http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/zusk/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from zusk en-us Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:26:04 +0000 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:26:04 +0000 Cerro Castillo Winter tourism opportunity studyJuly 516 http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Aisen/Cerro-Castillo/blog-14276.html Spent a couple days in the Coastal town of Iquique pronounced ekeykay in Norther Chile. It was strange to be back in Chile it seems so normal and relaxed after being in Bolivia and Peru. Almost done the week long excursion from Ecuador to Patagonia http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Tarapaca/Iquique/blog-14271.html Arrived in Arequipa and saw some road blocks begin. Some of the locals have put burning tires and rocks in the middle of the road protesting the rising gas prices. I got a few photos that should have made the front page newsWe managed to get taxi driver who was willing to take us into the city and avoid the blockades without getting stoned to deathTonight I will try to leave on a bus.....BU http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Arequipa/blog-12184.html Spent 4 days in Vilcababamba Ecuador. Stayed at a hostel called Ichkayluma highly recommend it if you are ever in Ecuador Drank lots of cevezas and did lots of loungin in the hammock Also I was sick when I arrived so i went to a traditional water cleansing ceremony. Similar to the sweat lodges in Canada...It was fuckin HOT but I survived and it cured my sickness http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/South/Vilcabamba/blog-12102.html A very nice city Although I was pissing out my ass and sick for in bed 3 days so i didn039t really get to truly experience the city.....I039m sure it039s nice thougn http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/South/Cuenca/blog-12101.html Spent about 3 days lounging on the beach in Mancora Peru. Got a really good sun tan drank too many cervezas and didnt take any picutres http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Piura/M-ncora/blog-12099.html Some photos from the ruins of Chan Chan near Trujillo. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/La-Libertad/Trujillo/Chan-Chan/blog-12096.html The Cordillera Blanca..I figured id go big and then go to the Beach I attempted Mt. Huascaran 6655m the highest point in Peru is the South summit 6700m but it is impassable this year so we attempted the north summit. Didnt make it but had a beautiful 5 days on the mountain..and cold and hard to breath. Spent 2 nights camped on the ice at 5400m. Hard to sleep up there http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ancash/Huaraz/Mount-Huarascan/blog-10864.html The city of CuzcoPisaqSacsayhuaman Sexy WomanSome photos from my days spent in and around the Cuzco area.June is Inca month and there have been some good parties here in Cuzco. Its impossible to walk the streets at night without getting dragged literally and physically dragged into one of the many fine watering holes. Its even worse if your with celebrity like Chuck NorrisSALUD http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Sacred-Valley/blog-10033.html Absolutley Spectacular 8 day hike from Cachora to Machu Picchu passing through another important Incan site called Choquequirao. 6 gringos 1 guide 2 cooks 5 mules 1 horseman 1 horsemans son and 1 SHEEP HEAD Es Bueno Day 1Cachora to Raqrama.Day 2Raqrama to Choquequirao.Day 3Choquequirao to Maizal.Day 4Maizal to Yanama.Day 5 Yanama to Tatora.Day 6 Tatora to Playa.Day 7 Playa to Puente http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-9947.html So I talked to all the tour agencies in La Paz I was thinking about working for one of them helping out with some mountian guiding. BUT I sort of got a little sick of La Paz and had to get out for a while...I did however meet some Bolivian and Ecuadorian mountain guides who were doing a training course on Mt. Huayna Potosi 6088m and needed some gringos to act as clients...Sounds perfect.So http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/Huayna-Potosi/blog-9099.html Some photos from La Paz. Crazy but safe city. Seems like everybody has something to sell. What do you need I think my favourite part about La Paz was the bowling alley Why use machines when you can use humans to set up the pins Bowling for pins becomes bolwing for humans Throw a bit of Cerveza into the equation and it could get uglyAhhhhhh BOLIVIA http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-8737.html This trip i did with a Danish fellow named Nils. We climbed 5400m Hati Khollu and then hiked 2 days down the Asiru Marka Valley to a little town called Unduavi. Some of the most impressive terrain I have seen in a long time.I was looking forward to a beer in Unduavi but realized that it was nothing more than a desserted town population 1. The only guy in town was some old native fellow wieldi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-9050.html The infamous Silver mines of Potosi I had to do a tour. There are 5000 men and 1000 children still working in the mines. The children youngest being 8 years old make about 1.50 per day. This is pretty good money compared to other kids working on the streets in Potosi. The working conditions in the mine are horrendous I could barely breath after being in there for 5 minutes. The workers u http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-8734.html Sherrie and I travelled from Santiago through Mendoza San Juan and Salta Argentina on our way to the Atacama desert in Chile. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/blog-8405.html From San Pedro de Atacama Chile we hired a guide with a 4x4 who drove us into Bolivia. This trip went through high Andean passes at 5300m and then across the Largest salt flat in the world Salar de Uyuni 12000km sq. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Salar-de-Uyuni/blog-8409.html Don and I spent one week in Tortel assessing adventure tourism products for a Chilean tourism company.We cruised down the Rio Baker Chiles largest river in a zodiac hiked the Patrimonial trail to Stephen Glacier on the Northern Patagonia ice cap and sea kayaked and trekked around the Montt glacier near the Southern Ice cap. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Aisen/Caleta-Tortel/blog-8386.html Beautiful Day hike in Queulat National Park. South of Puerto Puyuhuapi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Aisen/Queulat-National-Park/blog-8282.html Our consulting team also did 2 days of horse back riding near Lago Alto and Lago Lapparent near Cerro Castillo.It was pretty much my first time on a horse. I loved itI reckon Ill have to buy myself a CaballoThe Asado kicks ASS http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Aisen/Cerro-Castillo/blog-8284.html As part of our consulting work with FOSIS in Chile we did a 2 day trek in the Cerro Castillo Reserve with 2 local guides. After the trip our consulting team wrote an assessment and tourism opportunity report. The consulting team was Billy Kelsey Vivianne and Me. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Aisen/Cerro-Castillo/blog-8283.html