Travel Diary
Over the summer, I will be travelling across the vast continent of South America for seven weeks. It promises to be a fantastic cultural journey from which I will hope to share my thoughts and experiences with friends and family back home. This page will include most of my ramblings.
13-09-2008 (17:19)
Safely Back
I'm home, safe and sound after the long (and delayed) flight from Lima. The city of Lima was an interesting place, though we didn't really get up to much while we were there. We stayed in Miraflores, the upmarket, clifftop district on the Pacific coast, but despite its location and wealth, it completely lacked character and vibrancy. Downtown Lima, with its busy streets and huge churches, is much more like classical South America. In the Iglesia San Francisco, we visited the underground catacombs which house the bones of over 25,000 bodies. On my final morning we went down to the beach, where I was able to step into the Pacific Ocean to complete our "coast-to-coast" journey!
07-09-2008 (20:16)
Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
While Mark and Guy further explored Cusco (and its nightlife in particular), I ventured into the Sacred Valley to see some of the Incan sights dotted around the near vicinity of Cusco, accompanied by Clancy, a lively Dutch girl who has been travelling with us for the last week or so. We started by visiting Pisac, a large and impeccably preserved hilltop ruin in a suitably dramatic setting. The walk around the ruins was long, but rewarding, offering great views of the valley and Inca terracing around the hillside. After travelling through the valley to the lovely little town of Ollantaytambo, we then caught the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo where we stayed overnight, rising before 5am to catch the first buses up to the site itself. I thought Pisac was impressive, but it was not in any way comparable to Machu Picchu. Our plans to watch the sun rise were scuppered (again) by ridiculous amounts of early morning cloud, but when the clouds parted at around 8am, the ruins were revealed in their full and stunning glory. Machu Picchu is quite simply beautiful, built on an impossible hilltop underneath Waynapicchu mountain, whose peak gives you awe-inspiring views in all directions. With only 400 people a day being allowed on the long, step climb up Waynapicchu, we were lucky to be able to arrive early enough to grab a ticket. It is certainly touristy, but Machu Picchu is in no way a disappointment. Glorious and iconic, its popularity comes as no surprise, and it ranks as one of the most amazing places I've ever laid eyes on.
07-09-2008 (20:01)
Cusco
Managing to avoid (somewhat luckily), some large-scale transport strikes, we managed to arrive in Cusco without a problem, entering the sixth (and last for me) country of the tour so far - Peru. Cusco is almost entirely made up of red-tiled houses, sweeping through a delightful valley, but despite its charms it is easily the most touristy place we've been to so far. Our first stop was the extravant cathedral, made up of numerous chapels of glorious opulence. The sheer amount of precious metals in the cathedral is astounding and it has to be the most extravagant religious space I've ever come across. The cathedral is also home to the first ever Catholic cross to set foot in South America, an hugely important object considering the vast spead of catholicism across the continent. We also climbed the city's northern hill to see the ruins of an Incan fortress at Sacsayhuaman and the horrendous copy of Rio's Cristo Redentor statue.
04-09-2008 (07:53)
Lake Titicaca
A short journey from La Paz, we have spent the last three days at the immense, mythical Lake Titicaca. Arriving with our traditionally perfect timing, we climbed the hill overlooking the lakeside town of Copacabana to watch one of the most perfect sunsets imaginable. The following day, we ventured out onto the lake itself, to the Isla del Sol, where the Incas believed the creation God (Viracocha) arose from to create the Sun and the Moon. The relatively small and very raw island (for example, it has little running water) has an undeniable Incan influence with each and every hill covered in the famed Incan terraces, as well as being home to several important ruin sites. Having formed a group of 8 travellers, we spent a whole day trekking from the Southern town of Yumani to the north of the island, a long and rewarding walk under cloudless skies, which offered some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen across the gorgeously deep blue lake. Bolivia has been a fascinating and incredible country with a charm unlike any other I've set foot in. At times like another planet, but always stunning, it is a country that comes with our very highest recommendations.
04-09-2008 (07:39)
The Highest Capital in the World
The first thing to hit you about La Paz, the (de facto) capital of Bolivia, is the frantic speed of life - the crowded streets full of walkers with places to be, the mental traffic and the full-on liveliness of the place. Set in a dramatic valley dominated by the omnipresent, perpetually snow-capped, triple peak of Mt. Illimani (which rises to around 6500m), the cityscape is one of the most awe-inspiring imaginable. Our few days there were fantastic fun. We spent time at the colourful markets haggling with street sellers, exploring the beautiful national squares and also spent a day at the pre-Inca ruins of Tiwanaku, where 1000-year-old monoliths stand impeccably preserved.
01-09-2008 (18:07)
The Salt Flats
After a late-night and freezing cold arrival in the remote railway outpost of Uyuni, we booked a day's 4x4 adventure to the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt lake in the world. What an amazing experience it turned out to be! After a brief stop at the derelict "train cemetary" we ventured onto the pure white expanse of the Salar. The vast, rugged white terrain and unspoilt azure sky made you feel like you were on another planet. The sheer scale of the Salar is incredible (in terms of area it is four times the size of Cheshire). We had a llama steak for lunch at the bizarre salt hotel, a spectacular setting for a meal, and plenty of time to take some amusing photos using the "magic" of the salt lake. In the afternoon we ploughed further into the overwhelming whiteness, eventually arriving at Fish Island, an outcrop covered in giant cacti, some of which towered 10m tall. The views over the plain in all directions were truly stunning.
24-08-2008 (20:54)
Salta
We've thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Salta, a very pleasant town in northwestern Argentina, though sadly it isn't immune to good old fashioned English grey days. However, for three of the four days we basked in glorious sunshine under cloudless skies, so we can't complain too much! Salta in the sun has been one of the most pleasant places we've visited so far: a beautiful main square surrounded by orange trees and littered with huge palms, a lush pink cathedral with a spectacularly opulent interior (we think!) and a thriving outdoor café culture. Not bad for the middle of winter!
21-08-2008 (22:34)
Argentina Again
From Paraguay, we headed south into Argentina (again), to Resistencia, the major town of Argentina's Gran Chaco. The vastness of the Chaco put us off a day trip out to see the region itself, but our buses through it allowed us to see plenty of its flat, open savannahs and cattle ranches. Resistencia, "the City of Sculptures", was nice enough (and we were able to get a delicious fillet steak for just 3 quid), but had little to hold us there for long. From there we took the overnight bus to Salta, arriving this morning. Over 1000m up, lying in a picturesque valley, we love Salta already and are wondering whether the town ever sees clouds!
19-08-2008 (00:36)
Asuncion
Our hotel summed up the Paraguayan capital perfectly - faded colonial grandeur. The fact that we were staying in a hotel in the first place was because of the complete absence of youth hostels in the whole country! Staying in the Centro district, we were within a short stroll of most of the (limited) attractions which all showed signs of a lack of attention. For a country with such a tragic history, its easy to see why, but it is difficult to explain the reverence given to the tragic events and despotic dictators of the past. The city is a fascinating place to wander around, but at times borders on being inexplicable. Most notably by the sight of the two most impressive buildings, the Presidential Palace and National Parliament, facing a favela-like slum worse than anything we'd seen in Rio de Janeiro. Still, I had the pleasure of finding a local shop selling a Paraguayan flag - the only one in the world with different front and reverse sides!
19-08-2008 (00:20)
Off The Beaten Track
Having made the short journey into Paraguay from Puerto Iguazu, it was easy to see why the country is not on most people's travel itineraries. Having said that, our visit has been a fantastic, if somewhat bizarre, experience. We started by crossing the Tres Fronteras border, first into Brazil and then walking the Friendship Bridge to Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. Despite being a maximum of 20km, this took over 2 hours due to the need for entry and exit stamps at each border and the dubious policy of buses refusing to wait for us. Once we'd finally reached the bus terminal and fought past the numerous touts, we boarded the 10:20 to Asuncion. The bus, rammed with locals to the point that several had to stand for the entire 6-hour journey, was not in the best of shape, whilst the teenage conductor certainly had an unusual taste in badly-dubbed films.
15-08-2008 (14:06)
Cataratas
After a long bus ride from Rio to Puerto Iguazu (back in Argentina!), we visited the truly incredible waterfalls yesterday. Known as the Cataratas by locals, they are completely awe-inspiring and mind-bogglingly massive! Pictures just won't do justice to the sheer scale and power of the falls, which are the most spectacular sight I think I've ever seen. We'll be heading over to the Brazilian side of the falls for more panoramas (and more stamps for our passports!) this afternoon.
19-08-2008 (00:37)
Cristo Redentor
We spent our last day in Rio going up to the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Sadly, our views out across the city were seriously scuppered by heavy cloud atop the Corcovado. Still, the statue itself was an incredible sight and well worth doing! In the evening, we explored the central district, visiting the fabulous Gloria church among many other interesting squares, monuments and public buildings.
11-08-2008 (13:11)
Cidade Marvilhosa
We've now been in Rio de Janeiro for a few days and what a marvellous city it is! On day one we took the cable car up Sugar Loaf Mountain to get fantastic panoramic views as the sun set. Since then we've played beach football (and been joined by locals), taken a stroll along the Copacabana, been to the races and visited the lush botanical gardens. We were fortunate that our stay in Rio coincided with Saturday's Premier League clash between Flamengo and Atletico Paranaese at the Maracana. The home fans managed to produce an amazing atmosphere in the vast bowl of a stadium, going absolutely crazy when Jaílton headed home a late winner for Flamengo. We've also tried many of the sucos (fresh fruit juices) and salgados (lunch-time snacks) that seem to be sold almost everywhere, and last night we tried the Brazilian classic of a caipirinha cocktail: very strong! There is much left to see yet, but we're lucky to have one more day of sightseeing before moving on to Puerto Iguazu (back in Argentina) to see the famed falls.
08-08-2008 (20:19)
Curitiba
Considering we'd never heard of this vast city (of 1.8 million inhabitants) before we set off, we've been very pleasantly surprised by what its had to offer. After a long, but comfortable, bus ride from Montevideo and an evening of recovery we had a whole day to explore the city to its limits. Clean, affluent and charismatic, Curitiba is well-presented even in its off-season. Yesterday we jumped on the Linha Tourista bus service, which ran with military precision between the city's attractions. Particularly impressive were the Oscar Niemeyer Museum, a wire Opera House and an incredible park built into two vast quarries. Today we caught up with what we'd missed with a tour of the old town and yet another stadium (Club Atletico Paranaese), and are waiting to catch our overnight bus to the Cidade de Deus (aka Rio de Janeiro).
03-08-2008 (14:03)
Leaving Montevideo
We've had a couple of excellent days in Montevideo, but will be leaving this afternoon for Curitiba in Brazil. The bus, at around 23 hours, is quite a daunting thought, but takes us well over halfway to Rio =) We continued our incredible run of good timing when we stumbled across the Plaza Independencia yesterday at noon to witness the elaborate changing of the guard in front of the dominating statue of Jose Artigas. Underneath the main square lies an eerie mausoleum dedicated to the Uruguayan hero. Sadly, the Estadio Centenario, historic site of the 1930 World Cup Final, had shut up early for the day and so our visit was fruitless. We hope to have time to visit it this morning (if its open!). Last night I uploaded just a few of the 250+ photos I've taken so far. I'll do a proper job with them when I'm back, but for those of you with Facebook, click here to have a sneak preview.
01-08-2008 (14:17)
Trashing in Montevideo !!
After a couple of quiet days in Colonia (a place that would have been fantastic in summer), we boarded the bus to Montevideo, Uruguay's capital. On our brief wander around the old town, we came across a sight that I'll never forget - students being trashed after finishing their exams! They even took the trashing into the nearby covered market, each with a litre bottle of cerveza (or a bottle of wine) in hand. Anybody who thought the "tradition" was confined to Oxford has obviously never been to Uruguay! After enjoying the celebratory atmosphere for a while, we retreated to find a bar for a coffee and beer. The bar we chose, The Jockey Club, was one of the best we've visited so far - very cool atmosphere and with authentic surly Uruguayan barmen to boot.
30-07-2008 (02:16)
Colonia del Sacremento
We've made it to Uruguay, having taken the ferry from BA this morning (just like the standard channel crossing ferries!). Colonia is a charming little place, with a beautiful old quarter which we're looking forward to exploring properly tomorrow. To help digest yet another beef-centric meal, we took an epic stroll across the entire length of the town's beaches. Very nice.
28-07-2008 (19:50)
Last orders in Argentina
Lots more stuff has happened here in Buenos Aires over the last few days. We've enjoyed the city's cafe culture, its fantastic beef, its vibrant weekend markets, its insane late night clubbing and its brilliantly cheap cinema tickets. The Dark Night, which we saw last night, is a great film (and possibly the first ever I've seen in a foreign country??). Tomorrow we''ll be moving across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia del Sacremento in Uruguay. From there, we'll be travelling through Montevideo and up the east coast of Brazil towards Rio. Having a great time so far!
27-07-2008 (01:54)
More BA
Just a quick update: we spent the day exploring the Recoleta district this morning, which is home to one of the most famous of BA's attractions - the Cementaria de Recoleta. It's like a city within a city, made up of mausoleums dedicated to some of Argentina's rich and famous families. Many former presidents are buried there and so is Evita, whose grave is covered with flowers and swamped by locals paying tribute. In the afternoon we were lucky enough to stumble upon the Hipodromo de Palermo on raceday. Free entry, a friendly atmosphere, excellent surroundings and an extensive racecard (17 races!) made it a fantastic afternoon out.
25-07-2008 (22:10)
Sprawling Buenos Aires
I've made it halfway round the world to the awesome urban mass that is BA. Arriving in the evening, I was treated to a spectacular view from the window of my Iberia flight as we descended. Having crashed out very quickly at our excellent hostel, today has been my first real day of sightseeing. Boys being boys, we wasted no time in setting out for La Boca in the morning, a region of multicoloured housing and an amazing passion for football. At the Bonboñera, we were treated to our own specialist tour of Boca Juniors' incredible stadium (there were probably around 60 Spanish-speaking people on the same tour, but our guide was willing to give the three of us special commentary in English), a place very different to any of the European stadiums I've visited. In the afternoon, we spent time looking around the Casa de Roseda, home of Evita´s famous balcony, as well as BA's fabulously ornate Roman Catholic cathedral. A great start and much more to come!
22-07-2008 (15:53)
Five Oak Green
After my trip down yesterday, I'm safely arrived at Guy's place in the village of Five Oak Green. Its a lovely listed building right in the heart of The Garden of England, with enough low beams to keep you constantly ducking and diving. My tour of the area has so far consisted of a visit to Tonbridge and its motte and bailey castle, and a trip to see the fantastic modern art stained glass windows at Tudeley Parish Church. And with beautiful summer weather here, I feel well and truly on holiday already!
