Camping in the ice and snow...BRRRRR...

The Camping Experience. Which we paid EXTRA for. The crew laughed!! After dinner one night, the conditions were deemed suitable for camping. I think about 60 of us crazy people got rugged up in lots of layers, and headed to shore at Damoy Point. There was a little hut there, an Argentinean 'refugio' which is like an emergency hut, but you are not allowed inside unless it is an emergency.

Sadly, this was not an emergency, so we had to pitch tents (one tent per 2 people) and that was hilarious. First we had to find some level ground, then stomp out a little area for our tent, then take stuff out of the tent bag, while hanging on to everything, as the wind picked up and blew things away! (one of our sleeping bags started to blow down the hill towards the water and needed to be crash-tackled). Plus, wearing gloves means your fingers don't work as well as they do without gloves, only when you take off your gloves, your fingers freeze. So. A conundrum for sure.

But, we finally got our tent up, spread out our little mats and sleeping bags, and then were so cold that we had to call it a night. It was only around 10pm. The sun goes down at 11pm, and rises again around 3am. not much darkness in between, so being in the tent was yes, warmer than being in the wind outside, but also very light and not really conducive to sleeping much!! Plus, at first I had my camera backpack in my sleeping bag with me, trying to keep my camera warm all night...but i gave that up pretty quick, it took up too much space. It was a very cold and uncomfortable night. but it was FUN!! Well. maybe not fun with capital letters...but it was an experience.

You are not allowed to bring food or drinks ashore. And you are not allowed to pee in the snow outside your tent, so the crew and some of us volunteers had to dig little areas where portable makeshift toilets could be put. Hilarious.

Polar Plunge - what was i thinking!!????

Well. The title of this post about says it all. What WAS I thinking!! it was a good idea in theory. Throw off all your clothes, run into the sub-zero water, hurl your body in, and then run out, grab a towel, get dressed, and head back to the ship for either a sauna or a hot shower. Neat and tidy, done and dusted.

So we arrived at Pendulum Cove, Deception Island. This is a volcanic caldera and kind of like a semi circle. For further detail, you will have to research as I cannot remember too much. Well except for small facts like, the shore is warm due to the volcanic activity, and there is like one centimetre of warm water on the surface right at the shoreline. But anyway, the wind was blowing 60 knots when we got there and we could not safely land. So we went to another location, Whalers Bay. This was an old whaling station, still with old buildings and whale blubber boilers, and gravesites. Kind of spooky and moody and WINDY!! VERY WINDY!! blowing snow and freezing.

Anyway, I was there for a swim. So after taking a couple of pics around the place, I was surrounded by other crazy people who for some reason were taking TOO LONG to get ready for the plunge (example, 'oh...should I take off my jacket first? or my boots? BLAH!). So in the end, it was me and another girl, and we ran as fast as we could into the water. Apparently it was -.5C and yes i can tell you, fricking cold. I threw myself in as fast as I could, and then instantly lost all sensation in my fingers and toes, and feet, and arms. I was concerned that I might lose my bikini top (as does happen to me strangely very often while swimming) but could barely think. I thought my head was going to explode.

Ran back to the beach, tried in vain to pull on my trackies and boots and socks and jacket...bleh too much to think about! Hopped into a waiting Zodiac (thank god) and a short trip back to the ship, where I hobbled to the cabin and stood in a hot shower for oh, about an hour I think from memory. What a horrible experience. But oddly...glad I did it!!

Antarctica - FAQs

So the main question people usually ask is, 'are there polar bears in Antarctica?' and the answer is, NO!!! They are NOT found in Antarctica. They are found in the north - like the Arctic, for example.

On our Antarctic trip we saw:
Gentoo penguins
Adelie penguins
Chinstrap penguins
Leucistic (white) penguins

We also saw crabeater seals, Weddell seals, leopard seals, elephant seals.
In the whale family we spotted minke whales, humpback whales, and orcas (which are actually part of the dolphin family, not the whale family). And of course...plenty of birds, most of which I cannot remember the names of, but albatrosses, shags, petrels and others.

The temperature was not that cold!! It ranged from -2C up to around +10C most days. The ship was warm inside (yes, this is a question people ask me!) and we had temperature-controlled cabins. We were lucky with the weather and had mostly sunny days - but the weather can turn really nasty, really quickly. Winds got up to 60 knots and we could not do shore landings a few times (but that's okay, the Captain usually had a Plan B, and a Plan C just in case).

Life on board the MS Expedition was surprisingly comfortable. No, it was not like a P&O cruise to the South Pacific. We did not get 'shows' or bingo, or Zumba lessons. We did, however, get talks and lectures about the environment, the South Pole, the explorers, the birds, the whaling history, slide shows, and once, they even showed 'Happy Feet' one evening in the lounge (with popcorn!). We had a 'black and white' night where some passengers got really inventive by wearing their bedsheets and towels haha funny.....

You run a tab on the ship - so extras like drinks, souvenirs from the gift shop mainly go on the tab. At the end of the trip you are expected to throw a tip into a giant tip kitty for the crew - only the ship's officers do not participate in this. The expected tip is US$12/day/person and they work hard for it, and deserve every penny.

On the ship they have a no-locked doors policy. When you are inside your own cabin, you can lock the door, but when you leave your cabin, it is unlocked. I never heard of any issues with anyone having things stolen from their cabins. It is a nice, intimate atmosphere with 120 passengers.

Plenty of people brought their own alcohol aboard, and there were no rules against this. You are not allowed to bring your drinks into public areas though, so be discreet if you want to drink your own alcohol. I did not find drinks very expensive - US$6 for a Bacardi and Coke (US$4 at happy hour) did not break the bank as I don't drink that much. They did sell Cokes and other soft drinks...but I never had one so cannot comment about the price.

Antarctica - the Zodiak experience

So...we didn't kayak *all* the time on the expedition cruise. We actually got into the Zodiacs a few times as well. The Zodiaks are fantastic things, they fit 5 people on each side, sitting on the edges. They are quite hardy, crunching through ice chunks, driving onto shore landings sometimes onto a pebbly rocky beach, other times, up onto an iceberg. We saw lots of great stuff from the Zodiacs - leopard seals and such, but I would not usually want to pick them over the kayaks. I prefer non-engine type boats like kayaks any day!

(Although having said that...after my polar plunge I was stoked to get into a Zodiac and quickly get whisked away back to the ship and a hot shower. But more about that in my next post! )

One feels quite safe in a Zodiac, however one of the expedition crew told me that once, his Zodiac (no passengers) actually flipped right over in the rugged windy Antarctic conditions, and he flew into the freezing water. Hmm. Anyway, not a problem on our trip!

Antarctic sea kayak bootcamp

Well. Bootcamp was a name that the other Expedition passengers gave to our group. Only 20 people could book to have the sea kayak experience. On our first night aboard the ship, we met our Kayak Master and had a meeting to discuss the program, and learn about the hazards and pitfalls of doing this. 4 people dropped out straight away! I was glad we had done some lessons before leaving home (paddling techniques, capsizing, self-rescue etc) but even with that, we felt a sort of nervous apprehension. It was suddenly very real, and a little bit scary.

So the idea is that we hope to get at least ONE kayak session, but it's all weather/condition dependent, so nothing is guaranteed. Antarctic conditions can change in an instant from calm and serene to blowing wind and sleet and big waves. Also, if we kayak then we will surely miss out on a Zodiac cruise and/or a shore landing. But it's all up to us, we will be having regular meetings and can make up our minds each time.

We worked out sizes and tried on drysuits, lifejackets, spray skirts, and got fitted into our double kayaks. The first session was quite exciting. This was our first view from the Mud Room. We had to manoeuvre the kayaks out the door onto the loading platform, and then down next to a Zodiac in the water. The crew helped steady the kayak so we could get in, they made sure we had our spray skirts on properly, and then....OFF WE WENT into the unknown....well actually, we all waited in a group until our leader was ready, and THEN off we went, paddling away, crunching through ice, navigating through ice chunks, bergy bits and icebergs. The scenery was AMAZING - I cried on that first paddle, I was so overcome with emotion. The rugged landscape...the freezing water...the snow, the ice, the huge icebergs, the penguins! Just the most incredible experience I have ever had.

Anyway, it all got crazy after that. We ended up having 7 options to paddle - we went five times in total (on one paddle we decided to do a Zodiac shore landing instead, and another time were just too tired!). The reason for the 'bootcamp' tag was that we had very little time to get ready. Some days we would be enjoying our nice lunch in the dining room and over the PA system...' all kayakers please meet in the library in five minutes'....we would have a quick meeting and discuss conditions, and make sure everyone had a partner for the double kayak, and then basically have 10 minutes in which to get geared up and ready to go...very crazy. But fun! some days we saw minke whales, or penguins swimming ('porpoising' they call it), or leopard seals on an iceberg. The longest paddle was 18 kms - 4.5hours of paddling......you can imagine, we slept well!

MS Expedition: a big red ship

The first couple of days on the ship were great. The crew offered plenty of lectures on various topics: the history of whaling, Antarctic explorers, birds, geology, you name it. We all had to learn, 'one hand for you, one hand on the ship' when the ship was rolling. Plenty of handrails around the place.

The ship was previously used as a ferry, and had undergone a major re-fit a couple of years ago. I was pleasantly surprised to see the lovely big cabin we got - twin cabin with window. Quite a large cabin, plenty of wardrobe space, boxes of tissues, a hairdryer, comfortable beds, a desk and chair.....perfect. It was so nice to unpack after 2 weeks of rushing around South America. And nice that they had non-slip mats on the bedside tables and desk, it really helped keep stuff stable. The bathroom was quite tiny but it did the job. and we had Raquel, our Filipino cabin steward, who visited our cabin about 5 times a day to clean, tidy, make the beds, clean the bathroom.

Food was really great - big buffet for breakfast with bacon, eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, toast, pastries, you name it. Lunch was also a buffet style, crispy salads, herbed salad dressings, things like madras chicken, or quiches, or meat pies, lamb and so on. Plenty of choice, soup included as well. Dinner was usually a 4-course meal, there were 2 options for appetizer, main meal and dessert, as well as a vegetarian option. The Filipino wait staff did a great job.

Not only were the meals big, the 'extras' were lovely too. 24-hour coffee/tea/water/hot chocolate/biscuits available. Popcorn served during a movie. Pretzels and peanuts at happy hour. We never went hungry!

The expedition crew on the ship was experienced, informed, friendly, and all had their own specialty of knowledge. it was a pleasure to get to know them all.

We awoke to find snow on deck, very exciting. The temperature had dropped as well, around zero or minus one or two. ....

So from this post you can gather that i ENJOYED MYSELF....well it was more than that. The experience on the ship matched our experiences on the kayaks and on the shore landings. I rate it more than 10 out of 10.

Drake Passage: storm in a teacup?

So.....what can I say about Ushuaia except, it is a departure point for Antarctic cruises? (I'm trying to be nice here!). In my imagination, I saw a rough and ready frontier town, full of character and buzz. What I saw when I got there was....dust, dirt, broken-down cars, lack of vibe, no excitement. And still, I'm trying to be nice. Never mind, let's get to the good stuff.

Boarding the MS Expedition with just a little bit of excitement and thrill....Antarctica was going to be a trip-of-a-lifetime for me, it was expensive, it was a long way to go, and I had high hopes. I was worried, however, about the notorious Drake Passage. It is the narrowest part of the easterly flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the only place where it is squeezed between land. Yikes! Just google it on Youtube and you can see some of the horror 2-day crossings people have had to endure....

The ship's crew had plans in place. They told us to get ready in our cabins, 'there are only 2 types of things in your cabin. Things that are on the floor, and things that are going to be on the floor'. They handed out free seasickness tablets. The Doc was on hand 24/7 to dispense seasickness patches (not available in Australia anymore due to wide side effects) and give injections. Frankly....we had an easy crossing. Yes, the ship rolled. Yes, things fell off the tables. Yes, people were seasick for a couple of days. I had taken 2 tablets as a precaution, but they made me sluggish, dopey, and dry-mouthed. No thanks. It was, by all standards, a fairly easy crossing. A little disappointing!!

We spent that night getting familiarized with the awesome ship and eating a fabulous 4-course dinner served in the dining room. At only 120 passengers, it doesn't take long to make new friends and figure out who to avoid (kidding!).

Santa Marta favela, Rio de Janeiro

Wow, the favelas are amazing. They are shanty towns, slums, which began when people needed to go to work in the city, but could not afford accommodation. There are hundreds of favelas in Rio, on the hills surrounding the city. We went to Santa Marta today. It has been made somewhat famous by Michael Jackson's visit to make his video Don't Care About Us, or something like that. Anyway, I was a bit wary and fearful of guns, drugs, crime, and robbery...but it was fine. You are not supposed to go in there without a guide, so we did that. Now i have to say, walking around the favela, it is filthy, dog shit everywhere, garbage, rotting wood, dodgy concrete steps, scary scaffolding. However peeking into some people's 'homes', they had sparkling white tile floors, and tidy, neat, just lovely homes. There were barber shops, hair salons, sandwich bars, grocery shops, drinks shops, a children's soccer school, churches, martial arts clubs....just like a real city. The people we ran into were lovely. I said hello, a lot, and smiled, and got friendly responses. Just goes to show you, just because people are poor and have nothing, they are still PEOPLE. Loved it. Of course, Rio has been on a campaign to clean up the city and its favelas, ready for the onslaught of the upcoming World Cup and Olympics. And good on them. There is a fairly noticeable police presence, and although I would not wander about there at night, it was a great experience.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Well. First can I say that we were a bit amazed with Buenos Aires, so Rio seemed like a little disappointing. What is missing....the vibe? the excitement? the awesome architecture? I can't really pinpoint it. We did have a great sightseeing day, the Christ the Redeemer statue is quite amazing and beautiful. The zillion tourists swarming all over was not that great. The weather was a bit cloudy and rainy, so I don't think we saw the beach 'at its best' shall we say...however the beaches are clean, and the promenades are well done, and i LOVE the biking track beside the beach. Lots of people out and about: running, rollerblading, walking, biking, skateboarding. Copacabana Beach is fun: lots of kiosks selling drinks and food, people doing sand sculptures, buskers making money by doing amazing acrobatic capoeira stuff ( i love watching that), muscle boys strutting in their tiny shorts, doing dips and chin-ups on the fitness stations dotted here and there.

I do love the amount of beach volleyball nets, soccer goalposts, drag queens doing dreadlocks for people, and such an array of skin colours, white to black and everything in between. I feel safe enough here, but wary. Walking around with as little as possible is really great and there's lots to look at.

Tonight we watched someone park their car in a seemingly-impossible spot between 2 other cars. He did like 25 manoeuvres, crunching into the car in front and behind more than once. But..in the end, he did it! I was told that most people leave their parking brakes off in their cars for that very reason. I would have never believed it until I saw it with my own eyes.

The food here is fabulous. Yesterday we had lunch and a churrascaria. You have a plate. You get salad, rice, and heaps of other food and then sit down and there is an onslaught of MEAT brought to the table on giant skewers. You get tiny tongs, and hold a bit of meat when they slice it with a huge knife (think machete) onto your place. so much meat and so delicious. We have also eaten at a weigh-your-plate place. You help yourself to whatever, then they weigh your plate, and you pay per 100g. Lunch today for both of us, plus 2 Cokes, was less than $16. Love it.

Traffic is absolute chaos. There are lines painted on the road...but i have no idea why. No-one follows in their lanes, they change without indicating, and they tend to drive wherever they like. I have had my eyes closed on more than one car ride!

Sugarloaf Mountain.....cable car....again, heaps of tourists but fantastic views. Halfway up the mountain you change cable cars and there are restaurants and even a disco on that level. People were partying hard in there at only 2pm!

People here are fairly friendly but not a lot of English spoken, so be warned! learn a bit of Portugese before you visit. They are getting ready for the Olympics and the World Cup, I have no idea how people will get around then, they are just crazy about football (soccer) here. 

Travel Babbling 2.0 - tips!

So when I went to Kenya and Tanzania, I tried out a new method of packing. I left my suitcases at home, and just took one carry-on size backpack, and a daypack. It was amazingly FREE and unencumbered. Plus, not waiting for luggage at the carrousel.

Of course, things have changed since then. Now you can't have liquids over 100ml in carry-on bags. Now i travel with a large bag with a million pockets, and I check a backpack. When I went to Morocco I met an annoying woman with a daypack, a large backpack, another large bag and....yes, a YOGA MAT. I am not kidding. she could not possibly carry all that herself so was endlessly needing porters and people to help her. How many clothes do you really need?

I think I am travelling with too much stuff. Still. But I have discovered merino wool, what an amazing fabric. Cool in the hot weather, warm in cold weather, is very light and easy to pack, dries quickly when you wash it in your tiny hotel sink at the end of each day...and seriously, I could wear one merino t-shirt for a week before I washed it, the fabric isn't like synthetics which retain um, sweaty smells shall we say? On this trip, being in the tropics and then in Antarctica, I have 3 merino tshirts, one pair of lightweight shorts with zipoff legs, 2 long sleeve merino shirts, 3 prs of merino undies, and a couple pairs of socks, plus a fleecy jumper, a merino jumper, and a gore-tex jacket. Done.

As for washing clothes...when i jump in the shower at the end of the day, I take whatever needs washing and do it in the shower usually. Hotel laundries: expensive. Local laundries: RISKY! i used to have a gorgeous white travel shirt...it is now a pale shade of blue (thanks, Morocco) after handing my stuff over the some locals.

Unfortunately I am into technology...this requires universal adaptors, card readers, external drive, netbook, iPhone, cameras+chargers etc etc....This is all heavy AND it takes up a whole lot of space. Of course, the reason for a holiday is to get away from it all, but I prefer to have some contact with home and family, check my banking statements online, and check weather conditions or things to do in different places.

At the end of the day my backpack weighs around 13kgs, well below the usual 20 or 22kg weight limits for air travel.

So back to people watching. At night in Rio, we sit by our window, having a beer and watching the world go by. And i keep seeing this lovely old lady, walking slowly down the street, guiding her blind husband. They are adorable. AND adventurous! I wish I could speak with them and find out where they are from. They are just amazing.

Travel Babbling

So I have plenty of time while waiting for planes, waiting for queues, waiting for guide, and waiting in general to ponder the wonderful world of travel. And people-watch, of course.

I love to speculate about people I see - where are they going? who are they travelling with? I always talk to people wherever I go. I met the most lovely couple years ago in Arusha. They were in their 70s, kitted out in travel clothing and hiking boots. They had been trekking in Ethiopia and loved it. I had never known you could trek in Ethiopia, they have mountains!

Today I met a couple of young girls from Dominican Republic. They now live in New York and thought that Rio was going to offer them samba music, bright lights and excitement. They were quite disappointed in Rio, it fell short of their expectations. Also met 2 couples from England, travelling through Brazil and the Amazon. I get great travel ideas from people I meet randomly.

As for language...it's always fun and frustrating to try and communicate in another language. Luckily I have studied Spanish for years, and it's coming in handy in South America. Even though I'm not fluent, I can read and understand a lot, and I get by quite well. Being in Rio, however, is another story. Some of the words are similar to Spanish but mostly....not at all. Going to the supermarket is a challenge - i wanted to buy some yummy looking french style baguettes. I just waited until another guy filled up his bag from the basket, and weighed it on a scale, and off he went. I wondered...did he write down the weight? Did he remember what the price was? Anyway, I put my bag on the scale, and lo and behold, it spit out a sticky tag with the price on it. Nice one, as the cashier spoke not a word of English. She asked me a few questions and after I smiled and said, 'Obrigado' (thank you) she laughed out loud and we sorted things out quite nicely. In a restaurant they wrote the amount of the bill down for me instead of telling me the amount.

Even if you don't speak the language, you can smile, a LOT. And learn just a few words! I have said 'obrigado' about a hundred times now and each time it elicits a friendly smile. I certainly don't expect everyone to speak English. It frustrates me to hear travellers complaining that 'they don't even speak English'. Well of course not!!

Iguazu Falls, Puerto Iguazu: Argentina and Brazil

Wowza what a big waterfall, it is almost 3 kilometres wide and there are 2 sides, the first we saw was from the Brazil side. I can't believe how well done the walkways and trails are. In this pic you get quite wet from the spray walking to the end. it's a little chaotic with people clambering to take photos and video. We asked a guy to take our pic and he fiddled around for ages before he sorted it out...and yet, not a single pic of us on the Nikon Coolpix! haha i love travelling....... the next day we toured the Argentine side, much bigger area and lots of walking. Every vantage point imaginable. I think we have enough pics and video to last a lifetime, how many pics does one need of the same waterfall?? We also did a fun boat tour.....took us under the spray and totally soaked us, and then travelled downriver where we hopped on a jungle truck to go through the rainforest. I was not expecting to see wildlife but in fact there was giant catfish in the Iguazu River, monkeys in the trees, raccoons (coates) which have quite different faces than the North American raccoons I have seen, much more of an 'anteater' kind of snout. Since dumbass tourists feed them, they can be quite aggressive and annoying, not at all scared of people. What a great day, and luckily we had a private guide, who organised it so that we missed the huge crowds of tour buses with German and French tourists.

Graffitimundo/Bike Buenos Aires

So, i chose this combo tour because it was mainly about the amazing street art and artists of Buenos Aires - but also, it involved cycling around some of the BA suburbs as well, which we both love to do. Cycle, that is. We started off at the gates of the Botanical Gardens (pretty average gardens with biting buggy things) and hopped on blue bikes with baskets for our stuff and water bottles. Off we went with Cecilia from graffitimundo, cycling away from the busy traffic on tree-lined suburbs was just lovely. We ditched our helmets as most other people did, quite soon after starting our tour. The street art is really great, we started to recognise the style of different artists, some doing stencil work, some painting with paint, others with spray paint, others with chalk. Very relaxing and although my man was bored with learning about artists and art in general, i loved it! If we had more time i would love to do another bike tour as it was quite safe, well organised and there was always someone to stay with the bikes while we went off looking around.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Driving through the outskirts of Buenos Aires, we notice lots of things: there must have been a lot of rain recently, all the outlying ares were flooded, but even so, random cars stop under trees, open up their car boots and have picnics. Everyone playing soccer! BA is huge, heaps of apartment blocks, some quite dodgy looking, all with clothes drying, hanging off balconies. We are staying in Centro, the CBD of BA. Narrow streets, gorgeous buildings, lots of garbage and the smell of garbage and pee. Mmmmmmm. But it's also so European, so French. Little street cafes and coffee shops, pizza restaurants and steak places. This morning we went out around 7am and they certainly don't get up early here.....waiters out on the street, hosing down the pavement, garbage collectors doing their thing. Nightclubs still booming their music! It's hard to differentiate 'ladies of the evening' with regular girls - short skirts, high high heels and lots of makeup. There's something about BA - fascinating, great artwork on buildings, murals, bright lights, tango shows. This afternoon we are off on a bicycle street art tour...can't wait! For breakfast we had medialunas (croissants) with dulce de leche (caramel sauce)......so much for paleo eating on this trip!

4-day Inca Trail trek (Peru)

We really underestimated the difficulty of trekking the Inca Trail - and being at altitude made it much, much worse! The altitude affected us with headaches, tingling hands and feet, dizziness, feeling generally sick and exhausted.

The first day was 'easy' - going uphill, downhill, through small villages and on farmer's tracks. The scenery was breathtaking, although we were mainly too busy watching where our feet were going to really enjoy the full effect! The track was partly dirt, partly stones, partly steps. I always thought the Incas were little people, but some of their steps were huge! (how did they do it?).

Camp was set up by the porters. Even our lunch stops had a dining tent set up, and a 3-course meal, delicious. In the evening we were 2 to a tent and camped at designated campgrounds. What i was not expecting was so many other trekkers. Apparently they allow 200 trekkers PER DAY plus another 250 guides and porters. That's a hell of a lot of traffic on the trail.

Day 2 was very very tough: the first 5 hours were steadily uphill to an elevation of 4200m above sea level. I was struggling with dizziness and tingling hands and feet, it was exhausting, and also depressing to have to stop every 5m or so to get my breath back. I did not think I would make it...but I did. Another 2 hours of trekking downhill...down steep, uneven, stone steps. Thank GOD for my trekking poles!!

Overnight was quite cold, someone said it was -2C. I was just freezing, wore 2 sets of wool thermals to bed and was still cold. What a horrible sleep i had. Day 3 was a little easier, but I was just exhausted. I went to bed when we stopped after lunch, shivering and feeling horrible. I barely ate any lunch (and for anyone who knows me, THIS is a sure sign I am not well!!). I managed to get up for happy hour and it was a good thing too, the cook had baked a cake, and it was delicious.

In our group were 11 trekkers (Kiwi and Taiwanese couple, UK couple, Canadian couple, 2 19yo backpackers from the Netherlands, a Mexican/Dutch young backpacker, and us), a guide (Jimmy) and an assistant guide (Roland), and 13 porters and cook. The porters carry SO MUCH weight, it's unbelievable. Their packs are barely set up with proper straps and support, and on their feet they usually wear rubber sandals. Sometimes the ran on the trail, and we were always careful to keep out of their way. Just amazing.

The last day we got up at 4am to trek up to Sun Gate to see Machu Picchu at sunrise. Not sure where the sun was though, and it was a little bit of a letdown to arrive - so lovely (NOT) with heaps of other trekkers and guides, all snapping pictures and shouting congratulations to one another. Machu Picchu is quite beautiful but we did see quite a few other ruins along the trek, and the sheer amount of people at the site made it feel a little like Disneyland........

Sea lion interaction!!

Today was excellent. We hopped into the dinghies and went for a cruise around the island, saw some blue-footed boobies and lots of sea lions. In a small lagoon about 5 baby sea lions followed us, frolicking around the boat and swimming really fast…..then we went for a snorkel and found a spot with heaps of sea lions and we snorkelled with them for about an hour. The pups were so inquisitive and friendly, they would swim right up to my mask and look at me in the eyes, and at the last minute swerve to avoid crashing into me, then spin around and swim around me….oh my god it was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. Everyone loved it, and we only got out of the water when we had wrinkled prune skin and were getting chilled. The sea lions were so playful and graceful underwater. Sometimes they would pop their head out of the water like a periscope, and then quickly go underwater and around me. It was a bit freaky sometimes because it was hard to believe they were so curious and non-threatening. Loved it loved it loved it. The best wildlife interaction ever!!!!

Hard to believe we are off the boat tomorrow and flying to Peru. It has been the most amazingly wonderful experience here and lovely to live on the boat, with a wonderful guide and crew, delicious meals (roast turkey, mashed potato, green beans, carrots and cauliflower plus salad for dinner and a yummy cake for dessert), great company with Aussies and Americans. I recommend it to everyone!

Punto Suarez

Life on board the MY San Jose is wonderful. 15 passengers and 9 crew. The crew is so helpful and friendly, always making sure the dinghies are wiped down, the life jackets are stacked neatly. After a shore excursion was have cold drinks waiting for us (today, banana smoothies) or a snack like chicken empanadas. The meals are delicious, lots of veggies, sometimes soup and always a hot meal with dessert or fresh fruit. We have tried some Ecuadorian food like manioc and plantain. Our cabins are quite large, with 2 single beds, a desk/shelf and an ensuite with large shower and a wardrobe for extra clothing. The crew make our beds daily and make sure we have clean towels. They ring the bell when it’s mealtime, or excursion time. It is very stress-free and relaxing.

Today Mark and Ben were supposed to jump off the very top deck into the water. Mark chickened out (too many Chivas last night made him say silly things!!) but eventually Ben made the giant leap.

We went on a beach walk this morning and there were heaps of sea lions all over the place. You could step on one easily, they were everywhere. A little pup took a shine to Mark, it was beautiful. Later we went for a snorkel, apart from a black tipped reef shark there wasn’t much to see….except sea lions in the water!! Mark took a great pic of a sea lion underwater. After lunch and an afternoon rest, we jumped into the dinghies to go ashore at Punto Suarez. This was an EXCELLENT excursion. Upon landing we just about stepped on sea lions and marine iguanas. There is actually a great surf break here (Mark was excited). We did a 2hr walk around to the cliffs, rookeries and did lots of bird watching: blue-footed and nazca boobies, and waved albatross - I sat next to a waved albatross, he was 2 feet away from me and happy as can be. We watched a couple of them mating and just flying around overhead, including the tropic birds with their long, long tails.

San Cristobal Island

This morning we arrived at San Cristobal Island, had a long beach walk, saw oyster catchers, marine iguanas, sally lightfoot crabs, and lots of sea lions lounging around. Had some fun with my camera, taking jumping shots. Went for a snorkel afterwards, it was very relaxing.

Life on board is fantastic, the meals are wonderful, I love the salsa music Jeff puts on in the bar in the evening. We went into the town later, for a long hot walk (it is so humid!) and then cooled off with a couple of beers in a place along the port. Some of the group tried the very hot chillies that were growing in bushes surrounding..it was hilarious.

Happy hour went on even after dinner, for us anyway! We have met Ben, a young guy from Melbourne, who is a terrible influence on us…. It’s hard to believe we only have a couple of days left in the magnificent Galapagos Islands.

Puerto Ayora

Last night was fantastic, cruising along towards Puerto Ayora, watching common and bottle-nose dolphins, frigate birds, manta rays along the way. The starry night was incredible as well. We arrived into Puerto Ayora - home to around 19 000 people. The ‘harbour’ was not really in a sheltered area, heaps of other cruise boats, sailboats and lights.

Today we went into Puerto Ayora. There were fishermen cleaning fish and surrounded by pelicans and a seal, who were all waiting for scraps. It was quite funny to watch. Off to the Charles Darwin Conservation Centre we went, to look at Galapagos Tortoises. Mark and I went with Fabian, our guide, to the LAN office into town only to be told that his bag STILL had not arrived - it apparently was in Baltra, a couple of hours away……

Did a bit of souvenir shopping, had a lovely ice cream and headed back to the boat for lunch. In the afternoon we went to the highlands to see a cloud forest and tortoises. Everyone walked and crawled through a lava tube. Later we said our goodbyes to half the group, and enjoyed dinner and drinks back on the boat. It was good to see Puerto Ayora but we are looking forward to heading back out to sea at midnight.

AND: Mark’s luggage has finally arrived, 6 days later….fantastic! I will be writing to LAN to complain, but that’s another story.

Volcanic lava!

Today was an awesome excellent day…..we got up at 5am to go for a short hike to see if we could see turtles laying their eggs….we just missed them unfortunately, but this particular beach had a lot of washed-up rubbish on it (plastic) so we cleaned it up.

We then did a hike up to the lighthouse up a long boardwalk with many steps, the lava ash around it was amazingly different to see, that and the lava cactuses growing. The view was spectacular, overlooking islands, volcanic lava fields and blue ocean.

After breakfast we went snorkelling, saw a few rays, a fur seal sunning himself on a rock on the shoreline, heaps and heaps of baitfish. The incredible thing is, the baitfish did not get out of the way when you swam into them, they just surrounded you, as part of the baitfish ball. unbelievable.

We are loving being on the boat, it’s relaxing, our beds are made every morning, cabin cleaned, 3 meals plus snacks during the day. They use a bell to tell us when to get up, when to come for meals, when to go snorkelling. The crew always makes sure the dinghies are clean and dry, the life jackets stacked neatly, ready for use. They all do a wonderful job. The islands are just beautiful and the landscape diverse.

Tomorrow….maybe just maybe Mark’s luggage will turn up in Santa Cruz. I am not counting on it but it would be a nice surprise. He was wearing my Teva sandals on the lava field walk, and the soles came off (the extreme heat??). Will be nice if he is able to wear his own stuff again!!

Galapagos marine life

This morning we were awoken at 0530 by the bell ringing. Jumped into the dinghies and went to shore to explore Rabida Island….we came across marine iguanas for the first time, they looked very camouflaged on the vocanic rocks!! Very spiky and numerous. You could just about step on them accidentally. Lots of Sally Lightfoot crabs, great orange colour. We snuck up on the sea lions swimming and sleeping in a deep rocky pool near the shoreline. Dolphins were out from the shore.

We came back for breakfast at 0800 and at 1030 went for a snorkel. Mark was lucky enough to witness a fur seal swimming past him underwater. We saw a few turtles and lots of fish.

I had a few naps today in the shade on the boat, watched sharks and rays swimming around the boat, and had a great time trying (unsuccessfully) to photograph birds diving down to get baitfish, and watching a seal mum and pup frolicking on the beach.

Later, another snorkel. I was surrounded by baitfish, it was amazing. Saw a whitetip reef shark below, and witnessed birds diving down into the baitfish school to have lunch. It is truly amazing to swim with fish who don’t swim away from you, you are part of their environment.

We cannot believe the amazing scenery, red/brown sand and rocks, black volcanic sand and rocks, crystal clear water, cactuses growing from volcanic rocky outcrops, wow!! On our late afternoon walk we saw a gorgeous very pink flamingo digging for crill in a lagoon on the beach. A few giant starfish washed up on shore. Happy hour and dinner were lovely and relaxing. Early to bed as a 5am start in the morning.

Off to the Galapagos Islands

Today was a long and eventful day. Mark’s luggage, of course, did not arrive this morning. We spent quite a while running around and speaking to the LAN office. Anyway. We have decided to assume we will never see his bag again and move on. We hopped on the plane and off to the Galapagos Islands we went. It surprised me that the plane was actually quite large, 3 seats each side, and full. The flight from Quito to Baltra took just under 2 hours. Upon first view, the whole area looks enormous. So 2 things I had not expected!!

The airport is small and chaotic. You must get your passport stamped and pay a $100 fee. There were a few market stalls around the back, and we got Mark a hat, a couple of tshirts and a pair of shorts he can swim in. Then, jumped on a bus and drove down to the bay where the MY San Jose was awaiting us. On the small jetty we were surprised by a sleek, glossy, black fur seal, and another seal, just lying on the stairway…plus a sea iguana sunning on the corner. Amazing to see these creatures so unafraid of humans!!

First impressions of the MY San Jose, it is a big boat, similar in size to what I worked on in the Great Barrier Reef - apparently is licensed for 32 passengers but only takes 16...heaps of room! Every room has twin beds and an ensuite, all cabins above sea level, and stretch from side to side, so if you open the windows a great breeze flows through. Mark and I are in room 5, on the top deck just behind the wheelhouse. We had a delicious lunch of salad (shredded red cabbage, tomato), pasta and tomato/vegetable sauce. For dessert, lovely plump bananas drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Later in the afternoon we hopped onto 2 dinghies and went over to a mangrove lagoon to see some blue-footed boobies and other birds, also some turtles and rays. There is wildlife everywhere…just fantastic. Our guide, Fabian, is very knowledgeable and speaks English very well. The boat crew is about 6 people - they don’t speak to the passengers much, I think they are unsure of their language skills and so choose not to associate with us much.

Dinner, baked fish, potatoes, green beans/carrots and salad. For dessert, baked apples with a blackberry sauce…..mark and I finished up with a cup of tea on the top deck, watching sharks and fish splash around in the lit water surrounding the boat… wow… First impressions: YAY I’m so glad I’m here!!

Quito, Ecuador: the next day

We are feeling a bit rugged this morning, less than 5 hours sleep, and more than a little stressed about the missing luggage. I’ve got our local tour company onto the issue, they are contacting LAN later this morning. We went for a wander around the neighbourhood. I just had my camera around my neck, but after first a cab driver calling to me out his window, saying be careful! And a shop keeper also warning me about the camera being too obvious, I got a little paranoid. I guess it’s better to carry it in a bag from now on. I got a few nice pics though, a bunch of men walking to work, they looked like labourers, wearing great hats. Also a little kiosk, you find them all over, selling magazines, lollies and drinks.

We found a bunch of shops just in case we have to stock up for Mark: undies, board shorts and an outdoor wear shop. I hope it doesn’t get to that point but shops are open till around 7pm so we have a bit of time. We are back in bed now, trying to rest up and catch up on some sleep.

Update: we gave up trying to contact LAN by phone and went back to the airport this afternoon. They say that Mark’s bag is on tonight’s flight, but they won’t deliver it to us. So we have to go back again to the airport tonight to hopefully get it…fingers crossed. We met the other members of our Galapagos cruise, a mixed bunch of mostly Aussies but a few Americans as well. We leave tomorrow morning for the Islands and we hope that Mark’s bag will be joining us!!

The Missing Luggage

We are feeling a bit rugged this morning, less than 5 hours sleep, and more than a little stressed about the missing luggage. I’ve got our local tour company onto the issue, they are contacting LAN later this morning. We went for a wander around the neighbourhood. I just had my camera around my neck, but after first a cab driver calling to me out his window, saying be careful! And a shop keeper also warning me about the camera being too obvious, I got a little paranoid. I guess it’s better to carry it in a bag from now on. I got a few nice pics though, a bunch of men walking to work, they looked like labourers, wearing great hats. Also a little kiosk, you find them all over, selling magazines, lollies and drinks.

We found a bunch of shops just in case we have to stock up for Mark: undies, board shorts and an outdoor wear shop. I hope it doesn’t get to that point but shops are open till around 7pm so we have a bit of time. We are back in bed now, trying to rest up and catch up on some sleep.

Update: we gave up trying to contact LAN by phone and went back to the airport this afternoon. They say that Mark’s bag is on tonight’s flight, but they won’t deliver it to us. So we have to go back again to the airport tonight to hopefully get it…fingers crossed. We met the other members of our Galapagos cruise, a mixed bunch of mostly Aussies but a few Americans as well. We leave tomorrow morning for the Islands and we hope that Mark’s bag will be joining us!!

My Spanish cracks me up...it's so bad but i'm trying hard and i won't give up. Sometimes it's all too hard, but i am determined. Some of the hotel staff are lovely, and give me gentle corrections. It's the most frustrating for me when I know what i want to say but i can't think of a major word in the sentence...grrrr......

Quito, Ecuador

We have arrived in Quito, Ecuador. It’s been a long journey from Australia, and Mark’s luggage has not joined us. Last time we saw his backpack was in Brisbane. I’m trying to be positive and hope that LAN can find his bag and get it sent to us before we depart for the Galapagos Islands at 8am tomorrow morning.

LAN was an interesting airline to fly. They have old planes which rattle, terrible food and a distinct lack of vegetables in their meal trays. At least we enjoyed tiny chocolate Easter eggs at every meal!

From Sydney to Santiago (via Auckland) I watched several good films in Spanish with English subtitles. I was trying to get used to listening to Spanish being spoken. Actually, I have made a big attempt to practice my Spanish every step of the way, with the flight attendants, shop assistants and anyone else I can think of. The challenging thing is that people speak very quickly, so it takes me a minute to decipher what they are saying. Then another minute for me to figure out how to say what I want to say back. Persistence will get me through. I am determined not to let my tutor Carlos, down!!

Quito is 2800 metres above sea level, and it is quite cool here, when it’s not raining. Today we have a free day and initially I had hoped to wander around town, take some pictures and explore. In reality we will be chasing the airline to find Mark’s bag as it has everything he needs for this trip, trekking gear, clothing, toiletries and so on. We may have to spend the afternoon shopping for clothes and things for him instead.

Last night we finally got to the hotel quite late, around 11pm. I had researched the hotel before the trip and found they have 24hr room service. The prices are astounding! I had Lomo de Cerdo - filetes de cerdo al grille con pico de gallo, legumbres salteads y ensalada verde - grilled pork with pico de gallo, sautéed vegetables and a mixed salad including half an avocado. Mark had una pechuga de pollo al grille sin salsa -grilled chicken breast with 2 helpings of ‘papas fritas’ (hot chips) and we shared a local beer. Total, including room service charge was $23. Now tell me that’s not fantastic!

South America, here we come!

Leaving on our trip in 10 hours..it's a long journey: we drive to Brisbane Airport (1 hour), then fly to Sydney (1.5hrs), then jump onto a LAN Chile flight to Santiago, via Auckland NZ...that's more than 16 hours.

Then, we fly to Quito, Ecuador via Guyaquil...another 7 hours. We arrive in Quito (if all goes well) around 9pm that same day. The next day is a free day to relax, chill out, explore Quito and acclimatise to the high altitude. The hotel will have oxygen tanks available should we need them. HA!!!

The next morning we are flying to the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador and beginning an 8-day cruise on the MY San Jose, with max.16 passengers and 9 crew. I can't wait to practice my Spanish!!