http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Travelling-Jim/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Travelling Jim en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:11:01 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:11:01 +0000 When I said it's back into Argentina at the end of my last blog what I really meant was back into Argentina but then through Chile again before reentering Argentina and then crossing once more into Chile in order to get back into Argentina. The reason for this is that we'd reached Tierra Del Fuego literally translated the Land of Fire the archipelago of islands at the tip of the contin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/blog-228279.html Irsquom going to cheat slightly in this blog as although Irsquom focusing on a trek we did in Chile Irsquom going to have to mix in a little bit of Argentina from our southwards journey to get there.And what a journey. You know yoursquove acclimatised to travelling in South America when 72hours of backtoback bussing no longer phases youhellip but Irsquoll come back to that later.I http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Magallanes/Torres-del-Paine/blog-227689.html ... really isn't enough time to see much of the country Whilst in Bolivia we had decided we were just going to skim the surface to really get to know Brazil would take several weeks if not months and would have jeopardised the chances of us making it to Argentina Uruguay and Chile before the end of the year. So the plan was to stick to a week see Rio and Iguazu Falls and then move onto the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/blog-226152.html Another three weeks have passed and our journey through Bolivia is now at an end leaving just Brazil and Argentina to cover before I head back for Christmas and put a fullstop at the end of my travels. For now at leasthellipFirstly I survived ldquoDeath Roadrdquo and looking back I'm glad we did it now. When I was working in London back in July someone sent an email slideshow with vertig http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/blog-216163.html WARNING This blog contains scenes of Guinea Pigs in mild peril. If you are of nervous disposition or perhaps just eating your lunch you may wish to avert your gaze from the photos at the bottom of this page... Gruesome isn't it I really didnrsquot expect it was going to look quite so horrific. I mean wersquod decided we were going to try it you know ldquowhen in Perurdquo etc bu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/blog-211192.html Itrsquos been just over three weeks since I landed in Bogot Colombia where I met Bernard for the beginning of our South American travels. Right now Irsquom actually in Lima Peru but it could well be Glasgow in Scotland how it can be cold enough for me to have to keep breathing on my hands when wersquore at sea level just below the equator on the Pacific coast is something Irsquove y http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/blog-204567.html Captain's log 22nd March in the year 2007. Arrrrrrr. Shiver me timbers 'tis been o'er a week since Captain Bern'sEye left port to return t' England. Before he sailed o'er th' horizon we spent a week on th' Andaman sea fightin' off poisonous jellyfish stingin' sealice mutant mosquitoes an' th' ugliest fish ye've ereseen. Aye my parrot concurrs. Okay enough with the pirate speak. But we certain http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Phuket/blog-140797.html Hi everyone I hope you are all well back home. I've just finished a months' volunteer project working with Sea Turtles on a small island about 4 hours' drive South of Bangkok. Right now I'm sitting at the airport with Bernard waiting for a flight to Phuket where we are doing a week's sailing course and I've forgotten all my theory doh but that will all be part of my next updateWithout http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Ko-Samet/blog-133656.html I can't quite believe this is my final night after nearly three months in China tomorrow it's off to Bangkok to start a month's volunteer work on a turtle conservation project I'm no stranger to charidee etc..I've now been in Shanghai for about a weekorso. It feels strange being on the move and having my freedom again I'd really got used to the routine at the academy when you first arri http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-124297.html Merry Christmas everyone hope you are all having a fantastic and festive yuletide back homeI have to say I've had a great time here there are about 25 of us left at the academy and we all went out and got truly soussed is that how you spell it on the 23rd in Changchun. Amazing how a bit of alcohol can help people bond although I had the worst hangover in about ten years on Christmas Eve http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Jilin/Siping/blog-113451.html It's now been a month since I arrived at the Martial Arts Academy for anyone needing a recap I'm here to learn some Kung Fu for a couple of months before the next leg of my trip which will be to Thailand in February.If I wrote this blog a couple of weeks ago I'd probably have picked a title like The Shawshank Redemption or Prison Break it was certainly a shock to the system having got used http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Jilin/Siping/blog-111477.html I really hadn't thought this through there was me thinking I'll spend four months travelling in a tropical climate forgetting China is in fact a very big place just like the USA where you can have freezing Alaska or sunny Florida. I'm now a few hours' drive away from the Russian and North Korean Border right up in the topright corner if you like it's bitterly cold here I landed in Beiji http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Jilin/Changchun/blog-102810.html hellipand I thought I was going to make it to China without getting it I arrived in Goa late Friday evening by Saturday I didnrsquot feel 100 and went to bed early... the last 48 hours have been both delirious and inconvenient but Irsquom back on my feet again today. Irsquom very lucky my Dad has some contacts here and has put me up in a luxury holiday resort so Irsquove at least http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Goa/blog-100716.html I hope yoursquove guessed from the title that a lot has happened in the last week I left Udaipur to travel to a place called Mount Abu a mere 7 hoursrsquo bus journey away. Before the morning was through Irsquod learned the hard way that you never ask an Indian a leading question when I arrived at the bus station Irsquod found a wiselooking old man standing beside a bus. ldquoD http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Bikaner/blog-98758.html I had to create another section for this I'm meant to be leaving Udaipur tomorrow morning for a place called Mt Abu although just heard the bus has brokenNo matter how hard I try I can't absorb the history of this city in terms of Maharajahs' dynasties. I'm sorry to disappoint anyone who hoped for a more cultural style of reportage but all I can think is 'This is where Roger slid down th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Udaipur/blog-96721.html A week has passed since I landed in India and I am now in the heart of Rajasthan the searingly colourful desert region that borders Pakistan in the NorthWest in a city called Udaipur. This is the one place on my travels that you will all have seen in the Roger Moore Bond movie Octopussy something the locals are keen to remind you of from the moment you arrive practically every hotel an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Udaipur/blog-96198.html Day 3 and time to get my blog going Mumbai is an incredible place you can't begin to take it in in a couple of days. I am amazed at the contrasts some fantastic architecture old and new yet at the same time complete chaos and stark poverty. The people here are extremely friendly and eager to help which has been very reassuring and thankfully English is a main language here.The taxi drive http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-94727.html