Crockett On Tour
Well it's all over now, returned to the UK in December after 8 months and 14 countries! Thanks to everyone I met for being great and making this trip the best thing I've ever done.
South America - 26th April 2002 - 21st August 2002
PERU 26/4 - 4/5
Lima 26/5-9/6 - Well here goes arrived in south america, an immediatley hooked up with some locals, not much really done during my first two weeks except trying to acclimitise and discover the lima night life. But made some good friends here, one of whom has decided to travel round to arequipa, puna and cusco with me.
Arequipa 10/5-15/5 - First night there managed to find a good place for more dancing and drinking.
After that it was a two day tour of the Colca Caynon, to see the huge condors, and in which time i was made to dress up and dance in front of complete strangers - never trust tour guides.
Puno 15/5-18/5 - Lake Titicaca (highest navigatable lake in the world, whatever that means!). At 4000 meters up it gets a bit chili at night - but i still had my travelling companion and we went on a tour of the lakes to see the floating islands (made of reeds that hold homes, schools and even hospitals) and isle Taquile, which was pleasent enough without being spectactular. But the lake as a whole, you don't realise how big it is until you get there, it looks like the sea!
Cusco 18/5-2/6 - The Inca Trail - it has to be done if you come here - even though it put me back $180 and at points I thought i would die from exhustion! The scenery is amazing on all three days and then on the fourth you get to see sunrise over Machu Picchi - WAY COOL (see link below - not my pictures and we had better weather)! Cusco is a great town aswell, although to much time was spent at Mama Africa's during there happy hour (3-9) and too many vodka's drunk! It was here a said goodbye to my guide - thanks for everything Guzzy - will always love Peru because of you.
Puno 2/6-4/6 - Back to Puno solo - for a couple of days r&r to recover from the inca trail and mama africas - just lazily walking along the lake.
BOLIVIA 4/6 - 22/6
La Paz 4/6-7/6 - Crossed into Bolivia via a small town called Copacabana (No not THE Copacabana) where the bus stopped for lunch and I ran into Andy, one of the guys on the inca trail. The town seemed very nice, on the bolivia side of lake Titicaca, but after an hour we were off again. La Paz looks impressive to start with, a whole city in what looks like a crator, but on closer inspection - not so nice. Stayed in a good hostel full of friendly 'gringos' though - but couldn't wait to move on.
Uyuni 7/6-13/6 - Unfortunatley I did have to wait due to a little roadblock being carried out by the miners - not sure why but there are elections at the end of the month - never good news!!! So after spending a day too long in la paz finally got on a bus to Oruro - where I was hoping to jump straight onto a train to Uyuni. Unfortunalty 35km from Oruro the bus stopped and I realised the roadblock was still there. Everyone got out and the 'gringos' huddled together (Dave, a dutch guy, Rob and Anna (Aussis) and Sophie and Jean-smale (french canadians)) and tried to figure out what to do. In the end we had to walk through the roadblock (hour and a half) and get a bus the other side. Fun. Luckily we still managed to catch the bus and all except Dave (dutch one not me) decided to form a group to do the salt lake tour...which was impressive!!!!! Four days going into the freezing wilderness (tempretures down to -18 at night) seaing a sea of salt, red and green lakes, loads of flamingoes and a couple of volcanoes - all in a four by four which has a habit of getting punctures! - see link below for pictures (not taken by me!).
Potosi 13/6-15/6 - When I returned from the salt lakes I met up which dutch Dave, and as we were both heading the same way decided to team up and head to Potosi - famed for its silver mine (8 million killed by it so far) and being the highest city in the world, at just under 4100 meters high (i.e. more cold nights!). There we did a tour of the silver mines, saw the terrible conditions the miners still have to work in - and hearing a danamite explosion underground is bizaar - you can feel the vibrations. Also bizaar we went in a group of six, and four of us were Dave's! Potosi town is really nice - buildings are really impressive, which should be expected considering at one point it was the richest city in South America. And is a stark contrast to La Paz.
Sucre 15/6-18/6 - Ok this turned out to be a little holiday (I'm travelling not on holiday so this was a break!) Arrived with Dave at around midday and by 3pm had found a dutch pub - where we bumped into another dutch couple who were on the same train to Uyuni as us (It's their website link below). Ended up leaving the pub at around midnight - after having another dutch couple (one of the dave's from the potosi mine and his girlfriend) join us. The following day the same thing happened - except Sonja and Arjen were replaced by Natasha and Andy (German and English). Did manage to look around the city a bit, nice city but not much to do - so got my head shaved and went back to the pub
Santa Cruz 19/6-21/6 - Santa Cruz, the biggest city in Bolivia, also the richest. Designer stores and big electrical shops were a bit of a shock to the system - but again it had a nice feel to it, until the only place that was open for the england - brasil game was a local drinking den filled with bolivians supporting brasil. I'm not sure if i was more relieved when england went one nil up or when we went two one down! Dave then decided to leave me and head up into the amazon, whilst I changed me plan and thought it would be a good idea to head into Paraguay and tackle the Chaco Road...
PARAGUAY 22/6 - 24/6
Asuncion 23/6-24/6 - I have never seen a city so quiet as this one on the sunday I arrived.True I got there at 6am and thought yes it's quiet but it's early - but even mid afternoon it was almost empty - very strange. Also it's not the prettiest city in the world, it makes la paz look impressive - but unlike bolivia (and peru outside Lima) it has everything, all the designer lables all the latest high tech equipment, it even has a lloyds tsb (which won't let me use my cards!). But the buildings are so ugly - decided to stick with my decision to bypass most of Paragauy and hotfoot it straight to the brasilian boarder.
Chaco Road 21/6-23/6 - Got on the bus at 8pm on friday night, in the lonely planet for Bolivia it says this trip can take any time from 36 hours to 4 days - this is what is going through my head as we set off. Also I'm back on my own in a bus full of south americans who don't speak english - was this a good idea? But yes I decided I wanted to see the Iguazu Falls and this was the most direct route, although maybe not the quickest! The trip itself didn't turn out to be too bad, and only took the 36 hours, not the four days (although the bus company had told me 30 hours). The road was just dirt and sand for all of saterday, and the numerous milatary checkpoint scare me to death, but the bus was comfy and only half full. Arriving in Asuncion at 6am on a sunday morning was probably not a good idea.
BRASIL 24/6 - 28/6
Foz do Iguazu 24/6-28/6 - Arrived in Foz early evening and ended up chatting with Ted, an american who is studying out here (who had to make a quick visit to Paragauy to get a new three month Brasil visa). Ended up having a few beers and something to eat with him.
The falls are amazing, i met up with some Norwegens and Isreali's and we all went. They are huge (link to some pics below). We first saw the Brazilian side of the falls, and then the following day we went across the boarder for the Argentian side.
I only came to Brasil for the falls, so now on to Argentina - just don't mention football and politics!
ARGENTINA 28/6 - 12/7
Peurtu Iguazu 28/6-1/7 - Arrived in Peurtu, which is a stones throw away from Foz in Brasil, and immediatley got lost (quite impressive in a town this small!) Somehow found myself in a brand new hostal, which only opened the day before, as there second guest! The town is really mellow, and the hostel owners and travellers (more did turn up) are amongst the friendliest yet, we all went clubbing last night - argentina, britian, canada, peru, belguim and swiss quite a combination!
We are so close to Brasil, we could still hear the fireworks as they won the world cup!
Really cool hostal, friendliest place so far, thanks alfredo, alexander, alexander, marie-eve, fabio and wendy!
Resistencia 2/7-3/7 - So I got on a night bus to head out west, this stop was really just to break up the jouney to Salta - but the town seems nice enough - loads of statues everywhere. I was hoping to get an early night before my 19 hour bus trip tomorrow night, but ran into Oscar and Veronica, a couple of locals over lunch, and am hitting the town with them!
Managed to survive the night, a few beer in a local bar with O & V and a few of there friend. It was really nice but I was so tired, never mind next it's a 14 hour bus trip to salta
Salta 4/7-8/7 - Arrived in Salta, and headed to Corre Caminos, another hostal owned by the same people as the one in Peuto Igauzu.
Was so happy to sleep in a bed again, two of the previous three nights spent on a bus, I need some proper sleep!
Managed to interact with the locals on the Saterday night, and went for a drink with a couple of girls. Did not turn out to be the carefree evening I had hoped, with my bad spanish and phrasebook I managed to find out that one had a boyfriend while the other one had a baby, and her husband had died last year! Fun night!!! Swiftly on to Tucuman.
Tucuman 8/7-11/7 - Headed to Tucuman for one reason only, Independence Day on the 9th July - and this was the town where it was declared. Only problem was with the country where it is financially would they be in any mood to celebrate.
It turned out to be 'ok' but nothing more. No fireworks - which I found out they normally have, but at least no riots. Also met up with Ashley, who I met at Iguazu, and ended up drinking with him till 3am. Then proptley lost his email address - ah well!
CHILE 12/7 - 23/7
Santiago 12/7-14/7 - Arrived in Chile after the most spectactular bus journey over the Andres. Not sure what altitude we got up to but driving through the snow capped mountains was amazing.
Santiago is a very nice city, and certainly the most 'westernised' I've been to, with McDonanlds, Burgar King and Pizza Huts as far ass the eye can see. Also a lot less children on the streets, which peru and bolivia cities had. But it is expensive, known now to be the most expensive country in south america, and this the most expensive city in the country - after argentina it really hit me!
La Serena 14/7-17/7 - At Last The Sea! Horray, after more then two and a half months I see the Pacific again, unfortunatley the weathers not quite what it was when I left it! Never mind, La Serena is a sleepy beach resort, now it's the middle of winter just a sleepy little town.
Spent my last evening here getting drunk with Vivian, a chilean girl, both discussing the amusing failers of our love lifes, it was so nice to be able to speak english with someone!
Vina Del Mar 17/7-22/7 - Back on the gringo trail, where resturants advertise as much in english as they do in spanish, but still not many gringos are stupid enough to visit Chile's premier beach resort in the middle of winter!
Spent a nice few days in the rain by the beach, but found a good bar and on the last day here was invited back to a chilean guys home to meet his family, which was cool.
Santiago Airport 22/7-23/7 - After after a mad rush on the 22nd trying to get hold of my plane ticket managed to make it to the airport in one piece, unfortunatley did not check my head luggage and ended up trying to smuggle a knief on board the plane, and Santiago airport sercurity passed the test and found it! Luckily my innocent smile convinced them I was no terrorist and they let me on!
ARGENTINA 23/7 - 27/7
Beunos Aires 23/7-27/7 - Back in Argentina, Beunos Aires almost felt like coming home to London, the bright lights of the big city, with McDonalds, Burgar Kings and even Tower Records and Harrods dotted around!
The only difference is the price. Argentina is good for my bank balance but bad for my liver, cheap bars which run well into the night, and also managed to get hold of my first pint of guiness. Spent the last night, friday, drinking in an irish bar until 4am with an auzzi.
URUGUAY 27/7 - 1/8
Colonia 27/7-31/7 - Quite beach town, only about 100,000 population, which is dead in the winter, but the sun was shining, the accomadation was cheap ($5 for bedroom, bathroom, cable and even my own kitchen!, but then desaster the banks shut up shop on 30th so hotfooted it over to Montivideo.
Montivideo 31/7-1/8 - Arrived here hoping the bank crises would end fast, with the safty net of knowing I could head back to the economic certainty (!?!) of argentina. When I arrived the news announced the banks would re open on Monday (5/8), which is too late for me so back to Argentina it is.
ARGENTINA 2/8 - 21/8
Mar Del Plata 2/8-5/8 - Well after escaping Uruguay, I took a bus-boat-bus combination back to buenos aires then jumped on the first bus down the coast to Mar del Plata.
And the town was really busy, but I found out that it was the last week of the argentine winter holidays, and they are stupid enough to head to the beach just like me!
Bahia Blanca 6/8 - Pretty much a nothing town, but had to stop here to change buses.
Puerto Madryn 7/8-9/8 - The Welsh settled little town next to a nature park, famous for whales, sea lions, seals, penguins and killer whales.
Unfortunatly it wasn't the season for penguins and killer whales, and the road was closed to the seals and sea lions, but did manage to see the whales, which were very cool.
Bariloche 10/8-15/8 - So now off to the lake district, which also doubles as a ski resort, which makes the scenery here pretty spectacular, mountains lakes and the sun has even put in an appearence!
Felt really lazy here and didn't do much but chill out by the lake.
Beunos Aires 16/8-21/8 - The final stop on the south america leg of my trip, and after a gruelling 24 hour bus trip I collasped straight into my irish bar. I don't know whether it's a good or bad sign when the bar staff reconise you from a month ago when you only spent three days in the city before!
Ended up there the following day too, this time drinking with a couple of girls from down under, one aussi one kiwi.
After a slight date mix up i finally ended my stint in south america on 21st august.
Free Webpages at Webspawner.com
Part 2 - Down Under
The Short Version & Photos
Random Thoughts
Things To Keep Me Sane
Inca Trail
Iquazu Falls
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