As we come to the end of the decade, I think back 10 years ago to the brink of the Millennium, when I was still in school and not quite old enough to drink (....), and I wonder what my reaction would have been if someone had told me then where I would be and what I would have done in the following 10 years. Some parts wouldn't have surprised me, like the trip to the Middle East and Europe, as the dream to visit those countries preceded 1999, but if I were told that my absolute travelling highlight would have been South America, I definitely wouldn't have believed it. But more on the nostalgic reminiscing later. First what have I been up to since I made the flight back from the warmer climes of Guatemala? ... read more

Upon getting back to Buenos Aires, I had much more success, as this time, I didn't have a single thing thrown on me! After heading back to the hostel, I spent most of the day ticking off a list of odd jobs to do before my much anticipated visit to La Cabrera. La Cabrera is a highly recommended steakhouse, both from Lonely Planet and from fellow travellers. One even said it was better than Don Mario's, and that's high praise! Unfortunately, I was one of the unlucky ones and wasn't at all impressed by my steak there. They did have Wagyu steak on the menu so I may return there to see if that is any better. Over the next couple of days, I checked out some of the last things I wanted to see in ... read more

What a start! We jumped across the Argentinean border and headed into Salta. We got there after sunset and headed straight for a steak restaurant and the steak lived up to it's billing. I was brought a 700g monster that was delicious as well! The following day we got to see a bit of Salta by sunlight before we headed off again and straight away it became one of my favourite cities on the trip. It was very open, sunny and had beautiful backdrops and buildings everywhere, especially around the main plaza. So after one day, Argentina is already jostling with Costa Rica as my favourite country. I am glad I have an extra 2 and a half weeks travelling through here after the tour finishes. So after Salta, it was more celebration as 2 guys ... read more

So after the cultural extravaganza of Arequipa and Lake Titicaca, we headed towards Cusco, the former capital of the Incan Empire, for the highlight of the South American trip, the Incan Trail. It was an inauspicious start, as there were protests throughout the country, which are apparently a regular thing. From the word on the street, the government is simply focused on lining it's pockets, especially at the expense of the natives. Hence there were road blocks in place and a drive from Puno to Cusco that should have only taken 8-10 hours, took over 16. On this one trip, I spent over 10 and a half hours playing 500! We eventually made it to Cusco just after midnight after a plethora of dodgy mountain roads, and to celebrate, we went straight out to the bars ... read more

Well after Colombia, it was another very early flight into Quito. Before arriving, almost every person I had spoken to had a bad word to say about Quito, and only for one reason. Crime. They had either been mugged or pickpocketed, and in one case, ended buying their stolen camera from a store the following day! But for me, I loved the city straight away. I can't tell you exactly why, but it just seems really laid back and there is so much to do. I suppose it could also be the lack of oxygen to my brain due to the altitude. Either way, I like it. After I had checked in and dumped my stuff, I went and explored a bit of the New Town and got things ready for when my tour starts in ... read more