It's Peru - Lima & Puno

We were meeting the explore party on Sunday so we arrived in Lima on the Saturday evening, staying at the same hotel as detailed by explore. We had booked it ourselves and received confirmation yet when we arrived, the hotel reception had no record of our booking.

After much arguing and showing of e-mails we were allocated to rooms for which we had to pay again. Within 10 minutes of being in our rooms we were told by the reception who had been in touch with our booking Company that our Hotel had been changed and they had forgot to inform us – super So, we were picked up by the other hotel and shifted across town.

We had an evening wander around the Miraflores area of Lima, ate and visited a pharmacy to get some “essential medication.” The following day we checked out early and went back to the original hotel and checked in there. We then had a good walk down to the coast and a shuffle round town before dinner. Monday morning we breakfasted out then went back to the hotel and headed down to reception to start the tour.

One by one we met fellow trekkers from all walks of life and all parts of the world. There was a guide there from Condor Travel who was getting us to the airport and sending us on our way.

Back at Lima airport we boarded flight 6 of 11 to Juliaca via Cusco. The flight was good, we flew over the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu en route and had the most horrendous landing in Cusco. We then took off again and had to abort our first approach into Juliaca and come round again before a marginally better landing than Cusco! One for the airport geeks here, Juliaca airport is the second highest in the world after La Paz in Bolivia and as the air is so thin the runway is 5.5kms long to accommodate the issue!!

Here we met our guide for the trip Juan or Lobo as he preferred to be called. So all luggage and folks accounted for we boarded the bus heading for some Inca burial towers on the way to Puno. The towers were quite interesting and also quite remote but a good opener for an Inca trip.

We were now on our way to Puno and our hotel for the next two nights. When we arrived in Puno it was dark and our hotel was fairly central to town. When I say town it is actually a city and quite a big one at that. In fact we were told that after the carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Puno hosts the second biggest carnival in South America.

Our hotel was comfortable and the evening’s dinner was arranged by our leader Lobo. After a good dinner some of us went back to the hotel, others went out to a bar. We had been told by Lobo that due to the fact we had flown from sea level at Lima to 3900mtrs at Puno, altitude could be a problem. We were advised to take it easy on the alcohol until we were better acclimatised. He told us about the local tipple a pisco sour, which could help with the altitude but only have a couple. This was a super drink and became a nightly ritual!!

The following day we were all suffering the effects of altitude with very little sleep and banging heads (no not the alcohol.) Thankfully today we were on a boat trip and not doing anything strenuous. After a buffet breakfast we were all herded into rickshaw type transportation and heading for the port and our boat for the day.

Our first call was with the Uros peoples who live (allegedly) on the floating reed bed islands on Lake Titicaca. We stopped off with some folks on one of the many reed islands and got a demo on how they built the island, a chance to buy local crafted goods and took a boat trip out on one of their hand built reed boats. All in all a good and eye opening experience.

Next we were heading for Taquile island on the lake where we were to take lunch – local caught trout from the lake – mmmmm my favourite. (I managed to get a less attractive looking omlette!) The island was two hours away so most folks were catching up on the previous nights lost sleep. We had a local guide who was very knowledgeable about both the Uros and the Taquile folks.

The island itself was very picturesque and we literally walked up one side to the village, had a shop, some lunch and a beer then walked down the other side back to our boats. The people here all wore strict dress code with the ladies wearing different coloured hats to display their marital status and the men all wearing different coloured belts/cummerbunds for the same reason.

The trip back was a long one and as soon as the sun dropped it was cold instantly. It’s the altitude you know. We got back to Puno and were bussed back to our hotel and out for another planned dinner with entertainment this time. It was also at this point that we got “the bad news.” Strikes and road blocks are a common occurrence in Peru and it just so happened that the elections were looming and there was a major protest underway in Cusco. This meant we had to stay another night in Puno to then fly to Cusco the day after as both the roads and railways were blockaded.

The evening meal went well with both alpaca and guinea pig hitting the tables. I think the alpaca went down better as it had more taste and without being unkind we all know how big guinea pigs are!!! Not much there to chew on is there. The entertainers were good at song, dance and change of outfits. Later some filtered back to the hotel whilst others went out for an extended evening.

So today, we should be driving to Cusco but as said earlier we have more time here. Today Lobo showed us the local market which was a very colourful experience and then we had a walk up to Condor hill which is at 4100mtrs – good training we were told. Another evening meal and an early start the following day for our flight to Cusco.

All up and ready and bound for the airport. Then more bad news……our flight to Cusco had been cancelled due to bad weather in Cusco so Lobo on the phone for hours and we eventually were told we were going back to Lima to get a flight back to Cusco early tomorrow morning so we could start the Inca trail as our permits are only valid or a tomorrow start. Are you keeping up here?? You can imagine how we all felt. We didn’t think we were ever going to get to the trail or Cusco.

Well now our 11 flights has suddenly become 13 with 2 unexpected extras!!
We eventually got to Lima mid afternoon and checked into a splendid on airport hotel – some small compensation. The plan now was up at 0330hrs tomorrow for the 0530 flight to Cusco. In Cusco, shoot to the hotel; get breakfast and then sort out what goes on the trek and what stays in the hotel. Then board the bus to go to “kilometre 82” the Inca trail start point and get under way. No pressure then!!

The flight left Lima, it got to Cusco, we all flew round sorting and eating and before we knew it we were on the bus to kilometre 82. Why km 82 I hear you ask well, the Inca Trail start point is 82kms from Cusco, nothing more complicated than that. Still, it is a silly place name. Having said that all the other places along the rails towards the Inca citadel are also named after their distance from Cusco! Only in Peru……

That’s it for this segment so if you are still awake there will be an Inca trail instalment soon.

Pix from the top are - first two are of the Inca burial tombs, Bill and I in our rickshaw, the next four of the Uros islands and people, next three are on Tequile island, two from Puno market, the Cathedral in Puno square, the steps to Condor hill and the view from Condor hill.

Quito & the Galapagos

The big trip is on and its Saturday the 11th September. Bill and I are on our way to Quito in Ecuador. Bill is a good friend and neighbour from Middleton who was on the Kili trip with us in 2005. Coincidentally he was planning a solo trip to South America at the same time I was going so we decided to go together.

After a short flight from Leeds Bradford to Amsterdam (flight 1 of 11) we had a four hour wait for our connection to Quito. The flight left at 2355hrs and was due in to Quito at 0810hrs on Sunday morning. The flight, apart from being long went very well. It had 2 stops on the way, 1 at a Dutch Caribbean Island I didn’t know existed – Bonaire, just off the coast of Venezuela and then at Ecuador’s second but largest city Guayquil. KLM looked after us well with plenty of grub and drinks to keep us all quiet. I even managed to get a few hours sleep, which is always a bonus on night flights.

On arrival at Quito where the airport is in the middle of the city and at 10000 feet we had the usual immigration fiasco and battle with the taxi touts before we got to our hotel in the business district of town. Nice hotel – Radisson Royal – not too far from the old town and other attractions.

With all day to try to stay awake to get onto Ecuadorian time we decided to walk out to the old town. We asked at reception for a suitable route and were told not to be back after 1730hrs. The obvious question was what happens after 1730hrs? Not safe to be out on the streets after this time was the reply. Off we went obviously planning to be back for 1730hrs.

We had a good wander round the old town, which was very impressive and there was also some sort of carnival going on in town with stalls, bands, music and bicycles everywhere. Most entertaining. We also had a good tour of the cathedral and got up to the top of the clock tower. With eyelids weighing in at 5 kilos each due to lack of sleep, it was shut eye early at about 8ish.

The next day (Monday) we were back up to Quito airport for our flight to Baltra in the Galapagos via Guayquil (Flight 3 of 11.) We had to check in and go through biosecurity and get a transit card. Then it was good old airport security where some plank left his wallet in the scanner tray!! I didn’t notice until I ordered some breakfast then it was panic stations. After asking questions at everywhere I had been I heard my name over the tannoy but didn’t know where to go as they were speaking in Spanish. I eventually was guided back to security where I was luckily reunited with my wallet. With breakfast now going cold I wolfed it down as it was almost time to go.

It was a good flight and all went to time, then as we approached Baltra airport it was announced that in line with Galapagos procedures the aircraft had to fumigated before arrival. So all the overhead locker doors were opened and the crew walked down the plane spraying into the lockers and cabin!! The airport in Baltra was pretty much a hut with no walls and there was no baggage handling gear. It was all placed all over the floor and you were sent in a few at a time to find your luggage and match it to your luggage tickets on the way out.

We then found our guide for the week – Katie – who was a local girl from Santa Cruz who was rounding us all up and getting us on the right bus to the ferry to Santa Cruz then another bus to the port on the island. At the port we were taken to the launch to get rid of our bags and have lunch. We were then briefed on the days activities and off we went back to Santa Cruz. We were heading for the Charles Darwin research centre.

On the way to the centre we saw pelicans, frigates and some iguanas, not bad for the walk to the centre. At the centre we saw too many birds to mention, iguanas, young giant tortoises, many species of adult giant tortoise and the star attraction – Lonesome George. Now, Old George is sadly the last male in his species of giant tortoise. He shares his lodgings with several ladies with whom he has no interest in whatsoever. So here you have a guy who is approx 135 years old with many ladies at his feet and almost every tortoise scientist on the planet trying to get the guy to mate but there is nothing doing. All quite sad really.

After the research centre which was very interesting and well presented by Katie, we had free time in Santa Cruz before we headed back to the boat. Santa Cruz not being a very big place we ambled back through the streets and a sign outside a bar advertising crazy hour caught our eye so we went for a drink. Funnily enough there were a few others from the boat in there too. A drink followed and it was back to the boat.

Now the general run of things seemed to be travel by night to the next island with the boat moored in the bay by day whiles we did landings and snorkelling. The boat crew were excellent, the guide was too and we were with a right mixed bag of folks. Aside from Bill and myself, there were 2 other Brits who were out on holiday, a couple from Holland on a 6 month South America tour, a Swiss couple out on holiday, a German guy on a 12 month gap year, an American couple from LA (originally from Hawaii,) another American couple from San Francisco (originally from Hong Kong,) with their friends who were a couple from Hong Kong.

The first night at sea was a choppy one with the boat pitching and tossing all over the place. We awoke in the calm waters of a sheltered Bay off the Island of Santa Fe. Here we snorkelled for the first time and were thrilled by Galapagos sea lions dashing around us, green turtles swimming under us and white tipped sharks passing us by. A wonderful sighting on our first snorkel.

All this went on all week with more seals, more turtles and more sharks. We were also lucky enough to see many sting rays in large groups, manta rays, puffer fish, barracuda, too many other fish to name and the icing on the cake was a large pod of dolphins with which we snorkelled twice, it was fantastic.

On the land side of the trip we saw the famous blue footed boobies and their chicks, nasca boobies, waved albatross and their chicks, hooded mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks, swallow tailed gulls, cactus finches and many more. We also saw marine iguanas, land iguanas, dozens of seals, sting rays coming up to the waters edge to feed on crabs buried in the sand and the best viewing on land goes to the female green turtle just leaving her nest and heading back to the sea.

I have to say that all in all it was a wonderful experience and it was superb how none of the land animals or birds feared any of us. They just sat there as we strode over them, gazed at them and took many many pictures of them. I guess in an ideal world this is how it should be. The ships crew looked after us all really well, the food was great and varied and our guide Katie was very knowledgeable and helpful.

When it came to Friday morning we were all reluctant to be leaving as we all were on so much of a high we wanted to keep going.

The flight back to Quito (4 of 11) was to time and we were back in our hotel by mid afternoon. Saturday we had time to go up the telerifico to look down on Quito from 4100 metres and then get a cab up to the equator, which was touristy but a must when you were so close.

Our evening flight to Lima in Peru (5 of 11) left at 1830hrs and arrived to time. As we taxied in, the second part of our four part adventure was about to begin.

Pix are - 2 of the cathedral in Quito, lonesome George and some info, other tortoises with our guide, myself and Bill and I, land iguana, Galapagos sea lion, pelican getting a lift on our boat, sally lightfoot crab, sunset over the seals, blue footed booby & chick, nasca boobie, albatross chick, albatross with chicks, marine iguanas, female green turtle leaving nest, frigate birds and chicks, our boat, view of Quito from telerifico and the equator.

Where have we been……

Since our last scribblings we have been busy. Mrs D has had 2 lots of visitors out here to Corfu and I have been trolling around the southern hemisphere in South America.

Where do we start, well Mrs D has had a week with her best friend Wendy then a few days living it up on her own until her brother Reg arrived out here for a week. I am told all went well with both guests and a good time was had by all. There wasn’t much said about the living it up in between section tho’….

Mrs D returned to the UK with Reg at the end of his holiday so that she was at home when I returned from South America and so we could both come back out here together. Confused?? Not surprised, I have no idea where I am now.

We had about 10 days together in the UK before we flew back out here. The usual rushing around seeing folks ensued and we arrived back here ready for a rest!!

My jaunt took me firstly to Quito in Ecuador then onto the Galapagos islands for a week on a boat being guided around Charles Darwins marvels. I then went on to Peru and up to Lake Titicaca for a few days in Puno before heading off to Cusco and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Finally I went to Puerto Maldonado in the Peruvian Amazon basin for a three day rainforest adventure before flying back to the UK. The whole trip was 26 days in total and absolutely fantastic. If you can stay awake long enough I will do a short resume on each part with a few pictures of which there are thousands!

We are back!!!!

G'day y'all, I am back from darkest Peru and Mrs D is here too after her short interlude in the UK.

Here, is Kopsocheilades in Corfu and with so much to tell (or bore you with, you decide.) I have a few weeks to catch up on so bear with me and I will rattle something off over the next few days.

Watch this space and we will get back on track soon.

It's good to be back!!! More soon

Three weeks to go….

On the 6th September I will be heading back to the UK for 5 days before flying out to South America for just over three weeks. I am heading out there with Bill, a friend & neighbour in Middleton who I went to Kili with. Mrs D is abstaining from this trip as the thought of a week on a small boat round the Galapagos Islands and then trekking up to Machu Picchu doesn’t excite her much. Big hills and boats are not in the fave things to do box!

Mrs D is staying out here in Corfu as her friend Wendy is coming out on the flight I am going back on, then her brother Reg is coming out for a week before they both fly back to the UK together. I am back in the UK early October, when we have little over a week before we both fly back out here to see out the season and the sun. The plan then is to drive back to Middleton at the end of November.

Before all this moving about takes place we have a few things to do here. Steps to alter, lots of painting, plastering and pointing to do outside and a few odd bits to finish off. (Well, we didn’t come out here for a rest you know!!)

I am sure we will manage the odd swim and drink with friends now and again.

Another saga came to an end in August, back in June I started the process of registering my bike out here. One thing lead to another and we had to get residency permits to complete the process then more back and forth with copies of this and that then I finally got my Greek plate on Monday 30th August. The old YD06 CKL is no more and we are now ETT 27!! The fun starts now looking for insurance and tax, I’m sure there will be more hoops to leap through.

There have been a couple of fires on the hills last couple of weeks most notably Tuesday eve this week when the hills at the back were well alight and took some getting under control. There were choppers with buckets of water and fire engines all over.

It is now the last weekend before I go and time has just flown by. Most chores done and going away lists done and checked I think I’m about prepared. A few things to get in the UK and we should be OK. We are hoping for a BBQ this weekend but we appear to have some off that strange wet stuff coming down from the sky so we will have to see if it goes away.

I will have to leave the blogging until I return (unless I get near a pc whilst away) and will fill you in on my antics & Mrs D’s guests when I get back. Y’all keep in touch now……..Mr D.

Fourth visitors.

Our dear friends Mick & Sue arrive tonight and as I mentioned earlier these are the original “busy people.” With work, family, DIY, social and many other commitments I don’t know how they manage to keep up with what they’ve got going on! All this considered we want them to have a rest but we are a little worried about how they will get on with the heat as it is in the low forties now. They also escape the DIY chores others have endured and Mrs D will have a full time battle going on trying to keep them out of her new kitchen!

Flight again on time, off to Kopsocheilades we go. Mick has this thing that all seas are cold and with this view he will not swim in any of them. The challenge will be to get him in the sea to prove it’s not cold!

Day one and we have a wander round Acharavi and a coffee. We then go for a swim, yes he went in and no it wasn’t cold. In the evening we had a few drinks a BBQ and went out to Nappys in the eve to see our local noisy rocker.

Wednesday we drove over to Arillas and had a walk before going for another swim and yes this time it was very cold! Funny but our neighbour here Spiro always swims here and more often than not it is cooler. Anyhow, today it was freezing by Corfu standards and not to be rushed to again.

Thursday we had a long day out. We set off early and headed south through Corfu town and down to Lake Korisson. Lake Korisson is a natural inlet from the sea and also a nature reserve. Very pretty too with sand dunes along the coast. Funny but the further along the coast you walk away from the crowds, the less clothes people wear. Always the case but it is usually the ones that are best covered up that have everything hanging out, most untidy. After a swim we headed over to the east coast and Lefkimmi. A pretty little spot with a canal running out to sea just to the south of the town. In the evening we headed back up to Corfu town and had a wander round. Much easier to do in the evening when it is a few degrees cooler. Gyros and beers were consumed and after watching the bells being rung at the Church of St Spiridon by hand literally, we headed back home.

Friday was a lazy start owing to the previous days early start and lengthy drive. When we finally got motivated we had a wander into the olive grove looking for figs, then a bit of shopping in Sidari and a swim before early doors. Later we headed out again to a local bar to see an acoustic guitarist.


Saturday we were heading for Makrades to look at a photo exhibition, which was sadly closed. Still we stumbled on a lovely little coffee stop in the village and drove through Pagi where they filmed the famous 2CV Citroen scene in the Bond film for your eyes only. We also went to the top of the island and Pantokrator. Quite a bendy drive but worth it when you get to the top! Yet another swim at Acharavi before an evening BBQ.

Sunday was a trip to Kassiopi, then another swim at a local beach before dining out in Sidari.

Monday came around so fast but I think they had a fun packed week and Mick managed to get in the sea everyday! A bit more shopping in Sidari before a gyro and mythos tea then off to the airport again. It was lovely to have them here and good for us to have the break too, I think it went well and was enjoyed. The countdown now starts for me with only three weeks before it’s my run to the airport and Blighty for a few days.