When you meet other backpackers coming in the opposite direction to you there are a few places that they insist that "you have to go to." Now, like all people, nothing makes me more resistant to an idea than someone telling me I must do it, but in the case of the Colca Canyon it is a good thing that I'm able to overcome my natural instincts. The canyon is the second deepest in the world (the Grand Canyon has got nothing on it, sorry America) and is only surpassed by it's neighbour, the Cotahuasi Canyon. You can do organised tours through the canyon, but why do that when you can just as easily do it yourself? There is little of interest in Cabanaconde, although we did climb a 700m peak which was more of an ... read more

So, now we're in Sucre. We've taken a bit of a diversion from our planned route (clearly it's a rubbish plan as we never stick to it), but with good reason this time. After leaving the jungle we jumped on a bus to Cochabamba (I'll admit that I'd never heard of it either until Ellie mentioned it in the bus station) but although that went off without a hitch, it was in fact a wonderfully scenic journey along winding mountain/valley roads, the same couldn't be said for our attempt to get to Samaipata. As Bolivians are want to do, without warning, some union or other decided to protest about something or other (the people here have many things to vent their anger about), and they figured blocking the roads to Santa Cruz (which we needed) would ... read more

Arriving in to the border town of Villazion was an experience as half the town played host to a carnival of some sort. There were hundreds of kids wearing a variety of colourful outfits and dancing to an off-key brass band. The plaza was a no-go area, but nonetheless Ellie and I found ourselves there trying to reach the town's only cash point. The locals tried to be helpful, by directing us, but they seemed to overlook the carnival and the temporary stands as notable obstacles to our progression! Eventually we passed through the masses, got our cash and then hot footed it to the station. We were told it was 7 blocks from the border, this was a lie of epic proportions, we battled on for what seemed like an age, the altitude adding about ... read more

Back in a bustling metropolis and having our political sensibilities rattled before getting slightly merry in a vinyard and being looked after by an American couple... In the early evening we arrived into Santiago after a rather pleasant bus journey from Concepcion. The bus pulled into the bus station...which doubled as a shopping complex; I have loved to have been in the room when the architects came up with that idea! I'm not sure why it's necessary, it's not like it's duty free or bus related shopping, just a regular mall with regular shops. Who travels 5 hours and wonders if they have the right fridge freezer? It must have made logical sense to someone, but they likely suffered some sort of frontal damage and couldn't quite the breaks on their train of thought! But as ... read more

In this adventure we cross a border, befriend German Psychologists and eat our own weight it tasty, tasty seafood. Another stamp in the passport; Chile. Eleanor admired the detail on the stamp and the fact that it has both blue and red ink; very stylish. It took a while to get here as our proposed route across the Andes was Esquel to Chaiten and then the ferry to the island of Chiloe. However, timetables change and in the off-season this doesn't always get comunicated, which forced us to detour back via Bariloche to cross the border on a bus to Orsono. Chile appears to be slightly paranoid about fruit and vegetables and sniffer dogs are on hand to ensure that none of this dangerous stuff makes it across the border where it could to make a ... read more