Monday, 31 December 2012
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Easter Island
Well, we were passing through - it would have been rude not to stop. The major attraction is the large number of Moai lying around - mostly on their backs.
There's also a few nice volcanic craters...
And a rugged (north Cornwall-like but with sharper rocks) coast with some nice restaurants with decent views...
We decided we needed a 4 x 4 to get around and thought that the £85 for 2 days wasn't too bad - until we discovered it didn't include insurance. It wasn't that insurance was extra - there wasn't any to be had on the island at all! It's quite a long time since I've driven around without any tax or insurance. And driving on the track they specifically recommended against (4-wheel drive definitely needed) without said insurance was a bit reckless.
The usual ridiculous number of photos here and here.
There's also a few nice volcanic craters...
And a rugged (north Cornwall-like but with sharper rocks) coast with some nice restaurants with decent views...
We decided we needed a 4 x 4 to get around and thought that the £85 for 2 days wasn't too bad - until we discovered it didn't include insurance. It wasn't that insurance was extra - there wasn't any to be had on the island at all! It's quite a long time since I've driven around without any tax or insurance. And driving on the track they specifically recommended against (4-wheel drive definitely needed) without said insurance was a bit reckless.
The usual ridiculous number of photos here and here.
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Monday, 17 December 2012
Iguazu Falls
Argentina moves further ahead in the South American natural wonders competition with Iguazu Falls...
In the worldwide waterfall competition though, it's a close fight with Victoria Falls. Iguazu is a clear winner in the visual presentation section with some excellent full frontal closeups...
...but it loses out in the power and glory (audio) section. At Victoria Falls you can feel the thunder through the ground as well as hearing it. (Both score nul points in the climate section being way over the maximum allowed temperature.) When the final scores are counted Victoria Falls wins narrowly.
We had to suffer for our sights though... There were two days of power cuts at our hostel = no lights, no air con and worst - no water.
The usual torrent of photos is here with another cascade here. And one or two right here...:
In the worldwide waterfall competition though, it's a close fight with Victoria Falls. Iguazu is a clear winner in the visual presentation section with some excellent full frontal closeups...
...but it loses out in the power and glory (audio) section. At Victoria Falls you can feel the thunder through the ground as well as hearing it. (Both score nul points in the climate section being way over the maximum allowed temperature.) When the final scores are counted Victoria Falls wins narrowly.
We had to suffer for our sights though... There were two days of power cuts at our hostel = no lights, no air con and worst - no water.
The usual torrent of photos is here with another cascade here. And one or two right here...:
Monday, 10 December 2012
Los Glaciares
So, who wins the battle of Patagonia? It's a close call - both Chile and Argentina have great mountains and walks but I think Argentina shades it because of the Perito Moreno glacier...
It's huge and stunning and bits keep falling off. There's lots of photos of it - and the rest of Los Glaciares national park - here and here.
Weather plays an important role down here and - once again - we were lucky. It was pissing down in El Calafate when we arrived but the weather forecast for El Chalten (trekking capital of Argentina apparently) was good so we cut our stay short (thank you Hainen Hostel for not charging us) and arrived as the sun came out after days of rain. Perfect weather for 3 days - then it started raining again as we left!
The first walk was the best...
A mere 10 miles. The second was the longest I've walked for about 45 years - 14 miles. Not as pretty as the first and too many people and flies.
The last day we took it easy - just about 3 miles. But very pleasant and peaceful. Spent at least an hour on an amazingly comfortable rock watching clouds evapourate.
Then back to El Calafate and a trip to the above-mentioned Perito Moreno glacier. It really was good. It was particularly spectacular when big bits fell off - sorry only one photo (and no videos) of bits falling - I wanted to watch!
It's huge and stunning and bits keep falling off. There's lots of photos of it - and the rest of Los Glaciares national park - here and here.
Weather plays an important role down here and - once again - we were lucky. It was pissing down in El Calafate when we arrived but the weather forecast for El Chalten (trekking capital of Argentina apparently) was good so we cut our stay short (thank you Hainen Hostel for not charging us) and arrived as the sun came out after days of rain. Perfect weather for 3 days - then it started raining again as we left!
The first walk was the best...
A mere 10 miles. The second was the longest I've walked for about 45 years - 14 miles. Not as pretty as the first and too many people and flies.
The last day we took it easy - just about 3 miles. But very pleasant and peaceful. Spent at least an hour on an amazingly comfortable rock watching clouds evapourate.
Then back to El Calafate and a trip to the above-mentioned Perito Moreno glacier. It really was good. It was particularly spectacular when big bits fell off - sorry only one photo (and no videos) of bits falling - I wanted to watch!
Torres del Paine
There can't be many places where you can go 3000 miles south and still be in the same country.
The weather's been pretty good so far but when we flew into Punta Arenas it was nearly freezing with pouring rain and a howling gale. We lucked out though - expecting to have to go into town and find a bus to Puerto Natales - we walked out of the terminal building to find one standing there! And it left a minute after we got on. Not bad.
The weather remained dismal the next day (and Monic didn't stop moaning about it) but the forecast was good so we went into the park the day after and were blessed with perfect weather. The walk was quite hard but there was a nice view at the far point...
...well, apart from those two old gits in the way. It all went pretty well, except for missing the bus back to Puerto Natales because we took too long on the walk!
We had to change hotels the next day but then had a second bite with a two-day hike to glacier Gray. Not the best of timing - last year an Israeli hiker burned his toilet paper and started a fire that trashed a seven mile stretch of forest (the bit we were walking). We had a bit of luck with the room in the refugio - four beds but no one else in room.
Glacier looked pretty good as well...
...but, again, you get us two. Lots of photos here. And even more here.
The weather's been pretty good so far but when we flew into Punta Arenas it was nearly freezing with pouring rain and a howling gale. We lucked out though - expecting to have to go into town and find a bus to Puerto Natales - we walked out of the terminal building to find one standing there! And it left a minute after we got on. Not bad.
The weather remained dismal the next day (and Monic didn't stop moaning about it) but the forecast was good so we went into the park the day after and were blessed with perfect weather. The walk was quite hard but there was a nice view at the far point...
...well, apart from those two old gits in the way. It all went pretty well, except for missing the bus back to Puerto Natales because we took too long on the walk!
We had to change hotels the next day but then had a second bite with a two-day hike to glacier Gray. Not the best of timing - last year an Israeli hiker burned his toilet paper and started a fire that trashed a seven mile stretch of forest (the bit we were walking). We had a bit of luck with the room in the refugio - four beds but no one else in room.
Glacier looked pretty good as well...
...but, again, you get us two. Lots of photos here. And even more here.
Monday, 3 December 2012
Lake District
Down near Puerto Montt is the region Chileans call the lake district. We've splashed out on a car and are driving around it. A green and pleasant land. Could be England except for the Lutheran churches...
And the penguins...
Oh yes, and the volcanoes...
As usual, an avalanche of photos here. And more here.
And the penguins...
Oh yes, and the volcanoes...
As usual, an avalanche of photos here. And more here.
Thursday, 22 November 2012
San Pedro
Nice-but-expensive-after-Bolivia place in the high Atacama desert in Chile. Apparently the driest place on earth. We're taking it easy after the rigours of Salar de Uyuni. Found a nice bar / restaurant - dim and a bit seedy - reminds us slightly of the riser - nice buzz - but feels like the real action probably starts later - after we're in bed! New favourite drink - red wine and tinned strawberries (better than it sounds - honest).
Go for a tour of Moon Valley. Some pretty good scenery (including dunes - one of my favourites) and an enjoyable hike. Altitude training pays off - going uphill, I overtake the guide who's breathing heavily.
Later on Monic chickens out of second cliff edge shot...
San Pedro photos here. And even more here.
Go for a tour of Moon Valley. Some pretty good scenery (including dunes - one of my favourites) and an enjoyable hike. Altitude training pays off - going uphill, I overtake the guide who's breathing heavily.
Later on Monic chickens out of second cliff edge shot...
San Pedro photos here. And even more here.
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Salar de Uyuni
It wasn't the most promising of starts...
We had a bus ride from hell (well, from La Paz to Uyuni) - 13 hours overnight, only semi-cama, constantly stopping, unmetalled roads. Arrived in Uyuni at 7am. Our tour started at 10.30 - 3 days in the middle of nowhere (which is pretty big in Bolivia) in a jeep with 4 strangers.
It got better. Four strangers turned into friends and we had the best 3 days so far. Luxury it was not. The second night all six of us slept in the same room (no showers, power went off at 9pm).
The photos do a better job than me of describing the places we saw - and I couldn't stop taking photos - there's a load here and, because I couldn't bring myself to delete the ones I'd thrown out of the first album, even more here. Here's a few for starters...
We had a bus ride from hell (well, from La Paz to Uyuni) - 13 hours overnight, only semi-cama, constantly stopping, unmetalled roads. Arrived in Uyuni at 7am. Our tour started at 10.30 - 3 days in the middle of nowhere (which is pretty big in Bolivia) in a jeep with 4 strangers.
It got better. Four strangers turned into friends and we had the best 3 days so far. Luxury it was not. The second night all six of us slept in the same room (no showers, power went off at 9pm).
The photos do a better job than me of describing the places we saw - and I couldn't stop taking photos - there's a load here and, because I couldn't bring myself to delete the ones I'd thrown out of the first album, even more here. Here's a few for starters...
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Blog of the Gaps 2
Now, where were we...
29/10 Arrived in Arequipa surprisingly refreshed considering I'd slept the last two nights on buses. I'd just had a good 7 hours kip - unfortunately not so Monic - her reclining seat had been fighting back and gradually returning to an upright position whilst she slept.
Got to the Flying Dog hostel about 9am - they let us have the room straightaway and gave us free breakfast - nice one.
Spent a lazy couple of days exploring Arequipa.
More Arequipa and Colca Canyon photos here.
30/10 Distressingly early start for Colca Canyon trip (4.45 alarm - yuck) but some nice scenery...
31/10 Now find that the luxury tourist bus to Puno that I'd paid over the odds for in Arequipa was in fact a minibus (Monic points out that it turned out quite well - the minibus dropped us at our hostel in Puno (rather than the bus station) - getting a taxi on Halloween might have been difficult).
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| I thought I'd booked this... |
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| ...but I got this |
The drive to Puno was pretty in parts - including a lake with flamingos.
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| there's flamingos there - honest |
More Puno photos (including a dreadlocked dog - Monic insisted) here.
Our room in Puno is on fourth floor - carrying the bag up nearly does me in - just walking up is exhausting.
02/11 Another day, another country. Get a bus to Copacabana with amusing border crossing - multiple queues for multiple stamps in multiple offices on both sides.
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| view from room |
03/11 Trip to Isla del Sol...
More Copacabana photos here.
04/11 Bus to La Paz with a Heath Robinson ferry crossing - everybody gets off the bus and queues for tickets on a pedestrian ferry while bus goes across on a rickety raft with an outboard motor.
Some stunning scenery on the way - La Paz looks amazing as you drive in from above - not so good from the inside.
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
High as a Condor
We got to 4910 metres on the way to Colca Canyon - a personal record I think...
Arequipa and Colca Canyon photos here.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
It's Sunday - it must be La Paz
I don't seem very good at regular posting - quelle surprise. My excuses... we seem to have been on a bus permanently for the last week (we've done about 1500 miles since you ask), wifi has ranged from slow to unusable and I'm feeling rough!
I've got a cold and the Inca equivalent of Montezuma has taken his revenge - I haven't been able to fart with confidence for days. Poor me. Ahhh.
Apart from that, things are going well - more tomorrow...
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Blog of the Gaps
Following on from Legless in Lima...
17/10 Second day in Lima. Explored the old city centre - best part of Lima. I'm developing a worrying fetish for Peruvian traffic police (all female in tight trousers or slit skirts). Evening - more clericot.
18/10 Visited a pre-Inca archaeological site - a massive temple complex built entirely of mud bricks - apparently functional because it never rains in Lima...
One of the less sucessfull features of the site was their attempt to model the original inhabitants...
Went to a potato restaurant for lunch and achieved instant fame. A Chinese TV crew were filming for a food series and asked me for an interview! So I now have star status in China (and - who knows - maybe worldwide). Evening...
Over the years I've had some stick from Monic and other fashionistas about wearing sandals with socks. In retaliation I'd like to publish the following evidence...
19/10 Leaving Lima (no regrets - it's not our favorite city) - Cusco here we come. There's some photos taken from the flight
here. LAN's idea of a tasty airplane snack...
When we see our room we are nostalgic for our Lima dungeon - appalling - ended up eating in a place with wifi (sod the food) as we needed to plan Machu Picchu trip and find a new room.
21/10 Walked up to Sacsayhuaman (Inca ruins) before moving to human habitation. The drugs appear to be working - at least we don't keel over from AMS during the (rather steep) climb. Although Machu Picchu is far more spectacular as an overall package, I'd rate Sacsayhuaman as the best bit of stonework that I've seen. All Cusco photos (including Sacsayhuaman) are here
22/10 Sacred Valley tour (photos here) plus train to Aguas Caliente (nearest town to Machu Picchu) - annoyingly tour guide tells we have to miss best part of best ruin to get train.
23/10 Machu Picchu
25/10 My favourite exhibit in a Cusco archeological museum ... in a list of ethnic groups conquered by the Incas, the Wankas came first.
26/10 Last look around Cusco - catch night bus to Nazca at 18.00.
17/10 Second day in Lima. Explored the old city centre - best part of Lima. I'm developing a worrying fetish for Peruvian traffic police (all female in tight trousers or slit skirts). Evening - more clericot.
18/10 Visited a pre-Inca archaeological site - a massive temple complex built entirely of mud bricks - apparently functional because it never rains in Lima...
 |
| mud city |
One of the less sucessfull features of the site was their attempt to model the original inhabitants...
 |
| dummies in nappies |
Went to a potato restaurant for lunch and achieved instant fame. A Chinese TV crew were filming for a food series and asked me for an interview! So I now have star status in China (and - who knows - maybe worldwide). Evening...
 |
| more clericot |
 |
| Monic in socks and sandals |
When we see our room we are nostalgic for our Lima dungeon - appalling - ended up eating in a place with wifi (sod the food) as we needed to plan Machu Picchu trip and find a new room.
21/10 Walked up to Sacsayhuaman (Inca ruins) before moving to human habitation. The drugs appear to be working - at least we don't keel over from AMS during the (rather steep) climb. Although Machu Picchu is far more spectacular as an overall package, I'd rate Sacsayhuaman as the best bit of stonework that I've seen. All Cusco photos (including Sacsayhuaman) are here
22/10 Sacred Valley tour (photos here) plus train to Aguas Caliente (nearest town to Machu Picchu) - annoyingly tour guide tells we have to miss best part of best ruin to get train.
23/10 Machu Picchu
25/10 My favourite exhibit in a Cusco archeological museum ... in a list of ethnic groups conquered by the Incas, the Wankas came first.
26/10 Last look around Cusco - catch night bus to Nazca at 18.00.
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