A little bit of Bolivia

Persective shots fun!

The amazing Salar De Uyuni

People going about their business on the Plaza Murrillo

 

 

Cacti on the Salar De Uyuni

 

The train cemetery provided a stunning photo opportunity

After Cuzco I changed my original plan and decided to go to Bolivia. I'd met a girl who had been living in La Paz and I had long since wanted to visit Uyuni to see the salt flats. An overnight bus journey from Cuzco got me into La Paz for mid morning. I had booked a hostel which was within walking distance of the bus station and after checking in and freshening up I set off to explore the city.

LA Paz is a vibrant, colourful, frenetic South American city but one pretty easy to navigate. I explored on foot the first day then met my friend, Sarah, for dinner. On the second day I did a free walking tour once again which started outside the infamous San Pedro prison.This is the largest prison in La Paz and renowned for being a society within itself. The book Marching Powder, written by Rusty Young and published in 2003, describes the experiences of the British inmate Thomas McFadden who became known for offering prison tours to tourists. Significantly different from most correctional facilities, inmates at San Pedro have jobs inside the community, buy or rent their accommodation, and often live with their families.

We went through markets and a couple of the squares learning about the history and culture of the city. I was fascinated by the stalls selling dead baby llamas and foetuses. They are buried by Bolivians under their houses as a form of blessing. I loved seeing ordianary Bolivians going about their daily tasks and shopping at the market stalls. Women in traditional dress were commonplace, more so than in Peru. Once again, the tour did not disappoint. These type of tours of fantastic and take you to parts of cities you might not necessarily go and offer a wealth of local knowledge. Here is a link to the 'Red Cap' tour. http://www.redcapwalkingtours.com/

From La Paz, I booked an overnight bus to Uyuni. Time was really an issue now so I had to make the best use of it and the next few days were going to be full ones.

The journey to Uyuni proved to be one of the most uncomfortable I have ever endured. This was down to the extreme cold and the fact that the bus appeared to have no heating. The early morning arrival saw fellow travellers arriving frozen to the bone and the temperature displaying -12 degrees. It was between 4 and 5 am  and with a few fellow passengers we wandered the streets looking for any sign of life. There was literally one cafe open and a local woman, who obviously was used to the buses arriving early full of cold and tired passengers, was happy to show us to it. I've never been so happy to stand around a patio heater trying to thaw out.

I had booked a trip to La Salar De Uyuni (Salt Flats) from a travel agents in La Paz. With hindsight, I think it would be better to wait until arrival in Uyuni. There were travel agents a plenty, there was little else to this nearby town that acts as a gateway to the salt flats. It had the feel of a frontier town in the Wild West, partly due to the fact that mining is the principal source of income. Although tourists have long been visiting the area, it wasn't until around five years ago that interest grew in extracting the 5.4m tons of lithium which is found just below the surface of the salt.

The flats, located in Southern Bolivia near the country's Tunupa volcano make up the world's largest salt desert, around 11,000 km sq. 

Once I had waited, and waited and waited some more ( promptness and organisation don't seem particular priorities in Bolivia)  my trip was underway.

It was a surreal experience as the four wheel drive cruised through the Salt Flats to our first stop, the train cemetery where old rusting trains are a great photostop against the all white salt flat and blue sky backdrop. From here we made our way to the Ojos de Sal where water bubbles up from beneath the salt plains and piles of salt stand ready to be transported. We had lunch at the Salt Hotel before ending the day close to the Volcan Tunupa. Close by was a lake full of flamingoes and this again afforded a stunning g photo opportunity.

Accommodation on this trip was basic and the extreme cold meant it was an early night after a communal dinner. I had a sleeping bag and slept in every item of clothing I had, including a hat and gloves, just to keep warm.

Hiking the next day was stunning but hard work. The altitude really slowed me up once again. The afternoon gave me a chance to visit the giant cacti and have fun getting some great perspective shots. I've included some here.

The trip was a whistle stop one but so worth it. I headed back to Uyunj sharing a ride with another group as the sun started to set over the salt plains. I was booked on an overnight bus back

A butcher's shop in Laz Paz

to La Paz and had time for dinner with some people I'd met at the lodge the night before. Once back in La Paz it was another quick turnaround before I was Lima bound once more. Adios Bolivia.




Flamingoes

 

My Peruvian Adventure -part 2. The Lares trek to Machu Picchu

A view of Cuzco from the Plaza San Blas

I arrived in Cuzco on an overnight bus and met an American girl,  Sarah, at the bus station. She came with me to the hostel I had booked, Ecopackers (see link),  one of the best hostels I stayed in not only on this trip but in all my travels. A courtyard which warmed up as the sun rose overhead combined with a common room with log fires and some of the most helpful staff ever. I can't recommend this place enough should you find yourself in Cuzco. 

I had a couple of days to explore before my trek. The first day Sarah and I did a self guided tour, taking in the main sites of the city and a fantastic Mercado San Pedro market pictured here. 

On day two I did a free city walking tour. I've done a few of these over the years in various places and they are a great way to get off the beaten track a little and meet like minded people. Local guides offer plenty of insight and knowledge. This one did not disappoint starting at the Plaza de Armas and ending with a session on how to make a Pisco sour! And of course we got to drink the finished product. (See link). 

Early the following morning I was picked up by Carlos. I had met him for a briefing the previous evening and had been a little shocked to find out that I was the only person doing the trek. Known as the Lares trek (after the valley) it is a good alternative to the Inca Trail which is fully booked up to six months in advance. I was a little apprehensive to begin with but Carlos soon put me at ease and in some ways being the only hiker added to my experience. We started with breakfast by a river at the start of the valley just below 3000m. The highest point would take us just below 5000m. The first day was the easier of the two and to begin with I found relatively easy. I do a fair amount if hiking at home and I'm reasonably fit. But the altitude is something that you can't train or prepare for. It certainly slowed me down but on the first day the ascent seemed fairly gradual. We stopped for a long lunch ( the food prepared by two cooks was impressive) and the stretch to our first camp at the end of day one was only a couple  of hours. So far so good. 

The night was cold. Dinner was in a tent and I felt waited on in some style considering where we were! After we had eaten a four course dinner, Carlos told me to come out and see the stars. It was an incredible sight, quite breathtaking although I didn't hang around for too long as the cold was something else. We were expecting temperatures to get down to minus 15. I had on every item if clothing I possessed and had a good four season sleeping bag. I had a reasonable night and was ready for the early start next day. 

Day two was to be THE DAY. After a 5am wake up we were walking within an hour  and had hiked to our highest point by midday. The landscape was incredible, shrouded in mist and with many of the surrounding peaks covered in snow. Again, the altitude really slowed me down. We met plenty of llamas and alpacas and even a few people. The picture shows a woman weaving  and her child and dog. The only people you are likely to see in these remote spots are those responsible for animals which get brought down to lower altitude at night. Children like a young boy who came to out tent on the second night and with whom we shared our popcorn. See picture. 

After the ascent in the morning we descended for our lunch and had an hour of rest. But the afternoon saw more ascent and I began to struggle. I had to keep resting and the hiking until we got to camp took another 5 hours. It was hard and at times I felt I couldn't go on. It was dark by the time we arrived at camp. That evening the cold was once again severe but knowing the next day was going to be nothing in comparison was a relief. 

Day three was so much easier at we were descending and by the afternoon had arrived at some hot springs. Before we got there a local Andean community was having an inter village football tournament and we stayed for a chat and glass of fermented beer with a group of locals as pictured. Having a shower and relaxing in the natural hot pools did wonders for my aching muscles and I was starting to really feel a sense of achievement. Saying that, Ron who I met earlier into trip spent 53 nights on the mountain when he climbed Everest. This seems pretty pathetic in comparison.

There was then a transfer by road to the nearest town through stunning scenery before a train transfer to Agues Caliantes, the small town closest to Machu Picchu. 

I stayed in the sister Eco Packers backpackers which like the one in Cuzco, did not disappoint. I got in late after the 3 hour train ride but was in bed by midnight. I had to set my alarm for 4.30 to meet Carlos at 5am.

Seeing the sun rise over Machu Picchu is something I will never forget. It was truly special although the crowds were incredible. Carlos gave me a guided and informed tour for a couple of hours and then I had the rest of my time there to myself. As I was heading to the Sun Gate I bumped into Basio and Naomi who I had met earlier in my trip. We spent the next couple of hours together before saying our farewells once more. 

See my separate entry for a bit about the history of one of the worlds most fascinating historic icons. 

Sent from my iPhone

The magaificent Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu in the early light

Breakfast on day one

A Peruvian picnic

The team

A woman weaving in the high Andes

Getting higher

At the start of the trek

A view of the main Plaza de Armas in Cuzco 

Produce at the bustling Mercado San Pedro

I ran into friends Basia and her daughter NaomiEco Packers Hostel

My Peruvian Adventure-part 1

Children on the reed islands of Lake Tititaca

Stunning scenery in the Colca Canyon region

A street scene in Arequipa

Coca tea- good for altitude sickness!

Dinner with Ron and the group he was leading up the Inca Trail. Find out more www.cfc-foundation.org

                                        

Peru has long since been on my wish list so I decided that this summers' trip would finally take me there. 

And so began a long journey via both New York ( an overnight stay) and Atlanta. I finally arrived in Lima late in the evening but had prearranged a pick up by my hostel. On the plane over I had the pleasure of meeting Ron Farb, an incredibly interesting guy who runs a cancer charity with his wife based in Florida (See link) and he was heading to Lima then onto Cusco with a group of 12 people who he was leading up the Inca trail. He is an experienced climber, having himself climbed 5 of the 7 highest peaks on each continent, including Mount Everest. To say I was in awe is an understatement! He invited me to join the group for dinner in Lima the following evening. 

I only planned to stay in Lima for a day so soon booked a coach for Arequipa for the following day. The hostel was lovely, an old mansion designed by Gustavo Eiffel. I had a cute private room and there were some lovely touches in the communal areas. I was not prepared for the cold though! First day I bought a pair of gloves!

So what to do in Lima? A walking tour of the city's colonial heart seemed a good place to start. I navigated my way to the Plaza de Armas, the centre not only of Francisco Pizarro's settlement but of the whole of the Spanish Empire in South America. It was bustling and a changing of the guard outside the presidential palace was keeping the crowds entertained.  The Lonely Planet has a walking tour which I followed before finding a recommended place for lunch-Domus- where I tried a classic dish of potatoes and cheese ( although with something a bit spicy added). 

Lima in winter had a melancholy air. From April through October it is shrouded in a fog known as 'garua' which prompted Melville to describe it as 'the strangest saddest city thou can'st see' in his famous novel, Moby Dick. That evening, I had dinner with Ron and his group at a well known Lima restaurant called Huaca Pucllana which overlooks some illuminated Incan ruins. It was quite a spot and I had a lovely evening of good food and company. I tried my first Pisco sour too! 

I was due to leave Lima mid afternoon on day two so decided to visit the museum conveniently located over the street from the hostel - the Museo de Arte de Lima. Known locally as MALI it is housed in a beautiful beaux arts building. I spent a pleasant couple of hours in an exhibition to one of Peru's most famous artists Sabogal. As with most galleries, it had a lovely cafe too to wile away a bit more time. 

Then it was the bus to Arequipa, a 16 hour journey. I was fortunate enough to meet Helen in the queue and we spent the first few hours chatting away about our travels. A great way to pass the time. We arrived in Arequipa the next morning and Helen decided to join me in staying at the recommended hotel 'Casona Solar'. A room was amazing, an we knew we were in for a treat and one at a very affordable price. Helen has spent 2 nights on buses so felt she was owed it. We explored the city, having an early lunch and taking lots if photographs as made out way to the main square, also called the Plaza de Armas.

Arequipa is a geographical and architectural gem. It is guarded by three dramatic volcanoes, one El Misti stands over 5000m, and it has the worlds two deepest canyons on its doorstep.We visited the Museo Santiarios Andinos which has the famous Juanita the Ice Maiden, a a 500 year old Inca girl found mummified when plucked from a volcano a few years ago.We were a bit disappointed with the way the case housing her was misty from the cold temperature of the museum.

One of the main reasons for heading to Arequipa is to visit some of the stunning scenery and wildlife nearby. I booked a trek with the recommended Colca Trek tour operators which left early the next day for an overnight trip. Unfortunately due to landslides, trekking in the canyon itself was out. Our first stop was the Reserva National Salinas y Aguada Blanca, a vast area of national park where the highest point is 4910m is the Paso de Patopampa ( see picture). Fantastic views are afforded of the surrounding volcanoes, including the highest Chachani at 6075m and Ampato at 6310m,  weird wind-eroded rock formations and lots of wildlife including vicunas, llamas, Andean deers and alpacas. We also saw the plant Yareta which lasts for millennia in this barren landscape. 

We spent the night in a small village about 30km from Chivay ( the main town of the Colca region and where we had stopped for lunch). It was a very special place and the log burning fire, hot water bottles and fantastic evening meal made it extra special. 

It was an early start the next day to the Cruz del Condor, where you can see many condors in their natural habitat. It also meant we missed the huge number of tourists that had started to arrive as we left.  We hiked for a couple of hours before visiting the thermal springs just outside Chivay, then back to Arequipa. Next stop: Puno

After Arequipa, I made the overnight bus journey to Puno. I stayed in a lovely hostel who let me go straight to the room when I checked in at a very early hour. After a few hours rest I set off to explore Puno. Yet again, most action is centred around the Plaza de Armas. Another beautiful square with an imposing cathedral. I found a cafe and spent a relaxing afternoon reading and writing postcards. At the cafe I met two French girls who had just completed the Sankantray trek to Machu Picchu. We chatted and arranged to meet for dinner. We were also joined by Bashka and her daughter Naomi, who we had met at the station in Arequipa. 

The Colca Canyon

Puno is the city people stay to organise or use as a base for trips to Lake Titicaca.  I organised one through Edgar travel. It was a good trip in that I paid a bit more and the quality of the service was impressive. We had a speedboat out to La Tranquile. We hiked up to a village where we saw traditional handicrafts being made. In this community, the men did the knitting by hand and the women spinning and weaving using very basic equipment. 

We did a lovely walk following on from that and had time to walk barefoot along the edge of the lake. It was too cold for a dip. We then got picked up by the boat to take us to the peninsular for lunch. It was made in a very traditional way- in an earth oven. Whilst I did not try the meat or fish cooked this way, I tried a number of types of potato. 

The final stop after lunch was to the famous reed islands of Uros. People in this community live on floating islands and have done for centuries. It was a strange experience setting foot onto the island, similar to walking on a water bed I thought. The people here live very primitive lifestyles and I did feel like this part of the trip left me feeling a little ill at ease. As if we were being intrusive and it was easy to feel incredibly sorry, particularly got the children. However, they seemed happy enough playing with kites and helping sort out the fish that had been caught. Sometimes I feel we are in danger of judging based on our lifestyle. 

Next stop: Cuzco. 

Traditional handicraft

Lake Titcaca

San Francisco 2013

I never tired of visiting Crissy fields and joining the joggers, walkers and cyclists taking in this view.

Gorgeous jams and chutneys in Mendocino

Glass Beach at Fort Bragg

Shell beach, northern California

Street murals in the Mission

One of the best things about independent travel is the interesting and like minded people you meet. I have been so fortunate that some of my best friends are people I have met this way, who live all over the world. I met Jerod in Beijing and we've kept in touch. He lives in San Francisco and offered to host me should I ever visit California. It didn't take me long to take him up on the offer...

San Francisco is a beautiful, vibrant and happening city. I'd visited a couple of times 

(once on a big US road trip and holidaying with a boyfriend in California some years ago) but staying with a friend gives it a totally new dimension. 

San Francisco introduced gay rights (Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in the US), personal computers, cable cars and organic food - they were all underground ideas until San Francisco made them mainstream.

It's a city that has it all. A sense of History, great museums and street art a plenty, a vibrant music scene and more restaurants per capita than any other US city. And it's on the ocean with stunning scenery on its doorstep as well as more outdoor activities than you can shake a stick at. And there's the iconic backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge. I knew I would never want to leave, and I didn't...

Jerod at Stowe Lake in Golden Gate Park

Some of the creative hats at the Easter event in Delores Par

After a long flight via LA, I spent a lovely first day. Jerod took me to the marina and Crissy Field area by the aforementioned bridge.   We had lunch, walked on the beach, chatted lots. In the evening I mentioned a Hunan Chinese place I'd eaten at years ago called the House of Nanking (http://houseofnanking.net/). It was more touristy than I remembered and had undergone a facelift ( it was basic, formica tables before) but the food was just a tasty. Think Chinese but with lots of chilli and spice. Yum.

We wandered past the area where the Beat Poets had hung out and spent a while in the famous City Lights bookshop (which defied the ban and sold Alan Ginsberg's Howl). 

As it was Easter weekend, Jerod read about an event called Hunky Jesus at Delores Park, in the Mission district. As the pictures show, it was quite something. The hats in particular added their own nod to an Easter bonnet. It was unbelievably over the top and camp. Even the wet weather failed to dampen spirits. Only in San Fran. 

I tried to do something different everyday. Just walking in San Fran is a treat in itself. We walked to Golden Gate Park, a huge area of green in the city which also houses some of the best museums, I walked the bridge and took pictures at Fort Point with its stunning views of the bridge from below. Everywhere you encounter gorgeous Victorian architecture in pastel hues like the famous 'Painted Ladies'. I took a day to explore some of the Diego Rivera murals and visit the Coit Tower which offers stunning 360 degree views of downtown. And I haven't even mentioned the beaches, Ocean beach was a particular favourite and I loved the Beach Hut cafe at Crissy Fields. Other street art murals can be found around the Mission and Castro districts and I spent half a day wandering and taking photographs. 

Being there for such a long stay meant I had the opportunity to leave the city for a couple of days on a coastal road trip. Jerod and I hired a car and headed North, stopping off at Bodega Bay (where the famous Hitchcock movie The Birds was filmed) and Bodega Head (a good spot for whales on the journey to and from Alaska). Regular stops at stunning points like Shell Beach (pictured) and Salt Point followed. 

We spent the night in a motel at Fort Bragg, home to the stunning Glass Beach, and within striking distance of one of the highlights for me, the beautiful and quaint coastal town of Mendocino (pictured).

This trip was perfect in every way. I cannot thank my buddy Jerod enough. I have other friends there who I met up with too so that made it even more special.My first baseball game (Go Giants), winning a pub quiz two weeks on the bounce and even a night at the opera! I look forward to visiting again before too long.

San Francisco, you stole my heart. 

The mist rolls in...

The view of the bridge from Fort Point

A bit of Scandi, festive fun and my first Hogmanay!

The table ready for Christmas dinner

The ski jump at Holmenkollen

A beautiful day at Baerum

baerumsverk.no

A traditional Norwegian breakfast- yummy waffles with sour cream and homemade white currant jam

It's a while since I've blogged and with the new school term about to start (I should really be doing school work, but that OFSTED report can wait awhile- blogging is much more fun) I feel this will be the only time I have to update it for a while- at least until half term in February, when hopefully I'll be writing about a new adventure...

My last trip was to Holland (see Amsterdam blog entry) and from there I took a flight straight to Oslo, where my good friend Claire lives. We were long overdue a catch up as when she was in the UK over the summer, I was dashing off to the Olympics so we didn't see each other much.  Claire lives on the edge of the city at Osteras and I've visited many times before. It was a late night arrival and seemed ridiculously cold (well below zero) after the warm autumnal weather in Amsterdam. But it was a little early for snow.

I don't feel I have to rush around when in Oslo. We spent time chilling out, doing local walks and catching up. We had a day out and lunch with friends (Minnie, Dominique and baby Olivier) and a wonderful nearby craft village and former ironworks called Baerums Verk (see photos and link added) and I took Claire's son Linus for a day out to Holmenkollen which is where the famous ski jump is and a spectacular train ride from the city centre. In addition to being a residential area (a very expensive place to live with stunning views) it has been a ski recreation area since the late 19th century. I was there a couple of years previously when the Nordic ski Championships were being held. Linus and I did a walk and had 'varm sjokolade med boller' (hot choc and buns) at our favourite cafe. We were spoiled with homemade pizzas and a Danish dessert of 'kammerjunkere med koldskal' (like cookies and cream). One of the best things about travelling is the eating I always think...

Friends Claire and Minnie

Christmas for me was special this year having spent last years festivities in Australia. Claire and Linus were over here this time. It's a time for family and enjoying the build up and holidays. I was fortunate enough to experience not one but two Christmas markets (Birmingham and Manchester) and we did lots of family things over the hols, including seeing the Hobbit, panto at Nottingham Playhouse (Robin Hood too- the perfect Nottingham panto) , singing carols around Waingroves village and a lovely carol concert by candlelight at mum's local church at Cross Hill. Christmas Day itself was at my house with immediate family, Oscar at two being able to really enjoy and understand more about it this year. Although he had taken a dislike to santa, apparently...

So, onto New Year. My friend Zoe invited me to spend New year up in Scotland so a few days before, I made the journey via train from Derby to Aberdeen (just over 7 hours) and from there a couple more on to Elgin. Zoe teaches and is a HM at Gordonstoun school and the site is magnificent. On the coast and an hour away from the Cairngorms, it is in a great location for students for whom outdoor education is a primary focus. It is the school where prince Charles and other royals have attended and has a very prestigious history (see link). I love spending time up here. We did coastal walks and had a day in Aviemore as well as a party at Duffus House (on the Gordonstoun site) to see in the New Year, bagpipes, cocktails and sparklers included. It was a welcome break after a busy festive season and I returned feeling re energised for the new year ahead. Thanks to my perfect hosts, Zoe and Alex Sills.

Happy New Year to you all.  

Wonderful food @ Mountain cafe

The stunning Cairngorms, near Aviemore

A coastal walk to Hopeman on New Years Eve

Zoe and the lovely Lexi dog

Gordonstoun School entrance 

Gordonstoun school

Zoe and I before the Duffus party