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2018 South America Adventure2018 South America Adventure
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About a year ago I started planning a return trip to South America to revisit some of the places that I had experienced in 2010. I also added a few extra locations to my wish list and the itinerary developed from there. Read more
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  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 1

    The Final Few Days Before Departure

    April 28, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    For centuries the jungle slowly engulfed the Inca town of Machu Picchu. This city had been abandoned by the Incas over 500 years earlier, during the time of the Spanish invasion of South America. It's location was unknown outside the local area until the American archeologist and adventurer Hiram Bingam was led to it in 1911. He then set about removing the vegetation as quickly as possible, doing much damage to the ruins in the process.

    I remember first reading about the "fabled lost city of the Incas" when I was still in primary school. The story seemed like a fairy tale to me. I never dreamed that over 55 years later I would have the chance to walk in the footsteps of the Incas and explore the city for myself. But I have now learned that life can take you to some incredible places if you only have the courage to take the first step.

    In a few days I will leaving for South America. Over a period of five weeks we will be trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, cycling the high Andes in Peru, sailing Lake Titicaca, watching the giant condors in Colca Canyon, exploring the amazing Iguassu Falls, enjoying a tango in Buenos Aires, sailing the Rio de la Plata, spending a night in the oldest European city in South America, riding in one of the world's highest trains and much, much more. I want to share some of these adventures with you along the way.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 10

    Bags (almost) Packed

    May 7, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    I must admit that I don't really like packing, however I like to think that I am relatively well organised when it comes down to the final few days. I have had a list prepared for the past couple of weeks, on which I have detailed all the myriad small (and large) items that must be taken on any trip that involves a wide variety of activities.

    Armed with my exhaustive list I set aside a part of the house for me to start piling all these bits and pieces together. The next stage is sorting and packing items into smaller packages - one package for cycling gear, one for underwear, one for toiletries and so on. Then comes the time of reckoning when all the small packages are packed into the luggage. Although at first it never looks like everything will fit, it is amazing just how much you can cram into a case. The final step is to weigh the finished result to see if anything needs to be removed. Then fill in the luggage labels, attach a lock or two and the job is done.

    With only 4 days to go till departure it is really starting to feel that our long awaited adventure is about to start. My passport is ready to go and so am I. By this time next week our team will be assembled in Cusco. In fact four members have already set off. Andrew and Valmai have spent the past few weeks in South America and will meet us in Santiago, Chile. Steve and Gil have taken the much longer route and will be attending a family wedding in the UK before jumping straight on a plane to meet us in Cusco.

    I checked the weather forecast for Friday and it is looking like an Antarctic blast is about to hit Melbourne. That means it could be an interesting flight, The next footprint will probably be in Lima.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 15

    Arrived in Lima, Peru

    May 12, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    After an interminable time in transit, the first 11 members of the Ghostriders' 2018 South America Adventure have finally all safely reached Lima. The extraordinary journey began with a horror drive to Tullamarine through pouring rain and gridlocked Melbourne traffic. Then our flight was delayed before finally taking off at 9 pm. Thirteen and a half hours jammed into an economy seat on a packed flight would have been bearable if it had not been for some wild turbulence in the first few hours of the flight, but at least we reached Santiago (Chile) without our luggage going to London by mistake. Then followed some more time in transit before catching the final flight (also delayed) to Lima. At least this leg was only three and half hours and the flight crew were a little more attentive that on the first flight.

    We finally staggered out of the airport into the warm and humid air of Lima about 2 am local time. We had had multiple time changes and around 30 hours of transit. To say we were ready for bed would have been have been like comparing the bubonic plague with a dose of the sniffles, but first we had to take a seat on a bus for the trip through the city to our hotel. Even at this time on a Sunday morning, the streets were thronged with jostling cars.

    It was certainly a blessed relief to eventually collapse through the door of my room and turn the light out. At least my room at the Casa Andina Miraflores was immaculately clean and the bed was heavenly.

    Tomorrow our adventure really begins.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 15

    In Which we Take Lima by Storm

    May 12, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    It never ceases to amaze me what a difference a few hours can make and today was a perfect example of this. Last night we staggered into our hotel at 2 am in the morning, all feeling like we were surely close to death's proverbial door. After getting a few unsettled hours of sleep and enjoying a quite good breakfast, all our team members were soon looking more like their old selves.

    A group of us then set out to explore the area between our hotel and the seafront. I had been in this region back in 2010 but I was surprised to find just how much the place had changed in that time. Although Lima is situated right on the Pacific Ocean, the city is separated from the ocean by an almost vertical 150 m high cliff face. At the top of this cliff you get the most incredible views down the waterfront and the huge expanse of ocean lying just beyond.

    Developers have now made maximum use of this prime position by building a very impressive array of modern shops and cafes, all sharing the same breathtaking view. Yesterday we had hardly eaten all day, so we decided it was time to have some lunch. For a cost of around $15AUD I enjoyed a large plate of chicken and Ceasar salad. It certainly was welcome. The milkshake went down well too.

    In the afternoon I had organised for a private tour of some of the highlights of the city and its museums. I usually have an aversion to taking any sort of organised tour, but in this case I made an exception. For one reason we had the guide and the bus to ourselves and for another reason, we only have a single day to get the most out of experience here.

    Over the next 6 hours we were treated to a most enjoyable array of visual and intellectual delights. I learnt that the population of Lima has now risen to 11 million, making it the third most populous city in South America. It was also staggering to view the beautiful works of art and sculpture made by the various groups that have occupied this spot over the past 5000 years. This region truly is one of the cradles of civilisation.

    After getting back to our hotel at 8 pm we walked to the centre of Miraflores and found a nice place for dinner. Some wandering pan pipe players decided to serenade us while we ate and, during the walk back to the hotel, we stopped to watch a large group of all ages, all enjoying some tango dancing in the park. South America is certainly like that.

    Tomorrow we head to Cusco and the thin air of the Andes.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 16

    In the Footsteps of the Incas

    May 13, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The flight from Lima to Cusco takes about 75 mins by plane, however we have been told that the same journey takes 24 hours by road. As I gazed from my plane window down at the rugged terrain below, it was very easy to see why this would be the case.

    For the traveller the main challenge of taking this short flight is the extreme gain in altitude in such a short time. While Lima is obviously at sea level, Cusco sits at an oxygen starved altitude of 3500 metres. The flight is spectacular and the landing at the small airport is enough to keep the knuckles white. Fortunately we landed safely although the sudden impact with the runway would have only scored a 3/10 on the pilot's skill scale.

    We were met at the baggage carousel by a diminutive Peruvian who introduced himself as "Abel Puma" and then ushered us to the waiting bus. "Do not exert yourselves today", he advised. We didn't need any encouragement to move slowly as our heads were already spinning and our lungs gasping as we made our way along.

    Our hotel is situated right in the centre of town, right next to the Plaza Major and the ancient cathedral. All around are reminders that Cusco was the magnificent capital of the entire Incan Empire. This empire flourished and spread for around 500 years, before it was almost wiped out by the Spanish in the 1500s. This city will also become our base of operations for the next few days. Our first task ? To acclimatise to the thin air.

    After our arrival at the hotel we decided to walk (stagger) to the nearby Plaza to search for somewhere to have lunch. We found a balcony cafe with a panoramic view of the plaza and the surrounding mountains and settled down for our first high altitude meal. For one of our group, the pressures of the past two days has already proven to be too much, so he decided to stay flat on his back in the hotel instead.

    Cusco reminds me of a frontier town, lacking the polish and sophistication of a modern city, but absolutely steeped in history and folklore. The legacy of the Incas is all around with many of the current buildings actually built on the solid foundations crafted by the Incas over 500 years previously. It is also favoured by the neo hippy types that wander the streets in search of hash. I had not walked far before I was asked several times if I wanted to "buy some weed".

    My wanderings were cut short as I only lasted a couple of hours later before exhaustion overcame me as well and I headed back for a rest.

    After an evening briefing by our cycling guide we walked a short distance to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Without our presence the place would have had a quiet night as we were the only ones there. As I ate my meal I gazed at the huge mural that covered the wall of the restaurant. It depicted Mother Earth supplying the needs of the people and was liberally highlighted with shining gold sections. I suggested that David could paint a similar mural on his living room wall when he gets home, but he looked back at me with glazed eyes. I think he needs sleep.

    On the walk back to the hotel I heard the unmistakable sounds of a talented busker singing a succession of Bob Marley songs. I had jokingly asked earlier in the day when we were going to hear Bob Marley and here he was. This music was a feature of all our early Ghostrider overseas rides and I took this as a favourable omen for the success of this trip. I could hear the music long after I returned to my room.

    Compared to the smog and humidity of Lima, the weather in Cusco is clear and dry at this time of the year. I think the pattern will be warm days and chilly nights under the Andean skies.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 17

    In Which we Meet a Sexy Woman

    May 14, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Cusco was not only the capital of the entire Incan Empire, but the street layout of the city is based on the outline of the Puma- one of the sacred animals of the Incas. Even today you can clearly see the outline in the street pattern. On this outline the main plaza (The Plaza de Armas) constitutes the stomach of the Puma and the huge Incan fort of Sacsayhuaman constitutes the head.

    This fort was once a huge fortified stronghold to defend the city, but when the Spaniards came they destroyed the city of Cusco and the impressive fort. Today only about 20% of the original structure remains, the rest was carried away to rebuild the city and to construct the 13 large churches and cathedrals that dominate the city centre. Even so, the remains of Sacsayhuaman (pronounced "sexy woman") are still breathtaking.

    Our plan for our first full day in Cusco was to continue our process of acclimatisation by exploring some more of the city and the numerous ruins that still remain. Our first stop was at the 9 m high statue of Christ that is perched high on one of the nearby hills. With arms outstretched this statue is a little like the much larger and more famous one that dominates Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

    We then spent the next few hours exploring Sacsayhuaman. In order to enter the fort we had to make our way through a dark and very claustrophobic tunnel through the rock. This would have been easy for the diminutive Incans, but quite hazardous for much taller westerners. The new bumps on my head will be reminder of this experience.

    It was then a downhill drive back to Cusco for lunch, followed by a tour of the oldest colonial cathedral. This was built on the site of the Incan palace, out of materials plundered from the destroyed fort and temples. It is now filled with literally tonnes of gold and silver, ornate carvings and numerous images of Mary, especially remodelled to appear like the Incan Mother Goddess of the Earth.

    By late afternoon I was getting very tired and returned to my hotel and set about destroying my room. Well not exactly the whole room, in fact just the top sheet on my bed. In all fariness it was not my fault. After all, how was I to know that the pen I was about to open was still pressurised to sea level ? When I popped the cap off the pen, blue ink sprayed forth all over the brilliant white sheet. All I could do was look on in horror and try to think of what to do next. After the surprise wore off, I decided that there was nothing I could do, except leave it there for all to see. Oh well, worse things can happen.

    Later in the day we met the rest of our cycling guides - Jimmy and Diego. Tomorrow morning we will be getting on the bikes and then we will find out just how much the altitude has reduced us to cycling ruins.

    The weather has continued to be fine and clear. During the day the sun shines with a vengeance and at night the temperatures drop quickly under a clear starry sky. As we walked the plaza after dark we were mesmerised by the beauty of the lights on all the surrounding mountains. It looked like some sort of beautiful Christmas light display. It is only a pity that pictures can never do such moments justice - you simply have to be there.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 18

    Two Lost Sheep are Finally Found

    May 15, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    After a couple of days of acclimatisation to the high altitude, it was time for the hour of reckoning. Today was the time for us to get our first taste of cycling the Sacred Valley of the Incas. After a short bus ride to the outskirts of the city we were introduced to our bikes for the first time. To our great relief they were high end Specialised brand bikes with dual suspension and hydraulic brakes.

     As it was the first time that most of us had ever ridden a dual suspension bike, they did take a little getting used to, but soon we were looking for potholes in which to test how good they were.

    We didn't have long to wait because most of the day's ride was along very rough back roads, liberally covered with rocks and culverts. The enormous tyres and the suspension certainly worked well, although most of our lungs did not work so well. Every time we encountered a hill our hearts and lungs went into overdrive, gasping for every molecule of oxygen we could catch.

    For the third day in a row we were favoured with blue skies and a very warm sun. The warm clothing we had packed was quickly discarded and the sunscreen was applied thickly. At this altitude it is very easy to become very badly sunburnt in a short space of time.

    We bounced and puffed our way along a succession of rough dirt roads and through some small settlements. In these places our progress was closely monitored by numerous stray dogs that barked menacingly each time we approached them. We had previously been warned that, in the event of a dog attack, we were to stop and take refuge behind our bike. Fortunately this strategy was never put to the test.

    After a couple of hours of cycling we stopped for lunch beside a beautiful lake in the sacred valley and then were driven to the top of a nearby hill to wander some extensive pre Incan ruins.

    We knew that the final two members of our team were due to arrive in Cusco today. Steve and Gil Wilson had to attend a family wedding in the UK and were taking the long and circuitous route from Manchester to Cusco to join us for the rest of our time in South America. Each time a plane flew overhead we imagined that it could be them on board.

    It was only when we arrived back at our hotel we heard just what a trying time they had experienced. Not only had they been in continuous transit for over thirty hours, visiting Manchester, Helsinki, New York and Lima along the way, but their final flight from Lima to Cusco had been altered. This meant that they did not know that someone would be waiting for them on arrival in Cusco. They proceeded through the airport and caught a taxi instead.

    That would have been OK, except for the fact that our hotel had also been changed and, when they arrived at the original hotel, they found it locked and bolted. This was not the welcome they had been looking forward to after such an horrendous time in the air. After a series of phone calls they eventually arrived at the correct hotel some four hours later. Although this was not the start they had been wanting, they took it in surprisingly good spirits and are looking forward to begin their own personal acclimatisation process.

    Tomorrow we head to Olantaytambo where the more serious riding will begin.

    In case you might have been wondering what had happened after my unfortunate incident with the exploding blue pen in my hotel room, I can now complete the story. After an unsuccessful personal attempt to remove the ink, I gave up, carefully folded the sheet on top of my bed and wrote a letter of apology to the cleaning staff. To add some extra gravitas to my apology I added a crying face at the bottom to emphasise that I was truly sorry for my sins. I expected to return to my room and be welcomed with a stern letter of rebuke and a hefty invoice. I found neither of these. My room and bed was made up and my stained sheet replaced with a pristine new white one. I have learnt my lesson.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 20

    The Day of Reckoning

    May 17, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Today has been our most challenging day so far. It started with the wake up alarm at 5.00 am, followed by breakfast at 6.00, then packing the bags and preparing for a long day on the bikes.This time we headed north out of Cusco, in the direction of Ollantaytambo (the stepping off point for any trip to Machu Picchu).

    After an preliminary visit to a alpaca textile factory we met up with the cycling support team. Although there are only 13 of us, there are almost as many support staff. As well as Jaeko, who is our main guide, we also have Diego and Jimmy as our two cycling guides. Then we have three drivers for the vehicles, a cook and assistant for the meals. There is also another guy who has been following us with a drone to make a movie, although we hated the drone and discussed various ways to knock it out of the sky. I think he got the message and there has been no sign of him today.

    Straight after getting on the bikes we were out in the rural highlands, surrounded by towering, rugged and often snow capped peaks. The skies have continued to be clear and the weather mild. Today we had an early cool breeze to make the cycling conditions absolutely perfect. Now that we had gained some experience on these bikes, we felt ready to tackle some of the much more technical riding we had today.

    After three days at this altitude we found ourselves still struggling for air as our ride took us up to near 3900 metres, but it is amazing how the human body adapts and our recovery periods are getting progressively shorter and shorter. There is absolutely no way that we could have even attempted this a couple of days earlier.

    We stopped for a late lunch by the circular terraces at Moray. This place was built by the Incas to grow and experiment with different types of crops. It consists of an enormous natural depression in the ground which has been developed into a descending succession of circular terraces. Each progressively lower terrace has a warmer climate and can be used for a different crop. The construction is a staggering example of the technical brilliance of the Incas.

    After lunch we had our first taste of exciting downhill riding as we descended 100's of metres down to the sacred valley. Our final stop was the breathtaking ancient salt mines of Marais.

    We finally rolled into Ollantaytambo well after dark,exhausted but all very happy that we had experienced one of the best cycling days in our lives.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 20

    The Ghostriders Conquer the Urubamba

    May 17, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    The Urubamba River is the river that made the sacred valley of the Incas. Over millions of years it has carved this amazing valley which has become one of the cradles of civilisation. It not only flows past the famous site of Machu Picchu, but it later joins the mighty Amazon and eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Today's ride plan was simple - to follow the river along a rough side track for about 3 hours. It sounded quite easy. Actually it wasn't.

    The hardships for two of our group actually began the previous evening. After dinner Steve and Gil decided that they needed to augment their dwindling cash and visited one of the only two ATMs in Ollantaytambo. They inserted their card and waited. And waited. Nothing happened and the machine decided that they had no right to get their card back. Considering their misfortunes of the previous day, one could be forgiven for thinking that these poor folk were destined to have bad luck throughout the trip.

    Apparently they then spent more time on the Internet cancelling the card and making other arrangements to survive for the next few weeks. It was certainly an inauspicious start to their trip. However more trails were to lie ahead for our group.

    We began the day by driving upstream along the Urubamba River for about 60 km from Ollantaytambo. The plan was then to ride along a rough track along the far side of the river, downstream for several hours. It sounded simple.

    We began in glorious conditions under another clear sky and were soon bouncing along over rocks and huge culverts in the path. The bikes did a sensational job in coping with these conditions. It is little wonder that they cost an eye watering $2800 USD each. They certainly are very well adapted for this type of riding, although it was a pity that my body was not equally as well adapted as the bike I was riding.

    I had not ridden very far before I started to feel like my nether regions were being scraped with sand paper. This is every riders worst nightmare. I wriggled in the seat. I lifted my backside off the seat. I moved forward and backward. Still sore. I was not looking forward to another 3 or more hours of this posterior torture, but there was nothing I could do but grin and bear it. Why oh why hadn't I used some of that magic cream that was hiding somewhere in my suitcase ? Good question.

    The path itself undulated up and down and the rough surface certainly challenged most of our riders who were not experienced mountain bikers. David suffered the first puncture of the ride when a tack lodged in his rear tyre. A short time later it was my turn when my front tyre went down. I ended up swapping bikes with Jimmy (one of our cycling guides). This was most kind of him. The only problem is that Jimmy is about a foot shorter than me and his bike was about the size of a midget BMX. I was therefore quite relieved when we reached the lunch spot at a rather late 2 pm and was told that the riding was over for the day.

    We then transferred to a restaurant for lunch. A pan pipe player was playing El Condor Pasa. Actually someone has been playing this same song almost everywhere we have been since we arrived in Cusco 4 days ago. I think we will hear it a lot more before this trip is over.

    We finally arrived back in Ollantaytambo about 4 pm . After showering and changing we were able to spend some time exploring this fascinating and very much frontier town. Then it was time for a coffee and snack. We found a lovely cafe that had been started by a young American girl who had been working for an NGO organisation before settling in Ollantaytambo. She loved the place and decided to start a business here. I really admire such people who have the courage and imagination to live a remarkable life. I hope her business succeeds. She deserves it.

    It was also soon after arriving back in Ollantaytambo that a remarkable coincidence took place. I knew that Liz and Priscilla Kwok were travelling in South America on another World Expeditions trip at about the same time as us, but we were not prepared to see them actually book into our hotel ! What were the chances of what ? We felt a little like that famous meeting between Stanley and Livingstone as we welcomed and embraced out two Australian friends who were so far away from home.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2018 South America Adventure
    Day 21

    Cycling the Abra Malaga Pass

    May 18, 2018 in Peru ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    The country of Peru is roughly cut down the middle by the mighty Andes mountain range. To the east is the hot and wet jungles of the Amazon region and to the west are the dry highlands that formed the major part of the Incan Empire. The Abra Malaga Pass at 4500 m is one of the major connecting points between these two disparate regions.

    Our major task for today was to cycle the Abra Malaga Pass. I guess if I was 20 years younger, 20 kg lighter and 20 IQ points more stupid, I could have tried to peddle up this mighty mountain, however our plan was to do the reverse. It is still something of a mental and physical challenge.

    After spending the first hour of the day climbing the amazing stone terraces above Ollantaytambo, we then boarded the bus for the 2 hour drive to the pass. Although the weather in Ollantaytambo was already quite warm, at the pass itself it was absolutely freezing. We all donned thermals, jackets, vests, scarves and anything else we could find.

    There is no much at the pass apart from an interesting little church. There was also the twisted ruins of a vehicle which had presumably missed one of the many precipitous switchbacks on the road. Since this is such a strategic connecting point between Cusco and the Amazon there were also a steady stream of buses and trucks making their way over the pass.

    After a photo at the summit we were off. Many hearts were in a state of panic at the thought of the vertiginous descent that lay ahead, but to my delight, every one in the team decided to go ahead. Soon we were snaking our way down the road, taking care to make sure the speed was kept under control.

    I had not gone far before I realised that all was not well with my bike. Each time the front wheel rotated, the handlebars bumped alarmingly. This was the tyre that had been repaired the previous day and obviously it had not been replaced correctly.At first I thought I should just grin and bare it, however I worried about the safety if the tyre came off the rim. I called ahead for the team to stop. The guides tinkered with the bike for some time but could not fix the problem. That meant I had to complete the rest of the 38 km descent with a front wheel that was vibrating alarmingly. Oh well, it certainly added to the excitement.

    I won't try to describe the scenery, other than to say it was absolutely spectacular. Some things can never be described, they just have to be experienced. I can assure you that everyone made it safely to the bottom of the mountain at Ollantaytambo and the exhilaration that we all felt was amazing.

    Tomorrow we begin the 4 day trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, meaning that we will be out of all contact until we get back to Cusco in 5 day's time.    Read more

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