I have just crossed the boarder from Tucan (Ecuador) to Ipialas (Colombia) and it was surprisingly easy. We had absolutely no problems, for the first time everything went incredibly smoothly. The night before entering Colombia, I sat at the bar in the Secret Garden Hostel (Quito, Ecuador) nervously discussing the safest approach into Colombia. We talked to other travellers heading south and got information on the current political situation. We were warned not to catch any night buses in the South of Colombia. Apparently you get a lot of shakedown in which the army take everyone of [View Full Entry]

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This blog contains a short story about a very strange set of events that happened on our first night in San Agustin that managed to rattle Me, Jim and Jerry well into the night! It was nothing to do with the town or its people, it was more about our own fears enhanced by the world media and American gangster movies on Colombia. BACKGROUND ------------- Travelling through the South of Colombia and close to areas well known for FARC rebel activity managed to make me feel slightly nervous. You spend a lot of time on buses looking at all the weapons [View Full Entry]

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The Lonely Planet describes a journey around the Quilotoa Loop as "a little confusing" - Ha! Your not kidding. After being dumped on the outskirts of Latacunga, catching a local bus with goats on the roof, daring some of the most dangerous roads in South America and getting completely lost hiking from Laguna Quilotoa to Chugchilán, I am just happy to find my way back to civilisation in one piece! I first found out about the remote Quilotoa Loop from another backpacker in Banos. Like every other traveller I consulted the The Lonely Planet to find out more. It was obvious [View Full Entry]

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You kick your crampon into the ice and take another swing with the climbing axe. Your arms begin to weaken as you fearfully look below while checking your harness and safety rope. You stop for a moment to catch you breath while getting instructions from the guide. Suddenly you slip, become disoriented and are left dangling by your life line. It takes a moment to register that you are hanging from the side of a glacier in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range. The views are spectacular but that's the last thing on your mind. You wonder for a moment what the [View Full Entry]

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Being woken up at the break of dawn to spectacular views of the Andean mountains. Your back hurts from sleeping on a ground mat in freezing conditions. You drink water from the rivers and breath in the ice cold air. The poorest Andean children come from miles around just to meet the strange gringos crossing their land. The altitude sickness takes over and you feel the pain in your lungs. The blisters on your feet make you feel like you can´t go on. Suddenly you are motivated by another member of the expedition. The views are breathtaking as you march on [View Full Entry]

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Why would you choose to illegally bribe your way into South Americas most notorious prison? Would you like to talk with some of the worlds most famous drug traffickers? Perhaps you want to know how they got caught? You could ask about the secrets of drug smuggling? Or maybe you just want to see the conditions for yourself? Why not have a game of pool, play video games or watch the footie. For a little extra you could see general population, or even better the cocaine manufacturing plant. Maybe you would like to order a prostitute and stay the night while [View Full Entry]

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The air is thin and your lungs feel like they are going to explode. At an elevation of 4760 metres above sea level you begin to suffer the effects of altitude and a serious lack of oxygen to the brain. You feel fearless as you cycle through the clouds and down dirt roads at lightening speed. You begin to feel your bike slide on the gravel while dodging boulders and pot holes. You look down the side of the road into oblivion. The fear takes over and you wobble for a moment on you mountain bike. Suddenly it hits you, you [View Full Entry]

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The air was unbearably hot, the tunnels were cramped, and the atmosphere was filled with dust and asbestos generated from the blasting of rock. Together with the uncomfortable knowledge that Australian experts predicted the tunnels should have collapsed 4 years ago, I was on an adrenaline fuelled adventure deep into the silver mines of Potosi at an elevation of 4000 metres above sea level. This was no tour and there was no health and safety. I had to sign away my life in exchange for a day of extreme insanity that pushed my mind, body and soul to its limits! We [View Full Entry]

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Potosi is a city of beauty, madness and adventure. Maybe its the altitude sickness that creates a distorted view of the city or the insanity of crawling around in the Potosi Silver mines while hyperventilating asbestos dust makes this city appealing. With the option of creating a massive bomb out of Nitro-glycerine and Ammonium Nitrate I cant possibly understand why this city only appeals to insane travellers naturally high on altitude! Already suffering altitude sickness at 3653 metres above sea level, I decided to jump on an old tin bus with four other travellers heading for the highest [View Full Entry]

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Nitro Glycerine (Dynamite), Ammonium Nitrate (Fertiliser) and a 4 minute fuse.. A recipe for disaster? Probably, but what a surreal experience to unexpectedly run fuelled on adrenaline with five sticks of dynamite, a bag of fertiliser and a lit fuse in hand. Sliding down the side of a mountain and stumbling over rocks in a complete panic before carefully placing the dynamite on the ground. Scrambling uphill faster then lightening followed by a deafening explosion behind that rocks an entire mountain range which almost throws you to the ground! Probably the scariest 4 minutes of my life! [View Full Entry]

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