Bolivia It seems like ages ago, though in reality is was no more than four years ago that I was sitting in a hot spring on an obscure island in southern Haida Gwaii - in discussion with a man who had at that point a tremendous amount of insight to offer me about the reality of living life versus the unreality of the fiscal game we all play.. Here in South America, everywhere one looks is an example of true life.. I have been given a first hand look at what it must have meant to be alive hundreds of years [View Full Entry]

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La Paz - At once the highest Capital in the world - within the poorest country on the continent, as it is a bustling valley city full of life - nestled into the base of the surrounding snow-capped Andean peaks Bolivia may be the poorest country in South America, but it´s cultural wealth - the mindblowing Andean landscapes - and the remnants of mysterious ancient civilizations make it a rich and exciting destination for all those wanderers who are looking for more than just postcards. One week in Bolivia, and already I feel as if at home [View Full Entry]

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La Paz, Bolivia - The world´s highest Capital As exciting as it is to finally arrive once more in a new country, I must say it has been a trying week in some regards. My journey to the Bolivian Border via nightbus ended abruptly on the Border town of Puno - where I was to change buses, but due to illness could not go on... Acute Mountain Sickness (Altitude Sickness) can be expected when you travel from 200 meters above sea-level in the Jungle to nearly 4000 meters in the space of two days (AMS has quite the effects and has [View Full Entry]

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Manu Biosphere - Amazon Jungle Five days in the Jungle and a lifetime´s experience in one of the strangest and most beautiful rainforests on Earth... April 13 We arrived to meet our Guide at 7am for what would be our ten hour journey up and over the Andes - with a decent from 3500 meters to 400m above sea-level, into the Amazon Basin. Rider, our guide (that is his real name), is a 30 year old English Teacher/Jungle Guide who was born within the northern Jungle near Iquitos... As a native born in the rainforest, one hardly has much o [View Full Entry]

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It is settled... My next vehicle in Canada will be a motorcycle. After an eight hour motorcycle trip with Noel through the Sacred Valley in the Andes (renting two 2005 Honda 250 bikes), it truly is amazing how surprisingly easy it is to learn to ride a motorbike (especially when you have no choice but to learn amoungst Peruvian traffic). "Have you any experience riding a motorcycle Joe?" - "Of course not, never" - "Alright well here´s the clutch, here´s the foot shifter, here´s the brakes.. have fun" .. Hahah.. That´s about the shape of it. Only in South America can [View Full Entry]

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Macchu Picchu ...There is at once both volumes to say about the Macchu Picchu experience as there is a sort of quiet speachless remnant surrounding the entire event... We awoke at 4:45am so as to begin our short ascent from Aguas Calientes to the famed lost city of the Incan Empire before the emergance of the hoarding busloads of tourists (not to be mistaken with backpackers ;-) ). Our train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes the night before was comfortable and we settled into the little town for the night with high anticipation. It is hard to describe the eff [View Full Entry]

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Wandering the docks in search of a reasonable fair for the four hour voyage, it seems that for those of us solo backpackers who don´t subscribe to the beaten path tourist guides and go it alone end up paying more - though well worth it. First to the Uros Islands, then Amantani Island for an overnight stay with a local family and then on to Tanquile Island the following day before cruising back to Puno. Lake Titicaca is as massive as it is beautiful. Early morning broken cloud breaks into blue skies and hot sunny days, then drifts into afternoon shade [View Full Entry]

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Four nights on the Rio Colca... Here we are in Arequipa - Peru´s second largest city, often termed "The White City" because of the light colored stone used to build all the buildings. For a major peruvian city I must say I quite like Arequipa. The people are friendly, the town is clean and the food is good. From here Ang and I set out for a sight of the Colca Canyon (at over 4900 meters deep, it is the deepest canyon in the world)... Our first day we hiked from the small town of Chivay, across an old Incan bridge [View Full Entry]

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Howdy folks! So we have made some serious tracks in the past few days.. Noel decided to stay on in Huaraz for some trekking, so as to meet up down the line in Cusco. Myself and Ang hit the road. After a long night bus with the best seats in the house, I might add (next to the wonderfully smelling washroom), we pulled into Lima City in the wee morning hours. There is something about a coastal desert city of nearly 10 million that doesnt seem to fit, so we carried on our way to Pisco and stayed the night. From [View Full Entry]

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I am not sure exactly how many days I have been in this mountain city of Huaraz for but I am certain it has been over a week. One loses track of days when there is no longer a reason to count them. The trek into the Andes via the Santa Cruz route was both spectacular and unprepared (I´ll post photos upon Angie´s return). The first day´s hike was a long hard day uphill, acsending nearly 1000 feet, but rewarding in every way. An upward climb alongside a river fed by many streams and waterfalls along the way, up into [View Full Entry]

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