http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Attracta/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Attracta en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:07:48 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:07:48 +0000 Montevideo 26th and 27th of June 2009Montevideo is sometimes called the poor mans Buenos Aires or even referred to as a suburb of BA because so many Argentineans holiday there. But we arrived in winter time and although it was sunny we couldnt really enjoy Montevideorsquos main highlights especially as were only there for one night. It was dark when the bus arrived so we took a taxi to a p http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Uruguay/District-of-Montevideo/Montevideo/blog-415099.html Colonia del Sacramento 24th to 26th of June 2009 With only a few weeks left before we leave South America our visit to Uruguay was short. We got our stamps to enter while at the ferry port in Argentina making it the easiest border crossing weve had. After an hour on the ferry we arrived to a very sunny but cool day in Colonia del Sacramento. Colonia is the oldest European settlement in Urugu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Uruguay/West/Colonia-del-Sacramento/blog-415094.html Buenos Aires 17th to the 24th of June 2009 When I told my friend Mark that I was in Buenos Aires BA he quickly replied with a 'Oh my god youre in Evita land. Having never seen either the movie or the musical versions of Evita and with a certain lack of knowledge about Argentinean history I didnt share his enthusiasm about all things Evita. But I was very excited about being in BA.Everyon http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Buenos-Aires/Buenos-Aires/blog-414899.html Puerto Iguazu and Iguazu National Park 15th and 16th of June 2009. Our border crossing was painless though we never got an exit stamp for Paraguay and in less that thirty minutes quickly detouring through Brazil we were in Argentina. With a world famous tourist attraction just down the road Puerto Iguazu gets a lot of tourists and has all sorts of accommodation. But we very blindly didn http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Misiones/Iguazu-National-Park/blog-414886.html Cuidad del Este 12th to the 15th of June 2009 Cuidad del Este is a strange place coming to terms with a strange past it was previously named after a Paraguayan dictator and has a history of black market activities. It's full of electronic shops and Asian food casinos and market stalls. It also borders Brazil and Argentina. It was dark when the bus arrived in Cuidad del Este so we got ourselv http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Paraguay/Ciudad-del-Este/blog-409630.html Asuncion 9th to the 12th of June 2009 The bus journey from Villamontes ended up taking 18 long hours ensuring we had spent 38 out of the previous 48 hours travelling. The bus drove down through the Chaco in Paraguay the petroleum area which Bolivia and Paraguay had a war over. In between bouts of reading and sleeping we watched barefooted children run alongside the bus while red dust came in http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Paraguay/Asunci%F2n/blog-409621.html Sucre 6th and 7th of June and Villamontes 8th of June 2009 After a taxi ride with the craziest driver in the world we really nearly got driven over by a lorry we landed outside the Amigo hostel. Richard and I got a room there for 65 bolivianas we thought that was each until I paid the next day and went for some lunch with the Irish and English guys from the taxi. After lunch we venture http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Chuquisaca-Department/Sucre/blog-409609.html La Paz 3rd of June and Potosi 4th to the 6th of June 2009 We arrived in La Paz around 3pm and quickly arranged another nightbus to Potosi two night buses in a row. We both didn't want to stay in La Paz again but were glad of the opportunity to get some nice food. We went to our favourite Thai restuarant and followed it with icecream sundaes from Brosso. We also stopped off at the tourist http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-409604.html Arequipa 28th of May to the 2nd of June 2009 It was dark by the time we arrived in Arequipa and we had no idea where to stay. We decided on somewhere recommended by the Lonely Planet but got distracted by the taxi driver who showed us another guesthouse type place in a beautiful colonial building. Having our own ensuite room with cable TV won out even though it was slightly more expensive than http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Arequipa/Arequipa/blog-409589.html Santiago 25th to the 27th of May 2009 Santiago is one of those big cities of South America. Although its population is smaller compared to Buenos Aires it's still one of the cities most travellers fly in or out from. It's also got a mixed reputation. Many people who I've met on this trip advised me to skip Chile and Santiago in particular. But after my few days in Santiago I think that repu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Santiago-Region/Santiago/blog-409585.html Pucon 23rd to the 24th of May 2009 Crossing the border from Argentina to Chile was an interesting and dare I say it Western experience. The border was full of signs telling us what wasn't allowed into Chile which included all fruit and vegetables and any fresh animal products including dairy. We all had to get off the bus where all our bags were scanned and the Chilean border authorities check http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Araucania/Pucon/blog-406193.html Bariloche 20th to the 23rd of May Bariloche is one of the most famous and touristy towns in the lake district. It's also very pretty with its Alpine appearance it looks like it should be in Switzerland rather than Argentina. Its overlooked by the Andies and overlooks the Nahuel Huapi Lake with three other lakes close by. During the Patagonian winter our summer it's one of South America's http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Rio-Negro/San-Carlos-de-Bariloche/blog-406179.html Mendoza 17th to the 19th of May After a another long overnight bus journey we arrived in Mendoza in the afternoon. While trying to find a taxi we spoke to a hotel owner and Richard's bargaining skills the owner called him an Israeli got us what has probably been the best room of our trip for 80 pesos per night. The room was really clean spacious and looked pretty modern. It also came with http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-406163.html Salta 13th to 16th of May 2009Next stop Argentina After 19 long hours on a local cold bus we arrived at the Bolivian and Argentina border. I had heard that Irish people were getting a bit of hassle trying to cross at this border so I wasn't looking forward to trying to explain in my bad Spanish that I didn't want to hurt anyone After a long wait in the early morning sun we eventually got http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Salta/Salta/blog-402808.html La Paz 6th to the 13th of May 2009After so many weeks in one city and a whole continent to explore it was definitely time to leave La Paz. But first there were a few things I wanted to do. On Wednesday I went to the Coca Museum. The museum takes an unbiased look at the coca leaf its importance for indigenous people and the problems that cocaine causes. There was a lot to read and some of the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-402024.html La Paz 17th of April to 5th of May The drama continued for the rest of the week but I won't write about it here. Suffice to say Richard annoyed enough people and was deservedly asked to leave the hostel. He moved to a hostel near the English bar where he was still working while I continued to stay and work in Loki. The next few weeks were spend chilling working or having a few drinks once I http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-401813.html La Paz 12th to 16th of April The next day I woke up and still felt really bad. I couldn't really blame it on a late night or a hangover any longer and when I fainted again in the dorm room I agreed to see the doctor. The doctor came and said I had a temperature my heartbeat was way too fast and it was irregular and said I needed to have some tests done the next day. I spent the rest of the ev http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-401810.html La Paz 4th to 11th of April 2008 So here I was back in La Paz...again. The Dutch boys and I shared a taxi to Loki where I met Marie one of the girls for Montanita in reception. We made plans to spend the day together once I'd showered and sorted myself out. I'd gotten use to Richard's partying at this stage so I wasn't surprised to see he wasn't home yet from the night before. In fact I'd ma http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-394981.html Salar de Uyuni 1st April to 3rd of April 2009 Fiona and I arrived 20 minutes early for our bus to Uyuni and had to wait another two hours before it actually left. Bolivian buses have not been our friends We had heard it was a bad bus journey so we took some valium and tried to make ourselves comfortable for the next 11 hours. It was another local bus sin bano so it wasn't exactly the height o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Salar-de-Uyuni/blog-394976.html La Paz 27th to the 31st of March. The forecast said that rain was likely for the whole weekend in Rurrenebaque so everyone who had been in the pampas had the same idea as us. We all piled on a bus which was better than the one we came on and settled down for the 18 hour bus journey back to La Paz. At 2am after an uneventful 15 hours the bus came to a stop in the middle of nowhere. I put it d http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-394385.html