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The South American Odyssey
  • The Craze for Travelling
  • The Craze for Travelling

The South American Odyssey

A 147-day adventure by The Craze for Travelling Read more
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  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Casa Sandoval jetty
    Casa Sandoval jetty1Our roomRelaxation areaDining area

    Casa Sandoval

    November 6, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We reached the Casa Sandoval by 12:40 am. Its one of the 4 lodges on the the Sandoval lake. Despite wearing the rain gear, we were completely soaked due to the rain. We changed into some dry clothes and came over to the dining area for some food.
    In the area around the lodge, we spotted the Brown Titty Monkey and the Brown Aguti (a rabbit size guinea pig).    Read more

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    Views around Sandoval Lake

    November 6, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    On some of the high trees, we spotted the Red Cappuchin Monkeys. They were making a peculiar sound and calling to each other. Jorge explained that its normally the juveniles that make that sound when they feel lonely. It sounded more like a bird call rather than a monkey call.
    As we slowly glided around we listened to the sounds of the animals and exchanged a lot of stories about birds and animals and their unique habits etc.
    We even heard the call of the Tree Frog, it almost was like the sound of a barking dog.    Read more

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Nymphs on the lake surface
    Nymphs on the lake surfaceThe torchlight causing a round shape in the steamNymphs flying in the torchlightAll around JorgeA Nymph

    The Nymphs

    November 6, 2017 in Peru ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    It was almost 6:30 pm, it was dark by now. The rain had also stopped. The air above was cooler than the water of the lake, so there were wisps of steam rising over the lake. It was magical. We could see the fog thus produced in the torchlight Jorge was using.
    Then he showed us the phenomenon with the Nymphs. These are small flying insects the size of a wasp. The eggs are laid under the water where a caterpillar forms from them. It then converts into a pupae. Then, if it had been a humid afternoon like it had been today, then these flies rise to the surface and fly up. Their sole goal in life is to mate before they die in about 12 hours. They don't eat anything and try and reach as high as they can as the ones highest get to mate. The word nymphomaniac comes from here.
    They are very attracted to light, so whem Jorge was pointing the torch in the air, they would start flying towards the torch like a kamikaze pilots. Soon, there was a sea of nymphs all around Jorge.    Read more

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    Morning canoe ride (Sandoval Lake)

    November 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    We woke up at 5 am and were on the canoe by 5:30 am. The rain had stopped finally after almost 36 hours so we could carry the cameras with the zoom. The sky was still cloudy and a bit overcast. It was nice and quiet with only the rhythmic sound of the oar going through the water propelling us forward.
    Earlier in the morning, about 4 am or so, I had woken up to the sound of what sounded like someone whistling a 3 note song. Jorge told, it was the song of the bird called Aye Aye Mama. It very rare to hear it even in the Amazonas. The legend behind the story was that there were some kids who didn't listen to their parents and went deep into the forest. They were lost and as it started getting dark, they started crying. The spirit of the Amazon appeared and asked them why they were crying. They told that they were lost and wanted to go back to the family. The spirit told that they had been bad kids since they had not listened to their parents so they will have to remain in the forest as birds but they were free to fly back to their families but they will have to return to the jungle to live. It is this bird that makes that sound.
    On the boat ride, we saw some beautiful red flowers.    Read more

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Anhinga
    AnhingaBats on a palm trunkCormorantSquirrel Monkeys

    Bats and Squirrel Monkeys

    November 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Previous evening, we had seen a lot of bats flying in the air and swooping down and eating the nymphs that had fallen into the water. Now, during the day, they were hanging upside down on the trunk of somr of the palm trees. We also Cormorants and Anhingas (a bird from the cormorant family).
    We also saw a group of Squirrel Monkeys eating palm tree fruits. We stopped there for about 10 min watching and observing their antics.    Read more

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Giant River Otters
    Giant River Otters2Red Howler Monkeys

    Giant River Otters & Red Howler Monkeys

    November 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    A bit further along the coast, we came across some giant river otters fishing in the lake. The quiet of the jungle was broken by a loud rumbling sounds like those of big commercial airplane taking off. This was the call of the Red Howler Monkeys. We saw them a bit further in the trees.Read more

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Long beaked
    Long beaked22

    Back to the lodge

    November 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We saw a pair of Long billed woodcreeper feeding their chicks inside the hollow of a palm tree. We turned back towards the lodge and were back by about 8 am.

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
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    2Main square Puerto Maldonado1

    Catching up on the calories

    November 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Back at Puerto Maldonado, we rearranged our bags. The laundry was also done, so we changed into some dry clothes and went out looking for some food and drinks..... and ice creams.

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
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    Off to Cusco

    November 8, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    In the evening our tour operator dropped us off to the bus station. We took our Cruz del Sur us for the journey back to Cusco. The buses have a personal entertainment system so we watched some movies before sleeping off. In the morning around 8 am, we reached Cusco.Read more

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Barro Inka hostel
    Barro Inka hostel2Our roomStreets of Cusco2

    Relaxed day in Cusco

    November 8, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We checked into our hostel (Barro Inka) at around 10 am and then spent the morning freshening up, repacking the bags and also trying to plan what all to do in the coming days.
    In the afternoon, we went to the city center to compare the tour prices at the different tour operators. We also had our lunch there.Read more

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    Cusco city center

    November 8, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    After going through the different tour options with about 10-15 different operators, we managed to book the tour of the Moray-Maras-Salineras and the Sacred Valley but we still couldn't book the Rainbow mountain tour. There were so many combinations of tours on offer that it was hard to decide what route and what price would be appropriate.
    After the bookings, we went to the city center to take some pictures. Then, it was dinner time and then back to the hostel to sleep.    Read more

  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Grating the root of the Sakhta
    Grating the root of the SakhtaFoam forms after stirring in hot waterSpinning the yarn2Natural sources of colorsOrange one can be used as a lipstick and tattoos as wellDye preparation

    Chinchero textile techniques

    November 9, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    At the artisan center, we got a demonstration of the full process that goes into the making of the textile.

    First, they use the root of a plant called Sakhta. This plant is also called the Inca shampoo since it was used on the hair as well to clean and to keep it black.
    The root is grated and then added to luke warm water. This mixture is then stirred to get a foam.

    Then the wool from the alpaca or the sheep is washed in this mixture.

    After the cleaning, the wool is spun into a yarn by a single spinning wheel.

    After this, comes the dyeing of the yarn with different colors. Only naturally available sources were used for the colors and the binding agents.
    Leaves of Chilka plant for green color plus copper sulphate from the volcanoes as the binding agent.
    Spanish moss for red color.
    Three corner plant twigs for blue color. This is a medicinal plant as well that can be uses for liver and kidney ailments.
    Chicha morada (purple corn) for purple color. Only the husk is used for the coloring. Kids' urine is used as the binding agent.
    Cochin, a white parasite on the cactus become maroon when crushed in the hand with a little water. With lime, the color becomes orange. This is used for tattoos and as a lip color.
    Koli flowers are used for the yellow color.

    Each has a separate binding agent and different quantity of water and different amount of time for heating, for preparing the dyes.    Read more

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    The weaving

    November 9, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    After preparing the dyes and dyeing the yarn, the next step is to weave. For this, a primitive form of a hand loom is used. Different patterns and icons that are relevant to the Inca like are woven into the cloth.
    After the weaving, the cloth is wahed and is ready to be used.    Read more