Hope you re all okay and thanks for the updates, many exciting!!
Im about to get a night bus back to Cusco, I cant seem to keep away fro that place. Im downloading more photos so I thought Id send you a quick E mail.
Finally managed to meet up with Cath and Clare in LA Paz in Bolivia, I was so excited about it and its really strange meeting friends in the middle of Bolivia. The problem was I was really ill (great fun on the overnight bus) and I managed to stay up with them for 1 hour before I had to call it quits and go to bed for 20 hours. That made it a memorable Paddys day for me,however those lightweights had an early night too.
Despite my raging illness I still managed to book to go mountain biking down the most dangerous road in the world. It lives up to its reputation as someone was killed on it last week when they rode off the mountain! Infact they use this as their unique selling point when you book. We asked if anyones died doing it and they go "hell yeah" and tell you 7 in 6 years then show you pictures off people being airlifted off the cliffs and bikes heading into oncoming traffic. Still didnt put us of You ride down from 4600m to 1300m. There were a lot of guys there obviously enjoying their extreme sports, you could smell all the testosterone in the air! We especially loved the hotel and swimming pool at the end where it was hot at low altitude, Im craving sun now, bring on the beach.
Also managed to meet up with Carolien who I hung out with in Mendoza and along with Karn who we met in La Paz we ve been travelling in a posse! This is very strange when Ive been travelling myself for 3 months especially when youve got 5 people to please,its probably quite scary for men too with us lot in a hostel!
We stayed in luxury accomodation in Copacabana for 2 days (the LAke Titicaca one not the Barry Manilow one!), unfortunately we ll not manage that ita shame to leave Bolivia, I wanted to see much more but I also want to travel with the girls and the East of Bolivia is so ravaged by the floods its almost impossible to get some places.
So back to Peru, we stayed in Puno for the night which the guide books describe as seedy - I love it! We also visited the floating islands made of reed and stayed the night on one of the island on Titicaca, Taquile, where Im sure we were the only Westerners. The only thing to eat is trout and theres no electricity so we had to entertain ourselves, not a problem!
The boat ride back today was hell, I thought Id cured myself of travel sickness but it came back with a vengeance on that boat, the rooms still spinning as I write this.
So 2 hours til the next night bus, what fun. Karen had to go back to LA Paz so the 4 of us are planning a few days partying in Cusco - since I know all the good places apparently. I ll have to pull out all the stops and even wear make up since Im with this crew who still have access to things like hairdryers and straighteners! Honestly, so high maintenence.
After Cusco and the Amazon jungle Cath and Clare are off to Buenos Aires for a week so Im going to go to Brazil early with Carolien before I meet up with everyone in Rio for the mad week. Karen lives in Rio so we now have inside knowledge of all the places to go and its going to be so good to get back to sea level, I dont think any of us have adjuted to altitude yet and Ive been up in the mountains for 3 weeks now.
Ive definitely decided to go to the Galapagos Islands after that, itll be a bit pricey but what the hell, and since Im selling the business I need to celebrate.
Better go and get into a tantric state to survive the bus journey and pray this thing has a loo. No loos on Bolivian buses so we ve been dehydrating ourselves all week, and I wonder why Im ill! Still if I get ill once every 3 months Im doing ok
As ever keep in touch and you guys are shite at Skype..
Apologies for the spelling mistakes but when I try to correct them it deletes the next word, so I know 1 section doesnt make sense
