The Traveling A team

Gallery: Buenos Aires

amyaaron — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:22:00 GMT

Cool City

Buenos Aires Rocks!

amyaaron — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:05:00 GMT

We made it to our final destination, after 3 months of hard travelling! Luckily our friend we met in Ecuador from France lives here, and he offered to put us up, which was fantastic as we have totally ran out of money and its really expensive to stay here.

The city of 14 million is amaising, full of hundreds of markets, boutiques, awesome resturaunts and huge steaks!

Amy got a case of the ol'Bolivian Brown Curse again! so weve been taking it easy and just enjoying our company and a high rise apartment in the ultra trendy palermo district. Its cooling down here now so I guess we finally have tyo surrender to autumn and come home.

See ya Soon aussie!

Magnificent Iguazu

amyaaron — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:41:00 GMT

After riding on two busses for over 24 hrs and avoiding the 'over-hyped' Resistencia, wrongly recomended by Lonely Planet as a sculpture lovers paradise, we arrived at Iguazu.

We went to the falls the following morning, and its is purely amaising. Huge thundering waterfalls surround the park. It takes a good 6-7 hours just to do the basic walks. We got on a boat which was lots of fun as we powered underneath two waterfalls and got completely drenched. A welcome event in the scorching sun. Then we hopped on to the train which takes you to the main spectacle, the mouth of the falls. Huge amounts of water plumet down to the depths below while giant rainbows arch into the heavens. Truely magnificent!

The next few days we spent hanging with a fellow Christchurchian, and lazing by our hostals pool eating agentine BBQ and talking with the locals. We headed to the river where you can see the 3 borders meet of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay at the converging 2 rivers.

A great holiday from our holiday spent in the sun, with nice people!

Gallery: Iguazu

amyaaron — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:31:00 GMT

The mighty falls!

Argentina & Salta

amyaaron — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:36:00 GMT

Arghhhh! what a breath of fresh air. We battled with busses but finally arrived in Salta at 11.30pm.Aaron still hugging the bowel trying to get the rest of Bolivia out of his system, with Amy following not to far behind. Man, Peru and Bolivia are not only a external and visual experiecne, it seems to go right through you. Ha.

Salta is a cool city, a lot lower altitude and just outside of the towering andean range. Its gorgeous lanscape of snowcapped peaks and green mountains set the scene. We meet up with a Canadian mother with her son and have been checking out the sites together, while nursing our ailments.

The Museum here is amazing. Three young mummies were found on a nearby Incan Alipine summit. Two girls and a boy. The most well preserved mummies found. They literally look alive, with all hair, skin and clothing unscathed, except for the girl which was hit by lightening twice and resembles something form night of the living dead.We all got in for free for some bizzare reason which was great because of its 30 paso entry fee.

Then we headed over to the contemporary art Museum. It had a great exhibit of metal roosters made out of mechanicle tools and part welded together. They looked awesome.!

After we relaxed and nursed our bowels, we headed out the next day up the Gondola for a picnic and a view of the city on Easter Sunday. It was nice and a cruisy day.

Still pushing shit up hill, literally we packed up and moved out to Resistencia as we make our way up to the Brazilian border for Iguazu falls.

Gallery: Salta

amyaaron — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:22:00 GMT

Into the western world!

Gallery: Tupiza to Uyuni

amyaaron — Mon, 6 Apr 2009 01:21:00 GMT

Tupiza and the Salt flats

Wild Tupiza and the Salt flats

amyaaron — Sat, 4 Apr 2009 02:04:00 GMT

Straight from the wild, wild west literally. Very south of Bolivia, they lanscape is vastly different, and something Aaron has never really seen before. Dry and hot and surronded by the typical wild west pinacles and canyons you´d expect to see in the movies. Infact this is the place where Butch Cassedy and The Sun Dance Kid apparently meet their untimely fate, although its still not proven, you can still do a horse tour through the wild terrain and hopefully kill some Americans in support of Bolivias on going tradition.HA.I think the movie was shot here anyway...only the oldies may know as Westerns arnt my big thing.

Anyway, we headed off at the crack of noon to do a 3 hour horse treck into the surrounding canyons. It was simply amaising. First up was Puerto de Diablo or Devils gate, seems every geographical andean counterpart has a something involved with the devil. Horns up Metallers! \||/(._.)\||/
Giant phallic pinacles with helmits (jewish¿)jutted up from the red earth and Amy and Aaron galloped into the hot dessert, hoping not to fall off as we pretended to be novice riders from our Ecuador experience.

With aching bums we retired and ate huge 30cm Llama Steaks we purchased from the markets. What a feed! Then it was rest before embarking on the Slat flats at 9am.

Getting aquainted with our first kiwi mates we had meet so far, it was 4 of us and a driver. The tour over all was quite boring to be honest in the first 2 days. Its a massive 8-10 hr drive constantly each day. Stopping to change flat tires. The driver didnt speak any english, had the worst taste in music and would let us wind down the windows alot of the time. Dont get me wrong the scenery is fatastic, but much of the same, for the first two days.

The lakes we came across at first had potassium and magnesium in them for hair products. The next had flamingos, some ceramic additive called Borax and one had arsenic..hmmm. The third day was action packed..Aaron awoke once again with the shits..not happy Jan! The sights were better as we headed to stange alien landscapes with giant rocks being eroded away at the bottom. Huge top heavy rock formations and one in the shape of a tree. Next it was volcanic geezers spewing mud, in a usually fenced off cirucmstance in the west, we could walk right up to the holes and stare into the steam an burn ourselves..hooray!

We stopped for the last night at a beautiful hostal completely made of salt. The bricks were salt bricks even. We got up at 5am to see the sun rise on an Islan in the middle of the largest salt flat in the world. Layers stretch 20 meteres tick of water and salt. White as far as you can see. It is simply breath taking and magical.

We cruzed through Uyuini - probably the ugliest city to date, said good bye to our kiwi amigos and headed 6 hrs back to Tupiza! to rest up before Agentina and civilised society!.

Sucre

amyaaron — Thu, 2 Apr 2009 01:58:00 GMT

After an almost devistating road block, it was cleared and we could proceed with our plan to get an overnight bus to Sucre. We arrived arond 7am, tired and hungry. We got a place and set out into the town.

We didnt really get up to much in the two days here. Just ate and relaxed. Its a beautifull colonial town with hundreds of churches. Its all white, and usually repainted fro Easter every year. Millions of kids fock the streets from the nearby schools.So thats about it really.

Next town Tupiza.

Gallery: Samaipata

amyaaron — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Rural Bolivia

Samaipata

amyaaron — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:33:00 GMT

A small rural town of 3000, Samaipata is as cute as a town can get. Located in the mountains away from the flat Santa Cruise, it is plagued by landslides.

We headed up to see the famous ruins on a near by mountain. El Forte, an unknown origins, but later discovered by the Incans as a sign to build a centre there. It is high abouve the valleys with bizarre engravings and thick 'Runways' Eric Von Dannaken threorised it had to be a UFO landing strip. The locals even report of bizarre encounters and often sight such phenomenia, we were later to find out first hand.An expensive but worth while place to visit, we walked back 18 ks to rest and have a nice dinner.

The next day we headed to an animal refuge and played with various monkeys, big howler monkeys and toucans and turtles. It was nice, again we trecked back. only 3 ks this time. We herad there were road blocks from another landslide, however they had cleared by evening and we had a chance to make a break for Sucre, another 12hour bus.

La Paz

amyaaron — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:15:00 GMT

What a cool city, we were both dubious about going to Bolivia´s capital, thinking it would be as grotty and dangerous as Lima, but alas, shes a pearl. We found a really great Hostal, Blanqute, it was like a flash hotel right across from the witches market.

The witches market is a bit freaky, it sells dead Llama fetuses dryied and hanging on the wall, aswell as dried frogs, leopard skins, snake skins and all sorts of supersticious goodies customs in Australia die for you to try and bring in.

We trampewd about the high altitude city, surrounded by massive mountains and snowy peaks in the distance. After Aaron´s decision to check out the Tihaunaku Archeological Museum, featuring more trepanned heads, mummies and paleo-brain surgery victims, Amy chose to venture on a city tour and a trip to The Valley of the Moon. We were the only ones on a double decker bus, gringos on display, as we headed through the city .The city trip was average, but the valley of the moon was amaising.

Apparently it is the old sea floor to the inland sea that is now lake titicaca. It has giant pinalces rising to the air. Very cool, and very hot.

The next day we busted out 70ks to the famous Tihuancao site. One of the oldes ruins in South America and cultures. It was outragously priced at 80 Bolivianos, and id hate to say both of us walked away feeling dissapointed. It seems the money we were forking out wasnt really going into the site to make it any better, and the Musuem consisted of one statue...we dont know why it neccessitated an entire musuem. It was great to see the Gate of the Sun in all her glory, alas it seemed excavation still needs to be done. The near by Puma Punku, is a bizare set of ruins. Pefrectly carved jigsaw pieces on 170 tonne blocks look asthough they have been scattered by a cataclysmic event, perhaps water in flood. It is theorised that it was a cannal for the ancient inland sea..dating at least 10,000 ago.

The last day we spent at the very cool musical museum. Playing ans looking at bizarre world instuments. It got Aaron inspired to sp`lash out and buy a Bolivian Charanga, a 10 stringed Ucalayle. Sweet. We ran around going nuts buying suveniers as you do in Boliia. What a place to shop.

Next a 15hr Bus ride to Santa Cruz then a 3 hour taxi to Samaipata..the southern Incan capital.

Gallery: La Paz

amyaaron — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:14:00 GMT

The highest city in the world

Bolivia, Lake Titicaca & Isla Del Sol

amyaaron — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:13:00 GMT

We arrived in Copacabana Bolivia, after a 1 Boliviano arrival Tax. A cute small town, however, we were focused on Isla del Sol ( the Island of the Sun) and headed straight out on a boat. No ATMS anywhere really restricted our funds. We were greated witha friendly 5 Bolivano arrival Tax and headed up to breath taking Incan steps to the nearest hostal. Keep in mind Lake Titicaca's elevation is at 3800 metres above sea level, so every step counts! We relaxed at our waterless hostel at meet some lovely Australians.

We awoke and realised we dont have enough money to stay another night and need to get to La PAz for ATMs. We headed on a boat to the northern ruins where the Incan story begins.

It was here at the sacred rock that Virococha, the white bearded creator god appeared. Lake Titicaca itself is a very sacred lake to the indigenous cultures of the Andes. It is said to be the naval shakra of the earth. After paying nearly double than from the mainland, we arrived for a spanish guided tour to a crapy museum and finally the primitive Incan ruins of the Sun. It was then a good 2.5 hour treck back. Only to hit by another tax! for crossing from the north to the south via the path!we were furious..constant gringo tax..you feel raped sometimes, and as an introduction to Bolivia it seemed a bit disheartening. We are totally for supporting the comunities, but hate tax being sprung on you with no warning for the same place!

All of us were feeling a little annoyed, and the Hostal tried to jack the price up on our comrads, so we all left feeling a little hostle. Our friends were very humble and gave us a parting gift of some extra Boliviano's to get to La Paz. Off to the big Smoke.

Gallery: Lake Titicaca

amyaaron — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:02:00 GMT

Staying on Isla del Sol

Puno & Adios Peru

amyaaron — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:49:00 GMT

'8 horas' stated the sales man for the time a bus would take to Puno from Cuzco. We left wondering if he meant 8 hours, or dreading if he meant 8pm.

Well, it turns out it wasn't either. At the 13th hour mark, and after witnessing the omen of an over turned bus in a river bank with bodies scattered under a tarp, we arrived in Juliaca. 1 Hour from Puno. Tired and angry,our bus driver then informs us at 11pm he refuses to drive any longer. After a vigillant Peruvian revolt from our fellow passengers we had a combi screaming us to Puno. We arrived at midnight! Horray!

Puno was a quaint town, full of arcade games and schools. We mostly spent the days out of the town visiting more ruins to Amy's delight.

Sillastani has a beautiful setting, perched on a mountain over looking a lake. Huge circular towers acting as tombs are scattered around from both pre Incan and Incan cultures. The Incan towers being the superior structures built with the famous precision cyclopean masonary.

The next day Aaron dragged poor Amy out to another ruin, Amaru Muro, he had reasearched a year ago on the internet. Iperu tourist information helped with the location, 5 mins north of Juli, so we were off. It was a sacred door carved into a sheer rock formation, which did not open, but rather a representation. Legends rumour of an Incan shaman who had a golden disk that unlocked the door to another world. He opened it one day and gave the key to a witness and never returned. Crazy rock formations set the scene, jutting like plates sideways out of the earth. We spent about 3o mins here, paid our gringo tax then spent about an hour trying to flag down a bus to get back. Getting off the beaten gringo track has its disadvantages!

Gallery: Puno

amyaaron — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:19:00 GMT

Our last stop in Peru

Gallery: Galapagos islands

amyaaron — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:55:00 GMT

A tour of some of the islands

Back to Cuzco!

amyaaron — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:42:00 GMT

How can we leave this town?, Aaron wont...still more to see. But with the Hostal being really annoying, loosing all water twice now and Gas for cooking once, followed by noisy neighbours and Amy getting sick..time was running out.

Tipon

We bussed out to some agricultural ruins called Tipon. This cute ruin hasw active water canals still, and they arnt going away. Bustling waterfalls cascade down the terraces from a spring at the top of the ruins. Everywhere has running water and its so nice to see it still at work.

Ollaytatambo

One of the main centres with Pisac, Ollaytatambo is pearched high above a beautiful old town of cobbled streets and running water tracks. The Temple is the attraction aqt the top. Huge monoliths cut to perfection stand connected. Some spralled around which seems as if it was never completed. The spanish were forced back here, as the cunning Incans flooded the terraces below and fired missles down to the conquestadors below.

Next stop Puno and lake Titicaca, the birth place of ther Incans.

Gallery: Machu Picchu

amyaaron — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:30:00 GMT

The Amazing Sacred vally and our 4 day trek to see it