Torres del Paine National Park

We left Ushuaia at 6 ready for a long day which included a border crossing and ferry crossing which obviously didn't go very well last time. I didn't get any sleep however the night before and entered the truck slightly pissed which wasn't my finest moment but the advantage was I passed out and the morning went quickly. We crossed the border easily, and before heading to the ferry crossing went to Bahia Inituil which we were meant to wild camp at previously to see the penguins. This area is home to the only colony of King penguins outside Antarctica. It was a pretty impressive site even if my head was hurting a little bit. We also had lunch here which was a vegetable bake with a homemade salsa and an aubergine risotto on the side.

After the penguins we drove to the ferry crossing which was surprisingly straight forward as we were the last vehicle on when arriving, then the ferry left straight away, and then we were the first vehicle off! As we did so well and were expecting to arrive here late, we continued driving, stopping just outside Punta Arenas where we finally had our first proper bush camp, by that I mean somewhere without facilities and simply in the middle of nowhere. We camped by a lake although it was very windy which made pitching tents a challenge. Dinner in the evening was a vegetable stir fry and after dinner I had a very early night.

Due to our excellent progress the previous day we didn't leave until 9, as we were only a couple of hours drive off Puerto Natales where we had to pick up our guides for our visit to Torres del Paine National Park. We arrived in Puerto Natales at about lunchtime where we were given free time to explore until 3. I went for lunch at a local restaurant where I had the club sandwich, and took advantage of the last wifi opportunity in quite a while. After picking up our guides we continued into the national park, stopping at a couple of viewpoints en route to see some of the mountains and lakes. We arrived in our base camp by about 5, which was very crowded with tents!

The Torres del Paine National Park contains what is undoubtedly some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Rising up high above the Patagonian steppe are the three impressive granite towers that give the park its name, surrounded by high plateaus and towering mountain peaks, the most famous of which are Los Cuernos and Paine Grande. The park is a magical natural wonderland full of deep lakes, sparkling glaciers and cascading waterfalls, and it is also an important habitat for a wide variety of wildlife including guanacos, pumas, flamingos and condors. After pitching our tents, mine being in the middle of the path as it was sheltered, we relaxed before dinner. Dinner was tomato soup, followed this vegetable mash thing with salad. All meals here are cooked by local guides. I then had an early night.

Sunday was the first of 4 free days in the national park. There were two options of things to do here, the w walk package and the basic package, which was decided when booking the trip due to permits. I'm on the basic package. The first day however was everyone together before the 6 people doing the w walk leave us on the second to fourth day. The first day of the w walk effectively goes up to a lookout of the famous three granite mountains, before returning the same way to base camp. Breakfast in the morning was eggs and even a very small amount of bacon! We then set off at 8 to hike up to the viewpoint.

 The walk itself was effectively an uphill walk with 800m height gain, with an estimated time of 4.5 hours each way, a 22km round trip. It started relatively flat with brilliant views of the snowcapped mountains, before ascending up a rocky track surrounded by grassland. On the way up we got views of the lakes and rolling hills behind us, and later got the completely contrasting view of the granite snowcapped mountains in front. We eventually decended to this creek, before heading uphill through woodland and over various bridges along a very rocky path. The path then opened out and the final section was very steep and rocky, finishing with an amazing view point of the three granite peaks, despite it being cloudy.

I was first up by quite a way and stayed for a while before heading down as it was quite cold up top. We passed all my group at various points going down and rocketed down the hill the same way which was actually quite steep. We arrived back at base camp at half 12 which was a lot earlier than expected. To put in perspective the next person didn't arrive back until 2, and then the majority of people arrived back between 4 and 5 which meant I really had paced it out a bit. I did however have a nap in the sun in the afternoon and went for an additional hike to the lake. Come evening dinner was soup, followed by stewed steak and rice. We were also briefed of options for the upcoming days which are pretty flexible. I then had another early night.

The next day was a more relaxed day in terms of hiking, and we said bye to the w walkers after a late breakfast. After breakfast we had a free day, although we had the option to do a short hike about half hour drive away in the truck known for an abundance of wildlife. The walk was about 6km in total with the truck dropping us off and picking us up at another location. The walk itself was pretty straight forward but very windy, walking through farmland over rolling grassland hills. We saw lots of Guanaco and even condors, and I even saw an armadillo. There was also a nice viewpoint to see the snowcapped mountains in the distance. The walk itself was about 2 hours in the end which was a nice amount of time.

After the walk I had my packed lunch on the truck on the way back to the campsite, before having the rest of the afternoon to relax before dinner. Dinner in the evening was pasta with a bolognese sauce, preceded by soup once again. I was hungry and ended up having 3 bowls full. The evening was then relatively relaxing and I stayed up for a bit playing cards, before going to bed in a tent all to myself as my tent buddy had left me to do the w walk.

The following day the general plan was to do a walk to the Las Cuenas refugio to see the lake with a 10am departure. I however had a more ambitious plan to do the same hike but continue to the Italiano campground and then up through the French valley to the Britainico viewpoint. That was effectively an undulating 46km hike with 800m height gain in the valley and an estimated time of 19 hours, but I was confident I could do it quicker. What I did have however was someone else was willing to go with me who got back to base camp with me at half 12 on the first day so I wasn't alone. I did have to sign off the trip however as dragoman insurance wouldn't cover us doing something so stupid.

We were therefore given breakfast the previous night, as well as all the leftover dinner from the previous night for lunch, as well as snacks, setting off at 6am. The initial part of the hike was pretty fresh and we made good progress with some amazing views of the lake and surrounding hills. We got to Los Cuernos in good time, but then the path got interesting as it was effectively a stream, but it soon became better and we caught up with the w walkers within 3.5 hours who was in effect a day ahead of us. They thought we were mad.

After tanking on in front we got into the Italiano campground, and began our accent up the French valley, with stunning views of the nearby glacier where I witnessed an avalanche. They're very common here due to the plate boundary. The hike itself up the valley was pretty steady crossing many creeks and going through woodland, occasionally presenting us with an amazing view. The final section was pretty steep but the viewpoint gave us breathtaking views of the valley we had climbed through, and the surrounding mountains. We also had lunch up here, yesterday's pasta.

Turning back in good time we headed back down the same way, passing the w walkers again, before reaching the campground in a similar time to our ascent. It was a little slippery going down. We then followed the same path back along the lake, meeting another member of the truck who had also done a long walk minus the hill leaving later than us, to walk back to camp together. We got back just after 5 which was pretty good time. Dinner in the evening was chicken and rice preceded by soup, and after dinner I just once again played cards before bed.

Wednesday was our final day in the national park, and after breakfast we had the option to go out in the truck for the day to see various viewpoints and locations a bit further out in the national park, as well as tieing it in to pick up the w walkers at the ferry terminal in the afternoon. Setting off at 9 we stopped at a few viewpoints to see some of the lakes and views of the mountains, en route to do a short hike to go to a viewpoint to see the grey glacier. The hike was only about 4km and went through woods to a shingle beach which we walked along before climbing to the viewpoint where despite it being a little overcast we saw the glacier and some icebergs.

When returning to the truck we had lunch, before driving to a couple more viewpoints en route to see the largest waterfall in the park. It was about a 2km hike so easy to get to and despite not being big in terms of the height, the water discharge was just staggering. There were various points to see the waterfall. Our final stop was to pick up the w walkers, and we sat in the cafe while waiting. When everyone was back we drove back to the campsite on what turned out to be a full on yet relaxing day. Dinner in the evening was some sausage, chips, vegetable, and lentil thing all mixed together which was weird but nice. 

Ushuaia

After a very cold and wet night camping we set off for Ushuaia. As we camped right next to the border we were able to get through early and miss the queues and we absolutely eased through. En route we stopped in Rio Grande for lunch, and in Tolhuin further down the road to visit a bakery which our guide described as the battery bakery he has ever been to. It was pretty nice. We ended up arriving in Ushuaia in the afternoon and after checking in we were given a talk about the possible excursions in and around the city.

Ushuaia is a port town that lies at the south of Tierra del Fuego on the Argentinian side - it is often known as "the city at the end of the world", as it is the world's most southern city (the Chilean town of Puerto Williams is slightly further south but is much smaller than Ushuaia). Ushuaia itself is low-lying and unassuming, centred around one main street and a waterfront that overlooks the Beagle Channel. Originally Ushuaia was little more than a remote outpost, first colonised by a British-funded mission in the late 1800s and subsequently used by the Argentinian government as a penal colony. What was once a small sleepy town has grown rapidly in recent years, much of which is due to tourist development and particularly to the increasing number of Antarctica trips calling to port here.

After our talk I walked into town and explored the main street with all the shops and restaurants, before heading along the seafront where I got my picture with the end of the world sign and visited the tourist information centre. I walked right round to the airport to get a view of the city skyline with the snowcapped mountains in the background. I did however accidentally trespass on the naval base which probably wasn't a good idea. For dinner I went to this German beer house where I had a burger before heading back to the hostel for bed.

Wednesday I decided to visit the Tierra Del Fuego National Park which was about 12km out of town. It was however difficult to get there as they had no public buses and you had to arrange private transfers to get there. Because of this I decided to run to the entrance. Leaving relatively early I got to the national park in good time where I headed down to Zaratiegui Bay to walk the costera trail. The trail followed the shoreline along gravel beaches and through forest to the Roca Lake. The snowcapped mountains reflected in the water which made it a very pretty walk.

When finishing I ended up at the visitor centre where I looked round before starting the Cerro Guanaco Trail which was a hill. Starting at Roca Lake I initially had to follow the Hito XXIV Trail before veering off along the Guanaco Creek. The trail initially climbed through forest before going out in the open in bogland which made me very muddy. After negotiating the bog and a blizzard the trail headed up a rocky scar on the hill up to the top which even had snow. It was a little grey at the top but I still got good views of the Fuegian mountain range. Coming down was the fun part as it was very slippery and steep but I managed it. At the bottom I went back to the visitor centre for a drink in the cafe before running back to Ushuaia. I was absolutely destroyed when I got back but it was a good day.

Thursday I had a lie in and after breakfast which was very sugar based I spent the morning relaxing.  After lunch I headed out into town and looked round the shops before going to a local cafe where I met a few others for a swim in the sea. We had to walk a way out of town however as the water where the ships were was apparently full of sewage. We eventually found somewhere despite accidentally cutting through a naval base and the swim was freezing. We passed a monument en route however to do with the Falklands which had a map of the islands with the Argentine flag above it. They're very sensitive in Ushuaia because much of the people who died in the war came from the city. We even saw a union jack crossed out with writing which translated as fuck off you British pirates.

After the swim we headed back to the hostel where I relaxed before dinner. For dinner I went to a crab restaurant where I tried crab legs with this seafood casserole thing. I literally had to cut the meat out with scissors! After dinner I went to the hard rock cafe for a few drinks before heading back to the hostel for a few more. It was quite a late night and I somehow ended up in the Irish bar at some point.

El Calafate and Bush Camps

With our excellent progress the previous two days we were only 300km off our next destination of El Calafate. El Calafate is a small town on the southern shore of Lago Argentino in Patagonia. Originally a sheep station and trading outpost, today the town has developed a bustling atmosphere and an ever-growing tourist trade. Interestingly the town takes its name from the Calafate berry, and locals claim that if you eat one of these and make a wish, you are guaranteed to return to Patagonia. We arrived here by lunchtime and after checking into our hostel we had a free afternoon to do what we wanted.

The town itself has grown rapidly in recent years and has become a key tourist outpost to see the Perito Moreno Glacier nearby. The facilities were therefore very modern and catered for tourists, and after lunch we explored the town which included small markets and shops. We then headed down to the nearby Laguna Nimez to see the wildlife reserve which was home to various birds including flamingoes. There was a nice little path to follow although it was very windy in places! We didn't get back to the hostel until later afternoon, where I just relaxed in the evening.

Saturday was an included trip to the nearby glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier is approximately 30kms long from where it spills out of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, and 5kms wide at its terminus, where it has a ice face that is on average 170m high (with about 70m of which is above the surface of the lake). Leaving at 8 we drove along an alternative off road en route here to get some viewpoints of the landscapes of the area. We also stopped at a small estancia to see the goats which were very tame, and got to try some of the meat.

When arriving at the glacier we had the option to do a boat trip, although I decided to do the hikes instead. There were various viewpoints to the massive glacier from different angles and heights, and I was even lucky enough to see some large chunks fall of into the water. What makes that glacier special however is that it isn't receding unlike most others in the world, as the accumulation at the back balances the ice lost at the front. It moves about 2 to 3cm a day. It's hard to describe the scale however. To put into perspective the area of the glacier is bigger than Buenos Aires! And we're visiting a bigger one in a couple of weeks.

After exploring the various viewpoints and hikes in the area we met back at the restaurant where we waited for our bus back to El Calafate. En route we stopped at the lake where we saw loads of flamingoes, and arrived back at the hostel by 5 where I saw the disappointing result, not helped by the fact a previous truck member who was a Burnley fan had sent me abuse. The evening was then spent relaxing, although I somehow ended up watching American football before going to bed.

We left El Calafate at 8 on the Sunday to continue south towards Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, with two bush camps en route. The road out of El Calafate was gravel however however we soon hit the tarmac and arrived into the town of Rio Gallegos for lunch. We literally pulled up into a supermarket car park and made lunch under a trolley bay! Some people did use the supermarket though, and we were joined by two dogs who were very interested in our food!

After lunch we continued down the road towards the Chilean border, where we were planning to camp just prior at a crater lake called Laguna Azul. When arriving however it was unsuitable for camping as the winds were very strong and the area was exposed, unless we trekked about 15 minutes with our tents and cooking equipment to the sheltered base of the lake which was unrealistic. We did however get some free time here and I walked round the rim of the crater and down to the lakeside where I went for a swim. It was absolutely freezing and people thought I was a nutter.

As we couldn't camp by the lake we decided to drive back to Rio Gallegos where we parked inside a children's playground and camped on the football pitch. This was in fact some random guys back garden who let us camp there. Dinner in the evening was a seafood soup kind of dish which was interesting, and after dinner I ended up in the playground before going to bed to avoid the bitter wind. It was a pretty fresh night and I didn't really want to get out of my sleeping bag in the morning! We left at half 7 in the morning for our drive to Tierra del Fuego.

Tierra del Fuego (meaning "Land of Fire") is a large island separated from mainland South America by the Magellan Strait. The island gets its name from the fires of the Selknam tribe that originally lived here, which Magellan and his sailors observed from their boats on their first travels through the area - unfortunately the Selknam and Yaghan tribes that originally inhabited the island are all but extinct after conflict with European settlers that arrived in the 19th Century. The island is split in half with a straight north-south line between Argentina and Chile, with the Argentinian half containing the island's
largest settlement, Ushuaia. The island of Tierra del Fuego is Patagonia at its most remote and desolate, with a landscape of windswept plains, forests and swamplands, home to rheas, condors, buzzard eagles, seals and sea lions, all of which thrive in these conditions.

Prior to the island however we had the small matter of a border crossing, which we surprisingly crossed in about an hour and a half. We ended up at the ferry crossing to the island by half 10. That's where the good news ended however as the winds were vicious meaning ferries were grounded. With respect I went for a walk along the seafront  (which was nice to see for first time since November) and I could barely move forward against the wind. We were stuck here for over 7 hours but eventually got a ferry across some very choppy waters late afternoon. The water was splashing over the boat and I got soaked!

When arriving on the island we were meant to visit a penguin colony but we arrived a lot later than planned. We instead headed to the Argentinian border to camp for the night. There wasn't many options in terms of camping as the surrounded landscape was flat open grassland which was not suitable for camping in the strong winds. We eventually got to the border and managed to camp in some random guys back garden. Dinner in the evening was lamb stew, and we even were allowed to use the guys living area to eat! I then had an early night.

Bariloche and Bush Camps

Sunday was another drive day including a border crossing, which meant an early start after the last border experience. The border itself was a relatively short drive and when arriving we were met with a queue of cars, although less than the last one. This border was smaller however and it still took us about 5 hours to cross, although they didn't check our bags which was a nice surprise. We ended up arriving in Bariloche at about 6 in the end so it was quite a long day.

The Argentinian resort town of Bariloche has a picture-perfect setting on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, flanked by the peaks of the surrounding Andean mountains. The scenery here is truly stunning, so it's a magical place to explore and take in all the amazing views. In winter, the town is a popular centre for skiing and in summer the focus shifts to walking, mountain-biking, horse-riding and kayaking and canoeing on the lakes. The town itself is famous for its handmade chocolates, and there are some really spectacular
displays in the local chocolate shops. We were staying about 7.5km outside of town, so after checking in we went out to this local restaurant which had its own brewery and specialised in German food, and it was really good.

Come morning we an array of options of things to do, and I wanted to go hiking. No one else wanted to go though as due to the horrendous weather the previous day and the forecast being rain people wanted to relax at the hostel or go into town. This meant I had to catch a local bus to km 25 which was absolutely heaving. Going to km 25 allowed me to walk various trails to get views of the Lago Nahuel Huapi, and the Lago Moreno later in the day. The paths were predominantly flat woodland trails, and some of the views were just breathtaking. I did a good 6 hours walking in the end.

When returning to bus stop it was very crowded, although I got on a bus ok. It was getting the bus to stop which was the real difficulty as they didn't have buttons so you had to tell the driver to stop, which wasn't easy on a bus packed like sardines. I got off at km 7.5 without any problems though. When arriving back at the hostel I met everyone else and made them jealous they had missed out as it had been a sunny day. Dinner in the evening took us to a steak house where it was unfortunately a farewell meal to one of the original members of the group who started in Cartagena who has to fly home due to unforeseen circumstances. We had a few drinks in the evening to say bye.

Tuesday was another days hiking, although this time I decided to go into the mountains to walk to refugio frey, and I even had someone to hike with. Leaving relatively early we caught the bus to Lago Guitirrez where we walked up to the nearby town of Cerro Catedral. In the winter months this is a popular skiing resort, however in the summer months the lack of snow presents the opportunity for some stunning hikes. When arriving we caught the cable car up the mountain, and then had to get off where we got onto a chairlift which took us to around 2000m. The hike itself to refugio frey was listed as extreme but we just went for it.

The initial path was very loose ground and took us up to this viewpoint presenting stunning views in both directions. We then had to follow the mountains edge on a very challenging path with big boulders and just red dots on the rocks to follow. The views were just breathtaking though. We eventually reached an open area where we had to go into this valley, reaching a view of this lake and glimpses of snow. The descent to the lake was extreme though, literally going down what was effectively a cliff. A lot of upper body strength was needed. We then followed the lake before decending sharply again, this time on very loose terrain which made it difficult in terms of footing. We eventually got deep into the valley and made the refuge where we stopped for lunch.

After lunch we had to return the same way, getting a few pictures of the lakeside refuge before leaving. The valley was as equally stunning on the return, although the climb up to the next lake was a mission with loose terrain. When reaching the lake the next climb was even worse and was practically rock climbing in many places. I certainly had to use my arms a lot. We eventually made it back up and followed the mountains edge back to the chairlift. After heading down we reached the town where we caught the bus back to km 7.5. The evening was spent relaxing with an early start planned for the morning.

Bariloche was when we finally entered Patagonia, the name of the region in the far south of South America, formed of the southernmost stretch of the Andes and the surrounding plains and plateaus. The area is split down the middle by the Andes, with Chilean Patagonia on the west, and Argentinian Patagonia on the east. Renowned for its desolate landscapes, unrelenting winds and magnificent lake, mountain and glacial scenery, the name Patagonia comes from the word "Patagon", used by the explorer Magellan to describe the local people who he believed to be giants. Today historians believe that the Patagons were actually Teheulches, with an average height of about 1.8m as opposed to the average height of a Spaniard of 1.55m at the time!

With so much to we left early and left Gus for the next couple of weeks as we're visiting locations in a completely different order. To put it simple my itinerary is completely pointless. With a lot of ground to cover, we set off and returned to ruta 40 and managed to cover a lot of ground, stopping for lunch on the roadside where we had a pumpkin soup with french bread made by our guide. Whilst we were having lunch so many cars beeped at us to the point where we were guessing the order of beeps for the following three cars.

After lunch we continued south, stopping at Rio Mayo to camp. The campsite however was unsuitable as we couldn't fit under the gate! The town was also a military related area so it didn't seem that nice anyway. We therefore continued south to the next town of Perito Moreno where we found a brilliant place to camp including an inside area suitable for cooking. It was very windy however although we were warned about this! Dinner in the evening was a chicken and mushroom pasta with a salad which was amazing.

The following day we left a little later than planned as driving onto Perito Moreno meant we were further down the road than intended from the day before. Shortly after leaving however we were stopped by a massive amount of sheep blocking the road. Argentina does have a Welsh heritage as many Welsh farmers emigrated during the 19th century and the industrial revolution in the Welsh valleys. We eventually got past and the drive was stunning despite driving through a desolate landscape with some really strong winds. We saw lots of rhea and guanaco en route, stopping before lunch at Cueva de las Manos.

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Cueva de las Manos lies in an isolated and remote spot in the valley of Rio Pinturas. The cave takes its name from the hundreds of paintings of hands made by indigenous inhabitants some 13,000-9,000 years ago - possibly by the ancestors of the Tehuelche people. The images of hands are 'negative-painted, meaning that they put their hand on the rock face and sprayed the paint around the outline by blowing it through a bone pipe. As well as the hand impressions, there are also depictions of human beings, guanacos, rheas and other animals, as well as geometric shapes, zigzags, and representations of the sun, moon and hunting scenes. It was a very interesting place and after exploring the site we had lunch here too which was sandwiches.

After lunch we continued south although we had an extended period off road before rejoining to ruta 40. We ended up stopping driving at half 5 in the end after such a long drive the day before, camping in Gabernador Gregores. The campsite was quite small but perfectly adequate, with the town being very quiet. After going to the supermarket we relaxed before dinner, which was morrocan cous cous with vegetables which was probably one of my favourite group meals we've cooked so far. I then had an early night as it was unbearable sitting in the wind which was just unrelentless!

Pucon

Thursday was another long drive day, although we covered a lot of distance driving along straight tarmac roads which were predominantly dual carriageway. We did however break down en route though which delayed us a bit but we covered the 800km to arrive by dinner. In Pucón we stayed in a hostel, which sat below the nearby Villarrica volcano which after a few hours of arriving started spewing gas! Dinner in the evening was another included bbq which included lots of beef, chicken, and sausages. The evening itself was nice and relaxing with a few beers and campfire before bed. I did gash my toe open however although I got it cleaned up.

Southern Chile's lake district boasts some lake and mountain scenery
comparable with what the Swiss Alps or New Zealand have to offer! Beautiful
deep blue lakes are flanked by majestic forest-clad mountains with snowy
peaks to provide picture-postcard views and a perfect spot for walking. The attractive small town of Pucón is located at the heart of the Chilean lakes, sitting below the Villarrica volcano. We had the option to climb the volcano although it was a very expensive activity so I decided to catch the local bus to the nearby huerquehue national park.

After having a packed lunch made for me, we set off early to get to the national park, with 8 of us making the hour long drive. We arrived in good time after paying the fees we set off on a hike called the Los Lagos de Senderos which was a 20km return trip to Lago Chico, Lago Verde, and Lago Toco. The paths were basically woodland trails, getting occasional views of the nearby volcano en route. We took detours to a couple of waterfalls en route too. We arrived at the lakes by lunchtime and had lunch at the top before heading back down.

We arrived back of the bottom by half 4 so it was a good days walking. The lakes were stunning though having perfect reflections of the surrounding forest scenery. We didn't realise how far we climbed up though until going back down as it was quite a fair way up! After catching the bus back to Pucón we relaxed at the hostel before going out for dinner at a local restaurant. The town of Pucón itself is very touristy based and modern, home to wooden buildings with your companies and restaurants. Come evening most people went to the hot springs although I stayed at the hostel as my toe was completely destroyed after the injury the day before.

Saturday was another free day, although I didn't wake up until lunchtime as I had quite a late night the night before, drinking with the locals. After listening to the Saints game I spent the afternoon relaxing, although I did go out and see the nearby lake and harbour despite it raining. The evening was a pretty chilled out one, sitting in the lounge area before having a relatively early night.

Mendoza and Santiago

After our efforts the day before, we had got ourselves 470km from Mendoza, although being unsure of the road conditions ahead we left early just in case it took while. After breakfast we set off at sunrise and found ourselves on straight tarmac roads which meant we could get some speed up. The weather however was ridiculous being some of the hottest conditions I've encountered so far. Even with all the windows of the truck open a hot air made the truck feel like a sauna. We did plenty of shade stops en route to cool, stopping for lunch under some trees.

In the end we arrived into Mendoza about half 1 which was a lot earlier than expected. Mendoza is a vibrant city full of pleasant leafy boulevards and atmospheric plazas where the locals catch up over coffee in the many street cafes and bars. A university town and an important economic centre, the city has a bustling cosmopolitan feel and has some great restaurants, lively nightlife, interesting museums and galleries, and great shopping. Mendoza is perhaps most famous for its wine. Whilst Mendoza is located in the dry deserts just underneath the Andes, extensive artificial irrigation has made it possible to grow grapes and olives here, both of which benefit from the long, hot, sunny summers - the region produces around two-thirds of Argentina's wine. Mendoza is also used by many adventurers as a base from which to explore the colossal mountains in the area. The highest mountain in the Americas, Mt. Aconcagua (with a summit 6,962m above sea level), is in the high Andes just to the west of the city making the city a big draw for mountaineers.

With it being new years eve we had the afternoon to relax, although there wasn't much to do as everything was shut anyway. I struggled to find booze but I got somewhere in the end. After a bite to eat we set off for our new years celebrations at about 8 which took place at another hostel which was where Gus were staying and were reunited for the first since Christmas. It was here we had all inclusive wine and a bbq with lots of steak for dinner. With a mix of locals and dragoman it was a good atmosphere and it turned into quite a late night. Let's just say I wasn't anticipating returning in daylight and being welcomed back to the hostel by members of my group having breakfast.

After returning late I didn't wake up until the afternoon, where I explored Mendoza which was like ghost town, everywhere closed. We eventually found a street with some cafes open and had a drink, before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant. I then headed off to a pub devoted to Liverpool which was interesting, before heading back to the hotel where I passed out being so tired.

Monday was another day to explore Mendoza, and despite having the option to go on another wine tasting trip, I opted to stay at the hostel and watch the Southampton game. Bad decision. Unlike yesterday however Mendoza was actually open so we looked round the shops and sat a cafe for the afternoon, before heading back to the hostel to watch the darts which was good. I then went to a local pub with some good reviews famed for good burgers and an English atmosphere, and I wasn't disappointed, probably the best pub I've been to in south America. It turned into quite a late night.

Tuesday was another long drive day including a border crossing which gave the potential for a long day. Due to this we left early, although I was extra tired as I barely slept the night before due to the heat which meant I spent much of the night sitting in the lobby to stop myself from sweating. The drive to the border was relatively easy, stopping en route at an old inca bridge site, and a viewpoint to see Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America. We also stopped here for lunch which included chicken which was nice.

When arriving at the border we were met by an almighty queue which felt it stretched back for miles. Luckily we counted as a bus which meant we had a separate less busy lane, although we must have passed a solid queue of cars for a good 10 minutes before we reached the official border crossing. We then had to wait for ages before they would let us off the truck and inside the building to get stamped in and out, which also took ages as they accused us leapfrogging the queue. We eventually got stamped in, where we had to wait in a single file queue of buses for a search of the truck. We eventually got searched, although in all the border took over 7 hours to cross which was horrendous.

When finally on the road we got the wine out to celebrate and played games, luckily in daylight with the extended daylight hours through heading south so rapidly. We didn't arrive into Santiago until gone 9 in the end so it was a very long day. We quickly checked in and then went out for dinner to this unique seafood restaurant which had a submarine setting and various sea related things all round the place. I had this battered fish thing with chips and eggs. We didn't end up eating until half 11 though by which time I was exhausted and went straight to bed!

Wednesday was a free day to explore Santiago, Chile's capital. With a very European atmosphere, Santiago is set out with wide tree-lined boulevards which lead to pleasant plazas and leafy parks, and on a clear day the snow-capped peaks of the Andes provide a magnificent backdrop to the Santiago skyline. Much of the centre is pedestrianised, which together with the wide streets and efficient metro system make Santiago an easy city to explore on foot. I did just that and used a map of a guided walking tour, but instead of using a local guide did it self guided.

Starting off at the hotel, the first thing I had to do was get my bearings which I managed, passing buildings such as La Moneda palace and the old congress building before arriving at the plaza da armas which was the main square. I then headed up to the local fish market which absolutely stunk, before passing the old railway station en route to Vega central, a very busy locals market. It was a massive change here, going from the clean almost Western feeling historical centre to a graffiti covered suburb full of locals.

I spent a while looking round the market, passing through the hipster feeling Patronato neighbourhood and back across the filthy river to the historical centre, passing the Museo Bellas Artes en route. I decided to detour off the walking route at Cerro San Lucia and explored this park area full of gardens and old buildings, heading up this tower and a viewpoint of the city. After heading back down I passed through the Lastarria neighbourhood towards Plaza Italia. The final section of the walk took me through the trendy Bellavista neighbourhood home to many western restaurants to finish at the base of Cerro San Cristobal and the funicular railway.

Instead of riding the railway I decided to walk up the hill instead which was a nice walk through trees along a dirt path. When reaching top there were brilliant views of the city, as well as a jesus statue which overlooks the city. Instead of heading back the same way, I went up and over the hill to the other side and into the Providencia neighbourhood home to the tallest building in south America, the Costanera tower. It was very modern and trendy round here, and I explored the shopping centre and had dinner by the river which was really nice.

I didn't leave Providencia until about half 6, although as I had ended up a good 5 mile walk from the hotel I decided to catch the metro back which was very busy. I negotiated it without problems though, despite not fitting onto a train until my 3rd attempt and looking like an idiot when trying to buy a ticket. When arriving back at the hotel I relaxed and said goodbye to the 3 people leaving our truck, as well as finding out a 4th member had told us we're all wankers and stormed off quitting the truck. I did get to meet the new people however including a Middlesbrough fan, and a Sporting Lisbon fan who is obviously a fan of Cedric who came from there. The evening was relaxing although there was a pool table which was good.

Cafayate

We left our estancia on the Thursday relatively late with just a short drive to our next stop in Cafayate. We did however have problems leaving as our crew thought head office had paid the estancia by card already, but they hadn't which caused a delay. We eventually left, with our guide and driver having swapped roles due to a few issues, and within a minute of starting his new driving job our driver backed into the fence where the horses were and broke it. Instead of causing more problems it was a matter of foot down and drive off.

En route to Cafayate we stopped to view a few rock formations. The scenery changed from lush green countryside to red coloured canyon like scenery pretty quickly and our first stop took us to this rock face which was pretty impressive. Our second stop was at this amphitheatre like formation which made lots of echoes. There were people in here padding guitar which was very fitting. Other sights en route included a toad which we just viewed from the truck.

We arrived in Cafayate by lunchtime, where I found a local brewery and a few of us had lunch. Cafayate is a small town in north west Argentina, and is world-famous for its wine production. The surrounding vineyards produce some of the best quality wine in South America - Cafayate is particularly renowned for its Torrontes, a distinctive and crisp white wine that is typically Argentinian and similar in style to a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Cafayate itself is small and has a sleepy laid-back feel, although it can become usy during Argentinian holiday periods.

After lunch we made the short drive to the campsite and set up on what was a touristy campsite with decent facilities, before a few of us went off to go wine tasting. The first vineyard we stopped at produced nanni wines and was run over generations by a small family. We tasted a torrentes, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, and tannat variety here. The next vineyard we visited was  the piattelli vineyard, set on a vast sight centred round a picturesque house. The setting was beautiful. We opted to taste the grand reserva wines here to add a bit of glass, tasting another torrentes, two varieties of malbec, a cabernet sauvignon, and an oak aged blend which were all very nice, but expensive though. 

We didn't arrive back to the campsite until like 8, stopping at the supermarket en route to the camp to buy food for the next couple of days. Considering half the group didn't come wine tasting, they were hungry when we returned! Dinner in the evening was another Japanese curry after the huge success last time and the fact there aren't many survivors left from the Colombia who got to try it before. It was really good, and after dinner it was nice sitting at the campsite on what was a really warm evening, although we did have a early night.

Friday was an early start as we effectively had to cover 1100km over 2 days to get to Mendoza, wild camping somewhere in the middle. We decided the best plan of attack was a matter of get as we could the first day and see where we ended up. Shortly after leaving we stopped at Quilmes. The ruins of the city of Quilmes are located on a remote hillside in the Tucumán province in north west Argentina. The people of Quilmes were an indigenous tribe who inhabited this area as far back as 850 CE, fiercely resisting attempted Inca invasions in the 15th and 16th Centuries and even holding out against the Spanish for over 100 years before finally succumbing to a siege led by the colonial powers in 1667. I went up the hill to the viewpoints while the other explored below before leaving after a short while to continue.

The roads weren't that great and we initially made slow progress but we eventually made it to ruta 40 and the tarmac and got some speed up, stopping at various places en route for toilet and snacks. For lunch we even managed to find a shaded area and had the usual truck lunch before heading up into the mountains on winding roads which slowed us down a fair bit. We eventually stopped driving at about 7, stopping at a local campsite which had a pool to avoid wild camping. It was a really hot day. You know it's hot when the Aussies say it's hot. After setting up, we relaxed with cold beers in hand before dinner, which was chicken pasta. We then had an early night with another long drive day to come.

Estancia

Monday was where Amber and Gus split up until the new year, with Gus going to Cafayate, and then an estancia, with Amber going to another estancia, and then Cafayate. This meant Gus had to leave early, and we got to leave late because our estancia was like an hour down the road. This does mean however after Cafayate we have a lot of distance to cover unlike Gus who will be a lot further down the road. Our advantage though was we got a whole morning to explore Salta, so I went and walked through the park and caught the cable car to the top of the hill to see the views of the city. It was lots of fun.

We ended up leaving Salta at about half 1, and we were at the estancia by 3 where we were greeted by the owner who was very vocal. Our driver got out the truck and literally went to say hello and the owner started kissing him. He seems like a very happy guy. After setting up our tents we sat inside the dining area and it started raining, having scones and jam later which was very British. We did however have bottomless glasses of wine as the owner kept filling them up even when it was half full. Argentinian people have a very different way of eating, with lunch being their main meal of the day, and the times being a lot later than usual. Dinner wasn't until half 9 which was empanadas which were really good, lots of meat inside. I somehow however ended up being the last one up with the Argentinian family who knew who Southampton were due to Dani Osvaldo and Boca Juniors. The wine was so drinkable.

Come morning we had agreed to restart our running club as we were finally out of altitude, which had expanded from 3 members to 6 members. I however was the only one who turned up because it was raining, although I still went and was accompanied by the two dogs who had slept outside my tent all night. They literally ran with me to the town and back which was about a 10km round trip, and I even had about 5 dogs following me at one point. We got quite wet though although I managed to make the dogs pass out when we got back.

We originally had horse riding planned for the morning, although this was cancelled due to the weather and postponed until the afternoon. We instead simply had the morning to relax and as I was so exhausted I ended up having  nap until lunchtime. Lunch was a proper Argentinian bbq including big joints of steak where we got endless lumps of it on our plate, ribs, sausages and a big variety of sides and salads. It was quite a good meal although I was stuffed by the end. We also once again had bottomless glasses of wine.

Come afternoon I decided against horse riding as it was still raining and stayed behind and played cards relaxed. We had scones once again for afternoon tea and a lot of wine whilst everyone was horse riding. We had a treat in the evening with a cheese and wine tasting session where we tried 4 local wines, a torrentes, torrentes reisling, malbec, and oak aged cabernet sauvignon. They were really good and the cheese went down really well too. We were then surprised by dinner as the owner just walked out with half a pig and carved us an endless supply to eat with breads. They're feeding us well. We also had the small matter of a truck members 70th birthday to celebrate. We were given more wine and it was quite a late night.

Wednesday was a nice and relaxing start with breakfast not until 10. I went for a run though again which was good, minus the dogs who were nowhere to be seen. After breakfast most people went horse riding although I wasn't so keen and went for a hike instead, with the dogs. They kept getting into fights with other dogs on the way though as they kept breaking into people's houses. They even killed 4 chickens en route by chasing them, catching them and chucking them on the floor. I had about 30 barking dogs round me at one point, and an angry Argentinian chucking rocks which wasn't great. 

When getting back I relaxed before lunch, which was once again a big bbq with a lot of meat. The owner wouldn't stop feeding me! We then had a free afternoon, where most people went for a nap, although I just listened to the Saints game which wasn't great. Come evening I ended up having an early night as I was exhausted, not helped by the fact I'd spent much of the day playing football with the kids who wouldn't run out of energy!

San Pedro de Atacama and Salta

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!