The South America of my dreams

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Before I 1st came to Sth America I had a vision in my head of mountainous jungles ,the Sth Am we see in all the movies.I saw many desert like mountains ,without even a blade of grass and I saw great jungles but never the 2 together.In Argentina and Chle the have beautiful snowcapped mountains but still not what I had imagined.I crossed the border into Ecuador ,this week ,and almost imediatly it was the Sth Am of my dreams and as I travel further Nth the jungle gets thicker.
Well Im getting a bit ahead of myself so Ill backtrack and tell how I got here.I was a bit worried that I might have forgotten all the Spanish Id learned last year but as soon as I got on the LAN flight ,in Sydney, I was chatting away like Id never left.I arrived in Lima tired and glad to be at my hotel.Diego (the son) was waiting up for me but I ewas to tired to chat so went straight to bed.Raphael (the Dad) was away.I spent the next few days visiting the people Id met last year.1st day I went to my fave restaurant and the owner came over smilling wildly and sat at my table asking were Id been since last year.It is such a great feeling to be remembered so fondly.Raphael got home on Saturday and we sat and chatted for hours about what wed both done since I left.
I then got the bus to Huaraz.Those who followed my adventures last year (hello Nicole n Phillipa]) will remember when I was in Huaraz there was a big strike and it was a bit dangerous there.Well this year it was calm as could be so I got to do the tour to Chavin and I saw the Cabeza Clava ,the insperation for the tattoo on my belly.
From there I went to Trujillo and got a taxi straight out to the famous beach suburb of Huanchaco.It was the most relaxing place ,Id been to, in Peru.People kept telling me how unlucky I was to have missed the tourist season.I thought I couldnt have been luckier,.It was so relaxing I was even lazier than usual (yes Fabiola it is possible).From here I went to Mancora ,another famous beach party town.
In Mancora I spent a couple of days on the beach and got a tattoo of an Inca Idol on my foot (tattoo number 22).I also did a tour to Tumbes and Puerto Pizzaro ,where we did a boat trip.It was just me and a Peruvian couple on the tour and half way through the boat trip they told me it was their honeymoon.I instantly felt like a 3rd wheel but they told me not to be stupid ,they were happy to have me with them.We spoke to a fisherman who gaves us some fish.After the boat trip we went to a restaurant and our fish became part of a Seafood banquet ,that my Peruvian friends insisted on paying for.
It was then my birthday so I got on bus and got another birthday stamp in my passport (last year was the drama on Paraguay/Bolivia border) and went to Manchalla n had a couple of lazy days ,eating n sleeping, then went to Cuenca.At Cuenca I did a tour to some ancient ruins that are a mixture of pre inca and inca buildings.The othe people who were booked on the tour got sick so I had the 4*4 and English spoeaking tour guide to myself for the day.Very imformative.This morning I left Cuenca and am now in a nice hotel in Guayaquil.
Well thats me up to date now.I cant work out how to upload photos here but will put som on my Facebook later
Chau for now everyone PAUL

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Comments

[Pini]

wow.You are hardcore traveler.Love to travel too :) Can't wait for my south american trip in 13 days! Ill tell u beifly what is our plan.We are going to arrive in Rio.We are going to spend 3 nights there(booked a hostel already)then travil all the way to 'Belem from the coast.Going to Salavador,Fortaleza ect.Then to belem to manaus-Manaus-Iquitos.Fly to Peru go down south to bolvia,chile,Argentina.What do you think?We have 4,400 dollars each.Would that be enuff?If not,how far could I go with it?Would really love if u could respond-U sound like a person who knows a lot about traveling!:) Also I bought the 2010 footprint of South America to be our travel bible.Is that A good book? Thanks in Advance!:)