Acquantices, travel mates and friends

Travelling alone. It is a whole different way to view South-America by yourself. Most people that I´ve met travel together. Friends from home or from the road. I am not that much of an loner, as you might think. First of all you meet much more people, alone, than travelling together. Every day in a hostel, between 5 and 15 new people shake your hand and make conversation. I can´t even remotely remember all the names of all the persons that I´ve met. Not even on the same day. Some conversations don´t go any further than: what is your name, where are you from, how long have you been travelling, and, how much longer do you have left. Then quietness. But most of them, after the initial questioning, move on towards better areas. Some about simple stuff like books and music (´I hate reagaton´), others about the country you are in right now, and how aweful it is for the poor people who live there. And then there is the talk that goes to higher grounds, stuff like culture, life style and religion. You learn a lot talking with other people from the same, but different countries, other backgrounds or mind changing point of views.

Since this topic is called ´Acquantices, travel mates and friends´, obviously the first group is the people you talk to, play cards or enjoy a beer with. But as soon as they, or you, leave, you forget them, their names and personalities. Quick paragraph, for short relationships.

Travel mates, is the kind of people that you not neccesary meet in your hostal, but in the bus terminal or the actual bus. That means some of them are not going to be more than acquantices, and I have covered that part already extensivly (ahem). The people that choose to travel with you, are more like friends, although not necessarily, you stick with them for a while, but wouldn´t conversate about the deeper parts of life. You can talk with them for hours on buses, which take hours also, without having any serious meaning.

Then you make friends. It really happens. They know about your past, present and ideas of the future. How you feel, what kind of traveller you are and how much budget you have. Clearly these people are the same type of people as you and handle travelling the same way. Like me, my friends wouldn´t stay in expensive hostels. We worked together in Loki La Paz, got to know each other a bit better. Eat super local in these super local ´mercados´, where no other traveller dares to go. Got stomach problems all at the same time (mercado?), and visit the same places. We stick around, and, while staying in close contact, make sure we meat each other ones in a while. Not always possible, since people leave to home or other destinations. You add them to facebook (forced onto me), and get invited to their homes where you have a free place to stay (for a week of 3). Wisconsin, here I come...

Explaining travelling (alone) in a far away, poor(er), Spanish speaking country is difficult and maybe incomprehensible for the home stayer.

Cusco, Machu Picchu and the do it yourself track

Huacachina is a backbackers resort, fun to hang around for a couple of days, but not super interesting to tell stories about. Although on the way to this resort place, I took a cessna flight over some old drawings called the Nazca Lines. It was a rough flight and the drawings are just some old lines in the sand. Nothing too special to get excited about. At least I didn´t. Quicly enough I jumped on the bus to Cusco.

Cusco. A sacred city in the sacred valley. Surrounded by dozens of old Inca sites. From Sacsahuaman to Machu Picchu. An absolute stop for travels of Peru, or Tawantin-Suyu as the Incas called their land. Cusco is rich and touristy. All the luxery you want, but for the prices you expect. If you want to go off the beaten track you have to dwell the outer skirts of the city. Local food for local prices tasting equally local: rice, potato and meat.

The main reason to come here: Machu Picchu and it´s famous Inca Trail. The Inca trail was the route the Inca king, son of the sun, took to Machu Picchu. Along the trail tambons (in Quechua) are to be seen, which were erected for housing the nobilty on their long travels across the country in Inca times. Most are destroyed by the conquerers some exist to be viewed by the interested. Since the Inca trail is booked for the next 6 months, yup book 6 months in advance, and it costs 500 dollars, most people take the train. That will costs you about 75 dollars, but there is a less travelled this more interesting route.

Summerized: - Cusco, 8pm bus to Santa Maria. - Santa Maria, 4am bus to Santa Terresa (+ sleep). - Santa Terresa, cab to hydroelectrico where you get to the very end of the railway connecting Aguas Calientes and Cusco. - Walk to Agues Calientes (+sleep). - Already in day 3, I visited Machu Picchu, and started walking back to the hydro at 3 in the afternoon. - Cab back to Santa Terresa (+sleep). - Santa Terresa, 8am bus to Santa Maria. - Santa Maria, 10am bus to Cusco where you arrive at 3 in the afternoon.

This way you are on the road for 4 days, while taking rural buses and sleeping in rural towns. You won´t see another tourist for a while, not until you reach Aguas Calientes, which is, ofcourse because of Machu Picchu, a big expensive touristy city. The ability to sleep cheap is available for the searcher.

Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish because the Inca abandoned the place before the Spanish got word of it. Overgrown found back in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, he knew this was once a great Inca city in the great Tawantin-Suyu land (all of Equador, Bolivia, Peru and Chile along the coast). Nowdays visited by 2500 tourists a day, I decided to go there June the 24ste, Inti Raymi, or festival of the sun. While everybody was staring at peculiar dresses and evenly strange dances, I was standing in an ´empty´ Machu Picchu.

Back in Cusco I am recovering for 1 single day, today, and moving on tonight to Ayacuncho. According to the lonely planet with bus rides not for the faint of heart.

I hope I can make a new post soon...

Arequipa

Arequipa has some nice tourists attractions. The main 3 are an old convent (Santa Catalina Monastery), the ice princess (Mummy Juanita) and the second deepest canyon in the world (Colca Canyon).

It costs some money to get in, about 20 bucks, but it's a one of a kind oppertunity to see such a strange monastery. Abou 430 years ago, a rich widow built this convent for nons. The only requirement being very rich. So unlike other convents, this one is built ith fountains, gardens, houses and streets. Every non had 1-4 slaves, and her own apperment. Not just a room, but a small house, with multiple rooms and a kichen. Their living style from the outside continued on the inside. Once you entered you never left it again, and you died inside it walls. Nobody left the convent, but also nobody from the outside was allowed in. Only on highly rare occasions did some priests, architects and artists enter to have a look inside.

The convent easily takes up a whole afternoon, wandering through it's houses and streets. Just a small portion is closed to the public, the area where nowdays still nons live. Although they don't live up to the old rules, they are modern nons.

Next to visit is the ice princess Juanita. Discovered in 1995 on the top of Mount Ampato, the quickly found out that this 12-14 year old girl was sacrifed to the mountain gods, about 550 years ago. Incas believed the mountains were gods, and in bad times the only sollution was to make the ultimate sacrifice, a human child. Although the Inca rose quickly, and as destrayed evenly fast, this child 'survived' and is here to give us an inside look of the beliefs of the Incas.

The tour begins with a short video of her discovery and then you enter the small musea. Tons of artifects and ornaments were found around her, and several other sacrified human childs, which are shown under dimm light to preserve. Then, at last, you get to see her. Stored in a big 'computerized' urn (fridge), keeping temperature steady at minus 20. Some double glass windows seperate her from you, and it is a but blurry, but you can see her, laying as she did when she was killed 550 years ago.

Then last but not least, a visit to the second deepest canyon. For some reason the thought for a very long time this was the deepest, only shortly measurments discovered the neighboring canyon was slightly deeper (150m). Behind twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, this 3 km deep canyon attracts tons of tourist. That results in many tour operators, offering 'cheap' tours to the canyon. Since I am on a budget, I took the local public bus to the end of the canyon. Great views while your walking toward the buttom, a steep 1100m climb down. 2 hours later I was enjoying my beer, while swimming in the oasis swimming pool. Not too bad. Worse was the climb up, which is a hard tirsty 3 hour climb.

From Arequipa I took the bus to Huacachina...

La Paz, Rurrenbaque, Copacabana

Three stories in one. That is what you get if you don´t write enough on your own website. That also means I will write less, than when I would have written this having lots of time. That is, being in La Paz, the crazy city which I left 2 weeks ago.

From La Paz most people take a flight into the jungle. Cost you about 140 dollar, but I, being the hardcore traveller, take the bus. And when I say hardcore I mean hardcore. Taking the bus translates into 18 hours of crammed, sweaty and very bumpy travel. The bus doesn´t use the death road anymore, but a continuation. The view is astonishing, when the bus is backing up (reversing) to make another bus/truck pass, you can see all the 200 meters down the cliff from your seat. Only 10 cm away. I guess that is why most people fly... The first 10 hours were actually quite cool. The view is nice and my friend Mike (London) and I, were talking for hours, but as soon it got dark, the fun is over, and what is left is a very bumpy ride. Eight hours to go.

The pampas tour was very nice, you basiclly do nothing and sit in a boat. I love sitting and doing nothing. Some crocodiles swam away, when we passed them, the monkeys ran towards you, begging for food. The camp was very basic, you need to punp up your own water, when you need to flush the toilet for example. It takes about 3 days, in which you go crocodile night viewing, anaconda hunting and piranha fishing. The tourgroup was for sure one of the best I travelled with, so we had tons of fun.

Taking the bus back, but not staying a split second in La Paz more, I directly jumped on the bus to Copacabana. Cold, windy and highly elevated, I took a walk through the rough terrain for 17 km. All the way to Isla del Sol, where supposely the sun was made by the sun god. And although it is cold, you sunburn quickly. Staying overnight on the island is what a lot of tourist do, and me, eating super local food and sleaping in super local beds (free bend in the bed included).

Back in Copacabana I took the bus to Peru, Puno. I visited an old boat, and the next day already arriving in Arequipa. Should I visit the deepest canyon in the world?

World Most Dangerous Road

The World Most Dangerous Road (WMBR) is a 64 km road leading from La Paz to Coroico. At first paved (20km), later on turning gravel. It was build during the entire 1930's by 500 Paraguayan prisoners. The Deore equipped (no fully though, Alivio spotted) Kona bike with disc brakes and a reasonable nice front suspension, are advertised as being 2500 dollar bikes, but they are really not worth more than at maximum 950 bucks. That doesn't change the fact, that it's still an average mountainbike, suitable for the down hill day.

The trip starts off at 4750 meters above sea level where the snow is white and the wind chill, and goes to 1500m, a true down hill road. With 50 people we started off, first a lot of explanation given to us about how to ride a bike. How to change gear, sit on your seat, stear. Sounds strange, but a lot of people had never driven a mountain bike before. A girl asked me at a certain point, how she could change gear. Is she ever going to get her driver license?

The cycling starts off. You can really pick up some speed, but are not allowed to, staying behind the guide all the time, him deciding the pace. That doesn't mean you go slow, but I would have liked to set some records there.

Being more experienced in mountain biking, familiar with the bike, the front group was my option. On the gravel the leading group was so much faster than the girls-and-slow-boys, that everytime the guide stopped us, for them to keep up. But that wasn't so bad, we just had more break time.

The scenery is beautiful, high mountains combined with deep gaps. Cliffs of over 400 meters, 1 meter left of the road. You do not want to go too fast in those corners, otherwise you will be down hillling a bit faster. Like this boy did a couple of weeks ago. A girl in my hostel was in the same group and saw it all happen.

On the second last run, I was following a boy, going pretty fast, but not fast enough for my taste. Although we were told to keep an 30 meter gap, those things, especially after 60km, never work out. So I was riding his wheel, about 2 meters behind him. Not possible to pass, because of the narrow gravel road, I was chasing him for 3 km already. And then he fell... and so did I ofcourse, running over him. The stupid thing is, I was hurt more then he was, bruises on my arm and knee. But I'll life.

Working in Loki hostel (La Paz)

Loki is a hostel chain, with hostels in La Paz, Cusco, Lima and Del Mar (as of October 2008). Started in Cusco, and later on buing new buildings and coverting them to hostels. From the beginning of my trip, I new I wanted to work in a hostel for a short while. A month, maybe 2, seemed like a good plan for me. You can extend your stay, have a new experience, work in a bar and get a feeling for a city.

While in argentina someone told me to work in Loki La Paz, the best hostel they had been so far. I e-mailed the manager, and was told as soon as I arrive I could start working. I came to La Paz the 21 of March, and started working the next monday. The work weeks are from monday to sunday.

The work is relative simple, although it can get very, very busy some times. All I do is work behind the bar, make sure the free breakfast is okey, clean up some plates, serve beers, make cocktails, deliver shots. Since I am a beer drinker, I had to learn all these new cocktails and mixes I´ve never heard of. From gliders to blowpipes.

You have some pretty weird experiences working behind the bar. Some people can´t control themself and collapse while ordering a drink, unbelievable but true. It happens more than weekly. The reception is even buying flying tickets for people, who just don´t leave the place, because they self will just not buy them.

The collegues are great. Today my 7th week began, so I am now by far working the longest in the bar. It also means I have seen, not only guests, some working come and leave. In the first two weeks the complete staff I knew left, and was renewed. Now people are leaving again, and I am still standing strong and working.

I decided yesterday, that propably I´ll work for another 2 weeks (this one, and next week), go to the jungle, come back and leave to Peru. Not do a lot in Peru, but quickly travel north to Colombia. Every single person that I´ve met is unbelievable enthusiastic, and tells me to skip Peru, skip Equador and head for Colombia as fast as possible. Ofcourse I will go to Machu Picchu (Peru), but I´ll travel north fast.

Huayna Potosi - 6088m

Working in Loki is great. I don't spent any money on a bed and food, and drinks are cheaper. This way I can stay 'travelling' for ages. You still meet tons of people, maybe even more because everybody knows you, and you will see old friends you met before. Suddenly they are standing before the bar, ordering food or drinks.

Five days ago a dutch guy talked me into taking a hike. To one of the highest mountains in the area, called Huayna Potosí (Wiki link). It is a 2 or 3 day trakking, depending if you want to do some extra ice climbing on a glacier. We took the 3 days, so I did some vertical ice climbing with a pick axe, which I can tell you is quite hard, and very different from normal vertical climbing. You have grip everywhere, ofcourse, but you can't stand on your feet as relaxing as normal climbing. We slept that night in a tent at -5. Brrrrr.

The base camp is at 4700m, I was hoping it helped I was already used to La Paz, being at 3600m. But still you notice, not that much though, that it is high above sea level. First breakfast, then a two hour walk to to the refuge camp (5200m), arriving around 12 o'clock. There was a really nice group up there, 10 persons, all young people, trying to reach the summit of 6088m. That day we went to bed at 6, yes in the afternoon, and tried to get some sleep before waking up in the middle of the night at 12:30. I myself didn't had any trouble sleeping at that altitude, but many people do. Maybe La Paz did help out there a bit.

You get out of bed, put up your full climbing gear, everybody looked the same, red or blue suits, and from then on I couldn't recognize anybody any more. The climbing started at 1 in the morning, so it was not only the highest point of my life, the thinest air, the coldest, the most steep, and the biggest climb of my life, but also in the the darkness of the night. Turn your headlamp on, because we are going to do some serious climbing.

The start was quite heasy for me, but after 2 hours I found a very good rithme, and despite the fact we started last, and we stayed last (out of 6 groups), after the rithme discovery, we quickly were first! First to arrive at the last steep hill. 65 degrees, 150 meters, tired of the 4 hour climb before, and still in the middle of the night. We came to the top second, not bad after all. Breathing is very hard at 6088m, and so the exhausting climb, takes a lot of 'hyperventilation', that is the speed and amount of air you need for just climbing up a mountain at 6088m. Everybody of the group made it, the though climb to the top of 6088 meters, but still I am quite proud I have been at 6088m.That is probably why I repeat 6088m so many times...

The top was beautiful, the view astonishing, the cold unbearable. I have never been so cold in my entire life. My hands hurt so much, they were in pain. But reaching the summit was one of the best moments of my life. Well, no, it wasn´t, but it was pretty cool.

Going up was hard, going back harder. I was tired, but needed to pack my backpack and go down another 500m. After a very short rest in the car we arrived back at the hostel.

Huayna Potosi - Done!

Bolivia so far

After de Salar de Uyuni tour, I have been travelling around a bit. First town to visit was Potosi.

Potosi was once one of the richest cities in the world. The road was plaved with silver because next door to the town is a big silver mine. Now days the silver is almost depleted, although the still search for it. The guide told me that the silver 'lines' currently are 1 to 4 cm wide. When the mine was discovered it went up to 1 meter. One whole meter of silver in diameter, going on for several meters. That is why the city was so rich. Although the silver mine is running out of silver, the is still mining going on inside the mountain. A since this is Bolivia you can go inside. It is supposed to be one of the most alien experiences in Bolivia. So of course I went in.

No touristic facilities, no safety regulations, no wider tunnels. The mine is still active, and mining is going on 24/7. The tunnels you go in to, and visit, are actually in use. So you go in, see 12 year old childeren mining for silver, carring around 30kg heavy packets of stones. Since the city Potosi is the highest city in the world (4200m), and the mountain is even higher, breathing inside the mine is very hard. You get tired soon, the air is very thin, and you have to walk for a couple of hunders of meters in tiny shallow tunnels. After we got outside, we were allowed to blow up some TNT dynamite, what an explosion that is. What an experience the mine was.

After Potosi, Sucre was on my map. Very western town, were I stayed for 5 days. I met a group of people, around 15, which with I went to a local festival. Staying the night over with 15 people in a room with 10 square meters. Not much sleeping going on at that moment.

From Sucre my travel went to La Paz, staying one night in Cochabamba. Cochabamba is not worth visiting, no because there are no musea, not because there are no places to visit, but because there are virtually no other tourists there. A little bit boring.

Arriving in La Paz, Loki was the place to go to, apperently. I will be in La Paz for a long(er) time, because now I am working in the Loki Hostel. Great fun. In return for 3 or 4 shifts a week, I get free accomendation, free food, 40% of drinks for a whole week. What a deal!

Rumors turn reality

I have not been posting pictures the last couple of days/weeks. Since Rio de Janeiro. On the comments part, people have been suggesting my camera was stolen. Which was not true. I had my camera, all fine, taking pictures on every street corner, in every city.

Today I got on the bus from Potosi to Sucre. My and 2 travel mates were the first ones to get on the bus at 1:50pm. I never put my camera bag on the overhead compartment, because when a good moment shows up, I can quicly take my camera and make a quick shot. So I always put my camera next to my feet on the ground. I am sitting on the window seat, next to me, isle seat, a friend.

People start dripping in. A women with a child. A drunk guy, couple with a big bag. The bus was supposed to leave at 2:00pm, but it ended up being 2:15. We start driving and within 5 mintues I saw an good 'picture' moment. I want to take my camera bag...

Yeah gone. I have no idea how. Nobody of us noticed anything. The bag was litterly next to my feet. The only answer I could make up, was that somebody behind me, took my bag under neat my seat. And got away with it. Very strange.

So what was in my bag? Well pretty important stuff, because I always thought this would be the least risk of getting stolen.

• My camera (Canon 350D with Tamron 18-200 objective).
• 3 Memory cards with pictures of my 4 day salar trip (5GB).
• My camera remote control (sorry Dave).
• My passport (yup).
• My journal (Yup Linda, I have been writing since the day I left, all the time I was travelling. All for nothing now).
• My special 'journal' pen.
• A book.
• My spanish dictonary.
• Tissues.

Anyway, tomorrow I will go to the police, fill in a report. And then in La Paz, which is at least a week away, I will go to the consulate. I am sure everything is going to be okey.

By the way, I am okey, I am not going to let this tear up my vacation. I got over it within 15 minutes. What is in the past, is in the past.

Salar de Uyuni

Tupiza is a very touristy place. Paved roads, karaoke bars and italian restaurants. From here I booked a tour to Uyuni, 4 days on the road in a 4x4 off-road jeep. It cost about 100 euro, but in return you get the most beautiful landscape of Bolivia, in a sort of private tour.

The first day, leaving at 9, brings you through mountains and past crazy looking rocks. You sleep that night in a real Bolivian village in the middle of nowhere. A cold night further, the tours brings you to the highest point. Just below 5000m, 4885m. A lot of people have problems with the altitude, headache, breading problems and just feeling sick. Lucky my I didn´t notice a thing. Which is a good thing, because Bolivian cities are high above sea level. It gets better every day, because hot springs and gysers are on the schedule for day three. Swimming on 4000m in hot water, a great experience.

Day 4 is by far the best and the most interesting. Salar de Uyuni. The biggest salt lake (flat) in the world. A long time ago it used to be a lake, but it dried and all there´s left is a salt flat. 12 thousand sqaure kilometers. It is a weird natural phenomenom. As far as the eye can see, all the way around you is white salt. It looks like snow, but it´s not cold. We drove to an island on the salt flat, where cacti and trees grew. But there is no more water surrounding it. Because there are about a 100 people taking the tour daily and the island is a stub, it was actually crowded. So we took 4 stones, made a goal and played football on a salt flat. If you score the balls keeps rolling, because there is basically nothing to stop it.

Last stop was a train cementry, with beautiful old steam trains rusting for eternity. The pictures are nice.

I stayed one night in Uyuni and left to Potosi.