juniors, BA’s favourite soccer team. We next explored Port Madera which was traditionally the trade port for Buenos Aires but has now been developed into apartments and restaurants which reminded us both of Melbourne. After this we stayed on the bus for the remaining sections, travelling through Recoleta and Retiro. Recoleta's cemetery is where the famous Eva (Evita) Peron is buried.

This afternoon we did a walking tour with BA free tours. It was great. The tour took us through Recoleta and Retiro showing us the aristocratic side of BA. We learnt that the reason BA is so European in appearance is because the palaces (which are now embassies) were built by European families who imported all the materials from Europe! There were some other important sites as well, for example, the site of the old Israeli Embassy which is now a memorial site as it was bombed in a terrorist attack, and the Falklands War memorial.

Tonight, for dinner, we walked to an awesome steakhouse, La Brigada, which was recommended by our tour guide from this afternoon. Jack had a T-bone which was the size of his plate and Brii had an Eye fillet that she struggled to finish. The steak was so tender the waiters were literally cutting it with a spoon! It was a delicious meal!

Argentina - Buenos Aires

2010-10-04T06:01:00.002+10:00

We both woke early this morning, far earlier than we planned - Doh! But we both did have great sleeps so we went out to explore this new city and try to decide how we would spend our next few days.

We walked into the city centre and explored the area and its pedestrianised streets. After lunch we made our way back to the hotel to relax and rest as we were both still a little tired.

Tonight we enjoyed a dinner at a local restaurant and then another early night.

Argentina - Buenos Aires

2010-10-03T06:00:00.002+10:00

After a very short sleep we returned to the Johannesburg Airport and boarded our flight to Buenos Aires. The flight was over 11h and well, what can you say about an 11h flight?!

We eventually made it to our hotel in the centre of Beunos Aires after we had some issues with our transfer not showing up. This combined with a significant language barrier and extreme tiredness made for a fun introduction to Argentina. Thankfully, even though Spanish is very different to Italian, most people here can understand a little Italian and probably more than they can English, so the Italian is paying off again :-).

Our hotel is located only a short walk from the very centre of BA which is awesome and extremely convenient. We managed to find a cafe that was willing to serve us dinner at 7pm (instead of the local eating time of 9pm) so we could call it a day and got to bed.

Rwanda - Kigali

2010-10-02T12:48:00.003+10:00

Up early this morning to leave Ruhengeri bound for Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

We arrived in Kigali around 9am and went straight to the Genocide Museum. The Genocide Museum is a memorial to the horrific genocide that occurred in Rwanda from April to July 1994. It was a well presented museum which told the awful truth about the lead up to the genocide, the genocide itself, and the aftermath, as well as giving a brief history of the other horrific genocides from around the world including Cambodia, Germany, and others. Unfortunately we had to get to the airport so we only had limited time however we were able to experience most of it and definitely shed a few tears, especially in the “Children’s Room” which gave a short account of many children whose shocking fate was known. A heart wrenching experience but an important one which was definitely worth the early morning.

The teary morning ended with some sad goodbyes to our dear friends that had shared the last 40-60 days with us.

Our afternoon was spent in transit between Kigali and Johannesburg with a 4h stopover in Nairobi. We finally arrived in Jo’burg at midnight and made our way to our hotel for a short sleep and a shower.

Rwanda - Ruhengeri

2010-10-01T12:01:00.008+10:00

Well, the day finally arrived! We got to see the Gorilla’s today and wow, was it worth it!!

We woke up early and made our way to Volcanoes National Park where the Mountain Gorilla’s are known to reside. There are only 700 Gorilla’s left in the wild but thankfully secondary to a cessation of illegal poaching and careful tracking and research this population is slowly increasing. In Volcanoes National Park there are 13 families, 8 of which are tracked for tourists and 5 are monitored for research. Our trekking group of 8 were given the family named Bwenge. This beautiful family had 11 members including 3 babies, a Blackback, and a large Silverback who was the dominant male in the group - he was awesome! We trekked for an hour and a half through quite thick rainforest with our guides and porters cutting the path with machete’s before we found them. But, when we did it was awesome! We watched the family from a short distance for over an hour, the adults in the group slept for most of the time with some intermittent inquisitive looks and one small charge from one of the mothers, but the babies provided lots of entertainment. They were so inquisitive, playful, cute, and very funny. At the end of the hour the Silverback made some noises to wake the rest up which was very awesome to see and hear. They all rose from their morning slumber and moved around to find some food. An absolutely amazing experience!

On return to our campsite we wandered into town to explore Ruhengeri centre which was a typical African town with a crazy local market full of everything from second hand clothing, electrical appliances, to meat, and fruit and veg. We then finished off a fabulous day with a fantastic group dinner in a local African restaurant.

Uganda Rwanda border crossing

2010-09-30T11:51:00.004+10:00

We left Uganda today and crossed into our ninth and final African country, Rwanda. The border crossing was our longest yet but thankfully despite all our fears of it being extremely difficult, it went relatively smoothly. The roads were a little crazy and often seemed far too narrow for more than one car, let alone when two trucks pass each other. The day was long but the scenery in Uganda and Rwanda was beautiful. Even though Rwanda is known as the land of 1000 mountains, Uganda is also mountainous and green dotted with the occasional lake, absolutely stunning.

Uganda - Queen Elizabeth NP

2010-09-29T11:49:00.003+10:00

This morning we spent on an early morning game drive in our truck. There wasn’t a great deal of action on the animal front especially because this park is known not to have any Cheetah’s, Zebra’s, Gazelle’s, Impala as they were all killed by humans a number of years ago. It also only has a few Lions, so you can imagine our excitement when we spotted a pride of seven Lions not too far off in the distance. We sat and watched this pride for a while which was fantastic, especially when they got up and wandered towards a group of grazing Cob’s. Unfortunately we believe they all looked pretty full when they were lying around so they weren’t too interested in the Cob’s, so no, we didn’t get to see Lion’s hunting... oh well.

After a couple of relaxing hours at the campsite we went on a lake cruise on Lake Edward and its natural connection with Lake George. This cruise was great. We saw a phenomenal number of Hippo’s that were within metres of the boat including quite a few babies.We also spotted a male and a female Lion on the bank who were apparently separate from the pride to mate. The park and its lakes are also famous for the number of birdlife they are home to, this was interesting as well.

Uganda - Queen Elizabeth NP

2010-09-28T11:46:00.002+10:00

Another early morning this morning, although not quite as early as yesterday, because we had a long day in the truck again bound for Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The drive was relatively pleasant as the scenery was very picturesque.

We arrived at our campsite late in the afternoon after a short game drive from the entrance of the park where we saw our first Ugandan Cob (part of the Antelope family, similar to an Impala).

Today we also crossed the equator.

Uganda - Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

2010-09-27T11:48:00.001+10:00

Another 4.20am start this morning as had to be at Lake Victoria’s shoreline at Entebbe by 10am to catch a boat across to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary is the home to 44 Chimpanzee’s who have been rescued from either traps, illegal “bush meat” sales (yes some people do eat them), or other illegal activities eg sale for export as pets. Each of the Chimps are individually named and have their own personality. They are in the process of rehabilitating them with the hope that one day they will be able to release them back into the wild. However, first they must be sure that the Chimps have recovered from their previous trauma’s. We learnt a lot today about Chimps and their abilities to learn but also to hold on to traumatic memories much like humans. The reason Chimps behave a lot like humans in both personality and biologically is that we share 98.7% of our DNA with them. It was really interesting to see the group dynamics and to learn that they even have political systems within their group... except for chimps it is all about which male is more attractive to the females that determines who is the dominant male of the group... interesting :-).

We returned by boat across the lake to our truck and drove a short way to our campsite for the night in Entebbe.

Uganda - Jinja

2010-09-26T11:45:00.003+10:00

A lazy morning this morning as we had nothing planned for the day. Some of the group went white water rafting but we decided that once in a month is probably enough for the moment :-).

We spent the day relaxing around the campsite making the most of the free wifi and just generally chilling out.

Uganda - Jinja

2010-09-25T11:42:00.003+10:00

We set off this morning bound for Uganda. A long day in the truck broken by a brief stop in Kericho for Henry (our new cook) to do some shopping which we utilised by finding a great internet cafe that served fabulous coffee, and then the hour or so we spent at the border... thankful to our guide with some handy financial incentives to the border gate people that this was only an hour and not 3-4h.

Our campsite for the next 2 nights was in the Ugandan town called Jinja which was located on the banks of the River Nile.

Kenya - Lake Navusha / East Africa Mission Orphanage

2010-09-24T11:40:00.003+10:00

Our morning started with school. We were invited to sit in class with the children for their first lesson - it was so beautiful to see their little minds at work and interesting to see that their lessons are taught in both English and Swahili depending on the subject.

After this first lesson came the sad task of saying good bye to our new friends... it was very sad. The only saving grace is knowing that they are all extremely happy and well cared for at EAMO.

We had only a short drive today for about 3h to our next campsite at Tea plantation in Kericho which is in the highlands of Kenya. We spent the afternoon relaxing as the tropical rain storm set in for a short while.

Kenya - Lake Navusha / East Africa Mission Orphanage

2010-09-23T11:39:00.002+10:00

This morning we were up reasonably early and off for a game drive through Lake Nakuru National Park. The scenery in this park was different to the previous game parks and quite picturesque. The Lake was beautiful especially from the panoramic view point, but also up close because of the large numbers of Flamingoes which were feeding in it.

The other animals we saw included the usual Zebra, Buffalo, Baboon’s, Impala, Gazelle’s, but also included our first White Rhino’s and some Colobus Monkeys. Unfortunately we didn’t see a Leopard which was our guides 3rd trip without seeing a Leopard out of the hundreds of trips to this park.

We returned from the game drive after lunch to coincide with the children finishing school. We firstly went down to visit the babies/ infants (who were asleep last night) and played with them for quite some time. The older kids came down to where we were and games of soccer and rugby soon took hold. We had given them a few balls to play with and Jack had tried teaching some kids how to juggle which was a great hit. We both also taught some of our new friends how to pass a rugby ball properly.

All in all we had a fabulous afternoon which we had to bring to an end so the carers could get the kids to the bath and then dinner.

Kenya - Lake Navusha / East Africa Mission Orphanage

2010-09-22T11:36:00.001+10:00

We spent relaxing morning at the campsite this morning while some of our group did a safari walk in Hell’s Gate National Park.

After lunch we made our way to our next campsite which was at East Africa Mission Orphanage where we were to spend the next 2 nights. East Africa Mission Orphanage (EAMO) is an orphanage which was set up by an Australian couple 13 years ago. They came to Africa with the intent on helping out with health projects (they are trained Naturopaths) but instead were taken with the plight of the thousands of children who had either been orphaned at some point or whose parents could not afford to keep them. They gave up their lives in Australia and moved themselves and their 2 children (who were 12 and 15 at the time) to Kenya. The Director (Ralph) explained to us where the funding comes from (which is entirely from donations minus the funds that come directly from their own pocket) and their monthly budget to keep the place running. They have 50 acres with lots of vegetables growing which they use as much as possible to minimise the amount of food bought outside. Ralph’s aim is to eventually make the orphanage completely self sufficient food wise.

Some of the stories we were told were quite tragic. One little boy was from the Sudanese border and was orphaned by the war. He lived with his uncle but had to be left home alone whilst his uncle was at work. The problem with this was that during the day the Sudanese Militia would come to the village and take any child that was big enough to hold an AK-47. Understandably his uncle was very concerned that this may happen so asked for him to be taken to a home in a safe place which is how he ended up in EAMO.

We arrived late in the afternoon, unfortunately a little too late to play with the children before dinner but that didn’t stop them finding us and showing us around as much as they could before the dinner whistle went. We were fortunate though because we were able to eat dinner with them which was really fun! It was so nice to sit and chat to the kids (who all speak amazing English depending on how long they have been at the orphanage) and see that they are all so very happy. After dinner and the clean up of the dining room we joined in their evening devotion and sing along where we introduced ourselves and met any children with the same name... and lo and behold there was a Briana and two Jack’s.

After all of this we took the kids to bed and said our goodnights with lots of fun games and cuddles of course!

Kenya - Lake Navusha

2010-09-21T11:27:00.005+10:00

We woke this morning hoping to find our truck at the camp waiting for us... and were pleasantly surprised when it was there... very dirty but in one piece. A 6h drive ahead of us today leaving Masai Mara and heading for Lake Navusha. Thankfully we made it through the town and out of the Masai Mara without anymore incidents. Unfortunately though, about half way into our drive we noticed that we were leaking a considerable amount of Diesel from the fuel tank... mmmm... not ideal! So we had an unscheduled stop in a small town for about an hour whilst they welded the tank back together.

We eventually arrived at our campsite around 5pm in the afternoon shower... thankfully, based on the amount of water on the side of road, we missed the major downpour! Our first night of actually having to put our new tents up and it was raining :-(. But we survived, had a lovely dinner, drank some wine, and played pool before heading to bed.

Kenya - Masai Mara

2010-09-20T11:22:00.006+10:00

Up at 4.40am this morning praying for clear weather as we were going on a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara.

The balloon ride was beautiful. Unfortunately we didn’t see too many animals but the scenery was fabulous. Following the balloon we enjoyed a scrumptious cooked breakfast which included some nice cheeses and plentiful champagne in an open plain in the middle of the park. We finished our morning with a game drive where we saw Giraffe’s, a family of Ostriches with about 15-20 chicks, lots of Wildebeest, Heart Beasts, Topi’s, Gazelle’s, Zebra’s. Unfortunately we saw none of the big 5 but still had a great morning.

After lunch and a very (too) short nap we went on another game drive this time in our truck - which was finally rescued with the aid of a tractor and apparently a large number of locals. We were all a little nervous about driving around the park in the truck after last nights escapade but were assured it would be okay.

We made it down to Mara River which is the main river where the Wildebeest cross during the migration. We saw a number of Wildebeest that had drowned during this water crossing which apparently is very common. During the drive we were fortunate to see 2 groups of Lions, 1 group of Lionesses and 1 group of juveniles playing in the grass. It was very cool. We also saw plenty of live Wildebeest, Zebra, and Antelopes, including our first Eland.

During our drive we watched the afternoon storm rolling in over the mountains and most of us grew increasingly worried that we would get bogged again. We drove through some fairly serious rain fall but the roads were manageable. Around 7pm we were almost back at camp and starting to relax when we turned the corner into the main street of the village near our camp and.... yep, you guessed it... we were stuck AGAIN! At least this time it wasn’t raining! And this time we didn’t have to wait very long for alternative transport back to our camp.

We ate around 8.30pm once the rest of the group had been brought in from the truck and then went to bed.

Kenya - Masai Mara

2010-09-19T11:19:00.004+10:00

After another fabulous nights sleep last night in our hotel bed we woke and finished packing ready to board the new truck with the new crew bound for the Masai Mara.

The drive was fairly uneventful for most of the way, we stopped at an amazing supermarket to stock up on snacks and some things for the orphanage we are going to visit in a few days and then played cards. We also stopped off at the view point for the Panoramic view of the Kenyan section of The Great Rift Valley which extends from Mozambique to Israel.

Once we reached the Masai Mara the roads deteriorated quite considerably and we could see that they have had a fair bit of rain in the last few weeks... which we had read about in the newspaper in Arusha. We were going along quite well until around 4pm we went of the side of the muddy road and into a deep mud sludgy gutter. We all exited the truck and stood in the cold drizzling rain watching our crew and a few of the boys trying to work out a way to get the truck out. As the sun was going down the crew realised there was no way we were getting out of it without help and we were picked up in batches by 4wd’s and transported to Acacia Camp where we would spend the next 2 nights. We were all very thankful that Acacia Camp was a tented camp which meant that we didn’t have to set up our tents in the rain and the dark. And, considering the tents were on the truck which was still stuck this would have been very difficult. Some of the boys returned to the truck and retrieved our packs out of the truck so we had gear which we were very thankful for and our cook managed to whip us up Spaghetti Bolognese so at least we got dinner... even if it was around 10pm by the time this all happened.

Our eventful day finally came to an end when we climbed into bed around 11pm thankful to be dry and warm once again. Our poor driver and guide had to spend the night with the truck.

Kenya - Nairobi

2010-09-18T11:16:00.002+10:00

We woke this morning a very restful nights sleep in our hotel room and enjoyed not having to get up and pack a tent up. We put our filthy clothes from the Serengeti in to soak in the bath tub and wandered down to breakfast. Breakfast was an awesome array of food to suit all tastes.

After breaky we finished off the washing, called home, and relaxed. We wandered into the city around 1pm with Trent and Marieka to explore the Masai Market and the inner city of Nairobi.

We got back to hotel just in time to go to our 3rd and final meeting (for Africa, anyway) to meet our new crew and tour group. The group again consists of mostly Australians, still one German (continuing from our last trip), one English, and 3 Kiwi’s. Thankfully the new group all seem like a great bunch.

Kenya - Nairobi

2010-09-17T11:12:00.004+10:00

Up well before the sun again (4.20am) this morning for a long drive, this time bound for Nairobi, Kenya and yet another African border crossing. Thankfully we were there early so there was no queue or hiccups.

Today was the final day of the second leg of our African adventure so farewells had to said. It was sad to lose some of our group, who had been with us from the start, but that is travel! We celebrated at the world famous Carnivore’s restaurant for our final meal. Carnivore’s is famous for it’s meat selection, and although we were hoping for a little more exotic game meat we still had an amazing meal. The meal consisted of soup for starters, salads, and an endless supply of meat delivered to the table on large metal skewers and sliced directly onto your plate. This all continued until the small flag in the middle of your table was lowered by the last person standing! The meat selection included lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, spare ribs... and then camel, crocodile, ostrich, ox testicles, and ox heart.

We were delivered back to our lovely hotel by the hotel car very full but happy not only with our fabulous meal but also with the fact that we had 2 nights ahead of us in a hotel room with comfy beds and our own bathroom!

Tanzania - Serengeti

2010-09-16T11:05:00.001+10:00

The day started with an early morning game drive as we left the Serengeti. We saw a group of 3 Lions very close to the road, 2 males and 1 female, all adults. The 2 males walked just in front of the trucks - it was awesome to see them so close! We also saw a fight between 2 bull Elephants which we sat and watched for quite some time - again, very cool!

Our drive back to Arusha was via the edge of the crater again so we got to see some more spectacular scenery dotted with Masai villages. We stopped at a few Masai markets on the way back to stock up on souvenirs :-). We arrived to our campsite in the actual city of Arusha by late afternoon and enjoyed our first hot showers in quite a number of days! It was heaven!

Tanzania - Serengeti

2010-09-15T11:01:00.004+10:00

We woke early this morning ready for a full day of game driving hoping that our luck would continue. A short way out of our campsite we spotted 3 Lions... the day was looking good.... although we weren’t quite sure about their closeness to our camp :-)! The rest of the morning we saw the standard Zebra’s, Gazelle’s, and Giraffe’s. Of note though, we also found a Gazelle high in tree... it had been put there by a Leopard who wasn’t hungry at the time of the kill, and we also saw some Vulture’s and Jackals eating a kill... all pretty cool!

We broke for lunch and a rest before heading out on a late afternoon/ sunset game drive. During the break we had some Elephants right next to our camp which was very cool. Unfortunately the evening game drive was pretty quiet on the animal front but the sunset was, yet again, beautiful!

Tanzania - Ngorongoro Crater

2010-09-14T10:58:00.001+10:00

Today we drove from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater and then onto the Serengeti National Park. We spent about 6h in the Crater, because that is all anyone is allowed to spend in the Crater, and it was amazing!

In our time in the Crater, we Zebra’s, Croc’s, Giraffe’s, Elephants, Hippo’s, Topi’s, Flamingoes, Baboon’s, Red Heart Beast, and of course lot’s of Gazelle’s. The highlight of our trip though was that we got to see our first kill! It was an amazing experience to witness nature at it’s best. We were all sitting watching a Cheetah off to our right when she decided that she wanted to cross the road, right between the cars. She remained quite casual through the whole affair until she got across the road and she spotted a couple of Thomson’s Gazelle’s grazing right in front of her. We had all spotted this from the safety of our safari cruiser and watched with bated breath. Then, it was on! We watched the cheetah choose the gazelle, stalk and chase it until success... it was awesome!!!!

After we made our way out of the Crater we drove into the Serengeti National Park and did a game drive until we reached our campsite which was unfenced in the middle of the park. Along this drive we were again lucky and spotted a Leopard! What a day!

Tanzania - Mto Wa Mbu (River of Mosquitoes)

2010-09-13T10:47:00.000+10:00

Up early this morning in order to get back into Arusha as the shops opened so we could have a look around and run some errands.... like posting our large souvenirs back to Australia.... we weren’t the only ones :-).

We very quickly utilised our hour and a half in town and were back in the truck now heading toward a jewellery shop which deals in the rare Tanzanian stone Tanzanite. These stones are only mined in Tanzania, approximately 56km outside Arusha. They were stunning!

Our next stop was a Masai Village about one hour down the road. The Masai tribe is one of 120 tribes in Tanzania but they also extend up into Kenya. Originally they were located in the Serengeti but when it was declared a national park they were relocated to the Ngorongoro Crater conservation area. Because they are a nomadic tribe some of them have moved on and are scattered through out Tanzania. We were able to take a tour through this village to learn about different aspects of their culture, as well as witness some dancing and singing and see inside their homes. It was a fabulous experience and insight into a tribe that is so famous yet still so humble in its existence.

We arrived at our campsite, at Mto Wa Mbu, just after lunch and a small group of us took the option to go on a bike ride through the local village, Banana plantation, Acacia forest, and out to Lake Manyara which is just outside the border of Lake Manyara National Park. It was so amazing and fun to be able to ride through herds of Zebra, see Giraffes, Wildebeest, Hippo’s, and other animals without the confines of a car around you. Thankfully there were no “cats” roaming outside the National Park. We also were able to see our first Flamingo’s grazing in the Lake.... very cool! The other sites visited on our ride were a carving workshop, a painting “studio”, and we finished at the local “pub” where we tried some Banana Beer... it wasn’t that great :-/.

Tanzania - Arusha

2010-09-12T03:30:00.001+10:00

This morning we left our campsite and continued on our way to Arusha which is the country’s largest city and main administrative capital. It also hosted the International Criminal Tribunal for the Genocide in Rwanda.

We stopped in Arusha for Eunice to do some shopping and found some amazing iced coffee’s which, given the time in the afternoon we drank them, were worth risking a night with little sleep for.

Our campsite tonight was a place called Snake Park. Attached to the campsite was a small snake sanctuary with all of the big snakes of Africa including the Black Mamba, Green Mamba, lot’s of Cobra’s and some extremely large pythons. Beside the park there was a really interesting Masai museum which a Masai took us through and explained what each display meant. There was a cross section through a traditional hut, the different clothing for each stage of their life, both male and female, and many other customs explained.

It was a great introduction to this ancient tribe and its customs.

Tanzania - Zebra Camp

2010-09-11T21:43:00.005+10:00

Today we only had to drive 400km but were informed this was going to take almost all day.... T.I.A.

So we spent another day on the truck with a few breaks for food, drinks, and toilets. The scenery today was very tropical with much of it reminding Jack of Timor. We drove around the Usambara Mountains which were very picturesque and arrived at our campsite around 5pm.

Tanzania - Dar Es Salaam

2010-09-10T21:38:00.004+10:00

We left Nungwi this morning and drove back to Stone Town to board the ferry again bound for Dar Es Salaam. The ferry ride was a little rough but we were joined at one point by a whale frolicking nearby which was pretty cool.

After lunch in Dar Es Salaam we made way to rejoin our truck back at the campsite from 4 nights earlier. We spent the afternoon walking along the beach and then drinking another round of punch with the remaining alcohol from our first punch night.

Tanzania - Zanzibar / Nungwe

2010-09-09T21:14:00.004+10:00

Awake this morning to enjoy another relaxing day on Zanzibar. We had no real plans for today except maybe go for a walk along the beach, go for a swim, and take in some sun.

We started with a walk along the beach up towards the light house that we reached yesterday. The tide was out so we walked the entire way along the beach and around the rocks. We went beyond the light house and stopped for while to rest and take in the sights, and life along the beach. There were lots of locals out gathering something, fish or more likely clams, we never got close enough to see.

After another coffee at the same cafe as yesterday we had lunch and then went for a swim. Whilst we were swimming we noticed some billowing smoke rising into the air and swam out deeper to get a better view. One of the hotels further up the coast was well alight. Thankfully the fire was controlled before the neighbouring thatched roof hotels also went up in flames, and thankfully no one was injured.

Pool, cards, and a beer saw the afternoon through. This was followed by another lovely meal overlooking the crystal blue water and pink and orange sunset.... and we also saw the first glimpse of the new moon which was very exciting as this means the end of Ramadan... which means shops should be open and we can eat in public without feeling bad!

Tanzania - Zanzibar / Nungwe

2010-09-08T21:11:00.006+10:00

Our first morning in Nungwe and what to do...

A small group of us set off for a walk to the nearby village to see some of the local sights. We spent a few hours exploring the village, saying “Jambo” (Hello in Swahili) to a lot of excited children. Unfortunately that is where our Swahili ended and their English was no better so the interaction was limited - but still fun!

Our morning was topped off by the discovery of a cafe that had cafe latte’s on its menu... and then made even better when the coffee tasted great! It has been a while :-)!

Our afternoon was spent getting a massage each and generally chilling out before heading to a restaurant for happy hour cocktails, sunset, and dinner.

Tanzania - Zanzibar

2010-09-07T21:06:00.005+10:00

This morning we ventured across to Prison Island in a Dhow (local wooden boat). Prison Island is an island about half an hour from Stone Town by boat and was originally built as a prison for badly behaved slaves but was never used for this purpose. Instead it was used as a quarantine isolation point for any boat travelling to Zanzibar. The main building was utilised as a hospital and the diseased bodies were cremated on the island instead of being buried for fear of spreading disease to Zanzibar.

Also on Prison Island are a large number of tortoises some of which are over 150yrs old and weigh up to 300kg. We were able to feed them and one of the younger ones (age 30) really enjoyed a scratch on his head.

After exploring the Island we were taken out a short distance for some snorkelling. The visibility was very good, and there was quite a number of tropical fish to see.... including a lot of “Nemo’s”. Unfortunately Brii felt like she was being bitten or stung by something repeatedly in the water so she got out quite early, but we still both enjoyed ourselves.

On returning to Stone Town we boarded a mini bus bound for the north of the island, to an area called Nungwi. The trip was just over 1h and quite a pleasant drive through many small villages and tropical landscape.

We settled in to our bungalows which were to be our home for the next 3 nights and were thankfully slightly better than our previous nights accommodation. Our first dinner was on the sand overlooking the stunning blue water and spectacular sunset. Aaah, a holiday within a holiday!!

Tanzania - Zanzibar

2010-09-06T21:04:00.000+10:00

We had to travel back on the ferry across to Dar Es Salaam and then get onto another ferry to Zanzibar all by 10.30.

The ferry to Zanzibar was over 2h, crowded, hot, and stuffy, not very pleasant :-). But the arrival on Zanzibar was worth it! Zanzibar is known as the “Spice Island” of Africa and sits at approximately the same latitude as the Solomon Islands. The water is crystal clear and blue. The weather is tropical and warm. It really is worth the visit.

We spent our afternoon doing the “Spice Tour” which involved a delicious traditional lunch flavoured by the local spices and consisting of fried King Fish, curried Green Banana, steamed Cassava leaves, spiced rice, and a sauce for the rice which resembled Dhal but we aren’t sure. After lunch we went to a spice farm and walked through the crops seeing all of the spices in their natural state. It was very interesting.

We left the farm and visited the remains of the Sultans palace where he housed his 14 secondary wives. You could still see the bed chambers, the toilets, and the bath houses.

The final part of the tour was a visit to the historical site of the Slave Market. This site now holds the Anglican Church but the holding cells which held the slaves before being brought up for sale are still intact and housed under a neighbouring building. In the church, near the altar, is an area which is still remnant of the days of the slaves. It is the ground where the “Whipping Pole” stood. As the slaves were brought from the holding cells to be sold they were lashed to a tree known as the whipping pole and then repeatedly whipped. If a slave cried out during his whipping he was perceived to be weak and his price went down, if he made no noise he was strong and his price rose. Seeing these cells and hearing these stories was disturbing and very moving.

After dinner we explored the night market which is a food market on the water’s edge in the centre of Stone Town. It was surprisingly clean and hygienic looking and it was unfortunate that we had all filled up at the restaurant.

Tanzania - Dar Es Salaam

2010-09-05T20:39:00.007+10:00

Another long day in the truck today bound for Dar Es Salaam. Dar Es Salaam is the former capital of Tanzania but is still a large bustling coastal city and is our gateway to Zanzibar.

Along the way to Dar Es Salaam we drove through the Baobab Valley. This is a valley of Baobab trees some of which are over 1000yrs old. They were spectacular!

Tanzania - Iringa Farm House

2010-09-04T08:25:00.001+10:00

Awake before sunrise this morning prepared for a long day in the truck. We left Malawi and crossed the border into Tanzania. We spent 10h travelling today heading for Iringa Farm House, which was our next campsite.

Malawi - Lake Malawi

2010-09-03T08:20:00.002+10:00

A group of us rose early this morning to make the walk up the nearby mountain to Livingstonia for a bit of exercise and to check out the museum about the history of the missionaries in the area. The walk was about 25-30km round trip which we completed in about 7h. It was quite challenging on the way up the mountain and we were all glad that we left as early as we did as it was extremely hot by the time we got back to camp at 1pm.

After lunch we cooled off in the lake playing with some local kids which was really fun. The kids were very talkative and not shy at all.

The rest of the afternoon we played cards, and Brii tried her hand at hairdressing by cutting our resident hairdresser’s hair with his guidance of course :-).

Malawi - Lake Malawi

2010-09-02T08:17:00.002+10:00

We left Kande Beach this morning with a slightly sour taste in our mouths as 4 of us had arranged for Malawi tables to be carved and delivered but they failed to appear. Thankfully we had only paid 500 Kwacha each so far (approx 3USD) and with the help of our tour guide we got this back from other village locals who said they would sort it out... mmmm... local justice.

Along the way we stopped at some markets which are famous for Malawian Chairs and Tables, as well as a range of other carvings. The chairs and tables were gorgeous. The entire group had a ball and bought quite a lot.

We arrived at our next campsite at Chitimba Beach, still on Lake Malawi, in the late afternoon.

Malawi - Kande Beach

2010-09-01T08:15:00.002+10:00

This morning we went for a village walk through Mbamba Village which neighbours the campsite. During our visit we learnt about the local crops, Cassava and Corn mainly, the methods to make bricks to build their houses, and a little about village life and the way the village functions day to day. We visited the primary school which has an attached orphanage. The school puts the orphans through school when they can afford to as the government gives them no assistance. The school is funded for 3 teachers by the government but has over 1000 students. This means that sometimes the teachers are standing in front of a class of over 200 students.... an absolutely unfathomable challenge.

We also visited the local clinic, another phenomenal feat for the staff! They have a catchment area of 39000 people and see around 180 patients per day. They do not have a doctor, only one nurse/midiwife and a medical assistant. And yes, they do deliveries here, unfortunately we couldn’t see inside the birthing unit as there was a patient. They have only one road ambulance for the district and their nearest referral hospital is over 100km away. This hospital has a catchment of over 500, 000 people but still only has one doctor! This information just blew us away!

During the tour we met lots of the local children as it is school holidays here at the moment and we also were accompanied by some of the local boys/ young men who explained a lot about different things as we walked. It was a great way to spend the morning!

Malawi - Kande Beach

2010-08-31T08:12:00.004+10:00

We were woken this morning by other campers out and about so we were organised earlier than planned. A small group of us walked into town and met the truck there as Eunice had more shopping to do.

We did some shopping in the local markets which are made up of people who cannot find work elsewhere so turn to arts and carving to make a living. There is a 30-40% unemployment rate in all of Africa so it is great to see them trying to find a way to make money. They are generally quite talented too which makes it hard to decide what to buy!!

We also went shopping in the local 2nd hand clothing market for our fancy dress party that would be this evening.... oh man there really were some great finds!

Our new campsite was at Kande Beach on the shore of Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is 580km long, 75km wide, and between 280 - 930m deep. It is the third largest and second deepest inland lake in Africa and apparently is the home to the widest range of fish species in the world.

Our evening started with the making of the punch... 13 bottles of Malawi’s “finest” white spirits, 1 bottle of Lemonade, 1 bottle of Champagne, a fair amount of fresh fruit, some juice concentrate, and lots of water.... lets just say it was extremely potent, and not that tasty :-). We then, whilst starting to drink the punch, exchanged clothing which we had bought as a surprise for each member of the group in a modified secret santa style. It was very amusing to see what each person purchased within their budget of 350 Malawian Kwache (approx US$2). And... as you can imagine the rest of the evening was more of the same, combined with some added dancing on the bar at the campsite.

Malawi - Lilongwe

2010-08-30T08:10:00.001+10:00

Today we crossed the border into Malawi which means ‘warm heart of Africa’ in Chewa (one of the national languages). We spent quite a bit of time in the truck making our way to the capital city of Lilongwe. We were able to spend a little time in the city whilst our cook, Eunice, stocked up on supplies. Unfortunately the power was out so there was not a lot to do.... T.I.A :-).

We reached our campsite which was located not far from the centre of town sometime after 5, helped cook dinner, had our brief about tomorrow, and then retired for an early night.

Zambia - South Luangwe NP

2010-08-29T08:09:00.002+10:00

Up before sunrise for an early morning game drive through South Luangwa National Park. The sunrise was beautiful and the park equally as picturesque. Within our first hour we had seen our final member of the Big Five.... the Leopard! It was very cool. And then within the remaining 3 hours we saw Hippo’s, Elephants, Buffalo’s, Hyena’s, Warthogs, and lots of Impala and similar animals.... what a fabulous morning!

Then whilst relaxing at the campsite whilst awaiting our evening game drive some Elephants with their calf came to visit, graze on the trees and explore the bins in the campsite. They were so close you could see the hair on their face, it was slightly scary but absolutely awesome!

Our evening game drive was a little less exciting but still an experience looking for animals by spotlight after dark. The highlight was that we got to witness yet another spectacular African sunset.

Zambia - South Luangwe NP

2010-08-28T08:07:00.002+10:00

After a lovely morning walk where we were joined by some local children, we boarded our truck bound for another campsite in the north of Zambia across the river from South Luangwe National Park.

On the way we stopped off at a textile factory where they make cotton items and hand paint them with various traditional and contemporary designs.

We arrived not long after lunchtime and just chilled for the afternoon watching Hippo’s in the river which forms the external border of the National Park.

Zambia - Chipata

2010-08-27T08:02:00.004+10:00

A very early wake up this morning to get on the road for a long day. We spent 10h in the truck today driving through north east Zambia. The changes in the villages and hut architecture is really interesting. The huts have gone from completely straw, very communal living in Namibia, to straw with little fences and private sections in Botswana, to mud and brick walls with thatched roofs in Zambia. The villages in Zambia also have straw storage tanks scattered amongst the huts.

Tonight we stayed at Mama Rula’s campsite at Chipata which we shared with the President of Zambia. He obviously wasn’t camping :-).

Zambia

2010-08-26T07:58:00.004+10:00

With our new crew - Chris (Guide), Eunice (Cook), and (Magic) Johnson (Driver), new truck, and some new additions to our group we set off this morning bound for Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

We spent 6h on the truck today and played cards for most of it. We camped outside Lusaka at Eureka Campsite.

Zambia - Livingstone

2010-08-25T07:57:00.002+10:00

Today we went White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River. It was so much fun!

The Zambezi contains rapids of grade 2-5 but because of the high water the Grade 5’s were closed so our trip was mainly made up of grade’s 3’s & 4’s. We were on the water for over 2h and went from Rapid number 11 - 25. We deliberately flipped the boat at our first grade 3, Rapid 12A, and Brii managed to lose her grip on the boat so went for a swim down 12B by herself and 12C on the front of the rescue Kayak... she had a ball! We all had only just got our selves back into the boat before we hit Rapid 13 which was a grade 4... lucky! After this swim we were all pretty happy to try not to flip the boat and managed to stay upright, we did jump out a couple of times for a swim through some ungraded, unnumbered rapids. All in all, we had a blast... a great day!!

Zambia - Livingstone

2010-08-24T07:54:00.003+10:00

This morning we were set to have our first of 2 adventure filled mornings with abseiling, flying fox, and a gorge swing in the gorge over the Zambezi River. We also said our good byes this morning to our crew and a few of our group who were continuing on bound for Pretoria.

The abseiling was off a 53m cliff and was our first activity. Jack teed up with the guides to be allowed to go fast so got down in 4 jumps. Brii on the other hand hadn’t abseiled since grade 10 camp so didn’t say anything and was unfortunately slowed a little too much for her liking but still had great fun.

The flying fox options were either to be in a seat harness or to have a full body harness which allows you to fly like Superman. Needless to say, we both chose to fly like Superman! The challenge was to try to make it to the other side and touch Zimbabwe but none of us made it.

Our last activity for the morning was the gorge swing. This sounds like fun... and it was when we finally started to swing. You see before one starts swinging one must step off a cliff either forwards, backwards, or roll of backwards with feet tied together, and then fall 53m free fall!! Absolutely terrifying!!

After coming down off our adrenalin high we made our way back to the campsite for a quick lunch before we went on a Helicopter ride over Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls was named by Dr David Livingstone after Queen Victoria but is known to the locals as ‘Mosi-Oa-Tunya’ which in English means ‘The Smoke That Thunders’. By flying we were able to see the Falls from both the Zambian side and Zimbabwean side as well as the entire length of the 1.4km waterfall. It was spectacular! Definitely worth its title as one of the 7 wonders of the world.

Zambia - Livingstone

2010-08-23T07:36:00.004+10:00

We crossed another border this morning and entered another new country... we are now in Zambia. The border crossing involved getting out of Botswana and crossing the Zambezi River and then staying on the bus whilst our tour guide sorted out passports and visa’s for all of us for Zambia. To get on the ferry efficiently there was some wheeling and dealing done by our trusty guide which just confirmed to us why we don’t do Africa without people who know the local way!

After getting through the Zambian border we drove to our campsite at Victoria Falls and chilled out for a while before heading out on another sunset cruise, this time on the Zambezi River!

Botswana - Chobe NP

2010-08-22T07:35:00.002+10:00

After falling asleep to the sounds of Hippo’s playing in the water and a noise which we could have sworn was a Lion right outside our tent we woke at 05.25 to go on an early morning game drive through Chobe National Park. We saw a family of Baboons with a number of young babies. Baboons normally stay in family groups of 50 or so, so the dynamics are entertaining. We were also lucky to see a Sable Antelope (extremely skittish), Impala, Fish Eagles, Red Billed Hornbills, Hippo’s, Elephants, and Warthogs. It was pretty cool even if none of the cats came out to play :-).

After a “brunch” of sorts Brii went for a walk with Marcus, one of the other guys in the group. Whilst out they saw Elephants from the roadside so they decided they would climb through a wire fence and creep a little closer. To get within 30m of them and watch them graze was awesome!

This afternoon we went on a sunset cruise on the Chobe River through the National Park. To be cruising along and witness Elephants crossing from an island to the mainland area of the park for the night was an amazing and beautiful experience. We also saw lots of Hippo’s and Croc’s, and some Baboons. The sunset was stunning, once again!

Botswana - Chobe NP

2010-08-21T07:32:00.006+10:00

A relatively short transit day today in the truck, crossing the border back into Botswana and driving through part of Chobe to our campsite.

As we were driving through the park we were lucky to see a Sabel Antelope which is quite rare.

We stayed in Kasane which is a small town just outside the National Park and spent the rest of day washing and chilling out.