Travelling the well-trodden wilderness

Sitting in Cartagena airport. In a couple of hours we will be on a plane back to London.

I’m sure that getting on that plane will be a mixture of emotions. A sense of achievement that we have travelled a large part of South America, overcome various obstacles and done things we wouldn't ordinarily have done. But also sadness that the trip has finished with a little anticipation as to what's ahead.

South America is about nature. Most of the truly memorable experiences have involved marvelling at its natural wonders: the strange and exotic (the Blue-Footed Booby), the colossal size (Iguazu Falls) or the vast expanse of wilderness (Patagonia). We’ve seen extremes of all kinds: deserts, jungles, glaciers, swamps and steppes.

In fact the experiences that have been the most disappointing or uncomfortable have usually been those man-made: smelly buses, rude tourists or rip-off merchants.

Four months ago we knew very little about South America: "La Paz?"; "Pisco sour?"; "Going full circle around the continent should be do-able in four months". We arrived with only the first three nights booked and no plans with more than four months ahead of us – an exciting but daunting prospect.

Since we sketched out our first rough route on a paper napkin in a Buenos Aires café, we have constantly been on the move and rarely stayed in one place for longer than four days. We’ve spent days organising activities or going with the flow; on long bus rides or relaxing with a beer and a book. Some have been unforgettable (for good or bad), some amazing, thought-provoking, educational or just weird; others disappointing or exhausting. However, whatever kind of day it’s always been an experience.

It’s easy to see what we’ve learnt about South America: its geography, people, culture and a bit of its language. But in terms of life lessons it’s been – put the guidebook down!

The best hostels were those not in the Lonely Planet; some of the best experiences were the ones that barely had a mention. Places rated highly were sometimes disappointing. The guidebook was used less and less as we relied more and more on recommendations or following what we wanted to do, rather what we felt we should do. The satisfaction of “discovering” something and making an experience your own is what travelling is all about.

It’s also been a great time to reflect, refresh and catch up on some great American TV series we never had time to watch before.

So what have been our best / worst bits? In the spirit of an end-of-year countdown here are our ups and downs of South America. For the sake of balance, let’s get the worst bits out of the way first.

• Stomach bugs: One bout is annoying and unpleasant but expected when you are in a foreign country eating strange food. Three, however, is grossly unfair and really makes you crave crappy daytime UK television, a fully functioning toilet and a fully stocked supermarket (See majority of Bolivian blog entries)
• Budget: If there has been one continuing bugbear it has been watching the magical disappearance of notes from the wallet, or the shock following a telephone call to the credit card company. Even the most liberal and care-free traveller would find it difficult to enjoy Machu Picchu having just got off the phone with John from Nationwide. It's astounding how much money you spend without realising and how difficult it is to budget (See El Calafate, Argentina)
• Bolivian buses: There´s little you can do when sitting on a bus full of shit. They say laughter is the best medicine. This works for the first five minutes but after that its best to go to a happier place and stay there until you´re off the bus (See Bolivian Bus entry)
• Indecision: There´s nothing worse than not doing anything because you’re working out what you think you might do next. There’s a whole new world outside your window and you’re sitting in your room glued to a laptop working out whether to stay or go and what you might miss if you did either (See Buenos Aires and parts of Peru)
• Tour groups: They´re not all bad, but being herded on and off a bus to see various ‘important sites’ surrounded by slightly sour-faced tourists (you're on holiday right?) does take the appeal out of the experience (See bus Puno to Cusco)
• Plantains: What´s the point? They´re just a crap banana. This also extends to food where all flavour has had the life fried out of it. South America is packed full of exotic fruits – use them! (See Ilha do Mel, Brazil and parts of Colombia)
• Party hostels: Fun if you’re the one talking crap until the early hours with someone you don’t know. Not so fun if you’re the person getting up at dawn the next morning and you’re trying to sleep.

And now...the top ten of South America according to Mark and Gemma:

1. Galapagos islands, Ecuador
An obvious first choice.

Nothing compares to it – the islands are beautiful, the sea is crystal clear, and of course there is the unique wildlife. There was also the luxury boat, a guide who genuinely seemed to love what he was doing, a nice group of people and a feeling that every minute was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

The male frigate - an inflated sense of self

2. Iguazu falls, Argentina & Brazil
Beforehand, it was difficult to imagine that the falls would offer a personal experience considering the numbers of people that flock there. Surprisingly, this was not the case.

The falls are awe-inspiringly colossal – in your face Niagara Falls! Despite the size, the roar of the cascading water, the tourists and the searing humid heat, there’s a tranquillity to be found. People say that the falls give off a positive energy and I can believe that. It’s a mixture of exhilaration and peace.

Also, both the Brazilian and Argentine sides are as good as each other - what are the chances? Hey North America, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

God forgot to turn the tap off

3. Machu Picchu and The Sacred Valley, Peru
It´s an obvious one and features on all top 10 lists of South America (usually at number 1). Not only is Machu Picchu a pre-Columbian settlement untouched by invading conquistadors and with its own intrinsic beauty but it’s set against a backdrop of breath-taking lush green mountains. It´s impossible to take a bad photo there.

But whilst Machu Picchu whores itself to the masses, Pisac has an understated charm. There were no crowds, stunning mountain scenery and beautiful ruins hugging the cliffs. Along with the clear blue skies and a nice little colonial town, Pisac is on a par with Machu Picchu. You can´t underestimate the power of having a place like this to yourself.

In desperate need of modernisation

4. San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
A place has to be special if even a noisey, over-priced and generally crappy hostel can´t spoil the atmosphere. Poised on the edge of Bolivia and he beginnings of Andean culture, it´s difficult not to be taken in with the extremes here – the dry desert, the altitude and the heat as well as the sites: salt lakes, geysers, cactus canyons, dunes and deserted hot springs. The town wasn’t so bad either!

My only bath in 4 months

5. Pucon, Chile
Waking up in the dead of night to do physical activity is difficult to get excited about. Climbing Volcan Villarica exceeded any expectations. It wasn't a stroll or a nice amble up a mountain. It was ice axes and crampons, extreme weather clothing and a four-hour ascent. There´s a lot of our sweat and tears on that there volcano.

There was also zipping high up through the dense rainforest canopy on a wire, hot natural spas and a wooden town that has kept its charm despite the tourist influx.

An Englishmen who went up a volcano and came down...a volcano

6. Colca Canyon, Peru
Seeing a bird the size of a cow swooping up from one of the deepest canyons in the world is pretty special.

As is descending a trench plonked in the wilderness, a few hundred kilometres passed the last patch of wilderness in the knowledge that there's a mule waiting for you at the bottom. Standing on the edge of the canyon is like being on another planet: one like earth, but just a lot bigger. Like most natural wonders it makes you feel very small indeed.

Wiz zees views you are spoiling us!

7. 4x4 trip, Bolivia
This is all the landscape we´ve experienced before, but amplified. Up to this point we'd seenplenty of wilderness (27 hours of Patagonia on a bus to Bariloche) but nothing as ethereal and un-earthy as the high altitude border from Chile into Bolivia, the blinding white of the Uyuni salt flats, the weird shaped rocks and the strange-coloured lakes (blue, green...and red?).

Another hard day at the office

8. Torres del Paine, Chile
This entry is about triumph over adversity. We´re not outdoor types, in fact we looked pretty out of place compared to the serious trekkers there. But four nights camping, cooking your food and carrying everything with you is an achievement by any standards (and one that surely deserves a Duke of Edinburgh 24-carat gold badge?). Of course the landscape took our breath away as did the sheer slopes we climbed and the rucksacks we carried. We also felt like a million dollars for weeks afterwards.

The hills are alive with the sound of Paine

9. Nazca lines, Peru
Flying in a one-engine plane to view strange, ancient images etched into the dry and barren desert below is not an experience you have very often. It doesn´t take long to get over a fear of flying as you buzz over the Nazca lines and witness the unexplainable man-made phenomenon below. An educational thrill-ride if you can keep your breakfast down!

Is that a Nasca line or are you just pleased to see aliens?

10. Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
Like a huge white iceberg stretching up 60 metres, the glacier is a sight to behold. One of the only advancing glaciers in the world, huge chunks of ice break off and crash into the freezing waters making a thunderous sound. Like so much in South America it’s another example of being in awe of nature.

Iceberg ahead!

It's impossible to order four months worth of experiences into a list of our top ten. Therefore, here's our special mentions for those experiences that, for no reason in particular, didn't quite make it:

Potosi mine, Bolivia

Climbing head first into a small, ancient and rickety Bolivian mine is an intense psychological experience. It also gives you a first-hand experience of what it’s like for the hundreds of miners who go into Cerro Rico every day and withstand such terrible conditions. A sobering and frightening education.

Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

We´ve seen enough beautiful scenery to fill a few hundred coffee table books. But the views over Lake Titicaca from the Isla Del Sol take some beating.

Cartagena, Colombia

Cusco and Colonia del Sacremento take second and third place behind Cartagena when it comes to outstanding colonial cities. Forget the cobbled streets (there aren’t any) as its the houses that steal the show – multi-coloured with wooden and rustic balconies overflowing with flowers and plenty of them. Walking around the old town is like stepping into a Garcia-Marquez novel with less affairs and more coke pushers lining the plazas.

***********

And so...we return home with suitcases stuffed full of great memories (and dirty laundry), longing for a nice cup of tea.

The final few days

Colonial Cartagena

Cartagena is the most beautiful city in South America. Nicknamed 'The jewel of the Caribbean' its hard not to fall in love with its vibrant-coloured colonial buildings, flower-covered balconies and labyrinthine narrow streets.

The past week has been a mixture of fun (dancing, Mojitos, watching the sunset) and relaxation (swimming, sunbathing, sleeping). Cartagena is also home to one of the best bars ever - up on the ramparts overlooking the Caribbean. Bars can be forgettable - except this one.

Cafe del Mar after sunset

It's also been a week of extremes: from the unchilled-ness of the so-called 'Chill House' hostel (noisey and lacking in working toilet facilities) to luxurious Bantu (see Gemma's special guest entry for more details) and then onto a little island off Cartagena. It's nice and it feels isolated due to its total lack of life /guests, but as a result feels a little like the hotel out of The Shining. A good place to relax though.

Cart-a-gena

Muddy waters

The pool's a bit dirty

Sitting in a mud volcano is weird. Very weird.

You find yourself adopting a squat position whilst suspended in a pit of gloop to stop you rolling face-forward into the mud. It's also strange not knowing how deep it is as you sit surrounded by thick grey mud and other mud men and women.

It's very relaxing until you try and move, when you feel like you're learning to swim all over again and start splashing your arms up and down as you attempt to steer through the thick mud. It's pointless though. The best way to manoeuvre is to lie back and let one of the tourists / masseurs push you along the surface (see example below) and get slotted next to another grey figure.

Suspended in mud

Happy Birthday to Me...*

The Birthday Girl in all her glory

Well, if you are going to turn 30 I reckon that Cartagena is a pretty good place to do it; if Mark's organising the day that is.

To be honest, I felt a little sad yesterday with the impending end to my twenties looming over me. Given a few cuba libres and a little salsa however, that soon passed and we had a great night dancing, drinking and starring in disbelief at the sheer quantities of old, grey men with young, scantily clad women. We must be getting old!

Today has been absolutely lovely. Mark checked us in to a beautiful boutique hotel yesterday as a birthday treat for me. Bliss compared to where we had been staying (our room has a sink AND a flushing toilet). Best feature however is the rooftop pool which we have had to ourselves for the past 2 days with beautiful views over the city's rooftops. We soon realised that lazing by the pool is a very worthwhile way to spend both my 30th and the last week of our trip.

3pm came and it was time for a massage, such a hard life! The only problem was that Mark kept coming up to check on how it was going. I found it hard to believe that a man doesn't know that a woman should be left in peace whilst having a massage but his reasoning soon became clear - not less that 50 balloons, birthday cake and champagne were waiting for me in the room when I came down! It was fab and such a lovely surprise.

Just some of the many balloons in our room

Cake and Champagne - the recipe for happiness

We're off out now for dinner but, all in all, turning 30 hasn't been that bad. Thank you Mark for making it such a day to remember x

*Special guest contribution by Gemma Cooke

Welcome to paradise...

...if paradise consists of the following:

1. Glastonbury-style toilets
2. Overpriced and underwhelming food
3. Sleeping under a bin-liner for the princely sum of £20
4. 90's Techno music waking you up at 6am.

Okay - so the Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona is a stunning stretch of rainforest hugging the Caribbean coastline with its pristine sandy beaches. But they could do something more with its beauty and make it feel less like an over-priced pop festival where the tourists are fleeced for all the money they have for little in the way of comfort.

We spent three days in the park, walked from one beach to another, chilled on the beautiful beaches and swam in the warm waters. But it was a relief when we had finally got back to Santa Marta and the relative quiet of our hostel in a slightly dodgy part of the city.

Santa Marta is the oldest town in South America. But its past colonial glories have faded somewhat and it is now a Colombian version of Brighton and all that goes along with a seaside holiday town.

Within hours of arriving we had booked ourselves on a dive trip with two really nice Colombians - Diego and Julie. The dive was interesting. No visibility above 10 metres and then suddenly you hit a cold water current which comes up from the Antarctic and the visibility is great and you start seeing huge moray eels and massive bowl-like coral. Quite weird.

We've only been in Colombia a few days but we have already made some Colombian friends instead of just fellow tourists. Which is funny because that hasn't really happened anywhere in South America. Following the dive we were dancing in a sweaty Colombian nightclub with Diego and Julie to the sounds of salsa and reggaeton and at the national park arrangements were made to met up with another group of Colombians in Cartagena.

The dark days are over

We didn't expect anything of Medellin before we arrived.

But the city is actually quite nice, friendly and so green! In the 12 hours or so that we have been here there's been a permanent blanket of cloud over the city and the surrounding hills. It all looks very European. A tropical version of the Lake District perhaps? Rolling, lush green hills covered in dense cloud and hanging in the valleys.

We arrived in Colombia following a bumpy flight from Quito. The city itself is fairly affluent with nice bars and restaurants and it's also really clean. There's none of the half finished buildings of Bolivia and rubbish strewn in the city suburbs.

It's also connected with mega-drug cartel Pablo Escobar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_escobar), who was killed here in 1993 and once bank-rolled most of the city. Medellin seems to have had quite a troubled past. It wasn't accessible to foreigners until fairly recently, which might explain why people seem generally nice to gringos here. The taxi driver even said goodbye with a handshake and a pat on the back!

Shame to have only night here. But there will be no sad farewells as we are off to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast now. Every cloud...

Quietly Quito

Things have wound down considerably.

The past day and a half has been spent in Quito saying goodbye to my mum, strolling around town and taking it easy. Quito is a beautiful city, particularly the old colonial town (which is dead at night), whilst Mariscal Sucre is all neon lights and loud music and feels a lot like Buenos Aires.

We haven't done much. It's been relaxing, particularly after the frenetic activity of Peru and the Galapagos Islands.

We're off to Colombia next, where we plan to take it easy, top up the tan-age and get ourselves ready to go back to The Real World. That's the idea anyway; whether it turns out like that is another story. Also the weather is looking a bit rainy. But that won't matter as long as they serve rum indoors.

La Rotonda - Quito Old Town

Swimming with sea lions

The Galapagos Islands

Sea lion pup - Gardner's Bay, Espanola Island

It's difficult to describe the last week here on the Galapagos Islands - action-packed, beautiful and truly, truly unique. Out of all of our experiences in South America, these islands have been the cherry on the cake.

Normally, you're ecstatic when you catch sight of a rare animal, even for a fleeting second. However, within 24 hours of being on the archipelago we had seen a sea turtle swimming passed, tortoises munching on leaves, sea lions wallowing on the beach (so close you could smell their fishy breath!), marine and land iguanas lazying on large volcanic rocks and all manner of colourful tropical fish and exotic birds (including the Blue-Footed Booby - a bird with bright blue feet). In addition, we have seen fountains of water spurting out of the ocean from passing humpback whales on the same day as Galapagos sharks hunting for food while baby sea turtles (less than a day old) paddled furiously behind the boat (only 1 in 10,000 reach maturity). Another day, we had male frigate birds with their puffed-up red necks swooping overhead to impress the ladies and huge albatrosses attempting un-even clifftop landings, their legs dangling stupidly behind them. If Jurassic Park was real, it would be the Galapagos Islands.

Marine iguana taking it easy - Espanola Island

Before the cruise we made our own way to Puerto Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz where we stayed in one of the skankiest hostels yet (completely different to the luxury boat that was to come). By the next morning Gemma and I were on our way out to one of the smaller islands called Santa Fe to do the best couple of dives ever. There were the countless colourful tropical fish, the deep blue water, the sea lions curiously swimming around us - their heads ducking below the water, checking us out and darting nervously around and below us at lightning speed. Then a sea turtle comes completely out of the blue and sails off into the great expanse ahead. Even the musty air in our tanks did nothing to detract from a very special first full day on the islands.

Shark bait!

That afternoon we headed across to Isla San Cristobal by 'water taxi'. In reality the taxi, which conjures up images of a small little barge chugging along slowly, turned out to be a speed boat bumping across the choppy waters at speeds of more than 60 knots over huge waves. It was an exhilarating journey for the first 10 minutes, but exhausting for the full and unimpeded 2 and a half hours. It made even the most seafaring feel sick (apart from Gemma who somehow managed to sleep through most of it!)

Isla San Cristobal was worth it though - really laid back, nice friendly hostel and hundreds of sea lions every where: on the beach, on the jetties and even on the park benches. It was from here that we boarded the Galapagos Odyssey for our 6-day (actually more like 4-full-day) tour around the islands, when the Galapagos experience got even better. I've seen my lifetime supply of iguanas and Blue-Footed Boobies. However, I could happily sit and become an old man watching the sea lions playing.

Here's how the cruise panned out:

Day 1 - Isla San Cristobal

The morning was spent waiting for the boat, boarding the boat and then being bus-ed up to the highlands to see various forms of finches, some grumpy looking giant tortoises chewing on plants and learning a bit about the tortoise breeding programme which has taken years to perfect. It took a while before we saw one (so long in fact that we were convinced that a park ranger would plant a plastic one off in the distance!).

Day 2 - Isla Espanola

This is where it really began. Strange and wonderful wildlife everywhere - marine iguanas lazing on rocks (some with peaceful smiles), lava lizards of all kinds bolting over paths, large red Sally Lightfoot crabs, curious Blue-Footed Boobies and of course the sea lions - young and old, good and bad tempered. Some playful, some asleep and some lunging at the odd tourist who got too close for a photograph. We also saw hoards of resting albatross, mockingbirds and Galapagos doves - all endemic to the island, and like all the other animals totally impervious to the passing tourist. I could almost hear the David Attenborough voiceover as we stood metres away from two Galapagos hawks perched on a tree stump and looking out to sea. Animals eye you with some interest whilst you walk passed goggle-eyed. It's a place that even an avid wildlife-averter would find difficult not to love.

Gemma and Blue-Footed Booby eyeing each other with interest

The island is the southern-most of the archipelago and we had got there via a bumpy night crossing which had me stumbling around like a drunk trying to located the loose bottles that were rolling around the floor of the cabin.

By afternoon, it was snorkelling at Gardner's Bay and sightings of white-tip sharks below that got my mother out of the water and into the zodiac within seconds. Later we were picking our paths carefully through the hundreds of snoozing, yawning, coughing and spluttering sea lions on the beach.

Day 3 - Isla Floreana

Another bumpy night crossing and another morning waking up to a beautiful sight - the Devil's Crown - an extinct volcano with a crater submerged under the water. The currents were strong so we were told that it was likely that we would see sharks - and we did - two sets of three (and my mother stayed in the water the whole time). In both cases they were white-tip sharks sleeping under rocks 15 metres down.

White-tip sharks off Devil's Crown - Floreana Island

A little later I spotted a sea turtle on the sea floor who then started swimming. We must have watched for a good forty-five minutes. So graceful.

Murtle the turtle

It was then on to Punta Cormorant, a 'green beach' which contains little green gems stones in the sand. Behind it there's a little inland salt-water lake with a few pink flamingos standing and sleeping on one leg in the middle. Strangely, the place also houses a 'post office' (an old wooden barrel to post your postcards in the hope that someone will pick one up and deliver it when they get home). We'll be delivering one to a couple that live in Tunbridge Wells.

By evening there was a BBQ set-up on the back of the boat attracting swarms of flying fish, tiny one-day old sea turtles (who rapidly depleted in number as the night progressed) and sea lions darting back and forth. There was a unanimous cheer when one of them grabbed and ate a sea snake before descending back into the depths.

Day 4 - Santa Fe

We had visited here before when we went diving. I didn't think it could get much better the first time, but it did. Not only did we see a couple of huge land iguanas (which resemble prehistoric dinosaurs and are a good metre or so long) but also swam with sea lions, and lots of them.

There was a playful bunch of youngsters and their mums swimming around us, under us and straight at us almost like a game of chicken. The snorkel was rounded off with a couple of Golden Rays gracefully moving above the sand. In some areas there were so many fish below us it was like a brilliant multicoloured carpet which you could reach out and catch in your hand.

Islas Plazas

Lunchtime was on the move to one of the Isla Plazas. It's a fairly barren landscape of volcanic rock and cacti. But it's also full of roaming land iguanas. It's strange because at a first glance there's nothing there, but fairly quickly you can see the ground moving and four or five of them materialise metres from you.

There was also a majestic male sea lion showing off on a rock and plenty of frigate birds overhead as well as dramatic volcanic cliffs to keep us happy.

In the evening as we sailed to North Seymour island we saw humpback whales, blowing water and coming up briefly for air. Following dinner it was then Galapagos sharks circling ominously around the back of the ship looking for sea lions / humans to feed on. Johnny, the assistant chef, thought it would be a good idea to flap his arm in the water to attract them. A maimed crew member would not have been funny.

Day 5 - North Seymour Island

We got the zodiac across to this island as the sun rose with thousands of birds overhead. The island was full of them and it was mating time. Male boobies were waddling about whistling at the females, whilst male frigate birds were puffing up their red party balloon necks to attract a mate. It was only the pelicans that were interested in getting food.

It was already feeling like the cruise was coming to an end. There was a re-fuelling stop and a couple of snorkels in the afternoon rounded off with smuggled wine in the jacuzzi whilst watching the sunset.

Day 6 - Baltra

The final day...or half day was a slight anticlimax. A zodiac around North Seymour for 20 minutes and a sighting or two of a furred sea lion (a little different to the other ones we had seen), then back on board the boat and off again at Baltra airport before heading back to Puerto Ayora and relaxing, catching up on the blog and sleep.

The Galapagos Islands were special. Would love to come back again some day. But will they still be the same?

Jamie, our guide (centre in the green shirt) and the rest of the group aboard the Odyssey

We are Galapa-GO!

Currently sitting in the airport at Guayaquil waiting for the flight to the Galapagos Islands. Very exciting.

Gemma and my mum are currently scoffing crap and overpriced airport food ("It's all right actually" Gemma).

Will try and leave more updates when we are there but it might be difficult.

Hasta luego.

Ancient Chimu ruins, the last long bus ride and the beginning of an Ecuadorian adventure

I'm writing this in Guayaquil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guayaquil), Ecuador's second largest city on the eve of flying to the Galapagos. I couldn't be more excited!

It suddenly feels more tropical. As we crossed into Ecuador you can start to feel the humid heat and this coastal part feels a little Caribbean - huge fields of banana trees and dense green undergrowth with little wooden houses on stilts interspersed throughout. Guayaquil on the other hand has not left much of an impression - it's a big city and it's dark, so can't comment much.

We were on the bus for more than sixteen hours (some of that due to the lengthy wait at the immigration stations). The Ecuadorian immigration stamp is the worst I've scene - just some writing printed by a dot matrix printer in your passport! As a matter of sweet consolation it is the last long distance bus we will have to get...we hope!

A lot of the time in Huanchaco had been organising our Galapagos trip. Fortunately, everything has worked out really well. Better than expected. We managed to book the flights, the bus to Guayaquil (where the airport is) and bag us a great last minute deal on a luxury yacht(?!).

Reed boats in Huanchaco

We also found time to eat a fair amount of Ceviche (it really is the best food in South America), drink pisco sours and take in the vast pre-Colombian settlement of Chan Chan, built by the Chimu Empire a thousand years ago.

Guardians of the ancient ruins at Chan Chan

There isn't a huge amount to see. The walls, made from adobe (mud bricks) have been ravaged by El Niño storms and earthquakes over the centuries as well as looted by the Incas and the Spanish. It is, however, still impressive and unlike anything you'd get back home in England - huge yellow / brown walls going off in all directions (some 11 metres high), large ceremonial courtyards and the obligatory small museum packed with tourists. There's also another ancient temple ruin right in the centre of nearby city of Trujillo, surrounded by run-down houses with police manning every corner of the gated complex. There's also an abundance of hairless dogs / hell hounds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_Hairless_Dog). They're horrible, but Gemma has still managed to make friends with some of them.

Menu for the best Ceviche restaurant ever (£2 for a two course meal with a coke!)

Galapa-go-go?

We arrived yesterday in a placed called Huanchaco, on the coast about 10-hours north of Lima (another night bus). We've found a great hotel with a pool and our rooms have balconies overlooking the beach. It's beautiful.

Despite this we're thinking of moving on for destinations greater - the Galapagos Islands. The first stage of logistics has been sorted - my mother has changed her flights so she can stay a week longer. We've now got to get a bus to Guayaguil (15 hours north in Ecuador), book flights and try and bag a last minute deal for the islands.

I shouldn't say it's stressful...but it is.

Larks in Lima

In Lima with under 24 hours and what is there to do except eat, drink and shop? It's a vibrant city with everything you need, so it's pretty easy to wile away a day whilst waiting for a night bus. However, there's still the all-persuasive sea mist which makes the entire city smell of fish (nice).

Lima is like any other capital city (big and noisy) and, unfortunately, has lost a lot of its old colonial charm due to the various earthquakes that have rocked and the El nino storms that have ravaged it over the years.

We weathered our short stay in the Larcomar mall, which overlooks the Pacific and is perched on the edge of a cliff. By late afternoon you get para-gliders peering at you from above, by which time the mist has cleared.

A few things about Lima:

1. Cats There's a whole peaceful cat society...sitting in flower beds, climbing out of trees and watching you from above
2. Japan Miraflores looks a lot like a Tokyo suburb
3. Cold The cinema was freezing (we went to see Thor - http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thor/ which despite good critical reviews, was pretty pants).

Gemma enjoying 'Thor 3D' with required clothing / equipment (note empty seats)

The anticipation is killing me for traditional Peruvian cuisine - burgers and chips (!)

Pre-restaurant jubilation

Poor Man's Galapagos

Sea lions taking it easy, Islas Ballestas

The first thing you notice when you arrive in Paracas is the strong smell of fish which greets you as you get off the bus. It hangs in the all-pervasive sea mist, which stretches all the way up the coast towards Lima.

Within moments we were met and driven to our hotel by a friend of a friend in Nazca who had kindly arranged for us to have the best room in the hotel - one with a balcony overlooking the sea. Perfect for spending the rest of the day sitting, drinking wine and getting used to the smell.

By evening we were tasting Ceviche (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerviche) - a local Peruvian speciality which has apparently won international culinary awards. Raw fish (the sole seems to be the best) marinaded in lemon, onions and a slightly spicy sauce made for one of the best meals yet. A gastronomic highlight (up there with Argentine steaks).

The next morning it was a fairly early start and a tourist speed boat passed an ancient sand geoglyph (a candalabra / cactus etched into the shore) and onto the Islas Ballestas, otherwise known as the 'Poor Man's Galapagos'.

Going here bolsters the South American animal tally considerably. To add to the condors, eagles, hummingbirds, parrots, flamingos, capybaras, coyotes and all forms of llamas and alpacas, we saw Humboldt Penguins, sea lions, pelicans and swarms of cormorants, amongst other animals.

The islands themselves are off the coast of Paracas and despite being quite small are teeming with life...and guano. Masses of it. The stuff is all over the place, covering the ground in metres of white deposit and giving the place a smell similar to a Bolivian bus (see earlier blog).

It's now a nature reserve descended upon by hundreds of tourists in speed boats circling the islands gawping at the array of wildlife. Years ago it used to be a guano quarry, which was once one of Peru's greatest exports, used around the world as a fertiliser.

Abandoned quarry, Islas Ballestas

Flight of the condors

Ancient lines in the desert

Forced smiles seconds before take-off

Light aircrafts are not for the faint-hearted. I can see why they put the sick bag in the pouch in front of you.

Within hours of stepping off the overnight bus from Arequipa we found ourselves a couple of hundred metres up in a six-seater, one-engine aircraft banking to the right to see the lines stretching out below us.

It was the best way to see the huge pictorials below created hundred of years before the Incas, etched into the rocky ground. We saw geoglyphs of a spider, a monkey, a hummingbird, a condor, a tree and even an astronaut(!). The reasons for their existence, however, are still unknown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Lines).

A geoglyph of a hummingbird in the Nazca desert

The journey itself was pretty bumpy and loud - the sound of air traffic control in our headphones interspersed with the guide pointing out another creature in the desert as we banked sharply to one side and then the other.

A steep left bank anxiously witnessed by my mother

The white city, the canyon and the black bin bags in the sky

Arequipa

Arequipa cathedral by night

We arrived early in the morning after a 10-hour night bus from Cusco. Arequipa feels warmer. We're a lot lower than Cusco and the atmosphere is different - possibly a lot more Peruvian - i.e. there are a lot less tourists (or at least they're diluted by the large local population). The streets are full of taxis, the buildings are brilliant white and there's a huge Plaza de Armas. That's about it. It feels a lot like Sucre, Bolivia.

Nourishment after the overnight bus from Cusco - Plaza de Armas, Arequipa

Santa Catalina monastery

The monastery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catalina_Monastery) is pretty much the main thing to do here... and that's no disadvantage. It is a walled city of its own, a labyrinth of little streets, courtyards and rooms (or cells), which took a good few hours to get around. Each part filled with flowers, painted a different colour and devoid of tourists. Apparently it's in the book '1,000 places to see before you die'. I can see why.

Up until the seventies it used to be a completely secluded community, just a few hundred nuns until they opened it up. It is still a convent with a section consisting of less than a hundred still living there, isolated from the bustling city outside.

Colca Canyon
The bus ride the following day to the Colca Canyon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colca_Canyon) was an endless expanse of steppe, much like Patagonia - miles and miles of nothing, but with snow capped mountains and volcanoes in the distance extending to deep lush valleys, Inca terraces and ultimately the Colca Canyon - the second deepest in the world (and no the Grand Canyon is not the first).

It's nice to get the local buses when you can - people selling all sorts - soft drinks, sweets, text books, as well as musicians singing traditional songs with a panpipe and guitar in hand. However, it usually takes a lot longer than anticipated and they tend to fit more people in the bus than it can possibly carry (particularly un-nerving when traversing the narrow mountainous roads).

We arrived at our final destination, Copanaconde, by about 8 o'clock once the sun had set and checked into the first hotel / hostel we could find. It had turned what we thought would be a gentle afternoon excursion, into a day's travelling, more or less. We were lucky - the hotel / hostel seemed to be the nicest place in town (although the food was pretty crappy) and the lady running place was mad as a hatter.

The next morning it was an early start, a three-hour steep descent of more than 1,000 metres into the canyon and a couple of hours nursing our legs and admiring the view surrounded by mountains, a swimming pool and a fully stocked bar, before tucking into a square meal of alpaca and vegetables. It was easy trekking but without the early morning start (some tours start at 1am), the crap food and the physical pain.

We then took mules to the top - very much in keeping with our 'take-it-easy' outlook. I was reluctant at first, but came round within seconds going up - it was two hours and the mules didn't stop once, panting and sweating their way to the top. I'd have been panting and swearing my way to the top!

Gemma (G) = happy / mule (M) = knackered ( G = :) / M = :( )

It also meant that you could fully appreciate the beautiful scenery and acknowledge the precipitous drops and precarious footpath.

It was a good day - the weather was great and because we weren't in a large tour group it was un-touristy. In fact, it was only us going down and the odd stick-thin rambler coming up.

The bus trip back the next morning was easy. A public bus to a place called Cruz del Condor to view the birds hovering over the canyon (they have a wingspan of more than three metres) followed by a gringo bus back to Arequipa. My mum remarked that the birds look like black bin liners in the sky...beautiful!

Majestic gigantic feathered creature or bin bag blowing in the wind?

On our journey back to Arequipa we took in a natural hot spring at Chivay, tasted Colca sours (made from the fruit of a local cactus), ate a big buffet lunch and took in yet more barren but beautiful scenery (at a dizzying height of more than 4,800 metres).

Machu Picchu and mini-Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Travelling trio taking the obligatory scenic "I was there" shot

There's not much that can be said about Machu Picchu that hasn't been said before.

It is incredible and unlike anything else I have ever seen - an Incan outpost / temple / imperial hideaway teetered on a small bit of land, untouched by colonialists and perched hundreds of metres above the Urubamba river.

What makes it so special is that it seems so intact compared with other Inca ruins and benefits from the breath-taking natural backdrop behind and all around it - dense, lush cloud forests in every direction. Not even the huge number of tourists who descent on the site can spoil the atmosphere here, which once the tour groups have died down takes on the feeling of a sunny Sunday afternoon in the park. We even found a nice little bit of grass to sit and take in the atmosphere, with llamas munching grass around us. All we were missing were a copy of the Sunday papers!

Professional baby llama posing for the cameras

It is the polar opposite from the town of Aguas Calientes which sits in the valley below. This is a town that has nothing going for it apart from the train station, a string of over-priced tourist shops, bars and restaurants and its location to one of the most beautiful places on earth. I think I've said all that Aguas Calientes deserves. It's horrible. A concrete jumble of breeze blocks and cement thrown together haphazardly.

However, it proved a good place to stock up on a good breakfast, having taken the early morning train from a beautiful Incan town called Ollantaytambo, further along the valley towards Cusco.

We were lucky with the weather - it was sunny but with enough fluffy clouds to make a dramatic photograph (or ten). By about 4pm the storm clouds were beginning to advance over the site. It began to rain literally as we were walking out of the entrance gates, but not before having a good hour, just us and the few others who didn't mind the thought of getting wet.

It was difficult to leave - every minute you want to take another photo to try and capture it - in good weather and bad, from different angles, etc. I managed to rattle out over 200 pictures in just a couple of hours. It's a budding photographer's paradise. The problem will be choosing which one to use!

The walk to the ancient Inca drawbridge was quite an experience. It's only a 15 minute walk but it takes you along a mountain path that is the walking equivalent of the death road near La Paz. At one point there are ropes to hold on to as you hug the side of the mountain, drawing up the courage to peer over the precarious edge - in some places 600 metres straight down. The drawbridge itself is so narrow and isolated, that it's a wonder that any attacker would have ever have dared to venture across it in the first place.

There's no doubt that Machu Picchu is one of the jewels in South America's crown, if not the world's.

Pisac

Inca agricultural terraces surrounding the citadel at Pisac

Pisac was not on the same scale as Machu Picchu. It can't compete with Machu Picchu, which is unfair, because for any other country it could well be the main attraction. Although it covers a fairly large area, it's a mini-Machu Picchu.

We came here two days before and were pleased that we set aside a whole day (rather than pile onto a package tour taking in Pisac, Ollantaytambo and a few other sites in just a day). We took our time. We got up late, and made our own way there by taxi, driving through deep lush valleys before getting to the colonial town of Pisac.

The town is a smaller version of Cusco - a mini Plaza de Armas in the centre surrounded by mini colonial houses with mini colourful balconies and the Inca citadel perched up on the hill. There were also the usual "Alpaca" scarves and jumpers along with Andean rugs, hats, etc. on sale from the stalls in the centre.

Getting to the ruins up the hill above the town meant a short taxi ride, more death-defying mountain trails hugging the side of the slope, walking through a small cave, descending ancient steps and all with the distant soundtrack of panpipes in the background (there was a Peruvian guy playing pretty much the whole way round).

So we had beautiful views, ruins and precarious mountain paths. But there was one thing that Pisac lacked...tourists! There was no one there. Apparently Fridays are good days to go because the big tour groups don't go that day. So we had the place pretty much to ourself, apart from the panpiper, some American students and a lady carrying her two-year old daughter round.

Ollantaytambo

A good choice to stay before visiting Machu Picchu, especially having seen Aguas Calientes. We had a great hostel, cheap and clean, overlooked by towering mountains, Inca terraces and yet more stunning ruins of houses and temples. It's surprising that more people don't stay here and then get the train early the next morning rather than heading all the way to Aguas Calientes and facing the high prices and concrete.

Around Cusco

Cusco wasn't all colonial architecture and churches. We had decided, since we had stayed in Cusco for so long and seen relatively little, that a tourist bus to the nearby Inca sites of Sacsayhuaman (otherwise known as "sexy woman" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacsayhuam%C3%A1n) and a few others would be a good way of cramming in a few sights. However, most of them been destroyed and pillaged by the colonialists and used to build the colonial houses in the town. So there wasn't a great deal to see. It's also frustrating being herded on and off a bus.

However, it was a good introduction to the Incas and their civilisation before seeing the piece de resistance - Machu Picchu.