Salta - Our 1st Argentinian city

Salta is a large lovely city, with great weather, and a real mediteranian feel. We sat in the plaza having brunch and reading an English paper from Buenos Aires. It felt great. We spent our first night in an Irish bar with an Irish lad called Gordon. Although we had full intentions of going out for dinner, we stayed on, and enjoyed his company. Argentina in renowned for its fantastic steaks. But unfortunately we dipped out our second night, ate somewhere dodgy on the plaza, and poor Ian ended up with a custard sauce (that was supposed to be curry) and mine was jellyed gravy. Bad! We took the cable car to the viewpoint of the city. It was a lovely area of green grass and a manmade water fall. Quite pleasant, apart from ordering for the second time on this day some crappy cheese and incredibly sweet jam and prunes. Not my idea of a nice snack. Although there are many things, in Spanish, on a food menu that we do know what they are, of course there are others, that we have no idea, and when we don´t have the phrase book, it´s a bit of a point and hope for the best!

Tarjia - the South of Bolivia

Tarija is wine country. Have tried a couple of bottles over dinner. One was really nice - Kohlberg! Sab. Cav. - beautiful! Don´t know whether they import it to Oz or elsewhere but definately worth trying if they do. This was a relaxing and lazy few days, as Ian tried to take it easy, after having been unwell. It should be interesting crossing the border into Argentina because Ian´s entry stamp into Bolivia is not stamped properly. When we crossed into Bolivia at the dodgy crossing in the Atacarma Desert in Chile they stamped it with 30 days. Ian then requested that we have 90. They didn´t have a 90 day stamp, so just used a pen; and put an official stamp next to mine and not his. This may be made an issue of. He could be fined US$2 per day that we are over, which is over 40 days! Everything was OK though. Lucky!

The Bolivian Amazon

From Rurrenabaque you can either do a Jungle tour or a Pampas tour. Again with Alaina and Justin we booked onto a 2 day, one night Pampas tour. Animals galore!!!! We drove by 4WD for 3 hours along a bumpy dusty road to the river. On the way we saw a sloath, an anaconda snake track across the road (the boys were very enthusiastic taking off into the trees to try and find it - which they didn´t), and loads of different birds, big and small. Then by canoe up the river to our camp. Aligators, caymen (similar), capybaras ( large rat like creatures that can grow up to 45kgs! - very bizarre!), and instead of finding an anaconda, (of which we saw this huge snake in a magazine article in a reptile house in Alice Springs that had eaten a German tourist whole, and had been cut open), we found a cobra, that got alittle annoyed and bite the pants of our guide. Justin used to be an eco guide in the Daintree, which is in the far north of Queensland, Australia. He got very enthusiastic about wildlife, very much like our very own crocodile hunter Steve Irwin! On the night canoe excursion whilst looking for alligator eyes, the boat pulled up next to a baby one, and he proceeded to catch it, which was great for a kodak moment! We had booked a flight back to La Paz, which takes under one hour, once again to prevent not having to take the Most Dangerous road by bus, that can take up to 25 hours. Unfortunately, because of wildfires and the lack of visa bility in the Amazon, the flights had been cancelled. Due to already having an onward flight prearranged to head south, we couldn´t wait around on the off chance that we would fly. So we hired a 4WD with 7 other random people, which took as 14 hours (a couple extra than normal due to many breakdowns!), and which meant that we did indeed end up taking the road that we had been wanting to avoid. Luckily it was dark, and I couldn´t see over the edge. That´s all I can say!

Flight cancelled. 4WD hired for the 14 hour trip back to La Paz. Took 2 hours more than it should due to it breaking down a lot! Justin here not looking amused. It was Justin and Ian that ended up fixing it. 

Loads of turtles sunbaked on logs coming out of the river during the day. 

Unfortunately no annaconda snake, but we found a cobra instead. 

Look at this Steve Irwin Crocodile hunter move. It was actually eco-friendly Justin that went in for the night time grab from the side of our boat. And then of course Ian needed to have a hold and photo.  

Another bizarre animal is the capybara. A giant rodant that can weigh up to 45 kgs!! 

This funny creature is a sloth. Very cool to have found one at the beginning of our Pampas tour. 

Coroico to the Amazon Jungle

Just come off a 3 day river / boat tour to the town of Rurrenabeque in the Amazon. Although we had not intended to come here this way, it has saved me a 14 hour hell bus trip!!! It was fantastic! At the last minute we managed to meet an Ozzie couple, Alaina and Justin (who happen to live in Maffra, Victoria - under one hour away from Mum and Dad´s), who were well up for coming along. On the 1st night we camped in a fruit paradise (no one had lived there for years but the fruit trees were huge, and it was fantastic eating so much fruit, i.e. watermelon, coconut milk, star and bread fruit, sugar cane...). And the last night we stayed on the side of the river on a sand bank, and swam / showered in the water falls. We even drank fresh water from some cut down thick vine limbs! We went for jungle walks where the guides had to use machettes, and we fished for and ate piranahs!

We fished for piranah�s. Not that Ian or I were at all successful in catching any. They tasted nice. 

This was our mode of transport for the 3 days. The crew were fantastic. Our initial organiser Louis (far right), was an absolute mad man, and we were so lucky he was able to arrange our crew (who at least knew what they were doing!!!) 

Our 1st night was spent on the side of the river in a fruit paradise - pineapples etc.... 

Our boating adventure with Maffra (Victoria, Australia) couple Justin and Alaina. 

Coroico - Bolivia

At the bottom of the ride we were supposed to be staying in a relaxing paradise for 5 nights. The town is called Coroico. It is usually really warm and there is a swimming pool. Unfortunately it has been raining the whole time, and the low cloud covers the apparently amazing mountain views. We had left it to do all our washing here, so without dryers, we were lucky to have managed! Our trainers were also soaked and muddy from our mountain biking experience, so they got a wash in the shower, and spent a couple of nights in the sauna! My trainers didn´t fair too well from the sauna experience. One shrunk and the other started coming apart! They were a mess. I even resorted to using black thick electrical tape - very attractive! They had to get me through the next 5 days though, until I was able to throw them away, and get access to another pair. We paid more than usual for our room, and even got an upgrade because we were staying a while. It was plush. Two story, huge bathroom, lounge area with TV, a balcony with a hammock, and upstairs was the bedroom, TV and large opening windows. Shame about the weather! We did though meet up with a guy from Wales whom we had met before on the west coast of Australia, some 6 months earlier. Unexpectantly Ian had received an email from Luke saying he was not only in South America, but then Bolivia, and then that he and his group of friends where a day behind us. It was really nice to meet up with him for one night here, and then again in the jungle. That is one of the cool things about meeting people whilst traveling, and then sometimes having the opportunity of meeting up again; whether it be in the same country or another.

The amazing view from our room - when it wasn�t raining, overcast and nil visability. 

The Most Dangerous Road in the World!!

Just riden mountain bikes down the most dangerous road in the world! Starting above La Paz in Bolivia, at 4760mtrs, we rode 64kms to 1100mtrs (3650 descent). The road was dirt, bumpy, and narrow. The drops off the side at times was 1000mtrs, so I was greatful for the mist. It was pretty nerve racking, and it took loads of concentration! Ian loved it and spent his time up the front. I was down the back with a couple of slow girls. Surprisingly I was better when it started raining and there was mud everywhere, flicking up into my eyes and mouth. Last time I was on a mountain bike my arse was sore within 5 minutes! We both paid extra for double suspension, and I now feel really good, without hardly only pain. It´s called the most dangerous road because each year many buses with loads of passengers, and trucks do actually go off the side of the mountain. Along the track there were actually some volunteers (relatives of those who have died), assisting traffic, and alerting you to a vehicle coming the other way. There are passing points all the way along the road. As mad as it sounds, so many travellers highlight this experience as one of their best in Bolivia! It was good. I think I was alittle anxious though to say it was ´great´ for me. I asked Ian to describe it from his point of view in three words, and he said - fun, fast and exciting!!

You can just make out a rider and the top of the drop. 

Having to pull over and wait for a truck to pass on the thin road. It was foggy. Helped me to not see how long the drop off the side was! 

The beginning of our dangerous road adventure. It was freezing up at approx. 4500 metres. 

Copacabana - Lake Titicaca

Only three and a half hours from La Paz, Copacabana (like the song)is on Lake Titicaca, which borders both Bolivia and Peru. It´s the highest navigable Lake in the World (what ever that means?). We have been on the Lake from the Peru side 3 years ago. People come to this town to visit the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun). Legend has it (for the Inca people) that this island is where the sun and the moon was born, and therefore it is the very centre of their religion. We have a nice room, on the mainland, on the top floor of a hotel, overlooking the Lake, and it is only costing 3 pounds per night(BS40)!!! Mind you the internet is BS14 (which is really expensive compared to the rest of the country, ie. it is only BS4 in La Paz), so really what we are saving on the room here, we are spending at the internet. The weather during the day is really sunny and warm, which is really nice. It is the place to gorge on great trout from the lake, of which we are doing. It´s fantastic to have fish, and loads of it. We have been back to the same dodgy looking lake shack two days in a row for some fantastic fish. We walked up Cerro Calvario hill which is 3966 mtrs for some great views. One quite interesting activity we observed was at the Cathedral where the locals whom have purchased new cars, have them blessed. To the point of washing them, putting all kinds of decorations on them, have a monk bless them, a lady take around some smoke, the family spray beer over the car, photos are taken and fire crackers are lit off. What the?? At the top of the Cerro Calvario hill you can actually purchase a toy house or car, and take them to be blessed! We are staying here for 4 nights and one on the island. The island is only one and a half hours by boat. There are supposed to be some great walks and Inca ruins, but because Ian was still recovering from his back injury we couldn´t walk too far. Instead we enjoyed the sunshine and views, and met some nice people. Rebecca (a NZ lass who has been living in Oz for 5 years)we met for the 1st time on the island, and then again in the jungle, and then again in Argentina.

View of Copacabana

Blessing of the cars. Quite bizarre really.

The great view from our accommodation on Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun).

Local family and live stock on Isla del Sol. Of course we had to pay a tidy price for this set up photos. But what a beauty!

La Paz - Bolivia

La Paz is nestled in some mountains at about 3300 mtrs. The richer people live lower down the bottom and the poorer live higher up the mountain. The city has a population just short of 2 million. Its the administrative capital of Bolivia, with Sucre (where we spent nearly 4 weeks) is the actual capital. Ian and really enjoyed our time here. You either love it or hate it, as we had heard varying reports about it. We stayed near the Cathedral (for anyones bearings who may have been here). This meant that we were up on one side of the valley, and would have to walk down hill to get to the centre of town. Due to Ian still having trouble with his back and walking since the paragliding incident, this would mean that we would tend to catch taxis back. At night time looking at the lights on the mountain behind the Cathedral was beautiful! We took the red double decker tourist bus to see the sights, throughtout the centre and also out and about. It was actually really good to get your bearings, and see some sights outside the city centre, such as San Migual (amazing rich area), and the Valley of the Moon. There are loads of markets that you can go to, one being a Witches Market that can you give you all types of lotions and potions - and you can burn a dead llama fetus as an offering to Pachamama. Not that we did any of this. But it did cross Ians mind that maybe they could fix his back! We also went to the Coca Museum. Did you know that before 1894 there was actually cocine in Coca Cola! And now there is Coca leaves for flavour, but no cocine. Really interesting place. We found some fantastic places to eat such as Mongos, Olivers Travels (100% fake English Pub), Ram Jams (the highest Micro Brewery)- with the best curries!! Of which we did two curries in two nights. We have been having the most frustrating time trying to change our flight tickets back to London with LanChile. Initially we were scheduled to return to the UK, 3 months after landing, (not really)only because this was the visa regulations. But we were told that the ticket was valid for a year and that it would be easy just to change it when we arrive, at a cost of course! Well LanChile has told us that we cannot book their flights more than 6 months in advance!! Well that does not work!! So we have emailed Flight centre in Auckland were we purchased the tickets and have asked them to sort it out!! The worst case scenerio will be that we have to change them twice!! And pay NZ$150 each, each time!! Fingers crossed!!

My Birthday was celebrated with Ian and a crazy but great Aussie called Scotty 

The view of La Paz