Friday was a busy day, with a tour of the nearby moon valley planned as well as stargazing at night. Despite this we had a free morning so I had a good lie in. San Pedro is a small oasis town in the Atacama desert in northern Chile. It's a quirky little place - low-lying adobe buildings line the narrow streets, leading to a sleepy tree-lined plaza that's home to a pretty white-washed church. I spent the morning relaxing, going out for lunch at a local restaurant which had good wifi and spent much of the afternoon there. San Pedro itself is very hipster and touristy and I liked the vibe a lot.
Our moon valley tour had a 3pm meeting time. The unusual desert landscape of "Moon Valley", just a short distance outside San Pedro, is home to other-worldly rock formations, unusual layer-cake landscapes and huge dunes to combine and create some incredible views. The sunsets here can be
amazing, the changing light turning the stone and sand a kaleidoscope of
different colours. Our first stop was an area full of rock formations where we walked through deep passages and even caves, even having the option to do some challenging sections of scrambling.
We then continued onto an area where we saw this massive sand dune. We couldn't sandboard on it though unfortunately. The views were pretty stunning though. Our stop after that was a short hike to the top of this hill where we got more amazing views. Our final stop was sunset time where we sat on the edge of the cliff, basically the plate boundary because you see your obvious scar in the ground and watched an amazing sunset. Sunset is now like 8 to half 8 so the days are definetly getting longer.
When getting back to to San Pedro we had time to kill before our stargazing tour which started at 12. I therefore went to this local steak house for dinner and had a proper lump of meat which was really good. I then relaxed before heading off stargazing in the desert. We had a very informative guide and the sky was so clear. You could literally see the milky way and he pointed out many different formations out to us which was really interesting. We even had 9 different telescopes set up to view various different stars and constellations. I however didn't get to bed until 3am!
Saturday was an early start, having to meet at 5am for back locker so I didn't get much sleep. With a border crossing, a lot of distance to cover, and our route going straight over the Andes, we were braced for a potential long day. En route to the border a lorry carrying loads of new cars fell over which want great, but we eventually got to the border and it took ages to get through. They basically wanted to completely empty out truck, and wouldn't stamp us in until they had touched everything. They even had dogs and x rays.
When we finally got through we stopped for a roadside lunch a short way down the road. Lunch was empanadas, and we were soon back on the road, not arriving into Salta until like 6pm. Salta is an attractive town in the north west of Argentina. Nicknamed "Salta la Linda" (or "Salta the Beautiful"), the city is well known as being a stunning town in a beautiful area. Home to some fantastic colonial architecture, the old town centres around the main plaza which is lined with cafes and restaurants, a great place to independently explore and soak up the serene Argentine atmosphere. After checking into the hotel we went out for dinner although it was a mission finding somewhere open because I think Argentinians have their Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve which meant everywhere was shut. In the end I found a burger van and just had to eat there.
Christmas day was a free day to explore Salta, although we had booked ourselves a bbq for the afternoon. Breakfast in the hotel in the morning was croissants and hams and cheeses and stuff, and after breakfast we did our secret Santa. I got an Inca Kola t shirt and a headband. We then had the morning to relax before heading out to the bbq at 1, which was at a hostel out of town. It was quite disappointing in reality basically being chicken, wedges, and salad, although there was a lot of it, and obviously the drinks were flowing.
We had the option to go back after the bbq or stay at the hostel and catch taxis back later, so I decided to stay and we played pool and sat by the swimming pool until late, before getting back to Salta at about 10. For dinner I went to McDonald's which was open like most of the rest of the town which was heaving. We then sat in the hotel lobby and it was quite a late night.
Wednesday, 28 December 2016
Sunday, 25 December 2016
Bolivian Altiplano
Wednesday was finally our time to leave Uyuni, and we had made a plan to get past the road blocks by basically bribing the protesters. After a buffet breakfast and doing some shopping for food whilst on the altiplano, we left and after 15 minutes or so we're met by the road block. Unlike the others, the protesters had blocked a bridge which meant going round was impossible. We therefore went with our bribe plan, firstly trying coco leaves, and then money, but they wouldn't let us past.
Whilst this was happening I got out the truck with a few others and started clearing the road of rocks. The protesters however had phoned for back up and we were soon confronted with angry locals with rocks and pick axes and had to leg it back to the truck where we simply had to put our foot down and drive off to avoid conflict. We therefore ended up back at square one in Uyuni. We decided to have lunch when getting back to think of a plan b. Lunch was simply sandwiches. With the hotel being next to an army base, we managed to get some army officials to come to the road block with us and they eventually managed to get us through. The tail back of lorries affected by the block as we passed the other side was massive. We were finally on our way to the Bolivian altiplano.
The high Bolivian altiplano stretches hundreds of kilometres from the small town of Uyuni out across to the borders with Argentina and Chile. It is real wilderness - there are no roads up there, just a few tracks to follow, and you're
more likely to see llama or flamingo than another human being! Wild and remote, the high altiplano is made up of barren semi-desert open plains dotted by streams and lakes, many of which appear vividly coloured due to the mineral deposits in the water. The lakes are flanked by the impressive volcanic peaks of the high Bolivian Andes. The altitude is considerable and it can be very cold and windy.
As it took so long to get out of Uyuni, not actually getting out until about half 2, we decided to just get to our stop for the night in the mountain refuge before dark. En route we stopped at San Cristobal for snacks, and then later at the rock valley which had some very interesting rock formations. The drive was interesting though as we encountered a sand storm which meant the visibility was very poor. There was also a lot of lightning in the distance. We arrived at our mountain refuge before dark.
When arriving we set up our kitchens, before having some free time while they were cooking dinner where I went up to visit this plane wreckage. I managed to stand on the wing and this all took place during sunset! Dinner in the evening was chilli con carne, followed by this pannetone. We then sat inside the basic shelter we were sleeping in before having an early night with an early start morning, as well as me being on breakfast duty.
I was up at like 5am in the morning ready to cook breakfast which was eggs bread. It was pretty straight forward and after clearing up we left promptly for a full on day of sightseeing with a border crossing chucked in for good measure. The scenery from the truck was spectacular and very remote and we saw plenty of Llamas en route. Our first stop was laguna Colorada which was a redish coloured lake home to many flamingoes. To avoid scaring them we all walked in one long line and approached the lake slowly. We managed to get right to the lake edge without scaring them and got a brilliant view of them as well as some stunning surrounding scenery!
After the lake we continued onto these geysers, first stopping at this man made one where we were able to tread on this hole and make a lot of the volcanic gas spew out! We then went to the real deal where we saw a massive amount of gas come out of the ground as well bubbling mud. It reminded me a lot of Rotorua. The next stop was lunch where we ate next to the hot springs and another lake full of flamingoes. Lunch was the usual which was nice and easy to prepare.
The final stop before the border was laguna Verde which was a green coloured lake which turned blue in the wind. It wasn't windy so it was just green. We then pushed towards the border which was basically just a shed in the middle of nowhere where we got stamped out. The drive to the Chilean border was another 50km away however so we effectively drove through no man's land for a good hour. The Chilean border was a lot tougher however and unlike the other borders we had to have the truck searched and our bags scanned through x rays so it took a while.
We eventually got through, although it was quite late when arriving in San Pedro de Atacama, not helped by the clocks going forward an hour. After checking into our hotel we went out to get money and food, where a few of us went to a local restaurant where I had a bbq which was basically a plate full of meat! We then went back to the hotel and started our week of wine drinking with us passing through many different wine regions in the coming days, and it was really nice.
Whilst this was happening I got out the truck with a few others and started clearing the road of rocks. The protesters however had phoned for back up and we were soon confronted with angry locals with rocks and pick axes and had to leg it back to the truck where we simply had to put our foot down and drive off to avoid conflict. We therefore ended up back at square one in Uyuni. We decided to have lunch when getting back to think of a plan b. Lunch was simply sandwiches. With the hotel being next to an army base, we managed to get some army officials to come to the road block with us and they eventually managed to get us through. The tail back of lorries affected by the block as we passed the other side was massive. We were finally on our way to the Bolivian altiplano.
The high Bolivian altiplano stretches hundreds of kilometres from the small town of Uyuni out across to the borders with Argentina and Chile. It is real wilderness - there are no roads up there, just a few tracks to follow, and you're
more likely to see llama or flamingo than another human being! Wild and remote, the high altiplano is made up of barren semi-desert open plains dotted by streams and lakes, many of which appear vividly coloured due to the mineral deposits in the water. The lakes are flanked by the impressive volcanic peaks of the high Bolivian Andes. The altitude is considerable and it can be very cold and windy.
As it took so long to get out of Uyuni, not actually getting out until about half 2, we decided to just get to our stop for the night in the mountain refuge before dark. En route we stopped at San Cristobal for snacks, and then later at the rock valley which had some very interesting rock formations. The drive was interesting though as we encountered a sand storm which meant the visibility was very poor. There was also a lot of lightning in the distance. We arrived at our mountain refuge before dark.
When arriving we set up our kitchens, before having some free time while they were cooking dinner where I went up to visit this plane wreckage. I managed to stand on the wing and this all took place during sunset! Dinner in the evening was chilli con carne, followed by this pannetone. We then sat inside the basic shelter we were sleeping in before having an early night with an early start morning, as well as me being on breakfast duty.
I was up at like 5am in the morning ready to cook breakfast which was eggs bread. It was pretty straight forward and after clearing up we left promptly for a full on day of sightseeing with a border crossing chucked in for good measure. The scenery from the truck was spectacular and very remote and we saw plenty of Llamas en route. Our first stop was laguna Colorada which was a redish coloured lake home to many flamingoes. To avoid scaring them we all walked in one long line and approached the lake slowly. We managed to get right to the lake edge without scaring them and got a brilliant view of them as well as some stunning surrounding scenery!
After the lake we continued onto these geysers, first stopping at this man made one where we were able to tread on this hole and make a lot of the volcanic gas spew out! We then went to the real deal where we saw a massive amount of gas come out of the ground as well bubbling mud. It reminded me a lot of Rotorua. The next stop was lunch where we ate next to the hot springs and another lake full of flamingoes. Lunch was the usual which was nice and easy to prepare.
The final stop before the border was laguna Verde which was a green coloured lake which turned blue in the wind. It wasn't windy so it was just green. We then pushed towards the border which was basically just a shed in the middle of nowhere where we got stamped out. The drive to the Chilean border was another 50km away however so we effectively drove through no man's land for a good hour. The Chilean border was a lot tougher however and unlike the other borders we had to have the truck searched and our bags scanned through x rays so it took a while.
We eventually got through, although it was quite late when arriving in San Pedro de Atacama, not helped by the clocks going forward an hour. After checking into our hotel we went out to get money and food, where a few of us went to a local restaurant where I had a bbq which was basically a plate full of meat! We then went back to the hotel and started our week of wine drinking with us passing through many different wine regions in the coming days, and it was really nice.
Friday, 23 December 2016
Uyuni
We left Potosi relatively early so we could visit this train museum which was apparently the site Butch Cassidy was killed. We also wanted to arrive into our next stop in Uyuni in time for lunch. After breakfast we set off and made good progress, with some very wild west like scenery outside, and a lot of Llamas. Unfortunately we got a phone call after a few hours informing us of protests surrounding Uyuni and as a result we decided to skip the train museum as it sounded nasty.
We soon arrived in proximity of Uyuni but we're met by this road block where the police informed not to continue and take an alternative route into the town. The locals had literally blocked the road with rocks and were angrily throwing them in our direction. Our only choice was to turn off the road and go off road to avoid the chaos. We basically followed the dried up river, doing some serious off road manoeuvres which was actually quite uncomfortable in what was effectively a truck.
After stopping many times to assess the terrain, we got to a sandy section where we basically got stuck. As a result the shovels came out and we dug ourselves out, but got stuck again another 3 times! We eventually got onto better terrain, but we soon came across some vehicles in front who were stuck themselves, so ended up having to help them out before we could continue. We eventually got to Uyuni at about half 2, a lot later than expected but we made it. Apparently there are road blockades all around Uyuni so it could be interesting leaving.
Uyuni itself feels a bit like you've reached the end of the road. The remote small town sits on the edge of the high altiplano, a wilderness that extends for hundreds of kilometres towards the border with Argentina and Chile. After checking into the hotel we went out for lunch where I had the tacos. We also discovered Gus had a lot of issues arriving too as they reached the blockade we got to, and then the locals boxed them in by throwing rocks behind the truck effectively trapping them. Luckily they got out but they had to walk 7km into town and leave the truck trapped with the driver as there wasn't much else they could do.
After lunch I had a look round the town, before heading back to the hotel to relax before dinner. Dinner was pizza which was amazing, and I even had chocolate cake for dessert. I was going to go to this place called the extreme fun pub after dinner which has some pretty lethal drinking challenges, although I was still feeling pretty achy so I decided to lie down in the hotel instead before bed.
We had a relative lie in Tuesday ready for a day trip to nearby salt flats. Salar de Uyuni is a truly unforgettable sight, and a landscape quite unlike anything anywhere else in the world! The Salar de Uyuni is a dazzling dry lake of over 12,000 sq. kms, made of blinding white interlocking salt crystals. It is the world's largest salt pan, and is bright white expanse that stretches as far as the eye can see. Getting there was the issue though as the locals had created roadblocks on most roads out the town. First stop however was the nearby train graveyard which was a series of abandoned train carriages and engines left to rust over many years. It was very eerie although we were able to climb on them and get plenty of time to explore.
After the train graveyard we started heading towards the salt flats. As the main road had been blocked by protesters we took an alternative route off road. Some locals saw us leave however and lobbed rocks at us as we left. From what I can make out they are protesting over land rights with the government, and as a result are trying to shut down the town for tourists as a message of intent to the government. A bit further down the road we found they had dug trenches in road to stop us, which meant we had to get out and fill them in. There were several of these which slowed us down a lot, but we eventually got through and rejoined the main road past the roadblocks.
En route to the salt flats we stopped at a market where we also visited a salt processing plant to learn how they use the salt. We also had chance to explore the market. The next stop a short way on was a monument for the Dakar rally as well as a series of flags. By now we were on the salt flats and I was glad I invested in a pair of sunglasses as it was so bright. We then continued driving for an hour or so to this island full of cactuses where we had lunch. Lunch was chicken, pasta, roast potatoes, and salad.
After lunch we had chance to explore the cactus island which also presented us with brilliant views of the salt flats. It was about a half hour walk round the island. We then drove a short way to get some perspective bending photos. Our driver had fallen asleep in the toilets however so we had to wake him up as everyone else drove off without us! We spent a while taking photos before driving back to Uyuni.
On the way back it started raining, although it didn't come to anything. When approaching Uyuni however the locals had clocked onto the route we took and they were waiting for us with shovels and rocks and had completely blocked the road. As our drivers were Bolivian they got out and in the end we had to bribe them to pass. We eventually got to Uyuni and the hotel although it's going to be fun leaving tomorrow as practically every road is blocked with protesters. Gus is still stranded with the driver. When getting back I went out for dinner somewhere with actual wifi and ate this beef based dish. I then relaxed in the hotel before going to bed.
We soon arrived in proximity of Uyuni but we're met by this road block where the police informed not to continue and take an alternative route into the town. The locals had literally blocked the road with rocks and were angrily throwing them in our direction. Our only choice was to turn off the road and go off road to avoid the chaos. We basically followed the dried up river, doing some serious off road manoeuvres which was actually quite uncomfortable in what was effectively a truck.
After stopping many times to assess the terrain, we got to a sandy section where we basically got stuck. As a result the shovels came out and we dug ourselves out, but got stuck again another 3 times! We eventually got onto better terrain, but we soon came across some vehicles in front who were stuck themselves, so ended up having to help them out before we could continue. We eventually got to Uyuni at about half 2, a lot later than expected but we made it. Apparently there are road blockades all around Uyuni so it could be interesting leaving.
Uyuni itself feels a bit like you've reached the end of the road. The remote small town sits on the edge of the high altiplano, a wilderness that extends for hundreds of kilometres towards the border with Argentina and Chile. After checking into the hotel we went out for lunch where I had the tacos. We also discovered Gus had a lot of issues arriving too as they reached the blockade we got to, and then the locals boxed them in by throwing rocks behind the truck effectively trapping them. Luckily they got out but they had to walk 7km into town and leave the truck trapped with the driver as there wasn't much else they could do.
After lunch I had a look round the town, before heading back to the hotel to relax before dinner. Dinner was pizza which was amazing, and I even had chocolate cake for dessert. I was going to go to this place called the extreme fun pub after dinner which has some pretty lethal drinking challenges, although I was still feeling pretty achy so I decided to lie down in the hotel instead before bed.
We had a relative lie in Tuesday ready for a day trip to nearby salt flats. Salar de Uyuni is a truly unforgettable sight, and a landscape quite unlike anything anywhere else in the world! The Salar de Uyuni is a dazzling dry lake of over 12,000 sq. kms, made of blinding white interlocking salt crystals. It is the world's largest salt pan, and is bright white expanse that stretches as far as the eye can see. Getting there was the issue though as the locals had created roadblocks on most roads out the town. First stop however was the nearby train graveyard which was a series of abandoned train carriages and engines left to rust over many years. It was very eerie although we were able to climb on them and get plenty of time to explore.
After the train graveyard we started heading towards the salt flats. As the main road had been blocked by protesters we took an alternative route off road. Some locals saw us leave however and lobbed rocks at us as we left. From what I can make out they are protesting over land rights with the government, and as a result are trying to shut down the town for tourists as a message of intent to the government. A bit further down the road we found they had dug trenches in road to stop us, which meant we had to get out and fill them in. There were several of these which slowed us down a lot, but we eventually got through and rejoined the main road past the roadblocks.
En route to the salt flats we stopped at a market where we also visited a salt processing plant to learn how they use the salt. We also had chance to explore the market. The next stop a short way on was a monument for the Dakar rally as well as a series of flags. By now we were on the salt flats and I was glad I invested in a pair of sunglasses as it was so bright. We then continued driving for an hour or so to this island full of cactuses where we had lunch. Lunch was chicken, pasta, roast potatoes, and salad.
After lunch we had chance to explore the cactus island which also presented us with brilliant views of the salt flats. It was about a half hour walk round the island. We then drove a short way to get some perspective bending photos. Our driver had fallen asleep in the toilets however so we had to wake him up as everyone else drove off without us! We spent a while taking photos before driving back to Uyuni.
On the way back it started raining, although it didn't come to anything. When approaching Uyuni however the locals had clocked onto the route we took and they were waiting for us with shovels and rocks and had completely blocked the road. As our drivers were Bolivian they got out and in the end we had to bribe them to pass. We eventually got to Uyuni and the hotel although it's going to be fun leaving tomorrow as practically every road is blocked with protesters. Gus is still stranded with the driver. When getting back I went out for dinner somewhere with actual wifi and ate this beef based dish. I then relaxed in the hotel before going to bed.
Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Ojo del Inca and Potosi
Saturday was billed as one of the long drive days, which meant an early start in the morning to leave La Paz before the traffic built up. Breakfast was the usual South American option, and we ended up leaving by 7 to our next destination of Ojo del Inca. The drive was surprising smooth although there were a few road blocks which meant we had a few off road diversions. En route we stopped for lunch in the middle nowhere and had a truck lunch which was very nice.
We arrived at Ojo del Inca at about 4. Ojo del Inca (meaning "Eye of the Inca") is an almost perfectly-circular volcanic lake in the Tarapaya Canyon. We camped by the lake in what was effectively a car park. After putting the tents and setting up all the cooking equipment, we had time to relax. I decided to go up to the top of the hill, although I made the mistake of going up in my flip flops. I basically hit my big toe on rock and gashed it open. Luckily I had my first aid kit and used it first time on the trip.
Dinner in the evening was a beef stew, and after dinner we joined with Gus and had a camp fire. It was a pretty nippy evening but a great atmosphere. It was weird not being able to drink though! We did have a few problems with these nearby Argentinians camping though who were very drunk, and came over to us a couple of times and got a bit iffy over the Falklands. They even tried to beat up one of our guides. It was all in all a good evening though.
In the morning we only had a 40 minute drive to our next stop in Potosi. Breakfast was pancakes, and prior to breakfast I went for a swim in the nearby lake which was nice and warm. We left at 9 and were in Potosi in no time. After checking into the hotel we had a free day, so I went for a walk round the town which was looking very christmassy. A lot of places were shut though as it was a Sunday and a public holiday. I did find a restaurant which was Chinese with wifi and we sat in there for a while.
Situated at over 4000m, Potosi is one of the highest in the world. It is famous for its mining heritage, and we had the chance to go inside the working mine. I didn't do this however as no one wanted to do it because they thought it was wrong to see poor people and even children in a working mine, which was a good point. I instead went to the nearby Christmas market which was lots of fun, before going out to a nearby cafe with a few others to relax. For dinner we went to this steak restaurant, and after dinner I had an early night as I wasn't feeling very well.
We arrived at Ojo del Inca at about 4. Ojo del Inca (meaning "Eye of the Inca") is an almost perfectly-circular volcanic lake in the Tarapaya Canyon. We camped by the lake in what was effectively a car park. After putting the tents and setting up all the cooking equipment, we had time to relax. I decided to go up to the top of the hill, although I made the mistake of going up in my flip flops. I basically hit my big toe on rock and gashed it open. Luckily I had my first aid kit and used it first time on the trip.
Dinner in the evening was a beef stew, and after dinner we joined with Gus and had a camp fire. It was a pretty nippy evening but a great atmosphere. It was weird not being able to drink though! We did have a few problems with these nearby Argentinians camping though who were very drunk, and came over to us a couple of times and got a bit iffy over the Falklands. They even tried to beat up one of our guides. It was all in all a good evening though.
In the morning we only had a 40 minute drive to our next stop in Potosi. Breakfast was pancakes, and prior to breakfast I went for a swim in the nearby lake which was nice and warm. We left at 9 and were in Potosi in no time. After checking into the hotel we had a free day, so I went for a walk round the town which was looking very christmassy. A lot of places were shut though as it was a Sunday and a public holiday. I did find a restaurant which was Chinese with wifi and we sat in there for a while.
Situated at over 4000m, Potosi is one of the highest in the world. It is famous for its mining heritage, and we had the chance to go inside the working mine. I didn't do this however as no one wanted to do it because they thought it was wrong to see poor people and even children in a working mine, which was a good point. I instead went to the nearby Christmas market which was lots of fun, before going out to a nearby cafe with a few others to relax. For dinner we went to this steak restaurant, and after dinner I had an early night as I wasn't feeling very well.
Sunday, 18 December 2016
La Paz
We had an early start on the Wednesday being in the middle of the island along with a sizable drive to our next stop in La Paz. After another egg based breakfast we hiked down to the jetty which was about a half hour walk down a very rocky path before boarding our boat back to Copacabana. It was a more overcast day which made it less intense sitting on the roof deck of the boat as the sun can be really intense sometimes. We arrived back to Copacabana in good time and we were on the road by 9.
Under normal circumstances the journey to La Paz is meant to take about 4 hours. We however had to take an alternative route which made it a little longer. Part of this required us to put Amber on a barge across the lake which we took this awful boat across. It was literally falling apart! We eventually got the other side of the lake and continued driving, although there were a lot of road blocks and off road sections. We didn't eventually arrived in El Alto, a suburb of La Paz that has grown to be a city in its own right. It felt as if they had dug up every road here!
We soon finally got our first view of La Paz, spectacularly located lying huddled in a canyon basin, hiding from the harsh conditions of the surrounding altiplano. La Paz a fascinating city - the old town and more expensive neighbourhoods at the bottom of the canyon in the centre, surrounded by sprawling shanty-towns which extend up the slopes of the bowl, merging into the huge Aymara district of El Alto. The city skyline is dominated by the snow-capped peaks of Mount Illimani, a staggeringly beautiful backdrop that leaves many visitors stunned when then catch their first glimpse of the city as they descend into the canyon. We stopped at the top by the cable car for pictures before dropping into the city.
We arrived in good time in the end, although we were warned of various scams before getting off the truck as the city is notorious for muggings and violent crime. I spent the afternoon relaxing, before going down the pub to watch the Saints game. Dinner in the evening was curry at a local Indian restaurant, although we have now established Bolivia cannot cope with large groups. My rice literally came out first, and then my curry last. They brought me chapattis but thought it was a samosa. And they were clueless in presenting the bill in the end.
Thursday was one of the highlights of the trip, a chance to cycle the infamous Bolivian death road. When open to traffic about 300 people died a year, but in 2006 they built a new road. The road is still open to traffic although a lot less people use it. In terms of cyclists only 18 people have died since 1998. We had an early start and drove up to 4800m where we had a safety briefing and were kitted out in warm clothing as it was freezing. We had chance to test out the bikes which had really strong brakes and the most amazing suspension ever. Prior to leaving to had a pachamama ceremony for good luck where we poured alcohol on the floor, the bike, and then took a sip. It was 96% alcohol though!
We then left, heading down a tarmac road which pretty little visibility as we were above the clouds. It was a very bendy road but we eventually made it to this tunnel and the first off road section. Despite there being massive rocks the suspension made it feel like they weren't there! After this section we stopped for a snack before getting in our support vehicle to avoid an 8km uphill section. This brought us to the start of the official death road, and we soon saw why it had its name. The road soon became a loose gravel track with a sheer drop on one side, with no barriers and the width of just one vehicle in most places. And being the downhill vehicle meant we had to go on the edge.
En route we stopped at various places for pictures, including the point on top gear where Clarkson nearly fell off. It was fun racing the guide down too, and I really got some speed up with the road being downhill, although it was very bendy in places. We stopped often though so everyone else could catch up as most people were more cautious. Lower down the road got wider and we eventually made it to the bottom, even managing to beat the guide on a sprint finish. We had a cold beer waiting for us at the bottom which was much needed.
We had the option to go ziplining at the bottom although it wasn't as big as the one I did in Baños so I decided to stay in the pub. After people came back from ziplining we went to a local animal refuge which had things like monkeys, capybara, and tortoises. We also had lunch here, all be it a very late one. With a 3 hours journey back to La Paz along the new road, we given a choice of party bus or sleepy bus. I ended up on the party bus and it got quite lively, although I got attacked by a dog when going for a wee stop. We arrived back in La Paz by about 9 and went out for a few beers in the city.
When waking up in the morning I discovered the dog attack was worse than than I thought. I think I've had the rabies vaccination but that doesn't immunise you it just buys you time. Luckily on my truck there's a doctor travelling with us and she gave me medical advice and took me to the pharmacy to get some antibiotics. If I have got rabies though I am simply going to die, but I haven't shown any initial symptoms other than aching round the bite area, so fingers crossed. I'm banned from drinking for a week now though.
I spent the afternoon exploring La Paz, visiting a few of the nearby squares as well as a couple of the markets. The old town is full of markets and winding cobbled streets full of people in traditional Aymara clothing selling anything and everything you could ever think of, including dried llama foetuses and exotic potions on sale in the witch's market! I then sat down the english pub for a full English, before relaxing in the hotel in the afternoon. Come evening we learnt from our previous mistakes and went out in small groups for dinner, where I had the fillet steak which was really nice. I then headed back to the hotel for an early night.
Under normal circumstances the journey to La Paz is meant to take about 4 hours. We however had to take an alternative route which made it a little longer. Part of this required us to put Amber on a barge across the lake which we took this awful boat across. It was literally falling apart! We eventually got the other side of the lake and continued driving, although there were a lot of road blocks and off road sections. We didn't eventually arrived in El Alto, a suburb of La Paz that has grown to be a city in its own right. It felt as if they had dug up every road here!
We soon finally got our first view of La Paz, spectacularly located lying huddled in a canyon basin, hiding from the harsh conditions of the surrounding altiplano. La Paz a fascinating city - the old town and more expensive neighbourhoods at the bottom of the canyon in the centre, surrounded by sprawling shanty-towns which extend up the slopes of the bowl, merging into the huge Aymara district of El Alto. The city skyline is dominated by the snow-capped peaks of Mount Illimani, a staggeringly beautiful backdrop that leaves many visitors stunned when then catch their first glimpse of the city as they descend into the canyon. We stopped at the top by the cable car for pictures before dropping into the city.
We arrived in good time in the end, although we were warned of various scams before getting off the truck as the city is notorious for muggings and violent crime. I spent the afternoon relaxing, before going down the pub to watch the Saints game. Dinner in the evening was curry at a local Indian restaurant, although we have now established Bolivia cannot cope with large groups. My rice literally came out first, and then my curry last. They brought me chapattis but thought it was a samosa. And they were clueless in presenting the bill in the end.
Thursday was one of the highlights of the trip, a chance to cycle the infamous Bolivian death road. When open to traffic about 300 people died a year, but in 2006 they built a new road. The road is still open to traffic although a lot less people use it. In terms of cyclists only 18 people have died since 1998. We had an early start and drove up to 4800m where we had a safety briefing and were kitted out in warm clothing as it was freezing. We had chance to test out the bikes which had really strong brakes and the most amazing suspension ever. Prior to leaving to had a pachamama ceremony for good luck where we poured alcohol on the floor, the bike, and then took a sip. It was 96% alcohol though!
We then left, heading down a tarmac road which pretty little visibility as we were above the clouds. It was a very bendy road but we eventually made it to this tunnel and the first off road section. Despite there being massive rocks the suspension made it feel like they weren't there! After this section we stopped for a snack before getting in our support vehicle to avoid an 8km uphill section. This brought us to the start of the official death road, and we soon saw why it had its name. The road soon became a loose gravel track with a sheer drop on one side, with no barriers and the width of just one vehicle in most places. And being the downhill vehicle meant we had to go on the edge.
En route we stopped at various places for pictures, including the point on top gear where Clarkson nearly fell off. It was fun racing the guide down too, and I really got some speed up with the road being downhill, although it was very bendy in places. We stopped often though so everyone else could catch up as most people were more cautious. Lower down the road got wider and we eventually made it to the bottom, even managing to beat the guide on a sprint finish. We had a cold beer waiting for us at the bottom which was much needed.
We had the option to go ziplining at the bottom although it wasn't as big as the one I did in Baños so I decided to stay in the pub. After people came back from ziplining we went to a local animal refuge which had things like monkeys, capybara, and tortoises. We also had lunch here, all be it a very late one. With a 3 hours journey back to La Paz along the new road, we given a choice of party bus or sleepy bus. I ended up on the party bus and it got quite lively, although I got attacked by a dog when going for a wee stop. We arrived back in La Paz by about 9 and went out for a few beers in the city.
When waking up in the morning I discovered the dog attack was worse than than I thought. I think I've had the rabies vaccination but that doesn't immunise you it just buys you time. Luckily on my truck there's a doctor travelling with us and she gave me medical advice and took me to the pharmacy to get some antibiotics. If I have got rabies though I am simply going to die, but I haven't shown any initial symptoms other than aching round the bite area, so fingers crossed. I'm banned from drinking for a week now though.
I spent the afternoon exploring La Paz, visiting a few of the nearby squares as well as a couple of the markets. The old town is full of markets and winding cobbled streets full of people in traditional Aymara clothing selling anything and everything you could ever think of, including dried llama foetuses and exotic potions on sale in the witch's market! I then sat down the english pub for a full English, before relaxing in the hotel in the afternoon. Come evening we learnt from our previous mistakes and went out in small groups for dinner, where I had the fillet steak which was really nice. I then headed back to the hotel for an early night.
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Lake Tititaca
Saturday was another free day in Cusco, although I just had a lie in because of the night before. I had the option to visit various museums for free with my Cusco visitors pass but I instead ended up in the Irish bar for another full English. I ended up spending most of the afternoon in there watching the Leicester game, and then the Real Madrid game. After the pub I headed back to the hotel and relaxed, before going out for a Mr soup in the evening, and then bed.
Sunday was effectively a drive day, and with a 7am start we were braced for long day. Shortly after leaving Cusco we stopped at the ruins of Tipon to see a working inca irrigation system as well as more terraces. It was an interesting tour. We then continued south to Puno, stopping en route at Pucara for lunch. We also drove through the town of Juliaca which is probably the biggest shithole I have ever seen. Brick houses without roofs, with metal poles sticking out, no tarmac road, and stray dogs everywhere.
Puno is located on the shore of Lake Titicaca in the south eastern region of Peru. The town is a melting pot of Aymara and Quechuan Indian cultures and traditional Andean customs are still strongly represented here. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and a mythical expanse of deep blue waters dotted with islands, some of which are still home to communities who have been living in the same way for hundreds of years. Puno was effectively a stopover but we arrived in good time for me to walk down to the lake, all be it in the rain. For dinner I went to a chicken restaurant, before doing a few pubs, finishing at a Peruvian locals pub where I challenged them to pool and actually won. It was a late night.
For some reason I felt horrendous on Monday morning, although I still got up and went to the local market for breakfast instead of the hotel breakfast as I was fed up with eggs. We had a relatively short drive day, with just a notoriously bad border crossing to negotiate. Unfortunately the truck broke down due to the cooling system breaking or something. I didn't really know what was going on but they had to detach the front section from the back and do stuff underneath and we were delayed by a good hour. We eventually left and arrived at the border by lunchtime.
Leaving Peru was pretty straightforward, getting stamped out with ease, although it wasn't so easy for the truck as the people who check vehicles were on lunch. We managed to walk across minus the truck and get stamped into Bolivia easily, although we needed Gus to give us a lift to our hotel in Copacabana as Amber was stranded in Peru. It was a pretty awful security system though as we were able to take whatever we wanted off Amber and take it straight into Bolivia before customs checked the truck.
Copacabana is a picturesque small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. At over 3800m above sea level, it felt more like a beach resort than a lakeside town with the a sandy beach and hot weather. After checking in I went out into the town with a couple of others where we had pizza at some restaurant owned by Americans. It was a really good pizza although there were telling us about the lack of running water due to the drought which had affected Bolivia massively.
After lunch we went to back to the hotel, before I left to go to this English bar to get good wifi as the wifi was awful at the hotel. The wifi was also awful at the bar. I then went up the hill to get a view of the town, heading back down after a short while to watch the sunset which was spectacular. For dinner we ate a local restaurant where I had the beef lasagne, followed by chocolate moose. I then had an early night after my antics with the locals in Puno.
Tuesday was a relative lie in, leaving at 9am for a boat transfer to Isla del Sol. Isla del Sol is a serene and peaceful island set in the glittering Lake Titicaca off the shore of the Bolivian village of Copacabana. The island was famous in Inca mythology as the supposed birthplace of the sun-god Inti - a legend that is still told by many of the modern-day Aymara and Quechua peoples of the area. There are small ancient ruins dotted on the island, as well as tiny traditional villages and beautiful walking routes.
After breakfast we took the boat across stopping en route at some ruins, before continuing onto the northern tip of the island to hike across the island. Shortly after getting off the boat we climbed a small hill to these ruins where we had lunch, although we were joined by these pigs which everyone kept feeding! After visiting the ruins we headed south following a well defined path which was very up and down. The views of the lake were amazing and the walk in all was about 9km so pretty moderate. The air felt a lot thinner than usual however.
When arriving at the southern part of the island we sat in a restaurant garden to relax as a member of our group is particularly slow compared to everyone else. When they arrived a couple of hours later we checked into the hotel and watched an amazing sunset a few hours later. For dinner we went to this restaurant where I had the trout which Titicaca is famous for. The service was really slow though. I then went to the hotel for an early night.
Sunday was effectively a drive day, and with a 7am start we were braced for long day. Shortly after leaving Cusco we stopped at the ruins of Tipon to see a working inca irrigation system as well as more terraces. It was an interesting tour. We then continued south to Puno, stopping en route at Pucara for lunch. We also drove through the town of Juliaca which is probably the biggest shithole I have ever seen. Brick houses without roofs, with metal poles sticking out, no tarmac road, and stray dogs everywhere.
Puno is located on the shore of Lake Titicaca in the south eastern region of Peru. The town is a melting pot of Aymara and Quechuan Indian cultures and traditional Andean customs are still strongly represented here. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and a mythical expanse of deep blue waters dotted with islands, some of which are still home to communities who have been living in the same way for hundreds of years. Puno was effectively a stopover but we arrived in good time for me to walk down to the lake, all be it in the rain. For dinner I went to a chicken restaurant, before doing a few pubs, finishing at a Peruvian locals pub where I challenged them to pool and actually won. It was a late night.
For some reason I felt horrendous on Monday morning, although I still got up and went to the local market for breakfast instead of the hotel breakfast as I was fed up with eggs. We had a relatively short drive day, with just a notoriously bad border crossing to negotiate. Unfortunately the truck broke down due to the cooling system breaking or something. I didn't really know what was going on but they had to detach the front section from the back and do stuff underneath and we were delayed by a good hour. We eventually left and arrived at the border by lunchtime.
Leaving Peru was pretty straightforward, getting stamped out with ease, although it wasn't so easy for the truck as the people who check vehicles were on lunch. We managed to walk across minus the truck and get stamped into Bolivia easily, although we needed Gus to give us a lift to our hotel in Copacabana as Amber was stranded in Peru. It was a pretty awful security system though as we were able to take whatever we wanted off Amber and take it straight into Bolivia before customs checked the truck.
Copacabana is a picturesque small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. At over 3800m above sea level, it felt more like a beach resort than a lakeside town with the a sandy beach and hot weather. After checking in I went out into the town with a couple of others where we had pizza at some restaurant owned by Americans. It was a really good pizza although there were telling us about the lack of running water due to the drought which had affected Bolivia massively.
After lunch we went to back to the hotel, before I left to go to this English bar to get good wifi as the wifi was awful at the hotel. The wifi was also awful at the bar. I then went up the hill to get a view of the town, heading back down after a short while to watch the sunset which was spectacular. For dinner we ate a local restaurant where I had the beef lasagne, followed by chocolate moose. I then had an early night after my antics with the locals in Puno.
Tuesday was a relative lie in, leaving at 9am for a boat transfer to Isla del Sol. Isla del Sol is a serene and peaceful island set in the glittering Lake Titicaca off the shore of the Bolivian village of Copacabana. The island was famous in Inca mythology as the supposed birthplace of the sun-god Inti - a legend that is still told by many of the modern-day Aymara and Quechua peoples of the area. There are small ancient ruins dotted on the island, as well as tiny traditional villages and beautiful walking routes.
After breakfast we took the boat across stopping en route at some ruins, before continuing onto the northern tip of the island to hike across the island. Shortly after getting off the boat we climbed a small hill to these ruins where we had lunch, although we were joined by these pigs which everyone kept feeding! After visiting the ruins we headed south following a well defined path which was very up and down. The views of the lake were amazing and the walk in all was about 9km so pretty moderate. The air felt a lot thinner than usual however.
When arriving at the southern part of the island we sat in a restaurant garden to relax as a member of our group is particularly slow compared to everyone else. When they arrived a couple of hours later we checked into the hotel and watched an amazing sunset a few hours later. For dinner we went to this restaurant where I had the trout which Titicaca is famous for. The service was really slow though. I then went to the hotel for an early night.
Saturday, 10 December 2016
Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
Monday was the start of my journey to visit the famous inca ruins of Machu Picchu. To get there requires 4 days of hiking, although before the hiking we had a day visiting a few archaeological sites. After breakfast we met the group for a 7am departure. There were 3 different packages on offer to visit Machu Picchu, the classic trek, the wild andes trek, or a train based package to avoid the trekking. I'm doing the classic trek package which effectively is the most popular route to hike and also the only trek which walks directly into Machu Picchu. The only downside is that it is very touristy and apparently has a lot of steps!
First stop of the day was the ancient ruins of Sacsayhuaman which were some ruins of these old temples. We got a good viewpoint up here to see the Cusco skyline and there were also a lot of Llamas. It was amazing how the Incas constructed this site. We then drove into the Sacred Valley, stopping en route for pictures. We then soon arrived the old market town of Pisac, heading up to the nearby ruins to learn about the Incas farming techniques amongst other things. It was a very picturesque area. After looking round we headed into Pisac to look round the market which sold local handicrafts, before continuing on for lunch at this buffet restaurant which had a massive array of food!
After lunch we continued onto the town of Ollantaytambo to explore another archaeological site which once again showcased the Incas farming techniques as well more ruins. There was even a man's face carved on the mountain side. We arrived at our hotel for the night by 4 where I just relaxed as they had wifi. I met a couple of others for dinner at 7, although we had a massive thunderstorm which meant we delayed going out for a bit as the rain was lashing it down! I eventually got chicken tacos for dinner, and after dinner went back to the hotel where I had an early night.
As a group we opted for a later start in the morning, leaving at 9 with the theory being if we left later we would allow all the other groups a head start. 500 people a day can walk the Inca trail, about 200 tourists and 300 guides/porters. Our group has 17 people (7 Amber, 10 Gus), 3 guides and a lot of porters. After breakfast, we caught the bus to Piscaycuscho and the start of the Classic Inca Trek - the railroad KM82 marker (at 2,700m altitude). Breakfast was basically fruits and eggs, and the road to the start was very narrow and bumpy which made it both uncomfortable and difficult to pass other vehicles.
When arriving at the start we unloaded and our porters packed all our kit, food, and tents amongst other things to carry. The porters were absolute machines and carried about 25kg each, some even wearing sandals whilst we just carried a day pack! To put into context the classic inca trail is about the length of a marathon. It's taking us 4 days to walk it. The record is 3 hours 45 minutes! After going through passport control and showing our permits, we crossed the bridge over the River Urubamba and followed a trail along the left-hand shore of the river, enjoying stunning views of the snow-capped Mount Veronica (5,830m), eventually arriving at the Incan archaeological remains at Llactapata.
We stopped in this village for lunch where our porters who had gone ahead had made up soup, followed by sandwiches and this potato thing. We then continued through lush farmland and woodland, gradually climbing to our first campsite at Wayllabamba at about 3000m. We were permitted to go our own pace after lunch as it had started spitting, so I went on ahead with the porters and arrived at camp before it rained. I arrived about half 4, with most the others arriving just after 5, and after relaxing for a while we went into the dining tent for biscuits and drinks to keep warm as it was quite cold. Dinner was at about 8 where we had soup, followed by chicken, and then some purple corn based dessert which was like some warm syrup. It was a nice evening including the guitar being dished out, although we did all have an early night as it was raining quite badly.
The second day of the trek was described to us as the toughest day as it basically involved 1200m of height gain. We were woken up at half 5 with coco leaves and hot water, and after waking up we had breakfast which was bacon, eggs, and cereals. We unfortunately lost 2 people though in the morning due to a chest infection. We left our campsite at about 7 and basically started climbing from the off, soon stopping at a checkpoint where they had to check our permits to continue. We ascended a long steep path through Andean cloud forest and highland puna to reach the highest point of our trek, Warmiwañusca (meaning "Dead Woman's Pass") at a height of 4,200m. During the ascent, we frequently stopped to learn about the wide variety of plant, flower and bird species around us.
On reaching the pass, we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the Vilcanota and Vilcabamba mountain ranges. The cloud however rapidly came in and made visibility poor and it soon started raining. Luckily as I was first one at the top I got some good pictures before I really set in. From the top we descended into the Pacaymayo Valley (3,650m altitude) and to our
second campsite. As it was raining we were allowed to go our own pace so I tanked it down despite the slippery cobbled path and arrived at camp by half 1, with the rest of the group coming in around 2 to half 2ish.
Lunch was at camp which was a soup again, followed by pasta, cauliflower cheese, and a salad. We were then given the afternoon as free time although we were in the middle of nowhere, with the only optional activity a hike, which wasn't very tempting with the heavy rain. I instead just spent the afternoon relaxing in my tent. Dinner was again soup, followed by a beef stew, and then chocolate pudding. We then played cards for a bit before having an early night ready for the longest day in terms of distance the following day.
Thursday was a 5am wake up call with a 6.30am departure. Breakfast was pancakes and after leaving camp we were immediately climbing up what was quite a steep hill. The previous evening the rain had stopped, although there was heavy rain in the night. The weather in the morning was amazing though, blue skies and sun. About half way up the hill we stopped at Runkurakay to see the ruins, accompanied by pretty spectacular views. This didn't last long however as the clouds quickly decended in and it started raining, creating poor visibility. We continued to top of the hill at about 3900m.
The rain calmed down a bit at this point although we were still in the clouds which made the air very moist. Eversince going over the dead woman's pass we have followed an ancient stone path built by the Incas, and we decended down a very steep and slippery set of this steps which needed a lot of respect! We soon arrived at the ruins of Sayacmarca where we stopped to learn about the history, as well as getting a brief break from the cloud and a stunning view of the valley before it came back again. Soon after we arrived for lunch which was soup, followed by chicken fried rice, beetroot salad, and vegetables. Luckily it stopped raining prior to lunch.
After lunch it started raining again and the visibility was nothing, although we continued along the cobbled path, passing through Inca tunnels towards our next inca site at Phuyupatamarca. We stayed a short while here before heading down an initially very steep section, which soon came a more gradual decline towards our next campsite. When arriving at Wiñay Wayna at 2650m for a final night, the rain typically stopped although the clouds were still obscuring what were meant to be spectacular panoramic views.
By dinner it had stopped raining, and prior to this we had some pisco based drink with popcorn and cheese things. Dinner was soup, followed by pasta, and after dinner we had our farewall speeches by our guides who have been really good. We also had a short ceremony with our porters who have been amazing. They have literally carried our tents, overnight bags, food, etc. They have cooked for us, tidied up for us, set up camp for us. And each morning after leaving camp they would break camp, then shortly after run past us with their heavy packs, some wearing sandals, have a hot lunch waiting us further on, then tidy up again and run past us again where we would arrive in camp already set up. They were literally absolute machines. Apparently they race each other to the campsites! Afterwards I had an early night ready for the last days hiking.
On the last day we had a 3am wake up call, with a 4am departure. Breakfast was just toast and we left campsite ready to trek to our final destination in the the dark. When we arrived at the final checkpoint we had to wait until half 5, where a large queue of people formed before they finally opened the gates. Leaving Wiñay Wayna, we descended gradually further through the highland
jungle towards Intupunku (the "Sun Gate") which leads into Machu Picchu. Prior to this is started raining but luckily it cleared and we got a breathtaking view as we climbed up through the sun gate and got our first view of the ruins.
After a while at the sun gate we headed down into Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is a world-famous 15th-Century Inca citadel perched 2,430m
above sea level on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley. The ruins weren't discovered until 1911, after being undiscovered during the Spanish conquest, and have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983 and was voted on of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. We were given a short amount of time to get some pictures before leaving the site as we had to go through passport control and get stamped in.
When getting stamped in we had a guided tour of the site which was very interesting, before getting some free time. I went for an additional hike to this inca bridge, as well as heading up to get some more photos. By about 1 we headed down to Aguas Calientes where we all met in a restaurant for lunch before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo for a connecting bus to Cuzco. After showering I went out and had McDonald's as we got back quite late, meeting some others in the english pub after. We were challenged to stay up 24 hours and I managed that, going to the club after which was fun!
First stop of the day was the ancient ruins of Sacsayhuaman which were some ruins of these old temples. We got a good viewpoint up here to see the Cusco skyline and there were also a lot of Llamas. It was amazing how the Incas constructed this site. We then drove into the Sacred Valley, stopping en route for pictures. We then soon arrived the old market town of Pisac, heading up to the nearby ruins to learn about the Incas farming techniques amongst other things. It was a very picturesque area. After looking round we headed into Pisac to look round the market which sold local handicrafts, before continuing on for lunch at this buffet restaurant which had a massive array of food!
After lunch we continued onto the town of Ollantaytambo to explore another archaeological site which once again showcased the Incas farming techniques as well more ruins. There was even a man's face carved on the mountain side. We arrived at our hotel for the night by 4 where I just relaxed as they had wifi. I met a couple of others for dinner at 7, although we had a massive thunderstorm which meant we delayed going out for a bit as the rain was lashing it down! I eventually got chicken tacos for dinner, and after dinner went back to the hotel where I had an early night.
As a group we opted for a later start in the morning, leaving at 9 with the theory being if we left later we would allow all the other groups a head start. 500 people a day can walk the Inca trail, about 200 tourists and 300 guides/porters. Our group has 17 people (7 Amber, 10 Gus), 3 guides and a lot of porters. After breakfast, we caught the bus to Piscaycuscho and the start of the Classic Inca Trek - the railroad KM82 marker (at 2,700m altitude). Breakfast was basically fruits and eggs, and the road to the start was very narrow and bumpy which made it both uncomfortable and difficult to pass other vehicles.
When arriving at the start we unloaded and our porters packed all our kit, food, and tents amongst other things to carry. The porters were absolute machines and carried about 25kg each, some even wearing sandals whilst we just carried a day pack! To put into context the classic inca trail is about the length of a marathon. It's taking us 4 days to walk it. The record is 3 hours 45 minutes! After going through passport control and showing our permits, we crossed the bridge over the River Urubamba and followed a trail along the left-hand shore of the river, enjoying stunning views of the snow-capped Mount Veronica (5,830m), eventually arriving at the Incan archaeological remains at Llactapata.
We stopped in this village for lunch where our porters who had gone ahead had made up soup, followed by sandwiches and this potato thing. We then continued through lush farmland and woodland, gradually climbing to our first campsite at Wayllabamba at about 3000m. We were permitted to go our own pace after lunch as it had started spitting, so I went on ahead with the porters and arrived at camp before it rained. I arrived about half 4, with most the others arriving just after 5, and after relaxing for a while we went into the dining tent for biscuits and drinks to keep warm as it was quite cold. Dinner was at about 8 where we had soup, followed by chicken, and then some purple corn based dessert which was like some warm syrup. It was a nice evening including the guitar being dished out, although we did all have an early night as it was raining quite badly.
The second day of the trek was described to us as the toughest day as it basically involved 1200m of height gain. We were woken up at half 5 with coco leaves and hot water, and after waking up we had breakfast which was bacon, eggs, and cereals. We unfortunately lost 2 people though in the morning due to a chest infection. We left our campsite at about 7 and basically started climbing from the off, soon stopping at a checkpoint where they had to check our permits to continue. We ascended a long steep path through Andean cloud forest and highland puna to reach the highest point of our trek, Warmiwañusca (meaning "Dead Woman's Pass") at a height of 4,200m. During the ascent, we frequently stopped to learn about the wide variety of plant, flower and bird species around us.
On reaching the pass, we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the Vilcanota and Vilcabamba mountain ranges. The cloud however rapidly came in and made visibility poor and it soon started raining. Luckily as I was first one at the top I got some good pictures before I really set in. From the top we descended into the Pacaymayo Valley (3,650m altitude) and to our
second campsite. As it was raining we were allowed to go our own pace so I tanked it down despite the slippery cobbled path and arrived at camp by half 1, with the rest of the group coming in around 2 to half 2ish.
Lunch was at camp which was a soup again, followed by pasta, cauliflower cheese, and a salad. We were then given the afternoon as free time although we were in the middle of nowhere, with the only optional activity a hike, which wasn't very tempting with the heavy rain. I instead just spent the afternoon relaxing in my tent. Dinner was again soup, followed by a beef stew, and then chocolate pudding. We then played cards for a bit before having an early night ready for the longest day in terms of distance the following day.
Thursday was a 5am wake up call with a 6.30am departure. Breakfast was pancakes and after leaving camp we were immediately climbing up what was quite a steep hill. The previous evening the rain had stopped, although there was heavy rain in the night. The weather in the morning was amazing though, blue skies and sun. About half way up the hill we stopped at Runkurakay to see the ruins, accompanied by pretty spectacular views. This didn't last long however as the clouds quickly decended in and it started raining, creating poor visibility. We continued to top of the hill at about 3900m.
The rain calmed down a bit at this point although we were still in the clouds which made the air very moist. Eversince going over the dead woman's pass we have followed an ancient stone path built by the Incas, and we decended down a very steep and slippery set of this steps which needed a lot of respect! We soon arrived at the ruins of Sayacmarca where we stopped to learn about the history, as well as getting a brief break from the cloud and a stunning view of the valley before it came back again. Soon after we arrived for lunch which was soup, followed by chicken fried rice, beetroot salad, and vegetables. Luckily it stopped raining prior to lunch.
After lunch it started raining again and the visibility was nothing, although we continued along the cobbled path, passing through Inca tunnels towards our next inca site at Phuyupatamarca. We stayed a short while here before heading down an initially very steep section, which soon came a more gradual decline towards our next campsite. When arriving at Wiñay Wayna at 2650m for a final night, the rain typically stopped although the clouds were still obscuring what were meant to be spectacular panoramic views.
By dinner it had stopped raining, and prior to this we had some pisco based drink with popcorn and cheese things. Dinner was soup, followed by pasta, and after dinner we had our farewall speeches by our guides who have been really good. We also had a short ceremony with our porters who have been amazing. They have literally carried our tents, overnight bags, food, etc. They have cooked for us, tidied up for us, set up camp for us. And each morning after leaving camp they would break camp, then shortly after run past us with their heavy packs, some wearing sandals, have a hot lunch waiting us further on, then tidy up again and run past us again where we would arrive in camp already set up. They were literally absolute machines. Apparently they race each other to the campsites! Afterwards I had an early night ready for the last days hiking.
On the last day we had a 3am wake up call, with a 4am departure. Breakfast was just toast and we left campsite ready to trek to our final destination in the the dark. When we arrived at the final checkpoint we had to wait until half 5, where a large queue of people formed before they finally opened the gates. Leaving Wiñay Wayna, we descended gradually further through the highland
jungle towards Intupunku (the "Sun Gate") which leads into Machu Picchu. Prior to this is started raining but luckily it cleared and we got a breathtaking view as we climbed up through the sun gate and got our first view of the ruins.
After a while at the sun gate we headed down into Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is a world-famous 15th-Century Inca citadel perched 2,430m
above sea level on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley. The ruins weren't discovered until 1911, after being undiscovered during the Spanish conquest, and have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983 and was voted on of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. We were given a short amount of time to get some pictures before leaving the site as we had to go through passport control and get stamped in.
When getting stamped in we had a guided tour of the site which was very interesting, before getting some free time. I went for an additional hike to this inca bridge, as well as heading up to get some more photos. By about 1 we headed down to Aguas Calientes where we all met in a restaurant for lunch before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo for a connecting bus to Cuzco. After showering I went out and had McDonald's as we got back quite late, meeting some others in the english pub after. We were challenged to stay up 24 hours and I managed that, going to the club after which was fun!
Monday, 5 December 2016
Raqchi and Cusco
Friday was meant to be a drive day to the remote village of Raqchi, arriving for dinner and activities in the evening, and then a guided tour of the ruins the next day. We instead decided to arrive early and do the ruins on the Friday so we could leave Raqchi early and get to Cusco for Saturday lunchtime. This meant we had a 5am start to get to Raqchi for lunchtime. With limited stops we drove primarily on off road mountain roads, with the occasional bush wee, arriving at Raqchi for a late lunch.
Raqchi is a small village situated 100kms southeast of Cuzco, famous as being the site of the only surviving temple of the ancient Inca creator
deity Wiracocha. It is a special opportunity for me as being a dragoman sponsored community we got the opportunity to have a local homestay. We stayed here as guests of the local families in their traditional houses. When arriving we were split into groups of 4, so I with the only 4 surviving single guys on the truck and we were giving mothers and father's to look after us while staying. When arriving at our house which had a small courtyard and basic facilities, and our parents gave us lunch which was a 4 course meal! A bean course, soup, alpaca, and fruits! It was very generous portions.
After lunch we met at the village square at 3 where we looked round the market selling local handicrafts, before setting off for a tour of the nearby ruins, the Temple of Wiracocha. These inca ruins included the temple itself and various aquaduct and storage systems which we learnt in detail about. After the tour some of us went up the nearby hill to this viewpoint where we watched the sunset and got lots of funny pictures! We then met back by the square and has a few drinks before heading home to our houses for dinner. Dinner in the evening was another soup, followed by spaghetti, and then this fruit thing.
After dinner we had the opportunity to have a Quechua religious ceremony. What I didn't realise was this ceremony was taking place in my house, and everyone else from all over the village decended to our courtyard! After settling down we all collected some coco leaves and gave our respects to the pachamama, and after everyone had paid their respects we celebrated by hugging everyone. We then had a fire with live music from the locals and danced with local villagers. After a while the ceremony ended, although a few of us headed to the village square to continue the party! It was quite a late night.
Come morning we were told breakfast was at 7. What instead happened was some booming loudspeaker saying stuff at 5am, with music played every so often for like half hour, so I didn't get much sleep. Breakfast was in fact at 7, but apparently this is what the villagers have every morning to wake up. Breakfast was potatoes, eggs, corn cakes, fruits and cereal. Prior to breakfast as I was up so early I went for a walk round the village, and everyone wanted pictures with me!
After breakfast we had a pottery making demonstration which was very interesting. The villagers then brought out loads of stuff they made to try and sell it to us. I bought a bracelet to add to the collection. We then got on the truck ready for the short drive to Cusco, the former Inca capital. En route we stopped at the old gateway to Cusco used by Incas, and also this viewpoint at the top of the hill which had like a small version of Christ the redeemer at the top. It was a nice view of the city. We then checked into our hotel arriving by lunchtime.
I did lunch on my own after checking in because I really wanted a full English breakfast and the nearby irish which claims to be the highest Irish owned irush pub in the world sold them. It was a really good meal with a very western atmosphere. I then headed back to the hotel where I spent the afternoon relaxing before meeting everyone for dinner in the evening. For dinner we headed out to this gothic place where I had the chicken. It was quite disappointing though. We then went to this English bar which was very English with pool tables and dart boards, and a good range of ale. They even had the Saints Palace full replay on. We then went to a local club and it was a great night!
In the morning I felt horrendous so after breakfast spent the morning relaxing, before heading out into Cusco at lunchtime. For lunch I went to this soup restaurant which was very filling. I then did a bit of shopping just get a couple of things for the trek. It's forecast to rain during the trek which isn't great. After shopping I went back to the hotel and relaxed, before having a meeting about the trek in the evening. For dinner I went to this burger restaurant people were raving about and it was really good, massive portions. We then just headed back to the hotel for an early night.
Raqchi is a small village situated 100kms southeast of Cuzco, famous as being the site of the only surviving temple of the ancient Inca creator
deity Wiracocha. It is a special opportunity for me as being a dragoman sponsored community we got the opportunity to have a local homestay. We stayed here as guests of the local families in their traditional houses. When arriving we were split into groups of 4, so I with the only 4 surviving single guys on the truck and we were giving mothers and father's to look after us while staying. When arriving at our house which had a small courtyard and basic facilities, and our parents gave us lunch which was a 4 course meal! A bean course, soup, alpaca, and fruits! It was very generous portions.
After lunch we met at the village square at 3 where we looked round the market selling local handicrafts, before setting off for a tour of the nearby ruins, the Temple of Wiracocha. These inca ruins included the temple itself and various aquaduct and storage systems which we learnt in detail about. After the tour some of us went up the nearby hill to this viewpoint where we watched the sunset and got lots of funny pictures! We then met back by the square and has a few drinks before heading home to our houses for dinner. Dinner in the evening was another soup, followed by spaghetti, and then this fruit thing.
After dinner we had the opportunity to have a Quechua religious ceremony. What I didn't realise was this ceremony was taking place in my house, and everyone else from all over the village decended to our courtyard! After settling down we all collected some coco leaves and gave our respects to the pachamama, and after everyone had paid their respects we celebrated by hugging everyone. We then had a fire with live music from the locals and danced with local villagers. After a while the ceremony ended, although a few of us headed to the village square to continue the party! It was quite a late night.
Come morning we were told breakfast was at 7. What instead happened was some booming loudspeaker saying stuff at 5am, with music played every so often for like half hour, so I didn't get much sleep. Breakfast was in fact at 7, but apparently this is what the villagers have every morning to wake up. Breakfast was potatoes, eggs, corn cakes, fruits and cereal. Prior to breakfast as I was up so early I went for a walk round the village, and everyone wanted pictures with me!
After breakfast we had a pottery making demonstration which was very interesting. The villagers then brought out loads of stuff they made to try and sell it to us. I bought a bracelet to add to the collection. We then got on the truck ready for the short drive to Cusco, the former Inca capital. En route we stopped at the old gateway to Cusco used by Incas, and also this viewpoint at the top of the hill which had like a small version of Christ the redeemer at the top. It was a nice view of the city. We then checked into our hotel arriving by lunchtime.
I did lunch on my own after checking in because I really wanted a full English breakfast and the nearby irish which claims to be the highest Irish owned irush pub in the world sold them. It was a really good meal with a very western atmosphere. I then headed back to the hotel where I spent the afternoon relaxing before meeting everyone for dinner in the evening. For dinner we headed out to this gothic place where I had the chicken. It was quite disappointing though. We then went to this English bar which was very English with pool tables and dart boards, and a good range of ale. They even had the Saints Palace full replay on. We then went to a local club and it was a great night!
In the morning I felt horrendous so after breakfast spent the morning relaxing, before heading out into Cusco at lunchtime. For lunch I went to this soup restaurant which was very filling. I then did a bit of shopping just get a couple of things for the trek. It's forecast to rain during the trek which isn't great. After shopping I went back to the hotel and relaxed, before having a meeting about the trek in the evening. For dinner I went to this burger restaurant people were raving about and it was really good, massive portions. We then just headed back to the hotel for an early night.
Friday, 2 December 2016
Chivay
We left Arequipa at about 7 ready for our short drive to the next destination of Chivay. Breakfast was once again buffet style and we left promptly heading up into the mountains. En route we stopped to get some pictures of some wild llamas and these closely related llama things which I can't remember the name of. Apparently they were a protected species. The pass we drove over went over 4900m and when we made it to the top we got out for some pictures. It was very nippy up top though and it even tried to snow! We even stopped off at this cafe prior which sold various different coco teas and handicrafts.
We arrived into Chivay by lunchtime and after unpacking we were effectively given the afternoon as free time. There was the option to go to the nearby hot springs, although I instead went solo and went to what is debatably the highest Irish Bar in the world. La Paz and Cusco also claim this title as the one in Chivay is not Irish owned, but Chivay is the highest. I managed to watch the football here and see Southampton reach the semi finals of the cup by beating Arsenal, even if the commentary was in Spanish and I was the only person in the pub. It's always cool when hear the commentator just gooooooooaaaaalllll when they score.
After the pub I went back to the hotel and relaxed, despite the wifi being awful. Instead of going out for dinner in the evening, Chivay has a sizable street food area so I opted for the local cuisines instead of eating out. It was very nice. I then just spent the evening relaxing, although with a 5am start the next morning I typically couldn't sleep until like midnight.
The rural town of Chivay is the gateway to the magnificent Colca Canyon. Boasting some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Peru, the
Colca Canyon is famous as being one of the best places in the world to spot the mighty Andean Condor, one of the largest birds in the world with a wingspan of around 2.5m. We left to try and see this bird at 6am after an early breakfast, stopping en route at various viewpoints to see the canyon. The drive was pretty special, and it was nice to once again have the roof seats open for even better views of the canyon.
We eventually stopped to go for a short walk along the edge of the canyon and try and spot the condor. The walk was pretty spectacular in scenery but we didn't see the bird. We did finish at these viewpoints though to try and spot the bird from there. It took a while but we were eventually treated to the sight of one, all be it from quite a distance. We left by 11 and started driving back towards Chivay, stopping at a few more viewpoints on the way back, and also a small village where we saw some llamas and eagles on display.
When back in Chivay we went to buffet restaurant which was nice and serving 3 courses including a really nice strawberry cheesecake. The afternoon was then free time to relax, so I did just that. We did however have an earthquake. I was just sitting there in a chair and it started shaking along with lights, only for a few seconds but it stopped me from what I was doing. It felt really weird. Afterwards I went to watch the sunset and the nearby volcano which had been spewing ash since we arrived was billowing a lot more ash out than normal. The sunset was spectacular though!
After the events and finding out it was a 6.3 magnitude earthquake with the epicentre about 200km away, I went out for dinner at this local Andean restaurant where I had the alpaca which was very good. It was literally a whole family plus me! I then had an early night with another 5am start planned for the following morning.
We arrived into Chivay by lunchtime and after unpacking we were effectively given the afternoon as free time. There was the option to go to the nearby hot springs, although I instead went solo and went to what is debatably the highest Irish Bar in the world. La Paz and Cusco also claim this title as the one in Chivay is not Irish owned, but Chivay is the highest. I managed to watch the football here and see Southampton reach the semi finals of the cup by beating Arsenal, even if the commentary was in Spanish and I was the only person in the pub. It's always cool when hear the commentator just gooooooooaaaaalllll when they score.
After the pub I went back to the hotel and relaxed, despite the wifi being awful. Instead of going out for dinner in the evening, Chivay has a sizable street food area so I opted for the local cuisines instead of eating out. It was very nice. I then just spent the evening relaxing, although with a 5am start the next morning I typically couldn't sleep until like midnight.
The rural town of Chivay is the gateway to the magnificent Colca Canyon. Boasting some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Peru, the
Colca Canyon is famous as being one of the best places in the world to spot the mighty Andean Condor, one of the largest birds in the world with a wingspan of around 2.5m. We left to try and see this bird at 6am after an early breakfast, stopping en route at various viewpoints to see the canyon. The drive was pretty special, and it was nice to once again have the roof seats open for even better views of the canyon.
We eventually stopped to go for a short walk along the edge of the canyon and try and spot the condor. The walk was pretty spectacular in scenery but we didn't see the bird. We did finish at these viewpoints though to try and spot the bird from there. It took a while but we were eventually treated to the sight of one, all be it from quite a distance. We left by 11 and started driving back towards Chivay, stopping at a few more viewpoints on the way back, and also a small village where we saw some llamas and eagles on display.
When back in Chivay we went to buffet restaurant which was nice and serving 3 courses including a really nice strawberry cheesecake. The afternoon was then free time to relax, so I did just that. We did however have an earthquake. I was just sitting there in a chair and it started shaking along with lights, only for a few seconds but it stopped me from what I was doing. It felt really weird. Afterwards I went to watch the sunset and the nearby volcano which had been spewing ash since we arrived was billowing a lot more ash out than normal. The sunset was spectacular though!
After the events and finding out it was a 6.3 magnitude earthquake with the epicentre about 200km away, I went out for dinner at this local Andean restaurant where I had the alpaca which was very good. It was literally a whole family plus me! I then had an early night with another 5am start planned for the following morning.
Thursday, 1 December 2016
Arequipa
We had a relatively early start leaving the beach on the Monday morning, but despite this I woke up at like 5am for some reason. This gave me the opportunity for one last run before going back just into altitude, and a swim in the sizable pool before leaving for our next stop in Arequipa. The drive was pretty smooth following the coast all the way up to lunchtime where we stopped on the sandy beach to say goodbye to the sea for quite a while.
After lunch we began to climb gradually and arrived in Arequipa before dark. After settling in the hotel which was an impressive old colonial building with massive rooms, we went out for dinner. My room had a grand fireplace and high ceiling! For dinner we went to this restaurant famous for serving alpaca meat. I went to the trio of meats however which included beef, pork, and alpaca, accompanied by an andean potatoes. It was very nice. After dinner quite a few people went out but I was completely exhausted so went back to the hotel for an early night.
Come morning we had a free day to explore Arequipa. Situated on the Peruvian altiplano, Arequipa is the second largest city in the country. Set against the stunning backdrop of the snow-covered volcano El Misti, salt lakes, thermal springs and high-altitude deserts, the landscape of the area is truly unique. The city itself is very beautiful, full of stunning colonial buildings built out of the soft white volcanic rock that is found in the area. After breakfast which included eggs and even crisps in buffet form, I headed out to explore the city.
I walked round the old town to start with and the buildings were all very pretty, soon ending up at the main square which included an impressive Christmas tree. I then headed to the river and headed up to the nearby area Yungahura to visit a viewpoint to see the cities skyline. I then went for lunch at a local supermarket cafe as I needed to buy a few things, before heading back into the old town to further explore the cobbled streets.
I then visited Museo Santuarios Andinos to visit Juanita. Sometimes known as the "Ice Maiden", Juanita is the mummy of a young Inca girl aged about 11-14 at the time of her death in approximately 1450 CE - she was discovered near to the summit of Mount Ampato in 1995 by two climbers, her body frozen and well-preserved in the low temperatures and high altitude. Despite cameras not being permitted it was interesting learning about this incredible find and other Inca artefacts found on the mountain. She died a brutal death but was a sacrifice to the gods and her body still has skin, blood and organs which is quite remarkable after such a long time!
After the museum I relaxed back at the hotel before heading back to the old square for a few beers while it started to get dark. I then headed to this British pub which served some proper beer and proper English classic food. It was nice having a few pints here with a British atmosphere, although I did accidentally stay until close!
After lunch we began to climb gradually and arrived in Arequipa before dark. After settling in the hotel which was an impressive old colonial building with massive rooms, we went out for dinner. My room had a grand fireplace and high ceiling! For dinner we went to this restaurant famous for serving alpaca meat. I went to the trio of meats however which included beef, pork, and alpaca, accompanied by an andean potatoes. It was very nice. After dinner quite a few people went out but I was completely exhausted so went back to the hotel for an early night.
Come morning we had a free day to explore Arequipa. Situated on the Peruvian altiplano, Arequipa is the second largest city in the country. Set against the stunning backdrop of the snow-covered volcano El Misti, salt lakes, thermal springs and high-altitude deserts, the landscape of the area is truly unique. The city itself is very beautiful, full of stunning colonial buildings built out of the soft white volcanic rock that is found in the area. After breakfast which included eggs and even crisps in buffet form, I headed out to explore the city.
I walked round the old town to start with and the buildings were all very pretty, soon ending up at the main square which included an impressive Christmas tree. I then headed to the river and headed up to the nearby area Yungahura to visit a viewpoint to see the cities skyline. I then went for lunch at a local supermarket cafe as I needed to buy a few things, before heading back into the old town to further explore the cobbled streets.
I then visited Museo Santuarios Andinos to visit Juanita. Sometimes known as the "Ice Maiden", Juanita is the mummy of a young Inca girl aged about 11-14 at the time of her death in approximately 1450 CE - she was discovered near to the summit of Mount Ampato in 1995 by two climbers, her body frozen and well-preserved in the low temperatures and high altitude. Despite cameras not being permitted it was interesting learning about this incredible find and other Inca artefacts found on the mountain. She died a brutal death but was a sacrifice to the gods and her body still has skin, blood and organs which is quite remarkable after such a long time!
After the museum I relaxed back at the hotel before heading back to the old square for a few beers while it started to get dark. I then headed to this British pub which served some proper beer and proper English classic food. It was nice having a few pints here with a British atmosphere, although I did accidentally stay until close!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)