http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Apple/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Apple en-us Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:39:06 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:39:06 +0000 Dear friends After such great intentions sadly communication let me down as Tony Hadley sang. I've actually finished my four weeks of volunteering now and you've not heard a peep out of me very sorry but there are mitigating circumstancesI've been living in a small village on the West coast. The nearest internet cafe was a 30min bus ride away where it was nearly 4 per hour for a dialu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Sri-Lanka/Central-Province/Kandy/blog-41833.html Dear FriendsI'm dusting down this travelblog to let you know I'm off on a new adventure Tomorrow I fly to Sri Lanka where I'll be be doing voluntary work with tsunami survivors.Towards the end of 2003 while I was working in India I took a weekend trip to Sri Lanka. I completely adored the place and vowed to return one day to see more. Sadly just a few months laters the southern part of th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Devon/Plymouth/blog-36720.html HolaA funny few days in Guatemala since I last wrote And an interesting turn in events... read onAs I mentioned I was heading onto Lake Atitlan which Aldous Huxley famously described as the most beautiful lake in the world. Surrounded by steep volcanoes and allegedly over 300m deep it's certainly pretty stunning but for me Titicaca in Peru will never be surpassed. Sorry Guatemala fans http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/blog-8791.html Greetings again this time from Antigua GuatemalaActually right now I'm in Guatemala City somewhere which def wasn't on my itinerary. Am trying to sort out flights and the sheer incompetence of a particular Spanish airline has driven me to desperation hence having to hang around in one of the world's most dangerous cities while they eat their lunch and prob take a little nap... ggrrrrAnywa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Antigua/blog-8230.html I know it's not been long since my last update but wanted to post a short hello as I'm off to a tiny little village in the middle of nowhere tomorrow it's so remote they only have one internet caf and that's 3 an hour so being a tightfisted traveller type I won't be using that muchStayed nearly a week in Baos was very relaxing. Kind of like an Ecuatorian version of Bath with spas ho http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/South/Cuenca/blog-7699.html HiDon't have a lot of time right now and haven't really thought this through but given the current state of affairs in Ecuador thought I'd better write a few lines to let you know I'm safeGot back from the Galapagos on Sunday more on that later to read in the paper that Ecuador was under a State of Emergency. Then an hour later to read in a different newspaper that it had been called off. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Banos/blog-7465.html HiWelcome to the first in hopefully a series of journals as I blog my way around Latin America over the next few months. If yoursquore here because you were invited thanks very much for turning up and I hope yoursquoll be back If yoursquore just passing through then welcome to you too So here I am sat on my single bed in my old room at my Mum and Dadrsquos writing lists reading http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Devon/blog-4797.html Hola First blog and I seem to have tons to write so much that Im gonna purposely leave out stuff about the school and the town until next time so watch this space.In brief for the next month or so Im in Ecuador. I arrived last Friday in Quito and on Sunday traveled about two hours north to Otavalo via the Mitad del Mundo Equator from which I have a cheesy pic of my astride two hemisp http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Otavalo/blog-5440.html Started at the school this week am loving it The school is in an area called Urquisiqui. This place is definitely not in the Lonely Planet It8217s not even a village it8217s just one or two buildings at a junction in the road and most of the kids live in the surrounding hills in small farms some of them walking up to an hour to get to school. There8217s probably around 50 kids b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Otavalo/blog-5679.html Sorry not a real blog entry just to point out that I've added pics to the previous journals Happy Birthday Mum for todayHappy Easter everyoneEnjoy More soon.... http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Otavalo/blog-5976.html End of week three already Ive now successfully booked my Galapagos trip for eight days from the 10th April. That gives me another week here in Otovalo so Ill be able to spend an extra few days up at the community which Im grateful for because what with Spanish lessons Easter and various other unforeseen situations the four weeks that I allocated to the project has rapidly shrunk to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Otavalo/blog-6044.html Sadly tomorrow is my last day in Otovalo after just five short weeks. Ive really enjoyed my time here met some great people my family could not have been nicer yes even the alsatian bless him and the kids at the school are just incredible.Yesterday was my last day at the school was quite emotional sying 8216Adis8217 insteas of the usual 8216Hasta maana8217 as I left. Many http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Otavalo/blog-6597.html