http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Aoife Luke and Rory/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Aoife Luke and Rory en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:24:17 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:24:17 UTC After the bus ride to end all bus rides we arrived in Hanoi. The city bustled with people and mopeds and was quite a contrast to sedate Laos. We based ourselves in the Old quarter of town. It has tiny narrow streets with streets stalls on both sides about 3 feet gap for people to walk through which is usually occupied by a motorbikes still i enjoyed the fast pace of it all. One of the firs http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-318534.html So when I said nonjet plane I really did mean it. Not only do Lao airlines have a very questionable safety record which they don't release they also have no jet planes at all only propeller ones. In fairness to Lao airlines the flight was actually quite smooth though I was very alarmed just before take off when only one propeller was moving. The staff even managed to serve and clean up a me http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Laos/blog-317250.html Decent Internet connections are not one of South East Asia's strong points so apologies for the delay in this one. From Bangkok we went north to Chiang Mai. It's quite a nice little town although very touristy. After some of our recent very questionable tours we sought out a recommended ecotour. We ended up booking through the eagle house hostel on one of their private tours as the guide was ac http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Thailand/North/Chiang-Mai/blog-317211.html It's not often I have praise for an airline but our Cathy pacific flight from Singapore to Bangkok was superb. Ok I'll admit I was more than a little alarmed when the wing of our plane was the same size as the planes we usually travel on but after a three course meal glass of winea Hagen diaz and 30 different TV channels I was very content. All this on a two hour flight Our first introductio http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Thailand/Central/Bangkok/blog-310009.html We decided that before we hit the main Asian leg of our trip a few days in Singapore to acclimatise would be an excellent idea. We has decided to stay in the Little India area of Singapore. Being a lover of Indian food myself I couldn't resist and Rory and Aoife will tell you that I didn't. There was restaurants and street vendors galore I was in heaven All of us being new to Asian we thoug http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Singapore/Little-India/blog-309213.html Our travels have made us very blase about flights. At 1am the night before our 7am flight we found ourselves sitting in Transport bar after a farewell pizza with our housemates not our greatest move considering we still hadn't packed fully Thankfully we made the flight to Brisbane Rory had decided to stay an extra week for more fun in Melbourne so we were to meet him a week on in Sydney. Five m http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cairns/Cairns-City/blog-303427.html So after many emails enquiring into whether we were still alive I realised it may be time to update everyone on what we have been up to the past few months ... On arrival in Australia we had a quick stop in Sydney before we headed to Melbourne. We managed to checkout all the touristy sites the opera house the harbour bridge and even attended the Sydney St Patrick's Day parade 15000 attendees http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/Brunswick/blog-293105.html It's been a long long time coming but here it is.... We arrived in safely Christchurch New Zealand after a touchy landing in Wellington Aoife was unconcerned. We settled ourselves into the english speaking environment of New Zealand. We could read signs ask for directions and have normal conversations with native people without wild gesticulation. We had hired a spaceship for those who do http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/blog-274006.html Last stop of Argentina was in Puerto Iguazu from which we visited the Iguazu falls which lie between Brazil and Argentina border. On the Argentinian we hopped on a speedboat which brought us up close and personal with the falls and left us completely drenched. The boat trip only lasted 12 mins but getting so close to the power of the falls was an amazing experience. We followed the walks along th http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/blog-254565.html Reluctantly we left the nice cool ten degrees Celsius of Patagonia for the scorching summer weather of Buenos Aires where we were reunited with Rory. Typically we arrived right in the middle of a heat wave even the locals were glowing. Our hostel was located in the very nice area of San Telmo famous for its antique shops and Sunday market. The market had a fantastic array of vintage clothing br http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Argentina/Buenos-Aires/blog-240841.html After leaving Bariloche and the chocolate behind we took the luxury of a flight down to El Calafate in southern Argentina deep inside patagonia. The views from the plane were spectacular and got us very excited to be there. El Calafate is a nice but very touristy town. Everyone there is here one reason only... Glaciers. The town is the perfect spot to base yourself to do trip the Parque Naci http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Argentina/Santa-Cruz/El-Calafate/blog-239695.html After leaving a blessed but expensive Chile we were on our way into Argentina. I was really looking forward to this country and was one of the main reasons on coming to South America. We arrived late into Salta and didnt see much until the next day but the steakhouses after steakhouses impressed me The next day we went on the teleferico I know another cable car At this stage we are expert http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-232370.html Our arrival in Bariloche was marked with disappointment when we found out our accommodation had been double booked. Luckily for us we were given an apartment for the same price due to the error. Having shared bathrooms and kitchens for 3 months now we got a giddy thrill from having our own fridge and microwave...if only for a few days Bariloche is located in the lake district of Patagonia and http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Argentina/Rio-Negro/San-Carlos-de-Bariloche/blog-232333.html It was a bit odd to arrive having travelled around the Andes for the past two months in Uyuni. Its completely flat. Uyuni a gateway to the worlds largest salt flats Salar de Uyuni . We had a full day to wander around Uyuni and it was definitely enough as it's a bit of a dump. Our tour began by squashing into a jeep with five other people and making our way to the train cemetery. Its a plac http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Chile/Antofagasta-Region/San-Pedro-de-Atacama/blog-229393.html After relaxing time in Sucre we were off to the nearby mining town of Potosi. The town itself is lovely and quiet sitting with snugly against the mountain of Cerro Rico and revolves around the mining industry located in the mountain. Potosi being the highest city in the world we really felt the altitude as we walked around. The town was made famous for its silver mining in the 18th century an http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-229098.html We have had a tendency to talk about our bus at the beginning of each blog but this one deserves a mention. An hour and a half into our journey we were nice and settled when suddenly the majority of the people got off. The driver said nothing. As one or two others stayed and it definitely wasnt La Paz we figured we were ok to stay on the bus. There was only water ahead but I figured we would http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Bolivia/Chuquisaca-Department/Sucre/blog-228056.html We arrived into Arequipa after a sweltering hot night bus. It was a particularly uncomfortable ride. After finding lodgings near the Plaza de Armas we relaxed slept and wandered this pretty town. We investigated the possibility of doing a trip to Colca Canyon but due to time constraints it just wasnt feasible. On the upside there was plenty of things to do in town. First off we visited t http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Peru/Puno/Lake-Titicaca-/blog-225412.html After a torturous 15hr bus journey from Nazca cliff edges anyone we eventually made it to Cusco. First thing that hits you is the altitude 3500m above sea level. Coupled with the steep valley walls on which cusco is built its pretty exhausting walking around We checked ourselves into the Loki hostel which turned out to be the Irish backpackers Mecca could be something to do with the mash http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Peru/Cusco/Cusco/Cusco/blog-224558.html Having booked all the way back in Dublin last May it felt very odd packing our duffle bags for our impending Inca Trail trek The trail is one of the major milestones of our South American leg to do it was not only an indicator of how far we had come but also how time is flying I was more than a little worried about the trek given I had been suffering symptoms of altitude sickness in Cusco a http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-222958.html After our jaunt in Lima we were headed for Pisco. It was a 2 hour bus ride south from Lima and we enjoyed the transition from bustling city to desert. We knew about the earthquake that happened about 3 months previously but nothing prepared us for reality of the situation. As we drove into town we saw blocks of buildings reduced to rubble and people living in temporary accommodation ranging http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Peru/Ica/blog-221096.html