tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9989823201585290442024-03-18T00:36:13.706-07:00Here, there, sand everywhereAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-30146588709806054742014-11-12T23:33:00.001-08:002014-11-12T23:33:37.596-08:00Ziplining in the Jungle, Chiang Mai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So, back in Chiang Mai again after a few years away from the
place and finally getting round to the ziplining that is on offer in the area,
something I have managed to miss with far too much ease on previous
visits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There are loads of places to do the ziplining and tourist agencies
will just tell you to book with the one they get the most commission from so it
is best to shop around to find the best deals. The prices and the ziplining on
offer are pretty much standard across the board but I went with Skyline
Adventure because it was the best value in terms of the amount of platforms and
ziplines it offered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The package included the usual drill of hotel pick up and then a
one and a half to two hour drive to the ziplining site in the hills north of
Chiang Mai. There are various pick up times, with the first one at 0630 and the
last one at 1230; this is the one we went for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Once there, you get decked out in safety garb, have a short safety
briefing and then drive for ten minutes before a ten minute walk to the first
platform. We got really lucky: it wasn't raining and we were in a small group
of only four people with four guides, sometimes there can be as many as
12 people in a group. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I found the guides to be really professional and they clearly knew
their stuff, at no point did you feel unsafe. The whole time I was buzzing from
the adrenaline as you jumped off the platforms and flew through the air to the
next one. The abseiling was probably scarier than the ziplines as you are at
the mercy of the guides who will make sure you have fun doing it; upside down
was a real treat. As for the ziplining, for the really long ones you can get
hooked up so you can try to go upside down and with the last one of 900m you
can basically superman pose the whole way across the valley back to the starting point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After, you'll be surprised at just how tired you are and how shaky
your legs will be, but they provided a great buffet lunch as well so you can
fortify yourself for the ride home. All in all it was about a five hour
excursion for about 2000 baht and for me well worth the money and something I
would do again and recommend to anyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Chiang Mai, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai, Thailand18.7060641 98.98171630000001618.465516599999997 98.658992800000021 18.9466116 99.304439800000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-71420680579278121832013-09-14T04:14:00.001-07:002013-09-14T04:14:36.031-07:00Final Weekend of the Trip: Mexico City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is so much to do in Mexico City I could probably do a dozen posts and still not do it justice, there are probably even some museums I would happily wander around in, especially the Museum of Anthropology and all the various ones that house ancient Mayan artifacts. However, I would like to think this won't be my last time here so I can save that for another time. With time pressing and only a weekend available, I will just focus on the most important things on my brief stay: Mexican wrestling, the Mayan city of Teotihuacan and a local football game. <br />
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Arriving at the hostel on Friday afternoon I soon made friends with people on the rooftop terrace as we all patiently waited for 5pm to arrive for the bar to open. Over a few beers everyone was talking about the Lucha Libre event that night, namely, Mexican wrestling. Having been made aware of this I quickly ran downstairs and found out that there was still time to buy a ticket for the show, much to my relief. I was aware of the wrestling but with it only being on Tuesdays and Fridays I felt lucky I got to fit it, unexpectedly, in my plans. Forget the fact it is a tour based thing, which I generally dislike, there was the promise of fighting dwarves and with that in mind I was sold. Pretty sure that's still okay.<br />
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Once the group got there we discovered that you can't take cameras in, however much to our bemusement, you can take in phones with cameras. Mexican logic at it's finest.<br />
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There were six matches in total, the first of which was a female fight which was in full swing as we found our seats. Not a bad show but the real entertainment started in the fourth show when there was about ten wrestlers involved. There didn't seem to be any discernible order to proceedings but no one in the arena cared as they screamed and shouted during what can only be described as a royal rumble on crack, with the place reaching fever pitch as a dwarf jumped off the ropes and nutting a guy in the cojones, brilliant. This match was worth the price of admission alone, what with the resident gay wrestler upsetting the opposition with kisses and affection, obligatory muscle men for the girls (and boys) and irascible dwarves been thrown around like rag dolls and just getting up again and kicking someone in the nuts. Pretty sure the beers helped too.<br />
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Come the end of the night, everyone was buying masks, I managed to find myself out of this purchasing bracket, and after a few drinks in a local bar with some 18 year old police recruits who had just graduated, God help us, we called it a night.<br />
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A little sluggish the next day but we managed to make it to Teotihuacan, a Mayan city of epic proportions just outside of Mexico City. Tours abound for this place but doing it on your own is a breeze, just get to the North Bus Terminal (taxi, bus) and from there ask for a ticket to Teotihuacan. <br />
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Entrance is the usual two ticket job and from there you have the sprawling grounds to traverse. The main roads are like a cross, two roads perpendicular to one another, with the extensive Avenue of the Dead running north to south culminating with the impressive Pyramid of the Moon. The, even bigger, Pyramid of the Sun lies along this road and surrounding the Pyramid of the Moon there are numerous other pyramids.<br />
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You could get a guide but for me the best thing about this place was just the sheer size of it, it reminded me of places like <a href="http://grattanmaslin.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/beijing.html" target="_blank">The Forbidden City or the Summer Palace in Beijing</a>, just massive. There are plenty of signs around the main monuments and a small museum if you are interested in learning a little more about the history of the place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pyramid of the Sun</td></tr>
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After more drinking, partying in a gay bar and paying off police officials we found ourselves in the early hours of Sunday and on my final day of my trip, I was finally going to get to a football game. Sadly I managed to miss Boca in B.A and a cheap game in Bolivia but at the University Stadium I was able to enjoy a great afternoon out in the sun, drinking a beer and watching sub-par football surrounded by passionate, English speaking locals. A great way to round off the weekend before 48 hours of painful transport home, that'll teach me for flying coach.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com3Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico19.4326077 -99.13320799999996818.9531097 -99.778654999999972 19.912105699999998 -98.487760999999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-74866359397457394222013-09-04T04:31:00.006-07:002013-09-04T04:31:58.834-07:00Chichen Itza, Mexico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Right in the heart of the Yucatan lies another Mayan great in Chichen Itza, one of the new seven wonders of the world. There are so many old Mayan ruins in Meso-America that it isn't surprising that one of them made the list, and with it's famous pyramid in the central plaza this is probably the most recognisable of the lot. Unfortunately, this comes at a price and as a result it is the most frequented and given it's close proximity to Cancun is something of a tourist trap. Still, this shouldn't take away from the splendour of the place.<br />
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Getting here is easy and there are transport links from several towns within a few hours drive from here. The easiest route would be to take a tourist bus but the local buses are so frequent and cheap that unless you want to be surrounded by a bus load of other tourists, you're as well off doing it on your own steam. In my opinion, just take the local buses. If you want a guide, just hire one on site.<br />
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Once at the park, there's the standard negotiating of crowds and buying tickets for the park entry and admission, not sure what the difference is there but you need both at these sites. As you go through a <br />
turnstile, the path is flanked by touts selling everything you have no doubt already seen before at exorbitant prices, so just ignore them unless the promise of 'almost free' goods is too good an opportunity for you to miss. I was definitely sucked in a couple times, almost free, are you kidding me? <br />
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After a short walk you come to the main plaza where the Kukulcan pyramid or El Castillo (The Castle) greets you. It is the centre piece of this archeological site and prominently stands out as there is nothing around it but grass. Two side of it have been reworked and if you get lucky you can sneak a decent photo in between the tour groups who incessantly clap to hear the echos from above. Unfortunately, you can't climb up, the same goes for just about all the structures here which isn't surprising given the through traffic. <br />
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Of course there is more to Chichen Itza than this momument which so easliy draws in the punters. To the north lies the sacred cenote which Mayans used as their main water source, on the way to this you also pass the Platform of Venus which like any good Mayan platform worth it's salt probably saw its fair share of ceremonies and decapitations.<br />
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To the west of the main plaza is the Great Ball Court, which I heard a guide saying was the biggest of it's kind in the Mayan world, (sometimes it is handy to eavesdrop on tour groups). Here they played a sport which could be described as a cross between football and Quidditch, no hands were allowed but you had to put the ball through a hoop attached to the wall. The pitch is surrounded by grandstands with carvings of, to put it mildly, death, and experts say that the captain of the losing team was probably sacrificed. Of course he was.<br />
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Adjoining the court is the Temple of Jaguars and just outside of the pavillion is the Lower Temple of Jaguars and the Platform of Jaguars and Eagles, which is adorned with beautiful carvings of skulls and eagles tearing hearts out of living men.<br />
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East of the great plaza is the Temple of the Warriors which is surrounded by the Group of the One Thousand Columns, I couldn't tell you if there are 1000 but there are a lot of them. Thankfully the Mayans didn't just build a load of stelae and it is widely acknowledged that they once supported a roof of some great hall or other. <br />
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To the south is the High Priest's grave, also known as the Ossuary, due to the fact that it has a communal graveyard in it's foundations. A little further down the path will bring you to El Caracol, the Observatory, where the Mayans were able to look to the skies for guidance and time bearings.<br />
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Most of the structures are within close proximity to one another and it is easy to walk around the site in only a couple hours, a day trip in the afternoon would suffice and if you feel the need, a guided tour would only add a little extra time to your day. Easy to get to and visually stunning, it is indeed a treasure and awe inspiring. However, I can't quite help but wonder why this got the nod over Tikal or Palenque, both of which still maintain that mystique, either due to the jungle and overgrowth that surrounds their structures or the fact that they are less busy, which I feel is imperative to a Mayan archeological site. All in all though, this makes for a worthy detour from the chaos of Cancun. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com1Chichén Itzá, Yucatan, Mexico20.6842837 -88.5677830000000220.654572700000003 -88.608123500000019 20.7139947 -88.527442500000021tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-19979198456198554202013-08-15T11:03:00.002-07:002013-08-15T11:03:56.953-07:00Isla Holbox: Swimming with Whale Sharks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula lies the island of Holbox, home to brilliant white shell beaches, bird watching and fantastic whale shark viewing. The island is just a short ferry ride from the mainland and costs 80 pesos one way for the 30 minute trip. The ferries leave from a little town called Chiquila which has many bus connections. Getting to and from here to Cancun is only three hours, however they aren't that regular so best to check times at the bus terminal first.<br />
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Finding accommodation is easy enough as there are now plenty of options on the island, the place fills up at weekends, and during holidays it is a very popular destination for Mexicans, but if you walk around the small town which occupies the centre of the island you'll soon find something.<br />
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As for activities there are a few on offer here from deep sea fishing to bird watching, but none more popular than the whale shark viewing. There are loads of tour operators who pretty much run the same operation, as usual, just walk around and enquire and when you feel you've found the cheapest/best place, go with them. We paid 1000 pesos which is on the low end of the spectrum, many places were charging up to 1300. Just shop around.<br />
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The tour begins with an early morning start at the dock where you join up with the rest of the group, your captain and guide. It take about two hours to get to the spot where the whale sharks are feeding, the plankton which was so prevalent only a couple years ago close to the coast is now all gone so the whale sharks have to go further out to sea.<br />
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It is possible to see schools of these beasts from some distance off, with their fins popping out of the water as they swim around and surround the nearby boats. At time of arrival, there must have been some 30 whale sharks in the general vicinity, quite incredible really and a real treat for me since I have wanted to see one since my first scuba dive in Thailand. For a week every other boat on the island saw this one solitary whale shark chilling in the area, I think I can safely say this makes up for that disappointment and then some.<br />
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Groups are small on the boat and you have to be with a guide, this isn't a problem anyway as he was able to figure out where they would be just by looking in the water and seeing something we couldn't. If you didn't follow his lead you had to attempt to listen out for people on the boat telling them yelling directions or suddenly bricking it and swimming away as a 30ft whale shark came out of nowhere with it's mouth wide open. I know they're not into eating humans but as if you would bother playing chicken with one of them. <br />
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You get about a couple hours or so at the site, and by the end you're pretty tired from kicking your fins in a pathetic attempt to catch up with a fish, and just from the exhilaration of the experience itself. In comparison, the rest of the day doesn't hold a candle to the first activity of the morning: there's a stop at a lagoon, plenty of flamingo viewing and ceviche, which on any other day taken on their own would have been great, but whale sharks are just cooler. The ceviche was delicious though, and the captain was good enough to give me a second bowl.<br />
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Aside from these aforementioned activities, the only other thing to do here really is to relax. There are plenty of hotels along the beach and if you buy drinks or food you can make use of their deck chairs, failing that take your own booze and wait til someone asks you to pay a rental fee, this only happened one time in four which made for very pleasant drinking and lounging.<br />
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My trip may be coming to an end but I was happy to come to a place which would rank among one of the highlights of my trip: it was peaceful, there was affordable day drinking, the sun shone endlessly and the beach was right on my doorstep, what's not to like? I would definitely come back here on holiday.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Holbox, Quintana Roo, Mexico21.5218973 -87.3798322000000121.5071258 -87.4000022 21.536668799999998 -87.359662200000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-23202445887167101192013-08-12T22:49:00.003-07:002013-08-12T22:50:48.198-07:00Palenque Ruins in Chiapas, Mexico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Chiapas region has many jewels to share but considering I am right at the end of my trip, time is tight so just a couple highlights before scooting east to the Yucatan Peninsula for snorkeling with whale sharks on Isla Holbox and visiting Chichen Itza, the last of the Mayan ruins on my itinerary. Before I get to those though, Chiapas has it's own notable and world renowned ruins worth a look at: the ruins at Palenque.<br />
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The ruins themselves are situated about 8km outside of town, however there are accommodation options both in town and along the road to the ruins. If you have a bit of time, stay outside of town where it is much more relaxing, however, if you are low on time just stay close close to the bus station and take a <i>combi</i> from town to the visitors' entrance of the ruins.<br />
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Once you get into the grounds it is just a short walk to the first and main plaza: Templo de las Inscripciones Group, pretty easy to figure out. As you enter, the first temple you see is the Templo de la Calavera (Temple of the Skull) which you can climb up and gain a good view of the area. Next to it is a non-descript ruin, followed by Temple XIII which archaeologists believe was a tomb for Pakal's wife, and next to that is the Templo de las Inscripciones which was the tomb of Pakal himself.<br />
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A little background information: Pakal was the Mayan ruler here from 615AD to 683AD, he actually managed to live to the ripe old age of 80 which was pretty impressive in the 7th Century. Unfortunately for visitors now, both tombs to the deceased are now off limits to the public as they undergo much needed renovation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Temple of Inscriptions from El Palacio</td></tr>
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As you walk through the plaza you can't help but always notice El Palacio (The Palace) and where archaeologists believe Palenque's ruler would have lived, it is the biggest building in the area after all. The Temple of Inscriptions has the honour of being the tallest. There are a few courtyards to wander in and a watch tower which was built by Pakal's son, it is believed it was primarily built so that the rulers of the day could watch the sun hit the stairs of the Temple of Inscriptions during the winter solstice.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of El Palacio</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of main plaza</td></tr>
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The next main group is Grupo de las Cruces (Group of the Crosses) and construction of these buildings took place after the death of Pakal. Templo de la Cruz (Temple of the Cross) is situated on a mound overlooking the rest of the complex and there are great views stretching all the way to the Temple of the Skull available. Surrounding the mound are Templo del Sol (Temple of the Sun), Templo XIV and Templo de la Cruz Foliada (Temple of the Foliated Cross) which is another temple where you can climb up the steps to look around at the engravings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Templo de la Cruz</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps up to Templo de la Cruz</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Templo del Sol and Temple XIV in the foreground</td></tr>
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These are pretty much the main complexes amongst Palenque's ruins but there are more to look around. South of the Group of the Crosses lies the Acropolis Sur (Southern Acropolis) where discoveries are still being made close to the two main temples. Further north is the Northern Group which is accompanied by two satellite groups: Group 1 and Group 2. Not too much here besides a ball court where Mayans are believed to have played a sport similar to football and the Templo del Conde (Temple of the Count) which gained fame primarily because some crazy count decided to live up there for a while.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Northern Group</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8tZkhJBSQod_toQlQ-iAzZlwKQjiRrEq6v4HEfeP_MvXJwJE66_XLAtkCNM1dq7kQdBKbVtf53CmIjdQ9XiM-dM-e5FVnKIMtXHlE9KE9Du-2hP-UF0HLfXPY05rHIGMG55gaSniJizh/s1600/SAM_0450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Part of the Northern Group at Palenque in Mexico" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8tZkhJBSQod_toQlQ-iAzZlwKQjiRrEq6v4HEfeP_MvXJwJE66_XLAtkCNM1dq7kQdBKbVtf53CmIjdQ9XiM-dM-e5FVnKIMtXHlE9KE9Du-2hP-UF0HLfXPY05rHIGMG55gaSniJizh/s400/SAM_0450.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Northern Group</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Northern Group</td></tr>
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You could easily spend hours just roaming around the grounds and inspecting every nook and cranny for something a guide book or a guide will tell you about. I for one just enjoy wandering around the ruins with a book in my hand reeling off information as I go. Similarly to Tikal, visitors still have access to walk on and around many of the buildings which also adds to the experience. If you are ever in the south of Mexico, Palenque is right on the edge of Chiapas and pretty much in the middle of the area, so if you ever get the chance, I would definitely recommend a day trip here. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico17.510204 -91.98103989999998517.449637000000003 -92.061720899999983 17.570771 -91.900358899999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-87831170117899675162013-07-29T15:43:00.004-07:002013-08-12T10:42:59.772-07:00Lake Atitlan, Guatemala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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From the north of Guatemala, most roads lead to Guatemala City, this most populated city in Central America and something of a crime hotspot, or so everyone tells me since arriving in Belize.<br />
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Considering there wasn't a whole lot that interested me there I took a pass and after a short stop in Antigua (a quaint little colonial town worthy of a couple days exploring) before heading to the shores of Lake Atitlan or some rest and relaxation. <br />
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The shoreline of the lake is peppered with small towns, with Panajachel being the easiest access point from surrounding towns, however there isn't a whole lot to do there. Other towns such as San Marcos, San Pedro and San Juan are much more tourist friendly with San Pedro being the most popular among travellers and expats alike. Santiago (as seen in the picture above) is the biggest town around the lake.<br />
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San Pedro is home to plenty of Spanish schools, cheap accommodation and cafes offering the usual tourist fodder along with traditional food indigenous to the area. Most tour operators have horse riding tours, kayaks for rental and hikes up the surrounding volcanoes with San Pedro volcano being one of the more popular given it's close proximity to the town. Volunteering in local schools with projects run by other expats is a possibility too. All in all, it's not difficult to see why many people end up staying here much longer than planned.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala14.6906713 -91.20252070000003614.5677893 -91.363882200000035 14.8135533 -91.041159200000038tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-28110622844883296172013-07-27T22:07:00.003-07:002013-08-12T10:38:38.041-07:00Lagoons and Caves of Semuc Champey, Guatemala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Getting around Guatemala is pretty easy, there are the chicken buses which everyone knows about, these take all day however and if you get a seat not next to a crying child or an animal you are doing well for yourself. The alternative is to take a minibus between towns, these are also a dime a dozen, not to mention much quicker (not on time, just quicker) and you're guaranteed a seat. By and large you'll get lazy and take one of these everytime but if you have a short journey somewhere the chicken bus is an interesting experience.<br />
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From Tikal, if you don't have a whole lot of time to spare or you want something different to Mayan ruins, the next logical destination is either Lanquin (which is just a stones throw away from the lagoons and cave of Semuc Champey), or Semuc Champey itself where there are a couple self sufficient hostels right on the river's edge, this was my preferred choice.<br />
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The setting is beautiful and well worth the bus ride down which can be a little bit of a pain, the final 12km from Lanquin to Semuc Champey are bumpy to say the least. The water down stream is a murky turquoise but further up where the lagoons are it is crystal clear, with about seven or so lagoons running into one another.<br />
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The lagoons are part of a park so you have to pay an entrance fee to enter, this is 50Q. Once in you can either walk parallel to the river or up the hill next door to the look out point before descending to the lagoons. This isn't too strenuous a hike and the view is well worth it.<br />
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If you go on your own steam you can just hang about in the pools, but if you go with a guide, which only costs a little more, they take you to the waterfall downstream and you can check out the cave behind it which is pretty cool. To get back to the hostel in Semuc just hug the riverbed, once there if you need to go back to Lanquin just hop on the back of someones pickup.<br />
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If you do the tour, you can also get to go tubing at the end of the day and go to one of the local caves with the group. This is a fun experience as you go through the cave with nothing but a candle to help you lead the way. The cave walk is mostly in water too deep to walk through takes you into the back of the cave where you can climb up the walls and jump into a pool but you have to go out the same way you came in, through waterfalls and tiny cracks.<br />
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This is a cool experience but best when done in small groups, there were 24 people in the group I was in and as a result it takes ages to get through the cave, it also gets a little chilly as you wait for everyone else. All in all this is a cracking day out but try to do it on a day when there are limited people around to get the most out of it. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Monumento Natural Semuc Champey, Guatemala15.5330352 -89.95996000000002415.471837200000001 -90.040641000000022 15.5942332 -89.879279000000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-30473897481518728172013-07-24T17:04:00.001-07:002013-08-12T10:46:06.728-07:00Introduction to the Mayan Civilization: Tikal, Guatemala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SG714o8i7QE/UeXk2_kNSgI/AAAAAAAAFmM/AxXg3avfgdM/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Just across the border from Belize, some 2 hours by minivan, is the little township of Flores which is an island connected to the nearby town of Santa Elena by a bridge. Flores is a small area where you can find a cheap hostel with a view of the lake and close to plenty of tour operators where you can book a Tikal tour, as well as onward travel and other tours.<br />
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Tikal is one of the largest Mayan sites in Mesoamerica and has been a World Heritage Site since 1979, as a result, restoration is now slow as it has to be all done by hand and not one of the buildings can be restored by more than 25%. Tikal National Park is some 576km2 and using infra red, NASA says there are between 16000 -17400 buildings in the park. Obviously not all of these are restored and when you to the park only a few temples and buildings are accessible in a 4km2 area in the centre of the park.<br />
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Getting here is easy if you book transport through a tour company, expect to pay around 60Q for round trip transport or 100Q for trasportation and an English speaking guide, totally worth it so you actually have an idea of what you are looking at. You can always try to get to Tikal on your own steam but unless you have your own vehicle, it's a lot of hassle when you could pay just a fraction more and get a shuttle bus there.<br />
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Entry at the park is 150Q and if you arrive before 6am it is an additional 100Q, no point trying to get here early for the sunrise, didn't hear anyone raving about it and you have to pay more for the priviledge. If you paid for a guide, he/ she will meet you and the rest of your group in the park and from here you proceed to Complex Q. If you don't have a guide then all you have to do is walk around the park at your own leisure, but as mentioned before it is better, in my opinion to see some of the highlights of the park whilst gaining some knowledge about it. You can always walk around after the guided tour has finished.<br />
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Most of the complexes comprise of similar buildings ranging from sacrifical pyramids with underground tombs to residences, from palaces to administritive buildings and stelae with carvings. The numbers 9 and 13 were very important in Mayan culture, with Complex Q, for example, having 9 stone stelae with sacrificial alters, to respresent the Gods (there are 22 in total), and four buildings (incuding two pyramids) to make up a total of 13, representing the underworld.<br />
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After here it's a short walk to the Great Plaza which houses the famous pyrmaids of Tikal, there are two that face each other, built in honour of a past monarch. The main pyramid, Temple I, standing at 45m in height, is in honour of King Jasaw Chan K'awil and the one directly opposite, Temple 2, is to commemorate his wife, this one stands at 38m in height. They are no longer accessible to tourists but the Northern Acropolis and Central Acropolis adjacent to them are free to be roamed on, the Northern one has some 278 rooms and you could easily lose yourself wandering around. <br />
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Close by are Temples III. IV and V, along with the El Mundo Perdido (The Lost World) and the Seven Temples Plaza. Temple IV is 70m tall and said to be the tallest structure in the Mayan world, Temple III is 57m tall and the second tallest in the park. From the top of Temple IV there are great panoramic views of the Great Plaza and Temple III, you aren't able to climb up Temple IV however. The Lost World has a few buildings but the Pyramid there dwarfes everything else, not so much in height but it is very wide. Whislt seeing these structures, the guide provides useful information and history at each spot.<br />
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Getting back to Flores is easy, by purchasing a ticket with a tour company there are various shuttles that go back to FLores and drop you off at your hostel at 1100, 1230, 1500 and 1700. A 0430 start is early for most people so many opt for the 1100 bus back, there's only so much you can take in and close to five hours in the park is plenty to see the highlights and more. I would definitley recommend doing this through a tour agency as it just makes things easier, especially as it is better to get to the park early before the crowds, and to pay just that little extra for a guide as it will make the experience that little more enjoyable. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Tikal, Guatemala17.21714 -89.62325299999997717.186807 -89.663593499999976 17.247473 -89.582912499999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-56975424542045485442013-07-23T14:16:00.004-07:002013-08-11T08:33:23.291-07:00Another Quick and Easy Border Crossing: Belize to Guatemala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Belize to Guatemala is a super easy border crossing with the main one being through Benque Viejo del Carmen in Belize to Melchor de Mencos in Guatemala. It's possible to take shuttle buses from Belize City to Flores ( for Tikal) or to Guatemala City itself but these are through private companies and much more expensive than doing it on your own steam. Also, if you go straight from Belize City you miss out on the attractions closer to the border in San Ignacio and the Cayo district itself.<br />
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Coming from San Ignacio and heading to the border is simple. There are a couple options available: you can either take a bus from the town to the border town of Benque Viejo del Carmen (Benque for short) and from there take a taxi from the bus station to the border, or you can just take a taxi from San Ignacio to the border which is much easier and less hassle. The second option is a $5 per person and takes less than 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
Once at the border, proceedings are quick. After getting your exit stamp for Belize there is a short walk with your bag(s) to the Guatemalan entry point. Once your passport is stamped there is a bridge to walk over and from here you can take buses to Guatemala City or shuttles to Flores (30 Questzales, Guatemalan currency) which takes about three hours. Be careful with these as they like to try to overcharge tourists and they don't go to Flores. They stop in Santa Elena and then a 10Q per person tuk-tuk is required to take you through to Flores which is just over the bridge, about 2k away. Of course you can walk this but if you are feeling lazy then the tuk-tuk is the simplest option.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Belize17.0666667 -89.133333317.0363087 -89.1736738 17.0970247 -89.0929928tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-45501818346680028052013-07-20T16:30:00.003-07:002013-08-11T08:33:23.286-07:00Stepping back in time: Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour, Belize<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Located about an hour away from the town of San Ignacio by the
Belize - Guatemalan border is the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, or ATM
cave for short. In English it translates to 'Cave of the Crystal
Sepulchre' and locals know it as Xibalba, or for the uninitiated, Hell.
This can possibly be attributed to the fact that it was a holy place for
the Mayans and only the most important members of society, royalty for
example, or those ready to face death and their fears could enter.<br />
<br />
The
cave was mainly used to make sacrifices to the Gods, with animal and
human remains found among the pottery and stoneware. As a result of the
pristine condition of some of the artifacts, the fact that everything
is in such good condition and nothing else like this exists in the
country or anywhere else for that matter, it is only a matter of time
before this place is off limits to the public. Steps are already in
place to ensure this happens so best make it down here quickly.<br />
<br />
In
Belize, if you have your own means of transport, most places can be
visited without the aid of a guide but given the nature of this UNESCO
World Heritage Site you can only visit on a tour with a registered guide
with groups not allowed to exceed more than eight, excluding the guide.
This allows for a more intimate tour and also ensures safety.<br />
<br />
Once
at the park entrance you have a 45 minute walk through the jungle where
you cross streams but beyond that it isn't too taxing. At the rest stop
you drop off your bags and head to the cave entrance, you don't need
anything else with you at this stage. Cameras are banned from the tour
now for two reasons: firstly, when in the cave many tourists were too
preoccupied with taking photos and weren't looking where they were going
which resulted in accidents, and secondly, last November someone dropped
their camera onto a relic and broke it, nice one. As a result, no
cameras are allowed, so the photos below are from past tours.<br />
<br />
From
the entrance you have to swim across to the other side and from here
you are walking through the cave, checking out the giant stalactites and
stalagmites, squeezing through tiny gaps, swimming through passages and
making your way deeper into the cave. Around 45% of the tour is in
water so expect to get a little cold. A helmet and flashlight are provided
and sometimes the guide will tell you to switch off your lights: one,
to show you just how dark it is in the cave, and two, to cast shadows
with his own light where he would show us where the Mayans had carved
into the stalagmites to create shadows which would have looked freaky
back in the day with nothing but a torch to light the way.<br />
<br />
After
a short climb you enter the main chamber known as 'The Cathedral' where
there are sacrificial alters and pottery at the beginning, the deeper
you go you come across bones and skulls along with calcified pottery
remains. Right at the back in an alcove lie the calcified remains of
what is believed to have been a teenage girl who was sacrificed, she is known as 'The Crystal Maiden' and is one of the best
preserved skeletons from the Mayan late period. She was also the last of
16 found bodies to have been sacrificed here and is also located in one
of the most sacred spots which leads archaeologists to believe that she
was someone important and that her sacrifice was a last ditch effort to
appease the Gods. It is likely that it was drought that was these Mayans'
downfall and not long after the caves were abandoned.<br />
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<br />
There
are plenty of caves in the Cayo District in Belize, too many to see in
one trip but if you get the chance to ever come here and the ATM cave is
still open for business, I would strongly recommend going. I thought it
was a little pricey at $90 (US this time) but definitely felt the
experience was well worth it, after all, who doesn't like a bit of
spelunking and steping back in time to a place even the Mayans were
scared of?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0San Ignacio, Guatemala14.833333 -91.866667-10.6887015 -133.175261 40.3553675 -50.558073000000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-76026296977576049472013-07-20T08:41:00.001-07:002013-08-11T08:33:23.294-07:00Chilling in the Breeze in Caye Caulker, Belize<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As far as most major cities go in a country, Belize City moves at
pretty slow pace but even that seems like a rushed affair in comparison
to the laid back mentality adopted on the island of Caye Caulker,
Belize's backpacking island mecca. With no cars and only golf buggies
and bikes to get around, it's a relaxing place which holds true to it's
mantra of 'Go Slow'. With world class diving, fresh catch of the day for
dinner and hammocks to swing in the breeze, it's no wonder most people
make a beeline for this place when they first come to Belize.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRs9xFmeULk/UeXMELb-2hI/AAAAAAAAFlE/qhGojF3Elf0/s1600/IMG_0477.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRs9xFmeULk/UeXMELb-2hI/AAAAAAAAFlE/qhGojF3Elf0/s1600/IMG_0477.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Getting
to the island is easy, most people don't spend any time in Belize City
itself and are dropped off across the road from the water taxi jetty, so
all you have to do is walk in, buy your return ticket for $25 (Belizean dollars on this page) and hop on the next boat to Caye Caulker. If you are wanting to go to San Pedro on Ambergis
Caye, there are boats from here too. If you come into the city via the
main bus terminal, then you can either get a taxi to the jetty or walk
15 minutes, it's not a strenuous walk but it depends on how safe you
feel walking there. Personally, I had no problems in the city and even
the guys asking for change were friendly.<br />
<br />
Once on the
island, it is pretty easy to just walk around and find some
accommodation that suits your needs: there are dorms, private rooms and
cabins so there is a wealth of options for all budgets.The are really
only three main roads running down the spine of the island, Front,
Middle and Back, with most of the action on Front Road, the same side
you arrive on. There are plenty of restaurants, mini markets and too
many to count tour operators, and at the northern end of the island
there is 'The Split'. This is where the island was cut in two by
dredging to aid the fishermen back in the '50s and then after Hurricane
Hattie ripped through the area in 1961, it was widened and since then
has had to be maintained. There is no beach area per say, but you can
chill out up her, snorkel, drink some beers and chill in the sun on the
decking. <br />
<br />
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<br />
As
mentioned, there are plenty of tour operators with various offers,
these range from scuba diving to snorkeling, from sailing to fishing, as
well as other options. One place that caught my eye was E-Z Boy Tours
which offered a sailing day out with three snorkel stops for $140
(remember, Belizean dollars), this included snorkeling, park entry fee, lunch, ceviche and all you can drink rum punch for the journey back.<br />
<br />
The three stops were Hol
Chan Marine Reserve where we saw turtles, rays and a baby shark
(plenty of coral and fish but we're after the big stuff here), the
second stop was Shark Ray Alley which as you can guess from the name was
a site teeming with nurse sharks and sting rays. The guide on the boat
threw loads of sardines in the water to attract them and when we were
all in the water, to our amazement, he just scooped up one of the sharks
and then a ray for us to pet. Brilliant. After here, our final stop was
at Coral Garden but it was pretty lacklustre in comparison to the two
previous sites. In between the second and third stop we had lunch and on
the way back the wind picked up so we were able to sail in whilst
enjoying the delights of happy hour. This was a great day out and
something I would recommend to anyone.<br />
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<br />
As
well as snorkeling, Belize is also home to some of the world's most
famous dive sites, namely the Blue Hole. This was a big one for me and
one that I was anxious to do on this trip so we booked through a company
called Frenchies,
these guys turned out to be a good company. For $450 you got boat
transport and three dives, kind of pricey but that's what you have to
pay.<br />
<br />
It takes two hours to get out to the Blue Hole
and once there you quickly descend down to 130ft/40m where you then swim
between columns, avoid the Caribbean Reef sharks and slowly ascend.
Given the depth, there is only a bottom time of 8 minutes and total dive
time of 25 minutes. When we all got back on the boat, we realised that
one of the girls in the group had narked
and bolted to the top from 40m, the guide tried to stop her but she
panicked and there was nothing anyone could do. We had to get back to
the islands to get her to San Pedro where Belize's only decompression
chamber is located to make sure she was alright, this meant that the
other two dives were cancelled. This was obviously disappointing but it
was good to see that the company dealt with the situation well, it also
helped that they were really cool about telling us about the girl's
expected recovery and they then sorted out refunds for everyone. I would
love to have done more diving, but with time pressing I had no more
time, I was just glad I got the Blue Hole in.<br />
<br />
Sadly no
pictures from the Blue Hole (not sure my 5m underwater camera could
handle it) but it was an awesome experience and as it was my first dive
in about a year has made me want to get some more in before I leave,
hopefully up around the Cancun area before I go home if I have time. As
for Caye Caulker, if you are coming into Belize but not sure whether you
should hang around in Belize City for a day (or two) before heading to
the island here is some sage and most certainly bias advise: don't
bother, head straight for the islands, that's where all the fun is
because even when you're not on a tour, there's nothing better than
relaxing in the sun with a beer and the water lapping at your feet..<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-45686807167621840482013-07-06T09:15:00.002-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.947-07:00Cancun to Belize City: A Quick and Easy Border CrossingThere are a couple ways of going about this. Flights are a joke of a price and considering the close proximity to one another, a waste of money as well.<br />
<br />
From the airport there is a direct bus that leaves daily at 2215 with the bus company ADO. This goes straight to the bus station in Belize City and costs 498 pesos, arriving some time the following morning. From the bus station, taxis are 7 Belizean dollars to anywhere in the city, these are basically cars with a green number plate, they aren't exactly labelled as taxis.<br />
<br />
Another option if the night bus is fully booked (this is what happened with me) is to take a night bus from Cancun to the border town of Chetumal. There are a few buses run by the ADO bus company and I took the one at 2238 from the downtown terminal in Cancun, it takes six hours to Chetumal. This bus costs 302 pesos. Of course, this bus ride can be done just as easily during the day time (and I'm sure there are other companies), I am merely describing how I did it at night so as to save a nights accommodation, very important to most backpackers. <br />
<br />
Once at the Chetumal station, you can pay 200 pesos for a shuttle bus/ mini van to take you onward to Belize City. This is with the company San Juan, and they have hourly rides from 7am onwards, I'm sure there are other companies operating out of the station. The minivan stops at the Mexican border for exit stamps at Subteniente Lopez, additional tourist tax may be required here from certain nationalities. I read somewhere that it is a hoax and a way of ripping off people but they seemed pretty insistent and handed out stamped receipts, possibly not legit but not too bothered and not much you can really do is there? The tourist tax is 294 pesos.<br />
<br />
Entry to Belize through Santa Elena is plain sailing and as they speak English you have a welcome greeting, provided English is your native language, stamp in your passport where you request it and then it's back on the van to Belize City. Nothing much to see along the way and by 1030 you'll be dropped off at the car park opposite the Caye Caulker Water Taxi jetty which is perfect for most people who are literally heading straight to Caye Caulker.<br />
<br />
NB: Whilst driving south in the minivan to Belize City, we passed a couple buses heading north to Chetumal. These were local Belizean buses which no doubt cross the border and go to the town of Chetumal. I don't know if they go to the station where the ADO buses arrive and depart from but someone at the station would be able to tell you where to get one of these buses which, by basic reasoning, must then return to Belize City for what I can only assume of a cheaper price than 200 pesos. If your budget is that stretched, this could be another option.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-48008684661170396552013-07-05T21:48:00.000-07:002013-08-12T11:39:42.847-07:00Tayrona National Park, Colombia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Tayrona</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"> National Park is one of
Colombia's most sought after destinations for backpackers and locals alike and
with its pristine beaches, beautiful weather and jungle atmosphere its not hard
to see why. From the town of Santa Marta, a seaside town only 34km away, you
can take a local bus along the highway and get dropped off at the ticket office
in El <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">Zaino</span>. Another
option is to visit straight after a Lost City trek and just get the driver to
drop you off at the booth on the way back to town.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><br />
This was the decision myself and a friend made, we were already soaked from
rain and sweat and our clothes and general being were pretty horrifying so
after four days of trekking we were pretty warmed up and ready for more.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><br />
After getting dropped off on the main road in the early afternoon, we had
another congratulatory beer for our hiking endeavours before heading to the
ticket office. Costs for foreigners are only a little more than locals which is
a nice change but just before you get there you get your bags searched by
police, not fond of drugs but for some other reason they are keen on taking
your spirits off you, feeling bad for the poor buggers who lost out on their
Johnny Walker whisky. Sure those guards will take good care of it though.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><br />
Once you have your ticket which consists of a wrist band and a receipt the
length of your arm including all of your name and passport number, your options
are to either walk an hour uphill to <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">Cañaveral</span> or wait for the bus to come and pick you up for
2000 pesos (60p). Think Ill just wait.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><br />
Not much to do at <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">Cañaveral</span>
other than to get your bearings and start walking to <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">Arrecifes</span>, the
first place along the trail worth staying at or at least visiting. The walk
takes around an hour or so and is pretty easy, most of it is boardwalk with
only elements of bouldering which actually takes you a little higher and gives
beautiful views out into the ocean. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><br />
Again, not a whole lot going on at <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">Arrecifes</span> but with the light fading and neither of us having
lights we were pretty limited in our options. A couple restaurants aside and a
nice long beach with a dangerous riptide, there's not much to do here but
considering how knackered we were it was probably for the best. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><br />
Tents are available for rent but hammocks are much cheaper at 12000 pesos. They
come with a <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">mozzie</span>
net but I cant say mine was quite up to scratch, waking up with 21 bites on
just my left knee cap might just confirm this. Oh, and some <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%;">numpty</span> had my
travel towel away, can't seem to hold on to anything here in the jungle as kept
losing stuff on the Lost City trek too. Why couldn't they just take my sweaty,
stinky Colombia top off my hands instead?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgYlbxPYT6ZmClM76P2TrAgMmWOngRS_GQ2hR87_uYQH62m4O5Gmad3W9JrtSc2JeSfncCj68iiHRsWOduk3Fi6xiBd2AlaIZPPsIU6uuSe6BndjguugY1qaDqmFUNF1wAM23C1q-8Et8/s1600/IMG_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tayrona National Park in Colombia" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgYlbxPYT6ZmClM76P2TrAgMmWOngRS_GQ2hR87_uYQH62m4O5Gmad3W9JrtSc2JeSfncCj68iiHRsWOduk3Fi6xiBd2AlaIZPPsIU6uuSe6BndjguugY1qaDqmFUNF1wAM23C1q-8Et8/s1600/IMG_0317.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By this stage our body clocks were used to being up by 7am so we were up, breakfasted and ready to leave by 9, no need to be too hasty. We continued along the path but it soon became apparent that the path that lead parallel to the beach was having a massive laugh at our expense so the easiest way to navigate yourself is to just walk along the beach itself.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Within half an hour you'll find yourself at La Piscina, a stretch of beach where it is possible to enter the water as the rocks further out to sea contain the swell and current. Finally able to get in the water, I dived in and savoured the cool water on my body, only when I stood up for air I stamped on something sharp and immediately my foot started cramping and my whole leg experienced horrible pain.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Managed to hobble out of the water and after some quick deliberation we decided it might be best to find a local to have a gander at it so while Tom got help I laid out in the sun trying not to think about what it could be, bloody sea monsters. After a quick assessment some random local had it figured and came back with some soupy green, seedy concoction for me to drink, assuring us it was an antidote for the <i>serpiente</i>, not sure it was a snake though, surely it was much bigger. Quite possibly the most horrendous thing i have ever drunk but after 20 minutes of leg palpitations the pain went and within an hour I could walk again. Success, although we didn't fancy getting back in the water here.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another 30 minutes down the road is Cabo San Juan, where we actually wanted to get to the night before. There's a little more going on here compared to Arrecifes with more places to stay and a restaurant in the centre with ample room to host plenty of people in the after hours, not only that but right on the door step are two beautiful beaches separated by a rocky outcrop where the sand is perfect, and you can go in the water and swim about a bit. Throwing caution to the wind and feeling a little crazy, I thought I would treat myself to a dip. Did I mention it is blazing hot in the tropics.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After some more average yet extortionately priced food, get used to that in the park, we headed up the trail which would take us to Pueblito, another old city in a similar vain to the Lost City we had just hiked to. Not as grand per see but meant to be worth a look. The walk is pretty tough with the bulk of it traversing boulders and all of it uphill, there are no refreshment stands along the way so bring enough water as it is pretty gruelling in the heat.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we gained the city, I can honestly say we were a little disappointed in what we saw. Besdies from a couple of old looking walls there was nothing to suggest that ancient civilisations may have once lived here, it was just a well maintained clearing in the jungle. From here to the main road was another two hours with the first being brutally uphill and just as we were about to lose all hope of some downhill action, the incline subsided and became a manageable descent. At the end of the trail, you come directly out to the main road from where it is possible to then catch a bus heading towards Santa Marta, and most importantly, a shower and a proper bed. </span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-38311950091287654582013-07-04T11:06:00.000-07:002013-08-12T10:59:48.428-07:00Ciudad Perdida: The Lost City in Colombia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Deep in the jungle just off the northern Caribbean coastline of Colombia lies one of it's once hidden treasures, Ciudad Perdida, or in English, The Lost City. It was found in 1972 by grave robbers, but interest in it from archaeologists didn't peak until 1976 when the city's gold relics started to hit the black market. To get to this Lost City you have to go on a four to six day trek, with the four day one being far more rigorous as each day constitutes at least six hours walking constantly up and downhill.<br />
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There are plenty of tour operators around offering the same deal and all at the same price which has pretty much been set now. You can't do this trek on your own steam though, you need to do it through an agency. If you just turned up, the first army check point you come to will just deny you entry so you'll have made your way to the entrance for nothing.<br />
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Tours include food, water and a guide who is unlikely to speak any English whatsoever, if you were to get an English speaking guide I would consider that a massive bonus. Four, five and six day treks all cost the same, so depending on your time constraints or whether you want to challenge yourself or not, you can take the full on four day walk or the more relaxing six day walk. The result is the same, you still walk the same 44km return trek and make it to the Lost City early in the morning.<br />
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The six day trek is essentially three days up and three days down at a steady pace, if you have the time it is almost worth doing as it isn't half as difficult and you pay the same as you would for four days anyway, so you can look at it as an efficient way of spending money on accommodation for example. The four day trek is much more hands on and you need to put your head down and get your sweat on.<br />
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It's the usual drill to start things off, pick up at the hostel and waste a couple of hours getting people together and a general sense of what is happening. Once the jeeps are loaded, it's a two to three hour drive to the park entrance, half on tarmac and half on a bumpy road winding through the jungle at the slowest pace possible. Lunch is served and as is always the way with these tours, introductions are made and people start to the get to know each other.<br />
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The first day is about six hours long and sets the tone for the following three days. This isn't one of those treks where you go steadily up, reach a target and then come back down. The way undulates constantly and not much elevation is ever really gained, it's not until we got there that I found out the Lost City is only at 1200m.<br />
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There are small rivers to cross by stepping across the stones, open fields where you are exposed to the elements and close heat and humidity when you walk along the jungle paths, at which stage you will be dripping wet regardless of the weather.One thing you need on this trek is water, and lots of it, because you will sweat an inordinate amount. Now is probably also a good time to mention that you should have one set of clean and dry clothes for the evenings to change into, keeping these dry and staving off mozzies should be your main goal at night, besides finding rum in the jungle. It's always available though.<br />
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On the second day you'll be tempted to put on fresh clothes as your clothing from the previous day will remarkably be wetter than what it was when you took it off, this is a mistake however. I always over pack anyway, so I happily had two sets of dry clothes at this stage so I decided to put one of those on in the hope my wet clothes from the first day would dry, futile to say the least. Within an hour these once dry and clean clothes were a mess and sadly never to recover.<br />
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Progress is similar to the first day, hot and sweaty work with more rivers to fjord and steeper steps as you slowly make your way further into the jungle and away from the coast. On a five or six day hike you would only walk three hours but that's just pointless so it's another six hour day to the next campsite, the only difference here is the river is close enough for you to hop into and relax in at the end, provided you can handle the cold. However, after a day of sweating and walking through this humidity, the cold flowing water is nothing but bliss. <br />
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By this stage you are getting used to the early morning wake up calls which is just as well as it's another one on the third day, only this time you get to leave your bags behind as it's pretty much a straight shot to the Lost City from here, just water and a camera needed.<br />
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The walk isn't too long, with only one river to cross where the water comes up to waist height so once again, keep your wets on. From there after you follow the bank for a short while until you come to the staircase that leads all the way up to the city. There are some 1200 steps to navigate here so it's pretty much head down and grit your teeth as your body slowly wakes up as you traverse this steep and winding stairwell. It's usually pretty wet here so be careful and watch your step.<br />
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At the top, the city itself isn't all that impressive, there are 169 terraces in total but only the stone foundations remain, at most, on any of them. The jungle surrounds the city entirely until you walk up over a rise and the city opens up around you and you can see nothing but the sky and terraces ahead of you. Locals of the Kogui tribe still live in huts around the city, so don't be surprised if you see some indigenous folk up here as you meander around the grounds. <br />
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This trek is pretty much a cul-de-sac so once you have finished looking around the city, it is back the way you came, the whole way. Coming down isn't as easy as you wish, as the trail bobs up and down the whole way, some of the stretches on the way back are pretty steep and you wonder how you don't remember them on the way through the jungle. For the remainder of the third and the morning of the fourth day, it is pretty much a straight shot back to the start.<br />
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Even though this is a tough and sweaty slog, it is definitely worth the effort. The actual city at the top won't blow you away but the walk through the jungle itself is different to any other I have done and comes with its own rewards. A tad pricy for what it is and not enough food for me, but other than that well worth it if you have the time whilst visiting the Caribbean coast of Colombia.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-9442672187114592872013-06-27T17:30:00.001-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.982-07:00Just a taste of Ecuador: Guayaquil, Cuenca and BanosAmazingly enough, Ecuador was the country I was most looking forward to on this trip and the place where I expected to spend the most time, funny how things don't exactly go as planned when travelling. Having had pretty much amazing weather for the entire trip thus far, barring Patagonia where unexpected weather changes are expected, bad weather finally caught up with me in Ecuador.<br />
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Crossing into the country is seriously easy, the exit station for Peru and entry station for Ecuador are at the same place, the desks are literally side by side. Apart from my crossing from Argentina to Chile via Mendoza, this is the only other time it has occurred. It makes so much more sense than having to get back on a bus or walk over a bridge just to enter another building in apparent 'no man's land'.<br />
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Guayaquil is only a few hours away from the border and considering I had planned on spending plenty of time here I figured it would be a good place to start, after all it is the country's most populated city, more so than the capital Quito by a long shot, so there had to be something to do, right? Upon arrival I soon realised this was not the case. I stayed in a nice enough hostel which was quiet but as for anything to do at night or sights during the day, I found the city lacking.<br />
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One of the main attractions is said to be the Malecon, this is basically a boardwalk overlooking the Rio Guayas and goes on for a kilometre or so. There are a couple shops along the way and it's a nice place for families to hang out but beyond that not much else is on offer for me I'm afraid. At the northern end of the boardwalk is Cerro Santa Ana which offers views of the city but aside from pretty buildings there's really not much to hold your attention. There is of course the ubiquitous city cemetery but how many can you look at in one trip?<br />
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Just a four hour bus ride away is the town of Cuenca, a colonial favourite for natives and travellers alike, where domed churches and plazas abound. The town itself is split by the Tomebamba river and the town is easy enough to navigate on foot, provided you are actually staying within 10 blocks or so of Parque Calderon, home to the city's New Cathedral which dominates the square with it's hulking blue domes, and the Old Cathedral, with the former being much bigger and grander than it's predecessor.<br />
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As for activities in the local area, you can check out the local Inca ruins of Ingapirca, the Cajas National Park or nearby indigenous villages. Failing that you can purchase some of the relics you may find at these villages at one of the many street markets throughout the town or just relax and enjoy some downtime in one of the many cafes in the city or at the main plaza itself and pass the day people watching.<br />
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Seven hours north and with a change in the town of Ambato brings you to Banos, unfortunately named really but a beautiful little town in the hills home to waterfalls, thermal springs and adventure sports. It's little wonder this small place makes it on to most itineraries. <br />
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Hot baths surround the town but asking at your hostel for the most popular one is probably the best and safest bet for a decent experience. The same goes for hiking, before undertaking anything ask how the trails are. Mountain biking and zip lining are a couple of the more popular activities to do in the area, renting a bike is also a good way to see some of the nearby waterfalls as you can pretty much free wheel down for 20+ kilometres and then stick your bike on the back of a truck to get back to the town. No need for up hill slogging now. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-82056081191121416772013-06-27T12:35:00.003-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.979-07:00Mancora, PeruHeading up towards the north of Peru there isn't much on the radar for tourists until you come across the small village of Mancora, which is just a couple of hours away from the Peru - Ecuador border. What started off as just a small fishing village has grown to be a hub for those keen on finding some surf along the Pacific coastline, with decent enough waves for most of the year and with it being so windy, kite surfing is now becoming increasingly popular here.<br />
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When driving through the town itself, you wouldn't think there was much to see or do as it looks like it has been catered only for tourists with the main road packed with Internet cafes, restaurants, bars and shops selling all the usual junk. However, once you get off the main road and start heading west to the beach through the 'suburbs' you see that underneath this tourist facade lies a town like any other in Peru, with locals trading between one another, kids running around after dogs, shop owners standing outside their stores with the apparent air of not being bothered about selling anything all day, police chatting to locals and the daily chorus of singing from churches.<br />
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Accommodation is spread out all over the place here and with so many options you would be doing something wrong if you couldn't find somewhere you liked. All budgets are catered for as well as lodgings which range from dorms in party hostels to beach front bungalows. Food is fresh from the ocean, so much so you shouldn't be surprised to find some sand in half your meals, having said that though, if you like fresh seafood it doesn't get much fresher than here.<br />
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The beach itself is clean enough with fires been prohibited and most people spending the day either lounging on the sand or trying to catch that elusive wave. Parties abound every night with the weekends been the busiest as with any place, at this time the bars on the beach come to life with outrageous happy hour deals whilst trying to out do one another to see who can be the loudest. It's safe to say that there is always a random party a short taxi ride away if the constant competing for airspace starts to get old. Failing that, if it's peace and tranquillity you came here for, then it is just as easy to immerse yourself in the silence of a well secluded bungalow by the beach.<br />
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Getting here is ridiculously easy, the main street is the main road from Lima up north to the border with Ecuador, you basically can't miss it, I think it's the Pan-American Highway actually. If you have the time, it's a nice place to stop off to party/ relax/ surf or all of the above. The weather here is pretty much always perfect and compared to the temperamental weather of Ecuador, if it's beach time you are after, this might just be the place for you.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-45391085957435811972013-05-24T08:15:00.000-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.943-07:00Colca Canyon, ArequipaAbout a three hour drive outside of Arequipa, also known as the White City due to the sulphur from the surrounding volcanoes which has coated the city a whitish tinge, lies the second deepest canyon in the world, Colca Canyon. Apparently new readings are being taken worldwide of new and old canyons and their depths, one in Nepal was recently found and believed to be deeper than this one and the other one in Peru which is officially the deepest, but don't go telling the locals around here.<br />
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To get here, as always, there are two options: on your own or with a tour. On your own is easy enough, you need to take a bus to the township Cabanaconde close to the canyon's tourist entrance, or you can just do a tour. I opted for the tour as it made things easier and pretty much worked out as the same price as doing it on your own. Two day/ one night and three day/ two night tours are available but I went for the latter as I fancied taking my time and not rushing the walking part, as this would mean sacrificing time appreciating views and having downtime on the trail. <br />
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Pick up was at 3am and from the hostel it was a three hour drive to Chivay where the group on board the minibus was to have a simple breakfast, the usual fare of bread, butter and jam with tea or coffee. From here it was another hour and a half, about 80km, to Cruz del Condor, one of the core lookout points for condors. Unfortunately the weather was overcast and aside from the occasional break in the mist, the canyon and condors were not visible. The weather is supposed to be much clearer this time of year but a recent earthquake has been blamed for the recent poor weather, not sure I see the connection.<br />
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From here, it was only 15 minutes more to Cabanaconde and the start of the walking. The weather was still pretty dire and rain was threatening so after our guide introduced himself and we got familiar with the plan for the next three days, we started to make our way down. There were a few groups on the path and probably an even split of two day and three day tours.<br />
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From 3290m, the walk down was pretty dank, aside from seeing three young condors huddling on a rocky outcrop, the view didn't particularly improve as rain came in and apart from the opening half hour, everyone was in the rain for the remaining two and half hours of descent. By the time we reached the bridge at 2100m that lead to the municipality of Tapay and the village of San Juan for lunch, everyone was drenched.<br />
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At this stage, we had lunch and for us on the three day tour, our walking for the day was over and we were free to rest at our leisure. Seeing as how the weather was bad, this suited us just fine as we could just chill and catch up on sleep, a luxury considering how dorm rest is so often insufficient for so many reasons. This is also one of the reasons why I would recommend the three day tour, weather can be unpredictable and those doing the two day tour now had to walk a further 10km in the rain to get to their predestined rest stop, not my idea of a fun tour. <br />
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After an outrageously good nights sleep, we were up for a 0730 breakfast before setting off through the various villages which dotted the trail to our next stop, Sangalle, or more affectionately known as 'The Oasis'. Thankfully the weather had cleared and we could finally see the beautiful landscape and area we found ourselves in. The path was pretty steep and narrow for the first half hour or so and after a steep section we stopped to catch our breath and stock up on snacks and water as they're much more expensive in Sangalle. <br />
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The locals around here rely on pack horses and donkeys to traverse the same path we took yesterday to get supplies, but there is also a new road now that leads to the villages, only this takes six hours to get to Cabanaconde and has been built by a mining company as gold has been found in the local area. As with Bolivia, mining is a most lucrative and important business to cooparation's and locals keen enough to get involved.<br />
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The path continued to follow the curvature of the canyon until we reached an area known as Jarejna, this looked just like a crater but somehow on the side of the canyon wall. Incas used to use it for agriculture and the terraces formed all that time ago are still apparent but now it is used mainly as the site of a special annual World Cup where all the local villages register teams to play. This is a massive event each year, with everyone in the Tapay district turning up in their finest and a chance for the men in the area to impress the local ladies with their talents.<br />
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Once past this section, the path becomes much steeper, starts to zig zag and offers great views into the canyon and the days destination, Sangalle. From above, it really does look like an oasis. There is a natural spring close by and this has helped to cultivate a tropical feel deep in the canyon where there are palm trees everywhere, water from the spring filling swimming pools and individual huts for punters trekking through the canyon. An unexpected piece of paradise deep in the canyon.<br />
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Once down the path, everyone is able to take a plunge in the pools, relax and enjoy the rest of the day lounging in this unlikely place. Another reason I would recommend the three day trek is that if you do the two day trek you arrive here late in the evening as it is getting dark so you can't really take advantage of the pool and relax. Instead, you are pretty tired from 20km walking (in yesterday's case in the rain all day) and then you have to get up at the crack of dawn to climb out of the canyon.<br />
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Come 5am, everyone is packed and ready to head out of the canyon, no breakfast here, have to rely on having had sufficient food from the dinner and plenty of sleep, the latter not really being a problem, my appetite however causing me to be hungry all the time on this trip.<br />
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The walk itself isn't the most taxing, it's just long more than anything else. The path is again a zig zag pattern as opposed to a straight up incline, like day two of the Inca trail for example, so a slow and steady pace will see you gain the 1200m you originally descended in two and a half hours. At the top, Cabanaconde is in sight and a short walk through the local fields will take you to the village and breakfast.<br />
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Once eaten, the group is lead back to the minibus and taken to the look out point at Hangahuilca where you can get an even better perspective of how big the canyon is and how well the locals use the land, with terraces dotted across the canyon side everywhere. From here we were taken to Maca, an unassuming local village where they sell the usual Peruvian fare and then on to some underwhelming hot springs at Chacapi. By now I was somewhat hungry so our next destination at Chivay for an all you can eat buffet was more than appreciated, and as usual, I was completely unable to show any form of restraint.<br />
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From here the tour pretty much winds down and the driver takes you back towards Arequipa via an Andes mountain range viewpoint which includes views of the following volcanoes: Mismi, Hualca Hualca, Sabancaya, Ampato, Chachani, Misti, Ubinas and Chuchura. After this we drove along one of the main highways back to Arequipa which happens to go through a national park full of alpacas and llamas. By the early evening we arrived back at the Plaza de Armas in time for a quick shower and an onward bus to Lima.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-1198153476847911972013-05-17T04:34:00.001-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.933-07:00Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu: Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Day three is around 12km and is regarded as the longest day as it mainly consists of up and down sections which skirt around Salkantay mountain to Intipata, and perhaps seen as the cultural day on the trail as three ruins lie along it. It began with yet another early wake up call at around 5:30am with breakfast soon after and by 7am we were on the road again. The trail was an immediate wake up call as it was uphill for around 45 minutes to see the first of the three Inca ruins, Runcuracay, or in English, 'The Circular Building', or so our guide said.<br />
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Discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1915, Runcuracay sits at an altitude of around 3750m overlooking the valley and was possibly used as a storehouse for food which was then distributed to locals amongst the hills, a watch tower as it has such great vantage points over the valley and all the way up to Dead Woman's pass or a shelter for messengers to rest after running all day. The likelihood is that this place was in fact used for all of the above.<br />
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From here the path continues to ascend, passing a lake on the way, until the pass at 3950m is reached. Looking back there are incredible views back towards camp from the previous night but the views on the horizon are more impressive with the mountains providing a gorgeous backdrop and the second of the Inca ruins, Sayacmarca, hugging the rock wall of the mountain where the path lies.<br />
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After taking pictures, the group slowly wound it's way down to Sayacmarca, known as 'The Inaccessible Place' and for good reason as the 98 steep steps that lead up to it are real energy sappers. The ruin is said to have been a refuge area and was only occupied seasonally, experts think the people who lived here survived on food rations from Runcuracay and by a 3.5km aquaduct they crafted which provided them with water from the surrounding mountains.<br />
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From here the path winds down into the valley and passes another ruin by the name of Conchamarka before coming to the resting point of Chaquiconcha. The path then undulates for a while before steadily climbing with mountains dominating the views on the left side, after a while the 6200m mountain Salkantay is in view and with perfect weather the top of the mountain is visible. By and large this peak is obscured by cloud cover and mist but we were blessed with good weather so we had perfect views all around. Come the end of this section, the walk becomes a little steeper before cresting the ridge and coming across our lunch stop at Phuyupatamarka; the name of the campsite and the nearby ruin.<br />
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After lunch, we checked out this ruin. In English the name translates to 'City in the Clouds' and again, this facility is believed to have been used seasonally and mainly as an observatory. From where this ruin is situated, on a clear night so much of the sky would be visible it's not hard to see why this area was picked.<br />
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Descending some 400m, the path thereafter is steep with uneven stones and steps carved out of the ground and steep drop offs on the right side of the trail with the path itself being less than a metre wide in some places. After an hour, the path cuts through a tunnel crafted out of the rock face and becomes much flatter although still slowly descending into the valley.<br />
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From Phuyupatamarka, it is possible to make out the terraces of Intipata and after another hour or so these terraces are reached. They were mainly used for growing corn and potatoes and most of the produce here will have made it's way to Macchu Picchu which is only around 5km away. The campsite for the night is just around the corner but before bedding in for the night we checked out another ruin called Winyawayna. This one had an even more impressive set of agricultural terraces than Intipata and is a concave shape as opposed to Initpata's convex one. There are two sets of buildings separated by yet another aquaduct/fountain system which is amazingly still functioning, these Incans built things to last.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runcuracay</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path leading down to Sayacmarca</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sayacmarca</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View on Sayacmarca</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sayacmarca</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salkantay </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phuyupatamarka from afar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps leading up Phuyupatamarka</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intipata</td></tr>
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After three days of struggling up and down mountains and through valleys, the short walk of 5km to Macchu Picchu from Winyawayna was a welcome reprieve, although to get to Macchu Picchu at a decent hour we were up and packed by 4am. <br />
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The actual checkpoint doesn't open until 5:30am however so it's best to get packed and queue up, the better placed you are in the queue, the sooner you get to Intipunku, or the Sun Gate. Passing out other groups isn't so much against the rules, merely frowned upon as the path, which skirts around the actual mountain named Macchu Picchu, is very thin in places with yet more drop offs in what is now dense jungle as the dizzy heights of 4200m have been left behind for the more hospitable sub 3000m range.<br />
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After about 3km, the steep steps that lead to Intipunku are in reach and by far the steepest of the trek. Thankfully they aren't too long but you are left gasping for breath when you reach the top, however from here it is a matter of minutes before you reach the Sun Gate itself and finally see Macchu Picchu for the first time.<br />
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At this stage, you finally get to see all the other people who have been doing the Inca trail. Only 500 people a day are allowed to do the trail and over the last three days, you barely see anyone else. However, at this bottleneck, the place is teeming with other people, straining to get their breath back and sitting down whilst taking in the view. Macchu Picchu is still a couple kilometres away but just seeing it gives everyone that boost that is needed to complete the rest of the jorney to the entrance of this lost city. Once there, there is a service available to finally get rid of that backpack you've been carrying the past three days and walk around this beautiful 'Lost City of the Incas' .<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macchu Picchu from afar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terraces at the Sun Gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macchu Picchu</td></tr>
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Four days and 43km from where we started finally brought the group to Macchu Picchu. Before undertaking this trek, I had heard many people describing the trek itself as impressive and as rewarding as seeing Macchu Picchu itself and after completing it I can understand exactly what they meant. The sights seen and friends made along the way were astounding and reaching Macchu Picchu was the culmination of a great trek which will stay with me for years to come. Highlight of the trip so far perhaps.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-6147775013958622452013-05-13T19:22:00.001-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.970-07:00Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu: Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
From Copacabana in Bolivia to Cusco in Peru, you have to take a bus to cross the border which takes around ten hours including border crossing, this is if you are lucky like myself. Most people end up on a horror bus which takes much longer, however, most people are unfazed by this as they are by and large in Cusco for one thing: Macchu Picchu. Sure, there are plenty of other places in the local area such as the Sacred Valley and the city itself but nothing steals the limelight quite like these Inca ruins high up in the hills some 80km away from Cusco. <div>
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To do the Inca trail, it is necessary to book it months in advance as places sell out rapidly and there are only 500 available per day. If you don't book it in time then there are other options which can be booked either in advance or in Cusco itself: there are various treks which take different paths but lead to Macchu Picchu or the train which runs from Ollantaytambo (take a bus here from Cusco) to the town of Aguas Calientes close to Macchu Picchu, from here you have to take a bus up the mountain the ruins are situated on. </div>
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The Inca Trail starts at kilometre marker 82 in the town of Ollantaytambo, it is 43km long and takes four days and three nights to complete. The trek starts with a 5:20am pick up from the hostel and from here the group is driven to Urubamba for breakfast. This is one of the few things not included in the overall tour price but as it's a buffet it's easy to get your money's worth. By this time, people are starting to wake up and from here to Ollantaytambo the group slowly starts to get to know each other. </div>
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At the beginning of the trek, the group receives their entry tickets to the national park and makes their way down to the entrance where passports are required to guarantee entry. From here, you cross the Urubamba river via a bridge which was worryingly only put in place in 1994, before that people had to cross two at a time in a basket suspended above the raging current. </div>
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Once across, the walking starts. Day one is pretty routine and more an exercise to get people used to carrying packs, become acclimatised and get the body used to walking for prolonged periods of time. This day is 15km long but there are no major inclines beyond 25 minutes up hill immediately followed by the same time period back down again, as a result the going is pretty steady with the elevation rising from 2700m to 3000m across the course of the day. </div>
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Halfway through the day at 2800m the group reaches a view point and gets it's first taste of some Inca ruins; in Quechua (the Peruvian native language) the site is known as Patallacta, in English, City on the Mountainside. Archaeologists have deemed this place to be where workers who were building Macchu Picchu (general consensus is that it was never finished) lived as Macchu Picchu can be reached in matter of hours via a short cut. Also, there were various tools found at the site along with bodies which were just discarded in a cave rather than been properly buried in the old Inca fashion of facing east and in the foetal position due to their belief in rebirth. From the group's vantage point there were two other ruins, these are said to be watch towers as they provide sweeping views of the valley below.</div>
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The tour provides food each day and people I met before the trek said how good the food was, I generally just assumed this meant the food was edible or you at least didn't get sick from it. However, from the first lunch to the last breakfast, the food was amazing. It was always different, healthy and delicious, exactly how food should be.</div>
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Arriving in to the camp at Huayllabamba around 5pm, the porters had already raced ahead and all the tents were set up, the kitchen tent was alive with action and the packs were laid out for those who had hired a porter. This is an option that can be taken advantage of but at an additional price, given I am on a tight budget a porter was never an option, not to mention I wanted to carry all my own stuff anyway to challenge myself and maybe start making amends for my failed attempt at Huayna Potosi. The day finished with dinner, some beers kindly brought to us by a local and most of us marvelling at the night sky, with no light pollution and a clear night I don't think I'd ever seen the stars quite so clearly.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start of the trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naughty Llamas</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking to the national park entrance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back towards the start</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patallacta</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watch tower overlooking Pata Llauta</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruins at Huayllabamba</td></tr>
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With a trek like this, early starts are inevitable and at around 5:30am we were woken up with tent service of hot drinks, nothing to sniff at. Breakfast was hearty and filling, and just as well. Day one may be meant to ease your way into the trek but day two is basically an assault on the highest pass which stands at 4200m. Compared to the heights of La Paz and beyond I didn't envisage too much of a problem breathing, the only qualm lay in the fact that the way to this pass was nothing short of a savage incline with no respite. </div>
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Once breakfast was over, we mounted up and headed through one of the weigh station checkpoints for the porters on the trek ( they aren't allowed to carry more than 20kg) and immediately hit an incline. This lasts some thirty minutes before evening out where the group can catch their breath before another uphill section which once again leaves everyone breathless. Mercifully, the porters have run ahead and a second breakfast is already prepared when the group arrives at 3800m, some 800m higher in elevation since our early morning departure.</div>
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From here, it is a straight up brutal ascent to Dead Woman's pass at 4200m; there's no shade or flat resting spot and with the sun beating down it is a tough old slog with the path rarely turning and the only thing you can see is the pass which looks miles away and seemingly out of reach. After looking at nothing but the ground for what seems an eternity, the summit is within reach before the final twenty or so steps which are basically over sized stone steps designed to be cruel right when you think you are at the top. Once you have recovered your breath, the views both back the way you just came and down into the valley are breathtaking. </div>
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From here, the path goes down 700m into the valley to Pacaymayu where camp awaits. Just as the path was straight up to reach the pass, it is straight down on the other side. The path is haphazard, the steps constantly changing in height and depth and a comfortable walking pattern nigh on impossible to achieve. As a result the best plan of attack is to literally head down as quickly as possible and hope your coordination is up to scratch, going slowly will only be tougher on your knees. Again, once at camp everything is set up and after both the assent and descent it isn't long until everyone crawls into their tents. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep steps</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long way up<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View back down the valley towards out starting point</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone at Dead Woman's pass</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back up the valley</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The porters and chef</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Machu Picchu, Santuario Historico Machu Picchu, Peru-13.163721 -72.545943299999976-13.1675865 -72.550985799999978 -13.1598555 -72.540900799999974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-33196268696731189972013-05-08T02:57:00.001-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.937-07:00Copacabana and Lake Titicaca, Bolivia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just three hours away from La Paz on the border of Peru lies the small town of Copacabana, the gateway to Lake Titicaca, the highest (inhabited) lake in the world, and the islands that populate this water mass, namely the Isla del Sol; Sun Island.<br />
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The journey from La Paz is beautiful with the bus driving through the El Alto area at around 3600m before coming to a river where you then have to get off the bus and take a boat to the other side, the bus meanwhile is loaded onto a two vehicle barge and slowly makes it's way over. Once on the other side the bus heads to Copacabana on a winding route with Lake Titicaca always on the right hand side. Eventually the town itself comes into view and the famous two prong hill in the centre of town dominates the landscape with the lake in the background and the mountains to the north east.<br />
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The town is small and besides the calm and tranquil beachfront with it's sunset view cafes and rows of stalls selling fresh trout from the lake (delicious), there isn't too much on offer in town, just the usual hotels, hostels, restaurants and shops selling endless alpaca.<br />
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Lake Titicaca is the main draw here and the Isla del Sol in particular. There are several options for investigating the island and the surrounding floating islands nearby. It's possible to stay on the island itself and give a little back to this remote community, or another option is to just do a day trip to get a feel for the island. Been a little strapped for time having spent way too long in La Paz, I went for the day trip option.<br />
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Buying tickets is easy, there are numerous touts offering return tickets and at the 'marina' there are a couple shacks which run different boats running to the island. By and large you want to start early and get a ticket to the north port of Sun Island in the morning, as this then gives you a chance to walk across the spine of the island to the south port just in time for the boats heading back to Copacabana in the afternoon.<br />
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The boat ride to the north port takes around two and half hours so make sure you bring a top for this part as it gets cold as you zip along the lake, most people on the top deck looked frozen and pretty miserable. From the port, you have to walk along the beach and then cut inland to another beach, from here there is a path which then leads to the Chicana ruins, this takes around 45 minutes and is progressively uphill. Once at the ruins, I won't lie, you don't quite realise you have reached what it was you were looking for. I was expecting some ancient Inca ruins or something a little more spectacular considering how much people bigged this place up, it basically looked like a barn and outhouse after a bad storm had taken away the roof. Lamest ruins I think I will ever see.<br />
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After this minor disappointment it was a two hour walk along a very well laid out path to the other side of the island. Again there is a steady incline for most of the way with the ascent lacking in anything beyond arid looking landscape and wonderful views out over the lake. Come the point where you start to descend, trees pop up out of nowhere, there are fields and farms been tended by locals and hostels and restaurants spring up as you reach the village of Yumani, home to the south port. A quick bite to eat and then only a one and a half hour boat ride takes you back to Copacabana just in time to enjoy sunset and some fresh grilled seafood by the lake.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copacabana from afar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching Copacabana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUZkmCywHQw/UYPG1FYPgOI/AAAAAAAAEa4/M-psWAT-dAc/s1600/IMG_9093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUZkmCywHQw/UYPG1FYPgOI/AAAAAAAAEa4/M-psWAT-dAc/s400/IMG_9093.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beachfront</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vZf16hPZrP4/UYPHD7Z4QUI/AAAAAAAAEbA/Ujt9wFwlOOM/s1600/IMG_9094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vZf16hPZrP4/UYPHD7Z4QUI/AAAAAAAAEbA/Ujt9wFwlOOM/s400/IMG_9094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of they have swan paddle boats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qEpuTJFajhU/UYPHJ4dtpdI/AAAAAAAAEbI/KS2KOUzK5h0/s1600/IMG_9095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qEpuTJFajhU/UYPHJ4dtpdI/AAAAAAAAEbI/KS2KOUzK5h0/s400/IMG_9095.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't get much fresher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llaueot29Sw/UYPH7RbnqBI/AAAAAAAAEbg/KG8vz2OEAzY/s1600/IMG_9127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llaueot29Sw/UYPH7RbnqBI/AAAAAAAAEbg/KG8vz2OEAzY/s400/IMG_9127.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closing in on the north port</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mhWu0J2uaZM/UYPHzlZnrSI/AAAAAAAAEbY/EVchYJ-lbkA/s1600/IMG_9136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mhWu0J2uaZM/UYPHzlZnrSI/AAAAAAAAEbY/EVchYJ-lbkA/s400/IMG_9136.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to the ruins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCyGDozwNnU/UYPIrQ59KjI/AAAAAAAAEb4/lp2UA3yzsgM/s1600/IMG_9145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCyGDozwNnU/UYPIrQ59KjI/AAAAAAAAEb4/lp2UA3yzsgM/s400/IMG_9145.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhat underwhelming</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clear path to follow</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random checkpoints for tickets and snacks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yumani on the horizon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dkh_Fz6ZqcI/UYPKSnNbjdI/AAAAAAAAEdA/k5ZFfWJQEtM/s1600/IMG_9174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dkh_Fz6ZqcI/UYPKSnNbjdI/AAAAAAAAEdA/k5ZFfWJQEtM/s400/IMG_9174.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South port at Yumani</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haQo7cl4NFA/UYPKcm1cZRI/AAAAAAAAEdI/f1WwdAnkl7s/s1600/IMG_9177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haQo7cl4NFA/UYPKcm1cZRI/AAAAAAAAEdI/f1WwdAnkl7s/s400/IMG_9177.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Copacabana</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Lake Titicaca-15.7655699 -69.5261238-17.7197644 -72.1079108 -13.8113754 -66.944336799999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-67676492158663722082013-05-05T08:28:00.001-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.975-07:00A visit to the Cooperative mines in Potosi, Bolivia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
At one stage, Potosi was the richest city in the whole of South
America, with an outlandish amount of silver on offer, the Spanish mined
the area until it was pretty much exhausted. Now, there are remnants of
a city rich in history but by and large it's time has come and gone.
Mining still continues in what is the deemed the highest city in the
world at 4070m. Conditions are harsh and it's normal for miners to have a
shelf life of only another 10 years once they start working in the
mines, however many people in this poor area have no choice but to work
here.<br />
<br />
Even though the mines are still in use, tours are
available to see just how difficult life is for the miners. Prices are
around 100 Bolivianos which is very cheap and half of the money is given
to the miners so you know you're supporting a good cause.<br />
<br />
Tours
start with pick up and then you are taken to get yourself kitted out in
overalls, boots, helmet and flash light. Temperatures increase pretty
quickly in the mines with the fourth and fifth levels comfortably
getting up to 40 degrees so there's no need to wear too much under the
clothes you are given.<br />
<br />
Once decked out in your new garb
you are taken to the miners market where you buy 'gifts' for the miners
who are working that day. These generally include coca leaves,water,
fizzy drinks and dynamite. Yes, you can go to the local market and get
your hands on some dynamite. <br />
<br />
From here the bus drives
up towards Cerro Rico, Rich Hill, which is where the mining takes place.
On the way you get great panoramic views of the city and stop via the
processing plant where the zinc and silver (today's more mined elements)
are extracted from the rock.<br />
<br />
Once at the top of Rich
Hill, the jeep is greeted by dogs, we get another quick safety brief and
we turn our lights on, I can't stress enough how indispensable the
helmet and light were. Without them you'd happily be nursing a
concussion as the tunnels get seriously narrow and at stages you have to
crawl through them.<br />
<br />
The first couple of levels are
harmless enough, if you will, but descending into the lower levels it
becomes hotter and the lack of oxygen becomes more apparent with dust
particles circling around you and breath harder to come by. Wearing a
thin scarf across your mouth helps but you still have to fight for
breath the further down you go, I've no idea how the miners who work in
here day in, day out survive this place a week, let alone ten years. <br />
<br />
Down
on the fifth level, our group encounters our first miners who are busy
at work. They have two tonnes of rock to shift: using only a shovel,
they move the rock into a gourd shaped container which when full, is
hoisted up to one of the upper levels to be transported to the surface
in a similar fashion, or so I assume. The men are thankful for our
presence, it gives them a small amount of respite from their work as
they get to replenish their supplies from our gifts and the lads in the
group have a go at shovelling the rock. It's hard work, just filling one
of the gourds takes only a minute or so, but once that one is lifted
away, there is another one waiting to be filled right there and then.
It's back breaking work, hats off to these men who do this on nothing
but water, pop and coca leaves, which not only gives them energy as they
don't eat while on shift, but also acts as an indicator of time; once
the leaves lose flavour, it's time for a break.<br />
<br />
After a
while it's time to leave the miners to their work and visit the
'museum', this is in actual fact more of a shrine to El Tio, basically
if you leave coca leaves, alcohol or a foetal llama in some cases as
offerings, then you are more likely to get good hauls of elements. The
men here are so superstitious that women are not allowed in the mines,
and only recently did they stop complaining about female tourists
visiting.<br />
<br />
Following on from here, the group is taken
out of the mines via a different access route, but not before handing
out some dynamite to some miners intent on causing some destruction and
finding some fruitful rock. Unfortunately they are a little over the top
with their safety so when the explosion actually happened, it sounded
more like a far off fart. Still, better than getting yourself blown up.<br />
<br />
Toward
the end of the tunnel, the air becomes clearer and you can feel the
wind picking up as you near the exit until the end is in sight as a tiny
glimmer of light becomes bigger and bigger. Even at 4070m, the air
feels fresh and loaded with oxygen and everyone takes a deep breath
before been taken back to the city to clean up.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-57679679487712343782013-05-01T18:17:00.001-07:002013-07-27T21:09:05.961-07:00Mount Huayna Potosi, La Paz: Attempting a 6000m mountain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Situated about 25km north of La Paz is Huayna Potosi, a 6088m mountain in the Cordillera Real, one of the more popular options to try and scale a 6000m plus mountain. There are plenty of tour agencies in La Paz that offer trips to the summit: three day/two night and two day /one night summit assaults. My choice was to end up being my downfall.<br />
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I went for the shorter option, purely because I thought I could handle the altitude and manage it in a shorter time. La Paz is some 3600m above sea level so I am already slightly acclimatised but you really need to do the three day tour as it gives you an extra day to acclimatise at 5200m. Should have known this, wasn't thinking straight though, probably the altitude.<br />
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Once you are picked up at the hostel you are driven up to the El Alto area toward the mountain where you are dropped off at around 4800m. This stage of the trek requires you to carry your pack with all the necessary cold weather gear that will be required for the second stage. After crossing a river the trail angles towards the face of the mountain and after paying a 10 Boliviano entry fee the final hour or so is a steep assault up the rock face and scrambling over lose rocks. Once this section is over, you have reached the upper base camp at 5130m where a hot meal and rest is to be had.<br />
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Getting up at midnight to start the assault of the peak is not my idea of fun, having been sent to bed at 5pm you have seven hours of rest after dinner. The problem here is I couldn't sleep, when was the last time you went to bed at 5pm? Therefore, after squirming around in the dark, cold attic with 20 other people, we were up and getting ourselves suited and booted. Temperatures get as low as -15 around the top so it was important to dress appropriately, this included the following: two pairs of socks, snow/walking boots, crampons, thermals, trekking pants, plenty of upper body layers, cold weather pants and jacket, hat, scarf, helmet and ice axe. Quite the load.<br />
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As soon as you walk out of the building you realise that all the gear you have on is not overkill and that you'll need every last stitch of clothing you have as it is only going to get colder the higher you get. Although I hadn't slept and breakfast was a measly portion of bread and jam, I felt pretty good and thought I had a good chance of reaching the top. With a success rate of 60%, I was hoping I was capable of getting there.<br />
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Once the crampons are on, it is pretty much straight uphill with the gradient never letting up, not a bit of level ground to catch your breath at all. People are paired up with a guide and roped together in case someone falls. Groups are never more than three as it is only possible to fit three on the very peak of the mountain, small groups also ensures a higher safety rate, or so I assume.<br />
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Pretty soon after starting I realised this was going to be difficult, who was I kidding. I have one sober evening in three months and think I am prepared for a 6000m mountain, not the most prudent planning. By the time my group reached 5400m, I was seriously struggling to breathe and my body was not moving very fast, it wasn't long before my partner transferred to a less infirm group. I refused to give up though, and carried on until the hardest part which is basically a section that has a ridiculous 60 degree angle (the guide said 45 but I refuse to believe that for one second so I will happily exaggerate). I was literally hyperventilating and putting every last bit of strength into every attempt at getting my axe into the ice wall, it may have been only a hundred metres or so of ice but without a doubt the most difficult physical thing I can ever remember doing.<br />
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As soon as you crest this section the wind hits you, a repetitive wet slap in the face as by this stage there is hail coming in at the most obnoxious angle and your body is just been buffeted by the wind as you are out in the open. I knew I was on my last legs by this stage but refused to quit mentally, however, it wasn't long til my body had had enough and I literally sank to my knees and braced myself with the axe at 5725m. All this time my guide had been giving me words of encouragement and never once suggested turning around, a real trouper, but I bet he was only more than relieved when I said I had to turn back.<br />
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Getting back was just as difficult as getting to where my body capitulated, don't let that downhill gradient fool you. First of all, I had to navigate that 60, maybe even 70 degree section again, only this time I couldn't see anything below me which was a bit scary considering I was completely void of all energy. Next came the slow slog down the mountain face which was excruciatingly slow as I had to slop every couple steps just to get my breath back, I really couldn't breathe at all by this stage.<br />
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By the time I reached the bottom, even taking my crampons off left me close to fainting, all I wanted to do was pass out somewhere and catch my breath.. However, once inside the base camp, a cup of coca tea and a hot bowl of soup restored some pallor to my cheeks and by the time other people stumbled in I could almost string a sentence together without pausing for breath, thankfully I wasn't the only one who didn't make it, but hats off to those who did.<br />
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In hindsight, the two day/one night trip was always a bad idea as it really didn't leave me with enough time to acclimatise and I should have known this considering last year I fell apart at 4900m in India. The smart money would be on doing the three day/two night hike instead. This allows your body time to recover from the initial walk up to base camp and additional time to get your body used to the increased elevation. This is one of the easier 6000m mountain's to summit, and with a bit more cop on I feel I could have been successful, unfortunately not this time round. Perhaps next time.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com1Huayna Potosí, Bolivia-16.2618936 -68.151969899999983-41.7839281 -109.46056389999998 9.2601409 -26.843375899999984tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-74833762172761731172013-04-30T07:49:00.001-07:002013-04-30T08:09:32.066-07:00Salar de Uyuni: Three day tour on the world's largest salt flat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Coming into
Uyuni there isn't much going on, the outskirts of it look run down and there isn’t
much to see in this dust bowl of a town in the south of Bolivia until you
approach the town centre, which is constantly alive with the constant flow of
traffic heading out to the Salar de Uyuni, the biggest salt flats in the world
and this area’s biggest attraction.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Finding a
tour is easy, there are so many tour operators so to pick the best
one, as mentioned before, just go with your gut or take the advice of other fellow travellers, the chances are you’ll meet loads of people going the
other way who have already done it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Tours can
range from 1 to 3 days but by and large most people stick to the classic three
day/ two night tour. This includes driver (unlikely to speak English but loves to
be called Macho Man, real name Franz), food and water (but I recommend bringing
some of your own water as it’s easy to get dehydrated) and accommodation.
Alcohol is not included but can be bought along the way for a cheeky mark up; my
advice, bring some with you. It will keep you warm in the cold nights and make
you very popular with your peers.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Day one
starts off at around 10:30am where you meet the rest of your group and your
driver. After looking the Land Cruiser up and down and giving it your seal of
approval (everyone is a car expert in these situations of course), you set off
to the train cemetery on the outskirts of town. There is actually a functioning
railway in Uyuni but this section has long been disused and for the past fifty
years the trains and carriages here have slowly been rusting away to become
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After
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products if you haven’t already bought loads. There is a salt museum where you
can see how the salt in the area is refined but this is pretty much a stop to
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Once on the
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changes completely as you leave the dry, sandy roads behind and head out across
the salt flats with nothing but blue skies merging into white salt on the
horizon. Upon arriving at the salar hostel some thirty minute drive into the flats, lunch
is served and you can get started on those all important poses with props. It’s
remarkable just how many photos you can take in such a short time. </span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After this,
the tour leads onto Incahuasi island: this is basically a hilly outcrop in the
middle of the salar with cacti growing all over it. Amazing that it is just
there in the middle of nowhere but I wouldn’t say it was all important to pay
the 30 Boliviano fee to walk around it, although this does include toilet privileges
which are always important on jeep tours of this nature. This is also another great
spot for photos and larking about in the salt. After here it is an hour or so
drive across the flats to San Juan to get ready for the night at the hostel and
get to know the other people in your tour group over dinner and wine. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Depending
on the tour, you could get up early on day two and see the sunrise on the flats,
unfortunately this wasn’t included in our itinerary even though we were told we
could do it. When booking these tours you have to take the rough with the
smooth, it wasn’t the end of the world though as one of the drivers of another
tour was hammered by 8am, so some of the people on that tour had to drive
for a bit. These Bolivians like a cheeky tipple when behind the wheel now and again I'm afraid.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The day
starts off driving through the much smaller salt flat, Salar de Chiguna which
hugs the Chilean border. The railway into Chile actually passes through this
salt flat and you have to cross over here to then head south, passing the
active volcano Ollague as you go. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">During the
course of the next couple hours, there are several lagoons on the way where
flocks of flamingos gather and strut around. All the lagoons are different
colours due to the minerals and are always changing shade depending on the sun, over the course of the next two days you come across five: Canapa (blue), Hedionda (red), Charcota (green), Honda (brown) and Ramaditas (grey).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The next stop is Arbre de Pierre, this is basically a rock that looks like a tree surrounded by other interestingly shaped rocks which have no business been in the middle of this harsh, sandy environment. After yet another photo shoot it is on to the hostel for the night which is located by Laguna Colorada, here a park entrance fee is of 150 Bolivianos is required which is pretty steep but once you walk to the viewpoint of the lagoon it's totally worth it as the view is astounding. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There's an early start on day three, up at 5am (give or take an hour depending on how much your driver had to drink the previous night) and on to the geysers nearby. There's a small one you can pose by and jump through and then some hundred metres away there are a few more, but these are substantially bigger. Getting close isn't a good idea. Following here you receive breakfast and head into the thermal spa outside the breakfast hut. It's pretty small but after a couple days of not showering, the warm, soothing water feels amazing.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At this stage you are pretty much at the borders of Chile and Argentina so from here it is a long old slog back the way you came to Uyuni through the desert until you come across the main road to get back to town. Having seen most of the sights the previous two days this day is more for getting back more than anything else apart from the odd lagoon which you didn't see before.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All in all I had a cracking time</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. I made some great new friends, had a solid driver who spoke no English beyond 'very good' and 'Macho Man', the food was good, plenty of wine to be found and some spectacular scenery which constantly changed along the way. I wasn't originally going to do this trip but I'm a changed man and would recommend it to anyone. A real must for any visitor to South America, let alone Bolivia.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-3105240220469908742013-04-15T07:55:00.001-07:002013-04-15T07:55:49.700-07:00World's Most Dangerous Road by bike, La Paz to Corioco, Bolivia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Known as the 'Road of Death' and dubbed the most dangerous road in the world, the Yungas Road leads from La Paz to Corioco, and for 70 or so breathtaking kilometres you can cycle downhill and let gravity do all (most) of the work. <br />
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From La Paz, there are several tour companies who offer trips up to the mountains for you to free wheel down at break neck speeds and varying conditions. You can shop around but the best thing to do here is either to go on the recommendation of other travellers who have done it and didn't get into any bother, or to just trust your gut.<br />
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The tour starts with hotel pick up (depending on the tour agency you use) and then you drive up to La Cumbre, 4700m above sea level, the start of the trip. Here, you leave the minivans and everyone is given a jacket, knee and elbow pads and a helmet, obviously you get a bike too. After safety instructions where the same thing is repeated for quite some time, essentially the guides kindly asking you not to get yourselves killed, you start off down the hill.<br />
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At this stage, the road is paved but at this elevation the weather can be erratic at best and on this day it was tearing down with rain and with no mud guards on my bike (decent tread and brakes were my only pre-requisite) it wasn't long before the standing water was blinding me and I couldn't see a thing. Pretty soon you reach ridiculous speeds and overtake all the slow moving traffic, hoping there isn't another truck or bus coming around the next corner.<br />
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After a drop of about 1600m, there is a check point where a mandatory fee is required before carrying on. At this stage, some tour companies load the bikes and drive the next section as it is pretty hilly and at 3000m oxygen is pretty scarce when cycling, mercifully the company I was with did this rather than having to cycle uphill, heaven forbid.<br />
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Once the road is basically all downhill again, the bikes are offloaded and with the assistance of gravity, the group takes off down the hill again. There are various stops along the way to get the group together again, to take advantage of photo opportunities and as you head down into the valley, all those layers at the top are very unnecessary and various stops are needed just to de-layer. Come the end of the tour, everyone is just in T-shirt and whatever pants they have on as around 1100m it is much warmer.<br />
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Depending on the tour, there is an all you can eat spread waiting for you at the bottom and a shower, this you will need as the road is rocky, then sandy, then wet and so at the bottom you really are covered in muck from head to toe. However, the adrenaline is still pumping as you recall all those hairy turns with sheer cliffs and all the crosses that act as a reminder that this is a dangerous road where deaths happen often enough. Recent years have seen a decline in these as there is a new road which most trucks and buses use now so the road is now basically for the use of cycling down. An awesome experience which can be taken as slowly or as quickly as you like, just make sure your brakes work and you are holding on tight.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check point</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snacks if you so wish</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start of the 'dangerous' section</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691440013928644049noreply@blogger.com0Nuestra Señora de La Paz, Bolivia-16.4990099 -68.146248000000014-16.7425789 -68.468971500000009 -16.2554409 -67.823524500000019tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998982320158529044.post-13464223410188117742013-04-09T17:43:00.002-07:002013-04-09T17:43:32.493-07:00Mendoza: Wine capital of Argentina<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mendoza is pretty much on everyone's itinerary when they come to Argentina, I haven't met anyone who hasn't already been or isn't planning on going. Situated pretty much bang in the middle of the country and with a front row seat of the Andes mountain range, it is a picturesque city in an unimaginably beautiful setting. With an elevation of around 800m above sea level and winds whipping down over the Andes, it really is an optimal place to grow grapes and olives. <br />
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As well as being a lovely city with a sprawling park, wide avenues and many places to relax, enjoy a drink and people watch, the main attraction here are the cycle wine tours. There are two ways to do these: go through a tour company as with everything else, or just go on your own steam. The second option allows much more flexibility, less money and at the end of the day is probably more enjoyable as you can go at your own pace and stay at a particular vineyard longer if you so wish.<br />
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From Mendoza, hop on one of the many buses heading out to the Maipu area, this takes about 45 minutes and all the bus drivers are familiar with tourists getting on and dropping them off at bike rental places. There are plenty to chose from and they pretty much all offer the same thing: a bike with helmet and discounts at vineyards which they are in league with. <br />
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The main road through the town runs on for kilometres, with many roads branching off and leading to different vineyards. At the rental shop, a map is provided so the easiest thing is to suss out which vineyards you fancy going to (usually the ones where a discount is available) and just cycle off in that direction.<br />
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As a group we decided to head to the olive farm first to check out how olive oil is made and try out some liqueurs. There are a few places in Maipu to go for this so we just chose the one recommended by Mr. Hugo, the guy who owns the bike rental place we went to. <br />
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At the olive farm we were given the exclusive tour of the place where basically we were shown the machine which presses the olives to make the olive oil, a distilling machine for booze and a single olive tree (that's right, one), apparently you don't get to see the actual fields of olive trees (assuming they exist). After this slight let down we were escorted into the tasting room where, to start, there was a table laid out with bread and various forms of olive paste. The garlic and olive one was particularly good and something I will be making for sure when I get back home. After these starters, we got to try some liqueurs; these ranged from palatable rose petal and tia maria to whisky and absinthe. Needless to say the absinthe was like drinking fire but the whisky was pretty good.<br />
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From here it was on to the actual vineyards. On a map, everything looks pretty close together and our initial thought was how unnecessary the bikes were, however, some 6km further up the road you soon start to realise how not to scale the map is. At the first vineyard things were looking up as the group was taken outside to be given a talk on the grapes used, however that is where it ended and we were chaperoned into the old winery, seeing a distinct trend emerging here.<br />
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The winery turned out to be ancient, circa 1854 or there abouts, and as a result of this it is now a listed building so the owners can't make wine in there anymore. Consequently, this is now the wine cellar and the place where the tour and the tasting takes place. Four different types of wine to try but I would hardly call those tasters now, going to have to up their game I think.<br />
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Had the unfortunate occurrence of getting a puncture within the group but no matter as Mr Hugo will replace bikes when this happens, all this did was give us a cheeky half hour to just buy some more wine, chill in the 'picnic area' (old machinery graveyard) and wait, nothing wrong with that.<br />
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Now I know it's 'tasting' but I wouldn't mind a little more in my glass and the inevitable group decision was to just buy bottles of wine at the next place which had an affable host, excellent views and delicious wine. With the sun beating down and good company we easily killed an hour or too before heading off to the local beer garden, accompanied by our own police escort, for pizza and a pint. A wonderful way to cap the day.<br />
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I'd recommend this to anyone. Don't bother booking it with a tour agency or anything like that; get the bus to Maipu,
turn up on spec, rent a bike form the rental place you feel most
comfortable with and just go. Simple. Just don't buy the 4.75 litre
bottles of wine available at the local shop by Mr Hugo's, apparently a
little overindulgence can lead to a mild case of memory loss. <br />
<br />
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