Only an abreviated blog this time. Silence (in blog terms at least) due to lack of access to useful internet facilities, so even the photos are only from two of the four countries we saw - Mexico and Belize will have to wait til we arrive in Aus, only a few days from now. Central America was (except for non-Cancun Mexico) surprisingly expensive and quite over-populated with vendors who wanted to (a) be your next best friend and (b) sell something to you that really you did not need. We resisted their overtures poltely but firmly, becoming quite adept at not [View Full Entry]

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After travelling alone for a few weeks we arrived in Ushuia, the southernmost city in the world (big country town really) to rejoin Carmen and the other truck passengers. We grabbed a few extra days in non-tent accomodation though, which was a double bonus as after the countries we have been in we found Argentina quite expensive and elected to forgo the many resteraunts in town and cook in out our little kitchenette! It was here we said goodbye to Nancy as she was lucky enough to secure a berth on her preferred ship to Antartica at a good saving. After [View Full Entry]

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Yes, the sun has largely disappeared from our travels, at least to the extent that it offers enough warmth to combat the wind that that is our new companion. The 4 day, 3 night journey on the ferry saw us mostly confined indoors as outside it was perishing, even with five layers of clothes on! The cabins were petite as you´d expect on a ship, enough that I cracked my forehead on the headboard before learning the confines of this nautical space...... We were pleasantly surprised with the ferry as it is a trip regarded as having high potential to go [View Full Entry]

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So, off to southern Bolivia we went, continuing our high altitude life by not dropping down below 3000m or so. By now we are used to being breathless without any excitement at all!! The morning passed rather uneventfully, trucking our way through a dry, dusty landscape punctuated by the occaisional mountain peak of 5000m or more, usually snow/ice capped, all under a clear blue sky. We stopped for lunch beside a stream that we had to ford (no bridges out here!) where we learnt that if you weren´t in the sun, it was cool enough to need a jumper..... An hour [View Full Entry]

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last time it was all words no pics - this time its the opposite; well virtually! We have been travelling through Bolivia which was largely very scenic but has little infrastructure that actually works - a beautiful disaster one might say! Reliable electricity has been scarce, so internet was beyond our reach for quite some time. Indeed, toilets you didn´t have to build yourself were becoming a fascination for all aboard the truck! I survived the world´s most dangerous ride, which was not nearly as exciting as anticipated as fog and rain obscured the 800m, unguarded drop offs for most of [View Full Entry]

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Firstly, we need to say how lovely it is to get messages from you when they appear in our inbox as they remind us that we have connections and friendships in the ´real´world. Secondly, we wish you all a merry xmas and hope the festive season gives you some time to reflect on your good fortune and to have a wee tipple or two! So, it has been a while since an update and this one is going to cover some fair old ground. In England, you best make yourself a cup of tea, in Aus go and get a coldy........ [View Full Entry]

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Actually, it is a cardinal sin to call Carmen a bus - she must only be referred to as a truck as there is a distinct hierachy amongst drivers, busses being well down the pecking order compared to proper trucks. The title for this update reflects the fact that we have being doing some serious miles thes last 2 weeks or so, mostly ending up in destinations where there is no internet access, hence the radio silence from darkest Peru, a country I am reminded was the original home of Paddington Bear, named as we know after a certain railway station [View Full Entry]

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You have to be a Star Trek fan to get the heading this time, but it sums up our reflection on how all things are comparative and nothing is absolute. After four days in the jungle, and three in the tents for the first time, last night saw us drive the truck into Cuenca, Ecudaors third largest city, and check into a hotel. Smiles from all the ladies as we were allocated rooms of our own, with ensuite bathrooms, hot water, flushing toilets and, if you asked very nicely, hairdryers!!!! Its not as if someone fed you grapes while you soaked [View Full Entry]

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Forced to abandon hope of getting the included breakfast from the hostal on our last day here, we wandered into Sunday morning Quito to see what we could scrounge for ourselves. Having been here a few days now, we boldly shunned Gringo-Town as the 8 or so blocks of the city dedicated to the backpacker-that-can-only-speak-english set are known, and went local. Too local as it turned out - having spotted a place with outdoor seating in the sun, it was quickly apparent that cafe con leche, naranja juice and huaevos ( our combined Spanish words for breakfast being coffee, oj and [View Full Entry]

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awaited us as we arrived in the Galapagos, unknowingly sitting in the plane amongst the 12 other people we were about to share a boat with for 8 days - must have been a block booking by the trip organiser at a guess, but it did cause minor (and brief!) reflection on what we might have said to each other that we wouldn't if we'd known! Reminded me of the perils of discussing work on the Bristol to London line - never know who your unintended audience was! Anyway, it seems we managed to offend no-one as they turned out to [View Full Entry]

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