tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91874131915404757402024-02-18T18:19:58.357-08:00Hannah & the worldUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-83106452181186347712016-03-13T11:24:00.001-07:002016-03-13T12:41:55.581-07:00The end of the roadI've now been home from South America for 2 weeks. I can't really believe it's been that long already but at the same time it almost doesn't feel real that I was ever there. But before I get into that, I've got my last week and a half in Brazil to talk about- I wrote half this post while I was still there so forgive the mixing of tenses...<br />
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Please excuse me for using a Boyz II Men song as the title for the post- it was stuck in my head from the taxi I was in earlier. I'm currently on the way to São Paulo; Sod's law that my final bus of the trip is one of the only ones that has had working wifi. I'm flying home tomorrow, or rather I'm flying to Casablanca, hanging around for 6 hours and then I'm flying home. But first I've got to write a bit about my time in Salvador!<br />
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The day after Jack left I caught a flight to Salvador, about 2 hours north from Rio. If you ask most other travellers the first thing they'll say is that Salvador is cool but feels pretty sketchy. The lonely planet actually says 'if you're going to be mugged in Brazil, it'll happen in Salvador'. You can imagine my delight then when the taxi driver clearly didn't have a clue where my hostel was and just stopped on a road somewhere in the area and told me to get out. Luckily I found it after 5 minutes of wandering. </div>
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Salvador has a different feel to the rest of the places I've been in Brazil. The history of the city isn't the best; it used to be the biggest port in the Americas for importing slaves and pretty much all of the buildings in the old town area were built by slaves. Nowadays the demographic is 90% African descendants, however my walking tour guide told me that unfortunately there still a lot of racism present in the city today.<br />
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The old town, Pelourinho, is where most tourists tend to stick to and the buildings are all very colourful and beautiful. Unfortunately the many shops in the area all sell the exact same overpriced souvenirs and paintings which was a bit disappointing. However a few days into my stay in Salvador I went on a free walking tour called Rebel Salvador, run by a guy named Pedro. While I found him to be a little dramatic at times, the tour was very good at getting out of the tourist bubble and seeing some places you'd never go alone. He also told us a lot about the current problems within the city- despite it holding a UNESCO world heritage site title, which should protect it from development, the government are tearing down buildings they shouldn't be and proposing to evict families who have lived in one street for generations in order to create boutique hotels. A group of locals are appealing to UNESCO and are raising money to help these families but the situation isn't looking good so far. It's a shame because I think Salvador has a lot of potential; if only the government could spend money where it's actually needed.<br />
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I also visited the Basilica do Senhor do Bonfim, which is a pretty famous church in the city. The railings surrounding the church are covered in wish ribbons, in about 10 different colours, all tied on by people who have prayed for their loved ones inside the church. I won't lie, I have no religious beliefs myself but it was still very impressive.<br />
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There's even a room inside the church with photos of people who have been 'blessed' all over the walls, and there are also lots of replica plastic body parts hanging from the ceiling which are meant to represent things people have prayed for there. Plastic hearts, hips, arms, heads, spines..you name it, it'll be there. It was a bit creepy to be honest!<br />
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I bought my own wish ribbon outside the church; you're supposed to make three wishes, tie the ribbon around your wrist with three knots and when it falls off your wishes come true. We'll see; if I ever end up living in a penthouse apartment in New York with a very rich husband, you'll know why...<br />
I also had a popcorn blessing outside the church. Yes, a popcorn blessing. A woman in traditional dress came up, put some sort of oil on my forehead with her thumb and proceeded to say some things I didn't understand in portugeuse to me while throwing popcorn/corn kernels over my head. I have no idea why, I wish I could tell you! I just hope it actually was a blessing and not some sort of curse.<br />
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Overall I did enjoy Salvador, despite being very aware that by this point I was running out of steam a bit. My hostel also had a free caipirinha hour every night too which never hurts! Though I dread to think of the damage that almost 2 months of daily caipirinhas did to my poor teeth. I left Salvador on the Tuesday of my final week, which is a bit of a shame as apparently that's the day when all the fun happens! After that I went back to Rio for 2 more nights in Books hostel, where I honestly did nothing of interest. I felt I'd already done a lot in Rio and as I said, I was feeling pretty exhausted by this point. On Thursday I spent the day on the bus back to Sao Paulo where we got caught up in one of the worst thunder storms I've ever seen.<br />
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My flight from Sao Paulo to Casablanca was probably the scariest I've ever done. For one thing, it was the oldest plane ever. Secondly, even though the plane was already delayed, when we finally did board we were sat for about an hour waiting to set off. I was starting to get annoyed and try find out what was happening when all of a sudden 6 policemen boarded the plane, went over to a passenger on my row and asked for his boarding pass. Next thing he was being escorted off the plane and the cabin crew were searching all the overhead bins and pulling his seat apart. I have no idea what they were searching for but the guy never got back on the plane. Needless to say I was feeling pretty nervous after that and couldn't really relax for the first few hours of the flight. Much to my delight we landed in Casablanca safe and well, and after a few hours waiting around it was time to board my flight to Heathrow. A few episodes of Sex & the City later and I'd arrived back on British soil, exactly 7 months after I left it. After the standard long wait to get through passport control, I went to pick up my rucksack for the last time, expecting my bad luck to have kicked in and it to have gone missing. Luckily it hadn't and I was free to go meet my parents, where they were eagerly awaiting my arrival with a 'welcome home Hannah' sign and bovril sandwich in tow. We headed back to my sisters house for my requested indian takeaway and I slept in a room by myself for the first time in 7 months. I can't describe how well I slept that night.<br />
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As I said, it's now been two weeks since I got back to good old Yorkshire. It's been a lovely (but horribly cold) two weeks- I've been lucky enough to see almost all of my friends in that time and catch up with everyone. It's strange because everything is so familiar and most people say it feels like I never went away. It even feels like that to me sometimes. But at least I know that I have the added bonus of so many wonderful memories with some great new friends to help me through the next few weeks of job hunting, as well as the first tan of my life to serve as a reminder.<br />
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To anyone whose been following this blog throughout my little adventure, thank you and I hope you've enjoyed reading! Although I've been quite lazy and some of my blog posts are definitely the result of multiple text reminders from my parents, I'm really glad that I've tried to document my trip and I know I can look back in years to come and be amazed by how brave I was when I was 22. I'm hoping to do a few more posts on things that may interest anyone who is planning their own trip to South America- which I hope will be all of you reading this! For now, I'm happy to be home. I was ready to relax, recharge and eat good cheese again. But I know I'll be back- I definitely haven't got rid of my travel bug just yet...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-64852033568653969462016-02-22T09:28:00.001-08:002016-03-13T11:26:28.059-07:00Christ and carnival<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio de Janeiro is one of those places on my trip that I was really excited to finally get to. Everybody knows Rio, everyone has seen the photos of Christ the redeemer looking out over the city and pretty much everyone you meet on tour way tells you how much they love it there. Now I'm just another one of those people! Warning- this post is pretty picture heavy as I finally stopped being lazy with my camera.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When we first got to Rio we stayed in a hostel in an area called Leme, an old favela close to Copacabana beach. The area has been regenerated and feels nothing like a favela these days and seems very safe. I think one of the great things about Rio in general is the diversity of the city and the people living there- it's a lot harder to tell who is a local and who is a tourist and there seems to be less judgement of the poorer people living on the streets. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We decided to head to Rio a few days before carnival started in order to get a lot of the touristy stuff out of the way before the madness of all day street parties kicked off. Our first tourist destination to tick off was sugarloaf mountain. Jack, Andrew, his friend Nick and myself all set off on a boiling hot day to go find the cable cars to take us to the top. There are two cable cars and I've heard that you can walk for the second one but I've no idea how/who would be daft enough to do so! The views at the top are pretty great with all the beaches and Christ peeking over the clouds in the distance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">However this view paled, in my opinion, in comparison to what we did the next day. A few friends who had recently been to Rio recommended that we go do the two brothers mountain at the end of Ipanema beach. I was told it was a half hour hour walk up so you can imagine the shock and horror on my face when we got close to it and I was faced with these monsters (this photo taken later on in the day at sunset). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So, the way to do the two brothers is to go to the bottom of the Vidigal favela. From there you get a motorbike taxi about 2/3 of the way up the mountain- which was pretty terrifying, those motorbike drivers are even crazier than normal taxi drivers! Then you're dropped off near some football courts, you go behind them and start hiking. I think everyone reading this by now has read enough tales of me hiking to know I probably didn't love this part- bear in mind it was about 35 degrees and humid as hell. On the way up you pass lookout points where you look down into the favela below, which is so far down at this point that it looks like it's made of lego.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After a bit more walking, about 45 minutes in total (probably faster without me holding you back), you get to the top and the view is incredible. Unlike at sugarloaf there's hardly anybody else up there and there are no railings so you're free to get as close to get edge as you like! I may have moaned the whole way up (seriously don't do anything that involved uphill walking with me if you have no patience) but it was so worth it and is probably one of the best things I did in my time in Rio. It's also really cool to see the favela on the way up and down the mountain- it's amazing how they managed to build whole towns on the side of a mountain and when you're looking over the whole of Rio it's very easy to spot them dotted all over the city. You can do favela tours but we decided against doing one as we weren't sure how much they benefit the people who live in them and in a way reduces them to being a tourist attraction which I'm not sure I feel comfortable with. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The next day, feeling like very good travellers for being so productive, the four of us decided it was finally time to go see the big guy. Again, you can walk up the road leading to Christ the Redeemer but we decided that we weren't feeling quite that unhinged and instead went to go get the shuttle bus up there. Much like when I got to Machu Picchu, I find it pretty hard to describe what it's like when you're actually there staring up at the huge statue, apart from the obvious that it's really impressive! The only problem is just the amount of other tourists up there- it takes so long to try get 'that' photo without other people or their selfie sticks invading it. By the end Jack and I were just trying to get in as many other people's photos as possible- spiteful maybe but entertaining all the same. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We didn't do too much on the nights for our first few days apart from venturing a couple of blocks down to Copacabana beach to sit and drink a few beers. However the next day we moved to our hostel in Botafogo which we were using as a base for Carnival. We also met back up with Neil there who we spent Christmas and New Years with so it was lovely to see him again! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Carnival is basically constant street parties known as 'blocos'- it's impossible to keep track of them yourself but luckily our hostel had a list of them all on the wall, as well as highlighting the ones they recommended for each day, which helped us out no end. The festivities started on Friday the 5th, so that morning we all headed into town to pick up some costume items. We'd heard that people go all out dressing up for the parties so we all grabbed a strange and wonderful mix of things, plus a lot of glitter, and went back to the hostel to get dressed. That night we decided to head to a bloco on Copacabana beach where we watched a big parade and then just continued the night amongst the crowds, drinking and having fun spotting all the other costumes out there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the real highlights of carnival was the sambadrome on Sunday night. We decided to get tickets pretty last minute and in true traveller style got the cheapest ones possible, meaning we were in the final block where the parade finishes. I had no idea what to expect of the sambadrome but we had so much fun! The parade starts at 9pm and there are 6 different samba schools competing, then another 6 the next night. Each school has a different theme and each parade lasts at least an hour, meaning it ends up being a pretty late night! The floats and costumes were incredible to see and absolutely huge- being at the end of the sambadrome meant that we got a good view of the cranes at the end that were used to get the dancers down from the floats, so that gives you an idea of how big they were! All the locals in the crowd are singing and dancing along giving a really fun atmosphere, despite none of us having a clue what any of the words to the songs were. As the night went on I started feeling pretty sick so a few of us left at about 4am but I don't think it ended properly until at least an hour after. All my photos are taken with my iPhone so excuse the quality- unfortunately you hear a lot of stories of people being mugged on their way to the sambadrome so I decided not to take my proper camera.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The next morning I was feeling better, very luckily, as we were heading off to the bloco that we were most excited about; Sargento Pimenta, which was described as 'The Beatles to a samba rhythm'. I know, doesn't that sound like so much fun? Off we went at 10am, armed with some cans of Skol Beats (sort of like Smirnoff ice but stronger) to the park where it was being held which was absolutely packed and boiling hot. As soon as the band kicked off we knew we were in for a good time- they started with a medley of a few different songs, which ended in one of my favourites, twist and shout. They went on over the next three and a half hours to play pretty much every Beatles song I know, including a lot of the less well-known songs. The surprising thing was that so many of the locals around us knew every word just as well as Jack and I did! I think this bloco actually beats the sambadrome as my favourite part of carnival- I think there are a few videos of them on YouTube if you're interested, but if you ever happen to be at Rio Carnival in the future please go to see them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Over the days we went to various parties across the city, but the other bloco we were really excited for was a Super Mario themed bloco up in Santa Teresa. We went up there at the right time and found various Marios and Luigis up there but unfortunately the bloco never really kicked off. However the organisers had hung a few pixelated coins from the trees- Jack and his stepbrother managed to get one down so we could at least entertain ourselves by putting it over the heads of the disappointed dressed up Marios. I was also given a costume that someone had taken from the sambadrome to wear for a bit which I appreciated as most of my costume items had been lost or discarded over the course of Carnival. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Needless to say, the few days after carnival were pretty uneventful. A lot of Netflix was watched and a lot of sleeping was done. Jack and I also went to go see The Revenant at the cinema as it turns out most foreign films are shown in the original language in Brazil. It felt strange to be doing something so normal in Rio! On the Friday we then moved to our final hostel in Rio which was in an area called Lapa, which is where a lot of travellers stay but is maybe a little less safe than other areas we stayed in. Our hostel there, called Books, was really cool though and was a good place to spend a few days before Jack finished his trip and flew home. We went to see the famous Lapa stairs nearby, which were really impressive. Jorge Selaron, a Chilean artist, started working on the stairs in 1990. He wanted to cover the stairs in mosaic-style tiles, originally only using the colours of the Brazilian flag, but eventually using many others and actually asking people from all over the world to send tiles from where they lived to use on the stairs. Because of this there are so many different tiles- I spotted some religious ones, one with the Simpsons on, ones with musicians on and many many more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Another day we also went to the maracana football stadium. I wasn't that bothered about going but it was Jacks last full day in South America so I decided to be nice and go with him! I think we'd both agree that the tour itself wasn't the best but at least now I've seen where some of the 2016 Olympics will be held! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last Tuesday Jack flew home after 5 months out in South America and about 4 months since I first met him in Cusco! It's very strange to be completely by myself again but I've been in Salvador the last few days- I'll leave that, and my last few days in South America, for yet another update coming soon. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I really did have such a great time in Rio and Carnival was such a cool time to be there- if you can ever make it the<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">re you 100% should go!</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-44677048262038820972016-02-17T10:31:00.001-08:002016-02-22T19:30:00.016-08:00Brazil pt. 1I feel like I've been in Brazil for so long. It's been a month and a half of beaches, sun and just a few English-style downpours and I can't say it's been anything but great. I'm very close to the end of my trip now (hence the fact I remembered I actually have a huge blog post to write) and though I feel pretty ready to come home, I have a lot of amazing places in Brazil to tell you about. I also want to apologise for the lack of photos- this is due to a combination of being lazy and also not wanting to take my camera out to the many beaches I've been to so as not to get sand in the lens. <div>My first stop in Brazil was in Foz do Iguacu, where most people go see the other side of the Iguazu Falls that I mentioned in my last post. Unfortunately timings meant that I had to skip the Brazilian side, so my only experience with Foz was in the bus station. It wasn't the most pleasant experience either; angry-looking armed police men with sniffer dogs came round the station and arrested two separate people, I couldn't get any money out meaning I had no Brazilian currency and my bus was delayed an hour. Nevertheless, eventually my bus turned up and off I went to Florianopolis. Floripa, as the locals call it, is a lovely place- however my time there also had a stressful start as I still couldn't get any money out of the ATMs and I knew my hostel was ages away, leaving me a bit worried about how I was going to get there. In the end I plucked up the courage to ask three friendly-looking fellow travellers if they happened to be heading the same way. Luckily they were and offered to lend me money for my share of the taxi! Travel karma is a very real thing I think. Once I arrived at my hostel in Barra da Lagoa, a good 40 minutes away (Floripa is huge), I started to relax. Barra is a chilled beach town with a good mix of tourists and locals, and my first hostel there (Barra Beach Club) basically overlooks its own private beach. The only problem is that Barra doesn't have any cash machines either and the closest place, Lagoa, can be reached by a bus, which sits in traffic for an hour, or by a 30 minute speedboat. At this point my lack of money was becoming a big problem so I opted for the boat; I think this is definitely the better option as you get to see kids playing in the river, other people waving at you from their own private boats and as you head across the sea you're surrounded by people kite-surfing as well as various other water sports that I don't know the name of. Anyway, I finally managed to get money out at a proper bank and could finally stop worrying. I stayed in Barra for about a week, not doing too much to be honest, just enjoying the sun and the caipirinhas. If you're not familiar with them, they're Brazil's favourite cocktail made from an alarming amount of sugar, limes and a liquor called Cachaca. They're delicious but deadly, especially when the street vendors sell pints of them for the equivalent of £1.50. One day I also joined a guy from my hostel in a hike across to another beach, Praia Mole, which he described as a nice walk away. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Instead it was like trekking through the jungle- the beauty of Brazil is in the fact that every city seems like it's just been plonked down between masses of dense jungle and forest. This sometimes makes it hard to get around but it's certainly a lot more visually pleasing to drive through than the dull stretches of land that Argentina has. We also headed to a daytime pool party at a club called P12. I'm not really up on my DJs but Robin Schulz played a set and I'm pretty sure he's fairly famous (do I sound cool yet?) and we had such a good day dancing and drinking in the sun, watching wealthy Brazilians flaunting their plastic-surgery-enhanced bodies. When I say flaunt I really mean it- the girls all wear thong bikinis and the men all wear, for lack of a better term, 'budgie smugglers'. I almost feel like a prude wearing my high waisted bikini! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1v0rzAV8m_MAVWpF480mF415jT1nTUWmqKM9RdWxLdLsG1QK7Qg1jUGuUzkbhAapFoF5P8iCdRkCnOv5zoEFq62yAexa0jxmGgx-45MZmD8w25_rNlEeKxS2DlWbgujlFCvR41909xOQ/s640/blogger-image--1732027050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1v0rzAV8m_MAVWpF480mF415jT1nTUWmqKM9RdWxLdLsG1QK7Qg1jUGuUzkbhAapFoF5P8iCdRkCnOv5zoEFq62yAexa0jxmGgx-45MZmD8w25_rNlEeKxS2DlWbgujlFCvR41909xOQ/s640/blogger-image--1732027050.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHFFzQdA4Rt_MmMmS_1IvFtHWbn17uaQ-mSuQ3a1mEkfVtsD4ZlqeZqZCnK4OFsM3TZxjRyXw63HdlrFT9Tjj0Ru9TJUuOAU8cDmPfsxT34xMMqgT8h0McX03hW9L7SzeeSF7EdDbQGo/s640/blogger-image--1452712974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHFFzQdA4Rt_MmMmS_1IvFtHWbn17uaQ-mSuQ3a1mEkfVtsD4ZlqeZqZCnK4OFsM3TZxjRyXw63HdlrFT9Tjj0Ru9TJUuOAU8cDmPfsxT34xMMqgT8h0McX03hW9L7SzeeSF7EdDbQGo/s640/blogger-image--1452712974.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">The rest of our nights in Floripa were pretty fun too. Every night you can go down to the beach to watch teams from all over Brazil playing football, which ordinarily I wouldn't really choose to watch but seeing them play in the sand was pretty impressive! Otherwise there are always local musicians and bands playing music in the streets which was pretty cool too. Later on in the evening we often headed over to the private beach to chill on the rocks with a bottle of rum, where there also tended to be musicians sat around entertaining the crowds. However on one such night I got a bit carried away watching the waves coming in and out, so much so that unfortunately one of my sandals got washed out to sea. Luckily Havaiana flip flops are really cheap in Brazil- problem solved! </font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">After Floripa I decided to head on to São Paulo with a few others that I'd met at various points on the trip- two of the guys I actually met for the first time in Quito, Ecuador so they probably win as my longest running friends I keep bumping into on the way! I had my worries about São Paulo as a lot of people say it's really dodgy but yet again word of mouth was proven wrong. We stayed in a hostel in the Vila Madalena part of town which is the more bohemian young area, so I suppose it probably did feel safer than other parts of the city would have. </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">São Paulo also doesn't have as many well known attractions as other big cities and is more known for the nightlife; however one day a few of us went for a wander to the grafitti alleys near the hostel which were pretty cool to see.</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0EiHbTTuiGL0UWcwMzAUsHDofx0tDy8_qzi64pzZ3nlwWsGbDOW60U31GNV3lhbQ6wBnSRybVOhSrNeapoMC9aGLMrIvajt5Ni0oaLxvlr7XNEAkwsTx-5PDaaHM7Jwd2iCSoxpfN2Q/s640/blogger-image-572581522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0EiHbTTuiGL0UWcwMzAUsHDofx0tDy8_qzi64pzZ3nlwWsGbDOW60U31GNV3lhbQ6wBnSRybVOhSrNeapoMC9aGLMrIvajt5Ni0oaLxvlr7XNEAkwsTx-5PDaaHM7Jwd2iCSoxpfN2Q/s640/blogger-image-572581522.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUC-U-s-LWnL2S5eB6PXTQi5d5mw0wrL5K38MUNVbTHFenOlAGwIoiXQ6VBLMIT0-VpXw_loivqygNbBH235fkoqbpRhUB5Q4YB-9Te26taTPfpwRTa_6WTIFu7mmYBHkI9P_1QcUL9w/s640/blogger-image--350549134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUC-U-s-LWnL2S5eB6PXTQi5d5mw0wrL5K38MUNVbTHFenOlAGwIoiXQ6VBLMIT0-VpXw_loivqygNbBH235fkoqbpRhUB5Q4YB-9Te26taTPfpwRTa_6WTIFu7mmYBHkI9P_1QcUL9w/s640/blogger-image--350549134.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzkoQNK3Hab6Sgdbc1ejyx9UTGbiI60MUl_v9WAbG77R2waonzNca25Pj9VE7GQ0aAW1I6QzR6xueifNBAUiUyQLoA3f2fB1JyFN1N8t2Dqaub4Divl8mJ-XcMcw4Nh1ZPzTU1yk08Gk/s640/blogger-image-1078689237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzkoQNK3Hab6Sgdbc1ejyx9UTGbiI60MUl_v9WAbG77R2waonzNca25Pj9VE7GQ0aAW1I6QzR6xueifNBAUiUyQLoA3f2fB1JyFN1N8t2Dqaub4Divl8mJ-XcMcw4Nh1ZPzTU1yk08Gk/s640/blogger-image-1078689237.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next day Alexia & I also did the free walking tour around the downtown area. Unfortunately we both felt it was a bit too long and the history and architecture of São Paulo not quite gripping enough to impress us too much, but we did find out about the municipal market where we later went to eat enormous ham sandwiches. I also got given a free bag of mixed olives, peppers and garlic by one stall owner- I tried to pay him but he just pointed at my face and said 'linda' which means beautiful so I just went with it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Something I did find odd about São Paulo was that it has the highest Japanese population outside of Japan, meaning there are Japanese restaurants everywhere. Unfortunately I don't eat fish so sushi is lost on me but everyone else seemed to enjoy their food! I won't lie, it wasn't my favourite city ever but nowhere near as bad as I'd heard from others. After a few nights there I headed to Paraty, meeting Jack at the bus station after his solo trip to Iguazu. </div><br></div>When we arrived it was absolutely pissing it down- South America is currently experiencing what they refer to as the 'El Nino' phenomenon. Every 5 years (I think) for some reason the weather during summer is a lot more overcast and rainy than every other year. I haven't done much research into why this is but it was pretty annoying for a few weeks! Our hostel in Paraty was right across the road from a popular but small beach and 10 minutes walk from the lovely old town area, all cobbled streets and street vendors selling their crafts to the crowds of tourists. Paraty was very chilled for us, partly because the weather wasn't the best and partly because we were sort of killing time before eventually getting to Rio for Carnaval. Still we had a good time relaxing by the beach with a few beers. One day we did venture to a nearby town called Trinidade- unfortunately El Niño hit again and the weather wasn't the best for a beach day which is a shame as it seemed like a cool little town. We also discovered an amazing Thai restaurant in Paraty simply called Thai Brasil- we were both craving something resembling curry and this place did not disappoint. After months of being disappointed by things claiming to be spicy but being anything but, this restaurant was a godsend and I'd highly recommend it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After Paraty came Ilha Grande, an island (would you believe it) about 40 minutes boat ride off the coast. The only way I can describe my first impression is that it felt like arriving at Jurassic World. The whole island is covered in dense jungle with just a few restaurants and buildings dotted along near the pier. There are mountains covered in mist in the distance and just walking 5 minutes to our hostel we spotted little monkeys running along the power cables above us. It turns out this is pretty common in Brazil as we saw them loads in Rio too; I think they're kind of the equivalent of squirrels in England. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Ilha Grande has loads of different beaches that you can either get taxi boats or trek to. On our first full day we just went for a short walk to find a nearby beach. Unfortunately the weather had also been a bit rubbish in IG for the last few days meaning that the whole walk I was convinced I was going to end up falling in the mud. We made it there eventually and found a sunbathing pig there so it was definitely worth the mud-filled walk. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkURNkbq7L0RlSDYzITYRks54yy1g7rzJrdYUpQ0796WyU0wcJK8WFm1aGjbTKgnGvf8H3yjUYGZIxfp-Y468HR6MklnZGGCv7BH4v7ALaC5uUsc3jrjQuz9Pppuy41WOC4sEntEZr57Y/s640/blogger-image--1376459207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkURNkbq7L0RlSDYzITYRks54yy1g7rzJrdYUpQ0796WyU0wcJK8WFm1aGjbTKgnGvf8H3yjUYGZIxfp-Y468HR6MklnZGGCv7BH4v7ALaC5uUsc3jrjQuz9Pppuy41WOC4sEntEZr57Y/s640/blogger-image--1376459207.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2HiQJf-QLzXBU3d6hSZ_etknh8xFlbVrr-zIcXAwaZTvJAUMjBodRBxdrle-ug328m9ylKaFPEqkkdl-jD9qD3FzVsjkUOQ5vj3nWd5YE0MvQqtRIqz-D0qUxnoVy8PoZ0Uv9yY3rpc/s640/blogger-image--1340268647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2HiQJf-QLzXBU3d6hSZ_etknh8xFlbVrr-zIcXAwaZTvJAUMjBodRBxdrle-ug328m9ylKaFPEqkkdl-jD9qD3FzVsjkUOQ5vj3nWd5YE0MvQqtRIqz-D0qUxnoVy8PoZ0Uv9yY3rpc/s640/blogger-image--1340268647.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNQzZBjtj_fcTbhNCq1wcRprPmofHOu8UwCNy6FZoNHaJGeZF6uGYHkpfiZhwrvV0dwCg0WRg8lduzw3yFwj4TYXQt8xi9Z3UXgzVkpp20b79docOuS3flYW8g54kuHiR_BzJu56p584/s640/blogger-image-1258577382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNQzZBjtj_fcTbhNCq1wcRprPmofHOu8UwCNy6FZoNHaJGeZF6uGYHkpfiZhwrvV0dwCg0WRg8lduzw3yFwj4TYXQt8xi9Z3UXgzVkpp20b79docOuS3flYW8g54kuHiR_BzJu56p584/s640/blogger-image-1258577382.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We also went to a beach called Lopes Mendes. Again, this involved another terrifying walk- the trails are all pretty steep, slippery and impossible to navigate in flip flops. Jack got a lot of entertainment from watching me struggle down the pathways, holding on to vines and branches to steady myself, muttering swear words under my breath and hating him for making me go. Lucky for him the beach itself was really beautiful, probably the nicest beach I've ever been to! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Our nights in Ilha Grande were spent drinking cachaca and rum on the beach with others from our hostel- one of the good things about Brazil is that drinking on the streets is perfectly legal, meaning a night out can be extremely cheap! Although I did wake up one morning with half of one of my big toe nails hanging off and not much recollection of how it happened..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We left Ilha Grande after 5 nights, accompanied by Luke, an English guy we met in the hostel and another girl who we met on the boat back to shore who was also heading to Rio. We bought our bus tickets and waited for the bus- a few buses pulled up but the guy working there told us ours was the next one. 25 minutes later the same guy then put into google translate 'that was your bus, do you want a car there?', leaving us all a bit confused and annoyed. He walked off then two minutes later pulled up in a van, gesturing for us to get in the back. Still a bit confused we all piled in the back of his little van and off we went. I was the only one with a 'seat' (a spare tyre) which I was quite grateful for as the other three were clinging to the walls; drivers in South America are absolutely nuts and this guy was no exception. About 40 minutes later we finally arrived at our destination- a service station where the bus was waiting for us to catch up to them. I have to give them credit, although the mistake itself was annoying, at least they put in the effort to sort it out! Anyway, after another hour and a half spent snoozing we finally arrived in Rio and bought tickets to our final destination of the day, Buzios. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Buzios is a popular holiday destination a bit further north from Rio. It has 21 beaches and is apparently famous for being Brigitte Bardos' favourite place- they even have a street named after her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpF-9x2Up0DFaeSZ4wkQnnAue70jPeegGanwDYvQeyoPPOGA-JrTIPbYvwCYr1Rqc9oxwsq0JLGdSTNlYBDHONtX-ekHMRcWl9zEy_P4uzDd7HNVAisC4wLJOAJ6EQGqrbOCVPPSBTU-Q/s640/blogger-image-2091576348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpF-9x2Up0DFaeSZ4wkQnnAue70jPeegGanwDYvQeyoPPOGA-JrTIPbYvwCYr1Rqc9oxwsq0JLGdSTNlYBDHONtX-ekHMRcWl9zEy_P4uzDd7HNVAisC4wLJOAJ6EQGqrbOCVPPSBTU-Q/s640/blogger-image-2091576348.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This post is already incredibly long and to be honest this was another place where we just chilled out for a week, visiting different beaches every day or just enjoying the hostel pool with some homemade caipirinhas. We met some great people there- one hilarious Aussie guy called Andrew, and two lovely Argentinian girls who went spent most of our days with.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OREj6XiCxMxaXQTWpWDEbkhR30FnPcDLXJ8C6Co78mLhtrnIiiZ9876k2exNb3I9n-Wgi8NrrbzP2k1a1loxnrkIqKEankznlCypn4eYRoQYga1K4lXjzXtc9zqXENggQt2VQKHa0dU/s640/blogger-image-1445531278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OREj6XiCxMxaXQTWpWDEbkhR30FnPcDLXJ8C6Co78mLhtrnIiiZ9876k2exNb3I9n-Wgi8NrrbzP2k1a1loxnrkIqKEankznlCypn4eYRoQYga1K4lXjzXtc9zqXENggQt2VQKHa0dU/s640/blogger-image-1445531278.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the evenings I'd cook big family meals for the group and one night Luke even made the whole hostel an apple crumble! If you ever find yourself in Buzios I'd totally recommend Lagoa Beach hostel- really cool staff and a great atmosphere which feels a lot more like someone's home than just another hostel. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I think Rio deserves a post all of its own so I'm going to leave this one here- I'll do my best to have everything finished before I leave Brazil this Friday! </div></div></div></div></font></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-57556165102180862722016-01-11T13:33:00.001-08:002016-01-13T16:40:01.422-08:00Cider throwing and torn up calendars<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So at the end of my last post I dropped the bombshell that unfortunately Jack managed to get bed bugs in Córdoba. This, of course, meant that our first port of call in Buenos Aires was to rid him of his infestation. Luckily our hostel was experienced in this department (I know it's gross but I have met lots of people so far who have had this problem!) and they offered to fumigate his whole bag for him for free. They didn't do his shoes though and we met someone who said they decided to boil their shoes when they got bed bugs, just in case. I tried my hardest to convince Jack to boil his trainers in the kitchen but he flat out refused for some reason. </span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moving on, bed bug free, Buenos Aires was a really cool place. We spent 2 weeks there in the end and I really enjoyed my time in the city. It has so many different sorts of areas- we started off in a hostel called Milhouse Hipo which was quite close to a cool area called San Telmo. That whole area seemed really Parisian to me in the architecture and the general vibe it had- lots of shops selling vintage clothes and old records, little cafes and cool graffiti on the walls.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgaWGgFuAL7GfHtVy03X63kfOW0T0RLv2chC4x3YpMAXpgMpuyRtzVrIEeUpSTvH1R1aHZIkeDWr0LFTDXBbSoGSlApiBtZKhKw2ZEAEu_m6Ubxrui4U-LDwejPsyR37ROOzLU-UAaDA/s640/blogger-image-1092674971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgaWGgFuAL7GfHtVy03X63kfOW0T0RLv2chC4x3YpMAXpgMpuyRtzVrIEeUpSTvH1R1aHZIkeDWr0LFTDXBbSoGSlApiBtZKhKw2ZEAEu_m6Ubxrui4U-LDwejPsyR37ROOzLU-UAaDA/s640/blogger-image-1092674971.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZEoQll4gjXYiRQKwBsDLkaAdNNmuMpvU6bwaLQCXDiXfHkqWJWyVn_DcuoOmbPGQXyk1DuIN5R63oHlcCSSCY92wwDSG_uOtoa07oTWogMz5w1GUSQLqRaAKl5UA3ol1FztCdxFIbUc/s640/blogger-image-277594020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZEoQll4gjXYiRQKwBsDLkaAdNNmuMpvU6bwaLQCXDiXfHkqWJWyVn_DcuoOmbPGQXyk1DuIN5R63oHlcCSSCY92wwDSG_uOtoa07oTWogMz5w1GUSQLqRaAKl5UA3ol1FztCdxFIbUc/s640/blogger-image-277594020.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFAL8q_mnXBXRSg-4lGpCzODgL6eJccM3-AZCqH7i9ng8TIFXHS4l-opAhGfBVAWGx3DyQLLOjMEXlQXk_Oo7ZPZO1y276KwbubcKzf_64eR0U1a3243tA_Ib6sk5r3A-SR9tf03hl7g/s640/blogger-image--2002477159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFAL8q_mnXBXRSg-4lGpCzODgL6eJccM3-AZCqH7i9ng8TIFXHS4l-opAhGfBVAWGx3DyQLLOjMEXlQXk_Oo7ZPZO1y276KwbubcKzf_64eR0U1a3243tA_Ib6sk5r3A-SR9tf03hl7g/s640/blogger-image--2002477159.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> We found one of our favourite bars there too- it was called La Puerta Roja (the red door) where we spent a good few hours a few days in a row. They also did pretty great nachos which always helps me like a place! The good steaks also continued in Buenos Aires- I don't know why but somehow Argentinians really know how to do a great steak, and for so much cheaper than at home! I think English steak may be ruined for me forever.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the second week in BA the three of us plus a couple other fellow English travellers, Neil & Kira, decided to rent an airbnb flat together. It was the week of Christmas so we though it might be nice to have our own space to cook a proper dinner. We moved to an area of town called Palermo which was meant to be the up-and-coming part of town with lots of bars, restaurants and clubs. I really liked that part of town and could definitely see myself living there- especially as we discovered a great little burger place (simply called Burger Joint) that I'm still dreaming of now a few weeks on! </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I admit that for a few days leading up to Christmas I hadn't really been feeling myself. I was feeling homesick while all my friends were having festive gatherings, seeing my mum put up the Christmas tree (I sat on Skype and watched her do it for 3 whole hours) and just generally missing the build up that comes with the western world. In hindsight it was quite refreshing though to not hear the same songs every day since November 1st. Our Christmas in the flat was really lovely! In true Argentinian style we bought a beef joint, bought some muffin tins to make Yorkshire puddings in and made a huge pile of pigs in blankets. We stocked up on cheap bubbly and played all the Christmas songs we were missing from home all day. And, just to make everyone at home jealous of our 28 degree heat Christmas Day, we went out to the local park while the food was cooking to chill and kick Jacks new secret Santa football around. We rounded our day off with a few hundred games of our favourite card game, cambio, as sadly we were lacking a trivial pursuit board which is my family's usual Christmas game of choice. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I had a really great day with my temporary little travelling family and I know that next year I'll appreciate my return to 'normal' festivities even more because of it. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_0p1MqHbA5CCp4EjYWYk5X3XRuDnfczqrFZbO4oP4F922lh4dqBNrClEnNtUAsxdyW-OO48Ls1Jovh5NlYHL080pZhkGQV3C49KtgOsSY1nPYLeGsmKVxqCTDy0kXwS3oZ9g02o6gvE/s640/blogger-image-545788788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_0p1MqHbA5CCp4EjYWYk5X3XRuDnfczqrFZbO4oP4F922lh4dqBNrClEnNtUAsxdyW-OO48Ls1Jovh5NlYHL080pZhkGQV3C49KtgOsSY1nPYLeGsmKVxqCTDy0kXwS3oZ9g02o6gvE/s640/blogger-image-545788788.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xwxtusxv-kIjo4cGHOGMjs_wr_40nDzgSYJa9RAPbJ4QqftrGsV81-fB71uM55j0hcjWOqHyAPPh87PDu19_AKpFemjfwcGlmE2JkZahKHVtfo-5kG6V7XgF5uDZ6JmrdUfhQR246e4/s640/blogger-image--1866021549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xwxtusxv-kIjo4cGHOGMjs_wr_40nDzgSYJa9RAPbJ4QqftrGsV81-fB71uM55j0hcjWOqHyAPPh87PDu19_AKpFemjfwcGlmE2JkZahKHVtfo-5kG6V7XgF5uDZ6JmrdUfhQR246e4/s640/blogger-image--1866021549.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxO-40RFYowkGXCKWA3bkq8pwqGIZ2VPrSb3HAy25hxSXAdfZnS3k8gwR19OHJiaFbgWSeS4EyNH8iuB3paiOAaxsZii-rfgPiCIj6hMJwtKxbtsV_B4Hrchl1nOp0TQZhiyAZqNX2kKA/s640/blogger-image--137694063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxO-40RFYowkGXCKWA3bkq8pwqGIZ2VPrSb3HAy25hxSXAdfZnS3k8gwR19OHJiaFbgWSeS4EyNH8iuB3paiOAaxsZii-rfgPiCIj6hMJwtKxbtsV_B4Hrchl1nOp0TQZhiyAZqNX2kKA/s640/blogger-image--137694063.jpg"></a></div></div></div></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another cool thing we did in BA was going to see a show called La Bomba de Tiempo, a big drum show on Monday nights in a sort of old warehouse. It goes on for a couple of hours and is really impressive- I think the highlight was when an electric cello was brought on- something I never thought I'd say. We spent a good couple of hours having a dance about and I'd highly recommend it if you ever visit. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Originally we thought we'd stay in Buenos for New Years too but after doing a bit of research the five of us decided to head over to Uruguay for the festivities. It's really easy to get there by ferry- it only takes about an hour and a half. The city you dock in is called Sacramento Del Colonia; we had a few days to kill until NYE so we spent a couple of nights there first. There isn't too much there really and the sea is a pretty unappealing brown colour, though we did find a nice bar (with air con, it was constantly 30 degrees) which served pitchers of gin and tonic to while away a few hours in! Unfortunately our hostel wasn't that great either and after a night being serenaded until 3am by another group of travellers who were trying and failing to play the trumpet, I think we were all very ready to travel a couple more hours to Montevideo. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWFJkKRLaqAlFeiVxPb8DmV-trWpJqZ2CgCpHyKa0CaskVUtDDYoRrNyHPBXi0BvzeItJnaLWRuWYTa3rQOxHuSXHWxp0hpOaZy6Cf7acfSp78uYuCF1R_CuZdxn8k9CY44Pg2uS9XqE/s640/blogger-image--1357044498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWFJkKRLaqAlFeiVxPb8DmV-trWpJqZ2CgCpHyKa0CaskVUtDDYoRrNyHPBXi0BvzeItJnaLWRuWYTa3rQOxHuSXHWxp0hpOaZy6Cf7acfSp78uYuCF1R_CuZdxn8k9CY44Pg2uS9XqE/s640/blogger-image--1357044498.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm not sure what I expected of Uruguay to be honest- people doing this general route don't say much about it and I imagine people skip it a lot of the time. I can say I'm so happy we decided to spend NYE there because I imagine it'll be one of the most memorable I'll ever have. First of all during the day it's tradition for office workers to take to the streets, ripping up their old calendars and agendas, leaving the streets littered with numbered confetti. The next tradition; everyone takes to the streets in the daytime with the cheapest possible bottles of cider and literally drenches each other in it. We heard about this and kind of didn't expect it to be quite as ridiculous as it sounds. We headed towards the old part of town and started seeing people looking pretty wet. We saw people starting to throw the cider, and sometimes water, down from their balconies overlooking the streets. Then we turned a corner and two guys with huge buckets (luckily filled with water) apparently took a liking to me and absolutely soaked me through. After that it was carnage. We bought our own bottles, found the main procession of people dancing around to a big drum band and got stuck in- as you can see from the photos...</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP7piR47WxdGriNbx-yUgqi3Rj94aLXI7kNIYc7lsbfYhzD3C-Uz7hlpcq0PZt8YGsYBCOz1Gbi9yWw6pvOOhzCaq5FE31X0FiXi1t2BOojHIEqdegNIxf189kD26SmEv8ixQoTManD4/s640/blogger-image--769606052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP7piR47WxdGriNbx-yUgqi3Rj94aLXI7kNIYc7lsbfYhzD3C-Uz7hlpcq0PZt8YGsYBCOz1Gbi9yWw6pvOOhzCaq5FE31X0FiXi1t2BOojHIEqdegNIxf189kD26SmEv8ixQoTManD4/s640/blogger-image--769606052.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuHWIxO4gD9g_Ib-piB4JrrqFYRwytIn1h1l_Miaj_AkNjbNeZp2EV57EGuerjQpFZZT4iBNN2iPhnRMgVHu7x0mElNI_PFFg-9I7rrzo4CClPM0erhWkrjGEtVlgv0f0BavCg_4PtVo/s640/blogger-image-1942073220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuHWIxO4gD9g_Ib-piB4JrrqFYRwytIn1h1l_Miaj_AkNjbNeZp2EV57EGuerjQpFZZT4iBNN2iPhnRMgVHu7x0mElNI_PFFg-9I7rrzo4CClPM0erhWkrjGEtVlgv0f0BavCg_4PtVo/s640/blogger-image-1942073220.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKn6FtMV2MZd_nbKhN8X72xXzW0gok_IwU46xLh12QfdAUYch7j_RCsK0yfe_97cUDaMjpOTCtgKwetsFi_pJlzQFaX0jbYCzzp9_iaFODS81t6HCfSWv5Bb0r1tQsg3fPc3yzLR1GTRE/s640/blogger-image-652368577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKn6FtMV2MZd_nbKhN8X72xXzW0gok_IwU46xLh12QfdAUYch7j_RCsK0yfe_97cUDaMjpOTCtgKwetsFi_pJlzQFaX0jbYCzzp9_iaFODS81t6HCfSWv5Bb0r1tQsg3fPc3yzLR1GTRE/s640/blogger-image-652368577.jpg"></a></div></div></div></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After a while we decided to try find a street party that a local had told Jack about. We found it eventually, after a quick McDonalds pit stop (don't judge me), and the party continued. Hundreds of people were in one cordoned off street dancing along to blaring music, every so often being sprayed with hose pipes from the bars along the street. It was so much fun; a year ago when I was wondering where on earth I'd be in another year I don't think I expected that to be the answer. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Later on, sufficiently sticky from drying cider, we headed back to our hostel to shower and join the bbq they were hosting there. Unfortunately the staff took about 4 hours to get all the bbq ready so we were sat around for a long time which was a bit disappointing, but we just about finished eating in time to run down to the sea front for the countdown to 2016. We watched fireworks going off in every direction as we sang a pathetically bad version of Auld Langs Syne, then shouted "Feliz Año!" to anyone and any car that happened to be passing. All in all, my start to 2016 was better than I could've imagined and I'm hoping it has set the bar high for the rest of the year to come! </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The day after New Year's Day (which was spent doing not much but eating all the carbs ever) we got the bus over to Punta del Este, a beach a few hours away. The beach was lovely and I felt very happy to be there on the 2nd of January enjoying the sunshine- however we also encountered the age old problem of 5 Brits going to the beach; extreme sunburn. I promise I actually used my factor 55 sunscreen, but somehow I ended up with the worst sunburn on my back I've had in years. Carrying a rucksack on sunburn really isn't fun. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The next day Kira, Neil and I split off along with 3 guys from Lancashire to get the ferry back to BA as we wanted to fly up to the Argentinian side of Iguazu falls. The ferry was fine and we spent the day in an all-you-can-eat steak restaurant but unfortunately the flight wasn't meant to be. When you book that many flights, buses and hostels online it's not a surprise that at some point you choose the wrong day..</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">To cut a long story short, we ended up getting a bus up to Iguazu in the end so we arrived the next day instead, meaning I didn't have time to do both sides of the falls which is what I had intended to do. I'm choosing to believe the people who say that the Argentinian side of the falls is better because that's the side I decided to go see as I heard you can spend much logger there and get much closer to the waterfalls. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Words and photos could never do Iguazu Falls justice. I know waterfalls may not sound that exciting, but t's probably one of the best things I've seen on my trip. If I remember correctly there are actually about 250 waterfalls in the whole area, but the most famous one is the Devils Throat- this is the one you can get right up next to and believe me when I say you get very very wet doing so. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMablHWlUyhwHqaTn-FBmyQRJu6r5hPtk1AqMmWC5KggERT2tQDtelvKRMjUW7xWZVgQL8ZtfCZ3ze3MaspVI71So_gRAQwuWU5l4l4t9xRxPwYktT0sxowDzNQULUCOvrUHrlsOy__JE/s640/blogger-image-351468151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMablHWlUyhwHqaTn-FBmyQRJu6r5hPtk1AqMmWC5KggERT2tQDtelvKRMjUW7xWZVgQL8ZtfCZ3ze3MaspVI71So_gRAQwuWU5l4l4t9xRxPwYktT0sxowDzNQULUCOvrUHrlsOy__JE/s640/blogger-image-351468151.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9LT2Hu-anKoX1PKT8m7h30iF9iQPRMFf4W-gIl6ku6O2QcZGoKEFVSJMhxtDkX9dRDEpKNCQByIqM-HE1Fn0_dkzU4gjdY9mjYlIBra9DiP4nFg2WThmWA4WoPovFJKV9EwYNn2moAE/s640/blogger-image--941685905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9LT2Hu-anKoX1PKT8m7h30iF9iQPRMFf4W-gIl6ku6O2QcZGoKEFVSJMhxtDkX9dRDEpKNCQByIqM-HE1Fn0_dkzU4gjdY9mjYlIBra9DiP4nFg2WThmWA4WoPovFJKV9EwYNn2moAE/s640/blogger-image--941685905.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There are a few trails to do in the park too in order to see the other waterfalls- these were also really impressive, however there were a few times I was questioning the safety of the walkways over the falls.. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPh6IkmhSXBmi1_u9rWOAAcn-FatrlaL-cfvCEwHGOqGp9ejqgDESVQAwY6q1FwHu0yYNDASuBwoKzHxm3JL-rmkyEDsFHat5Habuk_Dti8kzVkNJz2Ztb655XS0HBObPgMhk-CnbTqo/s640/blogger-image--943502642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPh6IkmhSXBmi1_u9rWOAAcn-FatrlaL-cfvCEwHGOqGp9ejqgDESVQAwY6q1FwHu0yYNDASuBwoKzHxm3JL-rmkyEDsFHat5Habuk_Dti8kzVkNJz2Ztb655XS0HBObPgMhk-CnbTqo/s640/blogger-image--943502642.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rX37hlmkqBDuCRNZxzq_BV3qnutNUOCwfs9KiWwZlsQX-6FZkil49aaWX91in6S1PNVfeh4Xy5uBsb648UoyMC0LGM14yZsmUmnbIdFQTYqvDuS3kmQQEVqNFlht7A1PPon4GtdpvQ8/s640/blogger-image--272490558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rX37hlmkqBDuCRNZxzq_BV3qnutNUOCwfs9KiWwZlsQX-6FZkil49aaWX91in6S1PNVfeh4Xy5uBsb648UoyMC0LGM14yZsmUmnbIdFQTYqvDuS3kmQQEVqNFlht7A1PPon4GtdpvQ8/s640/blogger-image--272490558.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Later on in the day after the falls it was time to head to my next and (probably) final country; Brazil. A quick taxi ride with a lovely old Argentinian man who sang Engelbert Humperdink to me for the duration of the journey and I was over the border and waiting for my bus. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I think this post is quite long enough for now so I'll leave it there! Hasta luega chicos!</div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-39416175996010468362016-01-01T10:42:00.001-08:002016-01-11T13:21:31.796-08:00Confessions of a bad blogger<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">First things first; happy new year! I can't believe we're in 2016 and that I've now been travelling for close to half a year- it feels like forever and 5 minutes since I left England all at the same time. Second thing; I'm the worst blogger ever. I haven't posted anything since I was in Chile which was well over a month ago now. I have good intentions but I've done so much in the last few months that it's almost overwhelming to sit down and write about it all. I know, what a hard life I live.. Anyway I'm determined to post something today while I'm waiting for my bus tonight, even if I don't get fully caught up! Apologies if I do and this post takes you an hour to read...</span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last time, I was in Santiago about to head down to Patagonia. I flew down there to avoid the 50 hour bus journey that the boys undertook, landing in the quiet town of Punta Arenas. The next day I took the short bus to Puerto Natales which most people use as a base for starting a trek around Torres Del Paine. Personally I'm not a big trekker. I'm happy with a good long day walk but multiply that by 5 and make me carry all my food and tent with me and you're looking at one miserable Hannah. With this in mind I decided the popular W trek wasn't for me, but I still wanted to see the national park. I booked onto a day tour which drives you around the main sights of the park with a few little walks in between. Call me lazy, you're probably right! I really enjoyed my day trip- the park was breathtakingly beautiful. For some reason I thought I might be underwhelmed by it but the sights were incredible. It's so untouched and when you realise you're about as far south as you'll ever get in the world (without actually going to Antarctica) it really feels special. The weather was also perfect- people say in Torres del Paine you tend to get all 4 seasons in one day but it was glorious sunshine all day, meaning the mountains were really clear. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20p30ArowCcV5gHY1cLYIfjaXTKxBzve11GDRhfkdnKMbOvYZtuaNu-BJuHV6fW2jN78mjKdFmSgA6XnHKQaInVUTEJZSzWmVm8CwLGvM_2Nojy-9MNFVGmfbLCoZx2vJYlozatUw0kk/s640/blogger-image-266657885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20p30ArowCcV5gHY1cLYIfjaXTKxBzve11GDRhfkdnKMbOvYZtuaNu-BJuHV6fW2jN78mjKdFmSgA6XnHKQaInVUTEJZSzWmVm8CwLGvM_2Nojy-9MNFVGmfbLCoZx2vJYlozatUw0kk/s640/blogger-image-266657885.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6CJL2bUxxcUlO7xJRGuAAyy1NeiIducLo4vr8IBg8Uv-jDIacBcQBM7IXLRvEoPDabsX7rUXtLf2H4CnOy3Q5kzp0CUFtX_0T4aLLPBiKPjmMDO7K3lWf1eVR6bYHizxdYK1_qq1kZE/s640/blogger-image--1287378445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6CJL2bUxxcUlO7xJRGuAAyy1NeiIducLo4vr8IBg8Uv-jDIacBcQBM7IXLRvEoPDabsX7rUXtLf2H4CnOy3Q5kzp0CUFtX_0T4aLLPBiKPjmMDO7K3lWf1eVR6bYHizxdYK1_qq1kZE/s640/blogger-image--1287378445.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoRK7c97B8ptH_-v9rbpW05um8z0uRZcs_m-UBSBRg18hkMUWb2DDpI2C54DfrvOhuseS7kRrWYdNCWJWRo2XHs9kZ8Nrs1FawrVPNV-yycTan4-0sx86RGgohpkF9zHSmkUW3kOXd8Q/s640/blogger-image-2003776760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoRK7c97B8ptH_-v9rbpW05um8z0uRZcs_m-UBSBRg18hkMUWb2DDpI2C54DfrvOhuseS7kRrWYdNCWJWRo2XHs9kZ8Nrs1FawrVPNV-yycTan4-0sx86RGgohpkF9zHSmkUW3kOXd8Q/s640/blogger-image-2003776760.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqqpaWXUHzqta8WVUIb7Y5x75UIK0uqW2bLWJTJVi2fhIQtQeZczu2EJ4xnAqE141Rt3_jVrnDFt4IU31yNoLPXe6NKk3qF3Tsm6obpV59bNJh0qHAF3n1YR9eGCJy9ZfWkcC4a4CfPU/s640/blogger-image--1925002348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqqpaWXUHzqta8WVUIb7Y5x75UIK0uqW2bLWJTJVi2fhIQtQeZczu2EJ4xnAqE141Rt3_jVrnDFt4IU31yNoLPXe6NKk3qF3Tsm6obpV59bNJh0qHAF3n1YR9eGCJy9ZfWkcC4a4CfPU/s640/blogger-image--1925002348.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div>That night I met back up with Jack, Mike and a couple of Aussies we met along the way as they'd just finished their 5 day hike and we polished off a few 1.5 litre bottles of wine while we all caught up and they told me how great their hike had been. The next day, feeling a little worse for wear, we set off to our next destination across the border into Argentina. The town, El Calafate, is a popular spot for people to go to to see the nearby Perito Moreño glacier. It's supposed to be one of the most active glaciers in the world so you can see bits of the ice falling off all the time. However, we somehow kept missing the big bits falling off- instead just hearing the lucky ones who did see it gasp in awe. Still it was really cool to see- pardon the pun. The only problem with Calafate is that it really hit home to us how expensive Argentina was going to be!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Wb7M4UrfYxsKz1OOZUjRXzpsZdJCs7Fk5nnPJQ3FgQqVhMLAOBfNWSHKQ752K-igWVPhHIlDcOPToOgy4zRVVHlou7UQtV1vQPXlketkbXOTac5VK-Ozm4FI6u1s6kfIE0mzsL2vUlg/s640/blogger-image--502924577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Wb7M4UrfYxsKz1OOZUjRXzpsZdJCs7Fk5nnPJQ3FgQqVhMLAOBfNWSHKQ752K-igWVPhHIlDcOPToOgy4zRVVHlou7UQtV1vQPXlketkbXOTac5VK-Ozm4FI6u1s6kfIE0mzsL2vUlg/s640/blogger-image--502924577.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2qOdf5llnVdmtN-IbhfftjgYbvu9EA0kjhjrUF1FoOErdTXL-Tb46Srza4CnFCVJ8MJV0FJXsrB55HMaAMCWmtk7XJyqjFSZt_D1psJH7r_1cEjd5_rsqFeASLsvlnWGQ4SZwz1wF6Y/s640/blogger-image-884263549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2qOdf5llnVdmtN-IbhfftjgYbvu9EA0kjhjrUF1FoOErdTXL-Tb46Srza4CnFCVJ8MJV0FJXsrB55HMaAMCWmtk7XJyqjFSZt_D1psJH7r_1cEjd5_rsqFeASLsvlnWGQ4SZwz1wF6Y/s640/blogger-image-884263549.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next stop after that came after a 30 hour bus ride- the longest of my journey so far. It actually wasn't that bad, apart from when we got off for a quick break and the bus pulled away without explanation with all our stuff on it. Luckily it turned up again 10 minutes later with all my valuables still there! The rest of the bus was pretty uneventful, though I can safely say that I'm sick of seeing films with Vin Diesel and The Rock in after taking so many South American buses. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The bus was to a place called Bariloche which is in the Lake District of Argentina. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The area was absolutely beautiful, although a little odd as the town itself looks like it could be a ski town in Switzerland. That may be something to do with the fact that apparently it was where a lot of Nazis escaped to after the war..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Anyway, apart from the architecture it also resembled a Swiss town as the main street was full of chocolate shops. If you ever go there you have to go to Rapa Nui- I can vouch for the dulce de leche ice cream and I think Jack would highly recommend the Baileys flavour chocolates! I did also find a caterpillar in my salad there but I'm willing to let it slide- what was I thinking getting a Caesar salad in a chocolate shop restaurant anyway. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Aside from eating chocolate (and almost bugs) I also got a local bus a bit out of town to head up Cerro Campanerio, a big hill where you can get amazing views of all the lakes and mountains all around.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQRnsFyUQByCRHMWy5A-4LwdgdxMcM642176E4ArMlWA_Vwo4pXfvVmku-qK4AoATnKilIsvuIESyVUFUMC1ubOhQBr904oUQqPh87psh9NaXucOJj1bM3vLj9zOwvPlrAPb4zdhcDPo/s640/blogger-image--659232260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQRnsFyUQByCRHMWy5A-4LwdgdxMcM642176E4ArMlWA_Vwo4pXfvVmku-qK4AoATnKilIsvuIESyVUFUMC1ubOhQBr904oUQqPh87psh9NaXucOJj1bM3vLj9zOwvPlrAPb4zdhcDPo/s640/blogger-image--659232260.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06gDpfcewJm9VNDzxdivCV3mmnxD5DgSKLZc-_J5mib4_-SJBIcejsvqv5PQ8NFHdvyP1R4cppZFd5fSsy4UB12oDWIqn58I_a6QRDEeRKhvEiOkaaVKfkr474WGB9mM9GW5qM_7zyzQ/s640/blogger-image-2083502000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06gDpfcewJm9VNDzxdivCV3mmnxD5DgSKLZc-_J5mib4_-SJBIcejsvqv5PQ8NFHdvyP1R4cppZFd5fSsy4UB12oDWIqn58I_a6QRDEeRKhvEiOkaaVKfkr474WGB9mM9GW5qM_7zyzQ/s640/blogger-image-2083502000.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrCez5ytEQK9tNfyT78LO8i6rtuz6TI26wKintvpVrxBJAziMKy_4IMI6ed11aV433cO7t0ZBNTJnqr9csGgH_j6p8o4DCCuUzC-9qUcik7IdLAVDpJVtrCtn-kGMLWtJHbRDyhnLGoM/s640/blogger-image--1084925959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrCez5ytEQK9tNfyT78LO8i6rtuz6TI26wKintvpVrxBJAziMKy_4IMI6ed11aV433cO7t0ZBNTJnqr9csGgH_j6p8o4DCCuUzC-9qUcik7IdLAVDpJVtrCtn-kGMLWtJHbRDyhnLGoM/s640/blogger-image--1084925959.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm not sure what I expected of South America to be honest but I'm not sure that I thought that I'd see quite as many breathtaking views as I have done- this continent really is an amazing place. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After Bariloche came Mendoza- the wine region responsible for Malbec wine and therefore a place that I was very excited to visit. I think the day we did a wine tour was one of my favourite days of the past few months to be honest! Myself, Jack, Mike and a whole load of other people from my hostel headed out to Maipu, a nearby town, to rent bikes to cycle around the local vineyards. I know that wine and bikes doesn't sound like it should really go together but I can now say that I actually think wine makes me a better cyclist! First we visited an olive oil factory which made the best olive and garlic spread ever, before starting on the vineyards. We went on a proper tour of one, Trapiche, before sampling a few of their different wines and making very insightful remarks while doing so e.g. "so yeah it's definitely red" "I hear 2014 was a great year for wine". I did actually learn one thing- that you can make white wine from red grapes, you just remove the skins. Sufficiently happy with our one new fact for the day, at the last vineyard we decided to just buy 11 different bottles between the 14 of us and lay out on the grass in the sun. Bear in mind this was at about 3.30pm and we had to cycle back on actual roads with cars and I'm sure you'll agree it sounds like a great idea! We also just happened to get back to our hostel in time for the free wine they gave out from 7-9 every night. I don't think I need to explain how much of a headache I had the next day... Mendoza is also where I think I had the best steak of my life- they really aren't kidding about those Argentinian cows. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVYEPkzxQYVdcOKYsC8MjOV3JRU1hhRudW2PTOqNcp8KMtLkhs3WN_-y6ywJNbb6IAssgTAbKpK_-6Rbqi4ufndvEMAGyeeJNqFLykQuHUzFxvY34uSYwgBagaPMs-JqQ_ZAkCRiDqsk/s640/blogger-image-884155786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVYEPkzxQYVdcOKYsC8MjOV3JRU1hhRudW2PTOqNcp8KMtLkhs3WN_-y6ywJNbb6IAssgTAbKpK_-6Rbqi4ufndvEMAGyeeJNqFLykQuHUzFxvY34uSYwgBagaPMs-JqQ_ZAkCRiDqsk/s640/blogger-image-884155786.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is the whole group at lunch, when we were considerably less wobbly on our bikes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After Mendoza, Jack and I headed to Córdoba to break up the journey to Buenos Aires. Córdoba is a big student city in Argentina so we thought it sounded like a fun place to head to. I'll be honest, we didn't do very much to speak of in Córdoba. We wandered the city and lounged around in the local parks, but honestly it was absolutely boiling when we were there so we just felt tired all the time. This was, however, where we discovered that Jack had managed to pick up bed bugs...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm going to leave this post on that cliffhanger. Tune in next time (it'll be up in the next 2 days I promise) for tales of Christmas in Buenos Aires and New Years Eve in Montevideo!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-51223228055329228872015-11-22T14:14:00.001-08:002015-11-23T06:57:08.812-08:00Prisons, salt and empanadas<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last time I checked in I was in La Paz in Bolivia, which surprise surprise was a pretty long time ago now. Despite feeling pretty scared when I first arrived in La Paz due to it generally looking pretty run down and the gunshot-like sounds I heard in the taxi to my hostel I ended up having a pretty good time in Bolivia's capital. If you ever find yourself there I recommend doing the walking tour- I've found with a few cities that I don't instantly love that doing the walking tour can really open your eyes to the better aspects of a city and give you a better appreciation for it, as it's always an enthusiastic local doing the tour. One of the strangest parts of La Paz is San Pedro prison which is in the middle of the city. It's a low security prison in that there are a few guards on the outside of it but none inside- the place is run by the prisoners. It has restaurants, shops, a whole economy all of its own inside the walls of the prison. The rich prisoners have hot tubs, cable TV and they apparently have the wifi password for the 3 star hotel over the road. It's also famously known, due to the book Marching Powder, to be a major cocaine supplier with the inmates making the drug inside the prison and throwing it out of the roof at night in dirty nappies to waiting dealers on the streets. There was a time when an illegal 'tour' of the prison by an inmate was the number one thing for backpackers to do in La Paz but after horror stories of attacks and tourists being locked in the prison it doesn't seem to be popular anymore- probably a good thing as my curiosity probably would've got the better of me and I'd have ended up locked up in Bolivia.. We were also shown the witches market where we saw llama foetuses that apparently you're meant to bury under your house for good luck. I'll spare you the photo.</span><div><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></font><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Anyway, other than the prison and buying animal foetuses there are other things to do in La Paz; people braver/stupider than me often take on Death Road, where you cycle a road known to be extremely dangerous. It isn't as bad nowadays as there's a new road that vehicles are meant to use, but my general nervous disposition, clumsiness and the fact I've rarely ridden a bike in the last ten years lead me to the decision that I shouldn't take on the challenge. Everyone I know who did it survived but I'm still happy with my decision. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After La Paz I headed down to Sucre with Jack and Mike, two English guys I met in Cusco. Sucre was a welcome change to La Paz; it's a colonial town and a UNESCO world heritage site so is much prettier and nicer to walk around. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gt8Zly5y0rQUyfYPud27dKywYAk8JRgUPnh949513-AIoO8NuHL9H_ra6bTww0FqhDmp-x4ar5ARZtp57LBaB3dxYYfiXAmwq1H_esX_oYWjxis1ieOLPz6mqJg16VUQGxcdvlZll3c/s640/blogger-image--950447264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gt8Zly5y0rQUyfYPud27dKywYAk8JRgUPnh949513-AIoO8NuHL9H_ra6bTww0FqhDmp-x4ar5ARZtp57LBaB3dxYYfiXAmwq1H_esX_oYWjxis1ieOLPz6mqJg16VUQGxcdvlZll3c/s640/blogger-image--950447264.jpg"></a></div></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRQRWNbdFYPxjRYMoeCFBmASnR2wQZDyuAC_ORVJo1ek4rYiNKqvEb4uVunieN4-JjDb-pNKcApIkjPTeZeKQTdMjWAtjH6Ahfcqn8txbIdV5v8mjSQQSoKWYEO6CvBmQZNdjOai7xwE/s640/blogger-image-1596073984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRQRWNbdFYPxjRYMoeCFBmASnR2wQZDyuAC_ORVJo1ek4rYiNKqvEb4uVunieN4-JjDb-pNKcApIkjPTeZeKQTdMjWAtjH6Ahfcqn8txbIdV5v8mjSQQSoKWYEO6CvBmQZNdjOai7xwE/s640/blogger-image-1596073984.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaLLPWCrgPENzpoNDF31VclmceUK0-IqFTu8u9DaCQZI2BPFCq734ukhIZGxnf64bszN70k-_DFkgRByr62_T48nOCAzC5aTmCcoalfOS1-om1wI5Ber6JN4FJ6yvV2kVR79__fBRmYI/s640/blogger-image-336283944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaLLPWCrgPENzpoNDF31VclmceUK0-IqFTu8u9DaCQZI2BPFCq734ukhIZGxnf64bszN70k-_DFkgRByr62_T48nOCAzC5aTmCcoalfOS1-om1wI5Ber6JN4FJ6yvV2kVR79__fBRmYI/s640/blogger-image-336283944.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We didn't do that much in Sucre but it was a good place to chill out after our stay at a well known party hostel in La Paz. We also spent Halloween in Sucre, meaning that an hour before the party started at our hostel we were down the market searching for anything we could use to dress up. The boys nearly went as sexy batman and robin but unfortunately the guy on the stall refused to sell them the costumes. In the end they settled for fairy wings and tutus (Mike also fashioned his own wand out of cardboard), and I did my half skeleton face paint that I've relied on for the last few years now. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0A74AyJI_ojnEkELddEniqW46YovttJLnumS52gZ7NWAfrRLQpEwwkpL2jGeK1nNUpJyu5hpbL5X0ocNirqiFLachL3XUNwKSXRud5O7QY1VrkpYO_UOQA2bwiZbDzn455-2xxDEgzIQ/s640/blogger-image--453963733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0A74AyJI_ojnEkELddEniqW46YovttJLnumS52gZ7NWAfrRLQpEwwkpL2jGeK1nNUpJyu5hpbL5X0ocNirqiFLachL3XUNwKSXRud5O7QY1VrkpYO_UOQA2bwiZbDzn455-2xxDEgzIQ/s640/blogger-image--453963733.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A fairly lethal happy hour meant that the next day we all woke up with one thing in mind; a full English breakfast. After extensive googling we found a place nearby. Unfortunately it didn't include fried mushrooms, proper baked beans or brown sauce but it did the job. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Next stop after Sucre was Uyuni to sort out our salt flats trip. We'd heard that it was cold in Uyuni but when we stepped off our night bus at 3.30am into the freezing cold I think we all got a shock to the system. We also hadn't booked a hostel so we had to traipse around town waking up multiple hostel receptionists and having no luck for empty rooms. In the end we had to find a hotel who made us all pay 100 bolivianos despite the fact we got there half way through the night, but I was just happy to not have to sleep amongst the stray dogs outside. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The next day we booked our salt flats tour through a company called World White Tours who we'd heard good things about, then spent the rest of the day being fairly unimpressed with the dusty streets of Uyuni. We did, however, find a pub very simply named the 'extreme fun pub'. Curiosity got the better of us so we went in and ordered a few drinks off the happy hour menu. Unfortunately we'd read the menu wrong and it was no longer happy hour; the pub had a solution for this however. If you're willing to get your bum stamped and written on with marker pen you can still get happy hour. All I'll say is I'm just glad that Jack and Mike went up to the bar instead of me.. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">At 10.30 the next morning we set off in our tour jeep with two German guys, Kai and Andy, and a Canadian girl, Rylei. I'd been excited to see the salt flats since the start of my trip and they didn't disappoint; it's amazing to see just how huge they are and see nothing but salt flats for miles around. Everyone who visits the salt flats has the ulterior motive of trying to get their own skewed perspective photos (google them, there's some really great ones out there) but despite our best efforts we struggled to get any really good photos. After about an hour of trying to balance on beer cans, be chased by toy dinosaurs and stand on each other's hands we gave up, did the standard group jump shot (which I also failed at), and got back into the jeep. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gLL743hFAYOgDH7lJR8V9bdMQYsZNHhmCvkVO9NrlAlLa8QCZEdeC28xA-j2AiBOpyS3IZYFICbGKDD4HrWXe3Tcx69YKu0URlecUM_mUXkTkZJl509I4t1_U8KtZcS4bpv094aUZ4M/s640/blogger-image-990617127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gLL743hFAYOgDH7lJR8V9bdMQYsZNHhmCvkVO9NrlAlLa8QCZEdeC28xA-j2AiBOpyS3IZYFICbGKDD4HrWXe3Tcx69YKu0URlecUM_mUXkTkZJl509I4t1_U8KtZcS4bpv094aUZ4M/s640/blogger-image-990617127.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7HFd-GbQD5Roybp-3fKAim0uaQ_ZEjFHLn5OIe2Sdft8mHvX5NmFvW_OrH-Xf94BtM40nfM3OvOQUVoUFCFte5h9jqzGOIFiJC-h3NbpwOpinumZ4wNHuxCiuSvpdSGK4339I4RC3yE/s640/blogger-image--113478531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7HFd-GbQD5Roybp-3fKAim0uaQ_ZEjFHLn5OIe2Sdft8mHvX5NmFvW_OrH-Xf94BtM40nfM3OvOQUVoUFCFte5h9jqzGOIFiJC-h3NbpwOpinumZ4wNHuxCiuSvpdSGK4339I4RC3yE/s640/blogger-image--113478531.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHlPkgtimiR_ckv5nsPxafOnKg5XHQBiQF4GCVHhYYIRA1V9kW7dz9sp2mk337dJZapUXFgA6PS_2wA6Q9dk2pL9zr9C33cPA6enw4cqhSMqxoAgY5F2bKGvgfEgp_VrY2d1Jb1tWyr4/s640/blogger-image--1524598210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHlPkgtimiR_ckv5nsPxafOnKg5XHQBiQF4GCVHhYYIRA1V9kW7dz9sp2mk337dJZapUXFgA6PS_2wA6Q9dk2pL9zr9C33cPA6enw4cqhSMqxoAgY5F2bKGvgfEgp_VrY2d1Jb1tWyr4/s640/blogger-image--1524598210.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">That night we stayed in a salt hotel, which is exactly what it sounds like. It was pretty cool but the novelty wears off a bit when all your belongings end up covered in salt. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Over the next two days we saw a train cemetery, various coloured lagoons, flamingos, geysers, cacti and amazing scenery. I think the salt flats was one of my favourite things I've done so far, probably enhanced by Oscar, our driver, who every so often that would quote Titanic to Jack.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFBTC_cY_yK93WaZejMaNnNW5QdJ6Iml-kQjToccPJKsMb4e2Rsf-nf8Ni9qwmWMps6kVS_lfAHyaBZPkKkUEhOb5m_PZiHMuab_37YFT26St8AIX5kkoKlycya_euz_PYa3VQDfbDFA/s640/blogger-image-1470945376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFBTC_cY_yK93WaZejMaNnNW5QdJ6Iml-kQjToccPJKsMb4e2Rsf-nf8Ni9qwmWMps6kVS_lfAHyaBZPkKkUEhOb5m_PZiHMuab_37YFT26St8AIX5kkoKlycya_euz_PYa3VQDfbDFA/s640/blogger-image-1470945376.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLslv0ptamfR-p5OytETlHHQctB6ufOnDKeBxtAo3ZkgMA520JWZgAYaSc103NKUrax-RA7cC1i5ShJ3zQqjzYWBClitQt5r9vPxTSxl12_k27aQ5jnWXYMQ9w3OKMS4YC3tmTrAm8EHY/s640/blogger-image--720607353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLslv0ptamfR-p5OytETlHHQctB6ufOnDKeBxtAo3ZkgMA520JWZgAYaSc103NKUrax-RA7cC1i5ShJ3zQqjzYWBClitQt5r9vPxTSxl12_k27aQ5jnWXYMQ9w3OKMS4YC3tmTrAm8EHY/s640/blogger-image--720607353.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8aHGu7F81-l1S5_hOZAWlMGlD8vlLrCq7wagwMQSC5Ij14RHFBdpR3QrO2TgDMi-vx-Lo4ezbw7Wo5JmxgaHScy6bUdbKCsv6jLuejCK-rPP8MzIxhfXYtODliHFQPUgjZhTiV32vV4/s640/blogger-image-736544992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8aHGu7F81-l1S5_hOZAWlMGlD8vlLrCq7wagwMQSC5Ij14RHFBdpR3QrO2TgDMi-vx-Lo4ezbw7Wo5JmxgaHScy6bUdbKCsv6jLuejCK-rPP8MzIxhfXYtODliHFQPUgjZhTiV32vV4/s640/blogger-image-736544992.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OtuxvXfTFCqug5lieFajDQJitRGvPYKBQdH4jbsBb_6FZpHYB9sf51qwlRanARJUXEEpx-J5rMME1YHlhDeixc0Gcmt0ppZLayHQn0shxv1mA6B5YWHvge0WwWZiIViw-9eGBvbqb_0/s640/blogger-image--1837155284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OtuxvXfTFCqug5lieFajDQJitRGvPYKBQdH4jbsBb_6FZpHYB9sf51qwlRanARJUXEEpx-J5rMME1YHlhDeixc0Gcmt0ppZLayHQn0shxv1mA6B5YWHvge0WwWZiIViw-9eGBvbqb_0/s640/blogger-image--1837155284.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">At the end of our tour we were dropped at the border to Chile. This one was probably the dodgiest border I've seen so far- literally just a hut in the middle of the desert. Soon after we were stamped out of Bolivia we arrived in the desert town of San Pedro de Atacama. After the freezing cold of the salt flats the heat of the desert was a very welcome change. I really enjoyed my time in San Pedro- Jack and I went out to a place called Moon Valley, named so because the landscape looks like the surface of the moon, and the three of us also went stargazing another night which was really cool. Jack & I also discovered that you can buy a 1.5 litre bottle of red wine for about £2.50 which is never a bad thing in my eyes.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvwRagYOHQGwMq3U8TmVTV7rzNQTPO__0qgO4iFEH6uTLcXZtFArg8TImxe5gyxgOkgZHRbNpxnTiOJoWdAJjEzXm2LvwFCQJDFjIRsAY62hw27HoijuPaa_HmS11E00K5DFCjs6oLds/s640/blogger-image-380120684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvwRagYOHQGwMq3U8TmVTV7rzNQTPO__0qgO4iFEH6uTLcXZtFArg8TImxe5gyxgOkgZHRbNpxnTiOJoWdAJjEzXm2LvwFCQJDFjIRsAY62hw27HoijuPaa_HmS11E00K5DFCjs6oLds/s640/blogger-image-380120684.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01u2-o_-u9smH_2XHczBnbWIcfLbUYCBtQuXBveDKo8tbOjLQWXGPB9C6r_agbjBJu1n1685jOfWfpi7Gh6NtbrefrVkCUQuDoFAt1-Yjd0h0Q1EtAf5WsboZ2UJ-MmGuBi5TpWPG3CM/s640/blogger-image-965653567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01u2-o_-u9smH_2XHczBnbWIcfLbUYCBtQuXBveDKo8tbOjLQWXGPB9C6r_agbjBJu1n1685jOfWfpi7Gh6NtbrefrVkCUQuDoFAt1-Yjd0h0Q1EtAf5WsboZ2UJ-MmGuBi5TpWPG3CM/s640/blogger-image-965653567.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After a few good days in San Pedro we decided it was time to make the 24 hour bus journey down to Santiago. I was understandably dreading the journey but the roads in Chile are so much better than the ones in other countries that it felt like a much better journey than shorter ones in other countries in South America.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Santiago is a really lovely city. Chile is noticeably more developed than other countries, especially in contrast to Bolivia, but it still has such a nice vibe about it. We stayed in a very lively part of Santiago called Bellavista which was full of restaurants and bars, and we really liked our hostel- it was called La Chimba and I'd definitely recommend it if you're ever in Santiago. We managed to do quite a lot around the city; we got the funicular up San Cristobal hill and saw just how huge the city is, we visited the Museum for Human Memory and Rights all about the Pinochet dictatorship, saw the Plaza de Armas..and of course visited the mall. In my defence my jeans had the worst knee rips ever and I heard there was a Topshop there - it was impossible to resist. I think the reason I love Santiago is that it has a lot of parks too- the other day there was an event there called '100 in 1 day' where there were 100 different little things happening around the city for environmental and health awareness. For example in the park there was a bench with lots of cushions all over it and prompts to help people meditate and feel peaceful, and nearby people were writing down things they liked about the city and pegging them up between little tents. The streets were full of people engaging with these stations and walking round the city that day really solidified my love for it.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT-s_3v3AZndYrExB3ACiV9Hgtd2xhdcbEyt5nDG6JMRRE-FKlDAl1NUwhQstB5snvmhExaDn0kJ9fHPxfVCq8Tz-e_tsm8Rc7Ak4fP7pVCpGf60aKU3T9ID-qcvfXxsmmISJOC4BJgc/s640/blogger-image--400031906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT-s_3v3AZndYrExB3ACiV9Hgtd2xhdcbEyt5nDG6JMRRE-FKlDAl1NUwhQstB5snvmhExaDn0kJ9fHPxfVCq8Tz-e_tsm8Rc7Ak4fP7pVCpGf60aKU3T9ID-qcvfXxsmmISJOC4BJgc/s640/blogger-image--400031906.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fUWTz1nCPUPrzLAAklJV8wKdHiEc2Qb80QJHjesverVKci0qj7ZDkM9OSiZHGqA3YYIgifhWMkBZQvvMsXSB9qSMcyMrmWWhqz1rP8p1KD8c5cLRHF3VzoWt1-WECT26AjYF1aG_glc/s640/blogger-image--1429707428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fUWTz1nCPUPrzLAAklJV8wKdHiEc2Qb80QJHjesverVKci0qj7ZDkM9OSiZHGqA3YYIgifhWMkBZQvvMsXSB9qSMcyMrmWWhqz1rP8p1KD8c5cLRHF3VzoWt1-WECT26AjYF1aG_glc/s640/blogger-image--1429707428.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We also spent the weekend in a nearby seaside city called Valparaiso (Valpo to locals). I think it might be one of the best places I've visited so far. The winding streets are filled with art and there are lovely little cafes and shops everywhere you look. It has such a chilled out vibe and really seems like the kind of place that would be great to live in. Chileans also have a reputation for being the friendliest people in South America and so far I'd say they're living up to their reputation. On our first full day we happened across an empanada shop that sells 80 different varieties; in case you don't know an empanada is pretty much the South American version of a Cornish pasty, usually filled with cheese and whatever else you fancy. We went back to that place every day we were in Valpo in an attempt to try as many empanadas as possible, though I think my favourite was cheese, mushroom, onions and cream. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO92ebJFjsKKtaRMJgnGcZr0FT5unm_0qP-Q1o5Dl3oD1CekiBPPlvfdIo8AkQUnb-R3zXqx6M6M-x4NdB-TTdNxI9NU4N1vo_-XLG2PwHhtGENM9Cf85gtNC-OOaOky96RNm5co7S5hA/s640/blogger-image-1654196518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO92ebJFjsKKtaRMJgnGcZr0FT5unm_0qP-Q1o5Dl3oD1CekiBPPlvfdIo8AkQUnb-R3zXqx6M6M-x4NdB-TTdNxI9NU4N1vo_-XLG2PwHhtGENM9Cf85gtNC-OOaOky96RNm5co7S5hA/s640/blogger-image-1654196518.jpg"></a></div></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0I7nQnIa71oDTDzghO4Y1tQZLJsaVC1TX6eLOK-UeR8aOssUOttaf8lVkOCgvE5qBNDaiqnizKXCPrKCtBs9TtTR26NJujM0S9SktwxCkf-umH6SyjJUgQEyUnd8iQ_gNI_0EP9Ukyc/s640/blogger-image--548373831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0I7nQnIa71oDTDzghO4Y1tQZLJsaVC1TX6eLOK-UeR8aOssUOttaf8lVkOCgvE5qBNDaiqnizKXCPrKCtBs9TtTR26NJujM0S9SktwxCkf-umH6SyjJUgQEyUnd8iQ_gNI_0EP9Ukyc/s640/blogger-image--548373831.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHRogFD9U4qdvxColqZm9HSUxKw0giAai2nom2NVTzQ4q3CDI7j9POZb1XTR4MoIfxXrALZ_9TX0klQY-sZI9-bulbfe6-ITHoxZ7b1SqYuKNmDaQzsoHFCg2iTfonywXNhjqZ3xOcoY/s640/blogger-image--688641831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHRogFD9U4qdvxColqZm9HSUxKw0giAai2nom2NVTzQ4q3CDI7j9POZb1XTR4MoIfxXrALZ_9TX0klQY-sZI9-bulbfe6-ITHoxZ7b1SqYuKNmDaQzsoHFCg2iTfonywXNhjqZ3xOcoY/s640/blogger-image--688641831.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtofdjnitWIJP2o_I50Ow4Ra6597xW1_4idx32Mwee0lvTeBDpBDAXpRTTF5X8gntzjhqA1m21vIT1HxVcbIxEa9s84HB8057tz3iIh8PAR2HQhRf8pr8RXhsvR1VdNtKbKm1gkwbl0Y/s640/blogger-image-211905953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtofdjnitWIJP2o_I50Ow4Ra6597xW1_4idx32Mwee0lvTeBDpBDAXpRTTF5X8gntzjhqA1m21vIT1HxVcbIxEa9s84HB8057tz3iIh8PAR2HQhRf8pr8RXhsvR1VdNtKbKm1gkwbl0Y/s640/blogger-image-211905953.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxRFWnn8b58f3DY0OY2t926CQEIZC59sOfEa4yLRPJtZQmJGgO-YqzQEkRedccwXGLzCVqWFNXJDQSzU5XEhOboMaPp_mQxoAwCIKQZXpG_3Jbt5-R87hOqC5SVpFjP1KViCYjv0t8W8/s640/blogger-image-746176303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxRFWnn8b58f3DY0OY2t926CQEIZC59sOfEa4yLRPJtZQmJGgO-YqzQEkRedccwXGLzCVqWFNXJDQSzU5XEhOboMaPp_mQxoAwCIKQZXpG_3Jbt5-R87hOqC5SVpFjP1KViCYjv0t8W8/s640/blogger-image-746176303.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm actually back in Valpo by myself right now before I fly down to Patagonia where hopefully I'll find the boys again. They decided to undertake a nearly 48 hour bus journey down there to do a 5 day hiking and camping trip- I think anyone who knows me will know that nothing in that previous sentence is the sort of thing I enjoy. I'm just waiting to hear that they made it there alive..keep your fingers crossed. </div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I can't believe it's nearly Christmas and everyone back home is spending their weekends in the German market and generally being festive- I have no concept of seasons out here with it being 30 degrees for the last few days. I can't complain, I know, but a tiny part of me is starting to miss the build up to Christmas and the home comforts that come with it. Although last week I did manage to successfully make Yorkshire puddings in a hostel kitchen, so I'm not missing out too much I suppose. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Until next time, I hope anyone back home is having a good day- and serious brownie points if you got to the end of this one!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-14482874067543512032015-10-23T14:25:00.001-07:002015-10-26T08:31:07.699-07:00Wonder of the worldI'll forgive anyone who has lost interest in where on earth I am; one thing I've realised out here is that it's incredibly easy to get lazy with blogging. I'll do my best to rewind the last three weeks now...<div>So I finished my last post in Lima having just said goodbye to my little travel group. After Lima I got a bus down to Paracas with Erika, another English girl, to see what had been described to us as the 'poor mans Galapagos'. I think that's putting it kindly because from my experience that man must have been very poor indeed. Basically, you can go on a 1 and a half hour boat ride out to a nearby island where you can see lots of sea lions, various types of birds and you might just be able to see a few Humboldt penguins. You can't get off the boat however and the whole area of Paracas basically smells like seaweed and bird poo. It was cool to see the sea lions and a few penguins but the trip was fairly disappointing overall and certainly hasn't satisfied my aim to one day to go to the real Galapagos. Paracas in general was a bit of a let down- the whole town lost power for a few hours both days we were there and I'm almost ashamed to admit this but on the second day as we entered hour 3 of no internet or power I actually made myself have a nap because there was nothing else to do. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LrjmuPTQtaJRl5rXT5Aafna1DZTYErN3Jo655kGfBQ8ttlSfFTp4ew3zEe-0XM8P6BLHZfo94HCkC2TgAGbOy_nNn9yvirEJguKzkOTDBLt1c03LutV8pGpq4B5gsA63BYy4clMvt58/s640/blogger-image--268405913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LrjmuPTQtaJRl5rXT5Aafna1DZTYErN3Jo655kGfBQ8ttlSfFTp4ew3zEe-0XM8P6BLHZfo94HCkC2TgAGbOy_nNn9yvirEJguKzkOTDBLt1c03LutV8pGpq4B5gsA63BYy4clMvt58/s640/blogger-image--268405913.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">However, after Paracas we headed a bit further south to another small town called Huacachina which we absolutely loved. To call it a town is probably exagerrating; it is literally an oasis and a couple of streets that have been plonked down in the middle of sand dunes as you can see below (apologies for iPhone photos, I didn't want to get sand in my camera). It was so amazing to see the huge dunes surrounding the town and our hostel was good too (Bananas hostel FYI). We met some really cool people there and after a few drinks at the only bar in town (aptly named 'Huaca-f******-china') we made the decision at midnight to walk up to the highest sand dune we could find. It probably took about an hour to get up there and we were joined by some lovely local dogs who we like to think were protecting us on our journey. The view from the top was amazing and we could see the lights from lots of towns for miles around. Unfortunately nobody had a decent enough camera to get any good photos up there but that night is probably one of my favourite memories from the last month.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4C5F-KvJ4K5TLcIQVAG8sdy72oFKhYNIUWiPZ_ObWW0YYpCjRzz-TmprbV8DthMowpTTgfBIwIq7BXbG3kyr4YQ4Ft_LXP4FROGQBCNU4mzkwigiG0hei5AkMWpy3C4FbpUfDzRVHdZI/s640/blogger-image--1691266297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4C5F-KvJ4K5TLcIQVAG8sdy72oFKhYNIUWiPZ_ObWW0YYpCjRzz-TmprbV8DthMowpTTgfBIwIq7BXbG3kyr4YQ4Ft_LXP4FROGQBCNU4mzkwigiG0hei5AkMWpy3C4FbpUfDzRVHdZI/s640/blogger-image--1691266297.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next day we headed out for the main reason anyone heads to Huacachina- a ride in a dune buggy and sandboarding. The dune buggy was so much fun, heading down huge sand dunes is probably more fun than most roller coasters. I also had a young Chinese boy screaming in my ear the whole time which definitely enhanced the experience. Next was the sand boarding which was terrifying. We had a practice run on 3 smaller dunes but even on those I wouldn't even think about standing up, which most other people at least attempted- though there were a fair few painful looking falls on the way down. I resigned myself to sitting down which was still fun but I wish we'd got to spend a bit more time in the buggy to be honest, though that's just because I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to facing my fears of hurtling face first down near 90 degree sand dunes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the sand dunes we had to hurry back to town to get our bus back to Lima as we'd decided to fly from there to Cusco to avoid a nearly 24 hour bus. The amount of sand on my body during that bus ride was ridiculous; I kept finding new patches of skin that needed brushing off and I don't think I got all of the sand out of my hair for a good few days after. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We spent 2 more days doing not very much in Lima, although I did go for a wander and find the Parque de Amor. The centrepiece of this park was of a couple kissing and it seems that it encourages life to imitate art- the park was full of loved-up <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">couples. Despite this it was a lovely place to stumble across, with love quotations written out in mosaic tiles all over. A little further down from the park also seemed to be a popular launching point for people to go paragliding- there must have been 20 different people flying around at one point. In the end I think I did like Lima, despite the bad reputation it seems to gain from travellers, and I'd recommend a visit there to anyone going through Peru.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The next day Erika & I headed to the airport for our flight to Cusco, feeling very smug at reducing a 24 hour journey to just 1 hour. I had a really good feeling about Cusco as soon as we left the airport. It's a great city with a lovely old town and little streets full of shops selling the usual souvenirs. There are old women in traditional dress holding baby llamas in adorable woollen hats everywhere and a legitimate way for these old women to make money is to charge gringos 2 soles (40p) for a photo with them. Somehow I managed to resist but those baby llamas really were adorable. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhcbSz5eBb6PviMAJPJskR98i980GoOC9O-EI40GfpKWNepWEuCtsm1gWFarkI8Rz7JSGnEDJX6_C9pxJcQxTTg50D-Gx94yOeFSgWnXjD2d2tHb4qxjxrZC2oZRaBwZOE_RR0iz7BmE/s640/blogger-image--393772891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhcbSz5eBb6PviMAJPJskR98i980GoOC9O-EI40GfpKWNepWEuCtsm1gWFarkI8Rz7JSGnEDJX6_C9pxJcQxTTg50D-Gx94yOeFSgWnXjD2d2tHb4qxjxrZC2oZRaBwZOE_RR0iz7BmE/s640/blogger-image--393772891.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIiC5XKPJmSfYCrv60oDTjLYk6TZwB9HtjwjveF6Mo1FyecyD3q-47R-vXNAAhytzgfmLLmWC3r-z3qkiBi9vBzCsXWNju6MVrRh7qfiFHoZZT9Fq_s1mYu_DEiMFwg_YvQ-MEXUi9zGg/s640/blogger-image--629315990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIiC5XKPJmSfYCrv60oDTjLYk6TZwB9HtjwjveF6Mo1FyecyD3q-47R-vXNAAhytzgfmLLmWC3r-z3qkiBi9vBzCsXWNju6MVrRh7qfiFHoZZT9Fq_s1mYu_DEiMFwg_YvQ-MEXUi9zGg/s640/blogger-image--629315990.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">There's a market in Cusco which sells pretty much anything you could wish to buy, though much to my horror there was also one section where I witnessed a man hacking up a whole pig with a saw. There's also a black market where you can buy pretty much anything counterfeit and, luckily for me, you can get your phone screen fixed cheap- moral of the story don't leave your phone unattended while charging in a hostel because other people really don't care if they knock your phone off and leave it smashed on the floor. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We also went on a walking tour in Cusco, although it wasn't exactly so much about Cusco as it was about the culture of Peru generally, as well as telling the story of the tour guide's life. We found out that when he was younger he had no choice but to help in the production of cocaine in the jungle (something he was not proud of) which I think startled a few of the older members of the tour. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Of course the other thing people do from Cusco is go to Machu Picchu. I was so indecisive for ages about how to do it, I didn't want to do a 5 day trek and I wasn't feeling the popular jungle trek which included 4 hours of downhill mountain biking. In the end me and Sarah, a Canadian girl I've met along the way, decided to do the cheapest way possible which is to get a 7 hour bus to a hydroelectrico station then walk 2-3 hours down the train tracks to the town next to Machu Picchu. At one point on this walk the train that the richer travellers can afford to take passes you by but the walk isn't too bad if you can handle the flies swarming on you. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We had a pretty early night in Aguas Calientes and the next morning we were up at 3.30am to get in the queue for the bus up to Machu Picchu. We got there at the perfect time because a few minutes later we saw the queue was getting so long and we managed to get on the second bus of the day. Machu Picchu itself is really amazing. I honestly can't fathom how the Inkas managed to build the town, though it is considered that they were the most intelligent ancient civilisation. We didn't get a tour guide there but we tried to be sneaky and just latch on to various different groups to hear snippets of information. The mountains surrounding the site were amazing too, the looked really mystical with the fog surrounding them. All in all, of course I'd say that Machu Picchu is a must see if you're in Peru- and don't let people make you feel guilty about not doing a proper trek if its not for you!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKyPJYRMISwfb9PM3XuhGYvr7ICYGn3dxTWDDpqFGBC_EJGZ6IO5wn-BpITDYfdUnZWCq8jvvitRlxTBoBfXgMzOaIcQru6x83jhifvValE-sBke4LjU9k5sWw0e_BlTbK2TwhKqQtak/s640/blogger-image-1086974940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKyPJYRMISwfb9PM3XuhGYvr7ICYGn3dxTWDDpqFGBC_EJGZ6IO5wn-BpITDYfdUnZWCq8jvvitRlxTBoBfXgMzOaIcQru6x83jhifvValE-sBke4LjU9k5sWw0e_BlTbK2TwhKqQtak/s640/blogger-image-1086974940.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaYkQIicbJ57IKPYGY6J2H8KCuKLVzDMgkdklzTJCkUWzxM5DCdeOD9-s8zDnWAgcAXhSu8luFXEOEIkHlRO8Dg5n3iHXPoJATIlKF8k_jILsAeLCnRD_4BMDC5LnH-NArK_5ezP6E8k/s640/blogger-image--1317953171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaYkQIicbJ57IKPYGY6J2H8KCuKLVzDMgkdklzTJCkUWzxM5DCdeOD9-s8zDnWAgcAXhSu8luFXEOEIkHlRO8Dg5n3iHXPoJATIlKF8k_jILsAeLCnRD_4BMDC5LnH-NArK_5ezP6E8k/s640/blogger-image--1317953171.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGe4HzpMnFTPnbymA8qnu7_VEceYNIKcQ53E0VakffWntTuyLwklacF4jx2x-MAZ8C5ZTo2_6tHQlZi3hZaEbc5pU3Svx0obe-YQSaqJeyxAKruBUajB9TIn1J4M5zy2uHqMe-pzgBl8/s640/blogger-image-1539181461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGe4HzpMnFTPnbymA8qnu7_VEceYNIKcQ53E0VakffWntTuyLwklacF4jx2x-MAZ8C5ZTo2_6tHQlZi3hZaEbc5pU3Svx0obe-YQSaqJeyxAKruBUajB9TIn1J4M5zy2uHqMe-pzgBl8/s640/blogger-image-1539181461.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv2We-799ktjzSaxGAh5GfPj3-TjEFGheObGFKVcVdDRfH78CxwepNbMNriC4Br5m5_d6sp6uSIKyDSvpQC00Efpw6c-CayrnSC8pELyFA_eiiKd14_tJYkMoV3fLb05P0-_W1wMMD-w/s640/blogger-image--1770159141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv2We-799ktjzSaxGAh5GfPj3-TjEFGheObGFKVcVdDRfH78CxwepNbMNriC4Br5m5_d6sp6uSIKyDSvpQC00Efpw6c-CayrnSC8pELyFA_eiiKd14_tJYkMoV3fLb05P0-_W1wMMD-w/s640/blogger-image--1770159141.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There's also lots of llamas in Machu Picchu- Sarah was unsuccessful in getting a decent selfie unfortunately.</div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The last few days have been fairly uneventful; we stayed a night in Puno on the way to cross the border into Bolivia but I decided against the floating islands there as I'd heard they were very touristy nowadays. I did however, inexplicably, find life size replicas of the animals in Ice Age so of course I had a photo next to them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillwH7_9syXKV-_1oRo3Dp3Cm6aOMXGwgSCHFqLSxXNydExiGIv7oMXK00Uf5nGIpdSl3l7d-T2y37T-r_UEsl5n7zBh2vZqO4lcg91LRUrR4A7mbfcwNtFuvpYpTjbhYLQwuoe5yLwd4/s640/blogger-image--190069252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillwH7_9syXKV-_1oRo3Dp3Cm6aOMXGwgSCHFqLSxXNydExiGIv7oMXK00Uf5nGIpdSl3l7d-T2y37T-r_UEsl5n7zBh2vZqO4lcg91LRUrR4A7mbfcwNtFuvpYpTjbhYLQwuoe5yLwd4/s640/blogger-image--190069252.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Then I decided to get the bus all the way to La Paz as I know a few people here at the moment. I've not done too much here so far apart from find a lovely little coffee shop where I got a nutella latté, so clearly I'm being very cultural so far. The city doesn't seem like it'll be my favourite but I'm planning on doing the walking tour today so hopefully I'll see some good parts of the city. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'll try not leave it 3 weeks for the next update, but don't hold it against me if I fail!</div></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-4844511705005050902015-10-03T20:02:00.001-07:002015-10-05T10:50:12.431-07:00Glaciers, lagunas..and shopping mallsYet again it feels like so much has happened since I last checked in. Last time I was feeling guilty for being a lazy traveller and enjoying too much hammock time- you'll be glad to know that last week was pretty much the opposite of that...and that this week has kind of taken it full circle back to laziness. <div><br></div><div>Beth & I left Mancora with 3 guys that we met in Montañita; 2 brothers from Wisconsin called JB and Jim and a Swedish guy named Olov. I had no real plans for the north of Peru having done very little research and the guys had a few places they wanted to stop on the way to Lima so we thought we may as well tag along. First stop was a couple of hours in Chiclayo on the way to Chachapoyas. The less said about Chiclayo the better; both Olov and I were convinced we were going to get food poisoning just in time for our night bus, but luckily I discovered that my stomach can apparently cope with raw chicken. We arrived in Chachapoyas in the early hours of last Tuesday having survived what felt like travelling inside an oven and all crashed in our dorm until lunchtime. The main reason people stop in Chachapoyas is to go to Kuelap, an old pre-inca ruin town, but by the time we all woke up it was too late for us to go so we spent the day wandering and being fairly underwhelmed by the town. Olov even let me paint his toenails bright red so I think that says it all. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gBLaQawn6evhUIIlyPrOkqibjmoxhd5uurfEtcKsdCNC1O6C-F5yLPOhBKXNg7AieJae2kQh7TQF9cAOF0e2kESVuFpWe18BpGVfqXb-J3sh9-hl2loJ_G7tH9QTTWPGmSO-s4J8iHQ/s640/blogger-image--36710345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gBLaQawn6evhUIIlyPrOkqibjmoxhd5uurfEtcKsdCNC1O6C-F5yLPOhBKXNg7AieJae2kQh7TQF9cAOF0e2kESVuFpWe18BpGVfqXb-J3sh9-hl2loJ_G7tH9QTTWPGmSO-s4J8iHQ/s640/blogger-image--36710345.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The next day we woke up bright and early to head off to Kuelap, a good 2-3 hour drive away. For some reason Olov had dressed for a day at the beach so when we woke up from our minibus naps to see rain he was a bit concerned about his choice of attire. Luckily the restaurant we stopped at to book our lunch for later seemed to be selling woollen vests (they were just hanging on the wall like decorations) so he did the only thing he could do and bought one, which gave us all a much needed boost every time we caught sight of him. Multiple Peruvian tourists asked him for photos- we weren't sure if they thought he was some sort of Swedish celebrity/model or if they just thought he looked ridiculous. The ruins themselves were interesting to see but the day was slightly dampened (excuse the pun) by the gradually increasing rain as time went on, with us all eventually running through the ruins as fast as we could back to the minibus to get out of the pouring rain. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifBVuMzOPT2UyRtDVBJ7jr4esVtV0WC6XxnsP8cF_W3U8VWtD2aKWzRGIZg6NZRYlz3Q1YBQlubKOimqcn8qZTa2Jmxw4jJLwEM1acsBO8K6LcejVT38xNrLLJRz-M2ft8dF2wiQ3HFg/s640/blogger-image--1574928130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifBVuMzOPT2UyRtDVBJ7jr4esVtV0WC6XxnsP8cF_W3U8VWtD2aKWzRGIZg6NZRYlz3Q1YBQlubKOimqcn8qZTa2Jmxw4jJLwEM1acsBO8K6LcejVT38xNrLLJRz-M2ft8dF2wiQ3HFg/s640/blogger-image--1574928130.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Then came the journey back- we had another night bus booked for 7.30 and had been told we'd be back well in time to make it. In true South American style we arrived back at our hostel late (about 6.40) and had to run across town with our backpacks in tow, somehow getting to the bus station just in time for our next uncomfortable sleep. We were treated to Taken 3 in Spanish however which was possibly even worse than the English version. </div><div>We woke up the next day in Trujillo. Somehow we got incredibly lucky as the bus station had showers which I think we all were relieved to see as we knew we had to get another night bus later on- if you ever want to feel gross I recommend you take a night bus. I'll never moan about taking a 4 hour megabus back home again. There's not much going on in Trujillo so we opted to get a collectivo to the next town over, the seaside town of Huanchaco, where we spent the day chilling on the beach and playing many games of gin in a bar next to the sea. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEJXtN5cGEMPUX9HsSYPZgpHdSYXLP5GxByq9Sc_p0wmSIfJs_VFskT3ROqssh66Urf1ade9DLyB89f-hm0cQMmlQj3Xv9yRyQHvz9nTZH9XDIUjHGDjYCpnoFJdZ_3cUCjyOeTLNgCA/s640/blogger-image-1130980068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEJXtN5cGEMPUX9HsSYPZgpHdSYXLP5GxByq9Sc_p0wmSIfJs_VFskT3ROqssh66Urf1ade9DLyB89f-hm0cQMmlQj3Xv9yRyQHvz9nTZH9XDIUjHGDjYCpnoFJdZ_3cUCjyOeTLNgCA/s640/blogger-image-1130980068.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Fast forward to the night and we found ourselves boarding our fourth night bus in 8 days to Huaraz. There were a few others that we met in Mancora, including CeCe who I met in my first few days in Bogota, on the same bus as us too. There's almost something comforting in knowing that <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">you aren't the only one whose going to have a terrible nights sleep-sadistic but true. </span></div><div><br></div><div>Huaraz is a town people go to to use as a base for doing various hikes in the surrounding mountain range, the cordilleras blancos. If you know me I know what you're thinking- I am not and never have been a hiker. However my time in Huaraz gave me some of the best experiences I've had so far. Last Saturday we decided to do a hike to a glacier. People recommend doing this hike first in order to acclimatise, as it goes pretty high (5200m) but isn't a very long hike so isn't too unbearable. I can say that now because I've already done it, but let me tell you altitude sickness is a very real thing. It's such an unpleasant feeling- the path we had to walk up really wouldn't have been challenging at sea level but at that altitude your head is spinning, you can hardly catch your breath and your legs start to feel like lead. The glacier was totally worth it though- I've never seen anything like it in real life, it was amazing to see. The only slight downer on the day was when I crouched down to take a photo of Beth and somehow lost my balance, causing me to fall backwards into a large puddle of freezing cold water. Not my finest moment. However on the same day I did also see a lamb wearing a tiny knitted hat, so it's all swings and roundabouts really.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnoBdH_a7mEJGNgN3OQRQYcnCz0KRJt6JKbbQA4BHwe8ITCZjO61mbZW5mDYg_AqD__CHeSJvy-f_EeOqSY5kqaYXQmKelMjNKegdJzQkJmgb661vdQj1GmZ38Lzi-7VH8FOBboLIJU4/s640/blogger-image-1118789084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnoBdH_a7mEJGNgN3OQRQYcnCz0KRJt6JKbbQA4BHwe8ITCZjO61mbZW5mDYg_AqD__CHeSJvy-f_EeOqSY5kqaYXQmKelMjNKegdJzQkJmgb661vdQj1GmZ38Lzi-7VH8FOBboLIJU4/s640/blogger-image-1118789084.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0GfqEYnsBt7Qln9W4Unpctv84xKLS6DT5xyceTdU8PRMo87v5V586gZeEfqWLLHTUIxMpRxv7lP7Uy-PF3VaYA_Z2-cfsoszlL5KafWpay72MOclozl6VMPMajfrobx-pDUfR-LPh9s/s640/blogger-image-1205996076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0GfqEYnsBt7Qln9W4Unpctv84xKLS6DT5xyceTdU8PRMo87v5V586gZeEfqWLLHTUIxMpRxv7lP7Uy-PF3VaYA_Z2-cfsoszlL5KafWpay72MOclozl6VMPMajfrobx-pDUfR-LPh9s/s640/blogger-image-1205996076.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cdODsbRYkb9p0Iy3_8A_nRSRhoYB6SpOi8_5UYDWPMx-4LnFgDGnkfTtMp_q8iX24codRuQuz1EszOtu4Nodyfe9ZtdJlKowB8nU1rhlBIrYm5eDBHd9kuPBKysSgiEyKcSIgneEFRw/s640/blogger-image-1494778301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cdODsbRYkb9p0Iy3_8A_nRSRhoYB6SpOi8_5UYDWPMx-4LnFgDGnkfTtMp_q8iX24codRuQuz1EszOtu4Nodyfe9ZtdJlKowB8nU1rhlBIrYm5eDBHd9kuPBKysSgiEyKcSIgneEFRw/s640/blogger-image-1494778301.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUuxKpPKSh2I7XqobTTKsUv4j9ro7Tp4noEdnuVXQ9yxnlKgNnKXkAvh36mfl__jbFLhm7tDEnkX_na4cbLBa8Ohqf0UTV4WhTLuae0FwxMyXydLo1QUiultvIAZkEScKOVoEBQfOa_c/s640/blogger-image-29990852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUuxKpPKSh2I7XqobTTKsUv4j9ro7Tp4noEdnuVXQ9yxnlKgNnKXkAvh36mfl__jbFLhm7tDEnkX_na4cbLBa8Ohqf0UTV4WhTLuae0FwxMyXydLo1QUiultvIAZkEScKOVoEBQfOa_c/s640/blogger-image-29990852.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Beth, Olov, JB, me, Jim)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpkoVuy1MQUlRnKUABpFyR22A714A5xuz76l792ZN3IOlQRG_kjy9ARD9S4osI-20zHei2ipLGmeoM-baGinwIO3BO6q90DNv1D_bhbxFGRn2I2DgCp8GjXVt5U4wKOby_J1zPcgb6ic/s640/blogger-image-296906783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpkoVuy1MQUlRnKUABpFyR22A714A5xuz76l792ZN3IOlQRG_kjy9ARD9S4osI-20zHei2ipLGmeoM-baGinwIO3BO6q90DNv1D_bhbxFGRn2I2DgCp8GjXVt5U4wKOby_J1zPcgb6ic/s640/blogger-image-296906783.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>The next day I reluctantly decided to join the others on their 5am wake up call to do a hike to Laguna 69. This one wasn't quite as high, getting up to about 4600m, but was about 3 hours up and 2 more back down. It started off okay- I didn't feel the altitude right away and the path was clear. After about 45 minutes it started to hit me and suddenly the guide was directing us to scramble up steep rocky shortcuts. He didn't strike me as the most sympathetic guy (he told us if we felt really unwell to just go back to the bus because if we took too long to get back they'd just leave without us) so I forced myself up. I spent most of the second half of the hike there by myself, probably in the middle of our 30 person group. I had to stop pretty regularly to catch my breath and there were a few times that I seriously considered giving up, as I tend to do when I'm bad at something. But I kept on going, literally talking to myself and telling myself it was all in my head, and somehow at the top of the toughest part of the hike I turned the corner and caught my first glimpse of the brightest, bluest water I've ever seen. It was 100% worth doing and is probably one of the biggest physical challenges I've put myself through but I'm genuinely really proud of myself for making myself do it. The walk back down was much better but still very rocky- of course, again, I ended up on my bum at least once- but we all made it back to the bus intact and very ready to have a celebratory ron (spanish for rum) or five. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLbbj1_UAIWaMJ2uiozOfEG2ZI3gJ2QECh-fr7kyhyphenhyphenPWls_fDJUglolKQ7r5bfOx52DATigZ8Hi9FDP8N5uHpVB8e1Tw3rhJoBAyT2X9_B8-XFaQLTmhqsbvZZUUfIrXSERGA7Aq8Qnc/s640/blogger-image-230222109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLbbj1_UAIWaMJ2uiozOfEG2ZI3gJ2QECh-fr7kyhyphenhyphenPWls_fDJUglolKQ7r5bfOx52DATigZ8Hi9FDP8N5uHpVB8e1Tw3rhJoBAyT2X9_B8-XFaQLTmhqsbvZZUUfIrXSERGA7Aq8Qnc/s640/blogger-image-230222109.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L36xfxpI0zhkE-bqgd-kwULuL-iYxEqEA0xXBQpzJ3tzrcncqldVTLWPyq6Qzb8urfzKqJcT_fOkUkRW3fU1WWKbLEiW4ir4f2PvHrciaaqgfy7ZwhstO7bUvbsY9TquMYgr_svbcp4/s640/blogger-image--1713303954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L36xfxpI0zhkE-bqgd-kwULuL-iYxEqEA0xXBQpzJ3tzrcncqldVTLWPyq6Qzb8urfzKqJcT_fOkUkRW3fU1WWKbLEiW4ir4f2PvHrciaaqgfy7ZwhstO7bUvbsY9TquMYgr_svbcp4/s640/blogger-image--1713303954.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvikspFT611f1GqOrcRMxnbc40HPGl2BbVQJrFo6fKD3iRGVqEuqhf7VXYhw5iKB-hH-yVfdxr6nEnFf0XhyphenhyphenRLtV7BD3I8PM07j-g5YyltoET1_6STpcSLQWGoTtzHqCNnVtHLG2-xUs/s640/blogger-image--1319409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvikspFT611f1GqOrcRMxnbc40HPGl2BbVQJrFo6fKD3iRGVqEuqhf7VXYhw5iKB-hH-yVfdxr6nEnFf0XhyphenhyphenRLtV7BD3I8PM07j-g5YyltoET1_6STpcSLQWGoTtzHqCNnVtHLG2-xUs/s640/blogger-image--1319409.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7u7hYpWZ1HLo-4cCIRWRX6tiJ9xQ_Lli-zb0avDW0dSWO5JRZmXcEMlA1Mh_BRgVdkiShAIhmyNlGh5VkCZl-sVDI6ztB4Jec14hH7yakivnHn4F_QKKQLx9Ux41HYDO_-yf3Ip8Xls/s640/blogger-image--1653771309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7u7hYpWZ1HLo-4cCIRWRX6tiJ9xQ_Lli-zb0avDW0dSWO5JRZmXcEMlA1Mh_BRgVdkiShAIhmyNlGh5VkCZl-sVDI6ztB4Jec14hH7yakivnHn4F_QKKQLx9Ux41HYDO_-yf3Ip8Xls/s640/blogger-image--1653771309.jpg"></a></div></div></div><br></div><div>The next day was spent recovering and waiting around for our next night bus to the capital city, Lima. </div><div>We've been here since early Tuesday morning now and I'm sorry to say I have no real photos of the place and haven't been very successful at sight-seeing. Lima is just like any other big city in the world- it couldn't feel less Peruvian if it tried. Everyone can speak English, every big fast food chain is within walking distance of the hostel and the local supermarket is probably better than most of the ones in England. A few of us decided we deserved to step out of our backpacker bubble and went to a huge mall a few days ago; they had a Clarks, a River Island, a massive H&M, every food option possible...I honestly felt like I was walking around Westfield in London. Beth & Olov had hair cuts in a proper salon without living in fear that the hairdresser would just guess what they wanted. All in all it was a very successful day- I bought jeans, 2 tops and mascara for less than £50. Other than that my days have been fairly uneventful apart from a bit of wandering round nearby districts and sampling the traditional Peruvian alcohol, pisco, which I will simply say I don't think is the best choice for me to continue my impressive ability to never really get hangovers. </div><div><br></div><div>Yesterday everyone went their separate ways; Beth flew to Cusco, Olov opted for the 21(!!) hour bus there, JB carried on down to Paracas and Jim got on a flight back home early this morning. These guys are all some of the best people I've met while travelling and I feel lucky that my path happened to cross with all of theirs. I'm sad (and a bit scared) to be alone again but the great thing about travel is that now I have friends from all over the world!</div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-47962934367666285732015-09-13T14:31:00.001-07:002015-09-25T16:56:45.035-07:00Chasing waterfalls<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Once again I've spent the last few days getting a bit too used to spending all day in a hammock and neglecting this blog in the process. I've been to a few new places and actually crossed another border in the last couple of weeks so this might be a long one. First up: Baños. In the few days I spent there I think I did more 'activities' than I've done since I was in year 7 and we went on one of those adventure weekends.</span></div><div><br>
The bus ride from Quito to Baños was drama-less and we (I'm currently travelling with Beth who I met in Quito:we both understand the importance of dessert after every meal so we get on well) arrived on a night with no trouble. It was dark when we arrived but it seemed like a small, safe town so we walked to our hostel- again no problems. The problems began when we encountered the guy on reception, who I would say is the rudest person that I've had the misfortune to meet so far. He asked if we spoke spanish, to which I replied my standard 'un poquito'. He then said, in spanish, 'why are you in Ecuador then?' and proceeded to tell us everything in very fast spanish, eventually asking in an incredibly patronising manner if we understood or did we need it in english too. I was so shocked by how rude he was that I defiantly said yes we understood (luckily Beth actually had understood it all) and off we went to our rooms. I don't understand this kind of person- why work in a hostel in a very touristy town if you don't want to speak to foreign people who may not speak the language fluently? Long story short, despite the actual hostel being pretty nice I wouldn't recommend staying at Great Backpackers Hostel in Baños purely so you never have to meet this horrible man.<br>
Anyway, I did actually like Baños itself. It's a nice little town surrounded by green mountains and waterfalls and is probably the most touristy place I've been so far. Everything is catered to tourists- restaurants have english menus, more people than anywhere else I've been speak english and every tour operator<span class="_Tgc">/massage parlour (they're everywhere)</span><span class="_Tgc">/restaurant has someone outside it trying to get you in there. </span></div><div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MfaNLLB7qf4grW5rUdvWw1ec7rrXEnBlHxO6ede3vrtjGniGQASwmTMeqxIJ3-lvJ24-acWwb9zuzYPLwlGb3unIRDZPb3p98DysW60b4u0IODCOb2b4TZG_MHuFGtHzyoIOxzzDGrg/s640/blogger-image--916274728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MfaNLLB7qf4grW5rUdvWw1ec7rrXEnBlHxO6ede3vrtjGniGQASwmTMeqxIJ3-lvJ24-acWwb9zuzYPLwlGb3unIRDZPb3p98DysW60b4u0IODCOb2b4TZG_MHuFGtHzyoIOxzzDGrg/s640/blogger-image--916274728.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjept4myWdDK7fP1JPi9WfzfMMnvRwtna9wviQc9LCUQf4z7RfuB11yPJxu4pMZ_-e8DCcEk_b2_VAl7E1OSZMcre3Tv6QWLfn21W_ImcuJOYkeD4LfPkHVVDGDialJiHCqKwWvxTJUjyQ/s640/blogger-image--758846193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjept4myWdDK7fP1JPi9WfzfMMnvRwtna9wviQc9LCUQf4z7RfuB11yPJxu4pMZ_-e8DCcEk_b2_VAl7E1OSZMcre3Tv6QWLfn21W_ImcuJOYkeD4LfPkHVVDGDialJiHCqKwWvxTJUjyQ/s640/blogger-image--758846193.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div><span class="_Tgc">Last Friday Beth & I had a pretty adventurous day; our first activity was zip-lining. I don't think I've ever zip-lined before but for some reason I was pretty drawn to the idea, so we each paid our $20 and off we went. It was a lot of fun and definitely not as scary as I'd imagined, that is until the last line where both of us got stuck just short of the end leaving us dangling over a huge canyon. The woman who was taking us around the lines had to hook herself on and drag me back in, which was around the same time I decided to start wondering if I was covered for zip-lining on my travel insurance...but eventually we made it safely back to the platform. </span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YV2KrZ5xKLAqUq_55Ou2omUALq9HyAYZBAUh2QOzgr1UPcWeTagwTqE78Tc3Dy5Rk-Jc95sOWQ4CMWsXWlWJz2mqz4zGcOfTSMF4ix6egGNhYSmTCXJwnP42UrdZF-a4R3BHK7yBjGM/s640/blogger-image-1055233228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YV2KrZ5xKLAqUq_55Ou2omUALq9HyAYZBAUh2QOzgr1UPcWeTagwTqE78Tc3Dy5Rk-Jc95sOWQ4CMWsXWlWJz2mqz4zGcOfTSMF4ix6egGNhYSmTCXJwnP42UrdZF-a4R3BHK7yBjGM/s640/blogger-image-1055233228.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmEavx2oOUWBVjLuXOhG6O-ba4H5QgSkg2pjdzqWPloIzIwUHLbrFNhZm8lN5bzk8dpe5Zgesb1-CQ0otV7IHsMxsWhL74lew4iu0nT0kLIsjxVGeVCWOSKNH_aO96m9P-EfUpay-pho/s640/blogger-image-1515447561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmEavx2oOUWBVjLuXOhG6O-ba4H5QgSkg2pjdzqWPloIzIwUHLbrFNhZm8lN5bzk8dpe5Zgesb1-CQ0otV7IHsMxsWhL74lew4iu0nT0kLIsjxVGeVCWOSKNH_aO96m9P-EfUpay-pho/s640/blogger-image-1515447561.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We continued our day by renting a quad bike to head up a mountain to 'the swing at the end of the world'; a swing hanging off a tree house which sees you swinging out into a canyon. I'll let you in on a secret though- the photos make it look so much scarier than it is. I mean you probably wouldn't want to fall off the swing, but actually the scariest part of the day came when I attempted to drive the quad bike. I thought I had it and then suddenly Beth was screaming "BRAKE BRAKE" and then we'd crashed into the side of the road. So the important things to take away from this story are 1) I should never drive a quad bike again and 2) so long as you pay up front they'll let you do whatever the hell you want in Ecuador- I think the people in the rental place were genuinely shocked we made it back alive. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2we2CzyhjHEoKk3bFtk3s0oZzE43x5zhM1CtUMcN7N6FwEIEdYauTUA_Ncg94xm8KeKrizfQ-6zKAKFbUL9kFg-QuPU-EVx1gEYX5XYqn0eHli8P7jz_yLs5JmhlBnbeeZt-dbsEmzQ/s640/blogger-image-1878983014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2we2CzyhjHEoKk3bFtk3s0oZzE43x5zhM1CtUMcN7N6FwEIEdYauTUA_Ncg94xm8KeKrizfQ-6zKAKFbUL9kFg-QuPU-EVx1gEYX5XYqn0eHli8P7jz_yLs5JmhlBnbeeZt-dbsEmzQ/s640/blogger-image-1878983014.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3a7hoxCFlVw0yXdO0Y3edpQnd0sbKYMXygW1FxVH07txYbAFQjsSggSz7wzdn_Lv-wFtSGlJFYEjrwcTI_b6R8NNYha7hPHkAYhj-BtlHPgkDac0rnXDhMohbvkmzkNCR5ALUxHI7AM/s640/blogger-image-851386138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3a7hoxCFlVw0yXdO0Y3edpQnd0sbKYMXygW1FxVH07txYbAFQjsSggSz7wzdn_Lv-wFtSGlJFYEjrwcTI_b6R8NNYha7hPHkAYhj-BtlHPgkDac0rnXDhMohbvkmzkNCR5ALUxHI7AM/s640/blogger-image-851386138.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd3DVnDON5nhRY6jw2K2PWF-lyhHKjVJ39OkqDw_DiJx3FJv47DNbfenVBXq7IvSWDUeB1HUBC3NP_LdOBDFBSMOyM2o8nWKwU24FppkEI78w3ReVJ3me4YiPJqH3cNS46J3Yvk1Foiw/s640/blogger-image-1119589693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd3DVnDON5nhRY6jw2K2PWF-lyhHKjVJ39OkqDw_DiJx3FJv47DNbfenVBXq7IvSWDUeB1HUBC3NP_LdOBDFBSMOyM2o8nWKwU24FppkEI78w3ReVJ3me4YiPJqH3cNS46J3Yvk1Foiw/s640/blogger-image-1119589693.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div><br><div><span class="_Tgc">The next day we went a little less life-threatening and rented bikes for the day so that we could go on a waterfall route, ending at a huge one that they call the Devils cauldron. It was such a beautiful trip and I only nearly fell off my bike twice so all in all a much better result than the quad bike. </span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><br></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Suk4CzHkJJnP167CifTVrp4mZAuWrLPm2WpZT2e_otYvg61mFCPANlcD3vVH-oaG1taRTOcH0liA4hYCvA8SA6tsFQJ56TS3fQ0TkgpyVpdEcF-BY8NoiTT1BjGyFZas2NyXSfHS_oM/s640/blogger-image-1750175345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Suk4CzHkJJnP167CifTVrp4mZAuWrLPm2WpZT2e_otYvg61mFCPANlcD3vVH-oaG1taRTOcH0liA4hYCvA8SA6tsFQJ56TS3fQ0TkgpyVpdEcF-BY8NoiTT1BjGyFZas2NyXSfHS_oM/s640/blogger-image-1750175345.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><br></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc">The next day we decided to get the night bus to a little town on the coast called Montanita. Every traveller in Ecuador will tell you that Montanita is the place to be if you want to have fun- people liken it to places like Koh Phi Phi with its abundance of cheap cocktails (there's actually a street called Cocktail Alley full of people who will make you anything you want for less than £1) but with a better ratio of locals to gringos. I really liked the vibe of Montanita, and we met a lot of really cool people in our hostel. However I left the town with, no exaggerating, more than 50 mosquito bites. Bug spray was useless, the sandalwood sticks we burnt around the hostel did nothing- everyone was covered. </span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><br></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJAjpMcgWsBtehOpZeU5_fEf-wE8CeCo8pZz0hLFy6t9kHo4zGNtZVaywlJrrgjisRtmVxdpPNDtKYN9u4E704g3qr-M5X1t4e34yxe316e98bbDK8i-laIyke900CpWO9uQiimq4_Lk/s640/blogger-image--592127711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJAjpMcgWsBtehOpZeU5_fEf-wE8CeCo8pZz0hLFy6t9kHo4zGNtZVaywlJrrgjisRtmVxdpPNDtKYN9u4E704g3qr-M5X1t4e34yxe316e98bbDK8i-laIyke900CpWO9uQiimq4_Lk/s640/blogger-image--592127711.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98tDhH3K9Jf36SuaS9LSwCI5WnTFamNAfhogjGzg31g1h-ZaF8kpXBhge2GOo9xH4LRg1Ll8GYRyjCSmZIvgNA2yfliOuBf4asgBJ7WL7B_1wUB4PpR9iPZHHWxKqQAlqMT95dHFo6i8/s640/blogger-image--1676710021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98tDhH3K9Jf36SuaS9LSwCI5WnTFamNAfhogjGzg31g1h-ZaF8kpXBhge2GOo9xH4LRg1Ll8GYRyjCSmZIvgNA2yfliOuBf4asgBJ7WL7B_1wUB4PpR9iPZHHWxKqQAlqMT95dHFo6i8/s640/blogger-image--1676710021.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD4IZybsfpDQv10OfUWnl1dqsCU6_anxgzUXaS93d3vt9Ku1Et9Odmiq4qLccWEcrPHq2AcB5eGgs6c2pPbi3jhSPNhzcVODzDSonlPwN2moxl1_7RLI_ptCnBUYhLLw3HQALP9sdGSs/s640/blogger-image-1287767249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD4IZybsfpDQv10OfUWnl1dqsCU6_anxgzUXaS93d3vt9Ku1Et9Odmiq4qLccWEcrPHq2AcB5eGgs6c2pPbi3jhSPNhzcVODzDSonlPwN2moxl1_7RLI_ptCnBUYhLLw3HQALP9sdGSs/s640/blogger-image-1287767249.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div><br></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc">We also had a little day trip out to a nearby town called Puerto Lopez to go whale watching which was so cool- they came so close to the boat and at one point I think there were 3 of them all swimming around us. Unfortunately I think I've come to the realisation that boats make me feel incredibly anxious- obviously we had to go pretty far out to find them and the water was so rough. I'm not sure what it is because I don't feel sick but I just feel so uncomfortable and spend the whole time thinking about when I can be on dry land again. Still, I'm really glad I went to see the whales seeing as I couldn't afford to head out to the Galápagos Islands on this trip. Please excuse how rubbish my photos are- I kept turning my camera off just at the wrong time!</span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><br></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLXrWQdXlky1REQTIXBtFQVGns2yy-TZPno7Pk-_SCbVcILHt0IiOPKBighDbeNdgLTmx2rwxGaLEeq8hkVXg_lnj9zyabsYQAr8vPvJrUeuFEjjIW-6tGVIoqd88vzfGEyhq9MpvmQc/s640/blogger-image-107010793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLXrWQdXlky1REQTIXBtFQVGns2yy-TZPno7Pk-_SCbVcILHt0IiOPKBighDbeNdgLTmx2rwxGaLEeq8hkVXg_lnj9zyabsYQAr8vPvJrUeuFEjjIW-6tGVIoqd88vzfGEyhq9MpvmQc/s640/blogger-image-107010793.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDTLvRF1WBmDlP1sJ1WknRv4oYWzIIJtT4Xnq0ohbhfA1qkJ6lATkngyZHNEcXjYRwkz00LNpG7XnejIpmTQqt15_sMEG9L8fKm0XKWnhZs4fNGCHyZ0LRJQWI8sGsDU83MQpjT6wkt8/s640/blogger-image-846079853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDTLvRF1WBmDlP1sJ1WknRv4oYWzIIJtT4Xnq0ohbhfA1qkJ6lATkngyZHNEcXjYRwkz00LNpG7XnejIpmTQqt15_sMEG9L8fKm0XKWnhZs4fNGCHyZ0LRJQWI8sGsDU83MQpjT6wkt8/s640/blogger-image-846079853.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span></div><div><span class="_Tgc">I was intending to stay in Montanita all through the weekend but I decided I couldn't cope with the mosquitos anymore and so I decided to tag along with a group from my hostel who were getting a night bus to cross the border into Peru. I actually sleep on the night buses a lot better than I expected I would and so another uneventful bus and a couple more passport stamps later, I woke up in my third country. We're in a little beach town called Mancora being very bad tourists- we're at a hostel which is basically gringo central and encourages a lot of drinking and not much else. I'm currently entering my third hour spent in a hammock today trying to decide whether to go get an alcoholic slushie from the bar- it's a hard life sometimes. </span></div><div><br></div><div><span class="_Tgc">I'm not sure where I'm heading next- I think I'll just follow the crowd and jump on a bus wherever the group I'm hanging out with are heading. I've been out here just under 2 months now which is just crazy- I can't decide if I think it's going ridiculously fast or if it feels like I've been out here forever. I know one thing: it's been way too long since I last had Bovril. I actually think it's the thing I miss most (friends and family aside of course, you mean more to me than beef) and whenever I next know that I'll be staying somewhere for a while I'll be getting my parents to send me a jar or two. I hope you're allowed to mail Bovril. On that deep note, I'll draw this very long post to a close. 5 points for you if you made it this far!</span></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-86271961114737925622015-09-09T14:57:00.001-07:002015-09-12T07:54:46.839-07:00Not feeling 22So I've done the thing that all travellers manage to do at least once in their travels and got stuck in one place a lot longer than I intended to. After my mammoth day of travelling to Quito last week I was pretty happy to not have any plans once again and just be able to relax in one place, and I've had a pretty great week because of it.<br />
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Quito has definitely been better than I expected it to be- it has a beautiful old town area, a modern area with everything to keep us gringos entertained in the evenings and a few really lovely parks that I wish we had more of back at home. I went on a stroll the other day (it may have been a hungover 'must-do-something-with-my-day' stroll) not really expecting to see anything great and I happened upon a huge park full of families playing, market stalls with every sort of alpaca clothing possible, teenagers riding bikes and couples relaxing under the trees. The whole city is surrounded by the Andes meaning you can get some amazing views if you're willing to do a bit of climbing- or just take a taxi of course. Quito, as I thought too of Medellin in Colombia, is definitely the kind of place I can imagine living. </div>
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In the end I spent a week being fairly chilled out, enjoying the view from my hostel (100% stay at Secret Garden hostel if you ever come here) and the company of other travellers. It was my birthday on Tuesday and I'd been stressing a bit trying to decide where to spend it; in the end a group of us who had been going out together all week decided to go to Secret Garden's sister hostel next to Cotopaxi volcano, which after 150 years of no activity started erupting a month or so ago. You might be right in thinking that's an odd choice of a place to spend your birthday, but actually the hostel wasn't in any danger zone and because less people were choosing to go there due to not being able to climb the volcano anymore, there was a deal on where you got your room, four meals a day (my kind of eating schedule) and unlimited alcohol for $38 a night. Oh and you always get unlimited banana bread too- there's a cake stand on the side which is constantly replenished over the day, so of course I averaged 6 a day while I was there. If my trip to Casa en El Agua was the closest I'll ever get to paradise, Secret Garden was the closest I'll ever get to The Burrow (Harry Potter reference #1). It was the cosiest hostel ever with open fireplaces in every dorm, amazing home-cooked food for every meal and ponchos galore. There was a jacuzzi, a giant hammock and 3 very friendly dogs named Milo, Daisy and Mash. I'm not usually a dog person but I think I need a sausage dog at some point- see below for a photo of Mash, who had a problem with storing fat and subsequently looks a bit like Dobby (Harry Potter reference #2).</div>
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And alpacas of course. I was told that the volunteers get to ride them but unfortunately this must have slipped their minds this time and I didn't get to see any alpaca racing. </div>
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I think I made a pretty good choice of where to spend my 23rd birthday, though we may have taken advantage of the free alcohol offer a little too much- boxed wine in Ecuador isn't any better than boxed wine in England. </div>
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Now I'm going to spend another night in Quito before heading south a bit to a place called Banos, which is the Spanish word for toilet. Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up too much. Until next time, ciao chicas!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-77132954039010904422015-09-03T15:28:00.001-07:002015-09-12T08:06:30.514-07:00The tale of a border crossingSo I've got one country ticked off my list: Colombia is over and I'm actually very sad about it. I know I've said before that people have the wrong idea about the country but I'm determined to get the point across that it really isn't the scary place that I can guarantee you think it is.<br />
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I was, however, very worried about the border crossing between Colombia and Ecuador. Anyone you speak to has some horror story of a friend of a friend (etc) who has had some sort of trouble, whether it be the bus journey itself (general advice is never do it at night as bandits are known to board to bus and rob passengers, yes that's right I said bandits) or some issue with police on the border. In Popayan I bumped into a couple of guys that I met in Cali who were also wanting to head to Ecuador so I decided to join their plans- safety in numbers, especially when those numbers include two 30 year old men. Unfortunately for me their plans involved doing the first 8 hours in a minibus. Word to the wise: never take a minibus for longer than 2 hours. Perhaps in England where the roads aren't quite so bumpy and windy and the drivers don't have so much of a death wish, but never in South America. Much to my surprise, however, we got to the border exactly when we expected to (incredible seeing as Colombian time is a completely different concept to real time) and my bag hadn't been stolen from the back of the bus on one of the many stops we made in random towns in the mountains. After getting a collectivo (another minibus intended for about 10 people but actually transporting double that) to the border, a quick ten minutes of being stamped out of Colombia, walking across the bridge to Ecuador and gaining another stamp and we were done! No drama, no bandits, ni problema. </div>
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We were feeling pretty good about heading straight to Quito so after getting yet another collectivo to the nearest town and wolfing down some fried chicken (all I'd eaten the rest of the day was a big bag of 'mega queso' Doritos) we jumped on another bus, ready for 6 more hours of travel. One viewing of Sleepless in Seattle (ultimate guilty pleasure film) and a few snoozes later we finally arrived in Quito, and luckily the hostel that I'd booked for the next night had 3 spare beds! At about half 2 I fell into what is definitely the comfiest hostel bed I've ever slept in, exhausted after 18 hours of buses. </div>
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And that concludes my very uneventful tale of the border crossing- not the most interesting post but just to counteract the countless other stories on the internet which will scare you senseless. Now I'm chilling in Quito for the week before I head off to the sister hostel next to Cotopaxi volcano to spend my birthday hopefully not being swallowed by lava!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-33357211420253027682015-08-29T18:35:00.001-07:002015-09-12T08:01:25.216-07:00Salsa and wellies<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Apologies to anyone who may be concerned about my whereabouts; it's been close to two weeks since I last updated this blog and I've been to three more cities in the meantime. My parents tell me my fans (seriously they tell anyone who will listen about where I am) are missing me so here goes. In all honesty I'm having a bit of a crappy day today. I'm sleepy from a few too many nights in salsa clubs, my bus today was the worst I've experienced so far and I'm feeling a bit lonely. Every time I get to a new city I feel a bit overwhelmed at first, which I know is only natural but it's hitting me a bit harder today for some reason. There's only been a couple of times that I wish the whole world lived in the same time zone so I could speak to people from home- but let's face it, a bad travel day is always preferable to a bad work day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyway, back to my travels. After Cartagena I headed south to Medellin, which came with a much more pleasant temperature which made me feel like it was actually worth showering again. <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Medellin was another cool city- not as obviously pretty as Cartagena but lovely nonetheless. Just 15 years ago the city was the murder capital of Colombia, but since the downfall of Pablo Escobar it has become much safer. I went on a walking tour in downtown which was really interesting; the people of Medellin have had a very difficult past and it's crazy to think how recently it all happened. The tour guide told us about how when she was a teenager it was normal for bombs to go off and shootings to occur regularly. I think it's a testament to the Colombian people that in spite of their troubled history they're so keen to change what people think of their country; they're incredibly proud people. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I also went on a day trip out to Guatape, a colourful little town a couple of hours out of Medellin, to visit one of Pablo Escobar's destroyed houses and to climb up Piedra el Peñol- basically a big rock with 740 steps up to an amazing view. Of course I completely underestimated how far 740 steps is and nearly died on the way up but I'll admit the view was worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I thought I'd mention my hostel in Medellin too. After hearing recommendations from basically everyone I've met here I decided to stay in the Happy Buddha hostel and I'd highly recommend it to anyone for one of the best showers and best atmospheres I've experienced so far. Just one thing- if you end up staying in room 111 be prepared to never be able to open the door yourself. Seriously the guy behind reception started joking that I needed to marry him because of how many times I had to ask him to help me open the door. Of course every time he did it the door would open on the first try. Sod's law. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After Medellin I headed further south to a small town in the coffee region called Salento. The bus there was my first relatively long one (6 and a half hours) and it was actually surprisingly good. Unfortunately the guy next to me took his shoes off immediately and proceeded to make it his mission to rub his feet on everything in sight. We were heading to the same place but sadly <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">he did too much damage to our potential relationship that I decided we just couldn't be friends. Salento was really lovely, a welcome change from the big cities I've been spending most of my time in so far. I went on a day trek to Valle de Cocora which is full of wax palm trees- I had to rent wellies from my hostel which is one thing I didn't think I'd be able to say I did in Colombia. The view was really beautiful and despite wanting to give up halfway up the mountain, I'm really glad I did it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I also went on a walk out to a local coffee farm with a guy from my hostel and had a tour of the grounds and the process of making coffee. I'll admit at home I tend to put a couple of sugars in my instant coffee but after trying the real fresh stuff I don't think I can go back to my old habits. My last recommendation for Salento is a restaurant called Brunch, where I ate possibly the biggest burger of my life and some pretty good pancakes too- if you happen to be in the area you have to go. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, after Salento I went to Cali A.K.A the salsa capital of Colombia. I wish I could say that the four days I spent there have turned me into a professional; alas salsa and I are not good friends. There's a little side step move which in theory should be really easy but my feet just can't cope with it. I will say though that it's much harder for men- as long as you're dancing with a guy who knows what he's doing, you can sort of go along with it and be half-convinced that you know what on earth your feet are doing. Cali doesn't really have much more to it than salsa, though I'll admit we were all so lazy there and basically only left the hostel to get food from a place up the road called Pita Majita. The rest of the time was spent drinking beer, chilling by the pool and playing card games. I promise to be more cultural tomorrow- I just got to a place called Popayan on my way down to cross the border into Ecuador. It seems nice enough and my hostel is lovely, complete with bean bag chairs and a very fat cat named Sushi, but unfortunately it seems I'm one of 4 people currently staying here. Perhaps I can use this as an excuse to catch up on Great British Bake Off...</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-88566435665295835952015-08-15T08:16:00.001-07:002015-09-12T08:01:57.776-07:00Welcome to paradiseTravelling life has had its ups and downs in the last week- but obviously the ups totally outweigh the downs. I arrived in Cartagena a week ago and was immediately hit with 35 degree heat which for a girl with such ginger genes as myself is almost too much to handle. The city itself, however, is absolutely gorgeous. Due to its location on the Caribbean coast it has a completely different vibe to Bogota which was a welcome change.<br />
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I went on a boat ride out to a neighbouring island to visit a lovely beach called Playa Blanca. I took a trip to a mud volcano where you are smothered & massaged with mud and then you go down to a lake and the local women aggressively wash you off. I went on a boat party run by my hostel with some lovely girls I met. However I also discovered that mosquitoes love me and that I'm apparently allergic to their bites, leaving my legs looking like I had a disease and causing various people to stare at me in the street with looks of shock and horror. Needless to say by the middle of the week I was feeling a bit down- but then came my trip to Casa en El Agua A.K.A the most beautiful place I've ever been. It's essentially a house in the middle of the Caribbean Sea where most visitors, including myself, choose to sleep in hammocks overlooking the waves. You can go snorkelling or visit nearby islands but all I did was read in various swinging chairs, drink rum and every so often jump into the most turquoise sea I've ever seen. After drinking the aforementioned rum we also got the hostel owners to give us impromtu salsa lessons. Okay so the shower (<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">i.e. throw a bucket of water over yourself)<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">and toilets (i.e. throw a bucket of water down the toilet after to flush it) are only what you can expect from a house in the middle of the sea. In every other sense, it was probably the closest to paradise that I'll ever get! The horrifically bumpy boat ride back to the seaside town of Tolu yesterday was very appropriate in sending me crashing back to the reality of uncomfortable hostel beds and sweaty bus rides- though still I'd take that over going back to my day job anytime!</span></span></div>
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I'm now back in Cartagena for one more night before heading down the country to Medellin tomorrow where I'm hoping for just a little less relentless humidity. </div>
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I'll leave you with this photo of my ice cream from Crepes & Waffles, a chain which makes the best caramel ice cream and only employs single mothers, so really me eating ice cream is me exercising my ethical beliefs. Or something to that effect... </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-36155782655918574112015-08-04T12:17:00.000-07:002015-09-12T07:58:35.444-07:00Chocolate caliente con queso, por favor<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes you read that right- yesterday I had my first experience of hot chocolate with cheese in. It's a traditional way of having hot chocolate in Colombia and I was very interested in trying it out, but if I'm honest I was a little disappointed. I'm quite a cheese enthusiast but this cheese was very mild and rubbery so it didn't really add anything to the chocolate taste unfortunately. Still, I'm fully in support of anything that gives me an excuse to add more cheese into my diet. At the same time I tried my first tamale which is rice, chicken, vegetables and spices cooked inside a banana leaf. It's not the most visually appealing thing ever so please excuse the lack of photo, but it was really tasty. I did take a photo of the place itself just to show how small and easy to miss these lovely little places can be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Aside from food, I've ticked quite a lot off my Bogota to-do list since I last checked in; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> I got a bus out to a town called Zipaquira to visit an underground salt cathedral (overrated & personally wouldn't recommend it)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">- On Saturday I went out to a place called Andrés Carnes de Res which is half restaurant half club and is so big it takes up two whole blocks. It was a lot of fun but made me horribly aware of just how bad English people are at dancing- it seems that everyone in Colombia can salsa like a professional. A Peruvian guy staying at my hostel tried to teach me but when he tried to get me to do a sort of shoulder shimmying move my British-ness got the better of me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">- I visited a part of town called Usaquen on Sunday to wander round a flea market. I had to get on one of the buses they call 'collectivos' where the driver goes around shouting out where he's going and you just have to get on and see where you end up. Luckily I managed to keep track of the streets and didn't end up in the middle of nowhere- I just love it when I manage to do something like that successfully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">- Yesterday I went up Monserrate, the main mountain in Bogota. You can walk up if you have a death wish but I went with the easy option (obviously) and got the cable car up. The view was incredible as you can see for yourself: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I've made plans for where to go next too- on Friday I'm heading up to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast then next Wednesday I'm getting a boat out to a place called Casa en el Agua to sleep in a hammock next to the sea for 3 nights. I won't torture you with photos of how amazing it looks but if you fancy being jealous of me today feel free to look it up! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm going to spend the rest of the day trying to consolidate my very limited Spanish, hasta<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> luego!</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-16309474861691049772015-07-30T12:54:00.000-07:002015-09-12T07:59:55.198-07:00Postcards from BogotaHola chicos! I think it's fair to say that when I arrived in Bogota on Monday I was questioning why on earth I'd flown half way round the world alone. The city looked intimidating, I couldn't understand anything and I was exhausted from nearly 24 hours of travel- though I did watch lots of films on the plane (FYI Birdman is a very strange but interesting film, 7/10).<br />
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Fast forward nearly 72 hours and my feelings have completely changed. I've had three days of Spanish classes which has already helped me out a lot, though my inability to roll my 'r's is pretty upsetting. My hostel is lovely, I've met some really interesting people from all over the world and I've 100% been reminded why I've decided to drop everything to do this. Now, I don't think I'll be able to count Bogota as one of my favourite places in the world but it does have a certain charm about it. A few little observations:<br />
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<li>There are dogs wandering the streets all over the city, but so far Colombian dogs (los perros) seem very friendly.</li>
<li>The pavements are really high off the road- those with little legs would struggle.</li>
<li>There are little stalls selling fresh juice and food everywhere- in the break at my Spanish school everyone heads over the road to buy 'arepas con queso' which is basically a flat hot bread sort of thing filled with cheese. This, combined with how cheap food is (e.g. on Tuesday I got a fresh juice, bowl of soup and beef with rice and veg all for 8000 pesos, which is £1.79), may be problematic for my waist line.</li>
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Yesterday I went on a walking tour of all the street art in La Candelaria district which was so interesting and gave a real insight to political and social issues that Colombians are currently facing. For example, despite Bogota hardly being a hot holiday destination, Colombia is actually in a drought at the moment which has left hundreds of indigenous tribes suffering. To add to the problem, Colombia has lots of raw materials which big American companies are after, for example petroleum. In order for them to tap into these resources, the companies redirect rivers or create dams, leaving these tribes with even less water to survive on. The unofficial number of fatalities caused by this in 2015 alone is around 700 people. The tour guide, Jay, told us all about this and loads more and it really has given me a different appreciation for the country and its inhabitants, especially as he said how desperate Colombians are to change the typical violence and cocaine associations that many people have with the country. </div>
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Here are just a few examples of the art we were shown:</div>
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If you ever happen to find yourself in Bogota with a couple of spare hours I highly recommend you take the graffiti tour.</div>
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Until next time, hasta luego!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187413191540475740.post-3738353997261206142015-07-26T21:19:00.004-07:002015-07-27T17:02:23.149-07:00One way ticket to Bogota, ColombiaSo this is it; I'm about to fly 5000 miles round the world by myself. It feels like I've been counting down to this moment forever; my go-to answer for 'so what are you doing with your life?' has for a long time been the typical "I'm going travelling" response of many twenty-somethings. But now it's actually happening.<br>
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It would be a downright lie if I said I was completely calm right now. If you know me, you'll know I'm a worrier. If you don't know me and you've just stumbled across this blog let me fill you in. My name's Hannah, I'm 22 and for the last year I've been working as a waitress in a cocktail bar (I hope you've got <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPudE8nDog0">Human League</a> in your head now) in order to save up money for my travels. Specifically for my impending solo trip round South America, starting in Bogota. The typical reaction I've had from friends, family and even strangers about this plan has been one of shock. 'Oh my god I just read an article in the Daily Mail that says Colombia is the number one place for a solo female traveller NOT to go to!'. Ah, well if the Daily Mail says it then it must be true...<br>
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So why am I going solo? Because why not. I've wanted to travel for a long time and nobody else that I know is either available to or wants to- why should I wait around for someone else to be ready when I can go alone? Of course I'm scared. I think there'd probably be something wrong with me if I wasn't. But it's not enough to stop me. I'm not one to turn to quotes for inspiration but there's a saying that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Let's hope that's true.<br>
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And why South America? It isn't somewhere I've always been desperate to go to but when deciding on one big area to head to, for me it seemed the most interesting and completely different to anywhere I've been before. I've done interrailing in Europe, though only a few weeks at a time. Australia, in my naive mind, seems like it would sort of be a hot version of England, and I wanted to try somewhere a bit more off the beaten traveller track. From the hundreds of other travel blogs I've been reading, South America seems like it has so much to offer and I'm so excited to be immersed in such a rich, diverse culture.<br>
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I'm hoping this blog can act as my travel diary, something for me to look back on and see all the amazing places I've visited. A few years ago I was speaking to a girl in a hostel in Italy who was travelling alone and unfortunately she'd just had pretty much everything valuable stolen, including her camera & memory card. I remember her saying the worst bit was the camera, because nobody else had been there to see everything she'd experienced. Touch wood, this will absolutely not happen to me.<br>
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I suppose I've nothing more to say right now- I've just had a bacon sandwich, even though I feel a little bit sick, but there's always something about airports and flights that makes me feel like I need to eat at every opportunity. Anyway, anyone who is reading this before 9pm GMT on the 27th July, please pray for me that my rucksack makes it to Colombia...<br>
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Time to board!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2