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Fifi Flipflops Big Adventure
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Fifi Flipflops Big Adventure

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    The Mighty Amazon

    27. mai 2016, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We wake early as Mark in his drunken wisdom decides he is going to have a tatoo this morning. The boat is leaving at midday and the taoo will take 3 hrs so we get up and pack and Mark goes off and leaves me to go and get the boat sorted After breakfast i finish my last bit of packing and get a taxi to the boat port , only to find out that the boat actually leaves at 11. I dont know why i get myself so stressed as there is another boat tomorrow but time yet again has caught up with us and im ready to leave today. I reserve our place and go to find Mark to explain, but as were driving down the road we see Mark walking back to the hostel. Its just after ten and im so relieved so we pick Mark up and head back to the hotel. We then remember that we havent got our laundry back and the girl on reception calls and they will be 20 mins. At 1040 the washing still isnt back, but i have to remember we are on Brazilian time and lets hope the boat is too. Eventually the washing turns up andour taxi is waiting. Yet again its a mad dash to the dearture point with literally seconds to spare we pay for our tickets and bid farewell to Pierre and board the boat. Its not waht i was expecting at all and is really big. We have opted for a cabin as it ws only 20 quid extra and im sure it will be worth it. were shown to our cabin and you can barely swing a cat in it, but we have a lifejacket each so we will be ok in an emergency. We drop our bags and go for a little wander and make it as far as the first deck. There are tables and chairs and a little bar that sells everything fro sweets and beer to hamburgers and toasties . This is nothing like the rice an beans scenario that we had heard about , its more like being on a cruise ship, well almost. As i look down to the harbour, they are even loading cars onto the boat with two planks of woul, and i wonder if any have ever dropped in. We actually don sail till 1210 and i once again wonder what i was getting myself in such a flap for. After sailing for nearly an hour i realise why they call it the mighty Amazon, the size of this river it should be an ocean, it really is amazing. at around 3ish we start to slow down and turn off down a smaller expanse of water and pull alongside a small town . A few people disembarque and we take on a few more as i watch them boarding i can see famil on the quayside the woman is crying as she is saying goodbye to her son , it makes me feel a little tearful as life in these river towns is so vastly different to ours, its not where she will see him again in a few weeks as the boat is really expensive for them and once again i am humbled . As the evening draws in we watch an amazing sunset and then go down for dinner. For 2 quid we get more meat than i can eat rice noodles and salad, its absolutely delicious and far better than i was imagining. We return back to the upper deck and after an hour or so pull off iinto another port agiain. We have been chatting to two french girls who have travelled on here from Manaus and they get off the boat o buy a couple of beer, and when they come back and open the bottles its more like Fenet and 38 % proof so athey ask us if wed like to join them We spend the evening chatting and drinking and as we stand at the back of the ship the view of the stars is beautiful . We head to bed just after 11 and get into our bunkbeds .Les mer

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    River Bar

    26. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    When we get up in the morning we have one of the best breakfasts we have had while travelling. We await the arrival of Pierre who is due at 9 but at 830 the sky turns black literally within minutes, and it starts to rain, then it starts to pour. The wind picks up and the river becomes a sea of spray with the rain being whipped along the street you can barely see a foot in front of you. It rains like this for over an hour, and just before 10 Pierre arrives armed with his brolley, when we say about giving the beach a miss he advises us to give it half an hour and see if the weather improves. We sit on the balcony and with a little help fromPierre our translator we get chatting to 2 guys from Brazil who are here working. Sure to his word by 11 the weather is cleared although its still pretty grey and the 2 Brazilian guys decide to join us. We walk up to Centro and catch a bus , and its just a short walk fom there to the nearest bar. We order a couple of beers and som efish nibbles and sit eating them on the beach with the water lapping against our feet it relly is wonderful, the water is really warm, and although its still spitting so is the rain. We move further along the beach and there is a place thats got 6 very scantily clad (yes were back to the demtal floss bikini)Brazilian women all sat round a table with music playing so as you can imagine the 4 men opt for this and we take a seat. Its not long before the women start playing up for the men posing for selfies with there bits hanging out everywhere. Dont think im writing this out of jealousy as i had the best body there so it wasnt long before i did my best impession of Pussy galore from James bond. Swimming in the river was an experience and was so warm, but it was cold when i got out. We sent the rest of the afternoon here drinking copious amounts of beer with Mark being in his element when the barmaid stood behind him pushing his head into her overly ample busom . It was a really good afternoon though and about oclock we headed back to the hotel to get showered. Another couple of beers were had on the balcony and an early night as wed had more than enough to drink and well be spending the next few days on a boat hope to god i dont have a hangover tomorrowLes mer

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    Santerem

    25. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Well were here, and after 51hours on a bus i cant tell you how much i need a shower, and a good nights sleep. We dont actually arrive until 8pm and by the time weve booked in to the hotel, (there are no hostels in Santarem) we are both starving. We head to the centro to try and find a restaurant, but to no avail so we reckon our best bet is to head back to the waterfront. As we reach the front there is a restaurant/ bar directly in front of us with live music and numerous people sat at the tables outside so we take a seat. Within minutes there is a drunk guy at our table, and when the waiter tries to move him on he is having none of it, i say to mark theres going to be trouble here and as the guy is manhandled out he swings and hits me. Not a great start. The news must have spread because within minutes the shoe shine guy is trying to join our table and the another guy called Pierre who is elling peanuts. Pierre speaks perfect English and we invite him to join our table. We ask him advise with getting to a river beach that Mark has read about, and he offers to take us the next day for a small fee. We agree as places are so much better when you have a local taking you around and generally cheaper so even though we will have to pay for his services it will generally be cheaper in the long run. We end up spending the evening with pierre and a couple of other guys who work the streets selling various bits and bobs. After a couple of hours and a few beers we head back to the hotel. They have a baicony which is right on the waterfront so we sit heere for half an hour watching the guys fishing and bats flying between the street lights eating all the bugs. We are so exhausted we literally fall in to bed. Its goodnight from him and goodnight from me.Les mer

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    Abismo

    23. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Yet again its another early start, yesterday we had a chill out day apart from the training we had to do for todays activity. This involved abseiling and rappeling which id never done before, and trust me it was harder than it looked. With our training in the bag we made our way to Abismo, we had to be one of the first people here as they take two groups down seperately and to ensure we could catch our bus we needed to leave site at 11. The stress of catching this bus was really getting to me, everything really had to drop into place and there was little margin for error.
    We were all equipped out in our safety harnesses and helmets before being attached to the line that would take us down. Mark and i would go down ttogether and once we were sat in the shaft it was time to descend with our legs entwined we slowly lowered ourselves into the abyss . I think they must have slowed the rope up in someway , as from our practice that we had yesterday trying to take the friction off was a lot harder. Slowly we dropped down into something i had never imagined i would ever see. It was like being in Middle earth stalignites and stalitites were everywhere . I dont know whyi was shocked tat the gave was so dark as the only source of light was a small whole that we had been lowered through, it was also still early , but it really was like finding an alladins cave. The journey down was quite hard work and by the time i reached the bottom i was exhausted . We waited for the rest of our group to descend and everyone was of the same thouht that if it was that hard aseiling down, how hard was it going to be Rappelling back up. The cave is 70m below ground but was much bigger that i imagined and i couldnt believe what a force water and calcium can have. Once we were all together our guide Mateus took us in a little dinghy and showed us the various formations around the cave , it was jaw dropping stuff at how different even the textures of the limestone were. In the water below us were even more formations and we headed back to a wooden floating platform to don our wetsuits and investigate further.The water was so cold when we got in but after a while your body adjusted . There was something quite eerie about this place and as we snorkelled around it was like having a mirror reflection under the water. After a short while i got out and got dressed as time was pushing on Mark followed shortly after and once dressed we were put back into our harnesses. This place should definitely be attached with a wonder of the world certification its beauty is breathtaking. It was time to make our accent and once strapped in i was nervous about the task ahead, i was winched to about half way up which i wasnt expecting and then hanging in mid air i tryed to do the technique that wed learnt yesterday but for some reason it wasnt working , i was petrified , here i was dangling on a rope trying to shout down that my clamp wasnt working and noone could hear me. After what seemed like forever , but was probably 3 or 4 mins i was winched up again, to just below the entrance, it looked like i wasnt going to have to rappel after all which i was pretty glad of as my arms were still hurting from last night and my legs were shaky being at such a great heigt, with my hands either side of the rock i was hauled slowly through the final part.Back on level land i was shocked to see that it was actually the guys and girls on top that had physically hauled me up, and now it was Marks turn, i did feel sorry for them in that heat its bloody hard work pulling 14st up 70 metres. Mark joined me and after a big thank you we ran to catch our taxi . Back at the hostel our bags were already packed and id bught sandwiches the night before so after a quick bite to eat we sat waiting for the bus that was due at 1230. It was supposed to be a three and a half hour journey to the airport then a further 30 mins to downtaown then a taxi from there to the terminal was abouut 20 mins but at 1245 the bus hadnt arrived . It eventually turned up at 13.10 so we were going to be cutting it really fine. We arrived at the airport at 530 and had accepted we wouldnt be catching the bus tonight, but when we got in the taxi we explained the situation and he drove ike a lunatic, going through red lights down little short cuts and just 5 mins from the terminal there had been a crash. It was 550 as we sat in the traffic i was devistated we were so close yet s far away, hen nigel mansell started weavin his way in and out and we cleared the crash. the time was .6.01 and i ran to the ticket office while mark grabbed the rucksacks. The bus hadnt arrived yet, and must have been caught in the same traffic as us. I was so happy , but when i came to pay for the tickets it wouldnt accept my card, rucksack on my back i ran to the cashpoint and withdrew the cash just as the bus was pulling in , i quickly ran back and paid and we boarded the bus    Les mer

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    Lake of Mystery

    21. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Were picked up promptly by our driver Vanderlay who drives us the one our drive to Buraco das Araras” (“Macaws’ Hole”), as it is known. Its a 100m deep and 500m sinkhole in the middle of a woode area. It ws discovered back in 1912 when it was actually a cave that the roof caved in and left this vast hole. Back then it was used as a dumping ground and people would dump everything from stolen cars to dead bodys in here until the owner of the land decided to clear it with the army. It was then opened for tourism and slowly but surely the wildlife started to return. As we walk toward the first viewing platform the sky is strewn with Mcaws screaming at each other as they fly over in their pairs. When we arrive at the viewing point Iam amazed at the view below me , its like a minnie garden of eden filled with beautiful birds and were lucky enough to see a Caiman gliding effortlessly along in the water Theres only one other guy from California with us and the tour guide allows us to use her binoculars to get a better view. To actually see these animals living in their natural environment is spectacular and is something i will treasure. Its strange as yesterday on facebook there was an video of the lion in Thailand that was sedated and the keeper was having to lift its head with a stick so as people could have their photo taken with it. For me i find this cruel, the animals here arent even fed they just live in the wild, and surely thats how it should be. As we walk further around the trail just in the tree next to us we see a vulture which is joined very shortly by a falcon. Ive only ever seen this sort of thing when guys bring birds of prey to shows and this has also made me question that scenario as these two birds arent flying down to sit on anybodys arm. We continue along the trail to the second viewing tower where the lagoon surronded by the bright red walls can be seen clearer. The Mccaws are numerous and constantly dip in and out of the sink hole below us with a stream of cockatills fly over head, the tour is ended as we spot an armadillos burrow, but at this time noone is home and we get collected to be taken to the next adventure of the day. We arrive at the park but after trying to converse we find we are at the wrong place so dressed in short wetsuits we make the 5 minute drive to Lago mysteriousa. They are waiting for us and after a quick debrief make the short trek to the lake. As we make our way down we can see the lak at the bottom , a deep turquoise colour that gleams below. In the lake is a cave that has only been dived to 220 metres but no bottom was found and is the deepest cave in the world , i feel a little apprehensive as we enter the water and snorkel along the surface when suddenly i feel a . There are tiny little fish in the water and for some reason the are having me for lunch. It doesnt hurt but ever time one bites me i have a flapping attack in the water. As i look down you can see the cave below and in the water there are what looks like little twinkling starts , they are actually planktum the same thing that lihts up the sea and my thoughts are how beautiful this place would be at night. The water is perfectly clear and we get to snorkell for over an hour investigating the bottomless hole below us. It really is something special and totally understandable why this place is called Bonito. I well ready for getting out when we do as ive turned into a prune and the weather isnt so warm . Vanderlay is waiting for us when we get changed and takes us back to the hostel . On the way back he stops the car really abruptly and there in the field is an anteater its nearly the size of a cow much bigger that i ever imagined them to be, and i first i thought there were 2 of them, only to realise it was that size all on its own. Actully it was bigger than a cow. Further along the road we had to make another emergency stop as this crazy bird that looks like a road runner decided to have a race with the car. The wildlife here is fantastic and i hope and pray that this will remain unspoilt by future tourism. This evening we went to the best restaurant in town, recommended by numerous people wed spoken to and by god was it good it was absolutely heaving and i have to say i could see why, the service couldnt be faulted and the food was even better a perfect end to a perfect day.Les mer

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    Bonito

    20. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    So we eventually arirved, the bus journey took 8 hrs instead of 5, but thats to be expected now were back in Brazil. We get a taxi to the hostel as its right on the other side of town and to be honest i just want to get there now. We are allocated our room and when i open the door its two twin beds so i go back to reception and they move us to another room. We dump our bags and head to the travel agency attached to the hostel. Even though its out of season we have been warned that it can be difficult to get booked onto the abismo tour and that is exactly the case. There are no places available saturday or sunday and Monday we are supposed to be catching a bus to Santarem, so we decide on another trip called Lake Mysteriousa and can also join his with a trip Buracu de Arasas. Once the trips are booked we then have to book transport to get ther and guess what? The bus is full so we have to opt for a taxi. Once trips are booked we heaad out to exploore town. The town is literally one street that is a main road about 1mile long with various shops either side, most of them being clothes shops, expensive ones at that. This place is really geared up for rich people tourism, and most of them are Brazilians. Mark goes into the garage while i do a little winow shopping and when he comes out i wave him, i point to the shop im going in and ther is no sign of him, so i go back outside and look for him ... nowhere to be seen. I think he must have carried on walking so i walk to the end of the street and back down again to the garage looking in every bar as i go, but still no sign. Its a good 15 minute walk back to the hostel , but i can only think thats where he is. Sure enough hes showered and ready to go out for something to eat so we walk back to a restaurant at the start of town. When were handed a menu i nearly die , the options are Caman, alligator and turtle, my being concern is how is this affecting the natural world here. The whole reason we come to these areas is to see the wildlife in its natural habitat, and here it is being served on a plate , not quite what i had in mind . Mark orders the pirhana soup and i just stick with a steak, and accomany it with my first caiirinha since being back in Brazil. We both enjoy the meal thoroughly and make the walk back to the hostel. In the bar on site its buy one get one free on the caiirinhas so it would be rude not to, and we sit chatting to a German couple and Frederico the bar man. After 3 drinks i am well on my way to being boozy and shortly after retire to bed as we have an early start in the morning.Les mer

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    Time To Think

    19. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Over the past week Mark and I have spent nearly 80 hours on buses, all in the pursuit of a place called Bonito which in Engllish tranlates tto beautiful. As you can imagine in this time ive had plenty of opportunity to1 reflect on our whole journey in general. For the peole who have known me for a while, you will know that this trip has been a dream for a long time, and even though it was something i longed for it was never something i actually thought i would achieve.
    Ive always worked hard from a young age, and for that matter always dreamed big, with my sontaneous nature starting when i joined the Navy all those years ago. Too quit our jobs and pack our lives into a couple of rucksacks to most people would be crazy, and trust me in the final weeks i actually believed that was the case, however living this dream has changed me as a person.
    We are so blessed at home, but also very materialistic, and travelling has made me realise that that is not something i will chase anymore. ive realised that driving a brand new car or having the latest television are not the things that make me happy and in actual fact im happier without them.
    The people in my life are what makes me happy, My daughter who i am so proud of, my mum who has given me the confidence and brought me up with the morals i have, Mark who has supported my recklessness and my friends whos ears i have bent. I love and miss you all , but not enough to come home just yet.
    We have been gone nearly 5 months but have seen and done so much, met some amazing people some of them time and tme again but ive also had moments of sadness when ive seen young children who will never have an education, or the old lady with dirty feet in the street begging for her next meal.
    My passion for travel has only grown, and i think Mark has definitely obtained an addiction for i as well.
    As i look back at where i was a year ago i realise that ddoing this has been been the right thing to do, My job controlled me even in my free time and got to a point where it made me ill, but since being out here i have never felt healthier. Finishing the Inca trail was a massive achievement both mentally and physically and made me realisei am strong and pretty fit , and spending 24 hours a day with Mark has been a blessing, well most of the time anyway.Since weve been married the quality and quantity of time spent together has been minimal, but this trip has definitely brought us a lot closer together.
    Dont get me wrong there have been times on our journey that have not been all roses but they make you appreciate the times when it is good. I know im waffling on a bit now, but the point im trying to make is, do what makes you happy life is far too short to be miserable, its not all about the money, time with your loved ones is so much more valuaable xxxxx    Les mer

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    Cuiaba.

    18. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We arrived this mornin at just after 6 after a 23 hour journey that i not going to bore you with the details of. Cuiaba is quite a big city with lots of skyscraper buildings. The hostel itself is really nice and we even have our own pool although its actually raining at the moment so well give that a miss. Even though our room is ready the young girl on reception is reluctant to let us in there ss check in isnt till midday, although she does offer us a coffee and we si t in reception catching up on emails etc. shortly after 8 the owner of the hostel arrives and swiflly shows us to our room apologisnig for keeping us waiting. Mark and i are both so relieved to get a shower and brush our teeth , and feel clean again at last . We get dressed and ask to use he laundry facilitys which is actualll a washing machine. clothes washed and hung out to dry Mark and I are keen to find a bar to watch the Liverpool game , so after downloading a map on my phone we se off. The map doesnt actually show bars but it takes us to the centre? well thats what it says. There is not a bar in sight , but both being hungry we enter a shop that is really busy with locals. Its a buffetstyle where you load on your plate what you want and its weighed by the kg . With a full plate and a can of pop my whole meal comes to 3 pound and is absolutely delicious. Still unable to find a bar and only an hour and a half till kick off we head back to the hostel we enquire if there is anywhere at all that is open and after several phone calls to numeroius bars the answer is NO?. The only other option is to watch it on a streaming site so tablet out and after a few sites we managed to find one and watched the game ittermitently obviously being very dissapointed with the result. In the evning we go to reception to order a Chinese to be delivered but the guy suggests we head to praca popular as they have every type of food we could possibly want. taxi ordered and 5 minutes later we arrive. The square is strewn with vrious eateries and after a cocktail and a beer wwe agrre on a steak. The guy in the restaurant is hysterical and speaks the most perfect american English, and is also impressed with my Portuese. He explains thaat he knew a woman from Liverpool called Susan Boyle from when he worked there and then joked about the x factor. Mark went all out and also had a cocktail, called a Grand Jack( thats your fault Colin Ward) . I go into the toilet and there is the biggest bottle of Listerine mouthwash I've ever seen we pay the bill and i have to say it was one of the most pleasurable evenings ive had in months. The temptation to drown our sorrows was immense but we were good girls and boys and returned to our beds to set the alarm for 445 to catch our 12 hour bus to Campo Grande.Les mer

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    Porto Velho

    17. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    We arrive early in the morning but not as early as we think. For some strange reason I ask the time, to find out the clocks have gone forward an hour, must have been that ferry crossing. Its lucky i checked as I have booked our tickets for tomorrow and would have missed the bus. We hang around the staton grabbing a coffe and a couple of cigarettes as i think its too eaarly for the hostel to be open yet, and i dont want to be getting them up at 6 in the morning. We jump a taxi , but the taxi driver hasnt a clue where the hostel is and even though i have the address he is still unable to find it and wants to turf us out in the street. I rfuse and he stops a lady in the street to gain guidance. Im glad were nly staying here a night as so far this place holds no attraction for me, and when we arrive at the hostel im really really glad its only for one night. The humidity here is intense and we are miles away from anything so after catching up on a few hours sleep we take on the arduous task of trying to find a bank. We walk for well over a mile asking directions along the way, and although i have perservered in lerning Spanish every day it seems of no consequence here.Eventually we reach a shopping area and after asking numerous times locate a bank. I feel more relaxed now as at least we can have something to eat and pay for the room. Walking back along the street i spot a subway and we take lunch here, as all i seem to have eaten is hamburgers recently. We make our way back to the hstel in unbearable heat and both fight for first turn in the shower. The water once again is cold but to be honest itts welcomed as taking a hot shower would be ridiculous. Refreshed we spend the after noon reading and venture out at 6ish for a bite to eat. We eventually find a burger bar and whilst sitting outsie enjoying the food the guy on the next table starts to speak to us. To say his English is poor is an understatement and even my Spanish is better but he insists that he speaks in English as he wants to practise.He is definitely a sandwich short of a picnic and i excuse myself to go in and pay the bill. Whilst at the till the girl tells me to be careful and then makes a sign with her hand of a gun, and tells me to hide my money, and when i return to Mark it takes all my effort to pull him away from the guy who just wants to talk about Rambo. Eventually we leave , but i feel pretty unsettled and am relieved when we are safely locked up in our abode for thr night. We get an early night as we have a 23 hour bus journey tomorrow, but were awoken at 1am by the owner of the hostel turning all the lights on and bringing in a new occupant. The girl is English and is really apologetic, but we say its no problem and just to turn the lights off when shes got her stuff sorted, and i soon drop back off to sleep.Les mer

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    I Wasn't Expecting That

    17. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We are catching the night bus to Porto Velho tonight at 9pm so we have a long wait around the hotel today. I say a hotel very loosely, but there are no hostels here, and if im honest most of the hostels have been of a higher standard than here, but as they say we are in the jungle. We get up, and pack the bags, having a couple of hours to relax as checkout isnt till 1130. We leave our bags in reception, and go out to explore the city, we didnt get to see much last night as it was dark when we arrived. Its strange as well because i expected there to be a time difference from Peru, but the time was still the same. Everywhere we go random guys keep coming up to us asking for a cigarette, and rather than take the chance we oblige , whats a cigarette between friends ? We walk to the Plaza we were at last night and everywhere is closed so we make our way down towards the river. On the right we pass a huge white building , which is the Palacio Rio Branco, a historic building but as its Sunday it isnt open. The waterfront is littered with brightly coloured houses and we cross the bridge to take us to the historical quarter on the other side. We walk around but literally nothing is open apart from a churrasco that is packed to the rim with locals. We wander further along the river but there is nothing to see so on te way back we stop at the churrasco to eat. They awas say eat where the locals eat. Theyre not wron we have an absolute feast of rice ferrofe feijoida salad steak sausage nd chicken with a drink for 3 quid. we mosey back to the hotel and spend the afternoon just sitting around. I check the buus online and it looks like the bus we are going to catch is full. there is another one at 930 sso i suggest to Mark we might as well wait at the bus station as sit here. We collect our belongings and head to the station. When we arrive i go to the ticket desk and am pleasantly surprised to find they have seats availableon the 8pm bus . The couple of hours fly by and its not long before were climbing aboard. The night buses are ok especially if you have a full cama seat but this one only has semi camas and although you can dose off you dont really get a goodd nights sleep. This is especially apparent tonight when at 1am we are all told to get of the bus because there is a high chance of danger? what the hell? we are in the middle of a dirt track and everbody is instructed to go up the hill in front of us. When we reach the top there is a huge river and because we have to get on a platton is the reason why weve all had to get off. Honestly i couldnt have written this, there was no mention of this when i booked the tickets . Its 1am and i am stood on a floating platoon the moon shining in the sky with the bus alongside us with 50 other people but the only one being eaten alive by the mossies. They are even serving coffee on the barge ! After about 45 minutes we are back on dry land and all allowed to board the bus again. Thankfully its not been too cold and once back on the bus we snuggle back up and drift off.Les mer

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    Back in Brasil

    16. mai 2016, Brasil ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We received a phone call yesterday to say that our bus would be leaving at 7am, but at 620 this morning they called to say that the bus had arrived and was waitng for us , luckily i had set the alarm early and it was just a case of getting there. The guy on reception called us a taxi and i managed to have a quick ciggie in the tuc tuc. The bus was literally leaving so the rucksacks had to come on board with us. We travelled for about an hour and a half before reaching the Peruviam border which was an absolute shambles we placed our bags on a make shift table to be searched and the had to walk 500m down the road to get our passport stamped. noone was allowed back on the bus so with rucksacks in tow we crossed over the road to the shack where immigration were. It was a good job i asked as it wasnt expained and could quite easily have been missed. The bus then drove down the road with nobody on it and parked oppsite the immigration office and once again locked all the doors. The heat was blistering and there were ants the size of a cigarette filter literally munching away at my feet, together with my old lover the mosquito i was literally being eaten alive. The bus driver was busy getting a shower and lunch while i was wondering whether i would make it back to Brasil. We were stuck here for nearlyy an hour and a half, before eventually being allowed back on the bus to make the 15 minute journey to the Brazilian Immigration. Here the agenda was a lot more formal, and we were made to fill in an exit card and made to stand in a straight line before being called into the office 3x3. One of the women on the bus hadnt been stamped out of Peru , which as i explained could be easily done, and so after nearly an hour again it was time for our bag search. The problem being our rucksacks were still inside the bus and the bus driver refused point blank to open the door, so Mark and i sat waiting again, praying that Brazilian immigration didnt think we were trying to hide something. It was comical when one woman in the queue was having her bag searched and she must have had half the grains and seeds of Peru in her bag which was forbidden to take across the border, and nearly half a suitcase lighter she was able to reboard the bus. Our bags werent searched at all, and once allowed back on the bus we were off. The road was unroadworthy through parts but after slow crossings in some areas we eventually arrived in Rio Branco nearly 2 hours late. Because of the time we literally asked the taxi driver to take us to a hotel recommended in lonely planet to allow us to sleep. It was 25 pound for the night and my first impression was a cockroach in the bathroom, i refrained from going down to reception as im sure his response would be the same as Manwells - well i am in the jungle. Mark and i both hungry and stunble to the main Plaza 3 mins round the corner where 20 odd local people were queuing outside a burger bar. We ordered our food and sat in the lively square acknowleding the different atmosphere now we ar back in Brasil. food eaten and back to the hotel allowing Mark to scan for cockroaches before getting into bed.Les mer

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    Fawltey Towers

    15. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    We wake in the morning and take breakfast, today will be another day of just chilling as we will be catching a bus in the early hours of the morning to take us back to Brazil. I'm more than a little apprehensive as I've heard the border crossing is a nightmare. We have our tickets booked but no time for departure but generally they wait to fill the bus and as it leaves they know the journey takes 10 hours so they can predict what time it will arrive here. We have been chatting to an American guy this morning and he has recommended the place across the road for lunch. They serve ceviche and since we are close to a river it should be good.We still have all the Machu picchu pictures to upload, but when Mark goes to the room to get the camera he can't find it. I think its just Mark not looking properly, but when i cant find it i begin to get really concerned. I cannot believe that all the photos i took at Machu Picchu are gone. I try to think back and remember we definitely had it in the tuc tuc fron the terminal. I return to th restaurant where we had the coffee in the morning, and when we get there the girls face lights up and she pulls out my little yellow camera. I am so happy i could kiss her. They have put it in the lost property book so when i get given it back i have to sign put my passport number and leave a tip. We have a little wonder round the plaza before withdrawing our last Peruvia sole and heading for lunch. When we enter the restaurant the young girl is eating her lunch so i explain theres no rush and were shown to a table at the back.This place has a fantastic river view littered with psalm trees and Mark and I sit sharing a beer and having a cigarette before placing our order.I dont know what ive ordered but hopefully its not raw fish. It is raw fish, accompanied by some fried fish and even though Mark thoroughly enjoys his, Im not that fussed . Im saving myself for the restaurant at the end of the road where we will eat tonight. It is so hot here i feel the need to take an afternoon nap. The latter part of the afternoon was spent exchanging stories with the American Rob and a girl from Turkey called Ronnie. The day passed quickly and before long it was time to eat agian. Wed seen a restaurant at the end of our street and as it was so close we thought wed give it a go. The waiter in their looked like Manwell and as we sat down at our table it was crawling with ants. Manwell swiftly grabbed a menu and brushed the ants from the table stating 'well you are in the jungle its normal' Mark and i just pissed ourselves laughing, whilst continuing to swat the remaining ants.We ordered our food, and seeing as we were the only ones in there it was taking forever so Mark decided to go for a cigarette. As he stood up Manwell shouted right the way across the restaurant ' SIT DOWN' and unusually for Mark he obeyed. By now we could barely contain ourselves for lauging, even though my food took another 20 minutes to appear. The food was as bad as the service, but the laughs we had justifyed in paying for it and we went to bed still laughing.Les mer

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    In the Jungle

    13. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We arive at 7 in the morning, and it's very apparent we are in the jungle. The humidity here is incredible and I'm relieved to be getting up and its not cold. The station of puerto Maldonado is quite small and trying to get our luggage of the bus is a challenge in its self. How hard is it to match up tickets? The main problem is a group of Spanish that want their bags off first when they put them on first, and it just doesn't work like that. Eventually reunited with our bags we make our way into the terminal and I look round for the company that will take us to Brazil. Apparently there is only one and they only leave twice a week but when I go to the desk they tell me they no longer cross the border, and that it's a company cared Ormeno. Their office isn't open yet so we step outside to find a cab. Our only option is a tuk Tuk so we attach our bags as best we can and head to find a hostel. The one we've been looking at has vacancies so we get checked in and Mark heads for bed and I get some breakfast. The hostel is great and there is a mixed bunch staying here, but most people are heading out on the trek the hostel offers. Its a three day and two night excursion but until I know what bus I need to catch I'm not booking anything. Mark and I head out for a coffee and empanada and after catch a tuc Tuc tio the terminal. The buses only leave on a saturday and Wednesday and today is Thursday, so it looks like the jungle trekking will have to wait. We book our tickets for Saturday, but the woman can't confirm a time until tomorrow evening as they have to wait until the bus leaves Cusco to have an idea of what time it will arrive in Puerto Maldonado. We leave the station, but I'm not comfortable with the fact that we don't know our time, but that's the way it is. We actually have quite decent internet in the hostal so we head back there and spend the afternoon catching up on photo back up and updating my blog. When I was doing the Inca trail i hand wrote everything so now I have to translate it to my online blog, and as I'm rereading it I think I must have been suffering badly with altitude sickness as it doesn't make sense, either that or I was thinking in Spanish. In the evening we head to John's place where we have been recommended the burgers, but to be honest they weren't all that, and even though there's a karaoke bar in town it is totally empty. I feel that we're either out of season or this place isn't getting the tourists it deserves. Once again it's back to the hostel where we chill out just watching telly then to our room to climb under our mosquito net for a good night sleep.Les mer

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    Reunited

    11. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I wake early and must admit i feel totally refreshed, I make my way through to reception to take breakfast and try and skype with my family, I have to say my adoptive family for the past 4 days have been incredible and i dont think i could have wished for better. We pack up all our belongings as we will be catching a night bus to Puerto Maldonado tonight so have to be out of our room by 10am. This is our last day in Cusco and ive loved every minute, but it really is time to move on to pastures new. We wont leave till 9pm tonight so after packing we head off to return my camping equipment and duffle bag back to the office. Just before we arrive we bump into Dan who tells us that the family will meet at 1230 at the Green Point restaurant. we have an hour to go so head towards the San Pedro market to pick up a few things that we need. I encourage Dan to join us for one of the jugos especial which contains beer, both the men need no encouragement and as we sit enjoying the copias amount of juice we spof Noriko and give them both the information for the meeting point. I have an urgent need for the toilet and as i make my way there i know its not going to be nice. The toilets are just outside the market and are literally a hole in the ground with a big bucket of water that you fill your little bucket with to flush it. All i can say is im not a good aim and spend a god while later cleaning up after myself. We all head to the meeting point and order the meal of teh day. The restaurant is vegetarian but the food is amazing and extremely tasy, although all 4 cousres with a help yourself salad bar is more than i can eat. and for 3 ound is grat value for money. Once again we say our goodbyes to the family, and Mark and I hail a taxi to take us to the station, to purchase our tickets. My body is definitely in need of some attention and back in Cusco we take a walk down massage street. I have nick named it this as for the past 2 weeks whenever you walk down here you are approached about 20 times with 'massage massage', and for the past 2 weeks its been no gracias but today it will be pick me! i opt for the hot stone massage and take my place on the couch. By god when they say hot they mean hot, but i grit my teeth through it as i guess the hotter the better. As i leave the parlour i didnt realise how tight my muscles were, but now i feel totally relaxed, and Mark is waiting in a little cafe just outside. We have our llast little wonder round town and make our way back to tehe hostle to wait for our bus. Before to long we are in a taxi and arrive at the station, shortly after. To our surprise dan is here and we get to spend one final hour with him. The security at the sation as we are boading is intense withe security guards sweeping you, fingerprints taken and video camerad as we are getting on. We board without any issues and before too long were on our way. Time to catch up on some much needed sleep.Les mer

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    Machu Picchu

    10. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    So after all the hard work today we will arrive aat the final destination. The past few days have been mentally and physically draining but the bonds we have made with our little Puma family and the team we have had supporting us has made it an experience I will never forget. We are woken at 3am and the usual process of the hot water is provided, but today we have the choice of hot drink, and im going to spoil myself with a hot chocolate. After a quick wash i am prepared for our final day. The earlly start is due to the porters having to catch the early train so literally as soon as we are out of the tent they are dismantled and the site is cleared. We have a fewminutes trek down and people are already queuing at the gate, which doesnt open it till 530. I pull out my plastic poncho and lay it on the ground to sit on. We have an hour and a half wait here and i nearly smoke myself to detah. just before the gates open i make my last use of the toilet as there are no more on the trail, and with this many people around i dont fancy using the Inca toilet (au natural) . We are ready and every ones spirits are really high. There is only 1 and a half hours trekking ro do this morning, but the final challenge is what the Peruvians call the gringos killer. After sitting for so long we are all glad to be moving and as we go through the checkpoint the sun is rising over the mountains in the distance. We walk for 20 mins and then stop to take off some layers, it's really strange how quickly the temperature changes once the sun has risen. Another hour of trekking and we come to a stop. There is a queue to get up the gringo killer and we all form an orderly queue to get our beating. Its not long before its my turn, I put my walking stick away and start my mount to the top, I can hear people cheering so I know the end is in site, and as I reach the top I am expecting to see more steps but am pleasantly surprised to see I've reached the sun gate. The sun is still rising behind us and the view is like a picture postcard. My emotions overwhelm me and I sit sobbing uncontrollably for at least 5 minutes, I so wish Mark was here. There are now quite a lot of people here, and we still have an hours decent to the actual site so Efry suggests we start to make our way down. Just as we leave the gate someone proposes and the whole place erupts with cheers and clapping, what a truly amazing place for such a gesture. I walk down slowly still feeling very sensitive and arrive at the checkpoint where we will all meet. The first busses of people just doing the one day tour start to arrive, and I look out like a hawk hoping I might see Mark.After 40 minutes we all trek down to the main entrance to use the toilets etc and the buses are coming in thick and fast, and I reside myself to the fact the chances of seeing him are going to be pretty slim. Efry walks us around the site giving us guides and info of all the important areas on the site. Just as we are listening to the facts about the sun temple a group walks past us, and there is something familiar about one of the people. IT'S MARK!!!!! All the group cheer and everyone around looks to see what all the commotion is. With a brief hug and kiss Mark sets off with his group and we arrange to meet at the entrance later. We spen the next hour or so walking round the ruins and taking various photos, before arranging that we will all meet for lunch in a bar in aguas calientes. Bus tickets are issued and i make my way to the entrance to wait for Mark. Its not long before he joins me and we decide to get the bus down to have a bit of time together before he catches his early train back. Aguas Calientes is a really touristy town, but there is somehing quite magical about it too. After a little exploring we make our way to the bar and all the Alpaca guides are in here. We buy them a beer and i just sit with Mark enjoying being reunited. Its not long before the Alpaca family start coming in, a couplle of the group have opted to go to the top of Machu Picchu mountain, but im so gla i didnt book my ticket. We drink a few beers and Mark has to leave to catch the train but im so glad i met him here, its been a long 4 days and there hasnt been a day weve spent apart in the past 4 montshs. We order food and before too long we are reunited as a whole family just in time to cath the 4.22 train back to ....... The train journey is amazing with the most phenominal views as it takes us along the river. I sit next to an older couple telling them my tales of the last few days . The jorney flys by and before to long we arrive in .... The bus is waiting for us to take us back to Cusco and weve arranged to meeet up later tonight for a drink, but by the time we get back we are so exhausted that we rearrange for tomorrow. After a shower Mark and i head out for a bite to eat and Sasha has arrived from Sucre so after a quick beer and nibbles with her its back to the hostel to get my well earnt rest in a double bed.Les mer

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    Machu Pichu Day 3

    9. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We are woken shortly after 5 and when i wake this morning i feel terrible, but im greeted with the most amazing view. The sun is rising over the Andes , but my heart is filled with sadness as i really wish i could spend these moments with Mark, but before i get myself too upset i give myself a slap , i need to save my energy for the trekking we have today. Our first accent is about 30 minutes and takes us to a point where we overlook the valley, they are views like ive never seen before, and its at this moment i feel most grateful at how blessed i am to be doin this. We are given an explanation here of how the Incas worshipped mamma pacha and how young children were sacrificed to try and make her happy. As we continue along the trail the porters have already packed up camp and are quite literally running past us along the narrow path to go and set up camp for the final time. We trek through a cave cut into the rock and continue along the path. I must say im really enjoying the trekking today, the weather is good the scenery is phenominal and the family are all together. We reach our first Mirador where as we look down we can see Machu ichu town (aguas calientes) and here we take a break having a few more grou shots taken. Its now downhill for 10 minutes where we reach our first Inka site of the day. Efry gives us an explanation of the inka symbol and we have a spectacular view of the valley. Across the way we see the farming land and this will be our next stop. The steps down are treachorous and after 45 minutes of sheer step decent the path flattens out for a short time before we are faced with even more steps going down. This continues for yet another hour or so and when we arrive we all sit and take a break eating the snacks of Oreo biscuits and the apple we were given this morning. The craftsmanship of this place is stunning and down in the valley below you can see the train. On site there are 3 llamas and after various photos we make our way to camp for lunch. Once gin there is an amazing display of food and a couple of hours to just relax and chill out. We are offered the option of a hot shower and Chris Ally and I jump at the chance. However I go last and by the time its my turn there is no hot water left, so a cold shower it is. It really refreshes me and the sun is still out so that helps. After an hours chillax we are taken to another Inca site which is just 10 mins away from camp. We all take a group photo and walk down to the bottom of the site. This is the most impressive site yet and Efry sits us all down giving an explanation here of the Inca leadership. It starts getting really cold as the sun starts to set so after outr talk we are issued our t shirts and its a short walk back for 'happy hour'. As we eat our snacks we all have a discussion about tipping. We have been given brief guidelines but all agree they have earnt the top recommendation as the work these guys have done is beyond human. Dinner is served really quickly and once again its a la carte. Everyone puts their money in and Simone makes lovely envelopes from all our knapkins. After dinner we meet outside with all the staff to show our appreciation to the guys that have made this journey the experience it has been. We hand out the envelopes and were all given the opportunity to say something. I find it quite emotional and one by one the porters and chefs come around the group and we get to say thank you individually. An early night is in order as we have a 3am start tomorrow so we bid each other goodnight and retire to bed ready for the big day.Les mer

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    Machu Picchu Day 2

    8. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We are woken at 5am by a porter with a cup of cocoa tea for me, and he has even remembered to bring the sugar. The cocooa tea will give me energy and by god will i need it today as we will trek for at least 10 hours. Once again we are brought a bowl of warm water and a flannel, and after a quick wash i dress warmly as its pretty cold this morning. We are serve a delicious breakfast incluing quinoa porridge fresh fruit and more cocoa tea. After breakfast we have 10 minutes before we set off and once everyone is ready off we go. When they said it was uphill they werent exaggerating, it is just step after step after step, I take it slowly and wind my way up. I have to keep stopping and catching my breath, and by this time i am chewing on cocoa leaves like a llama and draw my energy boost from this. We trek like this for 4 hour and i am absolutely exhausted, i really dont think i can do this. As we come round the corner i beieve that this is the top, but apparantley this is called the false pass for exactly that reason. When we reach the top the view down the valley is amazing and we take a group photo and sit down to enjoy a cheese sandwich and some cocoa tea At this point i realise its Mothers day (sorry mum for not sending card) Dan is still not with us but standing on the top of the mountain after trekking up it makes our bodies really cold so Efry tells us to push on . Its a 2 hour trek downhill from here before lunch is served. We once again arrive and the porters are already here with our field tent set up and we have half an hour to just relax and suck it up. The weather is a little cloudy so we dont have a great view, but the smell from the kitchen is enough to distract me. Lunch once again is amazing , and we eat beef saltado , vegetable tortillas and numerous other dishes. The attention to detail is beyond belief as the food is decorated with animals made out of vegetables , even the portaloo has an air freshner in. When we come out from dinner the weather is definitely coming in and rain is imminent. Within 10 minutes of trekking it starts to rain. We are all prepared and dressed in our wet weather gear so its onwards and upwards from here . If i never see a stepagain it will be too soon but im sure i will . Within the first few minutes we are rock climbing rather than walking up stes for nearly an hour until we rach the first inca site from the mirador all we can see is a drizzly mist and in a way its a dissapointment but just the sheer achievement of getting this far overwhelms me . We keep climbing an climbing, it really is relentless and we eventually arrive at the next Inca site. We are only 30 minutes away from the base camp and i just dont have the energy to climb anymore steps so make my way towards camp. The walk takes me through the jungle and before too long i arrive at the most beautiful place. The sun is starting to set over the snow capped Andes and the weather has cleared slightly making it look as if we are above the clouds. The rest of the family arrive shortly afterwards and after eating our snacks of popcorn and apple samosas we do some star gazing. Once again we are served gourmet food , but its bitterly cold so as soon as weve eaten everyone makes their way to their tents to get some sleep.Les mer

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    Machu Pichu Day 1

    7. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    So i wake at 3am and feel really stressed, I am so anxious about the trek that I have barely slept all night. I check and recheck my bag , worried I might have forgotten somethingthat i may need. Een when i turn on the light Mark remains fast asleep and doesnt even stir. Once im sure i ve got everything I kiss Mark goodbye and go to reception tosit and have a cigaette before the bus arrives to take us to the start of the trail. The rest of the 'Alpaca Family' are already on the bus and with a brief good morning to everyone we are on our way. After an hour and a half drive we arrive at our first pitstop.at ............. to buy our last minute essentials and our last civilised toilet break . The bus continues from here and takes us to the 82km oint where everybody gets off the bus and we wait for the guys to sort breakfast. We are one of the first groups on sight and get to set up before it starts to get really busy. we are served eggs tomatos and bread with a wonderful fresh fruit salad and numerous hot drinks. The way the porters and chefs arrange everything is something to be marvelled at, and im shocked at how old some of these guys are, or maybe thats what the trek does to you ? As we finish our breakfast everything is dismantled and packed into the biggest rucksacks ive ever seen. When I ask how heavy they are we are told they are 35kgs , but that 10 years ago there were no rules and these guys use to carry upto 60kg. Before we start the trek we have a group photo taken and make our way to clear 'passport control' , where our passports are checked against our permits. There is still a person missing, but we are told they will catch us up. The rickety bridge takes us across the river to start our first incline of the trek. We wind our way up with beatiful views of the valley taking regular breaks and going at our own pace , but sticking together as a family. Across the way we see our first Inka site a couple of hours in, following the river but ascending upwards. We arrive at another Inca site an hour later and were given a full explanation about how the Inkas evolved, but because there is nothing written we dont really know the exact dates . We are given time to relax and take some photos before makingour way to the lunch spot. As we trek the porters basically run past us and when we arrive lunch is nearly prepared. I have really struggled with my breathing and with the biggest bag of cocoa leaves I deceide to take the plunge and chew! Lunch is served consisting of tortilla served with advocado dips followed by soup, then trout and potatoes with vegetables washed down by peppermint tea. After such a big meal i feel like i could sleep for a week and as i finish a mule literally has his face in the window. Dan has joined us, but literally arived in Cusco this morning and is feeling a little bit worse for wear, and hes not the only one. I have a moment where i doubt my ability to carry on, but i refuse to quit and as i go outside there is a telephone which i pretend to call 999 on. Everybody laughs and spirits seem to be picking up. We ass the first camp site at Huayllabamba and i so wish i was stopping here, but we will trek to a higher point to get a head start in the morning. After 7 hours we reach Wayllabamba and everybody takes a rest including our 16 porters. I share my cocoa leaves around and from here its another hour of uphill again. Noriko and i have a similar pace and so we team up together for the last haul, but as we are walking along we look up ans spot people walking up a huge hill in front of us and realise that this is the way to camp. We push on , but i am mentally and physically exhausted, and as we slowly make our way up we cross the river and the porters are here collecting huge kegs of water to take back to camp. When we arrive our tents are set up and the dinner is already being cooked. There is a lady here selling beer so i buy a bottle and smoke a couple of cigarettes just taking in what today has been about. Once everyone arrives we all praise each other on our first days achievment before all being given a bowl of warm water a flannel and squirter soap to get washed before dinner. We have an introducing session where we get to find out the name, age and a little about each member of the supporting team, as well as introducing ourselves. We are served snacks of popcorn and hot chocolate whilst being debriefed on tomorrow's expectations. Dinner is served and is absolutely amazing, but once everyone has eaten we all hit the sack within minutes. Can tomorrow really be harder??Les mer

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    Last Minute Shopping

    6. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I spend the day purchasing my last minute essentials for tomorrrow and mainly nagging Mark about last night The rest off the day is just spent relaxing and ticking off my checklist. I am so anxious about tommorow. We have a briefing at 630 and we get to meet our guide. The People im going to be trekking with are really nice and im kin of releived when a couple of them say they are also nervous. We get a full explanation of what we are going to do and get issued with our illuminous green duffle bags and instructions of what time well be picked up. I guess this is it. Mark is waiting outside and he says hes going to take me for a nice dinner. We go to a lovely restaurant nt far from the hostel and i enjoy a steak with a Pisco sour. Its straight back to the hostel and i finish my packing before getting ino bed. Thats all for today folks Big Day tomorrow !!!!!!!!!!Les mer

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    Rainbow Mountain

    6. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    I get cllected from the hostel at 3am and im absolutely exhausted, i really need to start taking things easy and maybe should have had a break before Machu ichu, but you know me. Its a 3 hour drive to the village at the base of the mountain and i sleep most of the way on the bus, but when i wake up its starting to become light and as i look out of the window i nearly have a heart attack. We are driving down a single track road way too fast and there must be a 200 foot drop right below us i m so nervous i spend the rest of the journey just holding onto my seat, we speed round corners weaving in and out and i honestly believe if we meet anything coming the other way we will die. I am relieved that everybody else on the bus is nervous and its not just me. We safely arrive at Nevado Auzangato and when we get off the bus its absolutely freezing. Luckily I always plan for this having learnt from previous experiences but ther are some people on the bus who are freezing. We are taken to a small house(ill use that term loosely) and they lay on a good breakfast. Rainbow Mountain is 5200m above sea level so i fill up on my coca tea and its not long before we set off. I have agreed to share a horse with one of the other ladies on the bus,but they are more like donkeys than horses. We set off walking as there are parts of the trek which are only accesible by foot and the first part is a steep incline up to the valley. The walk is beautiful with waterfalls trickling down and after about an hour we are in the valley. I take first turn of riding the donkey and sit back and enjoy the beautifulview. As we trek along there is a small village community and a short while later we reach the entrance to the National Prk. There is a guy here collecting the entrance fee with his youg son, who has the most chapped cheeks ive seen, i just want to take out my moisturiser and cover his face , but of course i dont. I walk a little further before we have yet another incline. Its quite rocky and we weave our way through. The trek in total is 11km each way and by the time we reach Rainbow mountain i nearly fall over at the hill we have to climb to get to the top of the rainbow mountain. The accent to the first part is so hard i have to take 10 steps and stop and then take another few steps. After much perserverance i reach the first peak , and can see the mountain. Its so beatiful that i dont feel the need to climb the other part, but evebody says how much better the view is and after eating some sugary snacks and having a drink i take on the challenge. Once again its slow and steady and i after 45 mins i reach the top. It was so worth it the varying mountain ranges are so beautiful up here that it takes my breath away(or was that the climb up here) After a short break and a group photo its time to descend. The altitude definitely takes its toll on your body and on the way back there are people collapsing every where. I make it safely back to the house and we are given a wonderful lunch of chicken. We eat up and its time for the journey back, baggsy not sitting next to the window. We arrive safely back in Cusco and when i get to the hostel Mark is nowhere to be found. I guess hes in the Irish bar and when i go in there one of the regulars says he left 5 minutes ago so i head back to the hostel. Hes not here either but i am so tired i just get into bed. Mark turns up at 4 in the morning. Smethings never change.Les mer

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    Parting Company

    5. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    So today we say goodbye to two of our amigos, Sofie leaves early in the morning and we have arranged to meet Josh for the Man City and Real Madrid game. We pack Sofie off into a taxi and im quite sad to say goodbye to here and see her going off on her own , but im sure she will be fine and shes heading for a beach so im quite jealous. We head down to the Irish bar and Josh has already got the beers in. Mark has said he isnt drinking, but soon helps himself when its on the table in front of him. We watch the game and then head up to our first hostal as i will be doing rainbow mountain tomorrow. The guy on the tour desk gives us a really good price and also lends me a pair of hiking sticks for free which is a bargain. Next stop is getting some prices for the rest of the hiking gear i will need for MachuPichu and after a bit of shopping around i get a good deal and agree to pick up the day after tomorrow.We head back to San Francisco Plaza and this is where we say goodbye to Josh , its been really cool meeting up with him after all this time and he suggests he may see us in Amsterdam in July which would be great. Its an early night for me as i have rainboww mountain tomorrow and its a 3am start. Why do i do this to myself???Les mer

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    Bus Top Tour

    4. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    The two girls arrived back yesterday and when I get up for breakfast Olivia is in the reception. Its so good to see them again and I agree to cook a last supper as Olivia is going back to Aerequipa to meet a guy she left there. Sofie is heading out tomorrow to mancora to enjoy some beach time. Today has started pretty shitily with some sad news from home and today having to say goodbye to one of my adoptive daughters. We have already booked on the open bus tour so we go and join the tourists. The bus tour starts with going round the block 3 times, I don't think half the people on board realise but I've been in the city for 5 days now and am beginning to know my way about but I'm sure half of them click on when we pull into the same bus stop. The tour takes us through the city and then out the back up the hill to the minature Christ the redeemer, right next door to this is are the inka ruins called 'sexy lady' we don't actually get off here as the bus just drives past but I'm surprised at how big it is. Further down the hill we arrive at the haunted house, a huge derelict house and as we pull up the bus driver plays spooky music which is quite funny. The tour drops us back at the plaza and we head back to the hostel.
    We take the girls to the little cafe we've found selling the potato cake and sit and enjoy it together. Mark and I then go to the San Pedro market again, the festival in town is in full swing and there are people scattered everywhere dressed in full traditional costume dancing to music in the street the bands playing gives such an amazing atmosphere. Its really good to see the local thing as Cusco has so many visitors just coming here for a short vacation to do Machu picchu that it's a welcome break. We go and buy our ingredients for tonight wondering through the market aimlessly trying to find what we need. As per usual we end up cooking something that we hadn't intended to due to not finding the right ingredients. Dinner is delicious, but sad at the same time as now we become 3. Olivia heads off for the bus and shortly after I go to bed leaving Mark and Sofie to share a few beers.    Les mer

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    Another Day Another Hostel

    3. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Once again we are packing our bags and on the move, i am ready to lay my hat and not pick it up for a while. We arrive at our hostel and the room is not ready, we have arranged to meet Josh at 1 as they are showing the Liverpool game. We get given our room and i literally empty my whole rucksack and put my stuff away in there own draws. Ive kinda missed having a place to put my things as if you totally unpack you totally have to repack , i have been wearing the same clothes but your washing is done every few days and you just tend to wear the same things over and over. We go and meet Josh in the Irish bar and while we are waiting for him we get chatting to a Canadian couple who are doing a deluxe tour which sounds like perfection , we order some tapas , they are really good, but i cant say the game was. There is a festival of the 3 crosses here over the next few days and the preperations of all the crosses in town is taking place, every where you go there is a cross being dressed with silk sashes and flowers. The city is full of local people who have come down from the mountains to sell their wares as they know that there will be a lot of tourists here. In the Plaza de Armas is a group of guys with balaclavas on and llamas strapped to their backs doing a traditional inca ceremony. As two Japanese tourists are taking photos 2 of the guys jump upto scare them , it is funny but if im honest it would have shared the shit out of me if id been in their shoes . We leave the pub and as were heading back to our hostel there are street performers, There is also a mini casino where they have roulette and we spend a few quid just soaking up the vibe. The streets are full of local people and its nice to see them all congrigating together women men and children, the young and the old. As we sit on the steps an old lady goes up to the popcorn stall and leaves without anything. She climbs the steps in front of us and i goand buy her the popcorn. When i get to the top of the steps and ive her the popcorn she is so happy it relly makes my day. The entertainment finishes and we say our goodnights to Josh and i head back to our little home .Les mer

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    City Tour

    2. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I have a terrible nights sleep as the German guys in our room think its ok to come into the room at 1 in the morning and speak at the top of their voices as they are getting ready to go out and party. They then come back at 5 in the morning and as my eyes bury out from my little sleeping hole, it must have been scary because they suddenly become quiet and get into bed in a much more respectful manner. We are heading out on the city tour today and Im a little excited to see the real side of Cusco. The tour leaves at 11 so after a bit of breakfast we make our way to reception for it to start. As we are down here a couple of girls recognise me from Paraty and say your the woman who helped us. My new name is mother teresa of south america. The tour is really interesting, we are first taken to the San Pedro market where you can buy literally anything. The first area is vegetables and spices , where they have a potato called a mana which apparently has a substance for making Viagra since this has been found out the chinese have been exporting it and the price has gone from 50 cents to 20 solos per kg. The way things change here through tourism is pretty crazy and i wonder how things here will be in 10 years. We wonder through the market and there are the typical things of the meat counters etc ,. We get to try the local bread which is actually pretty good, but once again sweet. The next place was the Plaza where a lot of Inca ruins had been found, but due to lack of funding the majority of them stay where they are. Its incredible to think just below the roads where we walk is so much history yet to be unfolded, but lying there untouched. There is a street here which there are loads of shops offering massages Olivia had one just before she went on her trek and she said she felt like she had whiplash. We stop outside a shop that has three options in. Its really busy and our guide goes in and buys what looks like a pudding but is layers of mashed potato with lemon juice and cream, chicken mayonnaise spring onions and advocado. On the top is a slice of egg and an olive. It is truly delicious once you get your head round its not a pudding. We walk down a seperate street and its called the road of Inka and within the wall is a Puma and a snake. There is a girl with 3 stalls down here and she gives everyone a llama keyring and a discount card for 10 % off. The last stop of the tour is back to the hostal to make a Pisco sour The tour guide initially makes one and then he chooses 5 volunteers to make them, me being one of them. I take it all in my stride and its betweenme and a girl from chile. They are naturals as its often argued over where the original Pisco sour originated from. She ins after a taster session fr the chef in the kitchen, Isnt he supposed to have a taste for food rather than Dirnk??? i lose the competition obviously and when i go to shake her hand she is not a good winner. We hea back downstairs where i am ready just to lay my head down, I wake at 1030 pm and decide just to sleep some more as i am warm and comfortable.Les mer

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    New Day New Hostal

    1. mai 2016, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    After packing the three of us take a taxi to our new hostal, and its dedinitely apparent you get what you pay for. The whole atmoshere and feel of this place makes me feel like im back at home. There are a lot of English here and a decent party atmosphere, and after being in coldittz for the past few days i feel a lot happier. The hostal even allow us to get breakfast even though its not paid for for today. Ive really missed having milk in my coffe and here the milk is even warm. I speak with Mark and agree that we should stay here till i do the Macchu Pichu trek on the 7th. In reception we can only book for today and tomorrow as Sunday is fully booked, so once again we will have to find another place to stay. We make that our first misiion and after a bit of hunting around we eventually find a place and after a bit of bartaring we get a double room for the same price as 2 hostel beds and book for a week. I am so looking forward to just settling down without the morning checkout and lugging our bags from one place to another. Now thats booked im on a mission to try and claim back Marks Inca Trail. The insurance have stipulated that we have to have booked the trip before we left home, which we did but when we arrived in Rio the tour company cancelled and we had to book through a different company. We go to the tour agency to see if they can give us an invoice from our original tour date, but they are unable to so it looks like were going to lose that money. Its so frustrating as you take out insurance exactly for this reason and yet when it comes to it your not covered. Grrr. The idea of actually doing the trek on my own is not great either but i feel that i should, so we cancel Marks and i stay booked in. A lot of people have been saying how hard it is , and though you think you have become acclimatised there are still days where its hits you on the back of the head and you struggle for breath. Back to the hostel and Sofie and Olivia will leave tomorrow for their trek, I am honestly going to miss them when theyre gone, they have brought an amazing different aspect to our journey over the past few weeks and I am trully grateful for their support while Mark has been in hospital.
    Mark and I spend a few hours just walking round the city and taking it easy, I think Mark is so glad to be out in the fresh air, but i dont want him doing too much .... you know what hes like ! I sak him what he fancies to eat and he says blue cheese????? but if thats what he wants . we walk along the restaurants and i spot a menu with steak and gorgonzola cheese on. We go in and when he orders, he orders something totally different , im really perplexed as the only reason we have come here is for the blue cheese and when i say this to him he says gorgonzola isnt blue cheese... for gods sake were in Peru is he expecting to find fine English stilton? I get a bit grumpy and even though its something so menial i think its just the pressure and tension of the past few days. As we leave i treat myself to a starbucks and a Caramel Macchiato always puts a different spin on things. We walk back to the hostal enjoying this beautiful city lit up in an almost spiritual way , it has such a calming influence. An hour spent in the bar area as its the only place you can get wifi and we retire to bed    Les mer

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