http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Kylie-Sugar/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Kylie Sugar en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:48:18 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:48:18 +0000 Lake TiticacaBolivia is exactly how I pictured South America to be dense jungles eerie deserts high altitude cities hot and steamy villages in the low lands... Everything looks like its meant to be here. And it is an amazing if slightly difficult country to explore.I started Bolivia by crossing Lake Titicaca which borders both Peru and Bolivia. One of the highest navigable lakes in the wo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/blog-428944.html CuscoWell after all that adventure in Northern Peru I travelled about a million hours ok slight exaggeration south to Lima before connecting with another 22 hour long bus headed to Cusco. Arriving jetlagged if you can get jetlag from a bus trip I didnt really take in too much of the city. High on the list of priorities was a visit to an awesome pubrestaurant Id heard about in Huarez for a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/blog-420765.html Chiclayo and SipanLeaving the beauty of Ecuador I was extremely suprised to realise that Peru consists of a lot of desert. Hours and hours and hours of it between the coast and the Andes. With Peru being so large and with long bus trips the norm I was suddenly a little doubtful of how I would pass the time without the views I had been used to. With a few overnights planned to stretch my legs in http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/blog-420426.html QuitoWhat a country A New Zealand of the Americas Ecuador is packed with everything you could want moutains beaches volcanoes lakes cities farmland. It is absolutely breath taking although that might have something to do with the altitude. Even though it sits on the equator yep thats where they got the name Ecuador from its mostly high and chilly. Thermals beanies and gloves have bee http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-410595.html Bocas Del Toro Leaving one tropical destination for another was always going to be a risk... what if it is not as good but Bocas Del Toro is an amazing place and a must see if in Panama. Getting there was somewhat of a drama with my travel buddy realising just before the border that she had left her passport behind. So she had to turn around and I continued on. An interesting border crossing it http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/blog-410283.html Monteverde and Santa ElenaLeaving Nicaragua and crossing into Costa Rica was not exactly the smooth border transition Id hoped for. All I can say is expect to wait a while. Everyone I have met has remarked the same so bring a book put on your bikini and work on your tan with the hundreds of other people waiting to cross over. It was nothing if not social I got to make lots of line buddies dur http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/blog-406237.html Leon After leaving the fun filled metropolis of Teguicigalpa I settled into a chicken bus expedition across the border. All was going really fine and I was feeling quite proud of my amazing spanish skills until at a transfer point I saw my pack drive off on top of a shuttle bus without me on it. I was in line for my quesadilla at the time so could only stand and watch. The bus driver had definite http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/blog-403370.html Copan Well after the exciting adventures with the volcanoes and lava I decided a 400am bus journey to Honduras was called for. It turned out to be an excellent idea as it had started pouring just after I got back to my hostel The Black Cat from Pacaya and hadn't paused all night... Sightseeing and rain don't really mix. Given the early hour I had the mini bus practically to myself. This was am http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/blog-399757.html Flores and TikalHeading into Guatemala via a little used border crossing was just a taste of what the real Central America is like and an excellent introduction to Guatemalan time which is well not on time. Despite a very exciting morning my travelling companions slept through their alarm woke up 5 mins before the bus and whilst speedily trying to pack came across a scorpian hiding in their http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/blog-397813.html Mexico CityHola Mexico is certainly one of those places worth visiting. Although perhaps not right now with the influenza possible pandemic situation. How excellent is my timing.Mexico City is certainly not as polluted dirty or rife with crime as everyone says. Although the friendly locals always warned that not under any circumstance ahould I wander outside the streets they suggested. The only http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/blog-394457.html Thank you all for your concern and messages over the past few days. To be honest things dont seem too bad here. Just writing to let you know I am safe and sound. Mexico was getting absolutely ridiculous everything was closed tourist attractions restaurants transport and museums etc and there are a lot of very panicked people. Businesses especially tourism based are suffering and people are http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Flores-Tikal/blog-395535.html