My home in Salta

Hostal Inti Huasi, the best hostel in Salta. Lived there for an amazing total of 16 months.

Call them +54 387 4310167

Boring life without a job.

Well, I haven't been to the Colca Canyon yet. That's supposed to be trek with 100% guaranteed condors in sight, amazing landscapes, eating and sleeping with local people, ... a 2 day tour, if done by agency costs you about 50 US. You can ofcourse also do it by yourself.

I for myself have been walking accross the town of Arequipa and am starting to feel a bit more at home. My evening activities have included civilised happening such as going to the movies. We watched "in persuit of happiness" a big Will Smith hollywood story about the american dream. That's if you don't watch a program and just show up at the theatre and pick the next to begin movie. Was even worse than expected, best actor in the film probably Smith Jr.

Looking around for different possibilities to work, either teaching, bar/restaurant or tourism, awaiting some answers. Could start saturday in Brittany Group, but wages very low, talking to director again on monday.

Might as well stay here for a couple of months. Will have to tell Lesly that I'm not on my way yet. If all goes for the best ... bring it on.

Just some random thinking

For starters, I know somebody read my blog yesterday!!! We were chatting at the time so ...

It appears I am going to be here for a little while longer. Don't know anything fixed yet, but it is happening. Later today I am to visit some language institutes and try to land a teaching job here in Arequipa.

Really should come here. I loved Salta and now I'm in love with Arequipa ... things change, don't they.

Sorry for not writing too many personal emails lately...

Lipán

This is me on one of my very last tours ...

Still in Arequipa

Well, minor news, gotted mugged this weekend by a taxidriver, lost about 90 soles and my cell, so not too much damage done, as I had all my cash in my pockets. Could've lost everything if they had been more thorough and had checked all of my pockets. The standard rule of never keeping everything in the same place does seem to work.

On the positive side, I've located Lesly so I will be visiting here later this month.

Long stretch comeing up, if I want to go in one go from here to Lima, seem to be a couple of towns along the road, we'll see. Maybe as soon as tomorrow.

Arequipa

Now in Arequipa. Had the needed dose of luckon my way there, but well, yeah, who would leave someone standing at the side of the road in the high mountain desert some 200km away from the next sizeable town?

I walked the entire stretch from Puno to Juliaca, this last to be the merchants town closest to the city of Puno and also the location for the airport. Has a very bad reputation regarding safety, but didn't see anything suspicious there.

Just about 2km out of Juliaca a truck picked me up, and at a very leisurely pace we started off into the mountains. He was on his way to a cupper/silver mine, not a really big one, but a localy owned business.

When he had to leave the main road - I am still, or again on the Pan-American highway - I got out his truck with still 197km to go to Ariquipa.

My decision to come here and not go to Cuzco was partially taken by the fact that I want to stick as much as possible to "la panamericana" and the prices of a visit to Machu Pichu. A one day visit will cost you about 150 USD, unless you really go looking for the cheapest alternatives. A three day tour, with compulsary guide will end up nearly double that.

I hadn't walked 100m when I blue Nissan pick-up truck stopped just in front of me, I hadn't even stuck out my thumb yet, and they took me all the way to the outskirts of Arequipa.

Arequipa is a wonderfull colonial city, I still have to see most of it. I think I'll be staying here for a while longer. Foto's will follow on a later date.
My skin is still recovering from some over-exposure to the strong high altitude sun.

Peru is pretty expensive though.

Cheers all!
Happy Paddy's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day behind

No pictures today.
I'm still in Puno, Peru, and may be here for even a day more.
Normally from here you visit the floating islands on the lake and/or go to some of the inca ruins. Haven't done any of these so, we'll see. Have just been walking around the town and towards the great Titicaca lake.

Yesterday I walked from Copacabana to Peru, along the main road 8km, the old path must be a hell of a lot shorter as I walked it in just about 45mins. I calculate that given the altitude, walking with backpack and the prospect of walking for quite a long time/distance, I must advance at somewhere around 5km/h.
In the bordertown of Khasani, an official stopped me to ask me for my passport in a way as if I was a criminal, especially when I told him I'd come walking from Copa. 5mins later he was very friendly though, when I asked him if there was a place to go for a coffee or something like that, but ofcourse, it being 11am, the time for coffee was long gone.
What a difference in timekeeping compared to Argentina.
Had early lunch between the Bolivian and Peruvian checkpoints, Pejerey with rice.
--- for the bio people: odonthestes argentinensis, silver side in english ---
Across the border I set of in the direction Puno, knowing very well that without a ride I wouldn't make it in a day and a half. Luckily a few kilometers down the road a minibus stopped, without me trying to stop them, and out of curiosity they offered me a free ride for some 5km just to make some conversation. These people don't see too many backpackers from that close as normally these take a bus direct from Copacabana to Puno. Always nice to have a chat with the local working class, they mostly have a different view on the world that surrounds us. Belgium is a small country, most of them never really heard of it before. Belgium is famous for making good fire arms. If they know something more it is Bruges and maybe, maybe Brussels.
I wlkaed on again, the threatening rain had made way for a nice sun, I am still red as a tomatoe. Some km's further, quite a few actually, a dumptruck gave me a lift to the next town. From there I started trying to hitch a hike, as both before offered me the ride without me soliciting. It is viewed as very strange here to walk, it's true, there are these minibuses going from town to town for most likely 1 sole - about 1ARS = 0.25EUR. The entire thing didn't work, so I decided to walk a while close to the waterline, had a little chat with some local youths fishing, and went back to the main road. Then it all happened. A pick-up truck stopped at me waving my thumb up and down in the air, and they not only gave me a ride all the way to Puno, I was offered a seat in the cabin, they made little tours around the squares of the villages we passed by and gave me some tourist information. Also the first time I tried the world famous Inca Cola.



wvv

This was Copacabana - again -

Why to fond a huge cathedral in a rather small town like Copacabana? The first colonists probably already recognised to potential for tourism and survival in this area, all around the lake apparently people are thriving. Maybe one day this town is the first people think off hearing the name Copacabana, and not the beach in Brasil.
Another bad picture, excuse me for that, showing a line of women waiting, maybe for days, for the gas bottle deelivery truck. You'll find this type of queueing also around mayor cities such as roadblocks in and around La Paz
The girls in the picture are playing with barbie like dolls. The right one however, at the same time is running the place, a small eatery offering trout, beaf and other dishes. The trtout she cooked me was delicious anyway! I took refuge there for the rain. She called me "joven" and told me what I could eat.
Early afternoon a real rainstorm passed over the lake, just afterwards I took this shot.

On the road

Well, to facilitate showing you what I've seen, I got myself a cheap digital camara, don't expect quality pictures, but I'll be able to show something, right?

Hell of a walk to get ot of La Paz and conurbano, but after a good few miles, how many does one walk at a steady speed in 3 hours time?

Anyway, look at the porkchops, aren't they lovely?

The truck was my first ride, took me about 50 miles north to where the road to Copacabana splits off from the road north. Two nice guys offered me a ride for FREE, as the stated it and also explained me the origin of the name Titi-kaka: A titi is a big cat-like animal, and the kaka is, well you know what kaka is. Now I know why Peruvians claim Titi is the peruvian part and kaka the bolivian.

Some 2 miles later my catholic believes where boosted: two pinguins going in a taxi all the way to Copacabana, ofcourse taking a little boat to cross the water, offered me a free ride!!!!!

Tomorrow or the day after crossing to Peru.

Out of La Paz

Was a bit of a climb, but I took a minibus for part of it. Finally after a week in the city I've taken to the road, and as promised before I will walk decent parts and try to hitch the rest. Seems a lot more exciting than going by bus. Still possible to stop these busses down the road anyway.

Copacabana, here we come.

What do people do backpacking around the world.

1. Due to language problems/restrictions most stay in well known hostels as advised buy the books.
2. Take tours around the countryside either organised or following guide book in rented car.
3. Spend a lot of time in the hostel if traveling for long time.
4. Go out at night.


Well, currently doing exactly the same thing, without the tours so far.
Saturday I'll be going to Copacabana, Lago Titicaca and return to my original plan.
It still feels strange you can't speak spanish in a hostel in La Paz, because most of the staff don't speak it????

La Paz

Sin hacer dedo, pero completamente en colectivo ya he llegado a La Paz, Bolivia.
¡Impressionante la primera vista desde arriba!
Mira foto al lado.

Ya estoy

Sorry for cheating on the plan, but La Paz is an amazing place. From the moment you turn around the top of the mountain and you get to see the city down there in the valley, you know you want to stay there for a couple of days. Luckily for me no problems with the altitude, had got used to that before, so I have been going around. Maybe work a little while in a bar somewhere, seems to be a normal procedure here.

Count-down boken off

Recently arrived in Villazon, Bolivian bordertown on the Panamerican Highway. Later today I'll get another bus, sorry, I know I promised to hitch, to La Paz. Buses here not too expensive, 50 bolivianos.

Preparing for take off

Getting nervous, monday will be the big day. Sifting through my possessions taking only 1 rather small backpack.
Countdown has started, although they don't want to let me go at the agency, even talking of setting up paperwork to have me legaly working, getting me full,temporary residency here in Argentina. I've told them but they don't want to hear.