Arica has been very nice. This popular beach town in Northern Chile has been perfect for relaxing over the last few days. I even tried some body boarding, the locals laughed at me because I had a crappy board (borrowed from the hostel), no wetsuit and no fins (flippers).
I found a perfect spot to take a photo of the sunset and then somehow managed to miss it three nights in a row. I was on my way back from the supermarket tonight when I saw that the sun was nearly down, practically ran to the beach and missed it by a matter of minutes.
There´s a wave here called El Gringo. Gringo is the word they use here for Americans or just blonde-haired-light-skinned people in general. Tourists. It was apparently named this because the gringos used to come here just to surf it, and they were the only ones. Today I saw the place where they´re setting up for a competition and there were plenty of locals surfing it. The wave is huge and breaks right onto the rocks, so lots of people have been injured, but there were no problems today. It was great to watch.
Tomorrow at 10am I board a bus for Santiago. It will take 28 hours. I´m really not looking forward to it but the flights were just too expensive. I asked the lady if they would give me food on the bus, and after a long hesitation she said yes. It didn´t give me much confidence in the food I´m going to receive, so I´ve packed a hefty supply of snacks, and I´ll load up on breakfast tomorrow morning - It´s all you can eat at this particular hostel.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Machu Picchu, The Strike and The Bohemoth
What is often the defining moment of a travelers trip to South America started out as a disaster for me. The farmers strike meant I couldn´t see the mountain in one day, as many do, but that I would have to hike. We were told by the tour company that we would leave at 2am, but I recieved a call at the hostel at 11pm informing me that we wouldn´t leave til 6. The bus left at 5. I was picked up at 5.30am and rushed in a taxi to the next town where the bus had been waiting for more than half an hour.
After we (a group of about 20) encountered several road blocks (smashed glass, felled trees, rocks, bonfires) the bus driver decided to take an alternative route - up the side of a mountain. We got about 20 minutes along this road before we all decided it was too dangerous, and got out to walk. After about a half hour of walking the bus still wasn´t with us, and we were told to wait. Our ´guide´ informed us that the bus couldn´t continue along the road and that we should walk back down the mountain (not the road) to wait for it. It didn´t come. We spent 7 hours walking to Ollantaytambo, a decision we made ourselves, and were all sufficiently pissed off when we arrived. The day meant we had to find alternative places to eat and sleep, and that we missed out completely on the mountain biking.
The majority of people in our group were only supposed to be on a two day tour to Machu Picchu, and they all cancelled their trip that night. The 8 of us that were on a four day trek were told it was possible to continue the next day as the police were clearing the roads, and that we would be able to leave as soon as they gave us the go ahead. We were informed that we would get our money back for the first day. I was too tired to care, but they weren´t making it easy for us to stay calm with them.
We were told that we could leave at 11pm in a different bus, but the driver turned out to be drunk. Great.
After getting a few hours rest in a dodgy hostel, our bus arrived in town at 4am. We were woken up and continued past half cleared road blocks and angry farmers to the town where we were supposed to have slept the night before. We had breakfast and began our trek.
The rest of the time we spent getting to Machu Picchu was relatively normal. The trek was beautiful, we walked through extremely diverse landscapes, saw some amazing natural flora and fauna (even if some of it was tethered to a post) and had a lot of fun. We visited hot springs at the end of the firt day´s trek which were amazing and very relaxing. The second day´s trekking was relatively boring, along roads and train tracks, but we were all glad to arrive in Aguas Calientes (the town near Machu Picchu) and have a nice dinner and a good sleep.
We woke at four, threw our clothes on and practically ran the 2000 or so steps up to Machu Picchu. When we arrived there was still a hefty line before we could get in. We shovelled down our breakfast in the line and then we entered.
It was spectacular. Machu Picchu is basically a city built by the Incas sometime in the 1500´s or a little before. It wasn´t completely finished before the Spanish arrived, but smart thinking from a particular Inca (he destroyed part of the inca trail on both sides of the mountain after telling the inhabitants to evacuate) meant that it remained untouched for several centuries until it´s discovery in the early 1900´s by an American. It is said that Machu Picchu was a city of gold and an important and sacred city for the Incas (They worshiped Pachamama - Mother Earth - and the sun) but the incas took most of the gold with them when they left. The rest of the gold, along with other artefacts, was taken by the American who re-discovered the city shortly after he found it.
Today all that is left is the amazing stone structures (houses, temples, the school) that the Incas lived in. The area is beautifully preserved (some structures are being restored) and the grass is maintained by a healthy population of llamas. We climbed the second mountain - Wayna Picchu - which was difficult but definitely worth it. There were more ruins up there and a great view of Machu Picchu. An older man had broken his ankle and some medics pratically ran past us carrying a sretcher. The walk back down (I had heard something about an alternative route) turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. It took us half an hour of walking straight down stairs and ladders before we came across the great cave, which is supposed to be the point of this walk, but by the time we got there we were so sick of walking that we didn´t even care and kept hiking back to the entrance. It took almost another 2 hours of walking straight up and straight down before we arrived back at Machu Picchu, where we drank some ridiculously overpriced water before walking the same way back down to Aguas Calientes. We were all absolutely knackered and happy to sit down and have a burger and coke.
It´s easy to become disenchanted by the sheer amount of tourists (so many Americans) at the site, but for me it was a highlight. And I did it all in my flat-soled-no-laces Converse shoes. Maybe I´ll buy some hiking boots before my next trek.
We went as a group to get our money back the next day (after cerlebratory drinks the night before) and got nowhere. The agencies work together to book a company to take the tourists, and no one would accept the blame for the events of the first day. After being called stupid tourists by one company owner and arguing for half an hour with one lady who told us that we should call the police if we wanted our money back (because the police are so amazingly helpful here) the lady took us two blocks away to the owner of the company.
She was a woman in her 50´s who was about the size of a whale who had the temper of a caged lion. A bohemoth, if you will. She was sitting behind her desk and yelling at us in Spanish from the moment we arrived and it was clear that the other lady had taken us there so we would be intimidated. At one point she/he/it stood up and started screaming at me face to face. I yelled back at her in English to sit down, shut up and listen to us (We had at least one Spanish speaker with us, a calm negotiator) which she did for about 10 seconds before she started yelling again. She went on to blame me for the events of the first day and say that she had a piece of paper (conveniently in another town... It didn´t exist) with our signatures on it stating that we wished to continue the tour despite the events of the first day and didn´t expect money back. She called our guide on speaker phone, blaming him, and then started screaming at him too. I told her what I thought as well as I could in Spanish and she replied something a little bit too vulgar for me to write here. We decided it wasn´t worth any more of our time and left - Our opinion of Peru and as a country and it´s people changed for the worse.
We chatted over a few bottles of wine that night and ended up laughing about the events of the past few days. It was an experience that not everyone gets, and at least we saw Machu Picchu in the end.
I am now in Arequipa, Peru, enjoying the sunshine and reading books while not really caring too much for anything touristy that the town (Or country) has to offer. I will be back in Chile in a few days (I heard there´s a nice beach in Arica, Northern Chile) and am looking forward to seeing everyone when I get back to Australia. I fly out of Santiago on the 4th of June.
After we (a group of about 20) encountered several road blocks (smashed glass, felled trees, rocks, bonfires) the bus driver decided to take an alternative route - up the side of a mountain. We got about 20 minutes along this road before we all decided it was too dangerous, and got out to walk. After about a half hour of walking the bus still wasn´t with us, and we were told to wait. Our ´guide´ informed us that the bus couldn´t continue along the road and that we should walk back down the mountain (not the road) to wait for it. It didn´t come. We spent 7 hours walking to Ollantaytambo, a decision we made ourselves, and were all sufficiently pissed off when we arrived. The day meant we had to find alternative places to eat and sleep, and that we missed out completely on the mountain biking.
The majority of people in our group were only supposed to be on a two day tour to Machu Picchu, and they all cancelled their trip that night. The 8 of us that were on a four day trek were told it was possible to continue the next day as the police were clearing the roads, and that we would be able to leave as soon as they gave us the go ahead. We were informed that we would get our money back for the first day. I was too tired to care, but they weren´t making it easy for us to stay calm with them.
We were told that we could leave at 11pm in a different bus, but the driver turned out to be drunk. Great.
After getting a few hours rest in a dodgy hostel, our bus arrived in town at 4am. We were woken up and continued past half cleared road blocks and angry farmers to the town where we were supposed to have slept the night before. We had breakfast and began our trek.
The rest of the time we spent getting to Machu Picchu was relatively normal. The trek was beautiful, we walked through extremely diverse landscapes, saw some amazing natural flora and fauna (even if some of it was tethered to a post) and had a lot of fun. We visited hot springs at the end of the firt day´s trek which were amazing and very relaxing. The second day´s trekking was relatively boring, along roads and train tracks, but we were all glad to arrive in Aguas Calientes (the town near Machu Picchu) and have a nice dinner and a good sleep.
We woke at four, threw our clothes on and practically ran the 2000 or so steps up to Machu Picchu. When we arrived there was still a hefty line before we could get in. We shovelled down our breakfast in the line and then we entered.
It was spectacular. Machu Picchu is basically a city built by the Incas sometime in the 1500´s or a little before. It wasn´t completely finished before the Spanish arrived, but smart thinking from a particular Inca (he destroyed part of the inca trail on both sides of the mountain after telling the inhabitants to evacuate) meant that it remained untouched for several centuries until it´s discovery in the early 1900´s by an American. It is said that Machu Picchu was a city of gold and an important and sacred city for the Incas (They worshiped Pachamama - Mother Earth - and the sun) but the incas took most of the gold with them when they left. The rest of the gold, along with other artefacts, was taken by the American who re-discovered the city shortly after he found it.
Today all that is left is the amazing stone structures (houses, temples, the school) that the Incas lived in. The area is beautifully preserved (some structures are being restored) and the grass is maintained by a healthy population of llamas. We climbed the second mountain - Wayna Picchu - which was difficult but definitely worth it. There were more ruins up there and a great view of Machu Picchu. An older man had broken his ankle and some medics pratically ran past us carrying a sretcher. The walk back down (I had heard something about an alternative route) turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. It took us half an hour of walking straight down stairs and ladders before we came across the great cave, which is supposed to be the point of this walk, but by the time we got there we were so sick of walking that we didn´t even care and kept hiking back to the entrance. It took almost another 2 hours of walking straight up and straight down before we arrived back at Machu Picchu, where we drank some ridiculously overpriced water before walking the same way back down to Aguas Calientes. We were all absolutely knackered and happy to sit down and have a burger and coke.
It´s easy to become disenchanted by the sheer amount of tourists (so many Americans) at the site, but for me it was a highlight. And I did it all in my flat-soled-no-laces Converse shoes. Maybe I´ll buy some hiking boots before my next trek.
We went as a group to get our money back the next day (after cerlebratory drinks the night before) and got nowhere. The agencies work together to book a company to take the tourists, and no one would accept the blame for the events of the first day. After being called stupid tourists by one company owner and arguing for half an hour with one lady who told us that we should call the police if we wanted our money back (because the police are so amazingly helpful here) the lady took us two blocks away to the owner of the company.
She was a woman in her 50´s who was about the size of a whale who had the temper of a caged lion. A bohemoth, if you will. She was sitting behind her desk and yelling at us in Spanish from the moment we arrived and it was clear that the other lady had taken us there so we would be intimidated. At one point she/he/it stood up and started screaming at me face to face. I yelled back at her in English to sit down, shut up and listen to us (We had at least one Spanish speaker with us, a calm negotiator) which she did for about 10 seconds before she started yelling again. She went on to blame me for the events of the first day and say that she had a piece of paper (conveniently in another town... It didn´t exist) with our signatures on it stating that we wished to continue the tour despite the events of the first day and didn´t expect money back. She called our guide on speaker phone, blaming him, and then started screaming at him too. I told her what I thought as well as I could in Spanish and she replied something a little bit too vulgar for me to write here. We decided it wasn´t worth any more of our time and left - Our opinion of Peru and as a country and it´s people changed for the worse.
We chatted over a few bottles of wine that night and ended up laughing about the events of the past few days. It was an experience that not everyone gets, and at least we saw Machu Picchu in the end.
I am now in Arequipa, Peru, enjoying the sunshine and reading books while not really caring too much for anything touristy that the town (Or country) has to offer. I will be back in Chile in a few days (I heard there´s a nice beach in Arica, Northern Chile) and am looking forward to seeing everyone when I get back to Australia. I fly out of Santiago on the 4th of June.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Farmers Strike
We have been in Cusco for a few days now and not done all that much. There are some Inca walls in the centre of the city which are pretty cool! And a twelve sided stone set in one of the walls, which is about as impressive as it sounds.
This morning we got up at 2.30am, caught a taxi for 1 and a half hours along a seriously dodgy road to a town where you can catch a train to Machu Picchu. The visibility was reduced to less than 5 metres at one stage which had us all scared, but the driver got us there safely. After lining up for tickets for almost an hour, we were informed that there was no return option until Friday, which would have been a little difficult as we had planned to spend only one day at Machu Picchu and left all of our gear at the hostel. The reason for this is that the farmers are on strike and will be blocking the roads and train tracks tomorrow and wednesday. Apparently a bill passed last December allowing the privatisation of the water industry is making it easier for foreign companies to buy indigenous and traditional land. Everyone in Aguas Calientes (the town close to Machu Picchu) heard about it and thus the trains and buses back to Cusco are booked out for tonight.
We ended up catching a taxi back to Cusco and after much deliberation I have booked a four day trek (including mountain biking) to Machu Picchu. Because we are walking we won´t be affected by the strike (hopefully) and it means I won´t have to spend two days here in Cusco doing nothing. The girls decided not to wait around (they´re not too keen on hiking) and left for Nasca this evening. I am off to bed now as I have to get up at 1.30am for the bus... We´re leaving early to beat the strike.
This morning we got up at 2.30am, caught a taxi for 1 and a half hours along a seriously dodgy road to a town where you can catch a train to Machu Picchu. The visibility was reduced to less than 5 metres at one stage which had us all scared, but the driver got us there safely. After lining up for tickets for almost an hour, we were informed that there was no return option until Friday, which would have been a little difficult as we had planned to spend only one day at Machu Picchu and left all of our gear at the hostel. The reason for this is that the farmers are on strike and will be blocking the roads and train tracks tomorrow and wednesday. Apparently a bill passed last December allowing the privatisation of the water industry is making it easier for foreign companies to buy indigenous and traditional land. Everyone in Aguas Calientes (the town close to Machu Picchu) heard about it and thus the trains and buses back to Cusco are booked out for tonight.
We ended up catching a taxi back to Cusco and after much deliberation I have booked a four day trek (including mountain biking) to Machu Picchu. Because we are walking we won´t be affected by the strike (hopefully) and it means I won´t have to spend two days here in Cusco doing nothing. The girls decided not to wait around (they´re not too keen on hiking) and left for Nasca this evening. I am off to bed now as I have to get up at 1.30am for the bus... We´re leaving early to beat the strike.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Lake Titicaca and Peru
Lake Titicaca was really cool. It´s one of the world´s highest navigable lakes. From the Bolivian town of Cpacabana we caught a boat to Isla de la Sol which was a really cool island. We saw some Inca ruins on the island and walked 9km to the Southern part where we stayed for the night. We had a fantastic view of the lake in the morning and the boat back to Copacabana was a lot better than the one to the island. The trout from Lake Titicaca is fantastic!
We then caught a bus to Puno, Peru. The security measures at the border crossing were surprisingly lax, a quick glance at my passport and they stamped me through!
So we are now in Peru, our feet fixed firmly to the ´gringo trail´. In argentina and Chile I didn´t feel like as much of a tourist as I did in Bolivia and have so far in Peru. The two countrie´s economies rely a lot on tourism. In Peru, you realise that most travelers are here to see Machu Picchu, and tourist infrastructure spawns from any mildly interesting sight along the way.
Puno is an ugly city set on a beautiful lake. The houses and buildings all have metal rods and half finished concrete pillars extending from the top. It´s as if the builders couldn´t decide whether or not they wanted to build another floor, and then just gave up. The girls took of a tour of the shockingly commercialised floating islands of Lake Titicaca, I opted to have a snooze instead.
My trip so far has been almost as much about people as it has been about places. For this reason, I wish I could speak the language better. Being able to converse fluently instead of merely getting by understanding some and speaking even less, would add a whole new element to any trip abroad. I´m writing this on an 8 hour bus ride to Cusco, the single most tourist-oriented city in South America (for good reason). I am growing a little tired of moving from place to place so quckly, unlike the first part of my trip, but I really want to see as much as I can before my flight home in a few short weeks.
We then caught a bus to Puno, Peru. The security measures at the border crossing were surprisingly lax, a quick glance at my passport and they stamped me through!
So we are now in Peru, our feet fixed firmly to the ´gringo trail´. In argentina and Chile I didn´t feel like as much of a tourist as I did in Bolivia and have so far in Peru. The two countrie´s economies rely a lot on tourism. In Peru, you realise that most travelers are here to see Machu Picchu, and tourist infrastructure spawns from any mildly interesting sight along the way.
Puno is an ugly city set on a beautiful lake. The houses and buildings all have metal rods and half finished concrete pillars extending from the top. It´s as if the builders couldn´t decide whether or not they wanted to build another floor, and then just gave up. The girls took of a tour of the shockingly commercialised floating islands of Lake Titicaca, I opted to have a snooze instead.
My trip so far has been almost as much about people as it has been about places. For this reason, I wish I could speak the language better. Being able to converse fluently instead of merely getting by understanding some and speaking even less, would add a whole new element to any trip abroad. I´m writing this on an 8 hour bus ride to Cusco, the single most tourist-oriented city in South America (for good reason). I am growing a little tired of moving from place to place so quckly, unlike the first part of my trip, but I really want to see as much as I can before my flight home in a few short weeks.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
La Paz
Hanna and I arrived at La Paz at 5 30am to find that the hostels we wanted to stay in were all full. We left our bags at a hostel and went to find some food. At a 24 hour restaurant we ordered coffees and breakfast but then two men (one Bolivian, one Mexican) came and sat with us. They bought us drinks (whiskey and coke) and chatted to us for a couple of hours before paying for everything and a taxi back to our hostel. We were apprehensive at first but they turned out to be really nice chaps.
We eventually got a hostel, moved the next day to a nicer one and have been there for a few days. The hostel is Irish owned and is one of the best I´ve stayed in here. They serve bacon and eggs, first I´ve had since Australia!
The city itself is big, dirty and crazy. The houses sprawl all the way up the surrounding hills. It seems so silly to have a city at 3700m but it seems to be working out alright. The altitude hasn´t caused me any real problems so far although a few friends have had mild altitude sickness. Chewing coca leaves in Potosi didn´t seem to make much difference so I have just been taking it easy.
So touristy stuff... We have been a few times to the witches market where you can buy loads of stuff cheap. They sell preserved baby llamas which you are supposed to hang above the front door of your house for luck. We have been to a few lookouts and all of that, but the highlight for me was the quad biking.
We ran into an Israeli couple the other day (you run into people you know everywhere here... it´s crazy!) that both Hanna and I knew but from different places. They told us that you could go quad biking in valle de la luna (valley of the moon). We went the next day, got kitted up and rode quads for 2 hours through this huge valley! The views were amazing and we went through small communities where little Bolivian kids waved at you, farmers stared and malnourished cattle remained indifferent. It was great fun and something that I would do again if I had more time here.
WAIT! A window just broke outside the internet cafe and there´s shattered glass all over the road... OK no problems, no one copped any glass.
A popular activity for tourists here is to ride mountain bikes down ´the world´s most dangerous road´. On the day we arrived, an English traveler went off the edge, fell 60m and died later in hospital (or on the way, no one is really sure). A French girl got hit by a truck about a month ago. We decided that it wasn´t worth dying for some nice views.
Tomorrow Hanna and I are parting ways which will be a bit sad, it was good to have someone to travel with after travelling alone for the first part of my trip. I am going to Copacabana to see Lake Titicaca with some French friends that we have been hanging out with here in La Paz. Hanna is catching a bus (36 hours) back to Santiago to catch her plane back to Germany.
Then Peru!
We eventually got a hostel, moved the next day to a nicer one and have been there for a few days. The hostel is Irish owned and is one of the best I´ve stayed in here. They serve bacon and eggs, first I´ve had since Australia!
The city itself is big, dirty and crazy. The houses sprawl all the way up the surrounding hills. It seems so silly to have a city at 3700m but it seems to be working out alright. The altitude hasn´t caused me any real problems so far although a few friends have had mild altitude sickness. Chewing coca leaves in Potosi didn´t seem to make much difference so I have just been taking it easy.
So touristy stuff... We have been a few times to the witches market where you can buy loads of stuff cheap. They sell preserved baby llamas which you are supposed to hang above the front door of your house for luck. We have been to a few lookouts and all of that, but the highlight for me was the quad biking.
We ran into an Israeli couple the other day (you run into people you know everywhere here... it´s crazy!) that both Hanna and I knew but from different places. They told us that you could go quad biking in valle de la luna (valley of the moon). We went the next day, got kitted up and rode quads for 2 hours through this huge valley! The views were amazing and we went through small communities where little Bolivian kids waved at you, farmers stared and malnourished cattle remained indifferent. It was great fun and something that I would do again if I had more time here.
WAIT! A window just broke outside the internet cafe and there´s shattered glass all over the road... OK no problems, no one copped any glass.
A popular activity for tourists here is to ride mountain bikes down ´the world´s most dangerous road´. On the day we arrived, an English traveler went off the edge, fell 60m and died later in hospital (or on the way, no one is really sure). A French girl got hit by a truck about a month ago. We decided that it wasn´t worth dying for some nice views.
Tomorrow Hanna and I are parting ways which will be a bit sad, it was good to have someone to travel with after travelling alone for the first part of my trip. I am going to Copacabana to see Lake Titicaca with some French friends that we have been hanging out with here in La Paz. Hanna is catching a bus (36 hours) back to Santiago to catch her plane back to Germany.
Then Peru!
Friday, May 8, 2009
The World Rally Championship Bus Ride and Potosi
Hanna and I set off for Potosi (the highest city in the world at 4000m) when we returned from the salt flats. Our bus driver seemed crazy from the start, driving through intersections without stopping and generally driving agressively. It got worse.
About 40 minutes into the ride, around 9pm, a faster bus behind us tried twice unsuccesfuly to pass. On the third attempt, he honked the horn for a while, then went for it. Our bus driver seemed to think it was a race, and wouldnt let him past. The road narrowed when the other bus was halfway past ours, and it came within 5 inches of hitting us before it backed off. From that point, our driver decided that he had to prove he was faster, and continued like a rally driver down the mountainside dirt road. It got to the point that the Bolivians, also fearful for their lives, started yelling at the driver to slow down. Two of them went to reason with the driver who eventually slowed and let the other bus pass, but the adrenaline rush made it impossible to sleep for the rest of the 6 hour journey.
Upon arrival in Potosi, we were ripped off by a taxi driver (weve learned our lesson now - bargain, bargain, bargain!) before finding a nice hostel and going to sleep.
The following day we took a tour of the functional mines of Potosi, where they mine silver, zinc and I think bronze. We got kitted up with hardhats and overalls then they took us to buy gifts of alcohol, cigarettes, coca leaves and soft drink which we would present to the miners. We also purchased some dynamite ($3AUD) for a demonstration.
The mines are pretty atrocious, around 40 people die there per year. Thats the recent average, anyway. We walked down operational mineshafts where we had to get out of the way of trolleys carrying rocks, being pushed by one or two miners. We continued until we found an area where about 8 miners were working. Shovelling rocks and using a pulley system to retrieve rocks from lower levels. They stopped working when we arrived, chatted with us and shared with us the alcohol that we bought for them. The alcohol (96%) burns your throat on the way down. It is a tradition to spill a little on the ground for pacha mama (mother earth) before drinking yourself.
After around an hour of sitting, talking, drinking and helping a little with the miners work, we left for what turned out to be an amusing sight. In the mines, they have a statue of a devil (apparently hes supposed to be married to mother earth) which brings the miners good fortune and helps them find more minerals. He has a huge penis which sticks out, as a symbol of fertility, and it is tradition to light a cigarette and stick it in his mouth, and give him alcohol.
We left the mines and, all of us breathing a little easier, watched the demonstration of the dynamite. Our guide asked me to mould the stick into a ball before he shaped it as a face and stuck the fuse in. Fuse lit, we got some photos and then ran for shelter... The explosion was a lot bigger and louder than expected. I had my finger on the button of my camera, but the shock meant my photo was shaky and blurred.
It was a really great experience and something I will remember for a long time. This trip has made me realise how lucky we are in Australia. We dont have to work Monday through Saturday every week of the year (although some do) to make a good living.
We are heading to La Paz tonight which I am really looking forward to, and then on to Peru.
About 40 minutes into the ride, around 9pm, a faster bus behind us tried twice unsuccesfuly to pass. On the third attempt, he honked the horn for a while, then went for it. Our bus driver seemed to think it was a race, and wouldnt let him past. The road narrowed when the other bus was halfway past ours, and it came within 5 inches of hitting us before it backed off. From that point, our driver decided that he had to prove he was faster, and continued like a rally driver down the mountainside dirt road. It got to the point that the Bolivians, also fearful for their lives, started yelling at the driver to slow down. Two of them went to reason with the driver who eventually slowed and let the other bus pass, but the adrenaline rush made it impossible to sleep for the rest of the 6 hour journey.
Upon arrival in Potosi, we were ripped off by a taxi driver (weve learned our lesson now - bargain, bargain, bargain!) before finding a nice hostel and going to sleep.
The following day we took a tour of the functional mines of Potosi, where they mine silver, zinc and I think bronze. We got kitted up with hardhats and overalls then they took us to buy gifts of alcohol, cigarettes, coca leaves and soft drink which we would present to the miners. We also purchased some dynamite ($3AUD) for a demonstration.
The mines are pretty atrocious, around 40 people die there per year. Thats the recent average, anyway. We walked down operational mineshafts where we had to get out of the way of trolleys carrying rocks, being pushed by one or two miners. We continued until we found an area where about 8 miners were working. Shovelling rocks and using a pulley system to retrieve rocks from lower levels. They stopped working when we arrived, chatted with us and shared with us the alcohol that we bought for them. The alcohol (96%) burns your throat on the way down. It is a tradition to spill a little on the ground for pacha mama (mother earth) before drinking yourself.
After around an hour of sitting, talking, drinking and helping a little with the miners work, we left for what turned out to be an amusing sight. In the mines, they have a statue of a devil (apparently hes supposed to be married to mother earth) which brings the miners good fortune and helps them find more minerals. He has a huge penis which sticks out, as a symbol of fertility, and it is tradition to light a cigarette and stick it in his mouth, and give him alcohol.
We left the mines and, all of us breathing a little easier, watched the demonstration of the dynamite. Our guide asked me to mould the stick into a ball before he shaped it as a face and stuck the fuse in. Fuse lit, we got some photos and then ran for shelter... The explosion was a lot bigger and louder than expected. I had my finger on the button of my camera, but the shock meant my photo was shaky and blurred.
It was a really great experience and something I will remember for a long time. This trip has made me realise how lucky we are in Australia. We dont have to work Monday through Saturday every week of the year (although some do) to make a good living.
We are heading to La Paz tonight which I am really looking forward to, and then on to Peru.
Salar De Uyuni
The salt flats of Uyuni were pretty amazing. Driving in a Land Cruiser across sheer white and completely flat ground was a great experience. The perspective is pretty much non existent as there are no objects with which to judge distance, so you can get some pretty cool photos.
We saw coloured lagoons, llamas, flamingos and some cool rock formations (apparently youre not supposed to climb them, but they didnt tell us that until afterwards!).
One of the highlights for me personally was the offroading. It reminded me a lot of four wheel driving as a kid (not driving of course) and I think Ive caught the outdoors bug again (Dad, the Hilux might go missing for a few weeks when I get back!). My only real regret of this trip is not having brought camping gear, which makes it difficult to hike and you miss out on a lot of cool places.
Adam, an a American living in Sydney, and his partner Reena, who used to work as a reporter for Prime, were great fun and a wealth of information. They are nearing the end of their around the world trip. Graeme and Mel from New Zealand were also really cool fun, and I picked up a few New Zealand-isms along the way. Hanna and I enjoyed the whole experience and playing arsehole (a card game) in the freezing cold evenings.
We saw coloured lagoons, llamas, flamingos and some cool rock formations (apparently youre not supposed to climb them, but they didnt tell us that until afterwards!).
One of the highlights for me personally was the offroading. It reminded me a lot of four wheel driving as a kid (not driving of course) and I think Ive caught the outdoors bug again (Dad, the Hilux might go missing for a few weeks when I get back!). My only real regret of this trip is not having brought camping gear, which makes it difficult to hike and you miss out on a lot of cool places.
Adam, an a American living in Sydney, and his partner Reena, who used to work as a reporter for Prime, were great fun and a wealth of information. They are nearing the end of their around the world trip. Graeme and Mel from New Zealand were also really cool fun, and I picked up a few New Zealand-isms along the way. Hanna and I enjoyed the whole experience and playing arsehole (a card game) in the freezing cold evenings.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
From Humahuaca to Salar de Uyuni
The aforementioned dinner was fantastic. We ate gnocchi with roast beef, and I was invited for a farewell dinner the next evening where we ate some more great food! Louis, an Argentine who is travelling the country selling jewellry, made me a wrist band with the Andean flag the Argentinian flag and the the cross of the sun which is somehow really relevant to people in the region, my Spanish wasnt good enough for me to understand why.
As I wanted to see some ruins, I rented a crappy bike and rode 12km uphill to where I thought they were. All I found was a small town. A lady there informed me that you actually have to trek for a day on foot before you get to the ruins. I did however get some great photos of some huge cacti, which I probably wont be able to upload until I find a decent computer... The internet in Bolivia is not so good.
The next day I caught a bus from Humahuaca to the Bolivian border and then a bus from the border to Tupiza, a cool town where you can ride horses through the surrounding canyons. We (myself and some travelers I met at the border) didnt. We did however visit a bar that Nico recommended, where we had a few drinks on arrival and then he put on a BBQ for us the next day. El Indio Feliz (the happy indian) was the name of the bar. The owner had only been in town 20 days but he had already established the place well. The hotel we stayed at in Tupiza cost $10 per night for comfy beds, nice rooms with private bathrooms and full breakfast service in the morning.
Myself and Hanna, a friend from Germany, left after a couple days for Uyuni. In Uyuni you can take cheap 3 day tours of the nearby salt flats, rock formations and coloured lagoons. The train that we caught from Tupiza was a little scary. I woke after a few hours of sleep and looked out the window to see that it was a sheer drop into a gorge below. We arrived in Uyuni at midnight but quickly found a hotel. We spent the following day searching for a tour company to take us to the salt flats, and by the end of the day we had found one. The seemingly dodgy salesman turned out to be really helpful
On Monday we set off in our Land Cruiser for the salt flats with a couple from Australia and a couple from New Zealand.
As I wanted to see some ruins, I rented a crappy bike and rode 12km uphill to where I thought they were. All I found was a small town. A lady there informed me that you actually have to trek for a day on foot before you get to the ruins. I did however get some great photos of some huge cacti, which I probably wont be able to upload until I find a decent computer... The internet in Bolivia is not so good.
The next day I caught a bus from Humahuaca to the Bolivian border and then a bus from the border to Tupiza, a cool town where you can ride horses through the surrounding canyons. We (myself and some travelers I met at the border) didnt. We did however visit a bar that Nico recommended, where we had a few drinks on arrival and then he put on a BBQ for us the next day. El Indio Feliz (the happy indian) was the name of the bar. The owner had only been in town 20 days but he had already established the place well. The hotel we stayed at in Tupiza cost $10 per night for comfy beds, nice rooms with private bathrooms and full breakfast service in the morning.
Myself and Hanna, a friend from Germany, left after a couple days for Uyuni. In Uyuni you can take cheap 3 day tours of the nearby salt flats, rock formations and coloured lagoons. The train that we caught from Tupiza was a little scary. I woke after a few hours of sleep and looked out the window to see that it was a sheer drop into a gorge below. We arrived in Uyuni at midnight but quickly found a hotel. We spent the following day searching for a tour company to take us to the salt flats, and by the end of the day we had found one. The seemingly dodgy salesman turned out to be really helpful
On Monday we set off in our Land Cruiser for the salt flats with a couple from Australia and a couple from New Zealand.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Humahuaca (oom-a-warka)
Since my last blog post, I have been to Salta in Northwest Argentina where I stayed in a dorm by myself for a few days and practised a lot of pool. It was really quite boring and I did absolutely nothing touristy. Nico, a friend from France that I met in Buenos Aires, told me he was in a town called Humahuaca, about 5 hours away by bus, so I decided to pay him a visit.
The bus trip saw towns get progressively smaller and higher. Humahuaca is almost 3000m above sea level. The town is small but really cool. It has a tiny bit of tourist infrastructure but not a huge amount. It´s extremely hot in the sun during the day, but the nights are absolutely freezing. I had to borrow a jacket from a friend last night because, even with four layers, I was still really cold.
Nico introduced me to some locals (his Spanish is a lot better than mine) and we had dinner at their house last night. Nico left today as he had to catch a flight back home, but they invited me for dinner again tonight. How could I say no?
Here are some photos of Humahuaca
No garden to speak of, but at least they have FOX Sports
Goats!
A child at the place where I get my food here
Cacti
On the way to the hostel
The monument overlooking the town
Around Humahuaca
Damian at work making jewelry before dinner
Nico making dinner
Me in Humahuaca
The bus trip saw towns get progressively smaller and higher. Humahuaca is almost 3000m above sea level. The town is small but really cool. It has a tiny bit of tourist infrastructure but not a huge amount. It´s extremely hot in the sun during the day, but the nights are absolutely freezing. I had to borrow a jacket from a friend last night because, even with four layers, I was still really cold.
Nico introduced me to some locals (his Spanish is a lot better than mine) and we had dinner at their house last night. Nico left today as he had to catch a flight back home, but they invited me for dinner again tonight. How could I say no?
Here are some photos of Humahuaca
No garden to speak of, but at least they have FOX Sports
Goats!
A child at the place where I get my food here
Cacti
On the way to the hostel The monument overlooking the town 
Around Humahuaca
Damian at work making jewelry before dinner
Nico making dinner
Me in HumahuacaSo I´ll be off to Bolivia either tomorrow or the next day, which I´m really looking forward to. I might stay longer here if I can organise to go and see some nearby pre-Inca ruins. The altitude of the towns I´ll be visiting in Bolivia means Dengue won´t be an issue, so it should be a fun time!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Lonely Resistencia
I arrived at Corrientes at around 6am today and immediately caught the next bus to Resistencia, a city about 20 minutes away which I was told by my faithful Lonely Planet guide was cheaper and had more to see (just a whole load of statues and sculptures everywhere... 300 apparently) than Corrientes.
The border security around Iguazu falls (where there is a central point between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay) has been relaxed significantly to allow tourists to pass easily from country to country on day trips. I understand that it´s a popular place for immigrants from Paraguay or Brazil to cross into Argentina, and we were stopped twice on the bus at random checkpoints to have our passports checked. A sniffer dog even came on the bus at one point.
Upon arriving in Resistencia I went to the hostel listed in my guide as costing US$6 (less than 30 Peso´s). I was promptly informed that it cost 80 pesos per night. I bargained the lady down to 70 pesos then decided it wasn´t worth it and left. The next hostel listed in my guide was conveniently located just around the corner but was just as expensive, albeit slightly bigger. The cost of staying in this relatively boring city isn´t worth staying until Monday to see if I can organise a visa for Paraguay. I am currently sitting in an internet cafe, cursing my guide book and waiting for a bus this evening. A 14 hour trip to Salta, Argentina, to back up the 10 hour trip from Iguazu to Resistencia last night. Great!
I will use this time to mention something I forgot to previously, and that is I did get around to experiencing some tango in Buenos Aires.
A Swiss girl from our hostel had organised to meet with a tango teacher for a milonga (tango show) in Palermo so, naturally, we all tagged along. We had a fun night watching people of all ages (mainly old) dance tango, listening to a fantastic tango band, and towards the nights end there was a great couple who did several dances in different styles. We organised to meet the teacher, Alejandro, on the following monday for a lesson, which was great! We all picked it up relatively quickly and had a lot of fun learning some not-so-basic moves (it was more difficult for the girls, as the steps are more complicated).
So having left the capital, I still haven´t seen a football game live. Boca Juniors played their rival River Plates a few days after I left, which would have been amazing but the tickets were ridiculously expensive. I´ll be happy if I see a game anywhere before I leave.
Salta is my next destination. Not too far from the Bolivian border and at a higher altitude than I´ve been used to for the trip. From Salta, I´m planning to head north into Bolivia and visit the salt flats before seeing Peru. Hopefully my guide is more accurate around these areas!
I´m off to nap in the park then get some food before I head to the bus terminal.
The border security around Iguazu falls (where there is a central point between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay) has been relaxed significantly to allow tourists to pass easily from country to country on day trips. I understand that it´s a popular place for immigrants from Paraguay or Brazil to cross into Argentina, and we were stopped twice on the bus at random checkpoints to have our passports checked. A sniffer dog even came on the bus at one point.
Upon arriving in Resistencia I went to the hostel listed in my guide as costing US$6 (less than 30 Peso´s). I was promptly informed that it cost 80 pesos per night. I bargained the lady down to 70 pesos then decided it wasn´t worth it and left. The next hostel listed in my guide was conveniently located just around the corner but was just as expensive, albeit slightly bigger. The cost of staying in this relatively boring city isn´t worth staying until Monday to see if I can organise a visa for Paraguay. I am currently sitting in an internet cafe, cursing my guide book and waiting for a bus this evening. A 14 hour trip to Salta, Argentina, to back up the 10 hour trip from Iguazu to Resistencia last night. Great!
I will use this time to mention something I forgot to previously, and that is I did get around to experiencing some tango in Buenos Aires.
A Swiss girl from our hostel had organised to meet with a tango teacher for a milonga (tango show) in Palermo so, naturally, we all tagged along. We had a fun night watching people of all ages (mainly old) dance tango, listening to a fantastic tango band, and towards the nights end there was a great couple who did several dances in different styles. We organised to meet the teacher, Alejandro, on the following monday for a lesson, which was great! We all picked it up relatively quickly and had a lot of fun learning some not-so-basic moves (it was more difficult for the girls, as the steps are more complicated).
So having left the capital, I still haven´t seen a football game live. Boca Juniors played their rival River Plates a few days after I left, which would have been amazing but the tickets were ridiculously expensive. I´ll be happy if I see a game anywhere before I leave.
Salta is my next destination. Not too far from the Bolivian border and at a higher altitude than I´ve been used to for the trip. From Salta, I´m planning to head north into Bolivia and visit the salt flats before seeing Peru. Hopefully my guide is more accurate around these areas!
I´m off to nap in the park then get some food before I head to the bus terminal.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Iguazu Falls!
I left Rosario for Puerto Iguazu (The town in Argentina near the falls) on Monday night, and arrived after 16 hours on a bus. I booked a cama (almost a bed for a seat) which was very comfortable but I didn´t manage to get any sleep until 5am. They woke me up at 6 for breakfast. I fell asleep again afterwards and was woken up when we arrived.
The hostel here is great! It has a huge pool out the front and the weather is great so I´m making the most of it.
On Wednesday, however, we had horrible weather. It was cold and wet all day, we decided to visit the Brazilian side of the falls. They are situated on a river which divides Brazil and Argentina. We caught buses to Foz Do Iguazu which is the town on the Brazilian side and then a bus to the national park. Despite the rain, we had a good time and had some great views of the falls. We even had time for a Brazilian beer before our bus left to take us back to Argentina!
On the Argentinian side you can walk around the falls, see them from above and below and even go swimming. From a certain point, you could take photos of the falls with a rainbow that formed in the mist... Awesome. We had great weather and perfect blue skies (photos coming soon!)
The highlight for me was The Devil´s Throat, which is the biggest fall in the park. The boardwalks allow you to get within metres and look down into the mist created by the water. The energy was pretty amazing! We just stood and stared for a long time before we even thought about photos.
I am planning to spend my day in the sun by the pool tomorrow, and then catch a bus in the evening to Corrientes. It´s a small town near the Paraguayan border. I need to go there to try and get a visa for Paraguay, where I will visit a friend working in the Chaco region with natives. Cool!
The hostel here is great! It has a huge pool out the front and the weather is great so I´m making the most of it.
On Wednesday, however, we had horrible weather. It was cold and wet all day, we decided to visit the Brazilian side of the falls. They are situated on a river which divides Brazil and Argentina. We caught buses to Foz Do Iguazu which is the town on the Brazilian side and then a bus to the national park. Despite the rain, we had a good time and had some great views of the falls. We even had time for a Brazilian beer before our bus left to take us back to Argentina!
On the Argentinian side you can walk around the falls, see them from above and below and even go swimming. From a certain point, you could take photos of the falls with a rainbow that formed in the mist... Awesome. We had great weather and perfect blue skies (photos coming soon!)
The highlight for me was The Devil´s Throat, which is the biggest fall in the park. The boardwalks allow you to get within metres and look down into the mist created by the water. The energy was pretty amazing! We just stood and stared for a long time before we even thought about photos.
I am planning to spend my day in the sun by the pool tomorrow, and then catch a bus in the evening to Corrientes. It´s a small town near the Paraguayan border. I need to go there to try and get a visa for Paraguay, where I will visit a friend working in the Chaco region with natives. Cool!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
I´m Ron Burgundy?
Just a quick update as I´m writing with a terrible keyboard.
I have left Buenos Aires. I had a great time there, made some really good friends and learned a lot about Argentinian culture. I would love to go back some day, it´s a cool city.
I am now in Rosario, Argentina. I came here on recommendations from fellow travellers and met up with some some friends from Norway that I met in Santiago. It has been cool but I am leaving tomorrow for Iguazu... If I can find a bus. I haven´t seen any big waterfalls before so hopefully it´s cool. We went out for dinner at a nice restaurant tonight and had steak, wine, dessert and coffee for about $20. It´s probably the last good steak I´ll have (ever) as I´m leaving Argentina for Paraguay after the falls.
My to do list for tomorrow involves doing my laundry, buying some insect repellent (they have dengue fever here and it´s bad in Iguazu... should have brought some Aeroguard) and then catching a bus.
I need some ´economic stimulation´ soon from Mr Kevin Rudd... Don´t let me down mate!
I have left Buenos Aires. I had a great time there, made some really good friends and learned a lot about Argentinian culture. I would love to go back some day, it´s a cool city.
I am now in Rosario, Argentina. I came here on recommendations from fellow travellers and met up with some some friends from Norway that I met in Santiago. It has been cool but I am leaving tomorrow for Iguazu... If I can find a bus. I haven´t seen any big waterfalls before so hopefully it´s cool. We went out for dinner at a nice restaurant tonight and had steak, wine, dessert and coffee for about $20. It´s probably the last good steak I´ll have (ever) as I´m leaving Argentina for Paraguay after the falls.
My to do list for tomorrow involves doing my laundry, buying some insect repellent (they have dengue fever here and it´s bad in Iguazu... should have brought some Aeroguard) and then catching a bus.
I need some ´economic stimulation´ soon from Mr Kevin Rudd... Don´t let me down mate!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The Great Argentinian Coin Crisis
In Australia we are in a recession. Money isn't as easy to come across as it was even one or two years ago when our currency almost managed parity with the US dollar. The Australian dollar has dropped in value almost 30% over the last year, which seems shocking until you consider that Iceland's Kronur lost 51% of it's value over the same period. Australia, along with Iceland, Canada, Great Britain and South Korea, has even been listed as a top destination for travel during a recession.
In Argentina, Buenos Aires in particular, there is a crisis of a different kind. Along with the economic crisis, the Argentines face a distinct lack of coins.
People need coins here to get around on public transport. The central subte (subway) is an exception, but all other buses and trains require you to pay with coins, not notes (bills). I first noticed the problem in Mendoza, when a lady gave me candy as change in lieu of coins. I was amused but the problem seemed to pop up everywhere. Fellow travelers gave me a few reasons:
People use the coins to pay for buses and trains. The companies collect the coins, and sell them on the black market for more than they are worth. Big supermarkets will unlawfully round the total in their favour, whereas most taxi drivers will round the fare in favour of the passenger. The taxi drivers either lose money by rounding down the fare, or lose money and time finding a source of coins on the black market and then paying the commission. They prefer to save time.
Good on you, taxi drivers.
The banks are also sharing in this lucrative trade, which nets them up to 8% on their capital (Tax-free of course, as trading is done on the illegal blackmarket). The government admits that there is a legal loophole allowing the trade to occur, and until now has only been able to persecute perpetrators for 'disturbing the public peace'. Based on a national security law which appears to be the only legal instrument at hand.
No change signs have been popping up in small retailers everywhere as, at present, there is simply no other way to avoid the problem.
'The reviled "No Change" sign can be seen even at local branches of multinational banks and at state banks such as Banco Nacion. Some cynics read them as a Freudian commentary on Argentina's recurrent inability to solve its economic and political problems.' TIME. November 18 2008.
The president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez, recently announced a new ticketing system for public transport in the nation's capital. The government are spending around $60 million on the new electronic system to combat the shortage which affects so many.
Fixing the problem means that people will no longer have to que up at banks to change 5 or 10 pesos into coins. It also means that the beggars, of which there are many, will have more luck in finding change without which they can't survive.
It means that tourists will no longer be so confused and feel compelled to write about what really is an unusual situation.
In Argentina, Buenos Aires in particular, there is a crisis of a different kind. Along with the economic crisis, the Argentines face a distinct lack of coins.
People need coins here to get around on public transport. The central subte (subway) is an exception, but all other buses and trains require you to pay with coins, not notes (bills). I first noticed the problem in Mendoza, when a lady gave me candy as change in lieu of coins. I was amused but the problem seemed to pop up everywhere. Fellow travelers gave me a few reasons:
- Shortages in commodities meant that the coins were at one point not worth as much as the metals they were made from. People would collect as many coins as they could and then sell them on as scrap metal.
- Bus and train companies were hoarding coins and selling them back to people with a up to 10% commission.
- The mafia (what mafia?) were hoarding the coins and selling them back to banks for more than they are worth.
People use the coins to pay for buses and trains. The companies collect the coins, and sell them on the black market for more than they are worth. Big supermarkets will unlawfully round the total in their favour, whereas most taxi drivers will round the fare in favour of the passenger. The taxi drivers either lose money by rounding down the fare, or lose money and time finding a source of coins on the black market and then paying the commission. They prefer to save time.
Good on you, taxi drivers.
The banks are also sharing in this lucrative trade, which nets them up to 8% on their capital (Tax-free of course, as trading is done on the illegal blackmarket). The government admits that there is a legal loophole allowing the trade to occur, and until now has only been able to persecute perpetrators for 'disturbing the public peace'. Based on a national security law which appears to be the only legal instrument at hand.
No change signs have been popping up in small retailers everywhere as, at present, there is simply no other way to avoid the problem.'The reviled "No Change" sign can be seen even at local branches of multinational banks and at state banks such as Banco Nacion. Some cynics read them as a Freudian commentary on Argentina's recurrent inability to solve its economic and political problems.' TIME. November 18 2008.The president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez, recently announced a new ticketing system for public transport in the nation's capital. The government are spending around $60 million on the new electronic system to combat the shortage which affects so many.
Fixing the problem means that people will no longer have to que up at banks to change 5 or 10 pesos into coins. It also means that the beggars, of which there are many, will have more luck in finding change without which they can't survive.
It means that tourists will no longer be so confused and feel compelled to write about what really is an unusual situation.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Time to Write Something
The people that you meet when you're traveling can teach you a lot. About what you do or don't want to be like, or what you want from your life. We discussed reasons for traveling the other night over some wine (drunken philosophy is the best kind), and we came up with a few reasons. The main one however was that people that travel are running from something. I bought my ticket six months before departure and in that time a lot changed. At the time that I purchased my ticket I would have been happy to drop everything and go but after six months I had a pretty good setup and felt a little silly for leaving.
Of course reasons for traveling can be anything.
Dan, a friend at my hostel, spent 8 years in a relationship and when it ended, when he was 28 years old, decided it was time for him to see the world. Having Chinese heritage, he decided to spend some time in China but they kicked him out for the olympics (Apparently visa renewals suddenly became difficult in '08!). So after a year in China he left for South America and after Peru and Bolivia has so far spent 6 months in Buenos Aires. He makes money by doing freelance writing jobs. Currently editing english articles from his laptop in the hostel rec room.
He tried the planned life approach (career, girlfriend, house... dog? I don't know) and got out just in time to see the world before he turned 30 (not that 30 is old). Good on him. Of course the lifestyle can worl for some people but I guess it's just not for everyone. And if you're in tune with your partner then you can always travel together.
Why am I traveling? Because I know I would regret it if I didn't.
I could get really deep here but instead I think I'll discuss some superficial things like:
I GOT A DRUM!
It's great... I think the skin is goat but I'm not entirely sure (was the man bleeting or baaing when he tried to describe it to me?). The guy that sold it to me showed me how to tighten the skin and all that which is cool. I just need to find somewhere to play it now... I think it'll be great in Bolivia and Peru when I'm waiting for buses or the rest of my stuff has been stolen.
Other things... I visited the Recoleta cemetery. An ex-president of Argentina died only 3 or 4 days ago and I saw his grave. It was with his family, as they all are. I also saw Eva 'Evita' Perons grave which was surprisingly small and hard to find.
So what can I add about Buenos Aires? Staying up til dawn isn't uncommon. It's pretty much party central here which is cool but expensive and not something that I can't do back home. I am however stuck here until my debit card arrives (I don't know if I wrote this but I lost my card in Mendoza). Buenos Aires looks spectacular in the morning! I find it easier to stay up til the morning than to go to bed, but the light really blows you away. The buildings and sky glow a fierce orange that I haven't seen before. The portenos, Buenos Aires locals, tend to be snobby or arrogant or both. They deserve to be though as they have a pretty good setup (apart from the poverty I guess) and have been through a lot of hardship in recent years. They have a lot of hand signals which took a while to figure out but I got ther with some help!
For anyone following UEFA, What happened to Liverpool? Thanks very much Guus.
For anyone following the AFL: Carn the Tigers! The Carlton game was stagefright and we were never going to beat Geelong. Look out Doggies!
Of course reasons for traveling can be anything.
Dan, a friend at my hostel, spent 8 years in a relationship and when it ended, when he was 28 years old, decided it was time for him to see the world. Having Chinese heritage, he decided to spend some time in China but they kicked him out for the olympics (Apparently visa renewals suddenly became difficult in '08!). So after a year in China he left for South America and after Peru and Bolivia has so far spent 6 months in Buenos Aires. He makes money by doing freelance writing jobs. Currently editing english articles from his laptop in the hostel rec room.
He tried the planned life approach (career, girlfriend, house... dog? I don't know) and got out just in time to see the world before he turned 30 (not that 30 is old). Good on him. Of course the lifestyle can worl for some people but I guess it's just not for everyone. And if you're in tune with your partner then you can always travel together.
Why am I traveling? Because I know I would regret it if I didn't.
I could get really deep here but instead I think I'll discuss some superficial things like:
I GOT A DRUM!
Other things... I visited the Recoleta cemetery. An ex-president of Argentina died only 3 or 4 days ago and I saw his grave. It was with his family, as they all are. I also saw Eva 'Evita' Perons grave which was surprisingly small and hard to find.
So what can I add about Buenos Aires? Staying up til dawn isn't uncommon. It's pretty much party central here which is cool but expensive and not something that I can't do back home. I am however stuck here until my debit card arrives (I don't know if I wrote this but I lost my card in Mendoza). Buenos Aires looks spectacular in the morning! I find it easier to stay up til the morning than to go to bed, but the light really blows you away. The buildings and sky glow a fierce orange that I haven't seen before. The portenos, Buenos Aires locals, tend to be snobby or arrogant or both. They deserve to be though as they have a pretty good setup (apart from the poverty I guess) and have been through a lot of hardship in recent years. They have a lot of hand signals which took a while to figure out but I got ther with some help!
For anyone following UEFA, What happened to Liverpool? Thanks very much Guus.
For anyone following the AFL: Carn the Tigers! The Carlton game was stagefright and we were never going to beat Geelong. Look out Doggies!
Photos!
The people of La Boca wanted to make it a republic... It didn't happen. Bsas.
Street dogs. Santiago, Chile
San Telmo, BsAs.
First ascent of random 10m monument. Mendoza.
San Cristobal. Santiago, Chile.
La Camonito, Bsas.
La Bombenera! Home of Boca Juniours football team. BsAs.
Protest. Av. 9 de Julio, BsAs.
Free Hugs! San Telmo, BsAs.
Street table tennis. BsAs.
Taken whilst 'hitch hiking'
San Telmo, BsAs.
The Floating Incident. Mendoza.
The Church on San Cristobal. Santiago.
Miguel and my host family. Santiago.
Open Tomb. Recoleta Cemetery, BsAs.
Recoleta Cemetery
Recoleta Cemetery.
Don't steal the construction material! Recoleta Cemetery, BsAs.Tuesday, March 31, 2009
New Fangled Gadget!
I have so much time on my hands that I have added two clocks to the bottom of my blog. If you scroll right to the very bottom of this page you will find one clock showing Australian time, and another showing the time here in Buenos Aires.
Useful? You tell me.
Useful? You tell me.
Buenos Aires
I quickly recovered from my hitch hiking experience although I was walking gingerly for a few days, and now I'm starting to see why people love this city so much.
The first few nights were spent in a hostel right in the middle of the city. On a busy street where street vendors come out at night to try and sell their home made creations. There are places like this all over South America. I can't remember the exact order I've done everything in so I'll just do a list.
Just a quick update on the drum situation: I've found a few here that weren't quite what I wanted but a guy who hand makes them is going to bring a few to next Sundays market and I might buy one then.
The original plan of staying here for a month in an apartment is no longer. I looked at renting rooms, but slow responses from landlords and higher prices mean a hostel is as good value, plus I'm not tied down to being here any longer than I want to be. I've found a great, small, cheap hostel in an awesome spot and already really like it here. Having met some new friends here and also having caught up with other mates I can see myself staying a few weeks. I'm trying to organise Spanish lessons for next week but I'm told they're cheaper and better in Peru so maybe I'll stay longer there.
All the best.
Tom
The first few nights were spent in a hostel right in the middle of the city. On a busy street where street vendors come out at night to try and sell their home made creations. There are places like this all over South America. I can't remember the exact order I've done everything in so I'll just do a list.
- I visited the Boca Juniors Stadium. It's pretty huge for just one team but it's like a religion to most people over here. It's hard to get tickets to games because there are just so many members. We watched Argentina play Venezuela on TV the other night... It was a whitewash of course but to see Messi playing and Maradona coaching was pretty cool. We're going to try and get tickets to see Boca play this weekend.
- I went to Camonito La Boca, the suburb of Buenos Aires with the brightly coloured houses. It's very touristy, but having rode a bike there I can tick it of my list of things to do, as well as:
- Drink Yerba Mate (pronounced mar-tay). Basically you put a special straw in a special cup, traditionally a hollowed out gourd, fill it with tea leaves from the yerba mate plant, and then use a thermos to keep refilling it until you're done. This is a long process, normally over hours and has a similar effect to coffee. I'm looking for a mate cup to buy as my souvenir of this city.
- I visited the San Telmo antiques market. San Telmo is a great little suburb of BA and every Sunday loads of people converge to dispose of their trash and treasure, hopefully making some coin in the process.
- And I've tried the steak. Beleive the hype, it tastes amazing and is ridiculously cheap(Try $3 to $5AUD for a 400g tenderloin). We went to a grill house and ordered a platter of meat between three of us... I've never had better tasting beef, and so tender! They gave us steak knives to use but blunt butter knives would have sufficed. Tick that one off the list as well.
Just a quick update on the drum situation: I've found a few here that weren't quite what I wanted but a guy who hand makes them is going to bring a few to next Sundays market and I might buy one then.
The original plan of staying here for a month in an apartment is no longer. I looked at renting rooms, but slow responses from landlords and higher prices mean a hostel is as good value, plus I'm not tied down to being here any longer than I want to be. I've found a great, small, cheap hostel in an awesome spot and already really like it here. Having met some new friends here and also having caught up with other mates I can see myself staying a few weeks. I'm trying to organise Spanish lessons for next week but I'm told they're cheaper and better in Peru so maybe I'll stay longer there.
All the best.
Tom
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Santa Rosa Experience
Yesterday I set off from Mendoza for Buenos Aires having only had two hours of sleep. A quick lunch with friends John and Hannah and then I hopped on a bus to San Martin, a small town a few kilometres out of Mendoza. I asked at the petrol station how to get to route 7, the main route to Buenos Aires and a nice local drove me there in the back of his ute. It turns out that the road is actually a freeway, not the best for hitch hiking, and not many people were keen on giving a funny looking foreigner a lift.
The signs started at 999km to Buenos Aires and by the time it was dark I had only reached 965km. I had travelled not even 35km and about 25km of that was on foot. I considered setting up ´camp´ a little way off the freeway but then I had seen a sign a few k´s back telling me that Santa Rosa was only 14km away. I kept walking and found a petrol station. The attendant informed me I wouldn´t be able to get a taxi so I had a quick water break and kept walking. As it turned out, the sign meant that it was 14km to the Santa Rosa exit, not the town itself. I was seriously considering setting up camp when the petrol station attendant drove past, recognised me and offered me a lift. I got in, only too happy to be able to sit down and he drove me to what he said was the city centre.
I got out of the car and found that I was being stared at by everyone in the town. It was 10pm at this stage. I wrote down the name of the hostel and asked around until I found out that it was a further 2okm down the road. A friendly local offered to take me along with him on the bus as he lived there and could take me straight to the hostel. I apprehensively accepted his offer, and after an interesting bus ride and more stares we arrived at the hostel, who turned me away. I was introduced to another local, Fabian, who seemed to know everyone in town and asked around until he found a room for me. The people had been great so far, so I accepted and ended up staying the night with a working class Argentinian man who lived by himself in a tiny house.
The dinner he offered me was a sliced meat something like mortadella, and biscuits. I stayed in a surprisingly comfortable double bed, clinging to my backpack and had to flush the toilet with a bucket of water - no shower to be seen. In the morning (6am as he had to go to work) I paid him 40 pesos and he took me to the bus stop and saw me off. I managed to get from Santa Rosa, the town that I had stayed in, to La Paz (Argentina), and from La Paz to San Luis where I am now sitting in an internet cafe. My shoulders and legs are aching, my feet are blistered and I´m tired.
Needless to say I have booked a bus for the rest of my journey to Buenos Aires and won´t be hitch hiking again in a hurry.
The signs started at 999km to Buenos Aires and by the time it was dark I had only reached 965km. I had travelled not even 35km and about 25km of that was on foot. I considered setting up ´camp´ a little way off the freeway but then I had seen a sign a few k´s back telling me that Santa Rosa was only 14km away. I kept walking and found a petrol station. The attendant informed me I wouldn´t be able to get a taxi so I had a quick water break and kept walking. As it turned out, the sign meant that it was 14km to the Santa Rosa exit, not the town itself. I was seriously considering setting up camp when the petrol station attendant drove past, recognised me and offered me a lift. I got in, only too happy to be able to sit down and he drove me to what he said was the city centre.
I got out of the car and found that I was being stared at by everyone in the town. It was 10pm at this stage. I wrote down the name of the hostel and asked around until I found out that it was a further 2okm down the road. A friendly local offered to take me along with him on the bus as he lived there and could take me straight to the hostel. I apprehensively accepted his offer, and after an interesting bus ride and more stares we arrived at the hostel, who turned me away. I was introduced to another local, Fabian, who seemed to know everyone in town and asked around until he found a room for me. The people had been great so far, so I accepted and ended up staying the night with a working class Argentinian man who lived by himself in a tiny house.
The dinner he offered me was a sliced meat something like mortadella, and biscuits. I stayed in a surprisingly comfortable double bed, clinging to my backpack and had to flush the toilet with a bucket of water - no shower to be seen. In the morning (6am as he had to go to work) I paid him 40 pesos and he took me to the bus stop and saw me off. I managed to get from Santa Rosa, the town that I had stayed in, to La Paz (Argentina), and from La Paz to San Luis where I am now sitting in an internet cafe. My shoulders and legs are aching, my feet are blistered and I´m tired.
Needless to say I have booked a bus for the rest of my journey to Buenos Aires and won´t be hitch hiking again in a hurry.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Íf you wanna drink like a viking, you gotta stay hydrated!´
So Mendoza has been super cool fun. St Pat´s day at the Irish pub was insanely fun, I came home with my face painted green. Most of the people here don´t go out til about 1am and stay out til 6 or 7. Joe and I parted ways and I met some other cool cats who I have been hanging out with. The name of this blog is a quote from an American, Shane from Boston who we naturally just called Boston. He was a massive unit who could drink anyone under the table and he turned up at the pub with a two litre bottle of water. Another memorable quote is when a Swedish guy described one of the local beers as tasting like ´llama piss´. For $1AUD for a litre, it could be camel piss and it wouldn´t really matter.
The other day myself, John and a couple of Mexican girls went to the Mendoza wineries on rented bikes, which was great fun. The wine was the best I´ve tasted and by the end of the day we were a little wobbly on our bikes. The next day five of us went down to the lake with two blow up mattresses. What eventuated has been aptly titled ´The Floating Incident´.
Basically there were five of us (Myself, an American, a Pom, and two Swedes) lying over two mattresses which created a sort of raft. We paddled for a good half hour, our flip flops tied together and in tow behind us, before making our way over to the rowing club and restaurant to appease some intrigued locals. They quickly informed us that the club had called the police as you´re not supposed to swim in that particular lake and we made a quick exit. We were sitting at a bar by the lake and toasting to our success when the cops finally drove by.
Today some others are off to the wineries and we´re having a barbecue at the hostel. We´re all parting ways tomorrow, I will be off to Buenos Aires.
The weather here is still amazing and I´m excited to get to BA. Hope all is well in Australia... I heard something about naked photos of Pauline Hanson? That´s something I´m glad I missed. The Tigers line up against the Blues on Thursday. All I can say is get ready for another big disappointment Carlton fans, this is the year of the tiger.
Tom
The other day myself, John and a couple of Mexican girls went to the Mendoza wineries on rented bikes, which was great fun. The wine was the best I´ve tasted and by the end of the day we were a little wobbly on our bikes. The next day five of us went down to the lake with two blow up mattresses. What eventuated has been aptly titled ´The Floating Incident´.
Basically there were five of us (Myself, an American, a Pom, and two Swedes) lying over two mattresses which created a sort of raft. We paddled for a good half hour, our flip flops tied together and in tow behind us, before making our way over to the rowing club and restaurant to appease some intrigued locals. They quickly informed us that the club had called the police as you´re not supposed to swim in that particular lake and we made a quick exit. We were sitting at a bar by the lake and toasting to our success when the cops finally drove by.
Today some others are off to the wineries and we´re having a barbecue at the hostel. We´re all parting ways tomorrow, I will be off to Buenos Aires.
The weather here is still amazing and I´m excited to get to BA. Hope all is well in Australia... I heard something about naked photos of Pauline Hanson? That´s something I´m glad I missed. The Tigers line up against the Blues on Thursday. All I can say is get ready for another big disappointment Carlton fans, this is the year of the tiger.
Tom
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Mendoza
Yesterday I said my goodbyes at the hostel, swapped some email addresses and headed to the bus terminal to catch a bus to Mendoza, Argentina. I was able to find one that left in 10min of me getting there and cost roughly $18AUD. The buses here are fantastic. You have loads of space and the seats recline pretty much to the point of being a bed.
Driving through the Andes was amazing. It´s such a different landscape to anything I´ve seen before. The rocky mountain passes and tight bends where trucks have to wait for the bus to pass before cornering themselves. They have tunnels next to steep mountain faces so the rocks don´t fall onto the road.
I was sitting next to a Peruvian guy who had to ask me how to fill out his border crossing form. I struggled too but we worked it out with the help of my phrase book. It was interesting to note that he was using a cheap film camera. Something I haven´t seen in Australia since the nineties.
I met an American guy, Joe, at the bus terminal in Mendoza and we found a hostel together. He looks like a pot smoker so we get harrassed every time we walk down the street if we wanna buy drugs. It´s kinda funny. We ate out last night, had pasta (gnocchi but spelled noquis), dessert and beers for about $12AUD each.
I immediately liked Argentina better than Chile, the people are friendlier, more helpful and more relaxed I think too. They have some beautiful parks here where people just sit around and chill out for ages. The hostel we are staying in is cool but the rooms are tiny. I won´t stay there longer than tonight I think.
The plan now is to check out the city for a bit, find a cheap tent somewhere and hitch hike to Buenos Aires. Like I mentioned, everyone thats done it says it´s quite easy and safe. Especially in Argentina.
I have had a development with uploading photos so with any luck I´ll be able to put some up within the next few days. The internet is either free or cheap here which is great.
I feel the need to mention: I couldn´t find thongs anywhere in Santiago. I went to about ten shoe stores and none of them had any, let alone size 11 which is rare here as the people have small feet. I ended up finding a little Brazillian store which had a full range of genuine havainas and in my size. Stoked.
My next purchase will be a small african drum of some sort. I found a couple in Santiago that were quite expensive. And the Chileans don´t like to bargain so much. I am yet to find one here but I think I´ll get the first one I see... I want one to take around and play in the parks.
OK Hope everyone is well back home and that it´s not too cold... We have had consistently awesome weather here so far.
Tom
Driving through the Andes was amazing. It´s such a different landscape to anything I´ve seen before. The rocky mountain passes and tight bends where trucks have to wait for the bus to pass before cornering themselves. They have tunnels next to steep mountain faces so the rocks don´t fall onto the road.
I was sitting next to a Peruvian guy who had to ask me how to fill out his border crossing form. I struggled too but we worked it out with the help of my phrase book. It was interesting to note that he was using a cheap film camera. Something I haven´t seen in Australia since the nineties.
I met an American guy, Joe, at the bus terminal in Mendoza and we found a hostel together. He looks like a pot smoker so we get harrassed every time we walk down the street if we wanna buy drugs. It´s kinda funny. We ate out last night, had pasta (gnocchi but spelled noquis), dessert and beers for about $12AUD each.
I immediately liked Argentina better than Chile, the people are friendlier, more helpful and more relaxed I think too. They have some beautiful parks here where people just sit around and chill out for ages. The hostel we are staying in is cool but the rooms are tiny. I won´t stay there longer than tonight I think.
The plan now is to check out the city for a bit, find a cheap tent somewhere and hitch hike to Buenos Aires. Like I mentioned, everyone thats done it says it´s quite easy and safe. Especially in Argentina.
I have had a development with uploading photos so with any luck I´ll be able to put some up within the next few days. The internet is either free or cheap here which is great.
I feel the need to mention: I couldn´t find thongs anywhere in Santiago. I went to about ten shoe stores and none of them had any, let alone size 11 which is rare here as the people have small feet. I ended up finding a little Brazillian store which had a full range of genuine havainas and in my size. Stoked.
My next purchase will be a small african drum of some sort. I found a couple in Santiago that were quite expensive. And the Chileans don´t like to bargain so much. I am yet to find one here but I think I´ll get the first one I see... I want one to take around and play in the parks.
OK Hope everyone is well back home and that it´s not too cold... We have had consistently awesome weather here so far.
Tom
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Santiago Es...
So I have been at Bella Vista Hostel in Santiago a little longer than expected now... But because I like it here. There are cool people here. Germans, Spaniards, Americans, Canadians, Australians and even some Norwegian guys that I might be heading to Mendoza with on Monday.
Everyone here seems to have the same purpose: Learn Spanish, see all of the big cities and have some rough experiences in smaller towns, while spending as little money as possible. Here they buy beer buy the litre and share it in small glasses. I have yet to try the national drink, Pisco, but maybe I will tomorrow...
I met a cool guy from Oregon, USA, who is riding his bike from Southern Chile all the way back up through Mexico and the US back to his home. I'd like to try something like that one day. I have photos but am struggling to work out how I'll put them on the internet... The computers aren't so great here.
The plan now is to catch a bus to Mendoza, stay a few days and then hitch hike to Buenos Aires. I have met several people who have hitched and they all tell me it's easy and quite safe.
For the moment though I am living slowly. Reading my Jeffrey Archer book while sunbaking on the roof of the hostel, with a view of San Cristobel only a few hundred metres away. I can't wait to get out and see Argentina and some small towns... Experience some culture. Learn some more Spanish.
Saludos!
PS I love getting emails from home.
Everyone here seems to have the same purpose: Learn Spanish, see all of the big cities and have some rough experiences in smaller towns, while spending as little money as possible. Here they buy beer buy the litre and share it in small glasses. I have yet to try the national drink, Pisco, but maybe I will tomorrow...
I met a cool guy from Oregon, USA, who is riding his bike from Southern Chile all the way back up through Mexico and the US back to his home. I'd like to try something like that one day. I have photos but am struggling to work out how I'll put them on the internet... The computers aren't so great here.
The plan now is to catch a bus to Mendoza, stay a few days and then hitch hike to Buenos Aires. I have met several people who have hitched and they all tell me it's easy and quite safe.
For the moment though I am living slowly. Reading my Jeffrey Archer book while sunbaking on the roof of the hostel, with a view of San Cristobel only a few hundred metres away. I can't wait to get out and see Argentina and some small towns... Experience some culture. Learn some more Spanish.
Saludos!
PS I love getting emails from home.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Bella Vista
I have now moved on from my host family´s house to a hostel in Bella Vista, which is the arty bohemian sort of neighbourhood here. It was sad to leave them (and free food and accommodation) but I needed to meet some people to travel to Argentina with. I am going to Mendoza first, so I´m looking to stay here another two noghts or so, then catch a bus.
Yesterday Miguel and I went to a place called San Cristobal, which is a big hill right in the middle of the city (they have three of them) with a great big statue of the Virgin Mary on top. They call it the statue of immaculate conception. I got a sweet photo of me in front of that which I´ll put on here hopefully tomorrow or the next day.
Miguel then took me to a great little bar in the city where we had drinks called Terre Moto (Earthquake). The drink was pretty much just a big cup of wine with some sort of red liquer and ice cream on top. I felt pretty drunk after that, then we had empenadas. Empenadas are the Chilean equivalent of a Four and Twenty pie. We also shared some beer. We worked out where to meet today as Miguel wanted to show me more of the city, then I returned to the hostel and promptly fell asleep, even sleeping through breakfast this morning... Which is why I must now go and find some lunch (Empenada and beer maybe?).
Tom
Yesterday Miguel and I went to a place called San Cristobal, which is a big hill right in the middle of the city (they have three of them) with a great big statue of the Virgin Mary on top. They call it the statue of immaculate conception. I got a sweet photo of me in front of that which I´ll put on here hopefully tomorrow or the next day.
Miguel then took me to a great little bar in the city where we had drinks called Terre Moto (Earthquake). The drink was pretty much just a big cup of wine with some sort of red liquer and ice cream on top. I felt pretty drunk after that, then we had empenadas. Empenadas are the Chilean equivalent of a Four and Twenty pie. We also shared some beer. We worked out where to meet today as Miguel wanted to show me more of the city, then I returned to the hostel and promptly fell asleep, even sleeping through breakfast this morning... Which is why I must now go and find some lunch (Empenada and beer maybe?).
Tom
Monday, March 9, 2009
Santiago Is.
I arrived at my host´s house, Miguel, yesterday and was very grateful for the meal that his mother put on. Chicken and rice never tasted so good! I lay my head down for a nap at 5.30pm and didn´t wake til 9am this morning.
I had my first shower since the day before I left Australia, and had a breakfast of cereal, eggs, fruit and coffee! Miguel showed me the city today, helped me get an adapter for my Australian plugs (it cost 370 Pesos, roughly 50 Australian Cents.. And they told me Chile was going to be expensive??) and we visited the cemetery. The cemetry had everyone from past presidents to virtually unmarked graves covered in rubbish. Some graves were just bones, in a small box, in a wall with hundreds of other people. I have some great photos which I will post when I have more time on a computer.
Like the cemetery, the city itself has a great contrast between how the rich live compared to the poor. I have seen some mansions here, but on the way into town from the airport there were slums, shanties that house entire families.
We are now using free internet in the library at Miguel´s University, looking for details of a gathering of couch surfers in the city tonight, where we can sample some fine Chilean beer and wine, which is of the highest quality!!!
I had my first shower since the day before I left Australia, and had a breakfast of cereal, eggs, fruit and coffee! Miguel showed me the city today, helped me get an adapter for my Australian plugs (it cost 370 Pesos, roughly 50 Australian Cents.. And they told me Chile was going to be expensive??) and we visited the cemetery. The cemetry had everyone from past presidents to virtually unmarked graves covered in rubbish. Some graves were just bones, in a small box, in a wall with hundreds of other people. I have some great photos which I will post when I have more time on a computer.
Like the cemetery, the city itself has a great contrast between how the rich live compared to the poor. I have seen some mansions here, but on the way into town from the airport there were slums, shanties that house entire families.
We are now using free internet in the library at Miguel´s University, looking for details of a gathering of couch surfers in the city tonight, where we can sample some fine Chilean beer and wine, which is of the highest quality!!!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
First Day!
I have arrived in Santiago after two arduous flights. The flight from Melbourne to Sydney was easy as I had no one sitting next to me and it only took one hour... The flight from Sydney to Santiago via Auckland wasn´t much chop. It was long and the seats were cramped. I was sitting next to a Chilean girl who had been living in Adelaide who helped me through the airport and into the city... The taxi driver tried to rip me off as soon as she got out of the taxi. I shut him down. Good one Tom.
Currently sitting in a super dodgy internet cafe... The ´@´ button doesn´t work on this keyboard so I have to copy and paste it every time I wanna use it. Crazy.
I forgot to write down the address of my accommodation which is why I´m here, so I better go find it now.
Wish me luck!!!
Currently sitting in a super dodgy internet cafe... The ´@´ button doesn´t work on this keyboard so I have to copy and paste it every time I wanna use it. Crazy.
I forgot to write down the address of my accommodation which is why I´m here, so I better go find it now.
Wish me luck!!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
4 Days Til Departure - Expenses To Date
When I finish writing this I am going to go and start packing my backpack. I still need to make copies of my important documents, write a list of people I need to send postcards to and things like that... I thought it would be interesting and helpful for anyone else planning their trip to see what I have had to spend money on so far.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations
- Initial Consultation $20 (courtesy of a $60 medicare rebate)
- Yellow Fever Vaccine $110
- Typhoid and Hepatitis A Vaccine $60
- Three rounds of Hepatitis B Vaccine $84 ($28 x three injections)
Gear
- Backpack - 55L Black Wolf $210
- Accessories $0 - I either had them already or received them as presents.
Other
- Flight $2100
- Passport $200
- Travel Insurance - Basic cover, no excess $170
- First week of accommodation $0 - Free through couchsurfing.com
- 3kg of the finest Australian heroin... I mean Vegemite. $4500AUD - to be made back with interest from sales in Colombia.
Thanks to everyone that has helped me financially with the trip!
Tom
Monday, February 9, 2009
Top 5 Lists
Top 5 things to do in Argentina
- Learn how to Tango.
- Eat a $5 steak.
- Drink Yerba Mate, a tea like drink touted by many as the best beverage in the world.
- See a football game (Boca Juniors if possible).
- Ride a bike around Buenos Aires and take a photo of brightly coloured buildings like the ones I always see:
One Month Out
Hola!
I have created this blog to document my three month trip to South America, and to keep everyone back home updated.
I will be leaving Melbourne for Sydney on the 8th of March and flying into Santiago, Chile. From there I will make my way across to Buenos Aires, Argentina where I will live for around one month before travelling through Brazil and Bolivia to reach Peru where I will see Machu Picchu. I leave Santiago for Melbourne on the fourth of June, arriving in Melbourne on the sixth.
So far everything has gone smoothly: I have my backpack, I have my passport, I have travel insurance (the budget kind, let's hope nobody steals my backpack), I have had my injections (bar one) and I have my guidebook. My rough plans will change, I'm sure. But for the moment I'm super duper excited, and can't wait to get over there.
Hasta luego amigos, stay tuned for updates.
Tom
I have created this blog to document my three month trip to South America, and to keep everyone back home updated.
I will be leaving Melbourne for Sydney on the 8th of March and flying into Santiago, Chile. From there I will make my way across to Buenos Aires, Argentina where I will live for around one month before travelling through Brazil and Bolivia to reach Peru where I will see Machu Picchu. I leave Santiago for Melbourne on the fourth of June, arriving in Melbourne on the sixth.
So far everything has gone smoothly: I have my backpack, I have my passport, I have travel insurance (the budget kind, let's hope nobody steals my backpack), I have had my injections (bar one) and I have my guidebook. My rough plans will change, I'm sure. But for the moment I'm super duper excited, and can't wait to get over there.
Hasta luego amigos, stay tuned for updates.
Tom
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