Lima (Ally)

The night before we left Pisco we went to a fish resturant and had cold seafood with avocado. It was very tasty but G ended up being really sick on it. So he spent two days in Lima catching up on reading. We did get to see Mission Impossible 3 though which had us glued to our seats.

We stayed in Miraflores section of Lima and it was very pretty. With a park where people sold crafts and art. Some water colours caught our eye, lovely bright Peruvian ladies with bunches of flowers but we decided to think about it. Perhaps they will still be there when we go back in June.

Gold Museum

As G was sick I took myself off to see the gold museum. It was filled with incredible things. What struck me first were the death masks which they created out of a single sheet of gold to place over the mummies heads. No one really knows why.


I was unable to take photos in the museum. All photos in this post were sourced here.

They also created very intricate knives which were probably used in ceramonies.

Before the Spanish arried, the Incas wore large disc earings in the lobes of their ears. They ranged from thin to really thick and heavy ones. All were beautifully worked. Some of the best ones had mosaic patterns and pictures in the center. But just looking at them made my ears ache!!!


On display were some skulls with holes in them. I thought it must have been some surgical practice but was very surprised when I listened to my tape that these were the rewards of war. The winner would lash the skull to their belt as a trophy. It made me very glad that I did not live in those times.

A particluar highlight for me was seeing the ponchos and head dresses. They had a pouncho inlaid with feathers that was 1900 years old. And the feathers still kept their colour. Other ponchos had little platelets of shell or gold leaf decorating them. The head dresses were mainly made from feather fibres allowing them to make the most intricate of patterns like squares and colourful birds. All painstakingly laid, fibre by fibre.



The Inca´s valued shells and feathers far more than gold as gold was easy for them to get. Peru is still the 3rd largest gold exporter in the world. This is why the Spanish were able to "steal" so much gold from the Incas. All in all a very pleasing and informative exhibition that will stay with me for a long time.

Quilotoa Lake

Text written by Ally

Our travel book describes Quilotoa as a crater lake and does not have much else to say. So neither of us were prepared for just how beautiful it would be. When we arrived, clouds were coming over the sides of the crater making it look moody and dark and very atmospheric indeed.

It was a very steep walk down to the lake down the crater walls but the scenary just grew on us and we sat at times trying to take it all in. The lake water was not very cold but it is this incredible aqua green colour due to the minerals in it - so rich that no fish can live in the water.

We were astonished to discover that the last eruption of the Volcano was in 1797 and this is when the enormous lake was formed - very recent in geography time.

Due to the weather being rather chilly we did not spend long at the bottom. Both of us being lazy and G had a sore back (great excuse) so we decided to hire donkeys to take us back up. After speaking to the local chap and clearing up that it was a "dorro" (donkey) we wanted not a "borro" (bull) - me being dyslexic - the chap said that he would just have to go make a call.

Next thing we know he has his hands capped around his mounth and is shouting at the top of his lungs from the bottom of the crater to the top (at least a kilometer away) for two donkeys to be brought down. That´s what you do when there is no phone! His matter of factness made me double up in laughter. 10 minutes later two donkeys and their owners arrived, having run down the steep sides of the crater.

The saddle was a couple of blankets so the spine of the donkey really gets at one´s backside (which you can still feel two days later). The donkeys are very fit and get you up in 45min, it would have taken us 2hours to walk.

Unless of-course they throw you which happened to G. It gave me such a fright but he landed in sand and he said he was OK - but it did not do his back any good. The donkey having thrown his passenger decided not too stick around and belted up to the top!!! The poor guide had to run up to fetch the poor animal and come down again. He really earned his money.

We decided to stick around that night mainly due to their being no way out until 5 am the next day. We stayed in a family home which had beds in every nook and cranny.

The stars that night were some of the best I have ever seen as there is no light pollution. We all spent time just staring at the sky. It was so dark in bed that night that you couldn´t see your hand in front of your face. This is definately not something I am used to even when we camp.

The bus did not arrive at 5am (well not ever), so we were able to watch the sunrise. Although annoyed that we could not get back we were delighted to see the sunrise right over the Cotopaxi volcano in the far off distance.

We managed to negotiate a ride back to town for $10 with our hostel owner. He wanted $20 intially but we have become good bargainers. As he had paying customers, the wife and friends came along to visit town as well. This was not a problem, but what rather peeved us was when he stopped for half an hour to look at wood. We weren´t to impressed. South America time requires a lot of patience at times!

Here is a photo of the lake

Russel, Graeme wants to know if you think his "Russel leap" is coming on? He is practicing hard as you can see, trying to make it look levitationally effortless. Not quite at your standard yet, but perhaps getting there?

Catching the donkey back up the crater. We felt like lazy colonialists. Note the donkey guider hanging onto the poor beast´s tail to help him up the steep path.

The scenery on the drive back through the mountainous farmlands of Ecuador was also really beautiful.

We also got great views of the famous Cotopaxi Volcanic mountain which increased our motivation to visit the park and see the peak close up.

Cotopaxi Park

Text written by Ally

We really struggled to get to Cotopaxi Park. We joined 2 Dutch girls at a road where a women said that a truck would be able to take us around the park for $40 but that we had to call the chap and as non of us had cell phones, we asked for the public phone. This being Ecuador's most visited public park, one would have thought they would have a phone but no. Thankfully an engineer working on a project in the park said that he would give us a lift for half the amount so we were thrilled.

After a ride filled with very loud Borjk music (I think it is terrible, G thinks I am ignorant - he is a big fan, I say ignorance is bliss...) we arrived at the lagoon where we planned to camp the night.

Cotopaxi volcano was peaking out of the clouds showing us very red and steep sides with a glacier going all the way around.

We wanted to camp in this spot so that we could get a picture of Cotopaxi reflected in the lagoon. It was not a formal camping spot and I showed my guilty conscience by geting a big fright when G entered the tent as I was getting ready. I thought it was somone coming to tell us off.

But I have to say that our camping spot was so classicly scenic. The lake was spongy so the grass was a rich green with reeds filled with playful ducks. On the fringes frogs were singing their hearts out and the wild horses eating the rich grass.

The cows and bulls were a little disconcerted to see us. After a little stand off where the bulls all lined up to dertermine what kind of threat we would be - they decided to move on. Much to my reflief as being chased by 5 bulls may have prematurely ended our travels.

We did also have a number of nosy sea gulls hovering over us, giving plaintive cries and we worried that they would give us away - but soon the light faded and we had the whole park to ourselves.

This little guy visited our camp site from time to time to make sure we weren´t too lonely...

G woke up early the next morning to capture a classic shot of the Volcano reflected in the lagoon. This is the shot he was hoping for (image source):

Unfortunately, the volcanic peak was so covered in cloud, it could not even be seen:

So he entertained himself with photos of horses in the mist instead... Which I think were just as beautiful.

As we had not organised a lift out we knew we would have to hitch. But after 4km of walking we realised that this must be a circular route as all the cars were going in the opposite direction, so were unlikely to get a lift. We were getting pretty tired under all our stuff.

So with another 15km looming in front of us and our packs getting heavier by the minute we were delighted to come across the museum where we arranged a lift.

While waiting we visited the musuem. I have to say that it was the worst exhibt I have ever seen with faded falling photo´s, moth eaten stuffed birds; deer and damaged models of the volcano. It actually made me feel rather sad as all the potential was there and it made me think that our entrance fee was not really used for the park.

Getting to Bolivia (Ally)

After our tour we had to take a good look at what region we were headed next. On our previous planning, we did not take into account the vast distances in Brazil and realised if we went down the Amazon (it would take 3 weeks on the boat) we could not get back to Lima in time for Russel to catch his flight back to Cape Town. So we decided to go to Bolivia instead. We checked visa status and it was fine for Russell.

The worlds biggest salt pans in the far west of Bolivia was our destination and after three plane trips, 2 bus journeys and 1 train ride we arrived. Although our journey was long and arduous, we did have some adventure.

• While waiting for the bus to get the airport in Rio, Graeme and Russel were watching a group of bikini clad girls play volleyball. It was a toss up whether they would actually catch the bus.
• Flying out of Rio airport was spectacular as we got to see Sugar Loaf and Copacabana beach from the air as the sun was setting.
• At Sao Paulo airport we had our picnic outside in the taxi rank and we received very strange looks but they were nothing compared to the looks we received when we slept on the airport floor waiting for our flight. Might also have had something to do with Graeme´s choice of a sitting place. Wally!
• Arriving in Santa Cruz (Bolivia) we duly went through immigration only to be told that South Africans need a special visa to enter. So we all sat aside until everyone went through and then had to try to communicate in our haphazard Spanish that we had checked the internet and the airline had allowed us through. After a little discussion the chap said that we could buy one there for $40. We were suspicious when he put the $40 in his pocket and it was confirmed in our book that the rules change all the time depending on which point you are crossing the border and who you are dealing with. So one Santa Cruz agent is $40 richer!

• We had arrived at 1.30am and it was not safe to go straight through to the bus station so we found ourselves some very comfy seats in the airport to sleep. We were by no means the only people – the only thing is that they insisted on cleaning the floors all night so not much sleep was had.
• Our first bus trip in Bolivia was completely different to any others we have had so far in South America. There was manual air conditioning (i.e. open window policy) and the toilet was padlocked. We stocked up on food before we boarded but we needn’t have bothered as people kept coming in selling everything from fried chicken to newspapers. And the bus stopped every hour so the people could eat again. Needless to say the people here considerably larger than in Brazil or Argentina.
• The buses did have TV’s but they were last used in the 80’s so instead we had the traveling salesman soliloquy. They would stand in the bus and extol the virtues of their miracle cream (curing every aliment under the sun from itchy bites to cancer and burns) for about 45min in Spanish. I could not believe the tolerance of the locals. By the third person I could gleefully have taped their mouths shut but I don’t think that would have done much for foreigner vs local relations.
• A day was spent in Oruro where we got to eat in the best restaurant in town which was delicious. We also walked around the market where you could buy anything from a 50 litre cooking pot to lacey orange underwear. At the market we also saw a few medicine stalls with ingredients which I would imagine would be rather like a songoma would use. I have to admit that the dried calf fetuses did offend my western sensibilities but I guess one of the reasons why we travel is to see how others live and keep an open mind.

• On our train trip we were treated to an 80’s pop show but all the songs were dubbed into Spanish (including songs from Grease) which provided much entertainment for all the backpackers.

When kids get bored (Ally)

During our trip from El Chalten to El Calafate, we stopped at a country shop in the middle of no-where for a pit stop and coffee. Two local young girls, looking for a laugh, started hunting a hen and her brood of chicks with stones - trying to aim and hit them as the little chicks scrambled to take cover in the sparce foliage.

Their excited giggles and the terrified clucks of the mom hen brought out the hunter´s instinct in the local german shephard, who then also went after a chick. He was a better hunter than the girls and managed to eat one – just in time to be seen by the master of the house, who went mad. The dog ended up being chained and the girls left to their own devices. All this happened while buying a cup of coffee.

So there we were enjoying the sunshine and caffeine (we had been up since 4 am) when the girls, evidently bored and undisciplined, started hunting the fluffy chicks yet again. With rocks in hand and about to throw they turned around with very surprised expressions when simultanously 5 foreign adults (us and our travelling companions) screamed NO!! They then slunk away, waiting, no doubt, for us to leave. There is after all nothing to do. No TV or other kids for 100s of miles.

Getting the ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales

Puerto Montt

A typical port town - rather run down and aestetically challenged with a concoctomy of (not always pleasant) smells, but totally authentic. The highlight was a tasty sea food lunch at a tiny tavern before embarking on our three night ferry trip to the south of Chile.

Life on board

Navimag is not a luxury cruise but a working ferry carrying trucks, people and livestock - with the smells to prove it. On the previous trip, a horse reportedly gave birth in the hold. We slept in shelf like bunks with 42 others and ate meals in strict shifts. And it was brilliant. Great views of fjords, glaciers and mountains and lots of fun travellors to share them with, including a great couple from Sydney. From them, we discovered this trip has been rated by the Sydney Herald as one of the world's top boat trips. It sure beat the alternative 50 hour bus trip.

Drinking games at age 35! I haven't done this since university days and it brought back some interesting memories. We were dragged into it (kicking and screaming of course) by our American friends who we then went on to hike with at Torres del Paine.

Bow jumping. Another cool game we invented on board. Wait till you feel the boat crest over a wave, then jump as the boat sinks down and you get a great butterfly kick in the stomach. Never to late to have a happy childhood.

Our boat mascot. A very friendly fellow who lives on board. We got on famously.

Trip to Puerto Eden


We stopped off at this tiny, ramshackled town (population 250), isolated by hundred of mountains of mountains and fjords. Just check out the supermarket! What the teenagers do here for nightlife, heaven only knows! But plenty of character and fun to photograph during the time we were there.

Locals we met. I am not to sure where the humans were hiding but it seemed close to deserted.

Blue Glaciers

Our first site of a fjord glacier and one we will never forget. 80 metres high and well over a kilometer long. What really took my breath away was the topaz blue colour of the ice. All the fjords we travelled in were created by glaciers like this one during the last ice age.

Pasta loading in Puerto Natales


...to prepare for our Torres del Paine hike the next day.

Ally's account

Please forgive the group email but tele-communcations are done via satellite here, so it is very show. Hence also the lack of pictures on the blog. I hope this long letter makes up in the short term for the pictures.

On Sunday we caught the bus from Pucon to Puerto Montt. It was a great bus and they had movies but with the added bonus of ear phones. However, it clearly was up to the chaps who drove to choose what was played for the customers as we were treated to vampires, wearwolves, gun running in Africa and giant sized man eating anacondas.

I was delighted to be moving on to a new place but I have to admit that my heart sank when we entered Puerto Montt. It is made up of ramshackle buildings, wires and street people. But what it lacks in asethics it certainly makes up for in an abundance of smells. Ranging from that special hot day fishy aroma from the port, garbage, body odour thrown together with a hint of sewer. All this it has to be said was aided and abetted by Graeme who had eaten too much dried fruit.

On the morning we were due to leave we got to the boarding room and met the three girls that we had met in Pucon and camped next to in a park. Fate just keeps throwing us together. It is great to keep meeting the same people who you get on well with.

We checked in early and were delighted that we got two bunks to ourselves (I secretly entertained hopes that we would get our own bathroom). Then we went of to an internet café for our last contact with civilization for 3 days. We met another couple who had delayed booking in and were rather put out that they would be bunking with 22 others.

Boarding was filled with huge excitement and we were all curious. We found our bunks which were cozy – but they were also part of the 22L – only we were at the end bit so we did not have another 2 bunks across from us. Well the girl from the internet café saw us. We were no longer feeling so smug and she was secretly delighted that we had not got a better deal than them. Needless to say we shared a bathroom with 42 others.

Although food was provided those of us in C class – all the backpackers – brought food along. Never interfere with a backpacker and their appetite. Those in A class, I am sure, had visions of us all cooking on our gas stoves and generally bringing down the tone of the ship. The food was excellent but there was a fair amount of red wine brought aboard which definitely ended up brining down the tone of the ship.

The scenery was incredible. It rains 40m per year so each side of the fjords were covered in lush green forests with the higher mountains being snowy and cloudy. It was wonderful to wake up and see it all going past. I also loved standing on deck with the wind going through my hair – and my clothes – watching it all go by. There is something I find so peaceful about being on a boat.

They had an excellent on board entertainment program with movies, talks and music. This time you definitely could tell the movies had been chosen by the girls – subject matter being: love, marriage and meeting the parents for the first time. A big improvement!

Going to bed on the first night was rather nice as the ship was gently rocking. Suddenly G screamed – I hit my head as I came awake and had adrenalin going through my system before the scream ended. He told me he was alright – I thought he must have felt like he was falling off his bunk. The he told me he had felt something fall on his face, then it moved – he reached up to brush it away and a rat jumped off his face onto the floor, which he why he screamed. My eyes widened in shock. Then I found out he had actually felt his computer cord fall across his face. That is what traveling in cattle class does to the imagination.

The highlight of the trip was seeing our first glacier ending in the sea. We saw it in the distance as we leaned over rails gaping at the mini icebergs which had broken off. They were a topaz blue colour which tells us they were very compact and old. G saw a piece sheer off the side of the actual glacier and it made small tidal waves. It is really hard to describe being faced with at least a 2km wide, 80 m high and going back forever – piece of blue jagged ancient ice. The photo’s we took could not do its magnificence justice. It is truly is one of those things that has to be seen.

On the boat we went to a lecture about the native people called Kweskwe. They had been living amongst the fjords for at least 10000 years and had evolved a unique culture of living in canoes, hunting seals and covering themselves in sea lion fat to keep themselves warm when they swim. They are now down to 8 full blooded Kweskwe people due to disease and alcohol. We went on a tour to the port they live in but in the end I could not face going and gawking at a group of noble people staring at the extinction of their culture and themselves.  So not feeling terribly cheerful we wondered around the village which turned out to be rather run down. It was a blessing to get back on the boat.

The boat was a great place to meet people. We met another couple from Oz, this time Sydney. They had known us for less than a day and they had invited us to stay at their home. It is truly heartening to meet such friendly and fun people.

They told us that they had read an article in the Sydney Herald newspaper which said that the ferry trip we did was on of the top 5 boat trips to do in the world. I have to say that it totally lived up to expectations!!


Now we are in Puerto Natales having bought all our food for a 5 day hike in Chile’s most famous and best National park. We get to see another glacier and also the peaks of sheer granite which make this park famous. My only reservation is that the weather is 4 seasons in 1 day. I read someones write up of their trip in our hostels book. They said, “ It was nice and sunny during the day but then at night the temperature plummeted. He woke up to find that his feet had been replaced with huge blocks of ice and that his testicles and had take sanctuary in his armpits.” So tomorrow we venture forth. I will write and let you know how we got on.

Right now it is pizza time. We are meeting up with the girls we met in Pucon – they are doing the same hike as us.

Lots of love and thinking of you all.

Our trip to Amsterdam (Ally)

We just arrived back from a trip to Amsterdam. I was there on a two day conference on Information Architecture, presented by the pioneer in the field. Ally came along to keep me company. Great having your other half along on business trips!

Life can be good!

Ally´s account

I have just done a tour of Schipol Airport in Amsterdam as I have 3 hours to kill. If I was an airport junkie then this would be heaven. The Dutch like to do things, including airports, in style. They have a communications centre (you can email with a glass of wine), a massage centre, a meditation centre and a museum with famous Dutch painters (I kid you not!). So I have decided to prioritise my pleasures. Did the museum first - my third of the day and my feet are killing me! Now I am writing up my time here in Amsterdam and if there is time later, I'll hit the self massage chairs!

My tale starts on Friday - my last day of work. I don't really know what I felt. It all felt rather surreal. The person I have handed over to is great. I have made some super friends but not for one moment did I feel sad. With Forward Slash and Aqua I felt sad that I couldn't stay longer or sorry that the company couldn't remain open. But I was so ready to leave WCE.

The Financial Director said some really nice things in his leaving speech. Like how HR has gained so much in reputation and I was leaving a good career development system - so that all made me feel appreciated. God knows I’ve done enough exit interviews where people don't feel appreciated. I was chuffed with my own speech as I only started it that morning (getting better at this public speaking thing).

But when I got home on Friday I collapsed like a sack of potatoes. I didn't realise how much the handover took out of me. On Saturday I also slept for most of the day then we went to Sanjay (G hiking friend from Nepal) house warming. He and his girlfriend have just bought a 4 bedroom house in Hackney - very shrewd move as I think it will be worth a small fortune in 10 years time as they are cleaning up the area like mad. But the house did nothing for G and me - it has 4 stories - imagine lugging the vacuum cleaner up and down those stairs - no thank you!

While G is travelling round Europe and I am kicking my heels the G man has said very kindly that I should travel with him. So....

On Sunday morning we got up at the ridiculous hour of 4:30am as we had a 7am flight to Holland. We only got to bed at 3am!! But we got to Amsterdam safe and sound. They did not have a room ready for us at the hotel so we had to go in search of breakfast. Now anyone who knows us knows that breakfasts have to be good - none of this soggy toast and baked beans British effort. So we went down the main road and found a promising looking place - pancakes - a food matter close to our hearts. But we were just plain tired and they weren't really up to scratch so we went back to the hotel and slept the afternoon away - bliss.

G then took me on a tour of some good spots. We did go to the “sex through the ages museum” and the ONLY thing that has changed about sex through time is the mecium on which it is depicted. I had to admire the intricate skill required of the Japanese ivory carvers. To comment more than that would be require censorship.

On Monday I booked myself on 2 tours. The first one was a city tour with a free canal tour. So I took myself off towards the way of the canal and was hugely distracted by the clothes shops (pity I no longer work) But they were very good!

Next to the train station I got onto the boat - Amsterdam central station sits on a man made island. I was having a lovely time sitting by myself enjoying the fact that it was Monday morning and the most troublesome thing on my mind was what to have for lunch - when there was a tap on my shoulder and a family asked if the could sit next to me. As first I was delighted until I started to noticed a strange smell. There was swift self inspection!! But I soon realised it came from the family sitting next to me - the smell of unwashed bodies. It some what took the edge off the pleasure of the trip. It was very cute though when we saw some balloons in the canal and the young daughter said that the fish must be having a birthday party!

Well it was afternoon and I decided not to go on the city tour and Ii got a full refund so that made me feel a bit better about the boat trip. I hold my hand up and freely admit that I spent the afternoon finishing my book and G found me fast asleep when he returned from his conference.

G took one look at my photo's and called me photo- less!! So we went out and G took loads of night time shots - both from the red light district and other typical shots. When we were hungry we had steak (both nights in fact). Let me tell you Argentina have good beef!!

Tuesday morning I took the bus tour to the Windmills and Edam. I enjoyed going in the windmill as they made peanut oil which you can buy - I managed to hold myself back as I cannot think of one recipe which needs peanut oil!

I did buy some goats cheese. G was asking me what vices I have - in the space of a morning it came home to me - I like tourist kick-knacks. I cannot resist cool hair gadgets. Local delicacies or kitchen gadgets! So we now have clogs for the Christmas tree, a Degas hair clip, 500g of goats cheese and a cool oil and balsamic thingy:)

All I can really say is that the windmills were great but Edam was not - it is named after the cheese that was ONCE made there. End of the attraction.

Well.., I was not about to be called a photo-less girl again so I planned my next adventure - a trip to the floating flower market. The last floating marketing in Amsterdam. I was enchanted by all the flowers - they even had proteas from Kenya (do they have then there?). I remembered my aunt wants to plant a blue garden this year so got her some blue bulbs.

Then it was off to Rembrandts House. G mentioned this was something to go to and I remembered Rembrandt from art classes so was thrilled about the prospect and I was not disappointed. They have reconstructed his house and it is fascinating. He was a talented, curious, passionate (and probably not very astute) man (he died bankrupt and in poverty after having a very prosperous career) - I couldn’t wait to see where he lived and worked. The walls are covered in paintings; mostly those of his teachers. His bed was display – only four foot long so he obviously lived in a time when the Dutch weren’t so tall. We learnt about him as the painter of The Nightwatchmen which Kerry and I saw last time but he is also really famous for his etchings. He is the forerunner of the graphic artists. I could hardly get enough of his work.

It is rare that you are able to see the “other parts” of the artist - the other passions/quirks that they have like Monet had his garden, Van Gogh his madness but here you had a man who was an insatiable knick knack collector. He collected everything all kinds of knick knacks from around the world like fossils, coral, Indian head dresses, native necklaces, turtle shells rocks etc. Fabulous stuff – we would have got on so well!

Well that concludes our trip to Amsterdam – we have a great time and I love travelling with the G man, even if he is on business.

Some things they don't tell you in the Amsterdam guide books:

• The airport security men are delicious - being searched by them has the potential to be fun:)
• Pedestrians or bicycles are a menace depending on which you are, cars are superfluous, trams are cool!
• A visit to the grocery store is well worth it - British food has definitely improved due to continental influence but has a way to go.
• Dutch art rocks - maybe it is the light with everything being below sea level - go figure
• There is not one American coffee depot (not even a Starbucks) - but good coffee can be bought from the supermarket. Plus their famous “druggie coffee shops”
  

Graeme in between business sessions

Red Light District

The crookedest house in Amsterdam

Cheaper than a Dutch beer

Bicycles, bicycles everywhere...

Clogs

Edam and the Windmill

The flower market