Brazil - Sun, Sand, Sea and Sexy People

We saw the Iguazu Falls from both the Argentina and Brazil sides and they were absolutely amazing.  Pictures just don't do it justice, you have to see it with your own eyes!!! The majestic water falls along with the roaring sounds they make were just unreal.  I heard that the Angel Fall is great but it's one big fall, whereas the Iguazu Falls are made of a number of falls and it's massive!!!

The next day, we headed off to Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil.  We were there for 2 days and frankly speaking, it was disappointing.  I guess it's a monstrous city, more for living instead of visiting. The so called landmarks looked like buildings that have been bombed!

One good thing though, there is an area called Liberdade, it has the largest Japanese community outside of Japan in the world!  That is, where you will find RAMEN!!!  Both nights we just hung around Liberdade and ate double our body weights. 

Further, we had a rather interesting experience the first night.  We booked into a sex hotel accidentally (we found it on hotels.com and someone had actually rated on it so we thought it was a legit place); we weren't in a very good area and it was getting late. So we decided to stay for one night. Our bed was octagon with full length mirrors on each wall.  There was no duvet or blankets on the bed, everything looked disgusting and the only English chanel they had was hardcore porn.  Later that night, we heard someone getting spanked.  It was an interesting experience.

We were in Sao Paulo for 2 nights before heading off to Fernando de Noronha, the Hawaii of Brazil. 

It houses some of the world's best beaches such as Praia do Sancho and it is where many Brazilians go to for their honeymoon.  Fernando is also a turtle sanctary so it was nice to see baby turtles being dug out of their birth ditches and watched them race to the sea.  Fernando is bloody expensive.  The longer you stay, the more tax you have to pay.  The accommodations and food were really expensive but it was totally worth it.

We were in Fernando for 2 weeks and were lucky enough to stay at a really nice place with air-con, hot water and cable TV.  Soft sand, crystal clear water, beautiful beaches but most importantly, there were NO RUBBISH on the beach.  And basically NO ONE with you.  Most of the time, you go to beaches with like a zillion people around you and tons of rubbish and crap all over the place.  But you don't get that in Fernando which made it worth it.  We felt like we had had the beaches exclusively to ourselves for 2 weeks.

After 2 weeks of doing absolutely nothing but sunbathe and swim, we headed off to Rio for 4 days.

Rio de Janeiro - January River - the marvellous city.  It houses one of the New Seven Wonders of the World i.e. Christ the Redeemer, a massive statue overlooking the city.  It was great but why that's on the New Seven Wonders of the World list but Angkor Wat isn't is beyond me.

Anyhow, Rio was lovely.  We visited some of the famous beaches such as Ipanema and Copacabana, Sugar Loaf and Santa Teresa (colonial area, cobblestone streets).  Rio's setting reminds me of Hong Kong.  A magnificient city among hills and mountains with river/sea surroundings.  It's funny how sometimes, the things that you want have always been there, you just don't notice it.

Anyway, you haven't been to Brazil if you haven't had the Brazilian BBQ where you eat till you die.  Before your drinks come, you would find meat whacked onto your plate and I shit you not, the meat is incredible. The lamb, beef, pork, you name it.  There were so many different types of meat, different cuts and different ways of cooking them. We had a great time but we nearly died from eating so much.

We didn't see any Gisele walking around but we saw a lot of butt cheeks hahahaa...Brazil was the most expensive city we have visited in South America but all in all, we had had a fantastic time in Brazil.  If anything, we will definitely go back for the Brazilian BBQ!!!

Don't Cry for Me Argentina...

June 2nd, we took a bus from Santiago to Mendoza but we only stayed there for 2 nights, our aim was to hit as many winery in a day as possible.  We hit managed to hit four which wasn't bad, considering we woke up late and didn't start until 1pm!  We visited the Carinae, Di Tommaso, Vina el Cerno and another new one which I can't remember the name.

As most of you know, I don't drink, so the highlight of the day was when a lovely girl we met during our wine tour got so hammered, she fell off her bike and the police had to escort her back to the bike store.  It was seriously hilarious!  The funniest thing I have seen in a while.  It was priceless!

My hubby had a great time and I did too, to see the winery and learn about wine making.  You haven't been to Mendoza if you haven't done a wine tour.

On June 4th, we headed off to Buenos Aires via a pimp bus with 180° seats and individual entertainment system, which made the 13-hour bus journey much more enjoyable.

We were in BA for 5 nights and I tell you, this city NEVER SLEEPS.  We went to a restaurant at 7:30pm and were told we were too early and that we should return after 8pm!  Our restaurant started filling up at 11pm.  Argentines party HARD.  They drink at 8pm, dine at 10pm, then hit the clubs at 2am!!!

We felt like complete douche bags and were ready to rot in an old folks home! However, we did manage to kill the meat there BIG TIME.  The amount of food we had had was simply offensive.  By the last day, I couldn't eat anything the following morning because we had eaten so much.

The meat there was outstanding, the night life was crazy, the cities were pretty and although on the surface, the people in BA seemed rather stuck up, once you get to chat with them, you would learn that they are really friendly and helpful!

Apart from the food, the Recoleta Cemetery was the highlight of my trip in Argentina.  It's like a mini town inside the thick walls which surround the cemetery.  The stonework, the marble, the statues were absolutely fascinating.  It's for the elite of Argentina such as doctors, judges, politicians and of course, Evita. I loved it so much I had to go back and visit it again before we left BA.

Is it wrong to say that I have fallen in love with a cemetery? But seriously, if you ever go to BA, you will know what I mean, the Recoleta Cemetery is really unique and I have never ever seen anything like it before.

Apart from that, we did the usual touristy stuff and visited all the places like City Center, Recoleta, Palermo etc...the second highlight was the Zoo in BA.  Within such small area, you could find white lions and tiger, hippos, monkeys, elephants, lions, polar bear, bears, rhino and so on.  We planned to roam around it but ended up staying there for about 3 hours!!!

During our stay in BA, we took a day trip to Colonia in Uruguay.  I am not sure why anyone would say that you should stay there for a week, I mean it was a lovely little town (the historical town anyways) but half a day was enough for us!  The town was peaceful, colonial and very pretty but I would recommend doing a day trip only.

June 10th came and we were really excited about flying off to Iguazu until we were told by our hotel that the BA airport had closed because of the ash cloud from the Chile volcano eruption and most flights were cancelled.  We were gutted because we have already booked the hostals and the following flights to and within Brazil which we couldn't change, everything was back to back.

If you have experienced the London ash cloud incident a year ago, you would know how we felt.

Anyhow, we were still told to go to the airport and there, we wait, wait and wait. 11am came and we were told to wait another hour.  12pm came and we were told to continue to wait until I went up and told the staff we had to make other arrangements and we couldn't wait any longer.  I know no one can predict the weather but seriously, go or no go, you are talking about a plane taking off, of course people knew.

Long story short, we were finally told our flight was canceled, so we took a taxi to the bus station and hopped onto the next available bus to Iguazu.  So an hour and a half flight journey turned out to be an 18-hour bus ride.  By the time we got to Iguazu, it was 8am and luckily, our hostal was willing to change the booking dates and our room was ready!!! By the time we crossed the Brazilian boarder and finally arrived to see the falls, it was a good 24 hour from when the time we arrived at the BA airport!

Having said that, the Iguazu Falls were magnificent.  The roaring of the water, the wind in your face and the grandness of the view, the experience was nothing but majestic.  No wonder why it's one of the 50 places you should see before you die.

We have really enjoyed our trip in Argentina, with double our belly volume and many fantastic memories, we will be heading off to Brazil tomorrow and I can't wait to kill the beaches while my hubby takes down the Brazilian barbecues!

BREAKING NEWS: There is no egg or bunny on Easter Island, Chile

REPORTING (not exactly live but maybe a week later..) BREAKING NEWS that there is no egg or bunny on Easter Island!!!

Yes, you heard me.

However, there are fascinating myths, legends, archaeological sites, friendly locals, surf and dive sites and most importantly, the man-like statues known as Moai.

You can probably visit all the sites on Easter Island in two days by car, in which you don't have to rush from one place to another.  However, to make the most out of our 5-hour plane journey from Chile, we decided to stay for 5 days which was totally worth it.

The main sites are as follows: Ahu Akivi (7 Moai), Ahu Tongariki (15 Moai), Ahu Hanga Kio'e (1 Moai), Ahu Vai Uri (4 Moai), Ahu Tahai (1 Moai), Ahu Ko Te Riku (1 Moai with a hat), Ahu Nau Nau (at Anakena Beach, the most well preserved Moai on the island, all with hats), Orongo Village, Rano Kau Crater and Rano Raraku (the nusery of Moai, where all Moai are made).

We got a gentleman named Paul, to tour us and he is an archaeologist and hotel owner on Easter Island, he probably knows more about anything and everything of Easter Island than the locals do.

Anyhow, the mystery of Easter Island has always been about the Moai:

- Who built them?

- What are they?

- Why are they all knocked over?

- Why do they stop making them...etc?

Well, they were built by the locals according to the reflection of the local men. They believed the souls of the dead would come back and stay in the Moai and would protect the village or field the Moai looked upon.

In the 18th Century, most of the Moai were standing but by mid 19th Century, not one was standing.

Legend has it that a man went to Tongariki and wanted chicken heads, he didn't get any and he tapped his feet against the stone foundation and all statues fell.  Another famous one is about an old woman who was a cook and could move the huge stone statues with super power!  One day, she came back and found that the workers had eaten a lobster and didn't leave any for her.  She was so angry that she told all the statues to fall down and all subsequent production halted.

However, there are more reasonable and modern explanations for the fall and desertion of work - tribal warfare, earthquake, the ocean washing them away and even the modern day requirements for the stones from the statues!

The statues are STUNNING, some sites have one or two, while another is a massive nusery. Like the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu, pictures and words do not do it justice, you have to see it with your own eyes.

They are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G...they are M.A.R.V.E.L.L.O.U.S!!!

You could be walking along the coast and suddenly, there is this massive stone statue shaped like a human right in front of you.  There is so much history behind them and it's heart-breaking to see so many of them with their faces down, broken, damaged or even 1,000ft below the water. Recently, a tourist tried to cut off an earlope of one of the statues just so he could bring it home!!!

When we were at Rano Raraku (the nusery), we could not believe our eyes, there were just statue heads everywhere, taller than us, staring at different directions, like they were posing for photos. 

With beautiful blue sky, crispy air and the mystery of the Moai, Easter Island was truly worth visiting. 

We missed the star-gazing in San Pedro but let me tell you this, NO WHERE can you see more stars and clearly than on Easter Island.  If the desert is nowhere in Chile, then Easter Island is in the middle of nowhere on earth!!!

Although I am not a kid, I must admit I was still slightly disappointed when I learnt that there was no chocolate egg or a single bunny on Easter Island.  The name came from the day it was discovered, an Easter Sunday.

If you have a list of 50-Places-To-Go-Before-You-Die, Easter Island should definitely be on your list.

Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile - Have I Dreamt of You?

Santiago, the capital of Chile, has so much to offer. 

Great tourist attractions such as the Cathedral, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, Museo Historical Nacional, Cerro Santa Lucía, Cerro San Cristobal, Bellavista area, nearby vineyards such as Viña Concha y Toro and many others for wine tasting and learning the process of wine making. 

There is great food and a huge central market with fresh seafood, extremely friendly and helpful people...Santiago is a great place for travellers to stay for a few days longer than usual and just sit back and chill. 

We have been in Santiago for about 6 days, just chilling in the city, sightseeing and taking day trips here and there.  After traveling for a while, it's nice to have a long hot shower without worrying about the electricity going off or getting freezing cold water with foam in your hair.  Plus, a clean flushing loo and a nice cable TV are such luxury, especially after coming from Bolivia.  It's also nice to be able to cook (not me, my hubby does the cooking) instead of going out every night.

We also took a day trip to the nearby city, Valparaiso, which is also known as the Jewel of the Pacific and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It was highly recommended to us by a number of travellers but I must admit when we first got there, we were really disappointed.  It was a port with bloody wires everywhere and old but not colonial buildings.  It looked like a complete shit hole but when we went up to Cerro Concepción, we understood why people like it so much. 

It's hard to describe Cerro Concepción, it's an area with gorgeous old and colorful houses, like the ones you see in a puzzle or a Disney movie, then there is graffiti everywhere but not like some back alleys in New York.  It's really safe to walk around, it's almost unreal to see with your eyes.  I have never seen anything like it.  It's a really unique place...like somewhere you would see in your dreams, that it's weird but normal at the same time. 

There isn't much to do in Valparaiso but I think Cerro Concepción alone is worth the trip there.  I mean, how often do you get to visit your dreams in real life?

San Pedro de Atacama and Mount Sairecabur - The Hardest Thing I Have Ever Done

We just arrived Santiago last night (21 May 2011).

 It's so nice to be able to unpack and hang your clothes up for a few days, instead of living straight from your backpack.  Cable TV, hot shower that doesn't turn cold suddenly or simply stop functioning. 

I miss city life...

It's also good to catch our breaths as we had gotten to a point of our travels where we were just too exhausted to do anything.  When we were in San Pedro, we didn't do the Moon Valley, didn't see the geysers or lakes because after 3 days on the Uyuni 4x4 Tour, we had seen enough valleys, rocks and geysers!!

Not only that, we were too tired to do the stargazing which looking back, I don't regret not doing it but it would have been nice if we did.  Neither did we sandboard because all our energy were sucked out of us after we did the Mount Sairecabur trek, which was our ultimate 6,000m altitude goal.

If you have been keeping up with my blog, back in Arequipa in Peru, we were going to do the 'easiest' 6,000m altitude trek but the tour company couldn't provide us with the right equipments - jackets, snow boots etc...

So when we were in La Paz, I thought of doing it but since we just had our stuff stolen, I was in no mood to do anything challenging.  Then, I thought a lot about it in when we were in the Amazon Jungle and in Sucre.  All the 'what if...' and I hated it.

I hate regrets.  I rarely ever regret.  The Arequipa incident wasn't our fault but part of me still felt that something was missing.  So when I was reading up on San Pedro and found out that we could do a trek to Mount Sairecabur, which some say is 6,045m, and some say 6,006m, we decided straight away to do it.

It was something we had to do.  No considerations involved, no questions asked. 

Well, to sum it up, we DID NOT get to 6,000m but still, it was the hardest physical thing I have ever done. 

It was harder than the second day of my first trek in Huaraz (Peru), harder than the 2,500 steps up to Machu Picchu at 4am, and harder than the half marathon (21km) I did two years ago.

The weather was wild and unpredictable.  One moment, it's nice and cool, next moment, the wild wind just about blew our heads off.  It was cold, but that was the least of our problems.  At such high altitude, every step took huge efforts.  You would be walking like an old man and would have nothing on your mind but to try and breathe!!!

To make matters worse, there were snow so deep that you would take one step, have to lift your leg from the ditch, balance yourself with another and do the whole thing again until you get to an area with less snow.  Add to that, we were at about 5,000m above sea level.

Then, there's the ice.  Anyone who has walked on ice knows exactly what I am talking about.  Again, add to that, we were at about 5,000m above sea level PLUS we were walking UPHILL!!!

Anyhow, so finally, we got to 5,700m where we could clearly see the top, from there, you would think 'oh no worries, no matter how hard, I can make it.'

WRONG. 

The previous 4 and a half hour trek was a piece of cake compared to what was ahead of us.  It was strictly a 45° UPWARD...and we were not walking on ice or snow, we were CLIMBING on ALL FOURS (our hands, our legs) up a steep slope with unsteady rocks. It was like I was in a movie where every step I took, when I look down, I could see the rocks falling down the slope!!

It wasn't technical, no.  But if we fell, we would have terribly injured ourselves in the middle of nowhere.

Nevertheless, we continued our best to climb like our lives depended on it.  Then, one of the guys trekking with us got really sick from the altitude and started vomiting.  He got really dizzy and couldn't stand up at all. 

The rest of us were busy climbing upward and trying to breathe!  We didn't realize until our guide stopped us at 5,900m and that was when we were told that the peak we were staring at wasn't the top (6,000m) and that there was ANOTHER 2 hours to go after this initial peak, as we had to go down and then up again. 

I was like, what the fuck? We are at 5,900m and we have another TWO FUCKING HOURS???  Mind you, after trekking for 4 and a half hours at such extreme weather and condition, the sudden realization that you have another 2 hours to go was a big hit.  Especially when you thought you were about to cross the line!

But that wasn't why we didn't continue. Since we only had one guide, if we continued to go another 2 hours, we would have to descend a path different from the one we ascended from.  However, that sick guy COULD NOT even stand on his own, there was no way he could make it back to the van without us. 

In the end, we all had to leave, he had to be CARRIED by Rupert, our guide and a third guy because he could bearly walk. I think he was hospitalized after we parted.

So, we didn't get to the 6,000m we hoped we would but at the end of the day, we have tried our best and things happen.  It wasn't the sick guy's fault either.  It was just tough luck I guess.  But I don't regret it because I have already broken my own personal record.  I feel sorry for Rupert though but again, there was nothing we could do.

We tried our best and I have absolutely no regret now.  It was a day I would never forget because I have never put my life on something like that before.  It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, and probably one of the stupidest things too because of my own stubborness.

Anyhow, that's why we weren't able to do anything else in San Pedro.  Stargazing and sandboarding were at the bottom of our list.  However, San Pedro was a nice little place to chill...as long as you don't try to kill yourself like we did.

Having said that, during our stay at San Pedro, we managed to go cyclying in the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world.  It was really fun as it was the first time Rupert and I went cycling together.  Also, it was a bit like in Salar de Uyuni in which it was really unworldly.  It was like we were cycling on MARS!!! You see no one, you hear nothing but just you and the crazy red rock or sand formation around you...like somewhere Superman lives!

Nevertheless, I didn't think I would live the day to say this but traveling can be quite tiring.  So we look forward to taking things slowly in Santiago...just touristy stuff and probably wine tasting but nothing crazy.

Yet again, never let yourself regret about anything.  Sometimes, don't think.  JUST DO IT.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia - An Unworldly World

We took a long bus ride from Sucre to Potosi (the highest city in the world) but didn't stop there as there

was nothing but a mine that tourists can visit.  We have claustrophobia and didn't think it would be the best idea especially at our old age.

Anyhow, we went from Potosi to Uyuni, which was a complete shit hole.  There was absolutely nothing there.  We stayed at one of the most expensive places and the walls were dirty, there were hair and yellow marks on the floor etc...it was more like having a public loo in our bedroom.  Also, the whole town didn't have electricity until like 8pm so we just stayed in our smelly room to play cards.  In my opinion, it is not worth it to stay more than one night in Uyuni.  The only reason we were there was because we wanted to do the 3-day Salar de Uyuni Tour.

After a month of trekking, it was nice to be able to sit in a 4x4 and just relax, take photos and get driven to places.  In the 3 days, we visited the Train Cemetery which was just an area with parts of rusted trains but it was fun to see, the Colchani Town for a bit of shopping, all the different lagoons (red, green, white etc), greysers which was really cool, hot springs (we didn't go in because it was too cold and we couldn't be bothered to change haha...), the famous Arbol de Piedra (the stone tree) and of course, the Salar de Uyuni.

The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flats in the world.  It is an unworldly world.  When we went, it was too wet to drive through to the Fish Island but not wet enough to see the whole place in reflection which kind of sucks. Nevertheless, it was an unreal experience.  The salt mounts were really cool, the little reflections we saw were unreal, the sky was crystal clear and it was just a unique experience to pick up a lump of salt from the ground and stick it in your mouth!!!  Like Machu Picchu, pictures cannot do it justice, you have to see it with your own eyes!

On the way, we also saw llamas, vicuñas (funny looking deers), flamingos, vizcachas (wild desert rabbit) and foxes (one got really close to me which was real cool).  The scenery was just amazing - beautiful valleys, colorful desert, stunning rock formations and so on.

The only negative thing about Uyuni and the 3-day trip was that it was bloody freezing.  It was COLD but well worth it because the whole experience was unique and it was an easy way for us to end our trip in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.  We got a post-dated stamp from the Bolivian immigration back in Uyuni and it took about 5 seconds.  So when we crossed the Bolivia-Chile border, it was really easy.

We are now in San Pedro and the 6,006m Mount Sairecabur is our ultimate goal!!!

Sucre - the White City of Bolivia

Sucre, the White City of Bolivia. It´s a pretty little city, with lovely white and historical buildings.  It´s so different from La Paz, from people, to structures to what to do...

The rocks of Cal Orck'o (dinosaur footprints) date back to about 68 million years.  Although we couldn´t see the footprints up close, it was just incredible to see them.  We also visited the Casa de la Libertad, the famous Chapel of the Virgen de Guadalupe (which was painted in 1601 and covered with jewels), the Cathedral and the local markets for delicious local food.

You can pretty much stroll around the city aimlessly because it´s just so pretty and the people are really friendly.

Then, we did a 2-day Maragua Crater Trek with Condor Trekkers which was excellent.  The scenery was stunning, the trek was really fun as you get the river, stone, mud, sand and the whole package!  Also, the trek goes up and down, up and down so you never feel bored. 

We were close to doing the 3-day trek because it´s the same as the 2-day trek except that you also get to visit the dinosaur prints UP CLOSE!  Unlike in the city, where you can only look at it from far away, apparently you can literally sit in the dinosaur print!!!  However, you have to carry your own bag, like sleeping bag, tent, food, snack, clothes (it´s cold) etc...and you can´t hire a donkey, thus, in the end, we chose to do the 2-day trek instead.  But if you are fit enough, you should do the 3-day trek.  Where else in the world can you sit in a dinosaur footprint?

If you are in Sucre and want to do a trek, I highly recommend Condor Trekkers (http://www.condortrekkers.org/). It is a non-profit organization and all their proceeds support local children and communities in need.  They are well organized, the guides are very professional, the volunteers are fantastic, they feed you till you explode, they provide all equipments you need like backpacks, sleeping bags etc and it´s all included in the price already, no hidden costs.

It was really nice to see how our guide (Henry) gave snacks and stuff to little kids throughout our journey.  The experience was superb. It´s like doing a trek and giving to charity at the same time.  You won´t regret it, I promise.

One other thing, it was rather unbelievable to learn that one of the villages we passed only had electricity in 2011!!! This is one of the reasons why I love traveling, it really makes you humble.  It reminds you how you shouldn´t take electricity, clean water, hot shower or a proper loo for granted.

I see so many kids here play with plastic bags and bottles from the streets...and at home in Hong Kong, many parents dress their kids in Ralph Lauren! It reminds me how lucky I am and that there is so much more to life than just money and climbing up the company ladder.

We will be heading off to Uyuni tomorrow, it´s going to be amazing!!! I can´t wait.

La Paz and the Amazon Jungle, Bolivia

La Paz - the highest capital in the world, raised above 3,660m sea level - is a gorgeous city filled with historical buildings, rich culture, markets, indigenous people, colorful garments and much more.

As any tourist would, we visited the central plaza, Cathedral, saw the alpaca fetus and special herbs in the Witches Market etc...we were too chicken to visit the La Paz Prison or the "World´s Most Dangerous Road" (from La Cumbre to Coroico). I refused to mountain bike there as I believe my number is not up yet.

We bumped into a German family we met during the Colca Trek and had a nice dinner with them.  Then on May 5 2011, we flew to Rurrenabaque and took a 5 hour boat ride to Pampas, the first part of our Amazon Jungle adventure.

During the day, we went wildlife watching, we saw lots of things like squirrel / howler / night monkeys, black / spectacled caimans, snakes, capybaras (the largest rodents), turtles, squirrels, armadillos and lucky enough, we saw a SLOTH.  We went looking for anacondas and jaguars but were unsuccessful.  It´s like looking for a needle in a haystack.

In the afternoon, we swam with pink dolphins which was such a unique experience.  They come up and swim next to you, nibble on your toes or foot and play with you.  It was just an incredible experience.  Then at twilight, we went fishing for piranas (fish with crazy teeth), they were pretty scary but I was lucky enough to catch one haha...

At night, we took a boat ride in the river, and when our guide turned off the lights and engine, all that were there were you, the sound of the jungle and the starry night, which reminded me of Van Gogh´s famous painting.  It was truly a privilege to experience it.  No words or photos could do such moment justice.

We were in Pampas for 2 nights, before we headed off to Madidi, the second part of our Amazon Rainforest adventure. We stayed at a gorgeous lodge with friendly and professional stafff.  We saw walking trees, strangular fig (trees that kill trees), jaguar prints, red howler / cappuccino monkeys, taranchula, monkey frog, jungle papaya (pre-historic tree, it has thorns on its body to prevent dinosaurs from eating them, pretty cool), leaf cutter / bullet / fire ants, owl butterfly and so on...

We were REALLY lucky to see a giant ant-eater, wild pigs, a tucan (you can usually hear them but it´s hard to see them) and spider monkeys. 

The jungle experience was truly amazing.  Although we were bitten to bits, it was all worth it.  I think my hubby has over 100 bites on him...I probably have only 20 or so.

It was heart breaking to learn from our guide, whose grandfather and father also grew up in and around the jungle, that what we saw were only 50% of the Amazon rainforest, the rest were gone, destroyed by humans.  So many species scientists have yet to discover may never be discovered because their homes are, and will continued to be, destroyed.

So the next time you use a new sheet of paper, consider recycling.  You have to be there to see experience the magnificence of the Amazon Rainforest, I liked the starry night the best and swimming with pink dolphins was the second on the list.  I have seen the northern lights and it was nothing compared to being in the middle of the jungle, listening to the jungle, breathing the jungle, living the jungle and watching the starry sky.

I feel so privileged to experience all these and I wish whoever is reading this will have the opportunity to do so too.

Memories Can´t Be Stolen

We took an overnight bus from Arequipa to Puno which was bloody freezing.  We had no idea how cold it would be and were lucky to keep our toes!!!  Then we crossed the Bolivian border and arrived at Copacabana.

We were going to head off to Isle del Sol but while we were waiting for our ferry to go to the island, we had our bag stolen.

Clearly, we were shocked and very upset.  Initially, I thought it was the items that got stolen (our really good camera, iPad which was a gift, iPod, lenses, everything) that had upset me.  However, soon I realized it had little to do with the material of what had been stolen.

It was the emotional attachment and the fact that someone had taken something from you...stolen.  All the gagdets can be replaced and as long as my hubby and I are safe, nothing else really matters.

I was more upset over the photos we had taken during this travel...not alot, about 1,400.  But it was the sweat and effort taken to get these photos...from diving to 30m with hammerhead sharks to trekking to an altitude of 4,750m.  It was the experience, the soul and heart we have put in.

It took me TWO nights to fully recover.  The first night, I got over the material stuff.  The second night, I finally came to terms with the fact that yes, our photos were stolen, what has happened has happened and I was never going to get it back.  But one thing these bastards could never take away, was our memories.

Memories can´t be stolen. 

They will always be in our hearts.  Moreover, I received tons of twitter DMs, facebook message/comments and emails from my family and friends regarding their concern.

I was more emotional when I read these messages than when our stuff got stolen. 

People in Japan have lost their homes, EVERYTHING, so many people starve each day, sick kids never get the chance to travel and see the world etc...and here I was...worrying about a camera and some photos.

I guess only when shit happens, then you realize what you really have.  Nothing really matters, as long as you have still got your partner, family and friends. 

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

¨Don´t let the bastards keep you down¨- by Rihanna

They have taken little stuff and 2 days of my life and I am not going to let them take anything else from me / us.

Screw the bastards, I still hope they get run over by a bus or something and I´m not afraid to admit to my evil thoughts. 

We bought a new baby (old version, small and simple) camera yesterday and have began taking photos like a beast today!!! 

Memories can´t be stolen...it will always be in our hearts.

Arequipa - The White City

Arequipa is one of the prettiest cities I've ever seen - cobblestone streets, colonial buildings, historical sites, majestic mountains, stunning canyons, friendly locals and 'Zig Zag' the best cuisine in Peru (in my opinion).

We did the 2 day / 1 night Colca Trek. The Colca Canyon is the world's deepest canyon, after the Tsangpo in China. We saw a lot of massive condors - which has the largest wingspan (at 3.2 m or 10.5 ft) of any land bird, according to Wikipedia. They were just magnificent to watch.

As for the trek itself, the scenery was beautiful but the trek was average. We spent the first day walking on a really dusty trail and your face, nostrils, clothes are just covered in shit.

The second day was more fun. We started walking at 5am for 2 and a half hours, it was just a constant uphill of 1,200m. It was a bitch but like our previous tracks, it's very rewarding.

On our way back to Arequipa, we went to the hot springs which was much nicer than the ones in Aguas Calientes, as it's bigger, cleaner and quieter.

The next day, we just strolled around the beautiful city center of Arequipa. The gorgeous white Cathedral was worth a visit and you definitely don't want to miss the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, which is like a city within the city with houses, alleys and gardens inside the stoned walls.

We were going to do the Chachani trek, which is the world's easiest 6,000m trek and we were all psyched up for it all day and night. But in the end, the agency (most expensive in town) wasn't able to provide us with proper equipments (there were holes in the boots, paper thin jacket for the snow, 'ski pants' as thick as my hiking pants etc), so we cancelled and got a refund.

It sucks because we were so ready for it but shit happens. In the end, we treated ourselves to Zig Zag, the best restaurant in Peru! Ostrich carpaccio, excellent trilogy of meat (alpaca, beef and pork) and delicious passion fruit dessert.

Well, we have done everything we wanted to do in Peru, so we are heading off to Bolivia tonight, I have been snooping around peoples facebook photos of Bolivia and they look awesome!!! So I can't wait, although the night bus journey and getting through the Bolivian border will not be fun ;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Machu Picchu - The Lost City of the Incas

 

We flew into Cusco from Lima and did a day trip to the Sacred Valley before our 5-day trek to Machu Picchu.

On the first day, I underestimated what was waiting for me and I cursed through the 10-hour trek. I didn't take a single photo as I was just trying to make it to the camp in one piece!!! I finally calmed down when I started meeting other people from our group and I learnt to laugh again.

The second day, as expected, was a bitch! It was a constant uphill to 4,600m altitude. Again, I had no interest in the scenery until I reached the top alive. On my way back down, I realized I was surrounded by a beautiful scenery and I became stronger through the afternoon.

The third and fourth day were really easy, 5-hour trek each day. We ended the fourth day in Aguas Calientes where some of our group went to the hot spring which was pretty fun...and strange. Haha...everyone there probably hadn't had a bath for over 3 days but no one cared. It was a blast!

The fifth day was one of the most unforgettable days of my life. We got up at 4am and had to race up 2,500 steps (400m up) in order to get a pass to go to Wayna Picchu (there is a daily limit of only 200 people at 7am and 200 people at 10am).

It was harder than the previous 4-day treks and the 4,750m Santa Cruz trek because there was nothing other than darkness and 2 or 3 steps ahead of you. It was still dark and we had to trek with a head light. You know it's game over once you stop as there were tons of people behind you trying to get your spot.

I was really concerned with Rupert as he was really struggling. I, surprisingly, was getting stronger and stronger as we ascended. I still don't understand how I did it but I'm very proud of myself for achieving this.

I had tears in my eyes when we reached the top and were one of the first 200 to be there. I never thought I would make it and this had made me believe in myself more.

Machu Picchu was stunning. It's located in the middle of nowhere and its magnificent stonework and craftsmanship were just unreal. It was worth the all the hardwork, tears and sweat. No words or pictures can describe Machu Picchu. You have to be there to experience it. The Lost City of the Incas should lives up to it's title as the New Seven Wonders of the World.

To top such crazy day up, we went back in town only to realize our agency hadn't reserve Rup and my train ticket. No one know who to call to solve the problem and we were really stressed out!!! What made things worse was no one spoke English and no one gave a shit.

Thanks to my 3 angels - Menno, Tobias and Sven - who helped us translate, ran around from hostal to hostal and to the train station with their bloody backpacks! Somehow, we finally were able to get on a later train on the same night.

Thus, all in all, the 5-day trek to Machu Picchu was very adventurous, fun, challenging and rewarding. It was one of the most memorable experience of my life.

Huaraz, Peru - Trekking to 4,750m alttitude

The first day in Huaraz, we visited Chavin, a 3,000-year-old temple next to a small village. It's an impressive temple built from stone with a maze of tunnels, chambers and alleys that you can explore (really cool stuff).

We rested for a day before we embarked on our 4-day Santa Cruz trek in the mountain range of Cordilleras Blanca, which is the second highest mountain range after the Himalayas.

Every day, we woke up at 6am and would start trekking by 7am. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. I recently blogged about the hard work required for surfing, well it's nothing comparing to trekking to 4,750m altitude.

It's one of the best things I have ever done in my life.

I was worried about not being able to shower or wash my hair fo 4 days, but that was the last thing on my mind. The weather was so unpredictable that one moment, it's sunny, another it's pouring, then it's hot, then it's cold.

You could be trekking in your T-shirt during the day and you would be sleeping with your ski pants, thermos, beanie, gloves and fleeces at night.

Every step upward required so much strength and determination at such high altitude.

Breathing was one thing, hanging on to dear life was another. There were points when I thought I wasn't going to make it. But thanks to my husband who was my motivational angel and a great team of people we were trekking with, I finally made it.

And once you open your eyes and see what's around you rather than worrying about a shower, the coldness and wetness, fatigue or having a congested nose, it was all worth it.

The beautiful scenery of snow capped mountains, icy water falls, bright and colorful flowers, horses eating grass next to you, cows and donkeys strolling around, gorgeous valleys, river, lakes, trekking on peddles, stones, grass and mud, was just unbelievable.

We saw the Artesonraju which was said to be the Paramount Picture logo! Now that's amazing in itself.

I'm very proud of myself for doing this 4-day trek to 4,750m altitude. It's one of my biggest achievements in life and something I will share with my children.

Trujillo, Peru - Moche and Chimu

From Mancora, we took an 8 hour bus ride to Trujillo, then we visited the Huaca de la Luna and del Sol by the Moche and the Chan Chan by the Chimu, and took a night bus to Huaraz on the same day.

There wasn't much in Trujillo so there was no point in staying overnight.

The Huaca de la Luna and del Sol by the Moche was built around AD600 and the Chan Chan by the Chimu was built around AD1300. To be honest, after seeing all the ruins in Mexico, these ruins in Trujillo were rather disappointing.

Of course, I understand many ruins are reconstructions but for that very same reason, I expected to see...something. Since both the Huaca de la Luna and del Sol and the Chan Chan were built by mud, sand and clay, whenever it rains, everything gets washed away. They looked rather like a huge pile of sand in a construction site to me.

It's heart breaking when you see how big the sites are, they were massive and possibly bigger than Palenque in Mexico. But mother nature hasn't been kind. It made me sad to see that what once was a great empire is now a fallen and destroyed site with nothing but piles of sand.

Mancora, Peru - my first surf

Peru has so much to offer - the jungle, the coast, the mountains, the dessert...

Our first stop was at a small town called Mancora. Nice clean beach with killer body surfers, crazy waves and the best ceviche (tuna) in the world!

We took an hour of surf lesson and headed out to do our first surfs. Surfing looks so easy but it's bloody hard work! The paddling out with waves slamming directly at your face already took up most of my energy! I was glad that I stood up once and did a proper surf but the whole experience was rather scary!

Surfers were everywhere and I had seen at least 2 close calls where beginners were paddling out while another surfer just managed to surf above his head! And when you fall in the middle of a wave, you have no idea how long or deep the wave would drag you and whether you would be hit by someone's surf board. You just have to close you eyes and pray.

Having said that, I'm glad I did it but when we went back on the next day and the waves were crazier and we saw 3 broken surf boards, we decided we should practice more at a beginners beach later in our trip.

If you are there, you have to have their ceviche! So fresh and chunky and mouth watering, the best ceviche we have had so far and rather cheap! Only USD 3 for a huge bowl of fresh marinated tuna. It's healthy and tasty.

We felt like total athletes when we were in Mancora!

Montanita, Ecuador - the Loose Town

One word to describe Montanita - LOOSE!

Some say they have great beaches but to me, it was too over-crowded with beer bottles and cigarette buds everywhere.

Having said that, it was worth a visit and we stayed there for 2 nights. I would recommend anyone to stay over the weekend so you get the craziness on Saturday night and chillness on Sunday night.

Such cliche with cocktail streets, hash pipes, jugglers, dread locks, people wondering mindlessly on the streets.

It's a loose place I tell you! We finished dinner at 10pm, started partying and the next thing I knew, it was 3am!!! There were still tons of people on the street like it was 9pm so you don't even realize how late it is! We danced some more and it was 8am!!!

I don't even drink or dance and I hate parties, but there was something about Montanita that would make you loose and party like there is no tomorrow.

The Galapagos Islands - wildlife paradise

The Galapagos Islands are nothing like you have ever seen. It's bloody expensive but it's worth every single penny.

The wildlife in the Galapagos Islands is unreal - giant tortoise (bigger than me), land and marine iguanas that look like mini-dinosaurs, Sally Lightfoot crabs that are bright orange, sea turtles, sea lions, sting rays, manta rays, white tip sharks, Galapagos sharks, hammerhead sharks, blue-footed boobies, flamingos, penguins, Frigate birds with heart-shaped red pouches, over 1,500 species of birds and much more.

The best way to get around the islands is by taking a cruise where you do island hiking with knowledgable English-speaking guides and snorkeling and get fed like a Queen each day.

To dive and snorkel with sea lions who come up and blow bubbles in your face and hammerhead sharks, is such a privilege and amazing experience.

It's the best biology class I've taken.

Did you know that 'sharks attack' is NOT due to the fact that they mistake humans as seals due to poor eye sights? In fact, their eye sight is as good as their smell (senses); Sharks attack because when we splash water, it sends magnetic waves to the sharks that resemble the ones caused by distressed animals, like something is injured? So sharks come up and check you out or take a nibble.

Humans are not in their food chain, tests has been done and proven that sharks move away when they smell human blood, even when they can see a tuna but with human blood around it. Also, they belong to the ocean, not us, after all, we invaded their territory at our own risks, it's not the shark's fault.

I have dived with a good number of sharks (not aggressive ones like great white or tiger or bull shark but still...many other species of sharks) and they are not threatening at all. In fact, they are phenomenal and one of the most beautiful creatures in the world.

It breaks my heart when people hate on the Chinese for eating shark fins. I promise you, it's because many of them are not aware of the process and they need to be educated. Just like you don't question how baby lambs are made or cows are slaughtered. The younger generation is more aware but if you are reading this, tell everyone you know (but please be polite and aim to bring awareness, don't challenge them and become a nightmare because how would you feel if someone had a go at you for eating meat)?

There are over a billion Chinese and we need to start somewhere. We can make a change, maybe small but we can. I have started a while ago, if you haven't already, start now.

Quito, Ecuador

We strolled around Quito´s Old Town today which is declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO (oh I love old towns and things).

The Old Town is an old but has pretty and colorful colonial buildings with balconies, and many magnificent churches and chapels.  We strolled around the busy plaza and had a great time visiting all the different churches - La Mecred, Cathedral of Quito, Santo Domingo, San Francisco, Basilica del Voto Nacional etc

Our favorite is La Compania, it has the magnificent exterior of the Cathedral in Mexico City and the incredible interior of the Santo Domingo in Oaxaca City.

However, here isn´t much to do, you can tour the whole Old Town in a day.

The strange thing about Quito is there is no one on the streets after 9pm at night.  And I mean NO ONE.  We looked out from our balcony and everyone has their windows shut, gates down.  It´s like a ghost town you see in a zombie movie!

Anyhow, I got to go, we have problems booking our Machu Picchu Inca Trail...x

Playa Del Carmen - Mexico

Ok I take back what I said about Playa Del Carmen in my previous blog. We stayed in Cozumel for 3 nights (by the way I didn't dive because I got food poisoning) and came to Playa today so it's easier to go to the airport tomorrow.

After being in Cozumel, Playa seems way better.

This is because there is a gorgeous beach right next to the busiest part of town but weirdly, is not so busy on the beach, the beach is relatively quiet. In Cozumel, you have to make an effort to go to the beach, rent a car or scooter. We sunbathed all afternoon, the girls were hot, hotter than Tulum but Tulum is stll nicer (beach-wise).

Further, the beaches in Cozumel we're really rocky so you have to be really careful but you won't have that problem in Playa.

Also, there is more happening in town in Playa whereas in Cozumel, it's just dead because most people are from cruise boats during the day.

My hubby went diving but said it was just average. The visibility was great but to call it one of the best diving sites was over-rated.

By the way, Mexicans are hilarious. They are so friendly and welcoming, at Playa, they will sell you stuff but won't harrass you, just politely say no and the will leave you alone.

Below was a funny conversation between us and a random Mexican on Fifth Avenue (if you also have my facebook, you will see it on my status):

Mexican: Do u want hotel?

Us: no thanks

Mexican: do u want cigars?

Us: no thanks

Mexican: do u want to look at my shop?

Us: no thanks

Mexican: do u want to party?

Us: no thanks

Mexican: do u want to get high? I've got weed

Us: lol WTF????

Cozumel, Mexico

I woke up, got the hump because I felt scammed into coming to Cozumel and we could have stayed in Tulum, our paradise.

But as usual, my hubby explained to me that it is what it is and we just have to make the best out of it.

So we rented a jeep thing (it's not a jeep but looks like one) and drove around the island, expect your rented car to be old, ours couldn't lock and none of the meter readings worked so we had no idea how much gas we had, how fast we were going and the only light that was on was "service engine soon".

Although it's still miles away from Tulum, the sky cleared and we found a few beautiful beaches. We found a particularly quiet one and sunbathed.

Then, we drove around the rest of the island. Just remember don't rent a bicycle or a scooter because the island is small but not that small. The heat, the road and the fact that you need to carry towels and backpack justify the renting of a car/jeep instead. Pay a little more for insurance, it's worth it.

We will go diving tomorrow and I can't wait as Cozumel is one of the best places in the world to dive.

Tulum - Mexico

To summarize Tulum in one word, I would have to say...PARADISE!

With gorgeous blue skies, soft perfect champagne sand and crystal jade water, Tulum has by far the best beaches I have ever seen! Although there are over 100 hotels along the beach, many only accommodate 3 to 5 rooms and thus, the beach is really quiet.

We stayed at the end of the beach so it was especially quiet. So quiet that I had the courage to sunbathe topless for the first time in my life!!! It felt GOOD!

We have traveled pass Playa Del Carmen and are now in Cozumel. Honestly, I think Cozumel is so over-rated. If this is paradise to those who compare it with Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, then they will die in Tulum which is the REAL paradise.

We have yet to explore Cozumel in the next few days but so far, it's a huge disappointment, it's so crowded and commercialized, it makes me resent Cancun. Thank god we are not going there!

But mind you, we prefer quiet places and we don't like parties, so if you are young and on spring break, I am sure you would enjoy Cancun and Cozumel.