wanderlust

Gallery: Santiago, Chile

ranizo — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:49:00 GMT

Gallery: Mendoza, Argentina

ranizo — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:43:00 GMT

Santiago, Chile and finally back to Australia

ranizo — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:36:00 GMT

After my amazing flight over the Andes (so beautiful!!) my first experience of Santiago was the ghettos as my airport bus dropped people off at their home....the Chilean guy was most concerned at me travelling by myself and gave me his number in case I needed anything (he also asked if I was married or had a boyfriend, so perhaps his intentions weren't all innocent!). I 'reassured' him by telling him that I had travelled in many dodgey cities and was always careful...

The area near my apartment was fashioned after Europe and gorgeous - a few blocks away and it was a whole less pretty...I hadn't quite figured out the exchange rate so I withdrew $80,000 mil pesos having no idea whether that was $8, $80, or $800 (turns out it was $160 - my funky exchange conversion was to double the value in pesos and drop the last 3 zero's). Wondered around town for a bit (picked up a funky mother of pearl ring and some gorgeous amber earrings - so cheap!!) and tried to organise a day trip to a nearby town for the next day - to no avail.

Was awoken the next day around 9.30 by my hotel telling me they had organised my trip and I had to be at a hotel of unknown destination by 10am...made it there to be told that I would be picked up at my hotel at 10.45 (excellent time to get some breakfast).

The trip was to Isla Negra to visit the house of Pabalo Neruda, a noble prize winning poet very important in the political and cultural history of Chile. On my trip was a beautiful Colombian family who were fascinated by this strange aussie girl travelling across south america by herself... The house itself is more like a museum and one of the craziest places I have ever been. Pabalo was eccentric to say the least and a collector of everything (my Pa would have just loved this place). His attention to detail was extreme...feng shui gone mad and a psychoanalyst's dream (or nightmare).

And then before I knew it, it was my last day in South America...I spent the morning at a museum and the afternoon doing a 'parks and politics' cycle tour with an American tour guide who had been living in Russia for 3 years - how perfect! Several hours of Chilean, American, Australian and Russian politics while riding around Santiago - oh I was the only one on the tour. Then one last utterly indulgent meal...ceviche entree, king crab pasta and a bottle of carmenere wine....

After 16 hours I finally made it back onto Australian soil...happened to arrive in Sydney in the middle of world youth week...the airport was a nightmare!! Took me hours to get through the line at customs and despite the multitude of questions I'd answered yes to on my incoming passenger card I managed to make it out without any dramas. A spur of the moment phonecall from a friend and I was down at the beach enjoying breakfast!!

And then finally, after yet another qantas delay, I was on a plane back to Perth........and so ends my south american adventure! Adios amigos!!

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay - Mendoza, Aregentina

ranizo — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:52:00 GMT

I returned to BA from the Iguazu Falls and early the next day, took a ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (have to love day trips to another country!). I arrived around 10am and thought that perhaps I had stumbled upon a ghost town…it is a beautiful UNESCO world heritage site, but before at least 11am is sound asleep! It slowly came alive as the day passed by and I enjoyed its quaintness, museums, artists, and sights. And of course made some obligatory purchases! Was nice to spend the day by myself though still did too much walking…. I am now almost able to order a meal, wine and coffee in Spanish (albeit not very well!).

And then it was time to return for my last night in BA…. Although I saw so much of the city I still feel I have so much to see!!! Would love to live there for a bit and explore much more of it…truly a fabulous city!!! Another very early morning and another Argentinean Aerolinas flights (seriously, they are to be avoided!) to Mendoza…wine country of Argentina…

I stayed about 30 minutes out of the centre of town in a really gorgeous place – my room was lovely and the grounds of the house amazingly beautiful! I spent the first day wondering around and running errands then somehow managed to negotiate the bus system into town (for those of you how know about my bus phobia and view that trips on buses are very traumatic should be impressed!) – I even managed to negotiate it back via a different route in the dark!!!

The plan was to do an organized wine tour and then make my way to a small number of wineries that I had tried wines from in BA and really enjoyed…. But being out of Mendoza it was not so easy to organize a tour and the place where I am staying told me they could make some reservations for me…..

Visiting wineries here (or Bodegas as they are called) is a bit of a different process – there are guards and security gates and you need to make a reservation. So my first reservations was for 12 noon and I was to have lunch there. My taxi driver was late, got lost, kept taking wrong turns, asking multiple people how to get there and ignored my clear non-verbal explanation via the map as to which way to drive (it seems a pre-requisite to be a taxi driver in Mendoza is to a) not know where anything is, b) be unable to read a map at all and c) not have any logical processing of obvious signs and landmarks or any capacity to understand directions given by other people…. Even with my dismal spatial processing I knew better than the taxi drivers which way to go!!!!!!)…. So I arrived late and gave him 3 pesos short of the fare (about $1AUD) feeling that was generous and then he asked me for the 3 pesos!! I threw four pesos at him exclaiming in English that he got lost, I was late and he was charging me for it… I am certain he understood!!

Then a bizarre thing happened – a small tour arrived (two people and a guide) and one of them was someone from Australia who had been at the two conferences!! So I joined them for a gorgeous lunch and some lovely wine and then took another taxi to another bodega. After initially being told that my reservation had not been confirmed and the tour would take place in Spanish I managed to get a personalized tour in English! Very interesting winery that has vineyards in four different regions, each of which has a slightly different environment (depth of soil, layer of rocks, where the roots terminate in relation to these etc). And they have done some fascinating things such as plant and harvest the exact same grape in the four different wineries to illustrate the influence of the environment on the final product. Then another taxi to my last winery – a tiny boutique winery very near to where I was staying. Joined another English tour and met some interesting people.

It has just been killing me to taste all of these amazing wines and not be able to take them home and share them with you all!!! I had not realized how much of my pleasure in drinking wine comes from sharing it!! But I am a determined little being and I will find ways of sourcing my favourite Argentinean wines!!

That night I ate dinner at El Gato Que Pesca (the cat who fishes) and was invited to sit at the table of a couple from Mendoza – Omar, a musician and chef and Yvonne, an artist. They then invited me to come with them and the owner of the restaurant to an amazing bodega out in the Andes the next day. So on Sunday I went to this amazing place and ate yet another indulgent meal with views of the snow capped Andes. And on the grounds was a bodega, chapel and art gallery. The art gallery contained an amazing private art collection of Argentinean and Dutch works as well as a special exhibition entitled ‘moments of wine’. I later went back to their house and saw some of Yvonne’s amazing art and her son’s simply fabulous photography. Seriously! What an experience!!!! After many ‘muchas gracias’ it was time to say goodbye….

So I left Mendoza feeling as though I barely saw any of it (it is a huge city – has 1.5 million people!!) and unfortunately met a great ´taxi´ driver on the way to the airport who organises personalised tours – however he may be able to help me get wine back to Australia, so all is good! The flight over the Andes was yet again stunning and I am now in my last stop <big sigh>, Santiago....

Gallery: Colonia del Sacramento

ranizo — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:25:00 GMT

Gallery: Iguazu, Argentina

ranizo — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:25:00 GMT

Gallery: Foz de Iguacu

ranizo — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:29:00 GMT

Foz de Iguacu/Iguazu

ranizo — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:10:00 GMT

I left BA and headed for Foz de Iguacu (advice – if possible don’t travel with Argentina Aerolinas). The Foz de Iguacu or Iguacu Falls are on the border of Argentina and Brazil with the falls on the Argentinean side being spelt with a ‘z’ and those on the Brazil side spelt with an ‘c’. There were a number of people from the INS conference in BA who were on my flight and upon arrival a tour company picked us up and took us to the falls on the Brazilian side. Wow. They were simply amazing. Niagara Falls look like a tap dripping in comparison. Absolutely stunning!! We walked for several hours and took copious photos…

Upon arriving in the city of Foz de Iguacu I was surprised to see how large it was…but I have to admit that I did not walk further than a few blocks from my hotel and the conference (same building). And well with all I’d heard about the town I think my time was well spent….

The conference was great and very inspiring. By the end of it I had made links in the UK, US and the east coast of Australia, was very inspired and felt that my brain was about to explode from trying to integrate all of the information and figure out how to change the world of Neuropsychology in Perth (I tell you, you will need to watch out, because it is going to change!!!!). And of course there were many late nights of vino drinking and early morning sessions (made every session!).

Then after an intense two days the conference was finished and I had one last day to see the sights. I’d organized an 8am tour (I know, hard to believe, but the only way to fit everything in!!) and typically I woke up at 7.50am still intoxicated….. Nonetheless I made it downstairs in a semi coherent state, all packed and ready to go…. The first stop was an amazing bird Park in Brazil…. I have never seen such amazing birds! My favourites were the Toucans and teeny tiny hummingbirds. Then onto the Iguazu in Argentina. We took a truck through the ‘jungle’ and then took a boat ride into the falls…literally….I might as well have been swimming I was so wet – in my jeans!!! They took a dvd and I can’t wait to see the looks of mortification as waves of water splashed over the boat and into my bikini bottoms through my jeans…..

Later that day we took a rushed train trip out to the another viewpoint of the falls (devils falls) – which looks so calm, just cruising along and then BOOSH and/or Kacow (only Ben will get that…) the falls!

Made it the airport with 15 minutes or so to spare (the prettiest I have ever been too!) and then back on the plane to BA….. (I need sleep…..).

Gallery: Buenos Aires

ranizo — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:07:00 GMT

Gallery: Machu Picchu

ranizo — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:59:00 GMT

Buenos Aires

ranizo — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:26:00 GMT

So I arrived very early on the 29th of June in Buenos Aires with much anticipation and excitment but a little worried - I had heard so much about this city and expected it to be just amazing and was concerned it would not live up to my expectations....but no concern was needed! It exceeded even my high expectations and now tops my faviourite cities list, ahead of Berlin....

So I think that perhaps BA is a town constructed entirely for me. They do not function in the morning....everyone drinks copious amounts of coffee...late nights, dancing and vino are absolutely complusory...there is an abundance of boutiques (more than even I could cope with!), art galleries, museums and amazing restaurants...and the architecture is the most interesting of any city I have ever been too. Getting the drift that I loved this city?

Of course this was helped by the fact that I was met at the airport by Mauro, a Buenos Airean, who was simply the most amazing host during my stay.

During my time in BA I visited many of the different areas (San Telmo, La Boca, Palmero, Recoleta, Puerto Madero etc), went to several amazing tango shows, shopped until even I was sick of it, ate at copious restaurants and cafes, and of course went to my conference....

My favourite art gallery was the MALBA - full of interesting and amazing contemporary latin american art (having my own personal curator also helped a little!), my favourite restaurant was easily Olsen (think Jacksons), and my favourite wine the 2004 Catena Zapata Malbec Malbec. Finally there was some good coffee!! Most of which comes served with a shot of water to have after you have finished!!! (love this little trend).

The drivers here are as insane as in the rest of south america and they have these crazy intersections of two, one-way roads that have no lights, no stop signs or give way signs, no roundabouts or anything - they are just negotiated car by car!! Then there are the random guys who look after sections of the road - they just pick a segment and wave cars in and out of, too park (free street parking areas I might add) and then while you are gone they watch your car and you pay them when you leave?! So bizarre!!!

Other randoms pleasures included Dolce de leche (think a caramel substance around the consistency of peanut butter) and submarinos (a hot chocolate that is made by giving you a glass of hot milk and a chocolate bar to melt into it!). The amazing honey pepper lemon martini I got...yum!

Oh and I learnt that nobody does anything quickly here....everything takes forever....the time from when you ask for the bill to when you leave a restaurant can take as long as the rest of the meal! And it is very rude to take the bill to the register, so you just have to sit there!!

After leaving BA for a few days, I had the pleasure of flying back into BA at night and seeing the whole city in lights - wow!! Amazingly beautiful and absolutely huge!! Then just two last nights and it was with great sadness that I left the city......

Gallery: Salkantay Trek (this is not a fashion parade)

ranizo — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:11:00 GMT

Gallery: Cusco

ranizo — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:25:00 GMT

Back to Cusco

ranizo — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:11:00 GMT

Cusco was like a different place when we arrived back - the Inti Raymi (festival of the winter solstice) was over and the town was a lot less crazy. Enjoyed a long hot shower and some good food before falling into bed exhausted....

I finally did a city tour and actually got to see some of Cusco! Thus far I'd just seen cafes and shops! Maria and I did the tour together and visited a number of significant sites (Qorikancha - temple of the sun, Saqsaywaman, Q'enqo, Pukapukara & Tambomachay). The Pervian's see llama's and puma's in everything!!!! Apparently there is a llama in the milky way!!! And at Q'enqo there is a rock that for five minutes on one day of the year the sun hits it at a specific angle and the shadow it casts apparently looks like a puma sitting up (I think you also have to stand on your head, squint and be high on coca leaves...).

Having actually seen some of Cusco it was time to party!! There was a big party being thrown by one of Cusco's famous drag queen's - Barbie. After downing some wine we (Maria, Dan, Ed & I) headed to the party and kept drinking. Was loving the dj and Maria and I danced up a storm.... Made me miss my boys and connies (did someone say club west??). After a bit we headed to another club and stayed out rather late....

Needless to say when we met for brunch we were all a bit hung over and not feeling so great!!!

Then it was time to say a very sad goodbye to Maria, Dan and Ed (Rhoda, Chris, Jocelyn and Sho had stayed on for an extra night in Machu Picchu so already had our goodbyes)....and then goodbye to Cusco and my hostal (the staff there were just wonderful!)...

Off to Buenos Aires where Mauro (from my Galapagos tour) is waiting to pick me up, give me a city tour, have breakfast and 'be my personal guide' while I'm in BA!!!

Salkantay to Machu Picchu

ranizo — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:51:00 GMT

When my alarm went off at 3.30am on the 22nd I really didn't want to get up in the freezing cold to go trekking all day....but I was ready by 4am and by 7am my new family for the next five days and I were in Mollepata for breakfast. Our 'family' was Maria & Dan an English couple and one of their friends Ed and an American family Chris & Rhoda and their two kids Jocelyn (17) and Shoshana (12), our guide Roger and our assistant guide Yosip. There was also our chef Daniel, a couple of Muleteers and a few other helpers.

The view of Cusco all lit up as we left was gorgeous and as the sun rose the scenery was beautiful and just inkling of what was to come over the next five days. After breakfast it was a few more hours on the bus to Head trail where we began our trek. The first part of the trek took us in between the Humantay and Salkantay Mountains. We reached our highest point (Abra Humantay) just after lunch at 4600 metres. At that altitude walking is hard going...not to mention the fact that it was bitterly cold. At the summit we had a bit of a ceremony where we asked the Salkantay mountain for a good trek (via blowing our request on 3 coca leaves towards the mountain!) and then offered the leaves to pachamama (mother earth) as well as a few drops of rum (and of course a little for ourselves). The mountains were just breathtaking - words do not do them justice - hopefully my pictures give at least some idea... (Dad you would have been in heaven).

We thankfully then descended to 3800 metres and reached our first campsite Huayracmachay. They told us that if it was cloudy it might be 5 degrees, but if not it may drop below zero. That night we had a superb view of the stars - not a cloud in sight - and the temperature was about minus 5!!!! Everything was frozen when we woke up the next day. Even in my thermals and special sleeping bag it was still cold...

The next day we hiked to Colocampampa - a much easier trek and not nearly as cold. We arrived at our campsite by early afternoon. The following day we trekked to La Playa, again arriving in the early afternoon. Until the 3rd day we had hardly seen anyone else on the trek. It was quite a shock to camp in a 'town' and be around people again. By the end of the 3rd day my knee was killing me, I did not want to see my hiking boots ever again and I was feeling sore and tired.

On the fourth day the group split into two...we had a choice of a mega hard trek - 3 hours up and 2 hours down a very steep mountain to see Machu Picchu from the back or a trip to a nearby town Sta Teresa and go to the hot springs. My guide advised me against the trek if my knee was hurting - I decided that not being able to walk for the rest of my holiday and possibly never being able to run again was probably not worth the risk. As it turned out all the girls thought the hot springs sounded great and the guys decided to go be boys... So we went to paradise - if heaven existed, it would be these hot springs. It was just absolutely amazing - so decadent and of course the views were stunning! The boys set a record of under 3 hours for their whole trek...they were all hurting and the guide even had a nap at lunch he was so exhausted!!

Lunch on teh 4th day was spent in Hidro Electrica and then a slightly bizarre train ride (we zig zagged up the mountain, stopping every now and then for them to switch the tracks for us to get onto the next and progessively higher section) took us to Aguas Calientes where we spent our fourth night....in a Hostal - shower!!! First one since I'd left Cusco....

On the 5th day we were woken at 4.15am and breakfast was at 4.20am....after packing and organising and a bus ride up the mountain in the dark we reached Machu Picchu around 6am. Again words cannot describe the feeling when you first see Machu Picchu nor the whole time we were there. It is quite simply an absolute wonder.

And eventually we were back in Cusco and it was over...

Other highlights/standouts:

All of the flora and fauna and the scenery (hopefully my photos when I upload them give you an idea).

The food throughout the trek was just sensational...despite all the walking we were eating so much I´m certain we all put on a kilo or two!!

Being woken up in my tent each morning with a cup of hot chocolate or coca tea.

The trip on the 'death bus' as we went from Sta Teresa to Hidro Electrica. The driver was absolutely loco! My nerves just can't handle stress like that! We were flying along blind corners on a cliff face on a road wide enough for one car with four of us squeezed into the back seat - and of course no seat belts. We had one close call when we almost had a head on around a corner - had to pass a number of cars (often required reversing...), we stopped at the 'petrol station' where the petrol comes in buckets and the 'bowser' is a funnel, almost ploughed down multiple kids, dogs and people in the town... Those of you who know what I'm like as a passenger, know that my brake was going overtime!!

The 'toilets' which were just holes in the ground and a tent around it, that sometimes had a functioning zipper! I got to know a whole lot more about the people on my trek than perhaps I would have otherwise!!

The one cup of real coffee I've had since being in South America. We were in La Playa and I got a black coffee made from local beans, brewed in a turkish type pot. So good I even took a photo.... (the coffee here is so crap I haven't been drinking it! Never had so many coffee free days since I started drinking it about 15 years ago...)

Having to pass a bus going in the other direction on a really narrow section of the "road" - which was actually a river crossing on a cliff face.

My family...we had such an amazing group. The variety in ages and backgrounds worked so well together and it was so sad when we said goodbye!

The small but very hot, hot spring on the 4th day and the 'gato negro' red wine in a carton that our guides pulled out...oh and the poisonous snake that I almost stood on the way down (I missed it because it moved) - my guide tells me its the second snake he's seen in three years...lucky me huh?!

Discovering another moth phobic!!!! I think Ed and I are the only two in the world.

There are so many other details but if I included everything this would be a novel!

Cusco, Cuzco, Qosqo

ranizo — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:29:00 GMT

The flight from Lima to Cusco was absolutely stunning - flew over the most beautiful mountain ranges, some with snow capped peaks (no idea what the flight from Quito to Lima was like because I slept!!).

I arrived just after lunch and my hostal picked me up - we drove into Cusco as school was finishing and there were kids everywhere!! I also have arrived in the middle of the biggest festival in Cusco - I miss the main day though (actually I'm kind of glad about this) so there have been parades everywhere.

This place is CRAZY. Firstly the city is set on a series of very steep hills. I swear someone flew up above Cusco and splattered a whole heap of paint in a few different colours and they went - right these are the roads. The ones in this colour will be just wide enough to fit two cars. The ones in this colour will be barely wide enough for one car, wih perhaps enough room for half a person either side. And the rest of them will have steps in them. Sometimes at the bottom, sometimes just at the end, sometimes in the middle, sometimes 2 or 3, sometimes flights (Luke do you remember that random village in Turkey we drove into that we were certain no other tourist had been - think a whole city of roads like that). And they are all cobblestones. And a certainity for getting lost!! I have spent most of my time here wandering around in circles getting lost...a thousand times more confusing than even Vienna. Had extreme trouble finding my hostal last night...was getting a bit panicky...but found it eventually! Also found the most fabulous boutique that does amazing one of designs...brought a dress, skirt and top....!

There are Llamas just wandering around (with people) and lots of Indigenous people dressed in traditional dress. Dogs are EVERYWHERE. When I went to bed last night it sounded as if I was sleeping next to a boarding kernal!!

At 3,300 metres (almost 11,000 feet) I am coping okay with the altitude thus far - have been on tablets since I left the Galapagos (Quito is at 2,850 mt - 9,350 feet) and am drinking lots of coca tea (which the guy at the hotel assured me on the first night was not cocaine - rather amusing!!). I had a slight headache in Quito but none so far in Cusco. Though I have had tingling sensations pretty much since I landed in Quito (disappeared when I was in the Galapagos) and still continuing (a bit like constant pins and needles in my hands and feet).

I am leaving on a 5 day adventure trek at 4am this morning and this trek takes me to well over 4,000 metres, so hopefully I will manage!! Have stocked up on coca toffee things, my tablets and some other substance you're supposed to chew.

Well that's it for now - I´m off to bed so I can get some sleep before I start my first day of my trek. Will report back after my trek!

Gallery: Quito & around

ranizo — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:30:00 GMT

Back to Quito

ranizo — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:53:00 GMT

After one last walk around North Seymour Island, we spent the rest of the day taking buses and planes back to Quito. Finally got in a bit after 5pm and then had a group dinner. A few of us stayed out and bar hopped and drank lots (of course I was one of them!!).

Then it was an early start the next day for an organised trip to a nearby town Otavalo which is famous for its markets. We stopped in a small town (Cayambe) and saw 'bread dolls' being made - traditionally given to children for long festivals to keep them happy, but subsquently made into detailed decorations and something to sell to tourists (they are glazed). The markets themselves were just amazing - so colourful. I went a bit mad...for less than $100AUD I brought a gorgeous Alpaca wool blanket, a woven tablecloth, a poncho, multiple scarves and other various things...Eucador in general is scandalously cheap - where else can you buy a bottle of water for 25 US cents (and have someone refuse to sell it to you when you tried to pay for a $5). They don't accept anything over a $20 note and most places ask for something smaller if you give them anything higher than a $5!! We also stopped by a small town famous for its leather goods (picked up dad a fab wallet).

One bizarre thing - there are eucalypts everywhere!!! It is very strange to see them. Apparently they were introduced in some areas to dry up swamps and now they are out of control pests that are using up all the people's water and they can't get rid of them....

Wednesday morning I went to some museums and then later that day watched Ecuador vs Colombia at a Pub. It was a disappointing nil all game and well the vodka and lemonades were being made in the reserve proportions (think a shot of lemonade and a glass of vodka)...a few of those and I was a little trashy to say the least (but safe - nothing to worry about mum and dad - with people!!).

Thursday morning was spent mostly in the post office as I organised to send off a box full of goodies. I think I negotiated the spanish thing very well (my spanish btw is improving daily). The process was amazing. I had to fill in a billion forms, sign a million things, put my passport number on everything and leave a copy of my passport!! I will be surprised if it gets lost (I also have a tracking number to track it online).

Then that afternoon I headed to the equator. There is the 'fake' equator - the place they thought the equator was with a huge monument and a whole heap of trashy shops. A few hundred metres down the road is where the 'real' equator line is meant to be ("calculated with military GPS") - this place was awesome!! They did all sorts of demonstrations - I saw water go straight down the drain on the equator line and then clockwise and anticlockwise either side - freaky as!!! I also discovered I was weaker on the equator line. And I balanced an egg on a nail head. Most impressed with this achievement - not everyone can do this and I did it quite quickly. I think it is a skill that will help me be sucessful in life. I even got my passport stamped proving I've been to the equator. Oh we did this in a 3 and half hour round trip with our own taxi driver playing chauffeur for $30USD....!

One last dinner and then a hideously early wake up call (4.00am) and off to Cusco, Peru! Before I left Ecuador I discovered that cars driving at 4.30am don't need to obey any traffic rules - including traffic lights!!

Gallery: Galapagos Islands

ranizo — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:33:00 GMT

The Galapagos Islands

ranizo — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:45:00 GMT

Its hard to know where to start...I spent eight days on a boat (the spondylus) crusing around the Galapagos Islands and it was just amazing! My trip was actually a combination of 2 other trips and the first one was quite a small group (about 10 of us) and our guide Alberto was just amazing. All of our group bar 3 left halfway and 13 more joined us. Our second guide left a bit to be desired (dumpìng us at a beach and nicking off to play a game of soccer is poor form!) - he was however the source of much amusement and the butt of many, many jokes.

I managed to only be sick once and too my credit it was very rough and we ate dinner whilst travelling in the rough conditions. We went to Baltra, Santa Cruz, Genovesa, Bartolome, Floreana, Espanola, San Christobal, Santa Fe and Norht Seymour Islands. Genovesa was definitely my favourite though almost all of them were great (didn't think that much of San Chritobal or Floreana).

The islands are just full of the most amazing flora and fauna - many of them native and unique to the isalnds. Most of them also do not consider humans a threat, so you can get very close to them - in fact you almost trip over and stand on them half the time.

Saw Pink Flamingos, loads of Boobies (the avian kind - blue footed, red footed and nazca), mockingbirds, finches (including the sharp beaked ground finch - or vampire finch - so named because it drinks the blood of other animals), lots of gulls, albatross, frigates and other birds that escape me. Went snorkelling quite a few times - saw so many different types of fish (one of my favourites was the parrot fish), reef sharks, sea lions (freaked out when one chasing a fish almost crashed into me!!), an eel, sea turtles, rays, star fish....

Also saw giant tortoises, sally light foot crabs, marine & land iguanas and I´m sure lots of other animals. The islands themselves have quite unique landscapes - lots of volcanoes and lava. A few of the islands have towns and ports and one evening we went out with the crew, drank lots and danced heaps... (lots of fun!).

If technology is my side, there should be a few pictures uploaded as well.

Of course it wouldn't be a Rachel trip without at least a few obligatory dramas...such as transferring all of my money out of my main account and getting back on the boat to realise that $900 of direct debits were coming out that day...or thinking I'd dropped my wallet on the pier and taking a very fast panga (dingy) ride back to town, to discover that in fact it had somehow made its way inside my sleeve of my jumper in my bag and was safely on our boat...or accidentally resetting my combination lock and discovering this when it was locked on my bag (luckily it was only one number off the original code & I could work it out!).

Anyway it was sad to end such an amazing part of my trip, but its not all bad as it was back to Quito, Ecuador....