dthompson

After a short stay in Lake Titicaca, we boarded our bus to Arequipa. After reading about unsafe roads and sketchy bus rides (due to fluctations in altitude and windy roads), we decided to take a more expensive bus company - Cruz Del Sur. This company did not hold back on security measures. We were lined up, padded down, metal detected, bag searched, and video taped before, during and after boarding the bus. We thought to ourselves: hmm, this has to be the safest bus ride ever or the most dangerous situation we have ever put ourselves through. Although, we felt our personal belongings were safe, we were not sure how all the security measures would make the bumpy roads more safe... but on to more interestings things. We arrived safely in Arequipa. The climate was warmer ... read more

We were so excited the night before that we literally only got 2-3 hours of sleep!! As we walked from our hostel to the plaza at 4am we were impressed to see that the Saturday night life in Cusco was in full swing. As we boarded the bus barely awake, we were greeted with a round of applause by our 17 porters (the Red Army)...yup, this was going to be a wicked adventure! We arrived at km 80 to gear up and set off. The weather was gorgeous and both of us were feeling better at this altitude (2700m versus 3300m in Cusco). We passed Inca sites, local villages, winding rivers, and beautiful flora/fauna. We met up with our Red Army a few hours later (they had passed us each carrying 25kg) for lunch...wow, we had ... read more

One month later...and South America has stolen my heart...I have fallen in love with Chile and Argentina! I'm so excited to learn spanish and start a proper trip...probably 6 months or so ;) Back in Buenos Aires I checked into my hostel which was right downtown with a rooftop terrace...excellent! The sun was shining so I headed out to explore the neighbourhood of San Telmo which is home to BA's main tango culture ~ it's full of cobbled streets and aging mansions. In the past it had really low rents which attracted artists but now there are also several funky boutiques and antique stores. I definitely wanted to augment my wardrobe with a splash of BA so I may have done a little shopping ;) Three wicked dresses and one trendy shirt later I was satisfied! ... read more

After a 21 hour over-night bus ride from Bariloche the last thing I wanted to do was explore but as soon as we arrived I knew that I had saved one of the best cities for last...wow, I have fallen for BA! It´s been described as the Paris of South America with its plazas, parks, cafes, and architecture...it´s truly a beautiful city and I definitely have to live here one day (after I learn spanish!). We headed out shopping for a hot outfit for our tango lesson and first night out in BA. I didn´t really think my sneakers, black cargo pants, and long sleeve Joe Fresh shirt fit the scene ;) After that was done we all crashed for a nap (this is a must before heading out on the town in BA...this city is ... read more

A fews days at the tip of Patagonia to rejuvenate was next on our agenda...we travelled to the German settlement of Puerto Varas (pop 32,000). It was raining when we arrived but the lake view from my room window was still pretty stunning! Our hostel was 5 older homes that had been connected by passage ways so we spent some time getting lost as we tried to find our rooms and then each other! I was in need of some tea and journal time so a few of us found a cozy cafe overlooking the lake and spent the rest of the afternoon sipping green tea, submarinos (a stick of chocolate melted in warm milk), and eating pastries. We chatted, played cards, read, and relaxed :) Wonderful day! Our day on Chiloe Island was very cool. ... read more