One perfect day

Posted on May 7, 2011 by bobo on the run

It’s funny how a day can start like any other: cold shower, soggy sandwich and a ferry to some distant island named after the sun. Hmmm…okay, so it didn’t start like most days, but it certainly didn’t have ‘watch out I’m going to rock your socks’ written all over it either. I mean, it’s not like I woke up to a foot massage and a pina colada. So there we were, random sandwich in hand and Goretex jacket pulled up tight against the wind as we took the rickerty ferry 2hrs across the azure waters of Lake Titicaca to Isla del Sol.

One of the things you need to wrap your head around when you visit Lake Titicaca is just how bloody huge it is. There are sections of this lake that belong to different countries, for goddsakes. Anyway, once you come to terms with the fact you can’t see the other side, you can enjoy it for all that it is: damn right beautiful. It reminds me of the Greek Islands, only beside the Alps. There´s light dancing across the water, small wooden boats bobbing beside jetties, a vast blue sky and brilliant sunshine beating down on a barren desert landscape. In the distance you can see the jaggered snow-capped peaks of the Andes rising up from the horizon. This is not a place to be missed if you’re traveling this circuit, that’s for sure.

The GLG and I got dropped off on the northern side of the island so that we could do the 4 hour hike down through the center of the island to the quaint little village of Yumani on the sourthern tip. There we would spend the night. We took off immediately, wandering up through farms where locals were harvesting their potato fields. Once we cleared the trees, the landscape quickly changed – the red desert soil and low lying scrub a dramatic contrast to the blue lake below.

After a little midday sleep under some eucalyt trees, we set off again. It was mid-afternoon when we neared the gates to the village of Yumani. There we discovered a very lovely eco lodge surounded by a gorgeous garden and perched on the top of a cliff overlooking the lake. Deciding that this would indeed be the best place to enjoy a few drinks at sunset and view the stellar night sky, we booked ourselves in for the night. After wandering around the quaint little village of Yumani for a few hours, we finally settled back in cane rocking chairs (how very nanna chic) to watch the sun go down with a cold beer and pizza. Little did I know that the GLG had a surprise up his sleeve – a proposal no less! It was exactly 6 years to the day that we´d first met. There in the garden, surrounded by cactus, flowers, bees and a setting sun, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

And I said YES!

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Tits and cars

Posted on May 5, 2011 by bobo on the run

There, that got you didn’t it! Okay, while I can’t promise anything, I can say that Lake Titicaca offers ample opportunities to have fun.

Nestled in the cleavage of the surrounding rolling hills, Copacabana is a quaint little lake side town offering not much in particular other than trout (yum yum!), smashing sunsets, water sports and a ferry to neighbouring island Isla del Sol. Okay, so there are a couple of Incan ruins up on the adjacent hill, but after filling our belly’s with locally caught rainbow trout (for less than $5 let me tell you), we could do little more than stroll the promenade and watch tourists splash about in giant ducks with peddles (refer to photos for explanation).

The highlight of our trip to Copa was indeed their famous sunset. To get the best vantage point, we had to hike up a hill/mountain (depending on who you talk to) so that we could get views of the whole area. And we weren’t disappointed. Strenuous as the walk was, we were able to crack open two cold beers at the top and settle back for a half hour extravaganza. Yep, life doesn’t get much better. All together now…ahhhhhh.

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Ausangate Circuit: high altitude adventure

Posted on May 2, 2011 by bobo on the run

It’s difficult to describe the Ausangate region without getting short of breath. In fact, with most of the trek above 4,600m (the highest pass being 5,200m), talking about anything is a difficult task. However, once you’ve acclimatized to the high altitude and gathered your senses, Ausangate can only be described as a land of extreme contrasts. It is middle-earth meets Mars. It is wild, yet revered. It is protector of the people, yet it’s riddled with glaciers and avalanches. It is fiercly cold one moment, steamy hot the next (thanks to numerous hot springs). It is quite simply – otherworldly.

My GLG (German Love God) and I had decided on the Ausangate Circuit as an alternative trek to the very popular (and some say overrun) Inca Trail. We were keen to steer clear of the beaten track (‘scuse the pun) and discover a different side of Peru’s spectacular slice of the Andes. And we weren’t disappointed. Together with our crew – our trusty guide Erick, cook Gregorio, and musketeers Pablo (with his amazing Quechuan beaded hat with pom poms) and his son Justin – we set off for our 4 night / 5 day trek in high spirits.

With around 6-8 hours hiking each day, this was no walk in the park. While we often had a narrow path to follow, we also had to tread carefully over marshland, cross streams and climb over rocks to reach passes. Every turn and crest presented a new challenge and even more stunning scenery. According to Erick, the region is closely guarded by its community and they’ve had battles over land rights in previous years. These are usually fought with stones and sling shots and have resulted in fatalities (as recent as 3-4yrs ago!). It’s clear to see that these people live a hard life. Stone or mud brick houses with straw roofs are common and the people work the land well after night fall. Llamas, alpacas, sheep and wild vicunas graze the green and rocky fields and children often herd their flock back to the house each evening. We actually slept in a field of 600 alpacas and llamas one evening – a very surreal experience indeed!

One of the joys of trekking the Ausangate Circuit is the number of children you meet along the way. We quickly realized that the currency of the region is candy and the GLG and I shouted out to every child we passed with the same greeting – ‘Miskitas!’ (‘Candy!’) and they’d come running. A simple gift that brought smiles to their faces every time.

Gregorio was another person than brought smiles to faces. A camp-cooking genius, he was able to create pure magic using nothing but fresh ingredients, two chopping boards, a couple of pots and a gas stove. Until this trip, I had only known camping food as an assortment of pasta meals, cereal, fruit and Cruskits – and even then I thought they were adventurous. Gregorio, however, took mealtime to a whole new level. Each lunch and dinner we were presented with a 5-course degastation of savory pastries, soup, rice dishes, chicken and beef casseroles, Andean cheese and even an orange sponge cake cooked in a pot over a stove! All of this washed down with hot coca tea. Pure bliss.

I could go on forever, but I´ll spare you.  All I´ll say is that this was truely an experience of a lifetime, and one I wont be forgetting in a hurry. A few more pics below…




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R.I.P.

Posted on May 2, 2011 by bobo on the run

May my first pet Toffee, a three-legged guinea pig (who ran away no less), not hold this meal against me.

With memories still raw after all these years, it took me a while to gather the courage to try this local delicacy. I mean, it doesn´t have a lot of taste appeal going for it, does it. Nevertheless, when in Rome…

I actually find it hard to explain the taste. Not unlike chicken, yet similar to rabbit or pheasant, it has a slightly gamey flavour. Apart from the front and back legs, there’s not much to it really. Hmm…don’t think I’ll be ordering this hairy little rodent again anytime soon.

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A view with a difference

Posted on May 2, 2011 by bobo on the run

This is the view from our room. Lovely, isn’t it. I’ve fallen in love with Hotel Ninos, a gorgeous oasis of peace and tranquility in Cuzco’s busy city centre. Full of art, music and delicious home made food, I could easily while away the days on one of the many sun lounges listening to Nina Simone and sipping freshly squeezed orange juice. On top of the great service and reasonable prices, all profits of the hotel go towards funding a very worthwhile cause – helping the homeless children of Cuzco.

The hotel was set up by Dutch ex-patriot Jolanda van den Berg in 1998, two years after she arrived in Cuzco on a one-way ticket. After holidaying in Peru 6 months before, she had been overwhelmed by the number of homeless children she’d seen begging on the street and decided to return to do something about it. Renting a modest apartment in town, it wasn’t long before she had offered twelve boys the opportunity of living in her house. And this is how it all began.

Wanting to become less dependant on donations to look after her growing ´family´, she started The Ninos Hotel. This would provide a steady income and the funds to help more disadvantaged children. Within a couple of years, she opened two more Ninos hotels and two children-only restaurants. The profits from the hotels now pay to support over 600 children – providing them with 3 meals a day, 6 days a week as well as medical and dental care.

Not bad for a woman who arrived here all on her own with a dream of making a difference. Makes the view from our room seem all the more special.

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Journey to the lost city

Posted on April 27, 2011 by bobo on the run

On the morning we were to visit Machu Picchu, Tim and I had our first street food experience in Peru. It was 8am and we’d had just arrived in the sleepy village of Ollantaytambo when we spotted a little stand with steam rising from a hot pan in the chilly early morning. Perched on small plastic chairs, we hungrily dug into the Peruvian equivalent of a bacon and egg roll – a flat bun filled with thin slices of Peruvian feta cheese and a fried egg. Fueled for the day ahead, we hopped onto a train to Aguas Calientes, the tourist town from which we’d catch another bus to Machu Picchu. With the ‘lost’ city within reach, our excitement was growing…

It doesn’t matter how many times you hear how jaw droppingly spectacular Machu Picchu is, nothing can prepare you for it. It is simply awe inspiring. Rising up from a deep gully of luscious cloud forest, and often shrouded in mist, it is truly majestic. According to the history books and our local guide, Machu Picchu was originally discovered by Yale University historian Hiram Bingham in 1911. The ruins had remained hidden for some 400 years. Today, the legendary city of the Incas remains largely intact and you can literally spend an entire day wandering around the grounds. We found the best part of the day was sunset, when most of the tourists had already left.

The next day, we hopped on the train back to Ollantaytambo. However, unbeknownst to us this was no ordinary train journey. We’d barely settled in our seats when a large crowd of over 50s from Brazil filled the carriage, each clapping their hands and singing songs at the top of their lungs. Bottles of beer were cracked open and it wasn’t long before the entire carriage was dancing the conga. What the hell had we got ourselves into here? It was 10.30am in the morning! With a never-ending soundtrack of songs, it soon became clear that these guys were ‘in the zone’. It didn’t take long before we joined the festivities with a round of beers. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any more festive, the train staff staged a real life fashion show down the isle! The Brazilians went wild! Baby Alpaca jumpers, shawls, coats, scarfs – you name it. Carnival had hit the Peruvian railway big time…

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Hola Peru!

Posted on April 26, 2011 by bobo on the run

 

Yes, that’s right. After countless airport stopovers and marginal inflight meals, my GLG (German Love God) Tim and I finally touched down in Peru late last Saturday night. We were keen to high tail it to Cuzco as soon as possible, so only lingered in Lima for a night (long enough for me to be able to recount a memorable taxi ride from the airport where I freaked out and shoved all my bank cards down my knickers in case we were hijacked at the traffic lights on our way to the hotel). Arriving all in one piece and feeling a little less paranoid and sleep deprived the next morning, we were ready to begin our adventure.

Sitting at a lofty 3,300m above sea level, Cuzco is one of the most important archaeological cities in the Americas. Steeped in history, it was once the heart of the mighty Incan empire. Today, its huge Incan built stonewalls; narrow cobbled streets, and busy plazas are the setting for modern day hustle and bustle. It also serves as a convenient stepping-stone to Machu Picchu, making it a hot spot for travellers.

Completely by chance, Tim and I arrive in this charming city the week before Easter – one of the most holy weeks of the calendar for this staunchly catholic community. What does this mean I hear you say? Crowds, festivals, parades – you name it. My only comparison is that an Easter parade in Cuzco is like the shores of Sydney Harbour on New Years Eve. Seriously. You can feel the energy pulse through the city as women in colourful traditional wares sit on steps selling palm bouquets, men dress in their best suits and boys shine their shoes in doorways before running off to join the throng of the crowd.

We enjoyed exploring the city and wandering the streets for a couple of days as we acclimatized to the altitude. We visited the Incan ruins of Saqsaywaman (yes, you read right) and enjoyed a Pisco Sour or two. We also sampled some of Peru’s traditional dishes. My only regret is that I couldn’t bring myself to try the grilled Guinea Pig, a delicacy of the region (I blame the fact that my first pet was a three legged Guinea Pig called Toffee that ran away!). All in all, a great beginning to our South American adventure.

Next stop…the lost city of the Incas.

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Save the best till last

Posted on April 16, 2011 by bobo on the run

 Why is it that we always seem to leave packing for a trip to the very last possible millisecond? More often than not, your cab driver has arrived and has set up camp out on the street (meter ticking) while you’re up in your apartment surrounded by a sea of clothes and stricken with panic. Breaking out into a cold sweat is not uncommon in these circumstances, as are sporadic outbursts to no one in particular. Yes, it’s a sorry state of affairs, but one I’m sure you’re all too familiar with (at least I hope I’m not alone here?!)

For me, this morbid display of unorganised behaviour usually climaxes with a broken backpack zipper, or a leaking shampoo bottle. It’s a beautiful moment, framed by silence. All I can do is rock back on my heels and let out a small whimper. That, and vow that I’ll be ordering copious amounts of wine on board the plane (if I make it, that is).

I put this all down to being an eternal optimist. You know – the ‘sure I can catch up with you for coffee in 10mins’ and still get back home with enough time to leisurely pack for a 3 month RTW trip that leaves in a couple of hours. Yeah sure. Right. And pigs might fly my plane.

Hmm…so, here I am. Again. Perhaps insight will save me next time round? I’ll start prepping a week in advance and schedule it to the hour? No, I need to find solace in the fact that this adrenaline filled packing frenzy is all part of the traveling experience. If I admit it, it’s actually quite exciting in a weird and twisted way – if only for the sheer relief that you have when you finally make it to the airport in time. This achievement alone is worth celebrating (insert duty free shopping here).

Right, best be off. I have a plane to catch. First stop Peru. Ciao for now!

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